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:

There is no fixed road to wealth, and money has no permanent master.

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.

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.

Sima Qian