Reasons for the Development of Historiography in Tang Dynasty

Since the emergence of modern historiography in China, the study of Tang Shi has been favored by many historians. Historian Chen, one of the former four tutors of Tsinghua Research Institute, has only one book which is similar to dynastic history in macro-level, that is, Notes on the Political History of the Tang Dynasty. During the more than 30 years from the founding of 1949 People's Republic of China (PRC) to the early 1980s, Tang Shi (or History of Sui and Tang Dynasties) probably published the most monographs on dynastic history. This reflects the importance attached to the study of Tang Shi in the study of China's ancient history.

Why does the Tang Shi Research Association receive so much attention? The first is the attraction of the history of the Tang Dynasty itself to scholars. Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, the Tang Dynasty was basically in the middle of ancient China society. The ancient society reached its peak in the Tang Dynasty. No one has the confidence and courage of the Tang people. Studying Tang Shi can improve the self-confidence of our nation. This will naturally arouse an impulse of historians in the period of poverty and weakness to explore "the glory of the past" and sum up historical experiences and lessons. The Tang Dynasty was in the position of connecting the past with the future in the overall development of ancient China society. In the Tang Dynasty, the system, thought and culture gradually formed since the Southern and Northern Dynasties began to decline while becoming perfect and mature. New systems, new ideas and new cultures germinate and grow in the process of change. These new factors roughly determine the future trend of ancient China society. The Tang Dynasty is such an era, which changed slowly and obviously without being oppressed by external forces, and it was a turning point from its heyday. It is not difficult to imagine that the interweaving of the old and the new in the Tang Dynasty and the rich and colorful society attracted historians who were also in the period of change and aimed at exploring the general trend of historical development, that is, "connecting the preceding with the following".

Another reason for attracting historians is that the rise of modern historiography at the beginning of the last century coincided with the discovery of tens of thousands of documents of the Tang and Five Dynasties in Dunhuang Tibetan Classics Cave. There are many archives of the Tang government in these documents, including imperial edicts, decrees, household registration, and social practical documents such as contracts, marriage documents, books and documents. 74 years ago, Mr. Chen Yinque said that "Dunhuang scholars are also a new academic trend in the world today", and he made full use of Dunhuang materials to study Tang Shi, such as the change of Xuanwu Gate and the relationship between Wu Zetian and Buddhism. The discovery of Dunhuang documents provides a batch of extremely precious original materials for further study of the history of the Tang Dynasty.

Another indirect reason is the popularization of Japanese scholars' research results. Because ancient Japan completely copied many systems of the Tang Dynasty during the critical period of the formation and development of the national system, the history of the Tang Dynasty has always attracted Japanese scholars who studied the history of China and even the ancient history of Japan. Among the Japanese scholars who study the history of the Tang Dynasty, many are first-class scholars. The study of Tang Shi is also the highest-level and most fruitful field in Japanese China historiography, and many achievements are ahead of contemporary scholars in China. This not only stimulated the scholars in China, but also indirectly promoted the development of Tang Shi studies in China. Academic Advantages and Characteristics of Tang Shi Studies

In the 1960s, the Institute of History gathered a group of children of famous teachers during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, which flourished after being supplemented with fresh strength in the 1980s, and gradually took the lead in Tang Shi studies at home and abroad in the 1990s. Scientific research achievements published since 1990s include: Draft Financial History of Tang Dynasty, Draft Institutional History of Tang Dynasty, Research on Food, Clothing, Housing and Transportation of Tang Dynasty, Social Life History of Sui and Tang Dynasties, General History of China Customs, Volume of Sui and Tang Dynasties, Culture of Tang Dynasty (co-authored), History of Sui and Tang Dynasties, Examination of Sui and Tang Dynasties, etc. The academic advantage of the discipline of Tang history in the Institute of History lies in the gathering of a group of young and promising researchers with a wide range of research fields. All political history (institutional history), economic history (financial history), military history, national history, social life history, historiography history, religious history, historical geography, ancient book arrangement, etc. , have learned, especially financial history, social life history, etiquette history and so on. In addition, most Tang Shi researchers in the laboratory are also responsible for Dunhuang studies. They not only made full use of Dunhuang materials to study Tang Shi, but also used Tang Shi's knowledge to study Dunhuang documents, especially in finance, calligraphy, Buddhist documents and divination. "Dunhuang Research Center" belongs to the Sui and Tang Dynasties Room of the Institute of History, and it is also the recognition and support for the research characteristics of Tang Shi in the Institute of History. Problems that must be faced in expanding the study of Tang Shi

Over the years, many scholars and even well-known scholars have studied the history of the Tang Dynasty. How to expand this research in the future is a problem that every researcher in Tang Shi Room must face. We believe that the future study of Tang Shi can start from the following aspects.

First, influenced by the ideas and concepts of his time, historians of different times have different interpretations of historical facts. In a sense, "any history is contemporary history". Why did the society in the Tang Dynasty flourish and why did it turn? In what fields do the new changes appear? What is their progress? What are their successes or failures? We need to do more detailed research from a new angle and in a new way. Historical books that record the history of the Tang Dynasty are like classics. Reading and interpreting them with new thinking will lead to new conclusions.

Second, with the rise of new historiography, especially the study of social history, the research field of Tang Shi is constantly expanding, and regional political and economic research and social life customs research will not only occupy an increasingly important position, but also gradually get rid of simple descriptive and trivial research. The political culture of Tang Dynasty is characterized by "law" and "ceremony". In the past, there was more research on the former than on the latter, so the study of etiquette culture in Tang Dynasty is a key point in the future.

Third, the discovery and utilization of new materials will always be one of the driving forces for the development of historiography. With tens of thousands of Dunhuang and Turpan documents and more than 6,000 Tang Dynasty epitaphs coming to an end, we have more information than ever before. By making full use of these data, we can engage in more research and supplement and deepen previous research.

Fourthly, the development of computer technology provides unprecedented convenience for historical research, which makes the quantification of research process and results simple. After statistics, some facts that have not been noticed in the past will gradually surface. For example, some researchers found that the policy of cracking down on the "Haozu" was basically not implemented in the Tang Dynasty by counting the imperial edicts issued by the Tang government. This is obviously different from the Southern and Northern Dynasties. So does the "Haozu" in the Tang Dynasty still exist? If it exists, why not get hit? If it doesn't exist, where is the "Haozu" in the past? Making full use of computer technology can prompt us to consider and study more such new problems.

Fifth, take the late Tang Dynasty as the focus of future research. Because the materials in the early Tang Dynasty are relatively few, complete and easy to master, scholars have done more research on the early Tang Dynasty. But in fact, the late Tang Dynasty was a more colorful and varied era in the history of the Tang Dynasty. All kinds of fresh factors in the late Tang Dynasty directly opened the great end of social history after the Song Dynasty. Therefore, studying the history of the late Tang Dynasty, especially the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, is the best research practice in studying the period of social change and social transformation. Only by fully studying the heyday and turning point of the late Tang Dynasty in the whole history of the Tang Dynasty can we say that the history of the development and transformation of ancient China society from the early stage to the late stage will be more clearly presented to us. This can also play a certain reference role in understanding the transition and transformation of today's society.