Evidence And Interpretation Will Pass

The 20^th century saw many great changes and adjustments of traditional Chinese history confronted by westem civilization; all historical groups do their utmost to justify their arguments in Chinese histDiical community, in which Chinese study-in-America historians play an important and unique role. They have received and experienced systematical education and strict instruction of Chinese traditional academy, western modem scientific history, and American New History especially, which make it possible that they study both ancient and contemporary knowledge, grasp the essence of Chinese and westem cultures and form a distinct history school in comparison with home historians, Chinese study-in-Japan historians and Chinese study-in-Europe historians. Taking advantages of all kinds of social and educational conditions, Chinese study-in-America historians greatly influenced the Chinese historical community and Chinese society.Chinese study-in-America historians live in a unique historical background and social environment with special education experiences, and their historical thoughts are also distinct from other historians. They not only pay attention to fact-finding of history, which are similar to the Shiliao school that devotes themselves to factual research, they but also put great emphasis on the interpretation of history on which is insisted by the Shiguan school that advocates the priority for the comprehensive historical overviews. So they could be the third school of the Chinese historical community, which called "Huitong" school, halfway amid the tension between Overview and Fact-finding. At the same time, it must be pointed that even though Chinese study-in-America historians regard Materialism as a very useful theory and method in historical studies, it is just one of their theories and approaches, not the only one, even not the most important one. However, Chinese study-in-America historians still should be treated as a healthy and an indispensable historical school in Chinese historical community.