在史法与史义之间:刘知幾的经史观与史学批评

Between Historiography and Historical Thought:Liu Zhiji’s View of Confucian Classics and History and His Historical Criticism

刘知幾的经史观一直是《史通》研究的热点,也是学术界争议最大的问题之一,聚讼纷纭,莫衷一是。实际上,刘知幾是从史法和史义两个不同的层面来看待经史关系的。在史法层面,刘知幾贯穿经史,以经为史,把经书与史书并列,一同纳入到自身史学批评的系统里进行评骘,讨论史书名目、体裁流变、体例沿革、记事得失、文笔优劣等历史编纂学问题。在史义层面,刘知幾服膺孔子,效法圣人,尊崇经书“意旨”,以经义衡史,倡导经为史则,讨论著史宗旨、史学功用等形而上的问题,把经书中所蕴含的“明道淑世”的观念当作史书效法的原则。刘知幾以经史互释的方法进行史学批评,以经衡史,所强调的是经对史的指导;以史评经,所强调的是史对经的验证。在这种经史互释的过程中,刘知幾消解了经学的神秘化和神圣化,实现了经学的理性回归,彰显了史学的社会价值,并试图通过经史之互补,为经史之学的发展寻找出路。

Liu Zhiji’s view of Confucian classics and history has always been a hot topic in the study of Shitong(Historiography),and it is also the most controversial issue in the academic circle.There are many different opinions and it is difficult to give a decisive conclusion.In fact,Liu Zhiji looks upon the relationship between Confucian classics and history from two different perspectives:histori⁃ography and historical thought.At the level of historiography,Liu Zhiji intersects the history of the Confucian classics,taking the classics as the history,juxtaposing the classics with the historical books,and integrating them into his own system of historical criticism.He comments on such histori⁃ographical issues as the lists of historical books,the changes of the genres,the evolution of the genres,the gains and losses of the records,and the merits and demerits of the writings.At the level of historical thought,Liu Zhiji bears in mind Confucius,imitates the sage,venerates the“purport”of the classics,takes the classics as a balance of the history,advocates the classics as the historical principle,discusses the historical purpose,the historical function and other metaphysical issues,and takes the thought of“statecraft?ideology”in the classics as the principle of the historical books.Liu Zhiji’s historical criticism is based on mutual interpretation of classics and history.By balancing history with classics,he is emphasizing the guidance of classics to history,and through the evaluation of the classics,he is seeking for the verification of classics by history.In the process of this mutual interpretation of classics and history,Liu Zhiji dispels the mystery and sanctification of the classics,realizes the rational return of classics,demonstrates the social value of historiography,and tries to find a way for the development of classics and history through the complementarity of classics and history.