中国与西方古代史学的异同及其理论启示

A Contrast between Ancient Chinese and Western Historiographies and Their Theoretic Enlightenment

中国与西方的古代史学是世界两大最具活力、又独立发展的支脉。其共同的理念有:一是记史求真的史学价值观,二是对史学社会功能的认识。中西古代史学最根本的区别是,中国具有西方所没有的制度化、组织化的官方史学。从这种比较研究中可概括出,古代史学内在的主要矛盾是历史记述的真实性与历史撰述的社会功用之间的矛盾,史学在这对矛盾的运动中发展并走向专业化,从而形成相对独立的历史学社会系统。

There are only two groups of ancient historiographies that have been maintaining vitality and developing independently,the western classical historiography and China's traditional historiography.In our comparison,on one hand,there are two similarities between the two groups,the historical value of seeking for truth,and the view of social functions.On the other hand,there is one difference that only China had a systemic and organized official historiography.Based on the comparative study,we find that there is a contradiction between the truth and social function of historical records,which promote the development of history studies to form an independent social system of historiography.