Yigupai
Encyclopedia
The Yigupai refers to a group of scholars and writers who show doubts and uncertainty of antiquity in the Chinese academia
starting during the New Culture Movement
, (mid 1910s and 1920s). Most of their criticism concerns the authenticity of pre-Qin texts and deals with questions put forward by the past dynastic writers, as well as other subjects. Hu Shi (1891–1962) initiated the critical movement, with his pupil Gu Jiegang
and his friend Qian Xuantong
continuing this school of thought. Their writings also had influence on many western sinologists including Bernhard Karlgren
and Samuel Griffith
.
In a more specific way, DA School was represented by Gushibian 古史辨 (Discriminations on Ancient History) - the scholary movement led by Gu Jiegang, centered around the magazine of the same name. Seven issues of the magazine, 1926-1941, contain about 350 essays.
wrote in 1954 that many scholars doubted that Sima Qian
's Records of the Grand Historian
had contained accurate information about such distant history, including the thirty kings of the Shang Dynasty
(c. 1600–c. 1050 BC). Many scholars argued that Sima couldn't possibly have had access to written materials which detailed history a millennium before his age. However, the discovery of oracle bones at an excavation of the Shang Dynasty capital at Anyang
(Yinxu
) matched twenty-three of the thirty Shang kings that Sima listed. Needham writes that this remarkable archaeological find proves that Sima Qian "did have fairly reliable materials at his disposal—a fact which underlines once more the deep historical-mindedness of the Chinese."
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
starting during the New Culture Movement
New Culture Movement
The New Culture Movement of the mid 1910s and 1920s sprang from the disillusionment with traditional Chinese culture following the failure of the Chinese Republic, founded in 1912 to address China’s problems. Scholars like Chen Duxiu, Cai Yuanpei, Li Dazhao, Lu Xun, Zhou Zuoren, and Hu Shi, had...
, (mid 1910s and 1920s). Most of their criticism concerns the authenticity of pre-Qin texts and deals with questions put forward by the past dynastic writers, as well as other subjects. Hu Shi (1891–1962) initiated the critical movement, with his pupil Gu Jiegang
Gu Jiegang
Gu Jiegang was a Chinese historian who is known best for his seven volume work Gushi Bian . He was a leading force in the Doubting Antiquity school.-Biography:...
and his friend Qian Xuantong
Qian Xuantong
Qian Xuantong was a Chinese linguist.-Biography:Born in Huzhou, Zhejiang, Qian was named 錢夏錢夏 at birth, and was given the courtesy name Deqian trained in traditional Chinese philology. After receiving his university education in Japan, Qian held a number of teaching positions in mainland China...
continuing this school of thought. Their writings also had influence on many western sinologists including Bernhard Karlgren
Bernhard Karlgren
Klas Bernhard Johannes Karlgren was a Swedish sinologist and linguist who pioneered the study of Chinese historical phonology using modern comparative methods...
and Samuel Griffith
Samuel B. Griffith
-Web:...
.
In a more specific way, DA School was represented by Gushibian 古史辨 (Discriminations on Ancient History) - the scholary movement led by Gu Jiegang, centered around the magazine of the same name. Seven issues of the magazine, 1926-1941, contain about 350 essays.
Reliability of the Old Texts
Joseph NeedhamJoseph Needham
Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham, CH, FRS, FBA , also known as Li Yuese , was a British scientist, historian and sinologist known for his scientific research and writing on the history of Chinese science. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1941, and as a fellow of the British...
wrote in 1954 that many scholars doubted that Sima Qian
Sima Qian
Sima Qian was a Prefect of the Grand Scribes of the Han Dynasty. He is regarded as the father of Chinese historiography for his highly praised work, Records of the Grand Historian , a "Jizhuanti"-style general history of China, covering more than two thousand years from the Yellow Emperor to...
's Records of the Grand Historian
Records of the Grand Historian
The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English by the Chinese name Shiji , written from 109 BC to 91 BC, was the Magnum opus of Sima Qian, in which he recounted Chinese history from the time of the Yellow Emperor until his own time...
had contained accurate information about such distant history, including the thirty kings of the Shang Dynasty
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
(c. 1600–c. 1050 BC). Many scholars argued that Sima couldn't possibly have had access to written materials which detailed history a millennium before his age. However, the discovery of oracle bones at an excavation of the Shang Dynasty capital at Anyang
Anyang
Anyang is a prefecture-level city in Henan province, People's Republic of China. The northernmost city in Henan, Anyang borders Puyang to the east, Hebi and Xinxiang to the south, and the provinces of Shanxi and Hebei to its west and north respectively....
(Yinxu
Yinxu
Yinxu is the ruins of the last capital of China's Shang Dynasty. The capital served 255 years for 12 kings in 8 generations.Rediscovered in 1899, it is one of the oldest and largest archeological sites in China and is one of the historical capitals of China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
) matched twenty-three of the thirty Shang kings that Sima listed. Needham writes that this remarkable archaeological find proves that Sima Qian "did have fairly reliable materials at his disposal—a fact which underlines once more the deep historical-mindedness of the Chinese."
Prominent figures
- Hu Shi (胡適)
- Gu JiegangGu JiegangGu Jiegang was a Chinese historian who is known best for his seven volume work Gushi Bian . He was a leading force in the Doubting Antiquity school.-Biography:...
- Guo MoruoGuo MoruoGuo Moruo , courtesy name Dingtang , was a Chinese author, poet, historian, archaeologist, and government official from Sichuan, China.-Family history:Guo, originally named Guo Kaizhen, was born on November 10 or 16, in the small town of Shawan...
- Kang YouweiKang YouweiKang Youwei , was a Chinese scholar, noted calligrapher and prominent political thinker and reformer of the late Qing Dynasty. He led movements to establish a constitutional monarchy and was an ardent Chinese nationalist. His ideas inspired a reformation movement that was supported by the Guangxu...
- Liang QichaoLiang QichaoLiang Qichao |Styled]] Zhuoru, ; Pseudonym: Rengong) was a Chinese scholar, journalist, philosopher and reformist during the Qing Dynasty , who inspired Chinese scholars with his writings and reform movements...
- Zhang Xincheng (张心澂)
Others
- Chen Lisan (陈立三)
- Chen Wenbo (陈文波)
- Chen ZhuChen ZhuChen Zhu , is a Chinese hematologist, molecular biologist, and current Minister of Health of P.R.China...
(陈柱) - Cui Shi (崔适)
- Deng Sishan (邓思善)
- Du Guoxiang (杜国庠)
- Fan Wenlan (范文澜)
- Feng YoulanFeng YoulanFeng Youlan or Fung Yu-Lan was a Chinese philosopher who was important for reintroducing the study of Chinese philosophy.-Early life, education, & career:...
- Feng Zhen (冯振)
- Gao Heng (高亨)
- Gu Shi (顾实)
- Huang Yunmei (黄云眉)
- Jin Dejian (金德建)
- Li Jingchi (李镜池)
- Liao Ping (廖平)
- Liu Jie (刘节)
- Liu Rulin (刘汝霖)
- Liu Xianxin (刘咸炘)
- Lu SimianLu SimianLu Simian was a prominent Chinese historian as well as a former professor and history department head at Shanghai Guanghua University, now East China Normal University. He also worked as a professor at Fudan University. Lu took the courtesy name Chéng Zhī and wrote under the pseudonym Nú Niú...
(吕思勉) - Luo Genze (罗根泽)
- Ma Xulun (马叙论)
- Qian Daxin (钱大昕)
- Qian Jibo (钱基博)
- Qian XuantongQian XuantongQian Xuantong was a Chinese linguist.-Biography:Born in Huzhou, Zhejiang, Qian was named 錢夏錢夏 at birth, and was given the courtesy name Deqian trained in traditional Chinese philology. After receiving his university education in Japan, Qian held a number of teaching positions in mainland China...
- Ren JiyuRen JiyuRen Jiyu in Pingyuan County, Shandong Province was a philosopher, scholar in religious studies, historian, member of the Chinese Communist Party, and honorary director of the National Library of China...
(任继愈) - Rong Zhaozu (容肇祖)
- Sun Cidan (孙次丹)
- Tao Fangqi (陶方琦)
- Tang Lan (唐兰)
- Wang Zhengyi (王正已)
- Wei Juxian (卫聚贤)
- Wu Qichang (吴其昌)
- Xu Renfu (徐仁甫)
- Yang Yunru (杨筠如)
- Yang Bojun (杨伯峻)
- Yang RongguoYang RongguoYang Rongguo was a Chinese academic and philosopher who was involved in the Criticize Lin, Criticize Confucius campaign of the Cultural Revolution....
- Ye Guoqing (叶国庆)
- Yin Tongyang (尹桐阳)
- Yu Yongliang (余永梁)
- Zhang BinglinZhang BinglinZhang Binglin was a Chinese philologist, textual critic and anti-Manchu revolutionary.His philological works include Wen Shi , the first systematic work of Chinese etymology...
- Zhang Jitong (张季同)
- Zhang Qihuang (张其锽)
- Zhang Shoulin (张寿林)
- Zhang Xitang (张西堂)
- Zhao Shouzheng (赵守正)
- Zhu Xizhu (朱希祖)
Further reading
- Liu, Jianguo (2004). Distinguishing and Correcting the pre-Qin Forged Classics. Xi'an: Shaanxi People's Press. ISBN 7-224-05725-8.