Lying on the escarpment of the south slope in Zhichuan County, 6 miles south of Hancheng, Sima Qian Temple was originally built in 310. Built in honor of Sima Qian (145-90 BCE), the temple complex leans against the side of the mountain. The temple was divided into two parts: the front yard and the back yard. In the front yard, there is a sitting statue of Sima Qian from the Northern Song Dynasty. In the back yard, the round brick tomb has inscriptions, the Eight Diagrams, and lovely flower carvings. Above the tomb an old cy­press spreads its dense branches like a vigor­ous dragon, which reflects the Sima Qian's noble-minded personality and outstanding achievements as a historian and scholar.