The Cross Between History And Myth

This dissertation studies the history of Gu Jiegang’s mythological scholarship on Yu,the legendary ruler from the Xia dynasty,and the Xia dynasty itself.As the intersection of historiography and mythology in Chinese academia,Gu’s study of myths and legends surrounding Yu as well as his Theory of Ancient History in Layers not only launched the movement "Debates on Ancient History," but also laid the foundation for Chinese mythology.His study of Yu’s myths and legends consists of two phases,in which the second phase is closely related to the myths and legends of the Xia dynasty.Before Gu’s study,Doubts on Chinese ancient history had existed both in Chinese and Western academia.The academic tradition of doubting the ancient and debating the fake in traditional China,represented by Qing scholars Cui Shu and Kang Youwei,had a significant influence on Gu Jiegang.In the West,During the period of 17th centry,the Jesuits,who came to China,attempted to integrated Chinese chronologies into the chronology of the Bible.And later,sinologists,who applied scientific methods to the study of ancient Chinese history,had already started combining the methodologies of historiography and mythology.During the period from the end of 19th century to the beginning of 20th century,histories of civilizations wrote by Western and Japanesein scholars provided Chinese academia with new understandings of ancient Chinese history and the discipline of mythology.Some scholars,such as Liang Qichao,Zhang Taiyan,tried to wrote histories of civilizations by themselves.Thought they didn’t finished the task,they offered new insights on ancient Chinese history and myth.Many scholars such as Xia Zengyou and Gu Jiegang,wrote history textbooks for middle school students.Xia was the Chinese scholar who first called the ancient history before the East Zhou Dynasty as "suspicious ages." Gu himself also found out the issue about Yu and started forming the Theory of Ancient History in Layers.After Gu’s studies,Gu’s mythology theory and method was inherited and furthered by Yang Kuan.Yang developed the Theory of Ancient History in Layers to his Theory of Evolvement and Bifurcation of Myths,and conducted his mythological study of the genealogies of ancient emperors.On the other hand,Gu’s mythology theory and method was inherited and furthered by Ding Shan.Ding combinded the Chinese traditional philology and western linguistic mythology in order to study the ancient history,literature,religion and nation.Gu’s study also had a great impact on Chinese Archeology,the studies of the Xia dynasty,in which archeological excavations became the only reliable source of historical materials.In 1926,Li Ji began the archaeological work in the south of Shan Xi.In 1959,Xu Xusheng found the site of the Xia dynasty in the west of He Nan.Unfortunately,because of the ambiguous identity as historical and legendary figure,Yu was seldom studied by mythological scholars except Gu and his followers.Mao Dun and Cheng Jing only mentioned a little about the myths and legends of Yu in their works.Otherwise,Wen Yiduo and Sun Zuoyun did the research on Chinese ancient myths with the Totem theory and "Myth-Rite" theory.To some extent,their studies related to the myths and legends of Yu.Beside the introduction and conclusion,this thesis has five chapter.The introduction includes "The Origin of the Thesis",’Research Review",and "The innovations and idea of the Thesis."Moreover,there is a special state about why some contents go beyond the limit of the period.Chapter One "The early Chinese historical notions under two different doubting ancient trend" includes two sections:"Doubting the early Chinese history from Chinese academic tradition" and "Doubting the early Chinese history from Western academic tradition." On the sectionl,the thesis will discuss the thoughts and traditions of doubting ancient history because of respecting and protecting Confucianism from Cui Shu and Kang Youwei.Both of them produced a great effect to Gu Jiegang by inspiring his work and minds about doubting ancient history.On the section2,the thesis will discuss four different parts.First,Jesuits who came to China began to do the research of Chinese chronology in the 17th century;Second,because of the change of western society and thought,the authority of Catholicism fell,and the power of govement raised.Therefore,the professional collages and scholars appeared.Some of them who was called sinologists began to do the research of early Chinese history in the 18th century.Third,Protestants and sinologists came to China in the 19th-20th century.They continued the research of early Chinese history by beginning to use the concept"Myth" and Mythology.Fourth,in the beginning of 20th century,Janpanese sinology did the great work about early Chinese history and myth from.Shiratori Kurakichi from Tokyo School and Naito Konan from Kyoto School both created similar theories as Gu Jiegang’s Theory of Ancient History in Layers.Chapter Two "The early Chinese historical and mythological notions in the History of Civilization in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China"includes three sections:"The primal approach about importing myth and mythology","The writing about the new general history of China",and "The writing about the new general history of China and the Chinese history textbook."On the sectionl,the thesis will first discuss the problem about when did the word"myth" first brought in China.At that time,the translation and introduction of the histories of Civilizations from the West and Japan pour into China,as well as the concept "Myth" and Mythology.Under the influence of the histories of civilizations,Chinese scholar began to write the new general history of China and the Chinese history textbook by themselves.On the section2,the thesis will discuss the new general history of China wrote by Liang Qichao and Zhang Taiyan.Althought both of them did not finish this work,their ideas about the Chinese ancient history and myth were presented in their other works.On the section3,the thesis will discuss the Chinese history textbooks wrote by Liu Shipei,Xia Zengyou and Gu Jiegang.Xia Zengyou’s work first named the period before the East Zhou Dynasty as "the suspicious period".Gu Jiegang’s work made him start to think about some questions of Yu and the Theory of Ancient History in Layers.Chapter Three "The research of the myths and legends of Yu and the Xia dynasty from Gu Jiegang" includes two sections:"The early research of the myths and legends of Yu from Gu Jiegang",and "The later research of the myths and legends of Yu and the Xia dynasty from Gu Jiegang."On the sectionl,the thesis will introduce the Theory of Ancient History in Layers and the research of the myths and legends of Yu in detail,including two of the most important articles named“Discussing Ancient History with Mr.Qian Xuantong" and "Discussing Ancient History and Answering Mr.Liu and Mr.Hu",and the praises and critics from academia would also be mentioned.Moreover,there is an analysis about the origin of the Theory of Ancient History in Layers and the research of the myths and legends of Yu.On the section2,the thesis will introduce the further work about the research of Yu and the Xia dynasty.After 1930,Gu Jiegang’s academic direction changed to focus on the history of Warring States and Qin and Han dynasty,as well as the Geography and Ethnology in early China.These changes improved the studies of the Xia dynasty,and developed the studies of Yu.Furthermore,there is a clarification about Gu Jiegang’s notions of the Xia dynasty.Chapter Four "The ideas of Mythology School of ’Debates on Ancient History’ and the development of the research of the myths and legends of Yu and the Xia dynasty" includes three sections:"The ideas of Mythology School of’Debates on Ancient History’","The research of the myths and legends of Yu and the Xia dynasty from Yang Kuan",and "The research of the myths and legends of Yu and the Xia dynasty from Ding Shan." On the sectionl,the thesis will analyze the ideas of Mythology School of“Debates on Ancient History”by discussing the relation between myth and history,the relation between myth and religion,and the relation between myth and nation.That is to say,this mythology school tried to research the ancient history,ancient religion,and ancient nation by analyzing mythological materials.On the section2,the thesis will discuss the myth studies from Yang Kuan.Yang developed the Theory of Ancient History in Layers to the Theory of Evolvement and Bifurcation of Myths.He corrected Gu’s obvious mistake which influenced by the School of Confucian Classics by Modem Script.Under the pespective of mythology,he worked on the construction of the system of Chinese ancient myths.On the section3,the thesis will discuss the myth studies from Ding Shan.Just like section2,section3 includes four different parts:"academic background","the overview of the myth studies","the research of Yu and the Xia dynasty",and "praises and critics from academia."Chapter Five "The research of Yu and the Xia dynasty from Archeology and Mythology after Gu Jiegan" includes two sections:"The research of the Xia dynasty from modern Archeology" and "The research of Yu from modern Mythology." On the section1,the thesis will refer to Gu Jiegang’s complex of Archeology and Fu Sinian’s construction of Archeology.Most of the historians think that it is Archeology not the traditional textual research that can gain a clear idea of the Xia dynasty.In 1926,Li Ji began the archaeological work in the south of Shan Xi.In 1959,Xu Xusheng found the site of the Xia dynasty in the west of He Nan.On the section2,the thesis will refer to Yu’s studies in the mythology introduction and the work about collecting and researching myths,as well as Yu’s studies in the work of Wen Yiduo and Sun Zuoyun with the Totem theory and"Myth-Rite" theory.Because of the ambiguous identity as historical and legendary figure,Yu was seldom studied by mythological scholars except Gu and his followers.Mao Dun and Cheng Jing only mentioned a little about Yu in their works.Wen Yiduo and Sun Zuoyun used the Totem theory and "Myth-Rite" theory to do the research on Chinese ancient myths which was related to Yu to some extentIn the end,the conclusion will discuss the possibility of further improvement and development about the theory and method from Gu Jiegang and the Mythology School of "Debates on Ancient History" by using new unearthed materials and new mythological ideas.