Han dynasty court historian who wrote 史记, the first general history of China, told largely through biographies. Sentenced to castration for defending a defeated general, he chose to live on to finish it.
Sima Qian left behind the famous line 'Everyone must die once.'
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history
In his 报任安书 he explained why he chose to live: 人固有一死，或重于泰山，或轻于鸿毛, 'all must die, but a death can outweigh Mount Tai or weigh less than a goose feather'. 毛泽东 quoted it in his 1944 speech 为人民服务 'Serve the People'.
culture
Its 纪传体 'annals and biographies' format became the model for every later official history. 鲁迅 called it 史家之绝唱，无韵之离骚, 'the historians' finest song, a Li Sao without rhyme', likening it to 屈原's great poem.
