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The work of Xiao Yishan, the history of the Qing Dynasty
The first systematic general history of the Qing Dynasty in China
When the first volume was published in 1923, Xiao Yishan was a third-year student at Peking University. Under the age of 22, he single-handedly completed China's first systematic and complete general history of the Qing Dynasty, and the historians were quite shocked, and many historians and Dr. Sun Yat-sen signed it, and Liang Qichao, Li Dazhao, Jiang Baili, Jiang Menglin, Zhu Xizu, and Dr. Xilong of Japan personally prefaced it:
Xiao Zi's history is not a direct intellect, but its technology, and it is also rare! ...... Reading the book, how yi
——Liang Qichao
The material is extremely rich, and the civilization and political images are integrated, as a narrative, and in line with the historical principle that all the social elephants are all attached and cannot be separated.
- Li Dazhao
After reading it, I felt that he was able to melt the vast amount of old material into his own things, add many new historical materials, and the account was also properly arranged, detailed and accurate, and it was really a good work that had never been seen before!...... This book is better than what everyone has spent many years writing, and it can be regarded as the best work at present!
- Present-day Xilong
Sun Yat-sen, Cai Yuanpei, Liang Qichao, Zhang Boying and others signed it
Mr. Xiao Yishan, a master of modern historiography, single-handedly devoted his life to making a comprehensive and general exposition of the general history of the Qing Dynasty in accordance with the order of the times, taking culture, politics, and livelihood as the guideline.
With detailed materials, a clear outline and a clear organization, it not only understands the rise and fall of the Qing Dynasty's chaos, but also governs the history of the Qing Dynasty.
The author said that "this book refers to no less than six or seven hundred kinds of books", "the history of the Qing Dynasty, that is, the history of China in the Qing Dynasty, not the history of the Qing Dynasty or the history of the Qing Dynasty", which is mainly based on historical narratives, and also contains a certain number of historical legends. The author places culture in an important position, covering many fields such as politics, economy, and society, and academic thought also occupies a considerable space. In addition, this book also has seven tables, reflecting the author's systematic understanding of the history of Qing Dynasty politics, scholarship, and diplomacy.
Xiao Yishan
Let the scholars come before the present and then the ancient
In order to develop the knowledge of its adaptability
Historiography: Enhance civilization and dredge human intelligence
Historian, "Narrative of Cosmic Phenomena Also". If the universe is not extinguished, the phenomena are infinite: if the phenomena are infinite, the historical facts are exhausted. So far, I don't know tens of millions of years, and I don't know how many heavens and earth are in the form of a universe! In our place as a human being, and with a lifespan of one hundred years, compared with the universe, its insignificance is indescribable; therefore, as far as human history is concerned, it is already confined but incomplete; and even more so, in terms of accounting, history is particularly lacking and difficult to prepare. Although, the fall of man's intellect is close to him; the rope is knotted and the discipline is not far enough; the world of flood and grass, the land where people have not yet reached, although there are historical facts, it is difficult to say history. "Liezi Yang Zhu" said: "The things of the ancients are extinguished, and what is the zhizhi?" Chu Ci Tianwen Day: "At the beginning of the ancient world, who preached it?" The upper and lower are not formed, why should they be examined? Su Dongpo's poem said: "There is no biography of the flood, and the imagination is in Liwa." It can also be seen that the historical facts are difficult to verify, and the establishment of historical forms will have its own chronicles.
The historical facts are accurate to the phenomenon, and the history is restored to the chronicle, then the changes in heaven and earth, the source of things, the outline of politics and religion, the trivial talk in the lanes, no matter how big or small, there are chronicles and reveals, they can all be history; the official books, biographies, barnyard histories, and word of mouth are all histories. To those who are exaggerated in their false ornaments, fabricated in vain, sarcastic in their words, or insufficient in sending letters to the leaf, discern and correct them, are also the duties of historians. Since the beginning of the book deeds, as for the writings of today and history, since the official history book, the lower and private zhi multiplied, the sweat and cattle are full, and the whole world cannot lift its profession. The genus of the Chronicle of The Chronicles is detailed in the form of individuals, and neglects to talk about the rule of the masses; the chronicles are convenient for examining the sun and the moon, but it is difficult to find the beginning. In the meantime, although the chronicle is integrated at the end of the book, it is slightly in line with the meaning of new historiography, but its body was created by Yuan Shu, especially for those who read the "General Commentary". Even if the author follows, there can be no deep recognition of the judgment to consider it. Therefore, the historical facts are scattered and slightly unsystematic, which can be historical materials, not enough for historiography.
Historian, "hooks the truth of historical facts, for the systematic and organized study, in order to clarify the traces of its evolution, and to deduce the relationship between its cause and effect." alack! Outsiders have said: "China has no history." "Isn't there really no history?" There is no historiography. The book of B Library, vast as a sea of smoke, class many lay narrative facts, because of the attack of the case. The reader not only expends his brain, but also makes his mind wise and intricate. The lack of progress in Chinese scholarship and the poor historiography have not yet begun! Nowadays, cultural innovation, the decline and decline of national fortunes, and the scholars pay much attention to the philosophy of world change and the practical science of their husbands; in the outline of historiography, they rarely pay attention to it. I don't know how to improve civilization and dredge up people's intelligence, and historiography is more important than other disciplines today.
The history of China is divided into five periods
The significance of historiography is as described above. Whether or not history should be divided (periodized) is also a question that our people should study. The history of the broken dynasty began with Ban Gu, Zheng Qiao's "Tongzhi", zeng li denigrated: it is said that it is ignorant of the meaning of the cause. Historical events have cause and effect, inheriting from beginning to end, and being consistent from generation to generation; if we cannot judge between them, then history should not be divided from one another. Moreover, the image of social evolution is also "gradually and gradually": and the preservation of human habits is also the natural tendency of human nature, and the result is the so-called "continuation of history" in history.
There is no trace of abrupt change in human habits, and there is no reason for sudden change: this phrase has become the most important principle in historiography. Therefore, based on the fact of historical continuity, it is divided into two, and its impropriety is also obvious. Although, every time an event in history has arisen, it is enough to make the contemporary general trend and a new face, the historian has compiled a plan for the sake of it, and specially distinguishes the era accordingly. The distinction between the ages is based on the views of historians, and there are often differences in their observations. But the criteria it takes are nothing more than (i) racial ups and downs, (ii) cultural change, (iii) political revolution, and (iv) economic trends. Jingu takes the first as the criterion, and distinguishes Chinese history into five periods:
I. The Ancient Period The Han Dynasty was born and bred. From taikoo to the Qin unification is also.
Ii. The Middle Ages The Heyday of the Han Nationality. From the unification of Tai yi to the death of Tang, Fan Qian was also one hundred and thirty-seven years.
III. The Late Ancient Period The Mongol Era of Prosperity. Since the five generations as far as the Ming, where seven hundred and thirty-seven years is also.
Iv. The Modern Period The Manchu reign era, that is, the era of The Western Force and the Eastern Gradual. Since the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, it has been about two hundred and seventy years.
V. The Modern Period The era of the unity of the five ethnic groups, that is, the era of east-west integration, has also been since the completion of the Republic of China.
The reason for the change is the meeting to promote exchanges
Scholars want to know the general trend of social change, and the origin of today's events in China? The study of recent history is particularly important. Pulongmen Zuoshi, Luo and Han Wu, ancient history, the first promoter long. Chen Que (栎, Yuan Ren, author of the General Outline of the Dynasties), according to the Concise Catalogue of the Four Libraries. According to the "Outline of the General Catalogue", according to the old title "Augmentation of the General Outline" and the Oak Pak, there is a saying that "although the Jin Shi Ting Fang is outlined", it is suspected that Ting Fang is the name of the original author of the book. However, the Chen family has the merit of expanding, so the "General Catalogue" is also attributed to it by mentioning it. Mr. Hu Shi is said to be a non-oak work, according to the "Chen Wending Collection"), only two Song Dynasties, detailed near and far, for the history of the official office. (Xunzi Non-Phase Chapter" day: "The passer is long and discusses the strategy, the near one discusses the details, the slight ones are large, and the details are small.") Therefore, Liu Zixuan's "Stone Troubles Province" is said to be uneven in history, and it has been discerned for a long time. ）
Historians of the East and the West often have the method of flashbacks, that is, from the order of the recent world to the ancients; although this variation of the historical passage is intended to enable scholars to precede the present and then the ancient, so as to cultivate their knowledge of adaptation. Today's university Isleco also takes the recent world as the beginning of the story, saying that the times are not far away, the relationship is more intimate, the knowledge is within reach, and the loss of salary is easy to do. Language Day: "Knowing the past and not knowing the present, it is called the land sinking." "The events of recent times, don't you want to be wrong? Since the innovation of our country, we have not tasted to be equal in one day, pushing the source and pursuing the roots, who is the strongest step? Yinghuan Chase, the eyes are clustered in Huaxia, Yuyu Aotu, why slaughter? This has to be sought in the history of the recent world. Since the Qing Dynasty started its own business, it has lasted about three hundred years, and although the history is necessary, there is no book to rely on; if it is not an official's extravagant remarks, it is suspected of word of mouth. Borrowing funds to examine the mirror, rather than the history of faith? Moreover, historiography should pay attention to the true meaning of social phenomena and the cause of change; the integration of Eastern and Western cultures, so as to promote exchanges. On the various ends, this "History of the Qing Dynasty" did the same.
【The above content is excerpted from the introduction to the General History of the Qing Dynasty】