How did Sima Qian write Historical Records under the nose of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty?

Sima Qian's ancestors were originally historians of the Zhou Dynasty, and his father Sima Tan served as a royal historian for more than 20 years. Taishiling of the Western Han Dynasty was responsible for the management of astronomical calendars, historical records, national archives and local documents. Therefore, he is also familiar with astronomical calendars and other natural science knowledge. In addition, due to his convenient location, he can get in touch with ancient classics extensively. Sima Tan is a learned man. He has written many papers criticizing various schools of thought. He yearns for the long history of his ancestors, attaches importance to the historical contribution of Confucius in Spring and Autumn Annals, and is interested in historical papers. In the first year of Yuanfeng (1 10 BC), Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty visited Mount Tai eastward and held a tribute ceremony. Sima Tan followed him to Luoyang, but was detained due to illness and died angrily. Before he died, he took Sima Qian's hand and told him the great events in history with tears. Sima Qian bowed his head and cried. He accepted the entrustment and was determined to fulfill his father's last wish.

At the age of 20, Sima began to fly away, traveling in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and now Shandong and Henan provinces. Later, he carried out a special mission in the southwest and made a second expedition, reaching western Sichuan and western Yunnan. During my tour with Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, I also visited many places. He traveled all over the Yangtze River, Five Lakes, Huaihe River and Sloro River, reaching Sichuan in the west and Longmen to Shuofang in the north.

In Huiji, he visited Yu's acupoints. In Huaiyin, I visited the ruins of Han Xin. He visited the former residences of Xiaohe, Cao Can and Fan Kuai. In the Xiangjiang River Basin of the Yuan Dynasty, Qu Yuan paid tribute to the Miluo River, where he drowned himself. In Shandong, I visited the Confucius Temple and the ancient village of Meng Changjun. On the northern border, I visited the Great Wall barrier built by Meng Tian. The magnificent journey opened his eyes and broadened his horizons, and also gave him the opportunity to hear the vivid stories of celebrities in past dynasties, especially those since Qin and Han Dynasties. This also gives him the opportunity to reach out to the lower classes and help him understand economic life, local characteristics and geographical conditions. These are of great help to him in writing historical records.

In 98 BC, he defended Li Ling, offended Emperor Wu, and was put into prison. According to the laws of the Han Dynasty, you can pay for atonement, but his family is poor and can't raise enough money to pay off debts. His relatives and friends did not lend a helping hand, and Sima Qian was finally punished by the court. He is well aware of the traditional stigma associated with "eager to see" people, but he insists on this cause. He once claimed that no matter what "vulgar" ideas, he was ready, and he would hide the book and pass it on to others. If he is killed for writing history, he won't regret it.