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In the 1950s, faculty members of History Department of Northeast Normal University began their studies on theory of history, and published some influential articles. These articles were, however, basically confined to some specific historical issues; which actually belonged to historical theory in broad terms. After the entrance examination for institutions of higher learning in late 1977, History Department increased its efforts to open courses in historiography early in the 1980s. Professor Gao Zhenduo and later Profesor Song Yanshen taught Chinese Historiography, Professor Lu Wenzhong taught Western Historiography, Professor Chen Guangqian taught An Introduction of History. All these courses formed a basic curriculum in terms of Historiography.
Theory of History and Historiography, as a major, is composed of two aspects: Theory of History and Historiography. Concretely, the definition of Theory of History refers to our understanding towards History and historical studies, which should include Intellectual Historical, Historical Philosophy, Theory of Historical Methods, and An Introduction of History. However, Historiography consists of Chinese Historiography and Western Historiography. In the aspect of Theory of History, the School of History and Culture in Northeast Normal University lays special emphasis on the research of historical theory of knowledge and methodology. Mr. Chen Guangqian and Mr. Zhao Yifeng have made great contributions in two aspects.
In a broad sense, Western Historiography refers to the beginning and development of western historiography, which includes Historical Philosophy, History of historical writing, Study of Historical Documents and Historical Methodology.
In a narrow sense, Western Historiography mainly refers to the history of Western historical works. In the aspect of Western Historiography, the Institute for Theory of History in Northeast Normal University devotes itself to the study and arrangement of the ideas about Western Historiography. Zhou Gonggu, Wang Shaoli and Xie Jindong (doctoral candidates for Theory of History) are all making great efforts to work hard in the field.
As a branch of Historiography, Chinese Historiography contains scientific characters of reflecting and summarizing the emergence and development of works in Chinese Historiography, which is beneficial to inheriting the cultural heritage of Chinese Historiography, to the development of modern Chinese Historiography, to intensifying consciousness and academic initiatives, and to reducing the blindness of studying history. At the moment, Dong Tiesong and Wu Shaomin, who are faculty members of the Institute for Theory of History, are devoting themselves to the teaching and studying of Chinese Historiography. |