论旧中国博物馆事业的历史意义

The historical significance of museum undertaking in old China

本文就有关旧中国博物馆事业的一些传统观点提出了看法。认为不能把近代博物馆笼统。地称为“没落阶级的点缀品”。应当克服研究上的简单化倾向,全面地、具体地分析旧中国博物馆事业;从历史实践出发,审视、检验以往的观念与结论。近代博物馆的出现,是反封建的产物,在其进程中,有受半殖民地半封建统治影响、制约的一面,但不能由此否定旧中国博物馆事业的民主传统。其总的趋向是朝大众的、科学的方向前进的。南京国民党政府初期,博物馆有较大发展,奠定了旧中国博物馆事业的基础。外国在中国建的博物馆不同时期有不同特点。其早期在管理与技术等方面,对中国博物馆有过一定的影响,不少博物馆人员也为传播西方科学文化作出了贡献。

The article contains new views on the evaluation of museum history in modern China in contrast with more tradition views. The author does not agree with the total repudiation of musremdevelopment which occurred in china, nor does he agree it is a total reflection of semi -colonial and comprador culture. He contends that its cognition and conclusion should be re-checked according to tnne historical practice, and it should be given a place as an important aspect of museum development. The great amount of data in the article indicates that modern museum development was influenced by both semi-feudalism and semi-colonialism, we can not, however, deny its democratic traditions. Its development was, generally speaking, scientific and in accordance with the masses. Meanwhile, this ariicle affirms the contributions to museum development made by the earlier national government. The objective analysis deals with the musums run by foreigners as well as foreign scholars who made honest efforts to spread western science and culture.