In ancient Chinese history, the image of assassins is often shrouded in a mysterious aura. They act either for loyalty to their lords or for personal beliefs, willing to risk their lives to assassinate the powerful and influential. However, Yao Li, a renowned assassin during the Warring States period, finds little mention in the "Records of the Grand Historian" (Shi Ji). This has sparked later generations' reflection on Sima Qian's selection criteria and historical recording methods.

Yao Li was a native of the Wu Kingdom during the Warring States period, renowned for assassinating Qing Feng, the Prime Minister of the Qi Kingdom. Although his deeds are mentioned in historical texts such as "Zuo Zhuan," they are absent from the "Biographies of Assassins" section in the "Records of the Grand Historian." This phenomenon has aroused curiosity and questions: why did Sima Qian not include Yao Li in the biographies?

First, we need to consider the compilation principles of the "Records of the Grand Historian" and Sima Qian's historical view. Sima Qian had his own standards and considerations in selecting characters for the book. In the "Preface of the Grand Historian," he mentioned that he chose to record those characters and events that had significant impacts on society. Therefore, not all assassins were eligible for inclusion in the "Biographies of Assassins," only those who he deemed representative and influential.

Secondly, while Yao Li was a famous assassin, his actions did not cause widespread social change or profound impact. Compared to other figures recorded in the "Biographies of Assassins," such as Jing Ke and Nie Zheng, Yao Li's influence was relatively minor. This may be an important reason why Sima Qian did not include him.

Moreover, Sima Qian's choice of subjects may have been limited by the available materials at that time. Although books like "Zuo Zhuan" mentioned Yao Li, the level of detail and reliability of these materials may not have met Sima Qian's standards for compiling the "Records of the Grand Historian." Therefore, Yao Li's story may have been omitted due to a lack of sufficient materials.

Lastly, we should also consider the contingency of history. The "Records of the Grand Historian" is a vast historical work, and Sima Qian collected and organized a large amount of historical materials within his limited lifespan. However, due to the complexity of history and the limitations of information transmission, it is inevitable that some characters and events were omitted. Yao Li's exclusion from the "Biographies of Assassins" may also reflect this contingency.

In summary, although Yao Li was a renowned assassin during the Warring States period, his story was not included in the "Biographies of Assassins" section of the "Records of the Grand Historian" due to various reasons. This reflects Sima Qian's strict standards in selecting historical characters and the complexity and selectivity of historical recording. Through exploring this phenomenon, we can gain a deeper understanding of the significance of historical recording and the choices made by historians when faced with numerous historical characters and events.

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