Sima Qian quotes

Sima Qian was a renowned Chinese historian and writer, regarded as the father of Chinese historiography. His monumental work, "Records of the Grand Historian," laid the foundation for all subsequent Chinese historical writing. He became an enduring symbol of intellectual honesty and literary achievement in Chinese culture. Here are 4 of his quotes:

The King of Wu said，"Enough, general. Retire to your hostel, We do not wish to come down and observe." Sun Tzu said, "The king only loves the words, he cannot make use of the reality." After this, Ho-lu knew that Sun Tzu could command troops and in the end appointed him commander. [Later when Wu] defeated mighty Ch'u to its west and entered its capital Ying awed Ch'i and Chin to its north and spread its fame among the feudal lords, it was due in part to Sun Tzu. (Sima Qian)
There is no fixed road to wealth, and money has no permanent master. View quote
Sima Qian
I myself have travelled west as far as K'ung-t'ung, north past Cho-lu, east to the sea, and in the south I have sailed the Yellow and Huai Rivers. The elders and old men of these various lands frequently pointed out to me the places where the Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun had lived, and in these places the manners and customs seemed quite different. In general those of their accounts which do not differ from the ancient texts seem to be near to the truth. View quote
Sima Qian
A man has only one death. That death may be as weighty as Mount Tai, or it may be as light as a goose feather. It all depends upon the way he uses it. View quote
Sima Qian