Final answer:
Empress Lü was represented by Sima Qian as not a nice person, due to her cruel tendencies, despite her effective leadership which brought peace and prosperity to her society.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Sima Qian's portrayal, Empress Lü was depicted as not a nice person. This assessment comes from historical accounts that describe her and her husband, Liu Bang as being uneducated and unrefined, with tendencies towards cruelty. However, Sima Qian also recognizes Empress Lü's strength, resolve, and good judgment which contributed to establishing stability during her reign. Despite the efficient government and the lifted ban on books of political theory under her rule, she was remembered negatively by many at court due to factional struggles and the ruthless elimination of her enemies after her death.
It's essential to note that Sima Qian acknowledged her significant role in providing effective leadership that fostered a period of peace and prosperity. The historian commented on how during her rule, the common people were able to recover from the sufferings of the Warring States period and described a society focused on agriculture and increasing wealth without reliance on excessive punishments.