由大历史而小历史:20世纪中国长篇传记发展鸟瞰

History from Large to Small:an Overview on the Full-length Biographies of the 20th Century of China

中国是一个有悠久史传历史的国家,中国文化的特色决定了东方传记的公家性与短篇性。西方史学由于国家色彩弱,就诞生了偏重个人生活的传记,而到了近代自由社会,才终于产生了长篇传记。长篇传记是20世纪初从西方引进来的舶来品,在中国大有愈演愈烈之势。此种变化,从深层的社会背景来说,就是中国社会,从"大历史"到"小历史"的转型,从而丰富了书写历史的方式。传记有传记的市场,大历史有大历史的市场,这将是中国未来史学的两条发展道路。

China has a long history of biography. The characteristic of Chinese culture is decisive for the brevity and popularity of the eastern biography. Out of weak national colors, Western historians lay more emphasis on individual biography. Until the modern society they produced full-length biographies. Full-length biography imported into China in the early 20th century becomes more and more popular. The deep social background for such changes is the transformation of Chinese society. From the ＂big history＂ to ＂small history＂, the transformation develops the means of historiography. Both biography and ＂big history＂ have their own markets. This will be the two ways of China＇s future historiography.