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Sima Guang was a Chinese scholar-official and historian. He is credited with authoring ''The Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government'' (''[[Zizhi Tongjian|Zīzhì Tōngjiàn]]''), a history of China up to [[959]], which is regarded as the first history of China to incorporate differing accounts or interpretations of events rather than presenting a single official narrative.

Sima Guang was a Chinese scholar-official and historian. He is credited with authoring ''The Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government'' (''[[Zizhi Tongjian|Zīzhì Tōngjiàn]]''), a history of China up to [[959]], which is regarded as the first history of China to incorporate differing accounts or interpretations of events rather than presenting a single official narrative.

Originally from [[Shaanxi province]], he passed the highest level of the [[Chinese imperial exams]] and became a member of the [[Hanlin Academy]].

Originally from [[Shaanxi province]], he passed the highest level of the [[Chinese Imperial examinations]] and became a member of the [[Hanlin Academy]].

As a political official and advisor, Sima Guang advocated incremental reforms, and policies based on those of the preceding [[Tang Dynasty]] and of the [[Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period]]. He found himself the head of a powerful conservative faction at Court, and opposed a classicist faction led by [[Wang Anshi]], who advocated more radical reforms, and a fuller return to the ways of the classical Sage Kings of old.

As a political official and advisor, Sima Guang advocated incremental reforms, and policies based on those of the preceding [[Tang Dynasty]] and of the [[Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period]]. He found himself the head of a powerful conservative faction at Court, and opposed a classicist faction led by [[Wang Anshi]], who advocated more radical reforms, and a fuller return to the ways of the classical Sage Kings of old.