preview

Sami Qian The Grand Historian

Decent Essays

Sami Qian: The Grand Historian “If
it may be handed down to men who will appreciate it and penetrate to the villages and great cities, then, though I should suffer a thousand mutilations, what regret would I have?” (Letter to Ren An) The last excerpt from Sami Qian’s letter to Ren An, explaining his reasoning for choosing castration instead of death. Sami Qian was son of Sima Tan. Tan held the position of Court Astrologer who worked under the Han Dynasty. After his father’s death, Qian upheld his father’s role with an additional task. This task entailed recording the history of the known world, mostly about China. While serving under the Han Dynasty, Sami Qian gave support to a general who had surrendered. The Emperor did not enjoy …show more content…

This philosophy became the basis for Chinese government, education, and most other aspects of the culture. Confucius lived from 551 BCE until 479 BCE. In his time he was known for his teachings, which are conserved in the Analects. (Confucian teachings) His teachings are vast; being the foundation for many of the dynasties we know of today, such as: Han, Tang, and Song. These teachings include ethics, humanism, altruism, the disposition to do well, and more. (Confucian teachings) There are three major principles of Confucianism; these three include Ren, Yi, and Li. (Confucius, Analects) All three relate to each other but they also have their own individual concepts. Ren is the commitment to altruism. Altruism is the belief of selflessness; in which doing something that might benefit another at the expense of himself is a strong conviction. The responsibility to have a moral character to do well unto others is the concept of Yi. (Confucius, Analects) Now Li is the expression of these Confucian ideologies, the outward practice of it towards others in your community. Relationships are a pivotal part of Confucius philosophy, especially the relationship between a father and his son. In this philosophy, this relationship is known as filial piety; which is the virtue of respect between father and son along with other …show more content…

There are always two sides of an argument, but the side argued in this essay is that Sami Qian was a Confucian. The largest support for this side is found in Qian’s letter to his friend Jen An, when reading this letter it is clear of his support for Confucius ideologies. Although not explicitly expressed, one can see Sami Qian’s virtues and beliefs in his reasoning for the decision he made. He decided to live a life of shame to complete his father’s work, and this shows selflessness and the support of the Confucius belief of filial piety. When looking at Sami Qian’s actions and writings, it is clear that he supports the three main concepts of Confucianism: Ren, Yi, and

Get Access