History Three Tunings (Boxers as Events, Experiences, and Myths)

Author: (USA) | Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-10-01
Features: Through the analysis of the Boxer Movement, the author explores the relationship among people's lived history, history as written by historians, and mythologized history. He argues that the latter two approaches have greater persuasive power and influence on ordinary readers. As an event, the Boxer Movement represents a unique interpretation of the past; as a myth, it embodies a special interpretation of the present using the past, exerting a profound impact on the present. What is history? How should history be viewed? What is the interactive relationship among people's lived history, history as written by historians, and mythologized history? This book takes the Boxer Movement as an example to explore and explain these questions: The first part presents the historical facts of the Boxer Movement as narrated by historians; the second part examines the thoughts, feelings, and actions of various Chinese and foreign participants in the movement, highlighting the differences between their perspectives on the events as they unfolded and the later reconstructed views of historians; the third part reviews the various myths about the Boxer Movement that emerged in China in the 20th century. The author contends that among the three approaches to understanding history, the latter two have greater persuasive power and influence on ordinary readers. As an event, the Boxer Movement represents a unique interpretation of the past; as a myth, it embodies a special interpretation of the present using the past, exerting a profound impact on the present.