Building Modern National Identity:The Realistic Purpose of Liang Qichao's Idea of"New Historiography"in the Late Qing Dynasty and the Early Republic of China
Liang Qichao's critical reconstruction of traditional historiography aims to build modern nation-al identity.The key to build modern national identity is to shape the sense of responsibility and rational con-sciousness of the people at the same time.Because this purpose could not be achieved by traditional historiog-raphy which maintains autocracy,Liang Qichao hoped to reconstruct the category of historiography at the onto-logical level:"New Historiography"focuses on"groups"rather than individuals;"New Historiography"views history and reconstructs China's past from the perspective of evolution;"New Historiography"seeks the universally acknowledged truth from group evolution,closely connects the understanding of the past with the transformation of reality,and enhances people's confidence in building a powerful modern country;"New His-toriography"distinguishes the true from the false with the rational spirit and liberates historiography from the autocratic monarchy.The construction of modern national identity is not only the realistic purpose of"New His-toriography",but also the key to understand Liang Qichao's thought.
"New Historiography"modern national identityLiang Qichaogrouprationality
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