Theoretical Construction Of Modern New History Research

In retrospect to the history of Chinese historiography in the first half of 20th century, it is quite clear that the emphasis upon the study and construction of historiography was an important element for the transition of Chinese historiography from traditional to modern. Especially, during the 1920s to 1940s, in order to have the historiography specialized and modernized, with the influence and inspiration of the Western new scholarship, the New History historians started to self-consciously shift their research interest to the nature of historiography. A variety of the problems in historiography discussed by the scholars was not only the vanguard in inquiry of historical theories, but also significant for the national historiography's transition from the traditional to the modern form. Therefore, to study the development of historical theories in this time period is of great significance for contemporary and future historical theoretical construction as well as for a better knowledge and inheritance of the research findings of the past, and a deeper understanding of the modern New History.The thesis is divided into three sections:Section One: the analysis of the background of modern New History. There were some specific reasons that accounts for the concerns for the theory of the historiography itself, among which there were two key elements: One is the inner request of the modern New History itself, the other is the introduction and inspiration of the new scholarship. A scarcity of reflection upon the theory of historiography itself is the intrinsic shortcoming of Chinese traditional histbriography. Whereas New History in early 20th century excessively emphasized upon the practical use of history, neglecting the theory of historiography itself from a perspective of the disciplinary development About the time period of May Fourth movement, with the increasing appeal for historical professionalization and modernization, the study historiographical theory attracted more and more attention. In the meantime, the coming of various new scholarship from the West provided theoretical guidance and research paradigm for New History historians to revisit the nature of historiography.Section Two: Two main problems were discussed in the construction of historiography.The main idea in the discussion was the interpretation of "history" by New History historians and their knowledge of the nature of historiography. The basic problem in the study of modem New History is "What is history?" which speciously is simply a matter of concept, but as a matter of fact, it is the most important question which needs to be answered firstly if a construction of new historical system is supposed. Actually, it is the answer to the question "What is history" that made modem New history historians re-thinking the object of historical study, and made them realize that "objective history" is not the same as "historical records", thus, Chinese historiography gradually got rid of the traditional misunderstanding of taking historical records and historical works for true and objective historical evidence. Another core question in the study of historical theories is the nature of historical discipline, and it is quite prominent that the New History historians paid much attention to it. There were a great variety of genres in the circle of Chinese modem New History during the period of 1920s to 1940s, the theoretical cleavage was mainly exhibited by their different orientations of the nature of historiography. As far as the New History historians was concerned, though their views on the nature of historiography varied, it still can be generalized into three types of ideas: one is the view of history as arts, one is view of history as a particular subject, and the third is view of history as science. What on earth is History as a discipline? Is it strictly scientific like natural science, or just like the literature and plays, belongs to the human arts reflecting the social life and human life itself, or is a combination of science and arts? An...