司马迁，字子长，西汉左冯翊夏阳(今陕西韩城市)人，生于景帝中元五年(公元前145年)，约卒于昭帝始元年间(公元前86-80)。武帝时继其父司马谈为太史令，著有我国第一部纪传体通史《史记》，又通晓天文、历法，主修《太初历》他是我国古代伟大的史学家、文学家、思想家和卓越的历数家。
司马迁祠墓坐落在韩城市芝川镇南奕坡旁的悬壁上。东濒黄河，西枕梁山，山河映带，气势壮观。清人樊增祥诗云："关中文物最韩城"。而司马迁祠文物之盛，尤为韩城之冠。
据《水经注》载："永嘉四年，汉阳太守殷济瞻仰遣文，大其功德，遂建石室，立碑树柏．可见司马迁祠的修建，迄今至少已一千六百余年。
又据《韩城县志》载：宋宣和七年(公元1125年)县令尹阳，曾集芝川乡民修砌墓垣；建起寝宫、献殿和山门。"现在的山门和寝宫，就是宋代建筑的遗存。元明以来，几经重修，基本上保持着原有规模和古貌。
司马迁祠建筑群，自坡下至顶端，依崖就势，层递而上，坡脚东北为一木牌坊，系清代重修，额书"汉太史司马祠。"穿过牌坊，缓坡上行，经太公庙至岔道口又有一木牌坊，约建于明代以前，上书"高山仰止"四字，喻司马迁德高如山，为世人敬仰之意。从这里迤逦而上，穿过山门和砖砌牌坊，到达祠院，这是主体建筑。山门外砌有阶梯磴道，共九十九级，势极险峻。牌坊题额为"河山之阳"，出自《太史公自序》中"耕牧河山之阳"一语。
祠院由献殿和寝宫组成，门额上书"太史祠"三字，笔体潇洒，苍劲有力。院中古柏参天，环境清幽。
献殿为敞厅，是祭祀时供陈祭器、礼品与祀仪的地方。寝宫在献殿之后，正中塑有司马迁全身坐像，官衣衮弁，面貌雍容，长须飘拂，两眉人鬓，神态逼真，栩栩如生，祠内碑石林立，多为宋、金、元，明、清各代碑记和名人凭吊呤咏之作，诗文雅健，书法挺秀。
祠后为司马迁墓，用青砖裹砌为圆形，周围嵌以八卦砖雕和金，清两代碑石，墓顶有一古柏，枝干苍劲，犹如巨掌撑天，矫龙挚云。明末李因笃曾有"尚余古柏风霜苦，空对长河日夜深"诗句，于绘景中寄寓了对司马悲惨遭遇、坎坷一生的无限同情。墓前立一石碑，上有清乾隆年间陕西巡抚毕沅所题"汉太史司马公墓"。
这座具有重大历史意义的祠墓建筑，经过长期风雨剥蚀，几乎倾圮。新中国成立后，党和政府对它加以保护，曾多次拨款修复，恢复原貌。1982年列为国家重点文确保护单位。
司马迁以他在我国学上的崇高地位和光辉建树，赢得了古今中外人士的敬仰，四方游人，接踵而来，可谓。君子之泽，百世不斩。司马迁之名当与大河永流，其祠墓可同龙门并古。1958年春，郭沫若同志为司马迁祠题诗云："龙门有灵秀，锤毓人中龙,学殖空前富，文章代雄。怜才膺斧铖，吐气作霓虹。功业追尼父，千伙太史公。郭老的诗，对司马迁的一生作了高度的评价，我们今天缅怀这位历史伟大人物一定要继承和发扬他公正无私；秉笔直书，坚强不屈和忠于祖国文化的精神，在这伟大的新的历史时期，作出我们应有的贡献。
A Brief Introductio to the Tomb and memorial Temple of Sima Qian
Sima Qian,whose style name was Zichang,was born in Hancheng City Shaanxi province in 145 B.C,and died in about 86-80B.C.During the period of the Emperor Wudi in Handynasty,he succeeded his father Sima tan as a historiographer.His words"Shiji"was the first historical book in our country written in a series of biographies. He was a great historian,writer,and thinder in ancient times.
Sima Qian's temple and tomb were built on the cliff beside Yi Po Slope in the soouth of Zhi Chuan Hancheng City.The temple and tomb face the Yellow River in the east and lie against the Liang Shan Mountain to the west,displaying a very magnificent view.In130,the local magistrate came to visit and wrote an article,highly praising Sima Qian'smerits and virtues.Later,a stone cave was made,steles were erected and cypresses were planted there.They are all 1,600years old.In 1125,the county magis-trate Yin yang summoned the local people to build a wall around the tomb,the inner hall,the offering hall and the front entrance gate.It has been restored several times since Yuan and Ming dynasties,thus it approximates everything to the original.
The building complex of Siama Qian'smemorial temple extends in tiers along the slope from the bottom of the hill up to the top.Altogether there are 99stairs from the front entrance gate to gall of the courty and the whole view looks very precipitous.The temple itself consists of an offering hall and an inner hall.The courtyard,with towering old cypresses growing insid-e,looks very beautiful and peaceful.
The cffering hall,with its door opened is a place for keeping sacrificjal utensils, oblaton,and practicing the sacuificial rites.The inner hall ia located behind the offering hall.the full-length sitting statue of Sima Qian is kept inside in the middle.Aforest of stone tablets can be seen in the temple,and were mainly caved in Song,Jin,Yuan,Ming and Qing dynasties.Theywere records of events and poems composed by celebrities during their visits to the temple.The poems are refined and the calligraphy graceful.
Behind the temple is the tomb of Simb of Sima Qian which is in a circular shape and covered all over with grey bricks.Around itare inlaid brick carvings of the Eight Diagrams and stone tablets of Jin and Qing dynasties.On the top of the tomb grows an old cypress Which looks hardy and strong.In front of the tomb stands a stone tablet,carved with"The Han Dynasty Revered His-torian Sima's Tomb".
The buildings of the temple,with great historical significance,almost collapsed because of the long-time ravages of wind and rain in the past.Since the founding of The People's Re-public of China,the government has allocated funds for several renovations.In 1982,it was listed as one of the key historical sites under special protection of the state government.
Sima Qian won himself the veneration of people both at home and abroad,in ancient and mcdern times.This was due to his high status and brilliant achivements in our country's scholarship.Tourists from rverywhere continually come to visit the temple and tomb.In the spring of 1958,Guro composed a poem which reads:
O the fine soul of Longmen,
Though his aspirations are as lofty as the rainbow.
Thou foster the most talented of men,.
Matching Confucius in merits and achievements.
His learning being exceptionally copous,
May he live long the great historian..
his forceful writings excel all contemporaries.
This poem very highly appraises Sima Qian's life,
Alas,he had to bear corporal punishment.