Re-examination of the Pre-Qin History of the Records of the Historian and Sima Qian’s View of Historiography from the Archaeological Perspective

Abstract

In recent years, the remarkable development of archaeology, especially the excavation and publication of pre-Qin and Qin-Han documents, has provided new materials and opportunities for the study of ancient history and deepened the understanding of the Records of the Historian. Comparison of the excavated materials and the contents of the Records of the Historian reveals mutual corroboration, as well as discrepancies and doubts, prompting the academic community to reassess the research results of pre-Qin history and the academic history of the Records of the Historian. This article focuses on the pre-Qin part of the Records of the Historian, combining literature and archaeological data to explore its authenticity, and comparing the records of the Historian with the excavated data to discuss the origin of the Qin people, the harsh system and the death of the Qin, etc. The author also analyzes the life of Sima Qian and his academic and political environment, aiming to comprehensively re-conceptualize the history of the pre-Qin period and the scholarly value of the Records of the Historian and Sima Qian.