[3] Sima Qian began to travel around the age of 20-"Traveling south to the Yangtze River, Huaihe River, Shanghai Huiji, exploring Yu Cave, seeing nine doubts, floating in Yuan and Hunan, reaching Brunei and Si in the north, talking about the capital of Qi and Lu, observing the legacy of Confucius, and shooting Zou, Yi, Urbana, Xue, Peng Cheng and Guo Liangchu in the countryside. After returning to Chang 'an, he became the emperor's personal assistant, whose main duties were guarding the palace gate, managing horseback riding and traveling with the emperor. He went to Pingliang and Kongtong with Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and was also sent to Bashu. The southernmost place he has been is Kunming. According to Sima Qian himself, when he was a teenager, he used to "plow mountains and rivers and graze the sun of rivers and mountains", which means that he did some farm work in his hometown when he was a child. Later, his father Sima said that Chang 'an issued an imperial edict, and Sima Qian went to Chang 'an with his father. Then, under the guidance of my father, I studied hard and laid a deep cultural foundation. He worshipped many famous teachers as his teachers. Sima Qian's family, that is, his family, has been historians for generations. As a historian, he has the responsibility to record the words and deeds of emperors and sages, collect and sort out the heritage of the world, and provide reference for the rulers at that time through narrators. Then his father, Sima Tan, was interested in sorting out the history of the Chinese nation for thousands of years and tried to write an unprecedented historical work. Is to write a history book, from
His father had such an ideal from the beginning. After his father officially ordered, he began to collect and read historical materials to prepare for the revision of history. However, Sima Tan felt that he was too old to write a historical work independently in time, energy and knowledge. Therefore, Sima Tan has high hopes for his son Sima Qian, hoping that he can participate in it as soon as possible and finally realize such a great ambition. Sima Qian's Portrait Collection (12) So, on the basis of reading thousands of books, Sima Qian started a trip to Wan Li Road, and Sima Tan let his son roam the country for more than two years. Sima Qian began to travel around the world at the age of 20, which was a field trip to prepare for writing Historical Records. He personally interviewed and obtained many first-hand materials, which ensured the authenticity and scientificity of historical records. His roaming is also the concrete embodiment of the spirit of Historical Records. For example, he wandered to the bank of the Miluo River. In the place where Qu Yuan threw himself into the river, he recited Qu Yuan's poems loudly, and he cried bitterly, so he wrote Biography of Qu Yuan with such feelings and went to visit it himself. He wrote Qu Yuan on the basis of studying Qu Yuan. For example, in Huaiyin, Han Xin's hometown, he also collected many stories about Han Xin, and personally asked others that Han Xin was humiliated by his legs. He understood why Han Xin could be humiliated by his legs without getting angry, and he didn't want to do anything illegal. Han Xin is so tall that he climbs between the legs of a rogue. If he follows his character, he will be killed with one knife. But if you kill him, you won't be able to achieve anything in the future. Han Xin later helped Liu Bang overthrow the Qin Dynasty, established the Western Han Dynasty, became king and marquis, and returned to his hometown. Han Xin himself said: If I had killed you, I wouldn't have made great achievements later, so I couldn't bear it, and I would have made great achievements. For another example, in Qufu, he visited the tomb of Confucius, took clothes and sleeves with some Confucian scholars in Confucius' hometown, and learned riding and archery step by step. Learn ancient rituals to express his memory of Confucius. For another example, in Xuecheng, Meng Changjun's hometown, he traveled all over the countryside and inspected the folk customs. Moreover, he investigated the relationship between the folk customs of this place and the hospitality of Meng Changjun in those days, so he walked all the way and investigated all the way. It can be said that Sima Qian never let go of anyone who knows history, nor did he let go of any story that remained in people's mouth-to-mouth, and obtained many historical materials that he could not get from ancient books. At the same time, he went deep into the people and widely contacted people's lives, which gradually deepened his observation and understanding of society and life. In addition, he traveled to famous mountains and rivers to appreciate the magnificence of the motherland's mountains and rivers and cultivate his temperament, thus improving the expressive force of literature. Therefore, Sima Qian's roaming is a very solid step for Sima Qian to succeed, and it is a very typical so-called reading thousands of books and traveling on Wan Li Road. In 65438 BC+065438 BC+00 BC (the first year of Yuanfeng), Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty held a large-scale tour of Zen, riding 180,000 troops and raising thousands of flags. Sima Qian's father, Sima Tan, is a historian. He should have gone to work, but he died in Luoyang. Sima Qian accepted his father's wishes, rushed to Mount Tai, attended meditation, and then returned to Chang 'an along the East China Sea, bypassing the Great Wall beyond the Great Wall.
Compile historical records
In BC 108 (the third year of Yuanfeng), when Sima Qian was 38 years old, he issued a formal official order and had the opportunity to read all the books, files and various historical materials hidden in the Han Dynasty court. While sorting out historical materials, he participated in the revision of the calendar. When China's first almanac, taichu calendar, was completed in BC 104 (the first year of the early days), he began to write historical records. In 99 BC (the second year of Tianhan), Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent Li Guangli, general of the Second Division, to attack Xiongnu with 30,000 troops. Defeated, almost completely annihilated, Li Guangli fled back. Li Guang's grandson, Li Ling, then served as a captain on horseback, fighting the Huns with 5,000 infantry. Khan personally led thirty thousand cavalry to surround the infantry of Liling. But Li Ling's archery is good and the soldiers are brave. Five thousand infantry killed five or six thousand tarquin. Khan assigned more troops, but he still couldn't compete with Li Ling. Writing history books on Sima Qian's indignation.
[4] When Khan was preparing to withdraw, a soldier in Liling dared to defect and reported the military situation inside Liling. Tell Khan that there are no reinforcements behind Li Ling, and teach Khan's men to make bows and arrows that can be shot repeatedly. Khan then continued to fight with Li Ling. In the end, Li Ling was outnumbered, leaving only more than 400 Han soldiers to break through. Li Ling was captured by the Huns and surrendered. Ministers condemned Li Ling for not being afraid of death and surrendering to the Huns. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty asked Taishi to ask Sima Qian to listen to his opinion. Sima Qian said, "Li Ling has less than 5,000 infantry. He went deep into the enemy's hinterland and struck tens of thousands of enemies. Although he lost the battle, he killed so many enemies that he can tell the world. Li Ling refused to die at once, so he must have an idea. He must want to atone and repay the emperor. " Hearing this, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty thought that Sima Qian's defense of Li Ling was intended to belittle Li Guangli (Li Guangli was the younger brother of Emperor Wu's favorite concubine), and he flew into a rage and said, "Defending those who surrendered to the enemy is not intended to oppose the court?" He put Sima Qian in prison and handed him over to Ting Wei for interrogation. After Sima Qian went to prison, the case fell into the hands of Du Zhou, a notorious cruel official at that time. Du Zhou tortured Sima Qian, and Sima Qian endured all kinds of cruel physical and mental torture. In the face of cruel officials, he never gave in or confessed. Sima Qian kept asking himself in prison: "Is this my sin? Is this my sin? I am a courtier, can't I express my opinion? " Soon, it was rumored that Li Ling led Xiongnu soldiers to attack the Han Dynasty. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty believed it and hastily killed Li Ling's mother, wife and son. Sima Qian was also sentenced to death for this incident. The following year, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty killed Li Ling's family and punished Sima Qian for corruption. Corruption is a great shame, polluting ancestors and making friends. Sima Qian was humiliated in prison. "Inadvertently making friends, he was shackled by wooden ropes, and he was badly hurt. He was famous on the list and lived in seclusion in the wall. At this time, when I saw the jailer, I grabbed the ground first, and I was anxious when I saw my apprentice "(Sima Qian's" Report to Ren An "). Almost killed him. He wants to write historical records, bear the burden of humiliation and hope to have a chance. In 96 BC (the first year of Taishi), Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty changed to the Yuan Dynasty and granted amnesty to the world. Sima Qian was 50 years old at this time. After he got out of prison, he became a secretary. In the eyes of others, he may be "respecting his position", but he still devotes himself to writing his book. It was not until 9 1 year BC (the second year of Zheng He) that the book Historical Records was completed, 130, with more than 520,000 words. [5]