Chinese statesman-historian, opponent of the reformer Wang Anshi. His Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government gives not only complete dynastic coverage of Chinese history 403 BCAD 959, but also details on ordinary lifestyles. Written 106684, its 600-character first draft filled two rooms of his house. A later (1189) abridgement by the philosopher Zhu Xi was widely used in China until modern times.
| Names | |
|---|---|
| Xìng 姓: | Sīmǎ 司馬 |
| Míng 名: | Guāng 光 |
| Zì 字: | Jūnshí 君實 |
| Hào 號: | Yúsǒu 迂叟¹ |
| aka: |
Sùshuǐ Xiānsheng 涑水先生² |
| Shì 謚: | Wénzhèng 文正³ |
| title: | Wēnguógōng 溫國公⁴ |
| 1. late in his life | |
| 2. after his hometown Sùshuǐ 涑水 | |
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3. hence referred to as Sīmǎ Wénzhènggōng 司馬文正公 |
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4. hence referred to as Sīmǎ Wēngōng 司馬溫公 |
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- For instance, his collection of works is entitled 溫國文正司馬公文集 |
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Sīmǎ Guāng (Chinese: 司馬光/司马光;
In 1064, Sima presented to Emperor Yingzong of Song a book of five volumes (巻), the Liniantu (歷年圖 "Chart of Successive Years"). "Comprehensive Records"), which chronicled Chinese history from 403 BCE to 207 BCE (the end of the Qin Dynasty). The emperor issued an edict for compiling a groundbreaking universal history of China, granting full access to the imperial libraries, and allocating funds for all the costs of compilation, including research assistance by experienced historians such as Liu Ban (劉攽, 1022-88), Liu Shu (劉恕, 1032-78), and Fan Zuyu (范祖禹, 1041-98). Indeed, though the historian and the emperor continued to disagree on policies, Sima's enforced retirement proved essential for him to fully complete his chronological history.
Sima Guang was also a lexicographer (who perhaps edited the Jiyun), and spent decades compiling his 1066 Leipian (類篇;
Sima Guang is best remembered for his Zizhi Tongjian masterwork, and Rafe de Crespigny (1973:65) describes him as "perhaps the greatest of all Chinese historians."
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