Sima Qian was an official in the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and his Historical Records was the first biographical general history in China. This book records the history from the legendary Yellow Emperor to the later period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Its content is complete and its structure is thorough, which is unprecedented in history.
Historical Records, based on biographies, supplemented by tables, books, years and records, created a new genre of biographical history books and became the norm in the compilation of official history of dynasties in the next two thousand years.
Sima Qian recorded political history as well as economic history, cultural history and social life history. In Sima Qian's works, the deeds of accomplished scholars, businessmen, doctors, rangers and peasant leaders are as important as political activists such as emperors and generals. He warmly praised the chivalrous spirit of the ranger and boldly exposed the cruelty of the cruel officials. While praising the historical achievements of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, Sima Qian dared to accuse him of indulging his own selfish desires.
Historical Records has vivid words and concise language, and also occupies an important position in the history of literature. It was praised by Lu Xun as "the historian's swan song, and Li Sao has no rhyme."
Zi Tong Zhi Jian is a chronological general history compiled by Sima Guang in the Northern Song Dynasty, which began in the 23rd year of Zhou Weilie (403 BC) and ended in the 6th year of Xiande in Zhou Shizong (959 BC).
Taking years as the classics and historical facts as the latitude, Zi Tong Zhi Jian evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of various political theories through the evolution of political history in previous dynasties, compares the gains and losses of political practice in previous dynasties, and serves the ruling class.