Ancient History Examination (Complete 9 Volumes)

Author: Qiao Zhou (Author) Wu Rui (Editor-in-Chief)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-12-01
Features: The nine volumes of Ancient History Examination were compiled over three years by experts from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Hubei Minzu University, and published by Hainan Publishing House in December 2003. This collection gathers classic works from both China and abroad, aiming to showcase the significant advancements and cutting-edge achievements in classical Chinese studies in China from 1949 to 2003 over 54 years. It is a high-level academic work. People's Daily (December 23, 2003, Eleventh Edition) praised it as "a comprehensive collection that fully reflects the progress of classical Chinese studies in China since the founding of the nation."
Volumes 1-4: Criticizing Hu Shi (Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D) compile historical materials from the mainland's campaign to criticize Hu Shi from 1949 to 1980, printed in horizontal traditional characters.
Volume 5: Criticizing Classical Studies centers on major historiographical trends since the founding of the nation, such as the "Doubtful School," "Breaking Free from Skepticism," and cultural conservatism, printed in horizontal simplified characters.
Volume 6: The Idol of the Imperial Lineage focuses on ancient genealogies and their impact on modern times (e.g., nationalism since the 1990s), printed in horizontal simplified characters.
Volume 7: The Idol of the Daoist Tradition centers on ancient Daoist traditions and issues of orthodoxy, printed in horizontal simplified characters.
Volume 8: Divine Guardianship and State Guardianship focuses on the division between divine and royal power, involving the origins of the state, printed in horizontal simplified characters.
Volume 9: Folk Discourse on the Three Dynasties centers on the chronology of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties and the study of civilization origins, printed in horizontal simplified characters.
The nine volumes of Ancient History Examination are a specialized collection of essays on classical Chinese studies since the founding of the People's Republic of China, aiming to showcase the significant advancements and cutting-edge achievements in classical Chinese studies in China from the beginning of 1949 to the end of 2003 over 54 years. "Ancient History Examination" is a common name; Qiao Zhou wrote a work titled Ancient History Examination during the Three Kingdoms period. The reason for retaining this common name today is to ensure a strong sense of inclusivity. Readers will find that each volume of Ancient History Examination features intense debates among differing viewpoints. Lenin praised Marx, saying, "He had re-examined and critically evaluated everything that human thought had accomplished." "Marx believed that the value of his theory lay entirely in the fact that it was fundamentally a critical and revolutionary theory." Guo Moruo, the founder of Marxist historiography in China, titled his monograph on the Hundred Schools of Thought Ten Critical Books and advocated self-criticism, clearly inheriting the critical spirit of Marxist classics. Standing on the shoulders of giants, we conduct critical studies and systematic reviews of classical Chinese studies, which is why Ancient History Examination has emerged.
Under the of the New Culture Movement in the early 20th century, people rediscovered Cui Shu's Record of Verifying Trust from the Qing Dynasty. As the leader of the New Culture Movement and the guide of the Doubtful School, Hu Shi advocated "doubt before belief, verify before belief." The seven volumes of Ancient History Examination can be seen as the crystallization of "doubt before belief," becoming a landmark publication of the Doubtful School. And now, the nine volumes of Ancient History Examination can be seen as promoting "verify before belief." As the ancients said, "All things grow together without harming each other, and the Dao operates together without conflicting." This is also why Ancient History Examination has emerged.