The Han period produced China's most famous historian, Sima Qian (145-87 B.C.?), whose Shiji (Historical Records) provides a detailed chronicle from the time of a legendary Xia emperor to that of the Han emperor Wu Di(141-87 B.C.).

Technological advances also marked this period.

Two of the great Chinese inventions, paper and porcelain, date from Han times.

Sima Qian made the political mistake of seeking to intercede for a general who had lost a battle when faced by overwhelming forces.

This offended the Han Emperor Wu, who sentenced Sima Qian to castration.

Such a sentence was calculated to cause an honorable suicide.

Sima Qian, however, accepted the punishment and consequent disgrace in order to finish his history, as he explained in a letter to a friend.

We are indebted to Sima Qian for most of the history we have of early China and for his demonstration that some things are more important than personal honor.

His Chronicle is HERE