Grand Astrologer who began the historical project inherited by Sima Qian
Mural guide
Mural of the event “Han Wudi's Mount Tai Summit”, which this person took part in.
Having defeated the Xiongnu, opened the Silk Road, and centralized the economy, the Han Empire reached its geopolitical zenith and sought the paramount ritual to declare its mandate from Heaven.
Sima Tan, from Xiayang in Zuopingyi, was the father of Sima Qian and served as grand historian, in charge of astronomy and the calendar. According to the postface of the Records of the Grand Historian, he studied the heavens under Tang Du, the Changes under Yang He and Daoist teaching under Huang Zi; he wrote the Essentials of the Six Schools and planned a general history. When Emperor Wu performed the feng sacrifice on Mount Tai in 110 BCE, Sima Tan was held up at Luoyang and could not attend; he died soon after, charging Sima Qian to complete the history.
Charged his son to complete what he wished to write
The year of Emperor Wu's feng sacrifice (110 BCE)
The author's preface says that when the emperor performed the feng and shan sacrifices the grand historian was held back at Zhounan and could not join, and fell ill in anger; he told his son that he must become grand historian and not forget what he wished to write. Sima Qian bowed his head in tears and promised to set out fully the old records his father had arranged, leaving none out, which shows that his father had already put the materials in order.
The author's preface says the grand historian served between the Jianyuan and Yuanfeng years; he studied the heavenly signs under Tang Du, received the Changes from Yang He and learned Daoist discourse from Huang Zi, and wrote the essay on the essentials of the six schools.
Han
