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Shiji

Shiji, or Records of the Grand Historian, is a foundational Chinese historical work attributed to Sima Qian and completed in the late Warring States to early Han period. It covers the history of China from the mythical Yellow Emperor and other ancient sages through to the early years of the Western Han dynasty. The work presents a continuous narrative that blends chronological records with biographies and monographs on diverse topics, offering a comprehensive portrait of the political, social, and cultural world of old China.

Content and structure: The Shiji is traditionally described as comprising about 130 chapters, organized into sections

Method and significance: The Shiji is distinguished by its biographical approach—interweaving the lives of individuals with

Legacy: As one of the most influential historical works in Chinese literature, the Shiji remains a primary

that
include
annals
(chronicles
of
rulers),
various
monographs
on
topics
such
as
astronomy,
geography,
rites,
music,
and
economics,
and
a
large
set
of
biographical
sketches
of
important
figures,
groups,
and
events.
Sima
Qian
drew
on
earlier
sources,
official
records,
and
oral
traditions,
composing
the
text
to
present
historical
causation
and
moral
evaluation
alongside
factual
detail.
broader
historical
developments—along
with
its
method
of
linking
events
to
broader
patterns
and
dynastic
changes.
It
established
a
model
for
subsequent
Chinese
historiography,
influencing
later
dynastic
histories
and
shaping
the
literary
and
historical
imagination
of
imperial
China.
reference
for
early
Chinese
history
and
for
understanding
the
foundations
of
Chinese
historiographical
tradition.
It
is
studied
for
its
historical
content,
literary
style,
and
methodological
innovations.