中国西汉司马迁编著的《史记》是世界上最早的传记文学。它记事起于传说中的黄帝，迄于汉武帝，首尾3000年。

“The Chronological Record of Historians,” written by Sima Qian of the Western Han Dynasty （206 B.C.-24 A.D.）, was the world’s earliest biographical work of literature, covering a history of 3,000 years. Its contents rang from the legendary Huang Di, or Yellow Emperor, to Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty （206B.C.-220A.D.）.