司馬遷與中國人文主義史學傳統

Humanism in Traditional Chinese Historiography--With Special Reference to the Grand Historian Sima Qian

太史公司馬遷著《史記》奠定中國傳統史學的基礎，他不僅開創了紀傳體，而且建立了人文主義的史學傳統。本文探討太史公以人為中心的史學論述，在《史記》一書中，人而不是神佔據最主要的位置，欲通過人來展示歷史之秘。司馬遷強調人力而非神道決定盛衰，並清楚表達人在創造歷史，因而歷史是人文的，他對人之價值不可動搖的信念充分表達在其歷史書寫之中。總之，司馬遷的紀傳體及其人文傾向無間斷地形塑了中國傳統史學，直到近代。

The grand historian Sima Qian (135-93 BCE) and his monumental work Records of the Historian (Shiji) laid down the foundation of the traditional Chinese historical writing. He not only set the example of the biographical style of historical writing but also set the tone for humanist proclivity for later historians. This paper explores the grand historian's vision of history in writing, in which men rather than events stand at the center of discourse. As well, in his work, men rather than gods retain the most prominent position. What he tried to reveal is the secret of history through men. The grand historian pronounced that human will rather than divine influence had determined the rise or fall of a state. He made it very clear that men created history, and history was humanist. His historical narration amply demonstrates his unshakable belief in the value of man. The grand historian's biographical approach and humanist proclivity, in short, had shaped and influenced traditional Chinese historiography almost without interruption until to the modern time.