古今之争中的史学家自我救赎——从黄仁宇命运谈起

作为史学家,黄仁宇身份复杂、经历坎坷、思想富有原创性.他的历史著述中充满“申辩”意识,这不仅可以视为是为其本人的生存与荣耀,而且可以看做是为古老中华文明的生存与荣誉申辩.然而他的思与行又充满悖论:一方面深切感受到欧美的强大,大声疾呼中国实现现代化,另一方面却经常与“现代理性文化”格格不入.从黄仁宇这样的典例出发,有助于探讨现代华人史学家在“古与今”和“中与西”的张力之间的紧张思考与探索.

The Self-Salvation of Historians in the Tension Between the Ancient and the Modern:To Begin with the Fate of Ray Huang

As a historian,Ray Huang’s life and identity is complex,and his thinking is original.There is a strong sense of "apology" in his historiography,which is not only for his life and honor,but also for the existence and honor of Chinese civilization.However,there is a paradox in his thinking and behaviors.On the one hand,he was impressed by the prosperity and power of the West so that he has been calling for modernization all his life.On the other hand,his mind is in constant conflicts with "modern rational culture".This example is helpful to explore Chinese historians’ thinking in the tension between "ancient and modern" as well as "China and the West".