Sima Tan: Father of Sima Qian and the Founder of Shiji

Brief Introduction

Sima Tan (? – 110 BCE), courtesy name Gongshu, was from Xiayang during the Western Han Dynasty. He was the father of Sima Qian and served as the Grand Historian (Taishi Ling), commonly known as "Grand Historian Public" (Taishi Gong). As a leading historian of the early Western Han period, Sima Tan was not only the actual initiator of the creation of Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian) but also the planner of China's biographical general history. Serving during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, he witnessed the dynasty's prosperity and transformation, providing a rich historical context for Shiji. Although his presence in Shiji is less prominent than his son's, his thoughts and dying wishes profoundly influenced the birth of this "unmatched masterpiece of historians."

Core Knowledge Points

• Historiographical Planner: During his tenure as Grand Historian, Sima Tan extensively collected historical materials and planned the structure and framework of Shiji, establishing the historiographical goal to "investigate the relationship between Heaven and man, and understand the changes from ancient times to the present." He advocated that history should record the truth without shying away from the powerful of the current court, emphasizing the independence of the historian.
• Ideological Inclination: He promoted Huang-Lao philosophy and advocated for inclusivity of the Hundred Schools of Thought. His work, On the Essentials of the Six Schools, systematically evaluated the thoughts of pre-Qin philosophers, reflecting a comprehensive and inclusive historical perspective that laid the foundation for the narrative style of Shiji. He believed Daoist thought was the most essential and suitable for governing the state, a view that also influenced the recording of Daoist figures in Shiji.
• Deathbed Exhortation: According to Taishi Gong's Self-Introduction, Sima Tan, on his deathbed, held Sima Qian's hand and tearfully exhorted him to inherit his father's legacy, complete the writing of the history book, and never forget the merits of the former emperors. This dying wish became the spiritual driving force for Sima Qian to endure humiliation and write with determination, directly catalyzing the completion of Shiji.

Connection to the Content of Shiji

In the text of Shiji, the term "Grand Historian" (Taishi Gong) has a dual reference, pointing to both Sima Qian and Sima Tan. Sima Tan's direct remarks are mainly found in Taishi Gong's Self-Introduction.

1. Structural Foundation: The five-structure system adopted by Shiji—Annals, Tables, Treatises, Hereditary Houses, and Biographies—originated from Sima Tan's conception. In the Self-Introduction, he elaborated in detail on the rationality of this classification method, which Sima Qian basically followed based on his father's planning.
2. Spiritual Inheritance: Sima Tan's critical spirit and objective attitude towards history were inherited and promoted by Sima Qian. The subtle criticisms of Emperor Wu of Han in the book also reflect Sima Tan's integrity as an independent historian.
3. Textual Clues: Many of the comments labeled "The Grand Historian says" in the book may originate from Sima Tan's old drafts or a continuation of his thoughts, embodying the shared wisdom of two generations of historians. For example, when evaluating Daoist thought, Sima Qian's views are highly consistent with Sima Tan's On the Essentials of the Six Schools.

Historical Significance

Although Sima Tan did not live to see the completion of Shiji, the historiographical seeds he planted were watered by Sima Qian, ultimately achieving one of the most brilliant historical monuments in Chinese civilization history. His existence makes Shiji not merely an individual work, but a crystallization of the blood and sweat of two generations of historians. For the study of Han Dynasty intellectual history and the history of historiography, Sima Tan is a key figure who cannot be ignored.