战国时代是中国历史上的大变革期，《史记·六国年表》以精炼简省的方式对该段历史时期内的大事进行了忠实记录。表为《史记》五体之一，《六国年表》列在表体第三。该年表记载从周元王元年起至秦二世三年为止，年经国纬，收录二百七十多年内，战国大小诸侯国之攻伐、灾异、会盟等重要内容。囿于战国阶段史料的缺失及年代混乱，六国表的编纂要做到信而有征有一定困难，司马迁对所可见的史料审慎筛选，删节、增补和改写后方能成表。史表一体非凭空而来，司马迁基于当时留存还较为丰富的历谱牒类材料提炼出撰表的世系及时间信息，通过表体经纬的设置使入表的纪事有了立体的叙述空间。从表内可对历史事件上下探索、左右勾联，由此更直观全面的获得信息。表体是司马迁编纂才能的突出体现，表序短小精悍而饱含史家对历史大势的敏锐判断，表文经过筛选，以“王迹”的变化统摄全表，则天下有道无道的呈现就有了较为清晰的线索。将六国表放诸十表中，能见司马迁于表一体有较为一致的撰写逻辑。司马迁自叙《六国年表》因“秦记”而作，对入表内容划分阶段逐一研究发现战国初期的表文主记三晋诸侯间大事。从秦孝公开始，秦表在结构上开始了连续记载，关东诸侯与秦的动态逐渐交织，昭襄王时代，秦的拔城占地成为各国表内的主要内容。司马迁以秦为观照战国时代的视角，表中连续记载秦打通崤函，近攻韩魏，经营巴蜀，远迫齐楚，包围邯郸等决定秦一统六国的关键史实，此间六国被吞灭的过程遂与秦的统一进程相应呈现。年表的记录不仅反映了表序所言各国“务在强兵并敌”的客观实际，从史料的安排上更清晰的展现了秦的崛起之路。《六国年表》与其他各表相比记载是简略的，进入燕表的纪事如燕王哙让国、苏秦说燕、荆轲刺秦等内容还带有浓厚的传奇色彩。在“秦记”之外，对流传至汉代的战国故事类材料司马迁经过人为推定时间、增加情节，完善事件始末之后作为信史列入纪传，从中筛取关键信息后再填入表内。史表的体例特点决定了它要尽可能科学地为历史叙述划定边界和框架，由此才能最大限度囊括那些影响历史进程的重要史实，司马迁不仅遵循求真实录的原则，客观忠实的“志”史，还进行了有意识的选材和编排，显示了通过撰表“原始察终”探求治道之常以垂法后王的史学旨趣。
The Warring States period was a period of great change in Chinese history. The Chronicle of Six Kingdoms recorded major events during the historical period in a refined and concise manner. The table is one of the five bodies of "Historical Records", and the "Six Kingdoms Chronology" is listed in the third body. The chronology records from the first year of Zhou Yuanwang to the third year of Qin II, and it has collected the important contents of the wars, disasters, and alliances among rulers for more than 270 years. Due to the lack of historical materials and chaotic years in the Warring States period, the compilation of the Six Kingdoms watch had certain difficulties in obtaining the letter and the levy. Sima Qian carefully screened the visible historical materials, and then deleted, supplemented and rewritten it into a table.The history table is not out of thin air. Sima Qian extracted the lineage and time information of the table based on the rich history and genealogy materials that were still preserved at that time. Through the setting of the latitude and longitude of the watch body, the entered calendar has a three-dimensional effect. From the table, historical events can be explored up and down, and linked to the left and right, so that the relevant information can be obtained more intuitively and comprehensively. The table body is a prominent manifestation of Sima Qian's compilation ability. The table sequence is short, succinct and full of historian's keen judgment on the historical trend. After the table is screened, the content of the table is controlled by the changes of "kings", and then there is a clear narrative clue to the world. Putting the Six Kingdoms Watches into the Ten Watches shows that Sima Qian has a more consistent writing logic.Sima Qian wrote the "Chronicle of the Six Kingdoms" from the "Qin Ji", and after studying the contents of the table one by one, found that the records in the early stage of the Warring States period were mainly based on the activities of the three Jin dynasties. From the beginning of Qin Xiaogong, Qin Biao has a continuous record in the structure. The dynamics of the Kanto princes and Qin are gradually related. The chronology of the Zhaoxiang king era completely turned to Qin's attack activities. Sima Qian led the Qin Kingdom, followed Qin Fa to take the Hedong, attacked Han Wei, operated Bashu, forced Qi Chu, and captured Handan. He outlined the process of the entire six countries being weakened one by one and eventually destroyed. The records of the chronology not only reflect the brutal war of the Warring state, but also clearly show the way of Qin's rise from the arrangement of historical materials. Compared with other watches, the records of "Six Kingdoms" are simple. Among them, Chronicles of entering Yan watch have a strong legendary color. In addition to "Qin Ji", Sima Qian went through artificially presumed events and increased plots. After perfecting the event, it was included in the biography section as credible history. After screening, it was added to the table. The style characteristics of the history table determine that it must exhaust the historical facts to the fullest extent, comprehensively record the universality of the natural world and human society, and demarcate the border and frame for the expansion of the historical narrative. Sima Qian not only follows the principle of seeking truth in the table, but also consciously selected and arranged historical materials, showing a interest of exploring the law of development to serve the rulers of later generations.
