陈寅恪与清华“新史学”:教研取向与治史方法辨析

Tschen Yin-Koh and the Tsinghua School of“New Historical Studies”:A Probe into Tscen Yin-kon’s Research-Teaching Approach to Historical Studies

作为20世纪三四十年代清华大学历史系的著名教授,陈寅恪的治学风格与蒋廷黻所倡导的“三个并重”的清华“新史学”取向有着高度的契合性。陈寅恪的治史取向和方法特征体现在:具有中西兼综的学术视野和多种语言文字能力,能够广泛使用中外史籍材料和各种语文工具来研治历史,强调史料是治史的基础,反对脱离史实的“微言大义”;既精于考据,又善于会通和综合,主张在史实中求史识,能够在考辨史实的基础上提出通识性见解;既能以哲学的眼光来看待历史的发展演变,对以社会科学方法治史持肯定态度,同时又强调要实事求是、论从史出,反对以西方的理论假说对中国历史作任意解说。从学术史的角度来看,陈寅恪既是清华“新史学”取向的同道者,也是“新史学”方法的践行者,陈寅恪及清华史学共同体的治学取向与方法,具有普遍的方法论意义。

as a prestigious professor of the Department of History of Tsinghua University in the 1930s and 1940s,Tschen Yin-koh shared in his academic views many commonalities with JIang Ting-fu,another distinguished historian of Tsinghua University who pioneered the“New historiography”with his avocation for“three emphases”.Tschen’s approach to historical studies is characterized by his combination of both Western and Chinese scope of vision and his poly-lingual capabilities,which enabled him to make references to historical literature of both Chinese and Western sources in his studies of history.He regarded historical facts as the basis of historical studies,and opposed abstractions that betrayed facts.He was a meticulous researcher,but at the same time he was good at synthesizing his knowledge;he believed that true understanding of history could come only from a thorough comprehension of the historical facts,which allowed him to arrive at commonsense conclusions on the basis of a review of the facts.He viewed history from a philosophical perspective,and supported approaches to historical studies by using tools of social science.At the same time,he laid emphasis on seeking truth from facts,basing arguments on what actually happened in history.He was strongly opposed to attempts at interpreting Chinese history by drawing on Western theoretical hypotheses.From an academic point of view,Tschen not only shared the pursuits of the Tsinghua School of New Historiography,but also used its methodology in his own research.Such pursuits and methodology are still of great significance to our research today.