One summer, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent his favorite concubine's younger brother, Li Guangli, to crusade against the Huns, and at the same time sent Li Guang's grandson and Li Ling to accompany Li Guang to escort the hay.
Li Ling led an infantry team of 5,000 people and entered Xunji Mountain alone, but he didn't expect to meet Khan of Xiongnu at that time. Finally, Khan sent 80,000 cavalry to besiege Li Ling.
After eight days and nights of fierce fighting, Li Ling was unfortunately captured for lack of support. After Li Ling was captured, he surrendered to Huns Khan, and then Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty wanted to put his family to death. However, Sima Qian's intercession for Li Ling angered Emperor Wu, so Sima Qian was sentenced to imprisonment.
Extended data:
Influenced by the Liling incident, Sima Qian finally chose castration. Since then, he has become an alternative among the court, men and literati.
Sima Qian wrote a famous letter himself, in which he mentioned his painful feelings after receiving castration. He went back and forth nine times a day and was very careless when he was alive. If he dies, he doesn't know where he is going. Every time he thinks of shame, he doesn't sweat or touch his clothes.
Every word reveals sadness, and every line tells sadness. I really can't bear to translate it again. Sima Qian regarded this castration as the greatest shame in his life. He looked in a trance, and he didn't know where to go, and he was accompanied by life.
Since then, Sima Qian has become worthless. He said wryly: Although he is easy-going, he can't be proud of his behavior. This sentence by Sima Qian is a silent accusation and a reflection of the bumpy experience.
Since then, Sima Qian has been isolated, driven out of the corner of human society and not recognized by human beings. Since then, he has been a special kind, a special kind.
Sima Qian died as a person, as a normal social worker, as a small historian of the Han Dynasty, and as an author of historical records, Sima Qian came back to life.
Baidu encyclopedia-Liling incident