Shiji AI: Classical Chinese

Learn classical Chinese by reading the greatest source there is - the 史記 (Records of the Grand Historian) by Sima Qian. This is a classical Chinese reader built for real understanding: tap any sentence for an instant AI translation, ask the AI anything about a passage, and read all 130 chapters offline.

Whether you are learning classical Chinese (文言文 / 古文) from scratch or a history enthusiast, Shiji AI turns a dense ancient text into something you can actually read.

The 史記, written by Sima Qian (司馬遷) around 94 BCE, covers 2,500 years of Chinese history to the Han Dynasty. It is core reading in the classical Chinese and 漢文 curriculum.

FEATURES

Full text of the 史記, offline
All 130 chapters across the five classic categories - 本紀 (Basic Annals), 表 (Tables), 書 (Treatises), 世家 (Hereditary Houses), and 列傳 (Biographies) - read anywhere, no connection needed.

AI translation on tap (古文 AI 翻譯)
Tap any sentence to reveal an AI-generated modern translation and explanation. Understand classical Chinese grammar, word order, and historical context without leaving the page.

Ask the AI anything
Have a question about a passage, a historical figure, or a cultural reference? The built-in AI chat gives contextual answers grounded in the exact text you are reading.

Three reading modes
Normal for clean classical text; Study for original and modern translation interleaved sentence by sentence; Focus for a silk-scroll vertical 直書 layout, the way the text was meant to be read.

Rich annotations
People, places, terms, and key vocabulary carry colored underlines - tap to reveal readings, glosses, and definitions inline, so a hard classical Chinese passage never stops you.

Four ways to browse 130 chapters
A linear List, a radial Constellation, an imperial-spine Timeline, and a 族譜 Family Tree of dynastic lineages.

Highlights, notes, and progress
Mark passages, add notes, and pick up where you left off. Optional cloud sync keeps progress and notes across devices, but stays local-first - it works fully without an account.

Bilingual interface and a lacquer dark theme
Full English and Chinese UI, plus a warm ivory-on-black-brown night theme for easy evening reading.

WHO IT IS FOR
- Learners of classical Chinese (文言文 / 古文) who want a real reader, not a dictionary
- Heritage Chinese speakers reconnecting with their roots
- Students and readers of Chinese history and the Han Dynasty

Start reading the Records of the Grand Historian today - one tap-to-translate sentence at a time.