钱穆古史地理研究述论

A Study of Qian Mu's Research on Historical Geography of Ancient China

钱穆是民国时期研究古史地理成绩卓著的一位学者,在他长期的考地研究实践中,总结出了一整套探检古史地理的理论和方法,他把这一套理论、方法概括为“地名原始”“地名迁徙”“地名沿革”三原则、三通例,并自觉运用到古史地理的研究中,取得了不少开创性的成果,对于推动传统的舆地之学向现代历史地理学的转变,尤其是推动中国地名学由传统向现代的过渡作出了重要贡献。但是由于受当时疑古思潮和中原文化中心说的影响,加之过分重视地名迁徙理论,泛用声训、训诂,缺乏对考古材料的关注,他治古史地理的一些结论不免会有诸多可商榷处。对钱穆治古史地理理论和方法得失的检讨和总结,既可加深对民国历史地理学的认识,也可为当今历史地理学的研究提供一些启示和借鉴。

Qian Mu was an outstanding scholar in the study of historical geography of ancient China during Republican Era.Through his long-term geographical research,he summarized a set of theories and methods for exploring historical geography of ancient China,which are summarized as three principles and three general examples,namely,"origin of place name","migration of place name",and"evolution of place name",and consciously applied them to the study of historical geography of ancient China,making a lot of groundbreaking achievements in promoting the transformation of traditional geography to modern historical geography,especially in the transition of traditional studies of Chinese place name to modern one.However,under the influence of skepticism and the theory of the Central Plains being cultural center at that time,coupled with excessive emphasis on the theory of migration of place name,extensive using of phonology,and ignoring archaeological material,there are some errors in his research.A review of Qian Mu's theory and methods of historical geography of ancient China not only deepens our understanding of the historical geography in Republican Era,but also provides some inspiration and reference for current research on historical geography.