How did Sima Qian avoid execution in 99 BC?
He fled the country
He won a duel
He was pardoned
He chose castration
Answer
In 99 BC, to escape execution for defending a general who surrendered to the Xiongnu, the nomadic confederation in Inner Asia, Sima Qian, the renowned Chinese historian, opted for castration—a common alternative punishment during the Han dynasty. This decision not only spared his life but also allowed him to continue his magnum opus, the Records of the Grand Historian, a seminal work in Chinese historiography.
The Legacy of Sima Qian: Unlocking Ancient Chinese History
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