《史记·佞幸列传》发覆

On Historical Records: History of Treacherous Court Officials

司马迁之所以只为汉代的佞幸之徒立传,主要因为他们多是皇帝的男宠,而西汉皇帝喜好"婉佞"男色的性取向,又直接导致了官场谄媚作风的滋长蔓延。作为这种风气的受害者,作为有良知的史学家,司马迁憎恶阿谀奉迎的官吏,憎恶以色侍主的佞幸,憎恶喜好男色的皇帝,自当是情理中事。因此,他要把那些佞幸之徒连同他们侍奉的君主刻到历史的耻辱柱上,以警示后人,也就在所难免了。

Sima Qian only wrote biography to treacherous court officials in Han Dynasty mainly because they were always the emperor＇s favorite male sexual partners and that kind of sexual orientation of the Western Han Dynasty emperors led directly to the spreading of flattering trend in officialdom. As the victims of this trend and a conscientious historian, it is very natural that Sima Qian was abhorrent to the cringing and treacherous court officials and the emperor who was in favor of male sex. Therefore, it is reasonable that he carved them together on historical shame as a warning to future generations.