China Social Science Review

No.4, 2024

 

 

Zhang Shuyi

 

The views on the historical sources of ancient Chinese history presented in The Cambridge History of Ancient China have sparked debates among both Chinese and Western scholars. On the surface, the debate concerns disagreements over the ability of ancient historical sources to validate history; at a deeper level, it addresses the question of whether the traditional Chinese ancient historical system should be recognized or not. The theoretical level encompasses how to approach the investigation of historical materials, the investigation methods used, and the definition of “ancient China,” among other issues. These differences can be resolved through the theoretical path of proof and interpretation. On the cultural level, it is necessary to identify and critique certain narrow ideologies within the Western-centered Sinology community in Europe and the United States, the biases in academic research they produce, and objectively and rationally assess the conclusions of Western research.