A Discussion of the Historiographical Achievement of “Hereditary Houses” in Records of the Grand Historian: “They Should Be Read in Another Perspective”

Chen Qitai

   There are thirty chapters of “Hereditary Houses” in Records of the Grand Historian, showing the importance of this section. Some former scholars wrongly accused that Sima Qian “has no criterion of name and reality,” and “makes his genre confused.” Actually, they did not understand clearly the historical characteristics reflected in different types and chapters of “Hereditary Houses,” the basic compilation paradigm adopted by Sima Qian, and his flexible use of the style. When reading the “Hereditary Houses”, we should change into another perspective, and make new generalization with innovative ideas. Through establishing the style of “Hereditary Houses”, on the one hand, Sima Qian wisely solved a conundrum on historiography. He highlighted the rise and fall of states in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, and did his effort to portray the prominent characters of Duke Huan of Qi, King Zhuang of Chu, King Wuling of Zhao in a way of giving consideration of both annalistic and biographical styles. On the other hand, he uniquely listed Confucius and Chen She in “Hereditary Houses” to commend the contribution of great figure in ancient culture and hero in peasant uprising, thus produced a profound influence in history. Third, he picked Xiao He, Cao Shen, and Zhang Liang out of a batch of founding officials and officers to be “Hereditary Houses”, affirming them as the most trustworthy ministers in the early Han Dynasty, which was consistent with Sima Qian’s stand of praising the historical progress of the Han Dynasty.