In 2023, I read a dozen new books, and four of them impressed me deeply.
The first book is "Recent People and Recent Events" (Nanjing University Press, August 2023) by Chen Xiaoping, a scholar born in the 1960s. When I met Chen Jun, he was still running a used bookstore. Later, he closed the bookstore and devoted himself to learning. "The Paper·Private History" became his new business place, and "folk scholar" became his new label. At a time when the monopoly of academic resources is still serious, it goes without saying that it is difficult to insist on doing academic research that is interesting and valuable to you. However, these are just my feelings. Chen Jun's book does not use tragedy at all, but relies on strength to conquer those arrogant people.
Most of the cases explored by Chen Zhu were about Cantonese people and Cantonese affairs, which made me, a new Cantonese, read with gusto. For example, who is the biological father of national hero Deng Shichang? What is the historical connection between the "self-grooming women" in the Pearl River Delta and the earliest feminists in modern times? Is there really a "Guangdong-Shanghai newcomer network" in Shanghai after the opening of the port? Why did Sun Yat-sen and Soong Ching Ling use English in their daily conversations? Does Deng Keng’s assassination have anything to do with Chen Jiongming? Is the Ding Long commemorated in the "Ding Long Lecture" a Shandong or Cantonese? Where is the original location of the "Institute of History and Language"? Among them, the article "Record of the Discovery of the Original Site of the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica" is particularly important. While this article faithfully records the entire ten-year exploration process of Chen Jun and his colleagues, it also provides useful enlightenment for today's historians: they must not only boldly question, but also carefully verify; they must not only bury their heads in the study, but also go to the fields. ; Able to both explore the site and recreate the old appearance; to dig through piles of old papers and use the Internet; to be good at both working alone and working together as a team. On March 14, 2019, "Southern Weekend" published this article, which attracted much attention; on April 18, 2022, the Guangdong Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology received approval from the State Administration of Cultural Heritage to officially launch the restoration and protection project of Cypress Garden. The first and second floors of the West Building of Cypress Garden were upgraded to provincial-level cultural relics protection units; on October 22 of the same year, on the anniversary of the founding of the Institute of History and Language, Dongshan Cypress Garden was officially opened to the public. If this is the merit, what else can I ask for?
The second book is "Lotus Root Fragrance Lingshi" by Zhang Xudong, a scholar born in the 1970s (Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House, March 2023). This book depicts a group of intellectuals during the transition from the Ming to the Qing dynasties and the Qing Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. However, the one who gets the most mentions is obviously "Mr. Yining" Chen Yinke. Therefore, it might not be unreasonable to regard it as a special book on Chen Yinke - —And it’s a masterpiece that takes another step towards Chen Yinke.
"Lotus Root Fragrance" is a collection of more than thirty published articles, including "Qian Zeng and Yan Xiong - Supplementary Commentary on the Difficult Chapter of the Qian Family in "Liu Rushi's Biography", "Chen Yinke's Preface for Others", "Chen Yinke and Fu Sinian - "Also relying on each other and also facing difficulties" is the most suitable for me. The article at the top of the list can not only highlight the new value of new materials, but also activate the new functions of old materials. It can be called "a book that uses Yining's method to supplement Yining." Not only that, Zhang Xudong, who was "obsessed with Mr. Yi Ning's writing", improved Chen's writing style, making this imitation work dense but not branchy, and the words tame and elegant without being censorious. Therefore, it is easier to read than "Liu Rushi's Biography". Better to understand. Chen Yinke wrote a total of 14 prefaces for others. Xudong may not be the first scholar to pay attention to these prefaces, but he is able to combine the 14 prefaces into one, summing up their general meaning, and collectively calling them "prefaces outside the book", which is enough to put him at a higher level. The name "Preface to the outside of the book" should be Xudong's first. "Chen Yinke and Fu Sinian - Both Dependent and Difficult" is written objectively and fairly. I always think it is the best text to analyze the history of the relationship between Fu and Chen.
The third book is "The Change of Jiang Governor and the Politics of the Late Qing Dynasty" (Peking University Press, August 2023) by Han Ce, a post-80s scholar. Han Ce is an authentic post-80s generation. He looks a bit mature and is very experienced in learning. I have met him three times so far, and I found that the old, middle-aged and young people in the academic field like him. What is said on the Internet is true. Looking at his resume, it is clear that he is a graduate of Peking University's Department of History, where he studied for a master's degree and a Ph.D., then entered the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences for postdoctoral research in modern history, and then returned to the Department of History of Peking University, where he is now an assistant professor."The Changing of Jiang Governors and the Politics of the Late Qing Dynasty" was born out of a postdoctoral report. The relevant papers include at least "The End of the "Hunan River Governor Pattern" in the Qing Dynasty and the Formation of "Beiyang to Nanyang", "The Jiang Governor Controversy in the Qing Dynasty and Ding Wei" A New Explanation of Political Trends" "How was the Southeast Mutual Protection Pattern cracked? ——A manifestation of the transformation of the relationship between the North and the South during the Guangxuan period", "The formation of the "Hunan people and Jiangdu pattern" and the politics of the late Qing Dynasty", "Beiyang and Nanyang are connected by a thread: the political struggle between the Zhigover and Jiangdu after the Sino-Japanese War" and many other articles, research The number of steps and the presentation of results are also properly maintained and on the right track. It is no exaggeration to say that Han Ce's new book and his previous book "Imperial Examination Reform and the Last Jinshi" (Social Science Literature Press, 2017) are enough to make us respect the history department of Peking University and have high expectations for the scholars born in the 1980s. .
The history of the change of governors in Liangjiang in the late Qing Dynasty has always been intertwined with the power struggles between Manchu and Han, the central and local governments, the south and the north, the Hunan Army Group and the Huai Army Group, and the factions within the Hunan Army Group, as well as the Qing government's control of imperial examinations and military merit. , internal and external worries, foreign affairs and domestic affairs priorities and considerations and choices. "The Change of Jiang Governor and Late Qing Politics" focuses on the change of Jiang Governor and the transfer of power in the southeast, providing readers with a new key to the political history of the late Qing Dynasty that is different from previous research. Han Ce proposed three concepts in the book - "Hunan people and Jiangdu pattern", "Beiyang going to Nanyang" and "centered Tongzhi", and made a systematic investigation and discussion around them, which not only corrected some previous specious understandings , and gave a groundbreaking new explanation.
These three concepts pioneered by Han Ce may be changed into three practical problems to attract the interest of ordinary readers. Question 1: Why is it so difficult for Zeng Guofan, the commander-in-chief of the Hunan Army and a famous minister of ZTE, to serve as the governor of Liangjiang? Question 2: Liangjiang governs the three provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui and Jiangxi. How could Zhou Fu, a native of Anhui and from Beiyang, be able to successfully act as governor of Jiangsu (for nearly two years) without having to avoid it? Question 3: In the face of major changes unseen in three thousand years, what checks and balances did the highest levels of the Qing court have to adopt among the various forces in order to achieve "Government with Xiangzhi"?
The fourth book is "Happiness and Fury: A Biography of Beyond" by post-90s scholar Zuo Anjun (Nanjing University Press, December 2023). 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of the beyond band, and is also an important year for the 30th anniversary of the death of beyond’s soul figure Huang Jiaju. As the first complete biography of the band beyond, "Joy and Fury: The Biography of Beyond" comprehensively, systematically and objectively presents the tortuous history of beyond from its founding to its popularity to its disbandment. It especially explores Huang Jiaju's growth history, creative history and thoughts. texture.
"Joy and Fury: Beyond" is probably the most different book I have read in 2023. First, the authorship is different. beyond is famous for its original creations and singing of Cantonese songs, but the author of beyond is a young man from Guizhou who cannot speak Cantonese. Secondly, the references are different. In addition to "books", "journals" and "newspapers", there are also new types of documents such as "online articles", "loose pages", "TV/radio/audio", "exhibitions", "albums", and "singles". Again, the creative methods are different. During the nine-year creation period, the author interviewed many participants and witnesses of beyond's history through interviews, remote videos, real-time voice calls, written conversations, etc., and unearthed a large amount of first-hand information. Finally, the styles of the works are different. Zuo Anjun is a young poet, but the overall style of this book is very plain, with little personalized judgment, less lyricism and description.
In the "Postscript", Zuo Anjun said, "This biography has a somewhat critical tone from conception to writing. However, it needs to be pointed out that the position of this book from beginning to end is biographical literature, not an academic work. . The article annotates erroneous historical facts, controversial statements and important viewpoints for readers to make their own judgments." In addition to being self-effacing, one can still hear some uncertainty and lack of confidence. In comparison, I think Chen Zhuo (the planning editor and editor-in-charge of the book) may be more accurate and confident in positioning the book as "beyond full biography/true biography". In the e-era, it is an inevitable trend to have alternative research objects, alternative document carriers, alternative research methods, alternative results forms, and alternative communication channels.Today, when authoritative journals have to accept online literature, instead of debating whether Beyond is an academic work, it is better to ask whether we are really ready for a full-scale battle.
(The author is a professor at the Party School of Guangdong Provincial Committee)
Zhang Qiuhui
Editor-in-chief Liu Xiaolei
