List of chapters in Shiji


The Shiji, written by the Han dynasty historian Sima Qian, is about 526,000 Chinese characters long, making it four times longer than Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, and longer than the Old Testament.
Sima Qian organized the chapters of the Shiji into five categories, each comprising a section of the book: Annals, Tables, Treatises, Hereditary Houses, and Ranked Biographies.

Annals

Benji, 12 volumes. Royal biographies in strict annalistic form that offer an overview of the most important events, especially from the time of the Zhou dynasty to that of the emperor of the Han dynasty.
NumberTitleTranslationNotes
1五帝本紀Annals of the Five EmperorsTraditional view of prehistoric China, beginning from the Yellow Emperor
2夏本紀Annals of XiaXia dynasty
3殷本紀Annals of YinShang dynasty
4周本紀Annals of ZhouZhou dynasty
5秦本紀Annals of QinState of Qin
6秦始皇本紀Annals of Qin Shi HuangQin dynasty
7項羽本紀Annals of Xiang Yu
8高祖本紀Annals of GaozuEmperor Gaozu of Han, 206-195 BC
9呂太后本紀Annals of Empress Dowager LüEmpress Lü Zhi
10孝文本紀Annals of the Xiaowen EmperorEmperor Wen of Han, 179-157 BC
11孝景本紀Annals of the Xiaojing EmperorEmperor Jing of Han, 156-141 BC
12孝武本紀Annals of the Xiaowu EmperorEmperor Wu of Han, 140-87 BC. Originally named Annals of His Majesty.

Tables

Biao, 10 tables: overview of the reigns of the successive lords of the feudal states from the time of the Zhou dynasty till that of the early Han. At the same time the most important events of their reigns are mentioned.
NumberTitleTranslationNotes
13三代世表Genealogical Table of the Three AgesFrom the Yellow Emperor's time to the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties
14十二諸侯年表Yearly Chronicle of the Feudal LordsThe lords who ruled the twelve feudal states in the Spring and Autumn period
15六國年表Yearly Chronicle of the Six StatesThe six feudal states in the Warring States period
16秦楚之際月表Monthly Table of between Qin and ChuThe war between the feudal states of Qin and Chu
17漢興以來諸侯王年表Yearly Table of the Nobles of the Imperial Clan since the Han Dynasty's FoundingNobles of the imperial family who held titles of nobility
18高祖功臣侯者年表Yearly Table of the Officials who became Marquises in the Time of GaozuOfficials who received marquis titles in the time of Emperor Gaozu of Han
19惠景閒侯者年表Yearly Table of the Officials who became Marquises between the Reigns of Emperor Hui and Emperor JingOfficials who received marquis titles from 194 to 141 BC
20建元以來侯者年表Yearly Table of the Officials who became Marquises since the Jianyuan PeriodJianyuan was the reign period of Emperor Wu of Han from 140 to 135 BC
21建元已來王子侯者年表Yearly Table of the Nobles' Sons who became Marquises since the Jianyuan period
22漢興以來將相名臣年表Yearly Table of Statesmen, Generals and Officials since the Han Dynasty's Founding

Treatises

Shu, 8 volumes. Each treatise describes an area of state interest.
NumberTitleTranslationNotes
23禮書Rites
24樂書Musicprobably postdating Sima Qian, cf. Record of Music
25律書BellsHarmony and measurements
26曆書Calendars
27天官書Astronomy
28封禪書Religious sacrificial ceremoniesSacrifices to Heaven and Earth
29河渠書Rivers and canals
30平準書EqualizationNames of officials who had to buy crops in a year of bountiful harvest and sell in a year of crop failure

Genealogies

Shijia, 30 volumes. Descriptions in chronicle form of the events of the states from the time of the Zhou dynasty until the early Han dynasty and of eminent people.
NumberTitleTranslationNotes
31吳太伯世家House of Wu TaiboState of Wu
32齊太公世家House of Duke Tai of QiState of Qi under the House of Jiang
33魯周公世家House of Lu ZhougongState of Lu
34燕召公世家House of Yan ShaogongState of Yan
35管蔡世家Houses of Guan and CaiStates of Cai and Cao
36陳杞世家Houses of Chen and Qi
37衛康叔世家House of Wei Kang ShuState of Wey
38宋微子世家House of Song Wei ZiState of Song
39晉世家House of Jin
40楚世家House of Chu
41越王句踐世家House of King Goujian of YueState of Yue
42鄭世家House of Zheng
43趙世家House of Zhao
44魏世家House of Wei
45韓世家House of Han
46田敬仲完世家House of Tian Jingzhong State of Qi under the House of Tian
47孔子世家House of Confucius
48陳涉世家House of Chen She
49外戚世家Houses of the External RelativesThe empresses and their families
50楚元王世家House of Prince Yuan of Chu
51荊燕世家Houses of Jing and Yan
52齊悼惠王世家House of Prince Daohui of QiLiu Fei
53蕭相國世家House of Chancellor XiaoXiao He
54曹相國世家House of Chancellor CaoCao Shen
55留侯世家House of Marquis of LiuZhang Liang
56陳丞相世家House of Chancellor ChenChen Ping
57絳侯周勃世家House of Zhou Bo, Marquis of Jiang
58梁孝王世家House of Prince Xiao of Liang
59五宗世家House of the Five ClansThe sons of Emperor Jing of Han
60三王世家House of the Three KingsThe rulers of Qi, Yan and Guangling

Biographies

Liezhuan, 70 volumes. Biographies of important people. The biographies are limited to the description of the events that show the exemplary character of the subject, but in the Shiji is often supplemented with legends. One biography can treat two or more people if they are considered to belong to the same type. The last biographies describe the relations between the Chinese and the neighboring peoples.
NumberTitleTranslationNotes
61伯夷列傳Biography of BoyiThe brothers Boyi and Shu Qi
62管晏列傳Biographies of Guan and YanGuan Zhong and Yan Ying
63老子韓非列傳Biographies of Laozi and Han FeiIncludes the biographies of Zhuangzi and Shen Buhai
64司馬穰苴列傳Biography of Sima Rangju
65孫子吳起列傳Biographies of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi
66伍子胥列傳Biography of Wu Zixu
67仲尼弟子列傳Biographies of the disciples of ZhongniZhongni 仲尼 was the courtesy name of Confucius. Biographies of Yan Yuan 顏淵, Min Ziqian 閔子騫, Ran Boniu 冄伯牛, Zhong Gong 仲弓, Ran You 冄有, Ji Lu 季路, Zai Wo 宰我, Zi Gong 子貢, Ziyou 子有, Zixia 子夏, Zizhang 子張, Zeng Shen 曾參, Gao Chai 高柴, Zirong 子容, Ziyu 子羽, Ziyou 子游, and several more. At the end are 42 disciples' names with no other information.
68商君列傳Biography of Lord ShangShang Yang
69蘇秦列傳Biography of Su Qin
70張儀列傳Biography of Zhang Yi
71樗里子甘茂列傳Biographies of Shu Lizi and Gan MaoIncludes the biography of Gan Luo
72穰侯列傳Biography of the Marquis of RangWei Ran
73白起王翦列傳Biographies of Bai Qi and Wang Jian
74孟子荀卿列傳Biographies of Mengzi and Xun QingMencius and Xunzi
75孟嘗君列傳Biography of Lord Mengchangone of the Four Lords of the Warring States
76平原君虞卿列傳Biographies of Lord Pingyuan and Yu QingLord Pingyuan was one of the Four Lords of the Warring States
77魏公子列傳Biography of the prince of WeiLord Xinling, one of the Four Lords of the Warring States
78春申君列傳Biography of Lord Chunshenone of the Four Lords of the Warring States
79范睢蔡澤列傳Biographies of Fan Sui and Cai Ze
80樂毅列傳Biography of Yue Yi
81廉頗藺相如列傳Biographies of Lian Po and Lin XiangruBiographies of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru is a Song dynasty calligraphic work by Huang Tingjian.
82田單列傳Biography of Tian Dan
83魯仲連鄒陽列傳Biographies of Lu Zhonglian and Zou Yang
84屈原賈生列傳Biographies of Qu Yuan and Master JiaMaster Jia refers to Jia Yi
85呂不韋生列傳Biography of Master Lü Buwei
86刺客列傳Biographies of AssassinsCao Mo, Zhuan Zhu, Yu Rang, Nie Zheng and Jing Ke
87李斯列傳Biography of Li Si
88蒙恬列傳Biography of Meng Tian
89張耳陳餘列傳Biographies of Zhang Er and Chen Yu
90魏豹彭越列傳Biographies of Wei Bao and Peng Yue
91黥布列傳Biography of Qing BuYing Bu
92淮陰侯列傳Biography of the Marquis of HuaiyinHan Xin
93韓信盧綰列傳Biographies of Han Xin and Lu WanIncludes the biography of Chen Xi
94田儋列傳Biography of Tian Dan
95樊酈滕灌列傳Biographies of Fan, Li, Teng and GuanFan Kuai, Li Shang, Xiahou Ying, Guan Ying
96張丞相列傳Biography of Chancellor ZhangZhang Cang
97酈生陸賈列傳Biographies of Li Yiji and Lu GuIncludes the biography of Zhu Jian
98傅靳蒯成列傳Biographies of Fu, Jin, and the Marquis of KuaichengFu Kuan, Jin Xi and Zhou Xue
99劉敬叔孫通列傳Biographies of Liu Jing and Shusun Tong
100季布欒布列傳Biographies of Ji Bu and Luan Bu
101袁盎晁錯列傳Biographies of Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo
102張釋之馮唐列傳Biographies of Zhang Shizhi and Feng Tang
103萬石張叔列傳Biographies of Wan Shi and Zhang Shu
104田叔列傳Biography of Tian Shu
105扁鵲倉公列傳Biographies of Bian Que and the Duke of CangDuke of Cang refers to Tai Cang
106吳王濞列傳Biography of Pi, Prince of WuLiu Pi
107魏其武安侯列Biographies of the Marquis of Weiqi and the Marquis of Wu'anDou Ying and Tian Fen
108韓長孺列傳Biography of Han Changru
109李將軍列傳Biography of General LiLi Guang
110匈奴列傳Treatise on the Xiongnu
111衛將軍驃騎列傳Biographies of General Wei and General PiaojiWei Qing and Huo Qubing
112平津侯主父列傳Biographies of the Marquis of Pingjin and ZhufuGongsun Hong and Zhufu Yan
113南越列傳Treatise on the Nanyue
114東越列傳Treatise on the Eastern Yue
115朝鮮列傳Treatise on JoseonKorea
116西南夷列傳Treatise on the Southwestern Yi people
117司馬相如列傳Biography of Sima Xiangru
118淮南衡山列傳Biographies of Huainan and HengshanThe kings of Huainan and Hengshan
119循吏列傳Biographies of Upright OfficialsSunshu Ao, Zichan, Gong Yixiu, Shi She and Li Li
120汲鄭列傳Biographies of Ji and ZhengJi An and Zheng Dangshi
121儒林列傳Biographies of Confucian ScholarsGongsun Hong, Shen Gong, Yuan Gu, Han Ying, Fu Sheng, Dong Zhongshu and Hu Wu
122酷吏列傳Biographies of Cruel OfficialsHou Feng, Zhi Du, Ning Cheng, Zhou Yangyou, Zhao Yu, Zhang Tang, Yi Zong, Wang Wenshu, Yin Qi, Yang Pu, Jian Xuan, and Du Zhou
123大宛列傳Treatise on the Dayuan
124游俠列傳Biographies of Knight-errantsLu Zhujia and Guo Jie
125佞幸列傳Biographies of Male FavoritesMale favorites of the Han emperors, among others Ji, Hong, Deng Tong, Zhao Tong, Beigong Bozi, Zhou Wenren, Han Yan, and Li Yannian
126滑稽列傳Biographies of JestersChunyu Kun, You Meng, You Zhan and Dongfang Shuo
127日者列傳Biographies of SoothsayersSima Jizhu, a soothsayer, in conversation with Song Zhong and Jia Yi in Chang'an
128龜策列傳Biographies of DivinersIncludes a text by Chu Shaosun on sacred turtles used in divining, astrology, the magician Wan Bi, the scholar Wei Ping, Duke Yuan of Song
129貨殖列傳Biographies of UsurersShort biographies of people who enriched themselves : Fan Li , Ji Ran , Duanmu Ci , Bai Gui , Yi Dun , Guo Zong , Luo of Wuzhi , Cheng Zheng , Dao Xian , Shi Shi , Qiao Yao , Wu Yan , Qin Yang , Tian Shu , Huan Fa , Yong Lecheng , Yong Bo , Zhang Li , and of the origins of the wealth of many other rich families; also includes description of the geography of Handan, Luoyang and several regions; and a description of the economy under the Han dynasty.