大胆的批判精神无畏的求实态度——《史记》价值评说

The Bold Critical Spirit and the Dauntless Realistic Attitude——Commence on the Value of the Records of the Grand Historian

《史记》是对古代历史的一大总结。它首创纪传体,便可不朽。其为著,详占资料,开以金石作史料之先河。这种方法,实旷古所未有。《史记》绝大部分为研究西汉以前所必需之资料,且司马迁具有远大并进步之历史见识,故虽成于汉代之书,若论其价值则不惟空前,即后世之作亦鲜有能与之匹配者!《史记》多奏不谐之音,统治者对其多有不满。不过,正统人士一方面认定《史记》"是非颇缪于圣人",另一方面,又不得不承认迁有良史之才,其书乃实录一部——光从此义就有深入研究《史记》之必要。尤其是司马迁之精神,更应是今日为学者之楷模。

Records of A Historian is a comprehensive summary of ancient Chinese history and it is immortal thanks to its creation of biographical historical methodology.It made use of rich materials and started the using of authentic materials as historical materials,which is unprecedented in history.The materials in it are mostly materials necessary for the study of history before the West Han Dynasty.Furthermore,Sima Qian had profound and progressive historical foresight.As a result,though Records of A Historian was completed in the Han Dynasty,no works either in ancient or in modern times could match its achievement.Because Sima Qian often wrote the truth as it was,most rulers were angry with him.However,orthodox people on one hand believed that it was different from the sages in judging right and wrong,and on the other hand they had to admit that Sima Qian was a great historian and his book was a realistic recording of history.Only for this,it is necessary to further study Records of A Historian and Sima Qian＇s spirit is an example for scholars nowadays.