Liang Qichao's four shortcomings of ancient historiography

Liang Qichao summarized the shortcomings of traditional historiography as "four evils and two diseases", and said that this "four evils and two diseases" and produce "three evils". Chinese traditional historiography "four ills and two diseases": 1, know that there is a court but do not know the country; 2, know that there is an individual but do not know the group; 3, know that there is a history but do not know the present affairs; 4, know that there are facts but do not know the ideals; 5, can be narrative and can not be customized; 6, can be inherited and can not be created.

The four evils are: "First, know that there is a court but do not know that there is a country. Our party often say, twenty-four history is not history, twenty-four surnames of the family tree only." "The second is to know that there are individuals and do not know that there are groups. ...... China's history,...... quality, the countless epitaphs and into the ear. The history of the precious, the precious can narrate a group of people involved in the competition and unity of the way, can describe a group of people so recuperating the evolution of the same body of the situation, so that the readers love their group, the good of their group of heart, oil born. Today's historians more than carp, but not heard of a person's vision can see and this person." "The third said that know there is a trace of the past and do not know there is today's business. ...... said: know the ancient and do not know today, called the land sinking. The land sinking my national crime, historians really corpse carry on." "Four said that know there are facts but do not know there are ideals. ...... spirit of history why? Said the ideal is already. ...... now China's history, is dull said: a day with a thing, a day with a thing. ...... is China's history, not beneficial to the people's intelligence, but the consumption of the people's intelligence of the device also ". "Two diseases" as: "First, the narrative can be spread and can not be customized. ...... often have to read a volume, but not a word with the value of the brain." "Secondly, can be plagiarized but can not be created. ...... China for thousands of years, but only political history, and the other heard nothing." "Combined these six evils, the evils of their readers, there are three ends: First, it is difficult to read. ...... second is difficult to choose. ...... third is that there is no feeling."

Liang Qichao also Yun: "Whoops, the history of the revolution can not afford, then our country is not saved. All things, but this is the big one."

Liang Qichao counted the traditional historiography is not, centered on the so-called "four ills and two diseases" said. Among them, "knowing that there is an imperial court but not knowing that there is a country" is the first and most serious sin that he put on traditional historiography. For Liang Qichao, today's academic evaluation of this statement is still the highest. Liang Qichao said: "Our party often say, twenty-four history is not history, twenty-four family tree only. His words seem to be a little too much, but according to the spirit of the historians, the actual solid is not false. Historians in our country think that the world is the world of the monarch. Therefore, their history is also, but the narrative of a certain dynasty to what and get, to what and rule, to what and lost only, give up this is not heard. In the past, it was said that Zuo Zhuan was a book of destruction. Not only "Zuo Zhuan", if the twenty-four histories, really can be said to be unprecedented on the earth, one of the great phase hacking book also. ...... cover has never been a history maker, all for the court on the king if the ministers and made, there has not been a book for the national and the author. The great thing is that I don't know the difference between the court and the country, and I think that there is no country outside the court."