Sima Qian was commanded by Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty to undertake a mission to the southwest China right after his extensive tour of the world at the age of 20.This mission not only enabled him to have a more compre-hensive tour of the territory of the Han Empire but also enriched the materials for his writing Historical Records.What's more,whether from Sima Qian's own"hunting novelty"psychological impetus or considering Emperor Wu's aspiration to"unification in China",the mission to the southwest China is not as straightforward as he depicted in the"Taishi Gong's Preface to Historical Records".Behind this conduct lies the organic combination of personal growth and the exploration of national destiny.Therefore,it is necessary to thoroughly consider the motivations and background of Sima Qian's missions,and it will help us gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Sima Qian's journey to the southwest through analyzing the significance of Sima Qian's life achievements by comparing them with Zhang Qian's missions to the Western Regions..
Sima QianHistorical Recordsbeing sent on a missionsouthwest ChinaZhang qian
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