From "Zan Yue" in the Shiji to Conventions in the Hanshu: The Evolution of Historiographical Commentary

Introduction

When studying classical Chinese historical works, the phrase "Zan Yue" (which literally translates to "the commentator says" or "an eulogy states") is a highly distinctive stylistic marker in Sima Qian's Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian). It typically appears at the end of chapters such as Basic Annals, Hereditary Houses, and Biographies, serving as Sima Qian’s section for expressing personal insights, voicing emotions, or offering moral judgments on historical figures and events. However, when shifting focus to Ban Gu’s Hanshu (Book of Han), readers will notice that the specific term "Zan Yue" disappears. Instead, "Taishi Gong Yue" (which translates to "The Grand Historian Says") becomes the prevalent convention. This is not a simple textual substitution; rather, it reflects the transmission and transformation of historiographical conventions from Sima Qian to Ban Gu, providing a crucial lens for understanding the differences between these two monumental works.

Core Concepts

1. Definition of the "Zan Yue" Genre
In the Shiji, not all end-of-chapter commentaries are labeled "Zan Yue." Sima Qian used "Taishi Gong Yue" for most individuals (such as Xiang Yu and Wu Zixu). However, for specific groups or figures requiring a summarizing evaluation (such as Chen Sheng in Hereditary Houses of Chen or Zhang Shizhi in Biography of Zhang Shizhi), he employed "Zan Yue." Here, "Zan" aligns closely with meanings like "praise," "evaluation," or "elegy," often carrying strong tones of lament,推崇 (reverence), or criticism. It served as a vital vehicle for Sima Qian’s aim of "establishing a distinct school of thought," condensing deep reflections on human destiny into concise passages of a few dozen to over a hundred characters.

2. *Terminological Evolution in the Hanshu***
When Ban Gu wrote the Hanshu, he inherited and modified Sima Qian’s conventions. In the vast majority of chapters, he continued to use the appellation "Taishi Gong Yue" at the end, even though these passages were written by Ban Gu himself, not Sima Qian. This reflected an attitude of "recording without creating," showing respect for the authority of previous official historians. As for the sections that were originally "Zan Yue" in the Shiji, most were rewritten as "Zan" in the Hanshu and placed after the relevant biographies. However, the fixed formula "Zan Yue" was no longer frequently used as a lead-in; instead, these texts were either integrated into the main body or presented as independent "Zan" segments.

3. Differences in Function and Style
The "Zan Yue" sections in the Shiji are often emotionally intense, carrying strong literary and individualistic tones. For example, Sima Qian writes, "Reading the Confucian texts... I can imagine what he was like." In contrast, the historical commentaries in the Hanshu (primarily the retained "Taishi Gong Yue" sections and the new "Zan" segments) tend toward a colder, more objective style. This aligns better with the orthodox Confucian views of the Later Han, aiming to establish moral models and political norms, with relatively less literary expression of personal emotion.

Connection to the Texts

Taking Shiji: Hereditary Houses of Chen as an example, Sima Qian writes at the end of the chapter: "The Grand Historian says: ... Although he perished, he enabled Chen Sheng to call himself a king or marquis." In Ban Gu’s Hanshu: Biography of Chen Sheng, this specific "Taishi Gong Yue" passage, which carried a strong color of personal sympathy, was removed. Instead, Ban Gu added an independent "Zan Yue" that focuses on evaluating Chen Sheng’s historical status in relation to righteous principles, adopting a more official and objective tone.

This contrast reveals the shift in historiographical concepts from the Former Han to the Later Han: Sima Qian used "Zan Yue" to express personal tragic consciousness and historical reflection; whereas Ban Gu, in the Hanshu, adjusted the form of historical commentary to strengthen the official authority and didactic function of historical records. Therefore, tracing the footprints of "Zan Yue" in the Hanshu is essentially tracing the transition from the "individual historian" to the "state historian." For those studying the evolution of Chinese historiography, distinguishing the usage of these two terms in different texts is a key to grasping the stylistic differences in historical commentary during the Han Dynasty.