本土化、科学化和方法热:民国时期史学理论研究的基本趋向

Localization,Scientification,and Methodology Fever:The Basic Tendency of Study of Historical Theories during the Chinese Republican Period

民国时期的史学理论研究,经历了从输入、移植、介绍西方史学理论到逐渐领悟而尝试建构中国本土化史学理论的过程。它主要是沿着两条路径推进的:一是以西方史学理论著作为蓝本,接受并综合西方近代史学理论而创建中国本土的史学理论;二是用西方史学理论的基本理念来关照中国史学传统,发掘中国传统史学中适合近代西方史学理论的因素,进而构建具有中国本土化特色的史学理论体系。民国史学理论研究,深受西方近代实证主义史学思潮影响,以科学化作为史学理论建构的主要目标,努力建构实证主义的科学化史学。科学化的史学研究,重视历史考证和史实求真,致力于历史学的科学化并强调科学方法,将研究重心集中于科学方法论,出现了史学研究的“方法热”。这种“方法热”趋向,既体现为自觉借鉴并运用自然科学方法及社会科学方法,更体现为集中探究狭义的史料学方法,即研究实用性的史料考证方法。因此,本土化、科学化和方法热,构成民国时期史学理论研究的基本趋向。

The study of historical theories during the Chinese Republican period had undergone the process from the inputting,transplanting and introduction of western historical theories to the gradual understanding and tentative creating of Chinese local historical theories.There were mainly two approaches for it to proceed.One approach was to accept and synthesize those modern western historical theories and then to create Chinese local historical theories,based on those western works of historical theories.The other was to find,by comparing western historical theories with Chinese traditional historical studies,those factors in Chinese traditional historical studies which could be suitable for modern western historical theories and then to create local historical theories with Chinese characteristics.Under the enormous influence of modern western positivist historical studies and taking the scientification as the major goal of creating historical theories,the study of historical theories during the Chinese Republican period was to create positivist and scientific historical theories.Due to the scientific historical studies,the emphasis on textual research in history and seeking for historical facts,the dedication to the scientification of historical studies,the stress on historical methods and on scientific methodologies,passions for historical methods and methodologies arose gradually during the Chinese Republican period.The tendency of methodology fever could be found during the process of conscious learning from natural and social scientific methods and then applying them,and also could be found during the process of concentrated researches of those practical methods in the study of historical data.Thus,localization,scientification and methodology fever could be regarded as the basic tendency of historical theories’study during the Chinese Republican period.