从《周礼》史官设置看先秦史学的产生与发展

History Officials as Described in Zhou li and History Writing in the Pre-Imperial Period

《周礼》对"史官"及其下属"史"职人员职责的系统安排,为探讨先秦史学提供了不可忽略的参考资料。本文认为,《周礼》中的这些"史官"及其"史"职人员,他们日常的书写事务,不是一种以编撰史书为目的的历史书写,他们的职责是以所掌、所书来参与和服务当时的王国行政。大量"史"职人员在《周礼》中的设置,反映了战国时期官僚制兴起后对文书行政书写的现实需求。民间私人著述兴起之后,便产生了真正意义上的史书编撰。从春秋末年孔子开始利用官方史记作有限的修订,到战国时私人编撰的《左传》,最后发展到司马迁"成一家之言"的《史记》,这是一个从"述"到"作"的过程,也是中国史学从先秦开始产生、发展并在西汉终于到达一个高峰的历程。

When discussing the historiography of the pre-imperial period in China, we cannot afford to ignore the existence of history officials as described in Zhou li(Rites of Zhou), which offers an overall picture of the engagements and definitions of the history officials. This article argues that the function of the writing of most history officials and shi(史) staff is not for the compilation of historiography, but rather to participate in and serve the needs of the state administration. The frequent presence of shi in different authorities shows that the author of Zhou li is aware of the massive demands and importance of writing service in the governmental administration. Historiographical compilation came into being in a real sense after the arising of private works. Debuting from the archives recorded by the history officials between the West Zhou dynasty and the Spring and Autumn period, to Confucius’ limited modification on the official annals, to the private works of Zuo zhuan(Zuo Commentary) in the Warring States period, and finally to Sima Qian’s Shi ji(Records of the Historian) with the author’s own thinking and opinions, the history writing developed from Shu(述) to Zhu(著). It is also a process the Chinese historiography was initiated in the pre-imperial period until it reached its first climax in the West Han dynasty.