History Nine

Author: Wang Rongzu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: This book collects nine articles on the history of historiography, titled "Nine Chapters on Historiography," aiming to observe the connotation and essence of historiography from nine different perspectives. The book discusses numerous historians from ancient and modern China and abroad, as well as their works: the 18th-century British historian Edward Gibbon and his enduringly celebrated The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. From its compelling macro-narrative approach, one can see that narration is the foundation of historiography. The "father of modern historiography," Leopold von Ranke, relied on primary sources and rigorously verified documents, pioneering the study of archives. However, the British, American, and Chinese historiographical circles often misunderstand Ranke, believing he sought to establish historiography as a science, almost completely overlooking Ranke's adherence to the narrative tradition of Tacitus and Gibbon. The 20th-century most celebrated British historian Arnold Toynbee's renowned work A Study of History runs counter to the mainstream style of contemporary historiography. Toynbee engaged in historical philosophy, attempting to systematize history, a pursuit that, though once highly influential, eventually waned. The author delves into the works and historiographical thought of the prominent figure of the 20th-century French Annales School (commonly known as the Annales School), Marc Bloch, gaining insight into the contributions, limitations, and evolving trends of this school in contemporary historiographical research. The author argues that Zhang Taiyan should hold an important place in the history of modern Chinese historiography. He pursued the goal of trustworthy history and viewed progress as the lens of historical perspective, making significant contributions to the transition of Chinese historical writing from tradition to modernity. Through an evaluation of Qian Mu's A History of Modern Chinese Thought, the author points out that, despite being a modern historian, Qian Mu's style remains deeply traditional. In addition to these Chinese and foreign historians, the author discusses how to re-integrate central and local histories and whether traditional Chinese historiography possesses the historiographical consciousness often attributed to the West. Finally, the author presents five perspectives on Qian Zhongshu's views on history, elaborating on them. This literary giant's insights are worth reflecting upon for historians. Through these explorations, the author emphasizes that while historiography possesses literary qualities, literature can be imaginative, but history must be grounded in fact. The essence of historiography lies in its pursuit of truth, an ideal that must never be lightly abandoned. The nine articles collected in this book cover the historiographical thoughts and works of numerous renowned historians, both Chinese and foreign, such as the 18th-century British historian Gibbon and his The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, the "father of modern historiography" Ranke, Toynbee and his A Study of History, the prominent figure of the French Annales School Marc Bloch, the pioneer of modern Chinese historiography Zhang Taiyan, as well as Qian Mu and Qian Zhongshu. The content is both profound and accessible, with an introduction at the beginning and a guide to key works at the end, making it highly suitable for young students to grasp the core spirit of Chinese and foreign historiography, while also providing essential guidance for readers interested in deeper study. The book is divided into nine chapters, introducing various historians. It includes sections such as "Gibbon and His Immortal The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," "Toynbee and A Study of History," and "Bloch and the French Annales School."