National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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Sima Qian | |
145 B.C. | |
86 B.C. | |
China / Xiayang (Shanxi Pro.) | |
Chinese History | |
Chinese historian of the Former Han Dynasty. His courtesy name was Zi-chang. His father was from Xiayang but later Qian moved to Maoling (Shaanxi). Sima Qian was a descendant of the Zhou Dynasty scribe Si-ma. After the death of his father, a Prefect of the Grand Scribes, he followed in his footsteps studying historiography. However, in the third year of Tianhan (B.C.98) he was jailed after angering Emperor Han Wudi by pleading for the life of Li Ling after Li Ling surrendered to the Xiongnu. He was released from prison in the first year of the Taishi era (B.C.96), and became a bureaucrat, his days spent actively writing his historical works. After laboring s 20 years, he finally completed the 130 volumes of his history of China, the Shiji. The Shiji became the foundation for the official study of Chinese history, and as such Sima Qian is known as the father of Chinese history. | |
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