Short essay from Introduce to phycology
S im a Q ia n
hum an is tic te xts .o rg
/s im aqia n.h tm
I n tr o ductio n
S im a Q ia n ( a bout 1 45- 9 0 B C E), o r S si- m a C h’ie n, in herit e d fr o m h is fa th er th e p osit io n o f g ra nd h is to ria n to th e
E m pero r, w hic h h ad b een a p osit io n la rg ely c o nce rn ed w it h k e epin g a str o nom ic a l r e co rd s. H ow eve r, S im a Q ia n a ls o
t o ok o n a n a m bit io us p ro je ct s ta rte d b y h is fa th er— pro ductio n o f th e fir s t fu ll h is to ry o f C hin a. T his b ro ad r a ngin g
w ork e xte ndin g o ve r 1 30 c h apte rs is n ot in h is to ric a l s e quence b ut d iv id ed in to p artic u la r s u bje cts , in clu din g a nnals ,
c h ro nic le s, tr e atis e s— on m usic , c e re m onie s, c a le ndars , r e lig io n, e co nom ic s— and e xte nded b io gra phie s. In th is
w ay, th e
Shih c h i
, o r
Reco rd s o f th e H is to ria n
, c o ve rs th e p erio d fr o m th e F iv e S ages o f p re his to ric tim es, th ro ugh
t h e X ia , S hang, Z hou, a nd Q in d yn astie s to th e H an d yn asty o f S im a Q ia n’s o w n tim e. T he Z hou d yn asty , p ro bably
f o unded ju st b efo re 1 ,0 00 B C E, r e pre se nts th e b egin nin g o f th e h is to ric p erio d a nd h as p ro vid ed a rc h eolo gic a l
e vid ence th at c o nfir m s s o m e o f S im a Q ia n’s h is to ry .
T he e xtr a cts g iv e h ere a re ta ke n fr o m th e a nnals o f th e Q in d yn asty ( 2 21-2 06 B C E) a nd fr o m th e b io gra phic a l
c h apte r o n th e F ir s t E m pero r. T his e m pero r u nif ie d C hin a, b uilt th e G re at W all, o rd ere d th e b urn in g o f b ooks, a nd
w as r e sp onsib le fo r th e a rm y o f lif e -s iz e te rra co tta fig ure s d is co ve re d n ear h is m auso le um . S im a Q in p re se nts u s
w it h h is to ric a l fa cts , w it h th e E m pero r’s o w n a cco unt o f h is r e ig n, a nd w it h a c o m menta ry b y a H an s ta te sm an, J ia
Y i, in th e S eco nd C entu ry B C E. In th is w ay h e s h ow s h ow d if fe re nt v ie w s o f h is to ry m ay e m erg e a nd h ow a r u le r’s
c la im s s h ould b e v ie w ed w it h s o m e s u sp ic io n.
S im a Q ia n m ade th e p olit ic a l m is ta ke o f s e ekin g to in te rc e de fo r a g enera l w ho h ad lo st a b attle w hen fa ce d b y
o ve rw helm in g fo rc e s. T his o ffe nded th e H an E m pero r W u, w ho s e nte nce d S im a Q ia n to c a str a tio n. S uch a s e nte nce
w as c a lc u la te d to c a use a n h onora ble s u ic id e. S im a Q ia n, h ow eve r, a cce pte d th e p unis h m ent a nd c o nse quent
d is g ra ce in o rd er to fin is h h is h is to ry , a s h e e xp la in ed in a le tte r to a fr ie nd. W e a re in debte d to S im a Q ia n fo r m ost
o f th e h is to ry w e h ave o f e arly C hin a a nd fo r h is d em onstr a tio n th at s o m e th in gs a re m ore im porta nt th an p ers o nal
h onor.
1 B en efit s o f U nif ic atio n
o f C hin a
T hus th e e m pir e w as d iv id ed in to th ir ty -s ix p ro vin ce s, e ach p ro vin ce p ro vid ed w it h a g ove rn or, a m ilit a ry
c o m mandant, a nd a s u perin te ndent. T he c o m mon p eople w ere r e nam ed " b la ck-h eaded o nes". T here w as g re at
f e astin g. W eapons fr o m a ll o ve r th e e m pir e w ere c o nfis ca te d, b ro ught to X ia nya ng, a nd m elt e d d ow n to b e u se d in
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c a stin g b ells , b ell s ta nds, a nd tw elv e m en m ade o f m eta l. T hese la st w eig hed 6 0 m etr ic to ns e ach a nd w ere s e t u p
i n th e p ala ce . A ll w eig hts a nd m easu re s w ere s ta ndard iz e d, th e g auge o f w heele d v e hic le s w as m ade u nif o rm , a nd
t h e w rit in g s yste m w as s ta ndard iz e d.
S im a Q ia n , T he B asic A nnals o f Q in
2 T he E m pero r o n h is T re atm en t o f h is P eo ple
The m erit o f th e A ugust E m pero r lie s in d ilig ently fo ste rin g b asic c o nce rn s,
exa lt in g a gric u lt u re , a bolis h in g le sse r o ccu patio ns, s o th e b la ck-h eaded p eople m ay b e r ic h .
All u nder h eave n a re o f o ne m in d, s in gle in w ill.
Weig hts a nd m easu re s h ave a s in gle s ta ndard , w ord s a re w rit te n in a u nif o rm w ay.
Where ve r s u n a nd m oon s h in e, w here s h ip s a nd w heele d v e hic le s b ear c a rg o,
all fu lf ill th eir a llo tte d y e ars , n one d o n ot a tta in th eir g oal.
To in it ia te p ro je cts in s e aso n— su ch is th e A ugust E m pero r's w ay.
He r e ctif ie s d iv e rs e c u sto m s, c ro ssin g r iv e rs , tr a ve rs in g th e la nd.
He p it ie s th e b la ck-h eaded p eople , m orn in g a nd e ve nin g n eve r n egle ctfu l.
He e ra se s d oubt a nd e sta blis h es la w s, s o a ll w ill k n ow w hat to s h un.
Loca l o ffic ia ls h ave th eir r e sp ectiv e d utie s; o rd er is a ch ie ve d w it h e ase .
Decis io ns a re c e rta in to b e ju st, n one n ot c le ar a s a d ra w in g.
The A ugust E m pero r in h is e nlig hte nm ent s cru tin iz e s th e fo ur q uarte rs .
Sim a Q ia n :
The E m pero r's S to ne In scrip tio n, L an gya T e rra ce
3 D estr u ctio n o f H is to ry a n d F re e S peech
" N ow th e A ugust E m pero r h as u nif ie d a ll u nder h eave n, d is tin guis h in g b la ck fr o m w hit e a nd e sta blis h in g a s in gle
s o urc e o f a uth orit y . Y et th e a dhere nts o f p riv a te th eorie s b and to geth er to c rit ic iz e th e la w s a nd d ir e ctiv e s. H earin g
t h at a n o rd er h as b een h anded d ow n, e ach o ne p ro ce eds to d is cu ss it in th e lig ht o f h is o w n th eorie s. A t c o urt th ey
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d is a ppro ve in th eir h earts ; o uts id e th ey d ebate it in th e s tr e ets . T hey h old it a m ark o f fa m e to d efy th e r u le r, r e gard it
a s lo fty to ta ke a d is se ntin g s ta nce , a nd th ey le ad th e le sse r o ffic ia ls in fa bric a tin g s la nder. If b ehavio r s u ch a s th is is
n ot p ro hib it e d, th en in u pper c ir c le s th e a uth orit y o f th e r u le r w ill b e c o m pro m is e d, a nd in lo w er o nes c liq ues w ill
f o rm . T here fo re it s h ould b e p ro hib it e d.
" I th ere fo re r e quest th at a ll r e co rd s o f th e h is to ria ns o th er th an th ose o f th e s ta te o f Q in b e b urn ed. W it h th e
e xce ptio n o f th e a ca dem ic ia ns w hose d uty it is to p osse ss th em , if th ere a re p ers o ns a nyw here in th e e m pir e w ho
h ave in th eir p osse ssio n c o pie s o f th e
Odes,
th e
Docu m ents
,
or th e w rit in gs o f th e h undre d s ch ools o f p hilo so phy,
t h ey s h all in a ll c a se s d eliv e r th em to th e g ove rn or o r h is c o m mandant fo r b urn in g. A nyo ne w ho v e ntu re s to d is cu ss
t h e
Odes
or
Docu m ents
sh all b e e xe cu te d in th e m ark e tp la ce . A nyo ne w ho u se s a ntiq uit y to c rit ic iz e th e p re se nt
s h all b e e xe cu te d a lo ng w it h h is fa m ily . A ny o ffic ia l w ho o bse rv e s o r k n ow s o f v io la tio ns a nd fa ils to r e port th em s h all
b e e qually g uilt y . A nyo ne w ho h as fa ile d to b urn s u ch b ooks w it h in th ir ty d ays o f th e p ro m ulg atio n o f th is o rd er s h all
b e s u bje cte d to ta tto o a nd c o ndem ned to 'w all d aw n' [c o nvic t] la bor. T he b ooks th at a re to b e e xe m pte d a re th ose o n
m edic in e, d iv in atio n, a gric u lt u re , a nd fo re str y . A nyo ne w is h in g to s tu dy th e la w s a nd o rd in ance s s h ould h ave a la w
o ffic ia l fo r h is te ach er. " A n im peria l d ecre e g ra nte d a ppro va l o f th e p ro posa l.
S im a Q ia n : C han cello r L i S i's A dvic e, B io gra p hy o f t h e F ir s t E m pero r
4 T he S earc h f o r Im morta lit y
M aste r L u s a id to th e F ir s t E m pero r, " I a nd th e o th ers h ave s e arc h ed fo r
zh i
fu ngus, r a re h erb s, a nd th e im morta ls ,
b ut w e c a n n eve r s e em to e nco unte r th em . T here w ould a ppear to b e s o m e e ntit y th at is b lo ckin g u s. T he m agic a rts
t e ach th at th e r u le r o f m en s h ould a t tim es m ove a bout in s e cre t s o a s to a vo id e vil s p ir it s . If e vil 's p ir it s a re a vo id ed,
o ne c a n r e ach th e s ta tu s o f T ru e M an. If th e w here abouts o f th e r u le r o f m en a re k n ow n to h is m in is te rs , th is h in ders
h is s p ir it u al p ow er. A T ru e M an c a n e nte r w ate r w it h out g ettin g w et, e nte r fir e w it h out g ettin g b urn ed, s o ar o ve r th e
c lo uds a nd a ir , a nd e ndure a s lo ng a s h eave n a nd e arth . B ut n ow Y our M aje sty , th ough r u lin g th e w hole w orld , h as
n ot y e t b een a ble to a tta in c a lm a nd q uie tu de. W hen y o u a re in th e p ala ce , d o n ot le t o th ers k n ow w here y o u a re .
O nce th at is d one, I b elie ve th at th e h erb s o f im morta lit y c a n b e o bta in ed."
T he e m pero r s a id , " I lo ng to b eco m e a T ru e M an. F ro m n ow o n I w ill r e fe r to m yse lf a s T ru e M an a nd w ill n ot c a ll
m yse lf
zh en."
H e th en h ad e le va te d w alk s a nd w alle d r o ads b uilt to c o nnect a ll th e 2 70 p ala ce s a nd s ce nic to w ers s it u ate d
w it h in th e 7 0 m ile
envir o ns o f X ia nya ng. H e fille d th e p ala ce s w it h c u rta in s a nd h angin gs, b ells a nd d ru m s, a nd
b eautif u l w om en, e ach a ssig ned to a p artic u la r p ost a nd fo rb id den to m ove a bout. A nyo ne r e ve alin g w here th e
e m pero r w as v is it in g a t a ny p artic u la r m om ent w as p ut to d eath .
T he F ir s t E m pero r v is it e d th e p ala ce a t M t. L ia ng a nd h appened to lo ok d ow n fr o m th e m ounta in a nd o bse rv e th e
c a rria ges, o utr id ers , a nd a tte ndants o f th e c h ance llo r. H e w as n ot p le ase d. O ne o f th e e unuch s r e porte d th is to th e
c h ance llo r, w ho th ere afte r r e duce d th e n um ber o f h is c a rria ges a nd o utr id ers . T he F ir s t E m pero r w as fu rio us,
s a yin g, " S om eone a m ong th e e unuch s is le akin g w ord o f w hat I s a y!" H e e xa m in ed th e e unuch s, b ut n one w ould
c o nfe ss to th e c rim e. H e th en o rd ere d th e a rre st o f a ll th ose w ho h ad b een in a tte ndance , a nd h ad e ve ry o ne p ut to
d eath . F ro m th at tim e o n, n o o ne k n ew w here h e w as w hen h e w as a bse nt fr o m th e p ala ce . W heneve r h e lis te ned to
r e ports o r p asse d o n d ecis io ns to h is o ffic ia ls , it w as a lw ays d one a t th e p ala ce in X ia nya ng.
Sim a Q ia n ,
Bio gra p hy o f t h e F ir s t E m pero r
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5 T he S ch ola r’s P lo t
M aste r H ou a nd M aste r L u p lo tte d to geth er, s a yin g, " T he F ir s t E m pero r is b y n atu re o bstin ate , c ru el, a nd s e lf - w ille d.
H e r o se u p fr o m a m ong th e fe udal r u le rs to u nit e th e e ntir e e m pir e , a nd n ow th at h e h as a ch ie ve d h is e nds a nd
f u lf ille d h is d esir e s, h e b elie ve s th at th ere h as n eve r b een a nyo ne lik e h im s in ce r e m ote a ntiq uit y .
" H e e ntr u sts e ve ry th in g to th e la w o ffic ia ls , a nd th e la w o ffic ia ls a lo ne a re a llo w ed in to h is p re se nce . A lt h ough
s e ve nty m en h ave b een a ppoin te d a s a ca dem ic ia ns, th ey a re m ere fig ure heads a nd a re n eve r c o nsu lt e d. T he
c h ance llo r a nd th e o th er m ajo r o ffic ia ls a re a ll h anded d ecis io ns th at h ave a lr e ady b een m ade, a nd th ey s im ply
s e co nd th e e m pero r's o pin io n. T he e m pero r d elig hts in s h ow in g h is a uth orit y b y p unis h in g a nd k illin g, a nd e ve ry o ne
t h ro ughout th e e m pir e d re ads p unis h m ent a nd tr ie s m ere ly to m ain ta in h is p osit io n, n one d arin g to e xe rt tr u e lo ya lt y .
T he e m pero r n eve r le arn s o f h is m is ta ke s a nd h ence g ro w s d aily m ore a rro gant, w hile h is u nderlin gs, p ro str a te w it h
f e ar, fla tte r a nd d ece iv e h im in o rd er to c u rry fa vo r. "
Sim a Q ia n ,
Bio gra p hy o f t h e F ir s t E m pero r
6 T he E xecu tio n o f 4 60 S ch ola rs
H e [th e E m pero r] th en o rd ere d th e im peria l s e cre ta ry to s u bje ct a ll th e s ch ola rs to in ve stig atio n. T he s ch ola rs
r e porte d o n o ne a noth er in a n a tte m pt to e xo nera te th em se lv e s. O ve r 4 60 p ers o ns w ere c o nvic te d o f v io la tin g th e
p ro hib it io ns, a nd w ere e xe cu te d a t X ia nya ng,w ord o f it b ein g p ublic iz e d th ro ughout th e e m pir e s o a s to a ct a s a
w arn in g to la te r a ges. In a ddit io n, in cre asin g n um bers o f c o nvic ts w ere tr a nsp orte d to th e b ord er r e gio ns.
Sim a Q ia n ,
Bio gra p hy o f t h e F ir s t E m pero r
7 T he F ir s t E m pero r’s T re atm en t o f h is P eo ple
T he F ir s t E m pero r tr u ste d h is o w n ju dgm ent, n eve r c o nsu lt in g o th ers , a nd h ence h is e rro rs w ent u nco rre cte d. T he
S eco nd E m pero r c a rrie d o n in th e s a m e m anner, n eve r r e fo rm in g, c o m poundin g h is m is fo rtu ne th ro ugh v io le nce
a nd c ru elt y . . .
A t th at tim e th e w orld w as n ot w it h out m en o f d eep in sig ht a nd a n u nders ta ndin g o f c h ange. T he r e aso n th ey d id
n ot d are e xe rt th eir lo ya lt y a nd c o rre ct th e e rro rs o f th e r u le r w as th at Q in 's c u sto m s fo rb ade th e m entio nin g o f
i n ausp ic io us m atte rs . B efo re th eir w ord s o f lo ya l a dvic e w ere e ve n o ut o f th eir m outh s, th ey w ould h ave b een
c o ndem ned to e xe cu tio n. T his in su re d th at th e m en o f th e e m pir e w ould in clin e th eir e ars to lis te n, s ta nd in a n
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a ttit u de o f s o le m n a tte ntio n, b ut c la m p th eir m outh s s h ut a nd n eve r s p eak o ut. T here fo re w hen th e th re e r u le rs
s tr a ye d fr o m th e W ay, th e lo ya l m in is te rs d id n ot d are r e m onstr a te , a nd th e m en o f w is d om d id n ot d are o ffe r
c o unse l. T he e m pir e w as a lr e ady in r e bellio n, b ut th e r u le r w as n eve r in fo rm ed o f th e v illa in y— how p it if u l! . . .
In th e s o uth h e s e iz e d th e la nd o f th e h undre d tr ib es o f Y ue a nd m ade o f it G uilin a nd X ia ng p ro vin ce s, a nd th e
l o rd s o f th e h undre d Y ue b ow ed th eir h eads, h ung h alt e rs fr o m th eir n ecks, a nd p le aded fo r th eir liv e s w it h th e
l o w est o ffic ia ls o f Q in . T hen h e s e nt M eng T ia n n orth to b uild th e G re at W all a nd d efe nd th e b ord ers , d riv in g b ack th e
X io ngnu o ve r 2 30 m ile s
,
so th at th e b arb aria ns n o lo nger v e ntu re d to c o m e s o uth to p astu re th eir h ors e s a nd th eir
m en d are d n ot ta ke u p th eir b ow s to v e nt th eir h atr e d.
T here upon h e d is ca rd ed th e w ays o f th e fo rm er k in gs a nd b urn ed th e b ooks o f th e h undre d s ch ools o f p hilo so phy in
o rd er to m ake th e b la ck-h eaded p eople ig nora nt. H e d estr o ye d th e w alls o f th e g re at c it ie s, p ut to d eath th e p ow erfu l
l e aders , a nd c o lle cte d a ll th e a rm s o f th e e m pir e , w hic h h e h ad b ro ught to h is c a pit a l a t X ia nya ng, w here th e s p ears
a nd a rro w heads w ere m elt e d d ow n a nd c a st to m ake tw elv e h um an s ta tu es. A ll th is h e d id in o rd er to w eake n th e
b la ck-h eaded p eople .
Sim a Q ia n :
Li J ia n ’s C om men ta ry
8 T he F ir s t E m pero r’s R ule
T hen Q in fa ce d s o uth to c a ll it s e lf r u le r o f th e e m pir e , w hic h m eant th at th e w orld n ow h ad a S on o f H eave n to h ead
i t . T he m asse s h oped th at th ey w ould b e g ra nte d th e p eace a nd s e cu rit y to liv e o ut th eir liv e s, a nd th ere w as n ot o ne
o f th em w ho d id n ot s e t a sid e s e lf is h th oughts a nd lo ok u p to th e s o ve re ig n in r e ve re nce . T his w as th e m om ent fo r
d em onstr a tin g a uth orit y a nd p ro vin g o ne's m erit a s a r u le r, la yin g th e fo undatio n fo r la stin g p eace in th e e m pir e .
B ut th e F ir s t E m pero r w as g re edy a nd s h ort- s ig hte d, c o nfid ent in h is o w n w is d om , n eve r tr u stin g h is m erit o rio us
o ffic ia ls , n eve r g ettin g to k n ow h is p eople . H e c a st a sid e th e k in gly W ay a nd r e lie d o n p riv a te p ro ce dure s, o utla w in g
b ooks a nd w rit in gs, m akin g th e la w s a nd p enalt ie s m uch h ars h er, p uttin g d ece it a nd fo rc e fo re m ost a nd h um anit y
a nd r ig hte ousn ess la st, le adin g th e w hole w orld in v io le nce a nd c ru elt y . In a nnexin g th e la nds o f o th ers , o ne m ay
p la ce p rio rit y o n d ece it a nd fo rc e , b ut in su rin g p eace a nd s ta bilit y in th e la nds o ne h as a nnexe d c a lls fo r a r e sp ect
f o r a uth orit y . H ence I s a y th at s e iz in g, a nd g uard in g w hat y o u h ave s e iz e d, d o n ot d epend u pon th e s a m e
t e ch niq ues.
Q in p ut a n e nd to th e W arrin g S ta te s p erio d a nd m ade it s e lf r u le r o f th e e m pir e , b ut it d id n ot c h ange it s w ays o r
r e fo rm it s s yste m o f g ove rn m ent, w hic h s h ow s th at th e m eans e m plo ye d to s e iz e a n e m pir e d if fe r fr o m th ose
n eeded to g uard it . Q in tr ie d to g uard it a lo ne a nd s in gle -h anded, a nd th ere fo re it s d ow nfa ll w as m ere ly a m atte r o f
t im e.
Sim a Q ia n :
Li J ia n ’s C om men ta ry
S ourc e
R eco rd s o f th e G ra nd H is to ria n: Q uin D yn asty
, b y S im a Q ia n, tr a nsla te d b y B urto n W ats o n. R ese arc h C ente r fo r
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T ra nsla tio n, T he C hin ese U niv e rs it y o f H ong K ong a nd C olu m bia U niv e rs it y P re ss, 1 993. © 1 993 T he C hin ese
U niv e rs it y o f H ong K ong.
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