CHINESE HISTORIOGRAPHY V.Lalremruati Roll No-555

Chinese historiography refers to the study of methods and assumptions made in studying Chinese history dates back to the Shang Dynasty.

The first systematic Chinese historical text, the Records of the Grand Historian, was written by Sima Qian and his father. The book covers the period from the time of the Yellow Emperor until the author’s own life. Due to his highly praised and highly copied work, Sima Qian is often regarded as ‘the father of Chinese historiography’. The Shitong was the first Chinese work about Chinese historiography. It was compiled by Liu Zhiji between 708 and 710 CE. The book describes the general pattern of the official dynasty histories.

The nature of historical works also represents wide ranging interests. Many works have been written by the Chinese on different aspects of government machinery, monasteries etc.

Li-chi, the Book of Rites: In this book, the historians’ views of the past are expressed in the most exalted terms. It contains many essays. This work was compiled during the Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD). The ideal of a social order wherein lived in “Grand City” is described in many lucid passages.

During the Han Dynasty cyclical pattern was accepted by the Chinese historians. It means the cyclical sequence of events discussed by those historians was explained in this book. This cyclical pattern repeated itself through several centuries. This was the view of ancient Chinese historians.

Ssu-ma-Chien: In the reign of Wu-ti, Ssu-ma-Chien the greatest among Chinese historians wrote his great history called the ‘Shih-Chi’ which means ‘historical records’.

Ssu-ma-Chien was born in 145 BC. His father was a Court Astrologer. When Chien was very young, he memorized the text of antiquity and he used these as his source material. He travelled extensively. He may be called the ‘Father of History in Oriental lands’. After the death of his father Chien became the Court Astrologer. He brought about the reform of the Calendar.

The Shih-Chi covers the history of China from the beginning of Ssu-ma-Chien’s own day. It includes not only significant political events but gives the biographies of important persons; chronological tables of battles, economic data, the calendar and so forth. It was written at the close of the 2^nd and the beginning of the first century BC.

The Tso-Chuan: It is another kind of history. It is in the form of a chronicle and events are listed year by year. The most reputed among such chronicle was the ‘Tyu-Chih-tung-chien’ by Ssu-ma-kuang (1019-1089). This chronicle covered the history of Chinese development from late in the Chou to beginning of the Sung periods. It covered the period from the 5^th Century BC to the close of the five dynasties. Ssu-ma-kuang was a Politician. He wrote his history when he was in power.

Tung-chien-Chishipenna: Yuan-chu prepared a history called ‘Tung-chien’chishipenna’ which means ‘root causes and effects of affairs recorded in the universal mirror’.

There are many special histories on different aspects of Chinese life. The Chinese have produced a large volume of local histories and gazetteers. They are very descriptive in nature. In china, there are 5000 gazetteers we get a lot of information about the governmental machinery also. We also get some information about the civil services of china. China has a large volume of inscriptions. These have been compiled and studied. Treatises have been written on them by the Chinese themselves.

The modern historical tradition of china is influenced by communist ideology. In this way the Chinese have done a wonderful thing in the study of historiography.

Reference: 

Historiography by N.Jayapalan

Chinese historiography in a kawh ber chu China ho sulhnu ziahna te zirna a ni a. Chinese history hi Shang Dynasty atang tawh a vawn leh chhinchhiah a ni.

Chinese ho historical text mumal taka neih hmasak ber chu ‘The Records of the Grand Historian’ tih niin Sima Qian leh  a pa ziah a ni a. He lehkhabu hian Yellow Emperor hunlai atanga a ziaktu hunlai thleng a huam a. He lehkhabu hian mite fak leh mi te ngaih hlut a hlawh em avangin, he lehkhabu ziaktu, Sima Qian-a chu ‘Father of Chinese Historiography’ tih hiala chhal a lo ni ta a. ‘The Shitong’ tih hi Chinese ten an mahni historiography an neih hmasak ber a ni a, Liu Zhiji in kum 708 leh kum 710 CE inkar vela a thuziak lawrkhawm a ni a. He lehkhabu ah hian china lal ram kim tak a ziah a ni.

He an hnam ziarang an ziahna kalhmang hian mi tam tak a ti phur a. An hnam zia rang tam zawk hi chu anmahni Chinese ho ziah nin, an sawrkar inrelbawl dan leh an puithiam awm khawmna hmun te an ziak ber.

Li-chi, The book of Rites: He lehkhabu ah hian, hun kal tawh historian ten an hmuh dan chu a chawisang hle a, essay tam tak a tel bawk a ni. He lehkhabu hi Hans dynasty hunlai vel a lawrkhawm a ni a, (202 BC – 220 AD). He tih hunlai a khawtlang mite duhthusam chu tlar tinah hian ziah a ni.

Han dynasty hunlai hian a ngai ang bawka hun lo in her leh chu Chinese historian te ho pawm dan a ni a. He lehkhabu ah pawh hian chutiang ang ziah chu  a ni. Hei hi ancient Chinese historian te thlir dan a ni.

Ssu-ma-chien: Wu-ti hunlai a Chinese historian ropui ber a chhal Ssu-ma-chien chuan ‘Shih-chi’ tih lehkha bu a ziak a, a awmzia chu an hun kal tawh te chhinchhiahna tihna a ni.

Ssu-ma-chien hi kum 145 BC ah a piang a,  a pa chu arsi lam aienthiam a ni a. Chien-a hian a naupan tet atangin hmasang thil te hi a vawng in zir nuam a ti em em a, chu chuan a thuziah na ah kawng tam takin a pui a ni. Tin, a thuziakna tur hian ram tam tak fangin a zinkual nasa em em bawk a ni. Tin, Chien-a hi ‘Father of History in Oriental Lands’ tih a chhal a ni bawk a ni. A pa thih  hnu ah a pa hna arsi lam zirna chu chhunzawmin hunbi chhiarna (Calendar) pawh a ti hmasawn bawk a ni.

Shi-chi lehkhabu hian china history a ziak kimchang hle a. He lehkhabu ah hian an ram politics ringawt in ziak lovin mi ropui tak tak te chanchin pawh ziah a ni a, indo hunlai te, an ram hausakna te leh thil dang tangkai tak tak te ziah tel a ni. He lehkhabu hi kum zabi 2 tir lam atanga kum zabi 3 tawp lam thlenga ziah a ni.

The Tso-chuan : He lehkhabu pawh hi hun kal tawh ziahna tho a ni a. He lehkhabu ah hian fel fai taka kum indawt dana ziah a ni a. Heng zinga hmingthang/ hmingtha  ber chu ‘Tyu-Chih-tung-chien’ niin Ssu-ma-Kuang ziah a ni (1019-1086). Hetah hian china ram hmasawnna Chou atanga Sung hunlai thlenga tarlan a ni. Chumi awmzia chu kum zabi 5-na atanga a hnu lal ram panga thleng  a huam a. Ssu-ma-kuang a hi politician a ni a. Ama thu a a lehkhabu te hi a ziah a ni.

Tung-chien-chishipenna: He lehkhabu hi Yuan-Chu a ziah a ni. A awmzia chu ‘a chhan bul leh an inpawhtawnna chhinchhiahna’ tihna a ni.

China ho nunah hian hun kal tawh leh chhinchhiah tlak tak tak an ngah ve em em a, a bu pawn tam tak an chhuah tawh a ni. China ah chuan ram chanchin chuanna bu 5000 lai an awm a. Hetah hian sawrkar inrelbawlna leh sawrkar hnathawk te chanchin a inziak bawk a. Heng ho hi china-mi ho ziah a ni.

China history te hi Communist ngaihtuahna hmang veka ziah a ni a. Hetiang atang hian china ho chuan an hnam sulhnu ropui takin an ziak thei a ni.

Reference: 

Historiography by N.Jayapalan