Records of the Grand Historian

The Monumental Chronicle: Records of the Grand Historian

The Masterwork of Sima Qian and the Supreme Intellectual Relic of Sima Yi

In the vast historical and philosophical tapestry of Luo Guanzhong’s (罗贯中, La Quán Trung) immortal epic Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国演义, Sān Guó Yǎn Yì, Tam Quốc Diễn Nghĩa), supreme power was shaped not merely by battlefield stratagems, but by an intimate, penetrating comprehension of human nature and dynastic history. Standing universally as the monumental fountainhead of Chinese historiography and biographical literature is the Records of the Grand Historian (史记, Shǐjì, Sử Ký). Authored during the Western Han dynasty by the immortal historian Sima Qian (司马迁, Tư Mã Thiên), this monumental 130-chapter masterpiece was revered as an invaluable intellectual and political guide, most famously treasured and studied by Sima Yi (司马懿, Tư Mã Ý / courtesy name: Zhongda, 仲达, Trọng Đạt)—the supreme architect of the Jin Dynasty.

“A historian’s supreme masterpiece, a rhymeless Li Sao.”

(史家之绝唱，无韵之离骚 – Lu Xun / 鲁迅)

Celebrated across two millennia as the crown jewel of historical literature and featured in Koei Tecmo’s acclaimed Romance of the Three Kingdoms (ROTK) strategy game series as an elite History Book relic (+Politics and +Intelligence), the Records of the Grand Historian represents deep historical foresight, political endurance, moral introspection, and dynastic wisdom.

1. Etymology and Visual Inscription

The title Shǐjì (史记) carries profound cultural reverence across East Asia:

• Shǐ (史): Meaning “History,” “Annals,” or “Official Scribe.” It signifies the sacred duty of recording truthful, unbiased chronicles of kings, heroes, and commoners without fear of imperial wrath.
• Jì (记): Meaning “Records,” “Memoirs,” or “Chronicles.”
• The Inscribed Title on the Spine: On the purple-bound stitched silk volumes of the ancient tome, the golden Chinese characters 史記 (Shǐjì) stand out clearly against the yellow fabric spine, marking it as the definitive imperial compilation of Chinese antiquity.

Originally titled the Taishigong Shu (太史公书 – “Book of the Grand Historian”), it became universally known as the Shiji (史记) by the Three Kingdoms era, establishing the biographical-annalistic format (Jizhuanti / 纪传体) that served as the foundational model for all subsequent official dynastic histories (the Twenty-Four Histories).

2. The Masterpiece of Sima Qian

The creation of the Records of the Grand Historian was born from unimaginable resilience and unwavering scholarly conviction:

• The Grand Scope of Three Millennia: Sima Qian chronicled over 2,500 years of Chinese history—commencing with the mythical Yellow Emperor (黄帝) and the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, moving through the Spring and Autumn and Warring States eras, and culminating in the reign of Emperor Wu of Han (汉武帝).
• Unflinching Integrity and the Tragedy of Li Ling: When Han general Li Ling surrendered to the Xiongnu after being overwhelmed, Sima Qian alone defended him before Emperor Wu. Enraged, the emperor sentenced Sima Qian to execution, which he commuted to the humiliating punishment of castration so that he could live to complete his father Sima Tan’s dying wish: finishing the greatest historical record under heaven.
• The Five Foundational Sections (130 Chapters):
  1. Basic Annals (Benji / 本纪 – 12 chapters): Chronological records of sovereign rulers and dynasties.
  2. Chronological Tables (Biao / 表 – 10 chapters): Systematic genealogical and historical timelines.
  3. Treatises (Shu / 书 – 8 chapters): Comprehensive studies on rites, music, astronomy, calendar, and economics.
  4. Hereditary Houses (Shijia / 世家 – 30 chapters): Chronicles of feudal lords, major kingdoms, and Confucius.
  5. Ranked Biographies (Liezhuan / 列传 – 70 chapters): Vivid life stories of memorable individuals—philosophers, generals, assassins, wandering knights, merchants, and villains.

3. Sima Yi and the Art of Historical Patience

In the narrative of the Three Kingdoms, Sima Yi shared the same ancestral lineage name as Sima Qian (originating from the ancient Sima clan descended from Zhou dynasty military marshals). Sima Yi was renowned not only as a formidable field general who countered Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng), but as a peerless student of historical precedent:

The Lesson of Decisive Inaction

Unlike impulsive rivals who sought immediate glory, Sima Yi deeply internalized the rise and fall of ancient states recorded in the Shiji. When Zhuge Liang sent women’s clothing to bait him into attacking at the Wuzhang Plains (234 AD), Sima Yi calmly wore the gown, praised Zhuge Liang’s courier, and refused to battle—recalling Sima Qian’s accounts of how great commanders triumphed through psychological endurance rather than emotional rashness.

The Gaoping Tombs Coup (249 AD)

For decades, Sima Yi endured humiliation, political isolation, and feigned senility (drinking broth with shaking hands) under the arrogant regent Cao Shuang (曹爽, Tào Sảng). When Cao Shuang escorted young Emperor Cao Fang to the Gaoping Tombs, Sima Yi struck like a coiled viper, seizing Luoyang in a single day and establishing the uncontested supremacy of the Sima clan—a calculated masterpiece of patience mirroring the historical ascents of Han Gaozu and King Wen of Zhou recorded in the Shiji.

Inheritance to Sima Shi, Sima Zhao, and Sima Yan

The profound historical foresight embedded in the Shiji was passed down to his capable sons Sima Shi (司马师, Tư Mã Sư) and Sima Zhao (司马昭, Tư Mã Chiêu), ultimately culminating in his grandson Sima Yan (司马炎, Tư Mã Viêm) establishing the Jin Dynasty (晋朝) and reunifying the Three Kingdoms in 280 AD.

4. The Records of the Grand Historian in Video Games (ROTK Strategy Series)

In Koei Tecmo’s acclaimed Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国志) series, the Records of the Grand Historian (史记) is featured as a premier relic in the History / Philosophy Books category:

• Stat Enhancements: Typically grants a significant boost to Politics (+Politics) and Intelligence (+Intelligence), dramatically accelerating city economic development, agricultural yield, diplomatic negotiations, and officer loyalty.
• Special Officer Abilities: Equipping the Shiji often unlocks advanced civil traits such as Debater, Reformed Taxation, or enhanced resistance to enemy slander and diplomatic betrayal.
• Historical Ownership: Held by default by Sima Yi or discovered through high-intelligence officer exploration in Luoyang, Chang’an, or Henei commandery.

Summary of Profile Details

Comparison with Other Famous Three Kingdoms Treatises & Classics

Cultural and Enduring Legacy

The Records of the Grand Historian stands as an eternal monument to human courage and intellectual grandeur. Sima Qian proved that while emperors die and empires crumble into dust, truthful words recorded with conviction will outlive stone and bronze. In the hands of dynastic architects like Sima Yi, the Shiji was not merely a record of the past—it was the supreme blueprint for enduring power and mastering the currents of destiny.

Explore more about the architect of the Jin Dynasty on Sima Yi’s Full Profile.