In 138 BC, the wrath of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty burned in the courts of ancient China. At that time, Sima Qian had reached the age of 46, but he was dragged down and tortured by the palace.
In that era when big families were rampant, Sima Qian's family was not prominent. His family has always been in charge of the ephemeris of literature and history, and he even derided himself as a figure like "the drama raised by the emperor".
Indeed, the Ephemeris of that era was almost equivalent to today's street fortune tellers, with a low status, and few people really respected the profession. However, Sima Qian's greatest advantage when he was born and lived in this family was that he had access to all kinds of strange books.
In 113 B.C., Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty held a grand ceremony to seal the Zen Dynasty, and his father Sima Tan was unable to travel with him due to illness, and the farewell of the two in Luoyang became the last of their lives.
On his deathbed, Sima Tan said to his son: 'Son, the current emperor is about to complete his thousand-year reign and go to seal Mount Tai, and I can't accompany him, this is the arrangement of fate.
After I die, you must become a Taishi and remember the writings I have always wanted to complete. Filial piety begins with the service of one's parents, then with loyalty to the monarch, and finally with personal status.
Let your name be famous in future generations and show off your parents, this is the greatest filial piety. Sima Qian's words deeply touched Sima Qian. Three years later, Sima Qian, in accordance with his father's last wish, successfully became Taishi Ling.
He doesn't have to do heavy work, he spends his days in the library, immersed in a sea of books and materials. According to his own words, his ideal was initially to be promoted and raised, to gain the trust and favor of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and even to change the fate of his family and become a high-ranking and powerful minister.
However, in that roaring court, his dreams were shattered. In 99 BC, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty decided to go on another expedition against the Xiongnu. He arranged for Li Ling to transport grain and grass, and Li Ling volunteered with 5,000 infantry to claim that he could directly smash the Yellow Dragon and eliminate the Xiongnu royal court. "
In the first battle of Junji Mountain, Li Ling was besieged by the heavy Xiongnu troops, and finally had no choice but to surrender. When the news reached the ears of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, he was shocked. He knew very well that under his leadership, the Western Han Dynasty had defeated the Xiongnu countless times, and countless soldiers paid the price of their lives.
Although Li Ling was defeated this time, his surrender to the Xiongnu was still unacceptable.
After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sought the advice of his ministers and Sima Qian, Sima Qian said in a fast way that although Li Ling surrendered to the Xiongnu, his image of fighting bravely to kill the enemy was unparalleled.
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was outraged by this, and then Sima Qian** was imprisoned and tortured by the palace.
Sima Qian would never have imagined that one or two of his words would cause Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to be furious and stab his body and dignity. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty's selfishness, with the power of life and death, easily took away Sima Qian's dignity as an ordinary person.
We can't imagine whether Sima Qian, who was lying on the chopping board, cried bitterly, and how he was doing that night. However, what we can imagine is that for countless days and nights, Sima Qian, who put down his pen and ink, would always look up at the window and think about whether to end his life.
However, the Jedi was reborn, and in 96 BC, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty granted amnesty to the world, and Sima Qian was also able to be successfully released from prison and promoted to Zhongshu Ling, responsible for sorting out the library archives of the Han Dynasty.
At this time, Sima Qian no longer had the ideals of the past, and his life was only left with his father's last wish - to repair history. He no longer pursues mastery in the workplace, but devotes all his energy to the great cause of revising history, which is both his destiny and his mission.
In 91 B.C., the historian Sima Qian completed his monumental work "Historical Records". This historical masterpiece that has gone through dark years and cold times has brought the light of history back to life.
Sima Qian's growth, unbearableness, and experience all make us remember his greatness. He is not only a historian, but also a young man who strives to forge ahead. Although life has made him lose his ideals, he has never forgotten that the meaning of life is to do something meaningful, no matter how small it is to us.
Guardian of Ancient Books