图像如何入史——以中国古地图为例

How Images Enter History:Take the Ancient Maps of China as an Example

包括地图在内的图像的史料价值并不在于图面内容,而在于图像所反映的其与被绘制的社会、经济以及文化之间的关系,对图像这些方面史料价值的思考才能更为深入的挖掘图像与众不同的史料价值,也才有可能从一些不同的侧面回应重要的史学问题。当然,对图像史料价值的挖掘,需要我们发挥自己的想象力,需要我们对历史有着更为广泛和深入的认知,这些都涉及到研究者的史学素养。“史料不是救世主”,如果有“救世主”的话,那么也是作为研究主体的我们。

The value of historical materials of images,including maps,is not in the content of the images,but in the relationship between the images and the social,economic,and cultural backgrounds reflected in the images.It is also possible to respond to important historical issues from a number of different perspectives by digging out the distinctive historical information of images.Of course,the exploration of the value of historical materials of images requires us to give play to our imagination,and requires us to have a broader understanding of history,which involves researchers’historical literacy.“Historical data is not the savior”,if there is“the savior”,then it is us.