| Dong Jiazun was a famous historian in modern China.He has made outstanding contributions to the early study of social history of ancient China.However,there is no special study of Dong Jiazun’s historical achievements.Through the comprehensive collection and collation of Dong Jiazun’s works,this paper systematically discusses his research achievements and contributions in the field of social history of ancient China,aiming to improve and promote the in-depth understanding of Chinese social history research,investigate the main characteristics and influence of early Chinese social history research,provide reference and help for future social history research.Dong Jiazun’s academic research has experienced three periods: sociology,social history of ancient China and ancient Chinese history.There are three reasons for his academic change.From the perspective of Dong’s family,the early education of his grandfather Dong Zhiyi provided Dong Jiazun with a good enlightenment of history.From the social background at that time,the social changes in the early 20 th century prompted Dong Jiazun to engage in the study of ancient Chinese social history.From the perspective of the academic background at that time,interdisciplinary study has become popular,the internal connection between social history and sociology,and the adjustment of the faculty in 1952 contributed to Dong’s academic change.Dong Jiazun’s research on marriage history has great influence on the academic circles.First of all,Dong Jiazun reviewed the concept,origin and historical materials of the succession of marriage and made a large number of social surveys,correcting the academic circle’s long-standing wrong understanding of the succession of marriage.Secondly,in terms of endogamy and exogamy,Dong Jiazun put forward the dichotomous method of endogamy,that is,endogamy of blood family and endogamy of clans.On the study of exogamy,Dong Jiazun made a detailed discussion of its origin and role in the formation of the Chinese nation,highlighted the cultural significance of exogamy.Thirdly,Dong Jiazun used the quantitative research method of sociology to review historical materials,and studied the ancient marriage age,women’s chastity and remarriage,divorce system and other issues.From today’s point of view,Dong Jiazun’s analysis of ancient marriage age and women’s chastity is not comprehensive,but it is of great significance for in-depth understanding of ancient women’s social life,social status and the evolution of social consciousness.In terms of the research on surname system,Dong Jiazun cites the totem theory of the West,reviews the origin of Chinese ancient surnames on the basis of traditional anthroponymy and palaeography research,and finally comes to the conclusion that the twelve ancient Chinese surnames and the twelve Chinese zodiac signs are all evolved from totems.In view of the problem of non-marriage with the same surname in ancient China,Dong Jiazun followed the economic structure of feudal society and analyzed it.He believed that the characteristics of feudal natural economy,such as the habit of settling down,self-sufficiency,were the fundamental reason for the enduring existence of the system of non-marriage with the same surname.Dong Jiazun did a lot of research on the social structure of ancient China.He researched the name,source,occupation,number and other contents of slaves during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period from the perspective of historical materialism,and thus concluded that the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period were the slave society.In addition,Dong Jiazun put forward his views on the stages of ancient Chinese history and the nature of wars at the end of the Qin Dynasty,which were not universally recognized by the academic circles,but his research was typical.From the study of peasant class,Dong Jiazun emphasized on the analysis of the rural economic situation in Tang Dynasty,and put forward a correct view on the limitations of peasant uprising.In view of the academic discussion about whether there is royalism in peasant uprisings,Dong Jiazun thinks that royalism existed in ancient Chinese peasant uprisings.In view of the controversial nature of the uprising of Sun En and Lu Xun,Dong Jiazun held that the uprising of Sun En and Lu Xun was not an internal struggle of the ruling class,but a peasant uprising.Dong Jiazun’s research on social history inherits the paradigm of the "Modern History School",which has three characteristics: the spirit of pragmatism;both historical materials and theoretical research;pay attention to the interdisciplinary research.Dong Jiazun has three shortcomings in the study of social history.First,the theory and content of social history are not discussed enough.Second,he made a simple analogy between ancient Chinese surnames,Chinese zodiac signs and totems.Third,Dong Jiazun’s theory of "the completion of slave society in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period" has obvious shortcomings and ignores the social changes in the Warring States period.His lack of research on the social production in the Western Zhou Dynasty,the Qin and Han dynasties lead to his research on the stages of ancient history poorly.Although there are shortcomings in Dong Jiazun’s research on social history,his research on historical materials or his application of interdisciplinary methods,Dong Jiazun’s research on social history will certainly play an irreplaceable role in the future for a long time to come. |
