Ancient Historical Texts (Volume of Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties)

Author: Compiled by the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-11-01
Features: Over ten years ago, our institute invited its colleagues to select three papers each and compile them into a collection as an academic archive. However, due to the large volume and limited conditions at the time, it was not published. This year, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of our institute's establishment, we reduced the scale of selected papers and invited colleagues to compile this collection once again. On one hand, it serves to celebrate the anniversary; on the other hand, it allows us to glimpse the pragmatic academic pursuit of several generations of scholars. The authors of this collection are all researchers and associate researchers from our institute. Active and retired colleagues selected one paper each, while deceased teachers were assisted by relevant experts to select one as well, totaling 180 papers. However, due to various constraints, except for a few teachers, the length of most papers is within 10,000 words. As a result, some excellent papers with slightly larger volumes were not included, and they cannot fully represent the works of our colleagues. Additionally, some researchers were unable to submit their papers on time due to various reasons, and with the publication approaching, we had to make the tough decision to exclude them. The papers included in this collection span from the pre-Qin period to the Ming and Qing dynasties, broadly categorized by historical periods, forming four volumes: the Pre-Qin Volume, the Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties Volume, the Sui, Tang, Song, Liao, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties Volume, and the Ming and Qing Dynasties Volume. Some comprehensive topics that defy period-specific boundaries are grouped under a general category and placed at the beginning of the volumes. Historical research is a rigorous and creative endeavor, demanding that every word is grounded in evidence and every sentence has a source. The discipline's inherent characteristics dictate that historical research must start from historical materials, rely on solid academic accumulation, and be down-to-earth and pragmatic, leaving no room for falsehood or exaggeration. Historical research is also an integral part of building socialism with Chinese characteristics. The mission of academia and the responsibility of society require historians to stay rooted in the present, serve the people, and adhere to using Marxist perspectives, viewpoints, and methods to guide our academic practice. Our research findings must respect history and pursue truth. The 50 years of the Institute of History have been a process of arduous struggle. Over the past half-century, generations of historians have worked tirelessly and selflessly here for the academic cause of the nation and its people. Moving forward, we will continue to dedicate ourselves, as always, using our creative labor to contribute to the theoretical innovation of Marxism in China, to the further development and prosperity of philosophy and social sciences in our country, and to the great cause of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects for the Chinese nation. We will keep learning, keep contributing, and keep contributing.