The picture shows the Great Wall of China. It is quite important to study Chinese history from the perspective of global history.

 

In recent years, global scholarship has increasingly focused on studies of regional history. Scholars have pointed out that studies of regional history must be carried out from the perspective of integrated history and the ultimate goal is to reveal the evolving trends of Chinese history.

Studies of regional history aim to research activities in economics, politics, culture and society that people undertake in a certain historical and geographical space.
 

Li Jinzheng, a professor from the College of History at Nankai University, said that traditional historiography focuses more on grand narratives and macro-historiography, stressing studies of political history. Regional history focuses on micro- and public historiography, stressing studies of sociology, economic history and cultural history. Widely recognized in the academia of history at home and abroad, studies of regional history play an important role in historical research.
 

Bian Li, director of the Center for Hui Studies at Anhui University, said that studies of regional history pay more attention to the collection and utilization of original historical documents, but they underline small traditions and history in a specific space and place great emphasis on the applications of field investigation, compared with traditional historiography. 

As a research method, studies of regional history reveal the internal connections among specific areas during a specific period after systematic and further research on countless areas to provide rich information for the writing of integrated history, Bian said.
 

Some scholars said that fragmentation can appear in studies of regional history. Proper methodologies must be found to overcome this disadvantage.
 

 “Although it focuses on specific areas, studies of regional history must be conducted in integrated history,” Li said, adding that studies of regional history not only highlight the status and characteristics of regional history but also make contributions to pushing forward grand historical research and exploring the evolving law of history. Some studies of regional history are only restricted to discussing specific areas, leading to “fragmentation,” Li added.
 

Gao Fushun, a professor from the College of the Humanities at Jilin University, said that areas chosen for studies of regional history are relative, and undoubtedly Chinese history is just regional history from the perspective of global history. In his view, it is important to study Chinese history from the perspective of global history. Impacted by the theories and methods of contemporary Western historiography, the discourse context of studies of Chinese history is disordered, with many confusing concepts. Gao claimed that academia should aim to explore relations and influences between Chinese history and world history and narrate Chinese history, based on the theories and methods of regional history.

Bringing nature, society, economy, politics and culture in a specific area into a rounded system, studies of regional history concern many disciplines. Scholars affirmed that interdisciplinary research is needed to push forward studies of regional history.

Li said that like the study of general history, studies of regional history also need theoretical tools. Researchers should learn from the theories and methods of relevant disciplines as well as apply history and classical Marxist theories, such as political science, economics, sociology, anthropology and geography.
 

Li offered two suggestions on promoting studies of regional history. He said universities or scientific research institutions should actively get involved in localized historical studies. They should not only elevate the level of studies of regional history but also provide historical references for local construction, giving play to local think tanks. Furthermore, field investigations must be intensified in studies of regional history. Historical documents should be combined with field investigations to deepen the understanding of the development of regional history.
 

Gao said that in the information era of globalization, studies of regional history need to be guided by the theories and methods of such disciplines as archaeology, anthropology, sociology and even natural sciences. Qualitative and quantitative analysis is indispensible in studies of regional history. New technologies including the application of big data may contribute to revealing the laws of historical evolution. The most effective way to further push forward studies of regional history is to adhere to the basic research pattern of convergence and divergence.
 

In Bian’s opinion, in order to develop studies of regional history, researchers first need to have high quality macro-integrated history and to think about the unique development path of an area in the framework of integrated history. Next, they should fully know about the area they are researching to accurately expound its history. Then, researchers should carry out in-depth comparative analysis and studies based on firsthand historical materials, in a bid to summarize the development law of the area within the framework of integrated history.

 

 

Zhang Jie is a reporter at the Chinese Social Sciences Today.