100 must-read books for college students

Chapter 17 "The masterpiece of the ages"

Chapter No.16 "The masterpiece of the ages": "Historical Records"

The birth of a brilliant masterpiece is extremely difficult.Sima Qian spent more than ten years traveling through the world, traveling through famous mountains and rivers,
Investigate ancient sites and relics, expand historical knowledge, and travel all over half of China.

Just as he was concentrating on writing the famous historical book "Historical Records", a sudden disaster fell from the sky.The second year of Tianhan (99 BC)
Han general Li Ling fought against the Xiongnu, outnumbered, defeated and surrendered, the court was shocked, Sima Qian defended Li Ling a few words, but unexpectedly touched
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was angry, so he was thrown into prison, tortured, and sentenced to corruption.Suffering from the strange feeling of "although it has been accumulated for hundreds of generations, the dirt is so deep".

Humiliated, Sima Qian endured the heavy burden, worked hard, and finally completed the 91 million-word immortal masterpiece "Historical History" in 5265 BC.
"Records", and his unswerving determination and indomitable spirit, together with his great works, are glorious in the annals of history and are praised throughout the ages.

The book "Historical Records" not only has an extremely important position in the history of Chinese historiography, but also created a precedent for Chinese biographical literature.

It has established an immortal monument for the ancient culture of our country.Liang Qichao, a close friend, praised this masterpiece as "the masterpiece of the ages", and Lu Xun praised it as
"The swan song of historians, "Li Sao" without rhyme".

Through the past and the present, become the words of a family

"Historical Records" comprehensively describes the historical development of politics, economy, and culture in my country from ancient times to the early Han Dynasty for 3000 years.

A great summary of our country's ancient history.The whole book is divided into [-] epochs (records of the emperors), [-] aristocratic families (the history of the survival and death of the Hou kingdoms), and [-] epochs.

Biographies (biography of people), Ten Tables (chronology of major events), and Eight Books (political and economic systems), a total of 130 volumes.Through these five different

Different styles and their mutual cooperation and complementation constitute a "studying the relationship between heaven and man, through the changes of the past and the present, and becoming a family".
Words" magnificent tome.

"Benji" records the rise and fall of successive emperors and major historical events according to the chronology;
Preface, which records important historical events; "events" record the evolution of various laws and regulations, as well as astronomy and calendar; "family" records
Contains the princes who founded the country since the Zhou Dynasty, as well as the deeds of people with special status; "Biographies" record representatives of all social classes

Characters and deeds, including famous thinkers, politicians, military strategists, writers, etc., as well as scholars, cruel officials, rangers,

Biographies of assassins, famous doctors, Japanese, turtles, and businessmen. "Historical Records" also recorded the Korean, Dawan, Wusun, Kangju, Yan
The history of Cai, Da Yuezhi, Anxi, and Huns, these records are extremely important for studying the early history of these regions and countries in Asia
material.

The historical comprehension spirit of "Historical Records" is not only manifested in Shi Maqian's ability to control historical materials and the ability to grasp the overall
to him
"Observe the end of the original, see the prosperity and see the decline".Sima Qian paid great attention to starting from the causal relationship within history
, to construct a historiographical system rich in the sense of historical integrity.The most prominent of these is that Sima Qian saw the impact of the economy and economic relations on
decisive role in social development.

The biographical style of "Historical Records" provides a basic guarantee for the successful creation of characters.First of all, the biography of "Historical Records" starts with

The characters are the center, unfolding the vertical and horizontal aspects of history.Such a style makes it not only macroscopically describe the changes of major historical events, but also
It is necessary to microscopically describe the historical activities and personal fate of specific people; not only to pay attention to the internal connection of historical events
We should also pay attention to the influence of personal experience, identity, temperament, upbringing, and behavior on historical events and even personal fate.
Impact.Secondly, "Historical Records" also pioneered the joint biography and biography of characters.This type of biography focuses on a certain class, a certain class
, a certain industry, or portraits of people with similar ideology, character, behavior, and life experiences, it also shows that Sima Qian has a deep understanding of historical figures.
Their commonality and individuality have been given full attention.In addition, due to the parallel characters, it is very easy for each biography to confuse when describing the same event.

To repeat, when Sima Qian had to narrate someone or something, he often used "the matter is in a certain biography" to avoid the burden of writing.

Taoism's "Mutual Seeing Method".The so-called mutual reference method is to disperse historical events or personal lives in several chapters, see each other in different ways, and omit details.

The same, complement each other.And because Sima Qian has always maintained a sober rational criticism and clear emotional tendency towards history, he
The people recorded and the events narrated pay great attention to the plot, details and even the careful cutting and ingenious arrangement of the language of the characters, so "Historical Records"

"The article has a prominent center and a well-organized method, but also has the subtlety of density, complexity, reality, pros and cons, and intermittent. Some plots, even
Quite a dramatic conflict.In addition, while following the principle of truth-seeking, Sima Qian did not rule out some plots, details and details.
Supplements to character language.Most of these supplementary elements are inevitable and probable for events or characters, so they do not damage the
The truth of history.The documentary spirit of historians and the artistic imagination of writers, the scientific nature of history and the artistry of literature, in "

In "Historical Records", a considerable degree of unity has been achieved.

Strong lyricism is another important factor that made "Historical Records" a literary masterpiece.Out of conscious intervention in reality and historical

Sima Qian created the commentary style of "Historical Records" for the first time, and often inserted his own subjective judgments into the narrative.

In addition, Sima Qian worked hard to write books, and between the lines, he entrusted his life experience including his personal experience, so the rationale of "Historical Records"

Sexual criticism is often strongly emotional.When narrating, it is inevitable to move into the author's likes and dislikes.The most typical Moru

"Biography of Boyi". "Biography of Boyi" has few narrations but many laments.

To grieve for the ancients is to express anger for the present.Therefore, such an article is not only a biography of the ancients, but also a piece of history.

The language style of "Historical Records" embodies diversity in unity.Sometimes ups and downs, sometimes euphemistic twists and turns.Especially some chapters, because
Where the emotion lies, whether it is hate or love, it can be described to the best of its ability.Of course, Sima Qian's narration of historical events in different eras is also due to the historical
Different materials have different language styles.

The Great Wall of History

"Historical Records" is not only a biographical history, but also a collection of biographical literature, and its influence has far exceeded the scope of China.

Some chapters of "Historical Records" have been translated into Russian, French, English, German, Japanese and other languages. "Historical Records" has become an ancient and modern
Another immortal masterpiece.

"Historical Records" fully embodies Sima Qian's historical talent, historiography, historical knowledge and historical morality.In the book, Chen Sheng, the leader of the peasant uprising at the end of Qin Dynasty, and Zhu
Hou was listed as a "family", which affirmed the immortal achievements of Chen Sheng's uprising in promoting the progress of history. "Historical Records" also records those who are positive

The lower-level people who are not accepted in official historians, such as Zhu Jia, Ju Meng, and Guo Jieli, who were banned by martial arts, "The Biography of Rangers", and those who committed crimes by ordinary people.

Cao Mo, Zhuan Zhu, Nie Zheng, and Jing Ke set up the "Biography of the Assassins", and the "Biography of the Japanese" for the fortune tellers in Chang'an.The book also noted

The relationship between foreign history and China, including the biographies of Xiongnu, Dawan, Wusun, Anxi, Korea, South Vietnam, etc., opened the door for later history books.
Created a precedent for foreign records.Everywhere in the book reveals the author's high generalization ability and outstanding insight into history.

Sima Qian is not only the father of Chinese historians, but also one of the greatest ancient historians in the world. "Historical Records" and Greek History

Compared with academic classics, it is characterized by comprehensiveness, especially for production activities, academic thoughts and ordinary people in history.

emphasis on status.However, the works of Greek historians contemporaneous with Sima Qian often only focused on wars, or paid attention to political affairs.

rule the military.Even Aristotle, the most famous Greek thinker-scientist, did not mention economic life in his writings

The problem.Most of the official history of our country has "Shihuo Zhi", and the "Tong Dian" and "Tong Kao" in the political books are all listed as "Shihuo"
The first part of the book provides a large amount of economic historical materials, which is also a fine tradition of Chinese historiography, and this tradition was created by Sima Qian.
standing.

Since Sima Qian founded the Jizhuan style, this style has been used by historians of all dynasties, and it remains unchanged in general, but the number of examples has increased or decreased.

Or the name of the example object is slightly different.In this way, the biographical system has become one of the main historiographical systems in ancient my country.Zheng Qiaozai
In his "General Records", he praised the influence of "Historical Records" and pointed out: "For a hundred generations, historians cannot change their methods, and scholars cannot abandon their books.
, after the Six Classics, only this work. "

The advent of "Historical Records" and the creation of biographical styles have strongly influenced the compilation of official history, the main body of Chinese classical literature.

And played a great role in promoting the development of Chinese historiography.

"Historical Records" is hailed as the "Great Wall of History" by today's people, and it is an immortal monument in Chinese and even world historiography.

(End of this chapter)