On The Liu Zhiji's Academic Style

As a celebrated scholar of Tang Dynasty, Liu Zhiji's academic style is original. These styles embody mainly in the works of Shi Tong. Shi Tong is the book of historical theory, but it is related to many other subjects. For example, literature, Confucianism, anthology, etc. This dissertation discusses mainly Liu's academic styles through the base, the attitude, the spirit and methods of Liu's scholarly research which are mainly based on ShiTong. Liu's main academic styles may be summarized as follows: the moral principles of Confucianism are the base of his scholarly research, The attitude is to pursue the truth, the spirit is to criticize, the methods of writing is acknowledging thoroughly.Part One: the moral principles of Confucianism are the base of his scholarly researchThe discussion of this part includes two portions: In the first portion, the author clarifies some ambiguous thinking and affirms that the research is base of Liu's Confucianism. The author elucidates that Liu's research work is under the direction of Confucianism Via some materials of Shi Tong. The second portion is to analyze the reason that Liu's research work was directed in Confucianism, and the reasons are the influence of Confucianism in Tang Dynasty, the edification of family and the pursuit to " the Inside Saint, the Outside King".Part Two: attitude to pursue truthThe discussion of this content is carried out from two aspects: Firstly it is the display of this attitude that contains praising highly on writing directly and despising writing indirectly; opposing the action of writing history book by literate; putting forward the request for excellent historical scholar and distinguishing between truth and falsehood seriously.Secondly .the author inquires into the reason of this academic style and finds that the excellent tradition of writing directly in ancient, the honest and frank disposition and inspiring the phenomenon of writing indirectly at that time can explain the cause of this academic style.Part Three: The spiritThis part consists of two sections. The first one, the author probes into manifestation of this spirit. It was expressed by criticizing the shortcoming of the historic library's system and ShangShu, ChunQiu The second one, the author analyses the reasons of his academic style and finds out they are the influence of Wangchong in Han Dynasty; the result of open culture environment of Tang Dynasty; the independent character without traditional ties formed from childhood and personal experience of academy. Among those factors, the personal experience of academy is the key point that formed this style.Part Four: The methods of acknowledging thoroughlyThe discussion of this part is carried out from two aspects, first. The author expounds the embodiment of acknowledging thoroughly which is acknowledged in breadth and length. Liu made the overall and systematic summarizing Chinese historiography before Tang Dynasty using acknowledging in length and breadth. Second, The author analyses the reasons of the formed academic style that are Si Ma qian's influence of acknowledging in length and breadth, Liu's learning and Liu's being fond of disputing.In a word, from the discussion of Liuzhiji's academic styles, we can see and understand clearly about Liu's distinct mentality and academic survey. It is very significant for us to deep into studying and knowing the value and the position of Shi Tong in Chinese academic history and a step Further to summarize and inherit this valuable academic legacy.