Research On Cen Zhongmian Historiography

Cen Zhongmian was a famous Cantonese historian in1920s. He became a historian by self-taught learning. He focused on the study of history and made great achievements in it. In middle age, he held a post in the institute of History and Philology in Academia Sinica. After the founding of the People’s Republic, he taught in Sun Yat-sen University. He dedicates his life to the study of history with research findings rich in the study of pre Qin history, Ethnic history, history of the Sui and Tang dynasty, Philology, Sino-foreign transportation history and history and geography of Northwestern areas and so on. His works have been printed and published up to22kinds and he has published nearly two hundred various academic papers. All the works add up to total more than10million works. He achieves the very great achievement in the history research, especially the research of historical documents of the Sui and Tang dynasty, history of Turkic, history and geography of Northwestern areas, history and geography of the South China Sea and history research through bronze-stone inscriptions. For example, his correction on history of Tang dynasty through bronze-stone inscriptions has greatly broaden the historical source of the study of history of Tang dynasty and makes great contribution to the study of history of Tang dynasty, especially on the research of the inscriptions of Langguan, he has more findings comparing with the predecessor’s research, his research makes us know more about the inscriptions of Langguan. He sorts out a series of historical documents about the Sui and Tang dynasty and gives his opinion on some historical events, such as the status of Chen Ziang in the movement with the style reform, the combat between party niu and party li, Two-Tax Law of the Tang dynasty, the fu bing military system, Huang Chao uprising and so on. Beside that, he makes great achievements in the study of history and geography of Northwestern areas, history and geography of the South China Sea and history of the Turkish, he goes into more detail on the correlative questions and gives his opinion on them. He has been recognized as a prominent historian of modern China at home and abroad for his great achievements he makes in the study of history. Now many of his works still have important academic value, the way he lived his life and his learning method are also worthy referencing and studying for us.