Sima Qian was filled with indignation when he wrote Historical Records.

(BC 145-90 BC)

Historians, writers and thinkers in the Western Han Dynasty. Word length, Zuo Fengyi xia yang (now southwest of Hancheng, Shaanxi, near Longmen. So Sima Qian called himself "moving to Longmen" and "Preface to Taishi Gong", Longmen Mountain, which is very famous. Legend has it that Dayu once opened a mountain in Longmen to control water. To the south of Longmen Mountain is the Yellow River. Sima Qian's home is between the Yellow River and Longmen. There are many local places of interest. Sima Qian liked scenic spots since childhood, but he also had the opportunity to hear many historical legends and stories. ) people. Born in the fifth year of Emperor Jing of Han Dynasty (145 BC), born in the sixth year of Emperor Jian Yuan of Han Dynasty (135 BC), died in 87 BC at the age of 48. Now Sima Qian's Tomb Temple is located at the east foot of Liangshan Mountain on the west bank of the Yellow River, south of Hancheng 10 km away from the south gate of Zhichuan Town, and it is a national key cultural relic protection unit.

Sima Qian 10 years old began to study ancient literature biographies. At the age of 20, he roamed south from Chang 'an, the capital, and traveled all over the Jianghuai Valley and the Central Plains, where he visited local customs and collected legends. In the third year of Yuan Dynasty (108), Sima Tan, the stepfather of Sima Qian, became the official of Taishi, and Sima Qian began to write history books. Later, he was convicted and imprisoned for defending Li Ling who surrendered to Xiongnu. After he was released from prison, he served as secretary of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, continued to write angrily, and finally completed the writing of Historical Records in 9 1 BC. People call his book Taishi Gongshu. It is the first biography of China, which has a far-reaching influence on later historiography.

Sima Qian also wrote a book, Bao Ren 'an, describing his imprisonment and his ambition to write a book, which was praised by all previous dynasties.

Angry at the historical record

Sima Qian began reading, sorting out historical materials and preparing for writing after the third year of Yuanfeng (BC 108), and basically completed all the writing plans in the fourth year of Taishigong (BC 9 1 year). * * Sixteen years later. This is a great work written by him with all his life energy, painstaking efforts and great physical and mental pain, which always shines brilliantly. Strive for truth

Sima Qian wrote historical records with a rigorous and serious attitude, and the spirit of record-keeping is his greatest feature. Every historical figure or event he wrote has undergone a lot of investigation and study, and the historical facts have been checked repeatedly. At the age of 20, Sima Qian left Chang 'an, the capital, to travel to famous mountains and rivers, to visit places of interest on the spot, to learn about the legacy of many historical figures and the customs and economic life of many places, and to broaden his horizons and mind. Ban Gu, a historian of Han Dynasty, said that Sima Qian is "a true record, because his writing is straightforward, and his essence is not empty beauty and evil". In other words, his article is fair, historical facts are reliable, and he doesn't say good things or hide bad things. This spoke highly of Sima Qian's scientific attitude and detailed historical records.

If Sima Qian insists on the spirit of "recording", he must face the reality and record it, which will inevitably lead to the problem of "taboo". However, when he wrote biographies for characters, he did not stick to the conventions of traditional historical books, but recorded his own thoughts and feelings about historical facts. From the supreme emperor to the nobility, to the ministers, to the local governors, etc., Sima Qian will certainly not obliterate their magical brilliance, but what is outstanding is to expose their decadent ugliness and exploitation and oppression of the people. In particular, it exposed the evils of the ruling class in the Han Dynasty. Although he was a courtier of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Sima Qian did not hide his fault at all. He profoundly exposed and criticized the falsehood of the activities of worshipping ancestors and visiting immortals that prevailed at that time. In the book Enchanting Zen, he vividly described the absurd and boring behavior of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty who was superstitious about immortals and tried his best to pray for elixir.

Sima Qian wanted to provide historical reference for feudal rulers, which reflected the real history and was very valuable. In the spirit of record, Sima Qian chose characters not according to his official position or social status, but according to his actual behavior. For example, he wrote many biographies of low-level people such as forest rangers, businessmen, doctors and advocates for Excellence. In Sima Qian's mind, these people all have merits. Sima Qian initiated a writing method that always tells a person's life story. Paying attention to "being a man" and its complexity is Sima Qian's brushwork. In his biography, he put his point of view in an objective factual narrative and expressed his love-hate attitude towards the characters. Take Xiang Yu as an example. Sima Qian sympathized with him and wrote this failed hero with great enthusiasm. He not only praised Xiang Yu's bravery, but also criticized his lack of ambition and cruelty. However, in Biography of Xiang Yu, Sima Qian did not comment on it, but his love and hate for Xiang Yu were fully revealed in the narrative. This is the greatest feature of Sima Qian's biography, that is, the unity of authenticity and tendency.

2. Love and hate are completely different.

Sima Qian's clear love and hate are fully expressed in Historical Records. He spoke highly of the peasant uprising in the late Qin Dynasty. Chen She, who was born in a poor peasant, was the leader of the peasant uprising, but Sima Qian juxtaposed him with the princes and described him as a "family". It is not easy for a feudal historian to do this. He is in the historical records? In Preface to Taishi Gong, Chen She was compared with the famous ancient emperors-Shang Tang and Zhou Wuwang, and it was clearly pointed out that as long as the feudal emperor was cruel and heartless, the people had the right to rise up and overthrow him. Although this peasant army led by Chen She didn't succeed, it set off a magnificent peasant war at the end of Qin Dynasty, and finally overthrew the lawless rule of Qin Dynasty. Sima Qian fully affirmed Chen She's historical contribution to the destruction of Qin.

Sima Qian also praised many heroes who were loyal to the motherland and loved the people in history. When traveling that year, he had been to the Miluo River in the north of Changsha, Hunan Province, and paid tribute to the great patriotic poet Qu Yuan by the river. This mourning had a great influence on Sima Qian, whose mind was deeply imprinted with Qu Yuan's poems and life experiences. When he made a biography of Qu Yuan, he thought that Qu Yuan could win glory with the sun and the moon, and angrily condemned the ugly behavior of the noble rulers of Chu State who did not distinguish between loyal subjects and traitors. At that time, Sima Qian also visited Lingling County, Hunan Province, where Shun was buried, and made a field trip to Shun's deeds. Later, when writing historical records, he wrote Shun's story into the Chronicle of the Five Emperors, praising his noble quality of caring for the country and the people. Sima Qian also highly praised Lin Xiangru and Lian Po, the protagonists in Rehabilitation and Peace, and praised their patriotic behavior.

In historical records, Sima Qian also praised assassins who risked their lives to resist rape and rangers who saved people from danger and did good deeds. Jing Ke, for example, said that "the phoenix is cold and the strong man is gone forever". In order to repay the kindness of Yan Taizi Dan, he did not hesitate to stab the king of Qin alone, and eventually his blood spilled on Qin Ting. Sima Qian's bold praise of these characters is actually sympathy for the working people and appreciation of the people's desire to resist rape. Sima Qian recorded the vivid deeds and medical theories of the famous doctor Bian Que and those who benefited the people. These people had no social status at that time, but in Sima Qian's mind, they were far more noble than some princes.

Sima Qian also deeply understood the ugly face of feudal rulers and mercilessly exposed the sins of the ruling class. For example, The Biography of the Corrupt Officials is the biography of ten cruel and heartless officials, including nine courtiers of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. At that time, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty attached great importance to Zhang Tang. "Tang is treacherous and dances with wisdom to control people." I started as a junior official, but I didn't do it. I made personal friends with Fu Jiatian's family and Uncle Yu Weng in Chang 'an. The so-called "dry" is empty-handed. What is described here is how Zhang Tang used tricks to subdue the people when he was a small official. After Zhang Tang came to power, he worked with Zhao Yu to formulate various laws, one of which is called "the law of condescension", that is, no matter whether he is guilty or not, as long as he is accused of being dissatisfied with the court, he can be punished accordingly. Zhang Tang was not only good at making laws, but also catered to the desire of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to deal with "prisoners". Under his auspices, often a case will implicate countless families, leading to killing people like hemp and treating human life like dirt. The criminal activities of these people were recorded by Sima Qian, and it was through these that he exposed and accused the cruelty and darkness of the autocratic rule during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.

Sima Qian's progressive view of history and bold style of exposing the faults of emperors are worthy of recognition. For the historical evolution process, his thought is relatively complete. After giving a correct evaluation of history, he fully affirmed the conclusion that history is constantly developing.

3, the historian's swan song

Mr. Lu Xun once said, "Historical Records are' the swan song of historians' and' Li Sao without rhyme'". In other words, as a large-scale and complete system of China's general history, it is also an excellent literary work.

In Sima Qian's works, a historical event or a historical figure can be vividly portrayed in a few words. For example, the description of Tian Dan's defense of Jimo City in Tian Dan Biography. Tian Dan defeated Yan with six coups, which enabled Qi to recover. "Fire Bull Array" is one of the most important strategies. In the evening, Tian Dan put purple cloth with dragon pattern on more than 1000 cows, tied sharp swords on their horns, soaked their tails with oil and set them on fire. As a result, 1000 bulls rushed into Yan Bing's position like monsters burning with flames. Soldiers of Qi also rushed to the enemy with weapons. Some people beat gongs and drums and shouted loudly to show their strength. Confused Yan Bing was scared to flee everywhere, and as a result, he was killed. Yan Bing's body was everywhere on the battlefield, and Qi won a great victory. Although Sima Qian didn't write much, the "Fire Bull Array" appeared in readers' minds like a picture.

Sima Qian also vividly portrayed different types of historical figures. His description of Xiang Yu, the overlord of the western Chu Dynasty, is wonderful. In the Battle of Julu, Xiang Yu led a great army to cross the river, then sank all the ships, and ordered only three rations, vividly and concretely depicting Xiang Yu's determination and spirit to cross the rubicon and fight to the death with Qin Jun. Xiang Yu's army, with one for ten, wiped out Qin Jun, which was far more numerous than himself, and played a decisive role in the war to overthrow Qiang Qin's rule. After the battle, Xiang Yu called all the generals. Entering Xiang Yu's Yuanmen, no one dared to walk with his head up. This is a description of Xiang Yu's prestige. Sima Qian's description of Xiang Yu's siege is even more touching. A generous: "If you pull out the mountain, you will be angry with the world, and if you are unfavorable, you will not die." Through this song, Sima Qian completely depicts the complex mood of the hero who is generous and tragic after failure, but unable to save the fate of failure. Then Sima Qian described Xiang Yu's bravery in the decisive battle in Dongcheng after his breakthrough. At that time, there were only 28 cavalry left in Xiang Yu. When thousands of pursuers approached, Xiang Yu opened his eyes wide and shouted angrily, scaring the Han army away for several miles. Seeing this description, people can't help but feel that the failed hero seems to be in front of them.

Another example is Sima Qian's description of the three chapters of the agreement with the people when Emperor Gaozu entered the customs, which fully shows the demeanor of a politician. Emperor gaozu also had the habit of calling names on hooligans and improvising personality. On one occasion, Han Xin wrote a letter to Emperor Gaozu, demanding that he be named as a false king of Qi. Emperor gaozu was very angry. He just wanted to have an attack, but Sean hinted that he didn't want to have an attack. He immediately turned his back and said, "A gentleman can pacify a vassal. As long as he is willing to do it, he is a real king. What are you doing as a fake king? " There are not many words here, but it vividly depicts the character of Emperor Gaozu who is good at improvising and playing politics.

Sima Qian's narrative language in the book is very vivid, and the characters are lifelike. He widely uses oral proverbs, idioms and ballads, and does not shy away from dialects. His language is a dialect close to spoken language. Usually, the dialogue between narrative and characters is harmonious. Although it is clear but implicit, the implication is worth pondering. Complex and concise, eclectic, each in its place, generally serving the description of character characteristics. His description of the characters' intonation is the most interesting, which fully shows the characters' mental attitude. In order to highlight the characters, he often emphasizes and exaggerates appropriately. For example, The Legend of Emperor Gaozu: "In the first month (five years), the vassal general invited Hanwang as emperor. ..... Hanwang three let, had to, saying: You must think it is convenient, convenient for the country. "This passage of Emperor Gaozu's abdication is a direct simulation of the spoken language at that time, which vividly reflects the affectation of Emperor Gaozu. After reading it, I can't help but feel that the scene of Emperor Gaozu's speech is in front of me. Moreover, when Sima Qian used ancient historical materials, he generally translated ancient sayings in popular language at that time. For example, the story of Yao and Shun written in Chronicle of the Five Emperors is based on this article, Shangshu? In Yao Dian, the words "the people lost their parents for three years, and the people lost their parents for three years, and there was no joy in all directions" were translated, and all the officials were successful in their careers. Compared with the original, the translation will be easier to read. The excellent biographies of Historical Records are inseparable from Sima Qian's superb language control ability.

After an innocent person is persecuted, there are usually two choices: pessimism and depression, or anger for strength. Sima Qian chose the latter way. With the aim of "studying the relationship between heaven and man, making changes from ancient times to modern times and forming a unified view", he devoted all his "qi" to the creation of Historical Records. Sima Qian created the biographical style of China's historical works and a brand-new historical method. Sima Qian recorded history in the form of personal biography and discipline, and took society as the center, showing a large-scale history of social changes for future generations. Sima Qian has made brilliant achievements in history and literature.

His great patriotism and lofty personality will always shine with immortal light.

Sima Qian should not despise the miscellaneous studies of ancient history

Ge's "What's the Crime of Huo Zhi" (Reading,1No.9, 996) is free and easy, with examples from ancient and modern times that are easy to understand, which can be described as excellent in both arts and sciences and very beneficial. However, it is misleading to say, "I deeply feel that Tai Shigong's foresight is superior not only to ordinary scholars, but also to some historians of his time." Sima Qian is far superior to some historians today. Sima Qian is unparalleled in doing history, which is probably the knowledge of ancient and modern times. From a broader perspective, it is probably not a lie that no scholar behind Sima Qian can compare with him in the comprehensive grasp of history, society and personnel.

Sima Qian said: "The ancestors said: Since the death of Duke Zhou, there was Confucius at the age of 500. As for the five hundred years after Confucius' death, it is possible to announce the Ming Dynasty, but it is only easy to spread, following the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Book of Poetry, Rites and Music. I'm serious, I'm serious! How dare this boy give way? " (Preface to Taishi Gongxu) Sima Qian has always regarded writing as an equal career with Chunqiu, and it should be said that it has been done. Forgive my ignorance, but I don't seem to have seen anyone make irresponsible remarks about Sima Qian's self-assertion that "when studying heaven and man, we can learn from the changes of ancient and modern times and become a family statement." In this sense, Sima Qian should be regarded as a saint-like career. Since Sima Qian contributed to Chunqiu, did he enjoy even a moment of social reverence like Confucius? The answer is never. Therefore, Sima Qian left a heavy proposition to future generations: Why didn't the author who wrote the "saint-level" monograph get the treatment of saint-level? I want to say this because the above sentence pattern of Teacher Ge will never be translated into "I deeply feel that Confucius' foresight ... is smarter than some contemporary people". And since ancient times, there has never been a similar conversion sentence pattern.

In fact, this proposition was left by Sima Qian, who first cracked it himself. He said: "there are no more unpunished people. They have never been far away ... and they have been ashamed of it since ancient times." ("Bao Ren An Shu") People who lose their qualities lose their respected qualifications. Therefore, Sima Qian added: "Although it takes a hundred years, it is very polluted." It seems that Sima Qian's heartbreak is not only because corruption is the most humiliating thing in the world, but more importantly, after this creation, his books will never be regarded as saints and sacred objects by future generations. Sure enough, not only did later scholars often say that "history moves without observing", but even people as smart as Mr. Ge unconsciously used Sima Qian's large scale to weigh people they didn't deserve. In this sense, Sima Qian's greatness lies not only in his ability to manage the previous history, but also in his ability to foresee the future. When people are crying for Sima Qian's earth-shattering literary thoughts, they inevitably fall into the secular ideas that he had before his death and still lingers behind him, so they will not face Sima Qian with pious reverence.

It should be pointed out that although Sima Qian foresaw the world two thousand years later in advance, he could not predict his own destiny. Some people may say that Sima Qian was sentenced to castration. This understanding is undoubtedly accusing Sima Qian of burning too much foot washing water, and it is completely brazen to cover up the cruelty of the ruler. Not to mention whether Li Ling turned himself in when Sima Qian was sentenced is still unclear. Even if it is resolved, it is common for the two countries to surrender and rebel. At least in the era of Sima Qian, this is not the official name used to convict. There is a man in the Biography of General Wei's title of generals in ancient times who was captured by Xiongnu for ten years and never heard that he lost his title. Therefore, the reason why Sima Qian was punished should also follow his own statement, that is, "he thinks he is a servant and a teacher", that is, he suffered an unwarranted condescension. Therefore, it can be asserted that the injustice suffered by Sima Qian two thousand years ago was a heinous crime.

Of course, Mr. Ge doesn't think Sima Qian deserved it. This can be concluded from the aversion to rule and reverence for Sima Qian shown everywhere in the article. However, Mr. Ge's unconsciousness is still influenced by secular ideas, so that he associates people and phenomena that he does not agree with with with Sima Qian. It should be noted that no matter who you are, as long as you can compete with Sima Qian in one place, it is a compliment, not the opposite. In addition, on the issue, Mr. Hu Shi and Mr. Ge had a similar conclusion, which is the so-called great minds think alike!

Sima Qian's ancestral grave

Located on the cliff of Hanyipo, Zhichuan Town, south of Hancheng 10 km, it was built in Yongjia, Western Jin Dynasty for 4 years. 1February, 982, the State Council was declared as a national key cultural relics protection unit. The building of Sima Qian's ancestral temple tomb, from the slope to the top, up the cliff, step by step. Climb to the top of the mountain, looking at the surging Yellow River in the east, the majestic Liangshan in the west, the Great Wall of ancient Wei in the south and the flowing water in the north. It can be said that it is surrounded by mountains and waters, and it is full of weather. The spectacular natural form and beautiful scenery reflect Sima Qian's noble personality and great achievements.

The ancestral graves are stacked from bottom to top. The vertical wooden archway in the northeast of Slope was rebuilt in Qing Dynasty, with the words "Sima Temple of Han Taishi" written on it. From here, climb the slope, cross Taigong Temple to Sancha Road, and there is a platform to the south of the slope, where newly moved Yuan Dynasty buildings, such as Wang Yu Temple, Zhang Yao Temple and Sansheng Temple, are built, and these buildings have now become exhibition rooms. Coming out of the fork in the road, there is another arched building, which was built in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. It is said that Sima Qian is revered as a mountain and admired by the world. From then on, the memorial archway wrote the word "Yang of rivers and mountains", and the preface to Taishi Gong moved to Longmen to repair the Yang of rivers and mountains. After climbing 99 steps, you enter the ancestral temple. The entrance to the ancestral hall says "Taishi Hall". The cypress trees are towering and the environment is quiet. Being in it is like a fairyland.

Enlightenment of Sima Qian to later generations

China has a long history, vast historical records, rich and colorful historical contents and infinite charm of historical figures. Our Chinese nation has a history that makes our children and grandchildren feel proud and fascinated.

Of course, everything has two sides. For everyone, facing a long and rich history, how to understand it, know it, learn it, and be inspired and encouraged? This is not a simple question. It seems that how to read history really deserves serious consideration and study. In my humble opinion, the first thing is to understand and understand the most basic historical facts and historical processes, and the second is to pay attention to getting ideological enlightenment from history. This enlightenment can be obtained through the understanding of historical facts and historical processes, and can be excavated from the comments on history and historiography by historians of past dynasties. These two aspects are very important, but for the latter aspect, it seems that we still have a lot to do and many problems need further in-depth thinking.

Every responsible and accomplished historian in the history of China will leave many beneficial inspirations for future generations with his thoughts condensed by hard work. In this regard, my first thought is naturally Sima Qian and Tai Shigong. The Official Book of Taishi written by Sima Qian-called Historical Records by later generations-on the one hand shows his brilliant general history of China at that time, on the other hand, it also reflects his profound understanding and knowledge of historiography and history. For more than 2000 years, people who admire it and study it are in an endless stream, which proves its great charm and immortal status. For such a magnificent history book, what role did individuals play in the historical movement? What important enlightenment do these figures, historical stages and their backgrounds have for people today? For such a problem, people in different times will have some understanding within the ideological scope of his time, and people who look at the problem from different angles will also have some understanding in his field or perspective. This is an inexhaustible "masterpiece of historians". Nevertheless, in Tai Shigong's extensive and profound ideological field, there must be some fundamental thoughts that are very important to different people in different times.

For example, why do people study history? What methods or attitudes should people use to treat the relationship between history and reality? This is the most fundamental question about the relationship between the public and history, and until today, similar questions are still being raised. In fact, Tai Shigong has already given an incisive answer to this question. He wrote: "Living in this world and learning from the past, so self-reflection is not necessarily the same." Emperors have different manners and different affairs. If success is the rule, how can we be satisfied? "(preface to Biography of Historical Records and High-impedance) These words are very profound and important. First, he pointed out that the reason why people in reality want to understand and know history is to treat history as a mirror of reality, to compare it and to learn from it. Neither equating history with reality nor imitating history from reality, the two should not be confused. This clearly points out the connection and difference between ancient and modern times: because of the connection, we can "examine ourselves"; Because there are differences, they are not necessarily the same. Secondly, he pointed out that emperors in the past "had different manners and laws, different political affairs", and their systems and policies were often different, but they all aimed at achieving the fundamental purpose of governing the country. It can be seen that the Self-Mirror is by no means confusing ancient and modern times. These two points dialectically explain why people who live in the present should "learn from the past". It can be seen that it is foolish to reject historical experience; It is also unwise to mechanically copy historical experience.

Another example is whether the development of human social history has its own laws (that is, the laws we are talking about today)? If so, do people know the significance of this rule? This is a fundamental problem for people to study and study history, and it is a fundamental problem to understand the essential attributes of history first. It should be frankly admitted that this is also one of the issues that people have been arguing for thousands of years. Sima Qian, a great historian, has also been exposed to this problem. From his investigation of social and economic life, he got the following understanding? Therefore, it is dangerous to wait for farmers to eat, and it is done by working and doing business. Is there a period of political and religious levy in Jinning? (Preface to Biography of Historical Records of Huo Zhi) This is a kind of natural phenomenon, which regards the division of labor in agriculture, mining, processing and exchange, the relationship between people, and the change of nobility and inferiority in exchange. When talking about similar economic phenomena, Tai Shigong also said: "There are many things, so it is also the opposite." When things are booming, they will decline, and times have changed. A quality article will eventually change. "He added," Like a cloud, the flow of events pushes each other. Very strange. " (Post-discussion on Historical Records: Standardizing the Chronicle) He realized that when things reach the peak, they will decline, and when the favorable objective situation develops at the end, it will turn to the unfavorable side. It is not surprising that this is caused by the interaction and conflict between various things. Obviously, people can realize this, and its significance lies not only in having a roughly correct view of the past history, but also in having a more sober understanding and objective attitude towards the realistic historical movement and the future historical prospect.

Another example is that the historical movement is mainly composed of human activities; Without human activities, it is impossible to discuss various problems of human social and historical movements. So, what role should individuals play in historical activities? This involves not only people's understanding of their own life value, but also the value of people as individuals in social life and historical movements. Thinkers and educators in history have various opinions on this, all of which give people useful enlightenment. Most of what they say is rational explanation, which can undoubtedly improve people's understanding and enrich people's spiritual world. In this respect, Tai Shigong calmly observes those historical figures who have not died after being washed away by the historical tide (such as being washed away by the big waves), analyzes and synthesizes their spiritual world and social activities, and thus puts forward the basic principles for writing historical figures; This principle is not only the criterion for Tai Shigong to evaluate historical figures, but also the criterion for him to warn future generations how to be a man. When Tai Shigong summed up his biographies of the characters in Historical Records, he said this: "Help the righteous and charming, don't make yourself waste your time, and make contributions and make a biography of 70." ("Historical Records-Preface to Taishi Gong") "Rich and charming", mainly focusing on virtue and elegance; "Don't let yourself lose time" is to be good at grasping opportunities and opportunities; "Making contributions to the world is famous" is the goal of taking the world as its own responsibility. Obviously, in Tai Shigong's view, the historical figures he wants to write in Historical Records generally belong to this type. However, Tai Shigong did not treat this criterion with an absolute view; In his historical works, he also vividly depicts some world figures, and it is precisely because of these people that the true colors of those outstanding figures written in history books are set off. It can also be seen from here that the so-called "supporting righteousness and charm" and so on are exactly what Tai Shigong hopes future generations will regard themselves as a "mirror" and be a decent person who conforms to the historical trend and is beneficial to the world.

The Historical Records of Sima Qian, the Taishi Duke, left many inspirations for later generations. Most of these revelations are combined with specific historical events and historical figures, which is also the main reason why Historical Records is read and revered by future generations. The enlightenment from three aspects cited here focuses on why people should attach importance to history, understand history, remember historical experiences and lessons, what is the law of historical evolution and what people should do in historical evolution. These problems are fundamental not only in Sima Qian's era, but also in any period in history; Even today, this is still a fundamental problem. Generally speaking, people in any era can get necessary enlightenment from Historical Records in understanding and dealing with the relationship between history and reality, and in dealing with the relationship between history and society and life.