Zhou History Unearthed: The Bamboo Manuscript Xinian and Early Chinese Historiography, by Yuri Pines

T oung Pao ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 107 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 205-211
Author(s):  
Edward L. Shaughnessy
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Historiography

Archaeology and Chinese historiography

1981 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. C. Chang
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Historiography

Reflections on Chinese Historical Thinking

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying-shih Yü
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Method ◽  
First Generation ◽  
18Th Century ◽  
Human Agency ◽  
Historical Thinking ◽  
Ancient Greek ◽  
Historical Scholarship ◽  
Western Influence ◽  
Greek Historiography ◽  
Chinese Historiography

Of this series of reflections, one of the most important is that the first generation of Chinese historians who were exposed to Western influence only in a limited way produced historical scholarship far superior to that of the later generations who applied the so-called scientific method. Comparing Chinese historiography to Western theories since the 18th century, China seems backward, but compared to ancient Greek historiography as far as underlying assumptions, principles, and methods are concerned, there appear to be as many similarities as differences. The essay argues that fundamental to Chinese historical thought is the centrality of human agency in the making of history, and that Chinese historiography was also very much concerned about the Rankean notion of “What had actually happened?”

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