从口述到文字:文化记忆研究的视角转换

From the Oral to the Writing:A Perspective Transformation in the Study of Cultural Memory

口述与文字在传统史观中是一个对张的存在。口述史料由于其不稳定性等特征,相比于传统档案一直处于较为边缘的地位。不过,口述史具有独特的优势,例如凸显了人的生命性和主体性特征。但口述史料也有局限性,从口述到文字的视角转换,人类的存储记忆变得丰富起来,人性培育的文化存储空间扩大。扬·阿斯曼认为人类留存的文字符号是探究文化深层意识的主流方法,大部分“真相”留存于以文字等符号为载体的文化记忆中,主要功能是给社会提供基本价值。转向文字的记忆研究路径,除了弥补口述史方法的局限外,还在于帮助我们应对变动不居的社会,通过探索历史的深处,寻求文化发展的动力,这是文化记忆研究的建设意义。

The oral narration and the writing are contradictory in the traditional view of history.Compared with traditional archives,oral historical materials have always been in a marginal position due to their instability and other characteristics.However,oral history has unique advantages,such as highlighting the characteristics of human life and subjectivity.Meanwhile,oral historical materials also have limitations.When the perspective is changed from oral to written,human storage and memory become richer,and the cultural storage space to cultivate human nature expands.Jan Assmann believes that the written symbols retained by human beings are the mainstream method to explore the deep cultural consciousness,and most of the"truth"is preserved in the cultural memory with writing and other symbols as the carrier,and its main function is to provide basic value to society.In addition to making up for the limitations of the oral history method,turning the memory research path to writing also helps us cope with the ever-changing society and seek the driving force of cultural development by exploring the depths of history.It can play one constructive role in cultural memory research.