Sima Qian was a Chinese historian who lived around 2,000 years ago and is now esteemed for his foundational contributions to Chinese civilization. He is best remembered for the Records of the Grand Historian, also known as the Shiji. This monumental work chronicles Chinese history from its earliest origins to Sima Qian’s own time during the height of the Han Dynasty. It spans a 2,500-year period, beginning with the legendary Yellow Emperor, a mythical figure considered a founding ancestor of Chinese civilization.