During the reign of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, there was a military attendant named Sima Xiangru. Sima Xiangru was from Shu Commandery (present-day Nanchong, Sichuan). Originally named Sima Changqing, he changed his name because he greatly admired Lin Xiangru, the famous prime minister of the Warring States period. From a young age, Sima Xiangru loved reading and was skilled at playing the zither, but his greatest talent lay in writing rhapsodies. To showcase his abilities, he purchased an official position with money. Many people aspired to serve by the emperor's side, and Sima Xiangru was initially delighted to enter the palace as an attendant. However, over time, he realized that being an official was not a good thing. Emperor Jing had no interest in rhapsodies, and the courtiers were solely focused on currying favor with the emperor, paying no attention to poetry or literature. Unable to display his talents in the palace, Sima Xiangru grew increasingly disheartened day by day.
One day, Liang King Liu Wu visited the palace to see Emperor Jing of Han and inadvertently learned that Sima Xiangru was skilled in writing rhapsodies, so he engaged him in an enthusiastic discussion; moved by Liang King's warmth, Sima Xiangru felt a regret that they had not met sooner, and Liang King also introduced him to Zou Yang, Mei Cheng, and Zhuang Ji, who were the most renowned rhapsody writers of the time. Over time, Sima Xiangru's rhapsodies grew increasingly excellent, and to repay Liang King's kindness for recognizing his talent, he composed a rhapsody titled "Zixu Fu" and presented it to Liang King.
Later, the Prince of Liang invited Sima Xiangru to write another rhapsody. This time, Sima Xiangru composed "The Rhapsody of Jade," which so impressed the prince that he gifted Xiangru a treasured famous zither named "Green Silk," renowned throughout the world for ages. The Green Silk zither had a slender body, smooth lines, and produced a delightful sound. Paired with Sima Xiangru's superb zither skills, it left the world in awe.
Unfortunately, Liu Wu, the Prince of Liang, passed away shortly after, leaving Sima Xiangru deeply grieved. Realizing there would be no one left in the palace to play the zither and discuss poetry with, he feigned illness and resigned from his post, returning to his hometown.
Wang Ji, the magistrate of Linqiong County, was a close friend of Sima Xiangru. Upon hearing that Xiangru had resigned from his official post and returned home, and knowing that he was feeling downhearted, Wang Ji invited him to visit Linqiong. At first, Sima Xiangru was reluctant to go, but after repeated invitations from Wang Ji, he packed some belongings and went to stay at the official inn in Linqiong.
Hearing that the county magistrate had invited an honored guest, Linqiong's wealthiest man, Zhuo Wangsun, saw this as a golden opportunity to curry favor with the magistrate. He hosted a lavish banquet at his home, claiming he wished to befriend Sima Xiangru. Out of respect for Wang Ji, Xiangru found it hard to refuse and attended the feast. During the banquet, Zhuo Wangsun repeatedly praised Sima Xiangru's talent and eventually asked him to play a tune. Taking advantage of the wine's spirit, Xiangru composed a piece called "Feng Qiu Huang" (The Phoenix Seeks His Mate), playing the zither and singing along. Zhuo Wangsun had a daughter named Zhuo Wenjun, who, upon hearing Sima Xiangru's zither music and the song "Feng Qiu Huang," felt her heart stir. She secretly watched him from behind a screen, and Sima Xiangru also caught sight of her; they fell in love at first sight. Zhuo Wenjun had originally been betrothed to a nobleman's descendant, but unfortunately, before she could marry, her husband passed away, leaving her a young widow at home. Yet, upon hearing Sima Xiangru's rendition of "Feng Qiu Huang," she was irresistibly drawn to his extraordinary bearing. That night, the two eloped to Chengdu.
Zhuo Wangsun flew into a rage, furious that his daughter had brought such shame upon the family, and declared he would not give Zhuo Wenjun a single coin. Zhuo Wenjun followed Sima Xiangru to live in Chengdu, but since Sima Xiangru no longer held an official post, they had no income, and their savings were soon exhausted. Seeing Sima Xiangru's worried expression, Zhuo Wenjun decided to return with him to Linqiong, where they borrowed some money from relatives and opened a tavern on the street. Zhuo Wenjun managed the wine sales and kept the accounts, while Sima Xiangru worked alongside the waiters doing odd jobs.
The news of Zhuo Wenjun selling wine on the street quickly spread through Linqiong City, leaving her father Zhuo Wangsun both angry and ashamed. Reflecting that Sima Xiangru was, after all, a man of impressive appearance and talent, and though he held no official post, there was no telling if he might not rise to prominence in the future—and that his daughter's public exposure would only bring ridicule upon the Zhuo family and himself as her father—Zhuo Wangsun's anger subsided. He ordered his servants to deliver a million copper coins, a hundred attendants, and all the dowry he had prepared for Zhuo Wenjun's marriage. Overjoyed, Zhuo Wenjun and Sima Xiangru thanked Zhuo Wangsun, then gathered their people and provisions and returned to Chengdu.
After some time, Emperor Jing of Han passed away, and Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, ascended the throne. One day, Emperor Wu came across Sima Xiangru's "Zixu Fu," written for the Prince of Liang, and was captivated by its elegant and engaging prose. Believing it was the work of a famous poet from a previous dynasty, he lamented that he could not meet the author in person. Just then, an attendant informed the emperor that the author was Sima Xiangru, a native of Shu Commandery in the current dynasty. Overjoyed, Emperor Wu immediately summoned Sima Xiangru to the capital. Upon his return to the palace, the emperor praised his literary talent, and Sima Xiangru said, "The 'Zixu Fu' describes a prince's hunting expedition; allow me to compose a new piece for Your Majesty, specifically about an emperor's hunt."
This is the "Shanglin Fu" (Rhapsody on the Imperial Park), as famous as the "Zixu Fu" (Rhapsody on Sir Fantasy). The two rhapsodies are connected in content, but compared to the former, "Shanglin Fu" is richer in substance and more ornate in language. The characters "Zixu" (Sir Fantasy), "Wuyou Xiansheng" (Master Nothing), and "Wangshi Gong" (Lord Not-Real) are all fictional figures created by Sima Xiangru, and their conversation unfolds through a series of questions and answers, exploring themes such as national unity and simple living. While praising the majesty of the empire, it also subtly satirizes the extravagant lifestyles of the emperor and his officials. From then on, rhapsodists of the Han Dynasty imitated Sima Xiangru, often taking the nation and the emperor's life as the subject of their rhapsodies. As a result, Sima Xiangru was appointed as a Gentleman of the Palace.
In 135 BC, General Tang Meng, in order to attack the Yelang tribe, conscripted several thousand soldiers from the Ba and Shu commanderies and mobilized tens of thousands more from the western commanderies to transport grain and equipment in the rear. To establish military authority, Tang Meng brutally executed the leaders of the Ba and Shu armies, causing widespread fear and panic among the people of these two regions. The news soon reached Chang'an, and Emperor Wu of Han was furious, rebuking Tang Meng for losing the people's support. After much deliberation, the emperor decided to send Sima Xiangru to pacify the populace. Upon arriving in Ba and Shu, Sima Xiangru wrote a proclamation titled "An Edict to Ba and Shu," explaining to the people that Tang Meng's actions were his own doing and not the emperor's true intention. He then distributed substantial amounts of grain to the people, ultimately preventing the situation from escalating.
To ensure the people of Bashu fully submitted to the Han Dynasty, Sima Xiangru wrote another piece titled "Refuting the Elders of Shu," also in a question-and-answer format, explaining to the populace the benefits of harmonious coexistence between ethnic minorities and the imperial court, successfully winning the trust of the Bashu people and contributing to the Han Dynasty's development of the southwestern frontier.
After this, Sima Xiangru was reported by others for accepting bribes and was stripped of his official position. Emperor Wu of Han, unwilling to let his talent go to waste, reinstated him a year later. However, Sima Xiangru had long grown weary of the struggles in officialdom. Aside from occasionally joining Emperor Wu on hunting trips, he spent most of his time at home reading. Seeing that Emperor Wu was indulging excessively in hunting, Sima Xiangru wrote a rhapsody, using the story of Qin Ershi, Hu Hai, to caution the emperor against neglecting state affairs. Deeply moved, Emperor Wu valued Sima Xiangru even more. Later, when Sima Xiangru learned that Emperor Wu was pursuing the path of immortality, he happened to have an unfinished rhapsody about immortals. He devoted considerable time and effort to complete it, and this work became the "Rhapsody on the Great Man."
In 118 BCE, Sima Xiangru fell ill, and Emperor Wu of Han allowed him to return home to recuperate; not long after, Sima Xiangru passed away, and before dying, he instructed his family to present the books he had written to Emperor Wu of Han.
Sima Xiangru left behind a total of twenty-nine rhapsodies, among which the "Rhapsody on Pears," "Rhapsody on Pickled Fish," and "Rhapsody on the Catalpa Mountain" exist only in name without content; additionally, Zhang Pu of the Ming Dynasty compiled the "Collection of Sima Wen Garden," which is included in the "Collection of One Hundred and Three Masters of the Han, Wei, and Six Dynasties."
The most important literary form of the Han Dynasty was the rhapsody (ci fu), and Sima Xiangru can be considered its representative writer, as well as a literary figure and aesthetician, and one of the founders of this genre. His rhapsodies are generally rich in content, broad in scope, and elegant in style, revealing a superb aesthetic sense that demonstrates his extraordinary insight into the form. Throughout history, it is difficult to find a rhapsody writer who can match Sima Xiangru; even Sima Qian held him in high regard, going so far as to dedicate a biography to him in the Records of the Grand Historian, which shows just how lofty Sima Xiangru's status in literary history truly is.