论representation概念在史学领域的接受及影响

On the Reception of“Representation”in Historiography and Its Impacts

representation原是一个美学概念,近年来越来越频繁地出现在史学作品当中。一般而言,representation有两种用法:一是指根据相似性的标准,对某物进行的描绘和刻画;二是指某种符号或图案,它象征着已不在场的事物替代原事物出场。柏拉图是相似论的忠实支持者,后世哲学家则多从事于对相似论的批判,史学理论家安克斯密特即可被视为其中的一员。在替代论的基础上,安克斯密特将representation一词引入历史领域,构成“historical representation”(历史再现)。史学理论对历史再现的探讨,很大程度地揭示了历史书写中蕴含的“诗性”成分。海登·怀特和安克斯密特这两位重要的叙事主义史学理论家皆认为,正是被史家归于艺术层面的“形式”给予了历史以融贯性和条理性。“再现”观念于史学领域的接受在一定程度上改变了20世纪七八十年代之后西方历史意识的一些传统层面。

Representation,originally a concept in the field of athletics,has appeared increasingly frequently in the works of histori⁃ography.Generally speaking,the word“representation”has two properties:one refers to a portrayal and depiction of something on the basis of resemblance,another relates to a symbol or an image which denotes and stands for something absent,i.e.a substitution of the absent to be present again.Plato is someone who aims to clarify the theory of resemblance while later philosophers commit themselves to rethink and criticize it,to whom the philosopher of historiography F.R.Ankersmit belongs.On the basis of the theory of substitution,Ankersmit introduces the word“representation”into historiography and coins the phrase“historical representa⁃tion”.In view of the formation and meanings of“representation”,this passage supports to translate it into“zaixian”in Chinese.The discussion of historical representation in historiography has,to the best extentpossible,revealed the artistic elements in history.Hayden White and Ankersmit,these two famous narrativist philosophers of historiography both agree that it is the form of text,which are ascribed to art by historians,that make history coherent and consistent.Thereception of“representation”in the field of historiography has to some extent changed traditional aspects of western historical consciousness since the 1970s and 1980s.