对中国古地图和地图学史研究未来的展望——对马修·H.埃德尼教授访谈的回应

Prospects for the Study of Ancient Chinese Maps and History of Cartography——Response to an interview with Professor Matthew H.Edney

"国际化"是中国古代地图和地图学史今后必然要走的道路,但在真正"国际化"之前,我们必须解决如下几个问题,即:对中国古代地图进行真正的全面的整理;在全面整理的基础上,重新撰写中国地图学史;与此同时,研究者应当跳出地图研究本身,关注更为宏大的历史和人文问题,然后在解答这些问题的时候,运用地图作为史料。历史研究的国际化,并不是简单的语言和学术规范的问题,而是学者研究能力的问题。中国学者需要强化提出"正确"问题以及提出创新性解答问题方式的能力。

"Internationalization"is an inevitable path that studies on ancient Chinese maps and Chinese cartographic history mush follow in the future.But before that happens,the following things must be done:a truly comprehensive collation of ancient Chinese maps and,on the basis of that,a rewriting of the history of Chinese cartography.At the same time,researchers must show more concern on the broader issues of humanity and history by stepping beyond cartographic study itself.They should answer questions about such issues by drawing on materials of cartographic studies.For the internationalization of historical studies is not just a matter of language or academic norms,but a matter of academic competence.Chinese scholars have much to do to enhance their capabilities of asking the"right"questions and finding proper answers to them through innovative ways.