China's Historical Research Since The
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LA ALBOLAFIA : RE)ISTA DE HU,ANIDADES Y CULTURA NIU /UAN IE -24A1 -24A1 CHINA MS HISTORICAL RESEARCH SINCE THE NEE 317 CENTUR. ISSN: 2387 Niu /uanHie Renmin University of China RESU,EN Desde el inicio del 0roceso de Reforma y Apertura en China, se han producido grandes cambios y en la eco- noma. Estos cambios tambi3n han afectado a la investigacin histrica. Este artculo se centrarF en los nue- vos cambios de la investigacin histrica de China desde el inicio del siglo DDI. En el este artculo se hace analizan las diferentes corrientes de pensamiento en los estudios histricos en China en la nueva era y los vnculos inherentes entre ellos, y resalta la pluralidad historiogrFfica Lue se vive hoy en da en China. Donde el materialismo histrico estF en declive el artculo analiza sus desventaHas tericas y apuesta por la necesidad de Lue el materialismo histrico mar:ista se convierta en un materia sistemFtica y basada en la prFctica. A continuacin, se realiza una e:ploracin analtica de los contenidos bFsicos de la nueva perspectiva histrica mar:ista. Finalmente el documento aborda los diferentes enfoLues de la historia y su relacin con la naturale- za de los estudios histricos ABSTRACT Since the beginning of reform and opening in China, there have been maHor changes in the economy. These changes have also affected historical research. This article will focus on the new changes of historical research in China since the beginning of the century. In this article it is analyzed the different currents of thought in historical studies in China in the new era and the inherent links between them, and highlights the historio- graphical plurality that e:ists today in China. Now, the historical materialism in China is in decline. This arti- cle analyzes its theoretical disadvantages and it supports by the need for the ,ar:ist historical materialism becomes a systematic and practice-based material. Then an analytical e:amination of the basic contents of the new ,ar:ist historical perspective is done. Finally, the paper discusses the different approaches of history and its relation to the nature of historical studies. 0ALABRAS CLA)E : 6istoriografa chinaY 6istoria de ChinaY Liang QichaoY Marxismo WE.EORDS : Chinese 6istoriographyY China historyY Liang QichaoY Marxisms 317 This article was initially written to be read as a lecture at the OII Conference: China. Economy, 0ower and the Future: A Strategic )iewO. Rey uan Carlos University, ,adrid, 7 -C ,arch, 2014. Directed by Raul Ramirez Ruiz. A5 LA ALBOLAFIA : RE)ISTA DE HU,ANIDADES Y CULTURA NIU /UAN IE Since 21th century, ChinaMs historical re- KichaoMs New 6istoriography , the beginning of search had entered a new stage, which could Chinese modern historiographyU the intro- be characterized to inherit and e:amine the duction of ,ar:ism history theoriesU and the historical researches of the past century(Liang new development nowadays. Three new his- KichaoMs New 6istoriography in 1A02 was re- torical clima:es all were based on western garded as the beginning of Chinese modern historical ideas, though their targets against historiography), and usher its direction and the traditional historiography were changing. tendency in the future. Of course, this stage However, as to the historical methodology, which connect the past and the future itself new historiography had never wholly was a part of the history of ChinaMs historical changed the pattern of positivism historiog- development, full of multiple transitivities raphy, and for the most historians, the west- and indeterminacies which implied the new ern new historical methods was only the breakthrough and open innovation. complement of traditional history research. 31C Based on a review of the studies of Chinese ancient history in the 20 th century, Die 1.- INHERITIN/ THE HISTORICAL Eeiyang argued that the researches on some HERITA/E OF TEENTIETH overall and significant fields have not been gotten a convincing precisely completed con- CENTUR. clusion. For e:ample, in the past century, many famous Chinese historians focused on Ehen standing at the outset of new century, whether the Dia Dynasty have been e:isted the primary task of Chinese historians was or not, one of the core problems of Chinese sorting out the historical heritage of 20 th ancient history, from the mode of twice evi- century. In 2003, a series of essays, were dences of Eang /uowei, to /uo ,oruoMs published in the Hournal of 6istorical Research , contribution with the ,ar:ism historical a top respected Hournal in Chinese historical methods, and to the new testimony of the circle, whose name was ChinaMs historical ancient history after 1AC0s. He insisted the research in the new century-challenging and key way to make the breakthrough of Chi- rethinking. nese ancient history research in the new cen- tury was, that historians need profoundly Historians discussed the transformation pro- introspect the basic concepts of historical cess of modern Chinese historiography from materials, the documentary te:ts in early the traditional. Shang Chuan argued there ancient Chinese which were continually dis- was no absolute dividing line between tradi- covered. In other words, the only way to tional historiography and modern historiog- break the traditional ideas of historical mate- raphy, and they were relative: any historical rials in early Chinese ancient history, was to research or narrative method could be seen rebuild a overall concept system of historical as a new historiography when it was createdU materials by analyzing and e:amining the new when it occupies the mainstream status, it e:cavated documents. Die proposed the solu- would become the traditional historiography. tions were, firstly to reinforce the knowledge The difference between the western modern of Chinese ancient philology, as for the limi- historiography and Chinese traditional histo- tation of the knowledge of traditional histori- riography was an interdisciplinary research cal identification, secondly to improve the field, transcending the stage of a single his- standard of the working of e:planation, torical demonstration and narrative. He ana- thirdly to adapt to the reLuirement of inter- lyzed three clima:es of historical research development in the 20 th century: Liang 31C Shang Chuan, Historical Traditions and Late ,ing Studies, 6istorical Research , BeiHing, 2003. A7 LA ALBOLAFIA : RE)ISTA DE HU,ANIDADES Y CULTURA NIU /UAN IE disciplinary research. Historians should em- historical ideas, the development of historical phasize not only the working of descriptive- thoughts, and the innovation of historical ness, but also the standard of the working of theories. Historian was the product of the e:planation, in order to set up a system of history, and his subHect consciousness had conception and relative terms, including con- social significance, which determined his crete subHects and their meanings. He also research level, regardless of his personal sig- fully agreed to the integration of history and nificance. How to strengthen the subHect archaeology. 318 consciousnessg One way was to master and apply comprehensively, systematically the The scholars from Hong Wong and Taiwan basic principles of ,ar:ism, and the other also outlined their achievements of history was full of strong innovative desire of new 31A studies field in the past fifty years. The theories. The purpose of theoretical creation New Asia College in Hong Wong, founded was not studying the history out of obHect by Kianmu in 1A4A, marked the epoch- conte:t, but the history by the historiansM making transformation of the growing of cognition more closely related to the feature Hong WongMs Chinese historical research of history. All of these should be studied on from nothing. In 1A70s, Hong WongMs histo- the basis of right theory premises and real rians inherited the research methods of Chi- te:tual evidences. 321 nese ancient civilization from mainland in 1A30s, the historical tradition of Chinese Besides the theory inheritance, Chinese histo- te:tology and semantics, and local ideas of rians also retrospected the important academ- cultural nationalism, which became the basis ic communities and famous scholars in histo- of Hong Wong history research development. ry field in the 20 th century. Among various Compared with the history research in main- organizations of scholars, local and national, land and Taiwan, the best features of Hong Chinese History Association is the most im- WongMs history research were loose political portant until today, which had been restruc- environment and free academic atmos- tured three times in the first half of the 20 th phere. 320 century. At the first time, two Chinese Histo- ry Associations were separately set up in In the last century, history researchers in BeiHing and NanHing in 1A20s. The association China always emphasized on the relationship in BeiHing was set up on anuary 13 th 1A2A, between the historical subHect consciousness Zhu Dizu as the chairman. At the same time, and historical idealism, and neglect of the the other association also was set up by histo- subHect consciousness of the subHect in epis- ry professor in Centre University in NanHing, temology of history and its creativity. Eith- current capital, and published the 9ournal of out the reinforce of the subHect conscious- 6istory Studies . This situation of chaos was ness of the subHect in epistemology of histo- caused by the striving for the culture center ry, it was hardly carrying out the progress of between these two cities, with the political center moving from BeiHing to NanHing. The 318 Die Eeiyang, Some Important Issues of second Chinese History Association was Chinese Ancient History Research in 21th established on ,arch 24 th 1A43, /u iegang Century, 6istorical Research , BeiHing, 2003. 31A /uo Shaotang, The Cultural Impact and as the chairman, in the period of Anti- Transcendence: Contemporary History Research apanese Ear. Soon after, the civil war broke in Hong Wong, 6istorical Research , BeiHing, 2003U out, political unrest and economic collapse, Eang KingHia, 6istory Research in Taiwan since 3ifty and historians were too busy surviving to Uears5 Lineage, Methods, and Tendency , ,aitian 0ublishing Company, Taipei: 2002.