Sima guang biography

Sima Guang, also known as Mr. Sùshuǐ, was born in 1019 in Sushui Village, Xia County, Shanzhou (present-day Sima Ying Village, Xia County, Shanxi).

He is a well-known historian of ancient China who composed 20 species of historical works spanning more than 500 volumes, including the most famous "Zizhi Tongjian" (Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government). It is the most excellent historical masterpiece after Sima Qian's "Shi Ji" (Historical Records), which was highly appreciated by historians since its publishing and still has great influence on the future development of China's history.

When he was barely twenty, Sima passed the imperial examination with the highest rank of jìnshì.

Sima guang biography wikipedia

After finding no comprehensive records about China's history, he decided to edit one by himself. He published a fairly detailed eight-volume "Tongzhi" (Comprehensive Records) in two years, which chronicled Chinese history from the Warring States period to the end of the Qin Dynasty.

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