Shi ji and Shang Jun Shu

Shi ji (Records of the Grand Historian):

The Shi ji was written by Sima Qian during the Han dynasty from 109 to 91 BC, intended as a definitive record of Chinese history up to that time. Sima Qian's the basic premise was to put forth an un-biased, accurate account of history and then use it in order to guide future actions of state. Of his work, he said, "I have gathered up and brought together all the old traditions of the world that were scattered and lost. I have examined the events of the past and present and investigated the principles behind their success and failure, their rise and decay, in 130 chapters. I wished to examine into all that concerns heaven and humankind, to penetrate the changes of the past and present, putting forth my views as one school of interpretation." Throughout the work, Sima criticizes the preceding Qin dynasty, and its 'harsh Legalist' ideology, extensively. Further, Sima presents a detailed description of the political climate of his day, under the reign of emperor Han Wudi - describing how men of ambition are willing to say and do anything, without consideration of the consequences, in order to get their own views implemented into official, government policy.


Shang Jun Shu (The Book of Lord Shang):

The Shang Jun Shu was one of the earliest written works of the Legalist school of philosophy in ancient China. Shang Yang wrote the book sometime between 359 and 338 BC. He was the chief minister of the kingdom of Qin in the 'Warring States' era and enacted numerous Legalist reforms that eventually allowed Qin to conquer all of China and form the Qin dynasty. The Shang Jun Shu covers everything from law, immigration and military strategy to agriculture. In it, Shang presents a meticulous, step by step description of what the government of a state must do in order to survive and prosper - which has come to be known as 'harsh Legalism'. This Legalist philosophy is focused the basic idea that, "A weak people means a strong state and a strong state means a weak people. Therefore, a country, which has the right way, is concerned with weakening the people." However Shang's style of 'harsh Legalism' was abhorrent to Confucians and fell into disrepute in later Chinese history; the author Su Tung Po (1036-1101 AD) said of him that, “[The name of Shang Yang] is in the world like fly‑specks; speaking about him befouls the mouth and tongue, writing about him sullies the paper; when his methods are applied in the world, ruin of the state, misery of the people, destruction of the family and loss of one’s own life follow one after the other.”


I am interested in the way Sima Qian presents the past and uses his comments on historical figures as a way to put forth commentary and subtle criticism of his present political state - which was not necessarily safe to discuss openly. I view the Shi ji as a tool that Sima used in order to try to legitimize political discourse and prevent repressive regimes like the Qin dynasty from arising again. By reading the Shang Jun Shu, one can see that Sima's repeated criticizms of the Qin and Legalism are at most only slightly exaggerated.