Sima qian biography

Sima Qian (c. 145 B.C.E. – 90 B.C.E.) was a prefect of the Grand Scribes of the Han dynasty.

He is regarded as the father of Chinese historiography because of his highly praised work, Shiji ("History Record"), an overview of the history of China covering more than two thousand years from the Yellow Emperor to Emperor Han Wudi.

Sima qian biography

His work laid the foundation for later Chinese historiography.

Sima Qian’s style of writing was easy to read, full of humor and, less formal than most classical language, his history was therefore accessible to a wide readership.

The text is regarded as one of the most significant texts from the Han period. Knowledge was thus made available at a popular level, assisting the process of democratization of learning in China where civil service largely depended on merit and on scholarly accomplishment, not on nobility of birth or ability to purchase a public appointment.

Sima Qian's contribution to historio