Europe and the People without Historiography; or, Reflections on a Self-Inflicted Wound
Sanjay Subrahmanyam
36Historically Speaking · March 2004 commonplaces about early China tell us, the "Confucians" ofthe pre-imperial era (thatis, before beginning Han dynasty in 206 B.CE.) exerted negligible influence over theprinces oftheir day, whose pleasures ranto grandhunts, harems, spectacularbronze arrays of bells, enormous palaces and gardens, military campaigns involving hundreds thousands ofmen. Such power as scholars lovers oftradition enjoyed seemingly derived from their roles ritual advisors for certain limited occasions, preservers oftraditions knowledge old practices myths, perhaps transmitters interpreters ofold texts. Their advice on statecraft did not necessarily carry much weight. Yet it would seem that these impotent centuries theywere also developingthe accounts Spring Autumn history thatwould, with earlyimperial elevation ofConfucius body oftexts thought associatedwith him, turn pastinto a series oftestcases effectiveness ofritual diligence. It is difficult to predict where serious engagementwith literaryand rhetorical analysisinthe studyofearlyChinese textswilllead. Atpresent, attentionofscholarsinmyfield focused die numerous texts archaeological digs have recently brought light, first response ofmanyhas been attempt fit new finds into existing models Chinese intellectual history. To be sure, efforts date identifytheirlikelyauthors are indispensable. But one worries archaeologically recovered texts, handed down tousinlongmanuscripttransmissions, devotion will obscure classification -breakingcommonalities truth-makingprocedures thatliteraryanalysis can bring lightin case ofhistoriography. Abetter procedure, my view, start recognition thatthe earlyChinese, speakers writers, knew full well such matters verbal beauty generic excellence were notsuperfluousornaments, butthereal stuffof powerful representation, artfulness could day. Ifit shame lose mirage ofhistorical accuracy historiographyhas seemed project, compensation ample: place ofslavish documentarians , we getstrategists, savvyrhetoricians bold thinkers—not Other, any longer, but sembhble. DavidSchaberg isassociateprofessor Department ofEastAsian Languagesand Cultures at UCLA. His A Patterned Past: Form Thought Early Historiography (Harvard University Press, 2002) won theAssociationforAsian Studiesi 2003 Levenson Prize. 1 These only two most influential historiographical survive 1st millennium B.C.E. Others deserve mention here include Book ofDocuments (Shangsbu), which includes speeches thatmaydate 11th century, Bamboo Annals (Zhushujinian), manyrespects resembles SpringsandAutumns. 2 Thestandard textoftheZuozhuanis Yang Bojun, Chunqiu Zuozhuan zbu (An Annotation Springs andAutumns Zuo Tradition), 4 vols. (Rev. ed., Zhonghua shuju, 1990); see 677-78. The translation myown. onlycomplete English Zuozhuanis thatofJames Legge, Ch'un Ts'ew Tso Chuen, published 1872 part ofLegge's multi-volume Classics. monumental achievement its own time, now dated. version, by Stephen Durrant, LiWaiyee, myself, nearingcompletion appear within or three years. 3 Yang, zhu, 857-58. poem cited below "Tu ju" "Rabbit Snares," seventh 305 included present text Odes. Europe People without Historiography; or, Reflections Self-Inflicted Wound Sanjay Subrahmanyam In this essay I want call question four widely held assumptions illdefined field postcolonial studies. certainly share some preoccupations even those whom wish debate. Like them, am concerned tenacious hold linear vision ofWestern ancient Greece United States ofClinton Bush (with obligatory pit stops Rome, Carolingians Renaissance, Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution) has school college curricula. abhor insidious assumption know effectively world. Also, recentwave ofimperial nostalgia together market-friendly millenarianism, given life myth European colonial empires 19di 20th really quite benign structures. We told insistentlythatthe British Empire noblybrought modernity heathens, should all...
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