Records of the Grand Historian (Selected Annals and Biographies)
Forthcoming The translation of this work is in preparation and will be published in the library.
Introduction
The hundred and thirty chapters of the Records of the Grand Historian cover some three thousand years, from the legendary Yellow Emperor to Emperor Wu of Han. Sima Qian created the 'annals and biographies' form, writing history around persons: emperors in the Basic Annals, feudal lords in the Hereditary Houses, people of every kind in the Biographies. His pages hold not only rulers and generals but assassins, knights-errant, merchants, physicians and jesters. This volume translates the finest chapters: Xiang Yu with the feast at Hongmen and his last stand at Gaixia, the founder of the Han, Bo Yi, Sunzi and Wu Qi, Lian Po and Lin Xiangru with the jade returned intact to Zhao, Jing Ke's attempt on the life of the king of Qin, Qu Yuan, Han Xin, and the Grand Historian's own postface.