《史通》方志札记

Local Records Reading Notes of Shi Tong

《史通》虽是一部史学理论专著,但可旁通和资鉴于方志。可借鉴和引申的主要观点:史志应注重立意,赋予史料以灵魂,但要防止"过度立意"可能带来的主观之蔽;怀疑是对待史料的应有态度,地方志编纂中尤其要重视"疑初",警惕文献和事实之间的可能距离;《史通》申名的义旨,述名之转合,可借鉴于志,同时应看到名实之乱的消极作用,防范被名所囿;史志离合兴废为正常,外观时势大体,内辨自身利弊为顺应之道;史志编修因工程浩大,众手势在必然,但必须正视其弊,以求调和之道;"书事记言"和"勒成删定"是史志编纂的基本形式,需要"博闻实录"和"俊识通才"来配套,地方志编纂或可在变通制宜中求得两全;《史通》注重亲见、"本事"和采访的史学编纂思想,有助于认识当代修志的优势,并为观察地方志编纂活动提供借鉴。

Although a monograph on historical theory,Shi Tong can be borrowed as a reference to local records.Its key points that can be borrowed and extended include:historical records should pay attention to conception and lend soul to historical materials,but subjective drawback that can be brought by 'over-conception' should be prevented;doubt is the right attitude to treat historical materials and special attention should be attached to 'doubt of origins' in particular during local records compilation to guard against possible distance between historical documents and facts;Shi Tong stated the meaning and purpose of names and accounted the transformation of names,which can be used as references for local records,but meanwhile we should take note of negative effects of the confusion between names and reality and guard against the limitations of names;the separation,union,rise,and fall of history and local records are normal,and the way to cope with it is to observe the overall situation from the outside and to distinguish between one's own interests and drawbacks from the inside;the compilation of historical records as an immense engineering project inevitably requires multiple hands,but we must look squarely at the drawbacks and seek ways to reconcile;'recording facts and speeches' and 'making decisions about selections and omissions of facts' are basic methods of historical records compilation,which requires the complements of 'wide experiences and factual recordings' and 'talents of general knowledge and extraordinary views',local records compilation may find a way to take care of interests on both sides through adaptations to circumstances;Shi Tong's historical compilation thoughts of attaching greater importance to eyewitness,'sources',and interviewing are helpful in recognizing the advantages of contemporary local records compilation,and offer useful lessons in our observations of local records compilation activities.