论纪传体史书的人物断代:以萧懿为例

On the Limits of Dynastic Historiography: A Case Study of Xiao Yi(fl.464-500),An Unfound Chancellor of State Affairs

萧懿是南齐末年的重臣,又是梁武帝萧衍的嫡长兄,他的作为对于齐梁之际的历史发展产生了重要的影响。但这样一位齐梁易代之际的重要历史人物,《南齐书》认为他应是梁史记载的人物,而《梁书》却认为他应是齐史记载的人物,由此导致他在《南齐书》与《梁书》中均没有自己的列传。萧懿的情况充分体现了纪传体史书在处理易代之际历史人物归属时的复杂性。而在这一现象的背后,折射出史家对于人物断代问题的认识受其自身所处时代背景的影响。

Xiao Yi once served as Chancellor of State Affairs in the short-lived Southern Qi dynasty(479-502).As an elder brother of Xiao Yan(464-549),founder of the Southern Liang dynasty(502-587)that succeeded the Southern Qi,Xiao Yi also played a key role in the dynastic transition.However,his biography was not found in either the Nan Qishu(History of the Southern Qi)or the Liangshu(History of the Liang),two major dynastic histories that record the tumultuous age.A possible reason might be that the historians found it hard to cover him in either text.This phenomenon showed the challenge and complexity of compiling dynastic history to offer complete information on persons like Xiao Yi who played a historical role in different dynasties and different time periods.In the end,what happened to Xiao Yi was not unique,but a reflection of a larger issue in dynastic historiography.