20世纪中国文学史观中的史学本质论反思

Reflections on the Essentialism of Historiography in China's 20th Century Literary History

在20世纪中国文学史观中,虽然文学史介于文学与史学之间这一结论广为认可,但在具体对待上,二者遭遇却不同:史常胜于文。这种史学本质论思维渗透于文学史实践诸方面。史学本质论文学史观坚持认为文学史的本质是“史”,进而将文学史纳入史学范畴,并在具体书写实践中借鉴史学的理念方法、体例设置、历史分期、叙述模式、话语惯例等。史学本质论文学史观强调社会历史情景对文学创作的决定性意义,有助于揭示文学发展同社会现实之间的内在联系,但在一定程度上遮蔽了“文学”在文学史内部构成机制中的作用,模糊了文学史和史学之间应有的学科域限,也加重了20世纪中国文学史学科与文学之间的区隔。文学史既是历史的,又是文学的,文学史的本质存在于“文”与“史”的“文史间性”之中。反思史学本质论文学史观是中国文学史回归其本质,成为名副其实的文学史,进而实现学科创新的必由之路。

From a historical perspective,a widely accepted conclusion about China's 20th century literary history is that although literary history falls between literature and historiography,the specific treatment of the two has met with different fortunes:history often bests literature.This historical essentialist thinking permeates various aspects of the practice of literary history.The historiographic essentialist view of literary history holds firmly that its essence is“history,”and in turn it incorporates literary history into the scope of historiography.In terms of specific writing practice,it draws inspiration from historiography's concepts,methods,stylistic settings,historical stages,narrative mode,discourse conventions,etc.It also emphasizes the decisive significance of the socio-historical scene for literary creation,which helps to reveal the intrinsic connection between the development of literature and social realities.However,to a certain extent,it has obscured the role of literature in literary history's scheme of internal composition,blurring the disciplinary boundaries between literary history and historiography and exacerbating the gap between literature and the 20th century discipline of Chinese literary history.Literary history is not only history but also literature;its essence lies in inter-literary history.Therefore,reflecting on the literary history view of essentialist historiography is the only way for Chinese literary history to return to its essence and become a veritable literary history,and thus realize a path to disciplinary innovation.