Historians' cultivation and skills

Author: Li Jianming
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2007-01-01
Features: Most of the content in this book is derived from the writings and experiences of past and present scholars. For the author, it is akin to a reading journal, and for readers, it may serve as a reference compilation. As Chen Yinque once said, "It is hardly worth mentioning as a work of scholarship." This is largely close to the essence of historical methodology: it is a combination of cultivation, experience, and skills. If one discusses methodology without the experience of scholarship and exemplary works, it easily devolves into empty talk. The book quotes extensively from others, covering the past and present, both within and outside China. The thinkers cited have diverse intellectual backgrounds and speaking contexts. To organize their statements into a systematic framework not only appears forced and disorganized but may also lead to misinterpretation and forced connections.