Sima Qian (145BC-90 BC) was born in Longmen, near present-day Hancheng in Shaanxi Province. His father was a historian in the court of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Sima Qian inherited his father’s position and carried out his father’s unfulfilled ambition to record all known history up to that time.

In 99 BC, Sima Qian became involved in a great controversy. There was a general who set out to fight with Xiongnu, his army ran out of provisions and arrows that he was forced to retreat. Sima Qian defended for him because he believed the retreat was understandable, given the circumstances. Emperor Wu, under pressure from court factions, gave him a choice between death and castration. In order to complete his father’s dream, Sima Qian chose castration. For a man of that time, this was the greatest possible shame, far worse than death. He had considered suicide, but encouraged himself by considering the adversity people had face throughout the history. He wrote, “though death befalls all men alike, it may be weightier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather.”

After spending 6 years in prison, he was finally released. From then on, he put all hie energy into finishing his book “Records of the Historian”, which he finally completes in 91 BC. It was the 1st complete history of China. Sima Qian not only recored the history, but he was also a great philosopher of history.