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Secondary sourceBookc. 94 BCE

Records of the Grand Historian, Vol. 47: Hereditary House of Confucius

Sima Qian · c. 94 BCE

Sima Qian's biography of Confucius, written centuries after his death, is the earliest full account of his life and career.

This is the first detailed biography of Confucius, written centuries later and the basis for most traditional stories about him.

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About this source

What it is

This chapter of the Records of the Grand Historian, written by the Han historian Sima Qian around 94 BCE, tells the life story of Confucius: his birth, poverty, career in the state of Lu, travels, and teaching.

Why it matters

Because Confucius left no autobiography, this account by Sima Qian became the foundation for nearly all later stories about his life, including his exile and his search for a ruler who would follow his advice. It shows how later generations shaped and remembered him, more than three centuries after he lived.

Look closer

  • Why might a biography written long after someone's death contain legends as well as facts?
  • What does Sima Qian choose to tell us about Confucius's early life, and why might he have included it?
  • How might a historian's own time and beliefs shape the way he writes about someone from the past?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Confucius on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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