《史记》“太史公曰”读法示例

Reading Methods of“Tai Shi Gong’s Statement”in Historical Records

《史记》是部大著作,“太史公曰”是各篇点睛之笔,也是理解司马迁著述之旨的线索,因而不能孤立地看,“太史公曰”、《太史公自序》小序以及正文应合起来读。“太史公曰”与《太史公自序》小序内容与形式各具特点,或分述褒贬,或各论一截,放在一块,大旨乃全。《史记》正文常“寓论断于叙事”之中,此论断多与“太史公曰”相应。《史记》“近于圆而神”,诸篇“太史公曰”合起来是一篇大文字,可以通观。

Historical Records is a great work,and“Tai Shi Gong’s Statement”is the key point of each article,and also the clue to understand the purpose of Sima Qian’s works.Therefore,we can’t look at it in isolation.“Tai Shi Gong’s Statement”and“the small preface of Historical Records”should be read together with the text.“Tai Shi Gong’s Statement”and“the small preface of Historical Records”have their own characteristics in content and form.Among them,some are positive and some negative.When we put them together,the main purpose is complete.Sima Qian often put his judgment in narration,which is corresponding to“Tai Shi Gong’s Statement”.It connects each other,which is a large text,so we should read it actively.