Sima Qian (l. 145/135-86 BCE) was a court scribe, astrologer, and historian of the Han Dynasty (202 BCE - 220 CE) of ancient China, famous for his historical work Records of the Grand Historian for which he is remembered as the Father of Chinese History.
More about: Sima QianServer Costs Fundraiser 2024
Help our mission to provide free history education to the world! Please donate and contribute to covering our server costs in 2024. With your support, millions of people learn about history entirely for free every month.
$3926 / $18000
Definition
Timeline
-
c. 145 BCE - 86 CELife of Sima Qian, Grand Astrologer at the court of Emperor Wu of Han and author of China's first comprehensive work on historiography.
-
141 BCE - 87 BCEReign of Emperor Wu (Wu the Great), the most effective and influential of the Han monarchs.
-
c. 126 BCESima Qian tours China, interviews elders on historic events.
-
c. 122 BCESima Qian is attendant to WEmperor Wu Ti of the Han Dynasty, travels the country.
-
110 BCESima Qian's father, Sima Tan, dies and asks him to complete his vision for the Records of the Grand Historian.
-
c. 107 BCESima Qian appointed to his father's position as Grand Historian and Court Astrologer.
-
99 BCESima Qian falls from grace with Emperor Wu Ti and is sentenced to three years in prison and castration.
-
c. 94 BCESima Qian completes his masterpiece Records of the Grand Historian, a history of China from the earliest period to the Han Dynasty.
-
74 BCE - 48 BCEReign of the Han Emperor Xuan during which Sima Qian's grandson Yang Yun publishes the Records of the Grand Historian for the first time.
