Research On The Private Compiling History In The Ming Dynasty

Tang and Song Dynasty are two peaks during Chinese historiography. The historiography in Ming Dynasty plays a transitional role, in which private compiling history accounts for the majority and the number of it is more than that in Song Dynasty. However, people in Qing Dynasty gave it the evaluation that the number is lager but only generalizes about the matter. This evaluation makes the descendent hold a bias on the private compiling history in Ming Dynasty. Therefore, this paper explores the development of its history, clarifies its development reason, summarizes its achievements and deficiencies, and studies its influence.The first part of this paper analyzes the development of private compiling history in Ming Dynasty from society’s political, factors, cultural and individual factors in Ming Dynasty; then analyzes their influences on private compiling history in Ming Dynasty. Then it clarifies that the influence is not form single reason but from kinds of factors which shows the achievement of private compiling history in Ming Dynasty.The second part overviews the development of private compiling history in Ming Dynasty so as to distinguish it from the previous dividing method in the first year of jiajing. According to the division the period from official revision history of Wanli XXI, the historical attitude changes from politics of the Ming Dynasty and the before and after of formal revision history of official revision history of Wanli XXI, private compiling history can be divided into three parts, which are in the early Ming to Wanli 21 st year(1593), Wanli 25 th year(1597) to Perishes of Ming(1644), the Early Qing Dynasty: the revision history from adherents of Ming Dynasty. In order to show the completion and overall outline of private compiling history in Ming Dynasty, the Early Qing Dynasty: the revision history from adherents of Ming Dynasty is included in this article so that it is clear that pomp of private compiling history in Ming Dynasty is not achieved overnight.The third paper points out the achievements and shortcomings of private compiling history in Ming Dynasty. The achievements are revealed in the record of history events throughout Jianwen Times and in the record related to economy of Ming Dynasty, as well as the record of people’s life of a lower social grade to represent basic social outlook at that time. Therefore, as the "record", to some extent, it can only be called supplementary history rather than official history. The reasons such as false history, government’s ignorance, promoting the interest of private compiling history lead a lot of historical materials of Ming Dynasty can be saved.The last part systematically expounds the influence of private compiling history in Ming Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty private history and later generation on the relevant official and private history. At the aspect of promoting official history of Ming Dynasty, the interactive function between private history and official history in Ming Dynasty is established formally. Under tough control of official politics, government rules historiography strictly so that private compiling history becomes dispirited. With the changes of social economic and political status, official changes its attitude to history and prompted prosperity of Ming private compiling history; just this situation propelled the development of official history. On the aspect of sequel of early Ming history, the authenticity of private history works should be investigated since the early Ming record was hidden and the source of historical materials was limited. Until the late Ming Dynasty, the dissemination of record and the certain conclusion of long-time things lead to the beginning of the sequel to the previous private history. At another aspect of influence on official written Ming history and private written Ming history in Qing Dynasty, it indicates that the Ming private written history prepares for official written Ming history of the Qing Dynasty, including preservation of historical data, corroboration between history regulations and historical materials, reliability from references between many private compiling history works and record in order to manifest the responsibility taken on the private written history of Ming Dynasty.