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Sima Qian, the renowned Chinese historian, lived during the Han Dynasty. This era, spanning from 206 BCE to 220 CE, was a period of great cultural and intellectual flourishing in ancient China. Sima Qian's magnum opus, the "Records of the Grand Historian," remains a seminal work of Chinese historiography and literature, providing invaluable insights into China's past and shaping historical understanding for generations to come.