Research On The National History Institute Of The Republic Of China(1912-1949)

The National History Institute of the Republic of China is an important part of the history of the Republic of China and the academic history of the Republic of China as well.It is also an important link that should not be ignored in the study of the development history of modern Chinese historiography.For a long time,academic research launched on it is relatively inadequate.This paper intends to use a large number of documents such as archives,diaries,letters,etc.to make a systematic study of the establishment process,institutional setup,operating mechanism,the concept of establishment,personnel composition,work performance,as well as the debate on the factors restricting the operation of the National History Institute.Thus a more comprehensive and objective understanding and grasp of the National History Institute during the Republic of China would be acquired,which will be beneficial to promoting the in-depth development of the study of the history of the Republic of China,enriching and expanding the scope and content of the study of the history of the Republic of China.The article focuses on seven aspects of the National History Institute of the Republic of China,including "the establishment and change of institutions","the evolution of the concept of setting up and repairing history","the change of organizational structure","the debate and study of the compilation style of national history","examples of work achievements","the study of key figures",and "the analysis of factors restricting the operation of the National History Institute".It is demonstrated that the establishment of the National History Institute for the repair of history has special significance and value in the continuation of civilization,the inheritance of culture,and the mastery of the right to write history.The official repair of history has always been closely linked to the future and destiny of the nation and of the country;"Official compilation of historical records" and "private compilation of historical records" are two basic paths that cannot be neglected in the compilation of national history.Correctly handling the political and scientific relationship between the two is the key to achieving mutual complementarity;the conflict and game between politics and academia in official history compilation have a double-edged sword effect that restricts and promotes the writing of historical books,which is worth noting and knowing.Contemporary people emphasize the tradition of "official historical records" and "private historical records",and they treasure both the value of contemporary historical records and that of future generations.The National History Institute of the Republic of China underwent a complex and tortuous process of establishment,which underwent twists and turns and was abandoned several times,from the initially conceived "National History Academy" to the "National History Institute ",to the "National History Compilation Office",the "National History Institute Preparatory Office",the "National History Institute Preparatory Committee"(referred to as the "Preparatory Committee"),and the "National History Institute ".The concept of establishing an institute and compiling history has also been constantly evolving.In the early Republic of China,Sun Yat sen and Hu Hanmin envisioned inheriting the tradition of "recounting the past and thinking about the future",emphasizing the independence of the national history compilation agency,aiming to "honor the past and guide the future,and establish the foundation of the country through formal history review";During Yuan Shikai’s period,the National History Institute basically abandoned the initial concept of establishing an institute,and established a history institute with nothing to do.During the period of the National History Compilation Office of Peking University,Cai Yuanpei adhered to the historical tradition of "writing straight and upright","recording facts exclusively,without consulting theories",and strictly adhered to the objective principle.During the Preparatory Committee period,Japan’s aggression intensified and faced the danger of national subjugation and extinction.The establishment of an institute to repair history emphasized "the crime of national subjugation rather than national subjugation",and "paid attention to historical materials of national history" to "prepare for the selection of national history",highlighting the value of establishing an institute to continue civilization and inherit culture.After the establishment of the National History Institute in 1947,it emphasized "taking the Three People’s Principles as the basis",and the concept of history revision degenerated.The National History Institute lost its independent status in history revision and became a tool for the rulers to sing praises and praises.The change in the concept of setting up an institute to repair history reflects the level and degree of awareness of the authorities about this cultural system closely related to political and academic traditions.The diverse processing of the affiliation of the National History Institute of the Republic of China,the uncertain changes in job responsibilities,and the frequent turnover of personnel have made it difficult for the National History Institute to form a stable organizational system,produce a relatively fixed group of scholars,and achieve consensus on the concept of history revision,which has profoundly affected the work performance of the National History Institute.During the period of the National History Compilation Office of Peking University,the Preparatory Committee,and the Nanjing National History Institute,their organizational system was relatively sound and the evaluation system was relatively strict,thus promoted the work achievements of these three periods.Regarding the work performance of the National History Institute,in the past,the academic community often denied its work for failing to compile a complete form of general history or the history of the Republic of China.In fact,in the research of the compilation style of national history,the collection of archival historical materials,and the editing of the "Long Compilation of Historical Materials of the Republic of China","Calendar of Major Events of the Republic of China","Summary of Historical Records of the Republic of China","Manuscripts of National History," and draft biographies of national history,A great deal of work has been done in revising the "Draft of the Qing Dynasty History" and in compiling and publishing "Shi Li" and "The Journal of the National History Institute ",especially during the three periods of the National History Compilation Office of Peking University,the Preparatory Committee,and the Nanjing National History Institute,their contributions are particularly prominent and should not be ignored.In addition,political activists and many scholars participated in various periods of the National History Institute,such as Sun Yat-sen,Hu Hanmin,Huang Xing,Wang Kaiyun,Cai Yuanpei,Zhang Xiangwen,Zhang Ji,Dan Tao,Zhu Xizu,Wang Xiantang,Jin Yufu,Gu Jiegang,Liu Yizheng,Xing Lantian,Fu Zhenlun,Jiang Yixue,Zheng Hesheng,Huang Zhiquan,Wang Bijiang,and so on.They all played different roles in the establishment and development of the National History Institute,a case study of it will undoubtedly help deepen and enrich the understanding and grasp of the National History Institute of the Republic of China.Due to space constraints,this article only selects three representative figures,Zhang Ji,Zhu Xizu,and Wang Xiantang,to shed light on the study.Overall,during the Republic of China period,the National History Institute was in the midst of frequent wars and turmoil,with limited government awareness,increasingly conservativeness in the purpose of setting up the institute,relatively simple organizational structure,relatively complex personnel composition,and high liquidity.Funding has been seriously insufficient,affecting and restricting the operation of the National History Institute,which is also an important reason why the National History Institute of the Republic of China failed to achieve expected results.