CIVILIZATION DOSSIER
Sima Qian司马迁
Historian during Emperor Wu of Han, once sent on a mission beyond the borders.
- DIRECT FIGURES
- 8
- RELATION RECORDS
- 10
- SOURCE WORKS
- 3
RELATIONSHIP COMPASS
Sima Qian, and the people around them.
Open one chapter at a time. Each chapter gives the relationship first, then the source text behind it.
01KINSHIPKinship
Blood, marriage and sworn bonds
1 figure · 2 records＋
Kinship
Blood, marriage and sworn bonds
Sima Qian—Yang Yungrandparent-grandchild
02ALLEGIANCEAllegiance
Rulers, appointments and allegiance
2 figures · 2 records＋
Allegiance
Rulers, appointments and allegiance
Sima Qian→Emperor Wu of Hanserve as envoy
Emperor Wu of Han→Sima Qiandecree
03CONFLICTConflict
Battles, captures and defeat
4 figures · 4 records＋
Conflict
Battles, captures and defeat
Ban Gu→Sima Qiansarcastic comment
Zhang Heng→Sima Qianlisted disagreements
Sima Qian→Li Lingsuffer disaster
Ban Biao→Sima Qiancomment
04THE UNSEENMythic acts
Transformation, aid and divine punishment
2 figures · 2 records＋
Mythic acts
Transformation, aid and divine punishment
Ban Gu→Sima Qianinherit
Sima Qian→Ni Kuanjointly fix the calendar
9 key relationships are shown here. The complete record remains below.
Across source works
How this figure changes across texts
Works are shown side by side, not as a chronology. No influence between texts is inferred.
- Official history14 profile notes
Book of Han
6 relations6 verified quotations- Sima Qian→ serve as envoy →Emperor Wu of Han
- Ban Gu→ inherit →Sima Qian
- Sima Qian→ grandparent-grandchild →Yang Yun
- Yang Yun→ grandparent-grandchild →Sima Qian
Verified original text · 6
自公孙弘以下至司马迁皆奉使方外
serve as envoy · Book of Han, 东方朔传
探篹前记
inherit · Book of Han, 叙传下
4 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.
- Official history7 profile notes
Book of the Later Han
4 relations5 verified quotations- Zhang Heng→ listed disagreements →Sima Qian
- Ban Gu→ sarcastic comment →Sima Qian
- Emperor Wu of Han→ decree →Sima Qian
- Ban Biao→ comment →Sima Qian
Verified original text · 5
条上司马迁、班固所□与典籍不合者
listed disagreements · Book of the Later Han, 张衡列传
彪、固讥迁
sarcastic comment · Book of the Later Han, 班彪列传下
3 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.
- Official history1 profile notes
Records of the Grand Historian
0 relations0 verified quotations
Where the histories differ
The Book of the Later Han has a ready-made verdict on the writing styles of Sima Qian and Ban Gu.
- histories differThe difference in writing styles between Sima Qian and Ban Gu
The Book of the Later Han, in the biography of Ban Biao, comments on the two: 'Qian's writing is straightforward and his facts are solid; Gu's writing is rich and his details are thorough.' This verdict exactly explains why the two books give different weight to the same person—the Records of the Grand Historian emphasizes narrative selection, while the Book of Han emphasizes material collection. Xiang Yu's downgrade from 'Basic Annals' to 'Biographies' and Jia Yi's upgrade from an attached biography to a separate volume are both results of this difference.
Relationship network
Original text (1)
自公孙弘以下至司马迁皆奉使方外
Original text (1)
条上司马迁、班固所□与典籍不合者
Original text (2)
彪、固讥迁
《班固集》云：“司马迁著书，成一家之言。至以身陷刑，故微文刺讥，贬损当世，非谊士也。”
Original relation: criticize · Book of the Later Han, 蔡邕列传下
Original text (1)
探篹前记
Original text (1)
Original text (1)
迁外孙平通侯杨恽祖述其书
Original text (1)
恽母，司马迁女也
Original text (1)
十年而遭李陵之祸
Original text (1)
上乃诏宽与迁等共定汉太初历。
Original text (1)
迁之所记，从汉元至武以绝，则其功也。