刘坦的《论殷历纪年》及其历史年代学思想

Liu Tan's Paper“On the Calendar of the Yin Dynasty”and His Thoughts on China Ancient Historical Chronology

民间历史年代学家刘坦,针对唐兰、陈梦家二位先生运用所谓殷历论证夏商周断代年限,撰文以理清殷历的来龙去脉,指出殷历缺乏完整的历史纪年,且与《竹书纪年》并非同一体系,不能拼合使用。纬书中的殷历资料,更无利用价值。刘坦独特的年代学思想,一是审查相关资料的来源,决不能采用无稽之说;二是强调不同体系的历法之间,不可穿凿拼凑;三是对历法等知识体系,首先应正本清源,辨明实质,不急于直奔具体历史年代的考索。这对于当下改进治史方法和学术风气,提供了有益的启示。

Liu Tan, one unprofessional historian, Who has produced a paper on the origin,developments and contexts of the Yin Calendar, criticizes the arguments of Tang Lan and Chen Mengjia using the Yin Calendar for the division of history into periods of Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties. Liu Tan pointed out that there was not a complete historical dating in the Yin Calendar as Bamboo Annals did, and couldn＇t be used together. Materials as to the Yin Calendar in Weishu is useless. Liu Tan had three points on ancient Chinese historical chronology.. Firstly, to examine the source of materials, never to use the unsubstantiated ones; Secondly, to emphasis on different calendars not being used together; Thirdly, to identify the root and essence of the calendar system of knowledge before.doing specific historical researches. This provides a beneficial enlightenment for improving the researching method and academic atmosphere at present.