Records of the Grand Historian: Han Dynasty, Volume 2, Paperback

This second volume of the history of the Han dynasty consists of chapters dealing principally with the reign of Emperor Wu, one of the most energetic and strong-willed of China's Rulers. Here the historian is chronicling events he has witnessed and writing of the men he personally knows or has known. In Nagano Hozan's (1783-1837) words, He makes us see in our minds the character of the men of the time, and this is why he is a great historian.:

Burton Watson is a renowned translator of Chinese and Japanese literature and an Adjunct Professor of Chinese and Japanese at Columbia University. His recent translations include Ryokan: Zen-Monk Poet of Japan, Saigyo: Poems of a Mountain Home, and The Columbia Book of Chinese Poetry. He lives in Japan.