Sima Qian 司馬遷
historian · Han China · 145?–86? BC
The historian who wrote the Records of the Grand Historian. For defending a defeated general he angered the emperor and was castrated; he bore the shame and finished his book.
Posts
c. 91 BC · A letter explaining why, after his disgrace, he did not die but lived on to write his book
Everyone must die once. A death may be heavier than Mount Tai or lighter than a goose feather. The difference lies in what it is used for.
人固有一死，或重於泰山，或輕於鴻毛，用之所趨異也。"Letter in Reply to Ren An"
1 in 100 Billion · The social network of those who came before us