The Personal Expectations and the Writing of Unofficial Histories of the Jiajing and Longqing Reigns in the Late Ming: A Case Study of Shimu liangchao biannianshi Written by Zhi Dalun

Abstract

<p>本文以頗受爭議的《世穆兩朝編年史》為例，探討晚明私修嘉隆史著者政治與學術的個人際遇對其歷史書寫的影響。這些史著的歷史書寫，對晚明中下層官僚士人而言，是他們應對自身政治遭遇的一種策略。晚明史著者藉助對嘉隆近代史事和人物的書寫，表達自我的情感、政治期許、現實訴求和人際網絡。從「活的歷史書寫」視角分析這類史著，可以跳脫出既有史學史研究對其扁平化的分析，從而管窺晚明中下層士人的某種生存策略，以及現實因素與歷史書寫的互動。</p> <p> </p><p>In order to better understand the late Ming history of low-ranking literati-officials, this article takes as its point of departure the unofficial history Shimu liangchao biannianshi written by Zhi Dalun. The focus will be on how Zhi Dalun’s political and academic experience influenced his unofficial history of the Jiajing and Longqing reigns. For low-ranking literati-officials in the late Ming, the writing of histories was one strategic response to their personal experience. By writing and commenting on modern events and figures, such writings reveal their private emotions, political expectations, concrete demands, and personal network. If we analyze these histories from the perspective of “living history,” not only can we supercede the flat narrative of the current historiographic landscape, but further glimpse the middle-to-low ranking literati-official’s survival strategies and the interaction between real-time factors and their history writing.</p> <p> </p>