On Liang Qichao's Historical Data Thoughts

In recent years, the academic circles have set off a upsurge of studying cultural thumbs in modern China. One focus is on Liang Qichao. Briefly, the scholars have mainly studied his new historical thoughts, contribution on distinguishing between truth and falsehood in ancient historical materials, historiography comparative methods, cultural view and so on. In Yin Bin Shi Anthology, I have found that Ling followed transformation and foundation of traditional historiography with great interest in all his life, especially he expounded the most basic matter----historical data so systematically that he made a flood of original view which is still consultative in historical research nowadays. It cannot be doubted that it seems much necessary for us to study his concept, how to carry out my research? I have mainly made adopt of parallelism and comparison, then finalized the manuscript into an article by compiling data, bringing out the essentials, inducing, summarizing and perfecting views. I roughly divide Liang Rengong's historiography activities into four periods: accepting traditional education (1873-1888), taking Chinese and Western culture (1889-1898), absorbing Western learning and criticizing old Chinese learning (1899-1920) and devoting himself to writing and returning to traditional culture (1921-1927). The sources of his historical data thoughts first originated from his tutor Kang Youwei, traditional Chinese and Western cultural and finally from European historiography theories -especially objectivism in Schools of Leopold Ranke(1795-1886). Liang's historical data thoughts include the following four aspects: Firstly, they are historical data concept and two kinds of historical data (non-writing records and writing records). According to different character and criterion, historical data can be divided into positive and negative, common and special, firsthand and secondhand and abstract and concrete data. Such division incarnated his dual train of thought. In the respect of collection and sorting of historical data, he also had his own thoughts. He considered textual criticism of historical data to be the essential presupposition and put forward relatively systematic authentication theory, which made him to be the founder of modern learning of distinguishing between truth and falsehood in ancient books. Further more, in line with historiography theory he thought that we must have historical data as much as possible. In the light of Liu Zhiji's 'Three Specialties'and Zhang Xuecheng''Four Specialties ', he made a brilliant exposition and rearranged them creatively: historical moral, historical knowledge, historical capability and historical learning. Meanwhile he suggested that historiography should be described objectively. Every historian should take history as his goal, not means. Only thus can he make faithful historical accounts and write excellent historiography. Liang Qichao's thought that the historical materials were a sill of historical research and a precious wealth. Although they are as much as fog, if we absorb the former experience and methods, make use of modern science and technology, we can certainly attain some useful materials which can be merged into our culture and make matchless contribution to our country, the countries all over the world, even to human civilization. Liang Qichao's historical data thoughts were a disciple of what he initiated in his new historiography, and he had his own theory system in numerous historical schools. His thoughts made a further development of his new historiography ideology, improved and enriched Chinese modern historiography. Besides, such thoughts aroused modern scholars to attach importance to historical materials, and to make more researches. Liang's historical thoughts speeded up the conversion of modern historiography. He made a great contribution to Chinese historiography.