Sima Qian

Lore & Background

Sima Qian was born at Xiayang in Zuopingyi (near present-day Hancheng, Shaanxi), probably around 145 BC. His father, Sima Tan, was appointed grand historian around 136 BC and conceived the project of a complete history of China, but completed only preparatory sketches before his death. By age ten, Sima Qian could read old writings and grew up in a Confucian environment. Around 126 BC, he began an extensive tour of Han China, visiting sites such as the Miluo River, the grave of Han Xin, and Qufu, the hometown of Confucius.

After his travels, Sima became a Palace Attendant and later assumed his father's position as court historian. He was instrumental in creating the Taichu calendar, promulgated in 104 BC. In 99 BC, he fell victim to the Li Ling affair for defending General Li Ling, who was blamed for an unsuccessful campaign against the Xiongnu. Given the choice of execution or castration, Sima chose castration to finish his historical work. He endured three years in prison, then served as a palace eunuch and court archivist.

Sima Qian completed the Shiji before 91 BC, probably around 94 BC. In its postface, he compared his work to the classics of his day, noting that their authors all suffered great personal misfortunes. The last contemporary record of Sima is his Letter to Ren An, written in response to Ren An's involvement in Crown Prince Liu Ju's rebellion in 91 BC. No reliable records establish his death; he may have died around the same time as Emperor Wu in 87/86 BC.

Reader's Guide

Sima Qian's significance rests on the Shiji, the first universal history of the world as known to the ancient Chinese, covering over two thousand years. Its format—over 500,000 characters in 130 chapters—created a permanent standard for quality and style in Chinese historiography, serving as a model for official histories across the Sinosphere until the 20th century. Sima's personal suffering, including his castration for defending General Li Ling, shaped his work; he implicitly compared his history to earlier classics written by authors who endured great misfortunes. Beyond historiography, surviving works show he was a gifted poet and prose writer, and he contributed to the Taichu calendar reform. His legacy is that of a scholar who prioritized completing his monumental work over personal honor, establishing a paradigm for historical writing in East Asia.

Did You Know?

• Sima Qian was castrated as an alternative to execution for defending General Li Ling in the Li Ling affair.
• He began an extensive tour of Han China around age 20, visiting sites including the Miluo River and Qufu.
• The Shiji totals over 500,000 characters in length, organized into 130 chapters.
• Sima Qian's father, Sima Tan, first conceived of the project of a complete history of China.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Sima Qian (c. 145 or 135 – 86 BC), formerly romanized Ssu-ma Chien, was a Chinese historian of the Han dynasty." — Sima Qian "Translated by Tsai-fa Cheng, Zongli Lu, William H. Nienhauser, Jr., and Robert Reynolds, in The Grand Scribe’s Records, edited by William H. Nienhauser, Jr." — Sima Qian "Translated by Tsai-fa Cheng, Zongli Lu, William H. Nienhauser, Jr., and Robert Reynolds, in The Grand Scribe’s Records, edited by William H. Nienhauser, Jr." — Sima Qian "There is no fixed road to wealth, and money has no permanent master." — Sima Qian