Final answer:
Sima Qian is considered the father of history in China due to his comprehensive work, the Shiji, which meticulously documents Chinese history.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individual whom the Chinese view as the father of history is Sima Qian. Sima Qian is renowned for his monumental work, the Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian), which is a comprehensive history of the ancient world up to his time. His dedication to creating an extensive record of Chinese history, despite facing personal hardships such as castration, has earned him this distinguished title in Chinese historiography. While other notable figures like Confucius and Laozi are significant in Chinese history and philosophy, it is Sima Qian who is credited specifically with being the father of history in China due to his systematic and critical approach to chronicling the past.