「中國通史」寫作的出現，是二十世紀的特殊現象。中國雖是史學發達的國度，但傳統史學為個人提供的道德鑑誡功能，不能滿足清末衰亂以來國人對民族主義的強烈需求。因此，章太炎、梁啟超等登高一呼，史家群起響應，百年間華人世界就出現不下六七十種「中國通史」。 

在這些著作中，柳貽徵《中國文化史》、錢穆《國史大綱》、呂思勉《呂著中國通史》、范文瀾《中國通史簡編》、柏楊《中國人史綱》、以及黃仁宇《赫遜河畔談中國歷史》，或者史觀明確、見識過人，或者文筆生動、廣受歡迎，是通史作品中之佼佼者。本文以史學目的、讀者設定、中國定義、民族立場、歷史分期、國史動力、傳統評價、人之能動性、近世亂源、國族未來等十個議題檢視這些作品，發現：基於保守主義、社會主義或自由主義立場，不同史家所呈現的過去和他們所指點的未來，極為分歧。不過，它們也存有某些共同弱點：肯定軍事擴張，維護特定階級利益，漠視少數民族，而且通常忽略女性。 

隨著史學漸趨專精，「中國通史」學者日益寂寞。他們的首要目標── 塑造新「國民」── 既與傳統「天民」理想抵觸，也在多元主義、全球化的今天進退失據。但他們奮力為混亂的時代指路，發揚史學博通致用精神，還是值得我們感念。

The emergence of “Chinese national history” writings in the twentieth century is a phenomenon provoked by the national crises of the late Qing.As Liang Qichao stated, the moral and biographical approach of traditional Chinese historiography could no longer satisfy patriotic modern readers; China needed a new kind of narrative inspiring the country with nationalism through re-interpretation of the past. Among over 70 books of “Chinese national history” published in Chinese in the twentieth century, the works by Liu Yizheng, Qian Mu, Lü Simian, Fan Wenlan, Bo Yang, and Ray Huang are particularly distinguished for their unique worldviews, scholarly originality, or wide popularity. This essay examines their national history discourses in terms of ten themes: historiographical goal, implied readers, definition of “China,” racial stand, historical periodization, alleged momentum of Chinese history, evaluation of the Confucian tradition, human as agency of history, source of modern chaos, and predictions of China’s future. 

Stemming from the author’s conservatism, socialism, or liberalism, these historians have different views of China’s past. Paradoxically, despite diverse social, political, and cultural stands, the deficiencies of their works are virtually identical: they support military expansion, defend the interests of a certain class, neglect ethnic minorities, and tend to exclude women from their grand narratives. All of these propensities are similar to those of Western national historians. 

Several factors challenge the legitimacy of national history writings today. As specialization and compartmentalization permeate academia, the sweeping enterprise of general history writing becomes obsolete. “Shaping new citizens of the state,” the primary goal of national history writings, appears provincial in the face of globalization and multiculturalism. All that said, this genre of historiography still merits our attention. Although the national historians abandoned the moralist ideals of traditional Chinese historiography, they continued its panoramic and engaging approaches by drawing road-maps for their people in times of chaos. Their conclusions may appear ephemeral, yet their devotion to their craft will continue to inspire future generations.

國史論述; 民族主義; 保守主義立場; 社會主義立場; 自由主義立場; 梁啟超; 柳詒徵; 錢穆; 呂思勉; 范文瀾; 柏楊; 黃仁宇

discourse of national history; nationalism; conservatism; socialism; liberalism; Liang Qichao; Liu Yizheng; Qian Mu; Lü Simian; Fan Wenlan; Bo Yang; Ray Huang