Classical Chinese - Book Report/Review Example

Running Head: CLASSICAL CHINESE Classical Chinese Insert Name Institution Date Due Classical Chinese Sima’s writings were significant to Chinese writing and become a role form for various types of prose within the neo-classical movement of the Tang-Song era (Yang, 1974). Records of the Historian written down by Sima Qian of the western Han Dynasty, plays an imperative role in connecting the past and the future in the progress of Chinese prose. It became the source of biographical literature in China. The book covers a history of about approximately 3,000 years starting from the legendary Huang Di to Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty. Records of Historian represents Qian's progressive perception of history and court criticism of social authenticity, reproduced in four aspects: revelation of the feudal ruling class, in particular the highest ruling group of the Han Dynasty; expression of people's opposition to feudal absolutism; commending of people from the inferior social class; and illustration of a host of nationalistic heroes (Ricardo, 1984). A record of the Historian is an accurate documenting of Chinese history and has literary value that is of very high quality. Its artistry is essentially illustrated in the dexterous characterization of numerous typical characters based on factual historical materials. In their depictions, Sima Qian made immense efforts in bringing together history, characters and themes, and therefore both history and characters are intensely depicted. Sima Qian is also excellent at pointing up someone's personality by placing him in a sharp altercation and letting his words and actions speak for him. The narration in Records of the Historian is short and stunning. The expressive dramatic scenes further improve the work's appeal (Ricardo, 1984). In Sima’s writing, there is skillful; he has portrayed very many illustrious subjects based on factual historical information. He illustrated the response of the subject matter through placing himself in a sharp location or juxtaposition and then allowing his words and deeds to speak for him. Obviously, the many conversations in Sima’s writings make these descriptions more vibrant and at the same time more realistic. Still, in his writing he uses innovative approach. His approach to writing was new and involved using an informal language, which was so humorous as well as being full of variations. This was a very original way of writing then days and hence it has always been esteemed as the utmost accomplishment of classical Chinese writing. Even Lu Xun considered Sima’s work as exceptional work of all historians, the songs of Qu Yuan with no rhyme. Sima Qian also uses a very concise language in all his writings. His writing style was simple, concise and not difficult in reading. He commented in his own manner while at the same time recounting the chronological events. When writing biographies in Shiji, he never utilized basic descriptions but instead tried to hold the essence of events. He portrayed all the subjects concurrently providing the readers with vivid imaginations thus bringing out a very strong artistic appeal (Roe, 1985). Sima Qian’s writings were so much significant to Chinese writing. This is because his writings eventually became a role model for different kinds of prose writings in the neo classical period. The regular use of categorization and scheming also had a big influence in story bound writings, as well as the classical short stories of the centre and late medieval time together with the dialect novel of the belatedly imperial era. To this time, Shiji still remains the text book for the studies of classical Chinese globally. Through writing the Shiji, Sima analyzed information. He examined all the historical records which were available and chose the ones that could serve the purpose of Shiji. The main intention of writing the Shiji was to get the patterns and main beliefs of the developments of human history so as to get the relationship that was present between heavenly law and men. This is the reason as to why Sima Qian took up a new method in sorting out the historical data and adopted a new move towards writing the historical records. Sima Qian stress the role of men in influencing the historical development of China. Ii is in Sima Qian’s writings whereby for the first time men in Chinese history men were put on the lime light in the analysis of historical progress. Moreover, Sima went ahead and denounced superstition especially when he condemned and strongly came out against Emperor Han Wudi who was profligate in praying to gods. In addition, Sima proposed his historical discernment that a nation cannot escape from the destiny of from boom to trough and from trough to boom. With these analyses that are so well searched, he availed a good example for writing journalistic writings in later generations. Shiji was confidentially written historiography. Even if Sima Qian was the chief person of the Grand Scribes but he never agreed to write down Shiji as an executive historiography. This is the reason why Shiji covered the areas of the high ranks as well as the areas of the lower rank so as to illustrate the darker side of the dynasty and hence Shiji is viewed as the veritable record of the Chinese history. The power of Sima Qian and his Shiji is not only restricted to historiography, but in it, it also has the real meaning of journalism in its broader designation - the pursuit of truth. In this facet, Sima Qian utilizes a journalistic advance as good as to today's practice, utilizing the three stages of reporting, to be precise the compilation, verification and examination of information. Shiji is an example for the afterward historians, availing a methodology of objective reporting, bringing impressive impact to journalism in the historical area. In Shiji, Sima Qian basically collected information from different sources. The historical data in Shiji was largely gotten from three chief sources. Firstly, the information was from the documents and books that were present in the Imperial Library. This included some trustworthy sources like the Mencius, The Six Classics, Zhanguoce and Analects of Confucius. Secondly, he got the required information from the documents that from Sima Tan. Thirdly, he got the information from the first hand information collected by Sima Qian through traveling the ruins and his bona fide life experience in the present-day dynasty. When writing his Shiji, it is apparent that the information that Sima Qian used had been verified. This is because in his writing he insisted on truthfulness of the information and would not use any information which had not been proved in Shiji Sima (Sima, 1993) This is the reason behind his usage of the first hand information which he collected over his travels. For example, in order to have the truthfulness of the earliest rumors and legends verified, he went to the birth place of Confucius and the place where legendary Yellow Emperor got into the power. Furthermore, Sima Qian got to quote all the verbal communication and works of the historical personalities to act as an evidence of the chronological proceedings. Before writing Shiji, Sima Qian ensured he analyzed any information that he used. Sima made analyses of the historical records and chose the ones that he found suitable to use in writing the Shiji. His main intention was to get the patterns and principles of the development of history of the human beings more so the Chinese people, through writing of the Shiji. This helped Sima in getting the relationship between the heavenly law and men. Consequently, this is the main reason behind the adoption of the new method by Sima in sorting out historical information. No wonder Sima Qian adopted a new way in sorting out the historical information and a new advance in writing the historical record (Ames, 1981). Throughout the Shiji, there is journalism’s first obligation to the truth. Sima Qian visited both relics to verify the information. His main objective of writing the Shiji was to divulge the truth. Unlike the other historical records of the preceding dynasty which covered only those of high ranks, Shiji covered those of high ranks as well as those of low ranks; he covered all social sections so as to come up with a true depiction of the society. For example he wrote the ‘The Biographies of Assassinators’ that reflected the Chinese history from divergent angles. This is a narration of Jing Ke, a butcher of dogs and King of Wei. There is Dan who is the crown prince of yan and he wants to fight off Qio’s army. Since he perceived he would get defeated, he decided to assassinate the king of Qin. Jing Ke was to carry out the assassination using the dagger (Durrant 1995). Unfortunately he missed the king and the king managed to escape and in turn stabbed Jing Ke nine times. When Jing Ke sensed that he was almost loosing the battle, he threw the dagger to the king but he regrettably missed. Eventually the guards arrived and killed the assassin. Jing Ke was then burnt and the container in which the rest of the fire that burnt him was kept in the king's closet. This is a narration which talked about a King and common man yet Sima Qian went ahead and wrote about it (Durrant, 1995). Sima Qian pursued objectivity in all his writings. He throughout maintained a neutral position in all his writings. He did not favor any one when writing irrespective of someone’s position in the society. Both the high class and low class people in the Chinese society were all given a place in his writings. Even if Shiji is not a journalistic literature, Sima Qian made some remarkable efforts in balancing different opinions from different people within the society. For instance, he commended the triumph of Emperor Han Gaozu when he brought unity in the country but at the same time he criticized his cunningness and dishonesty. According to Sima Qian writings, he was the first king to unite China under one ruler. In contrast, he was arrogant at times. For example on entrance to Ba Shang, he commanded his men to burn the Jian path to show that he was not intending to go back to Xian Yang. All the wealth that he accumulated from agricultural methods he used all in increasing his military power thus he comes out as somehow a selfish leader (Durrant, 1995). He also broke up the agreement he made with Xiang Yu after signing the treaty and attacked his army despite the agreement. Emperor Han Gaozu ruled for less than ten years, and his major contributions were to unite the dynasty. He ruled by Confucian doctrines, changing the old structure of legalism. Since he was the foremost emperor of Han, and was named tHan Gaozu. He learnt the lesson from the brutality of Qin, and set laws that decreased slavery and encouraged production. The Han Dynasty stayed for 400 years, and Liu Bang was named Han Gaozu. Thus that is the reason as to why Sima Qian portrayed him as very cunning and dishonest but a unifying leader. This is because despite his cunning manner of leadership, he really tried in unifying the Chinese (Beasley, 1961). Sima Qian also deals with objectivity when addressing how Han Gaozu continuously supported the warlords that were in his alliance the Qin, and made fewer aristocrats. Even if he really contributed in this, confined Qin administrators who supported Liu Bang were left in place, and some welcoming nobles were given back their lands. This still illustrates that Sima Qian supported he showed no impartially (Burton, 1958). Sima Qian also had an objective way of selecting the information he was using in his writings. For example in Chronological Table of Six Kingdoms, he wrote that the chronological arrangement of all the Six Kingdoms was very confusing that he did not dare take any data that had not been proved as real. Furthermore, in dealing with information that was not proving was impossible, Sima Qian evidently listed out all descriptions by using the word "or". Finally, even if he was the Prefect of the Grand Scribes, he did not write Shaji as an executive historiography. He continuously maintained sovereignty from those covered. This is the reason why Shiji covered both people from high and low ranks and portrayed both positive and darker sides of the dynasty (Hardy, 1988). References Ames, T. (1981). The Chinese classic of family reverence: a philosophical translation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Beasley, W. (1961). Historians of China and Japan. New York: Oxford University Press. Burton, W. (1958). Ssu-ma Ch'ien: Grand Historian of China. New York: Columbia University Press. Durrant, W. (1995). The Cloudy Mirror: Tension and Conflict in the Writings of Sima Qian. Albany: State University of New York Press. Hardy, R. (1988). Objectivity and Interpretation in the "Shi Chi". Yale University. Pulleyblank, E. (2003). Chinese Dynasty. Michigan: Jossey-Bass. Ricardo, M. (1984). Looking for original texts of Sima Qain in English. Michigan: Oxford University Press. Roe, J. (1985). Chinese Texts: Narrative Records of the Historian. London: Routledge. Sima, Q. (1993). Report on the ostentatious Historian: Han Dynasty. Shaghai: The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Yang, G. (1974). Records of the Historians. Hong Kong: Commercial Press. Read More