Abstract：In modern academia, there has been a transformation in the study of history and classics. Promoting the New Song Learning by re-editing the Song history became a collective aspiration among many scholars during the Republic of China. Scholars such as Fang Zhuangyao, Meng Wentong, Liu Xianxin, Fu Sinian, Chen Yinque, Zhang Yinlin, and Jin Yupu successively attempted to re-edit the Song history. At this time, Xia Chengtao, a renowned poet, was wavering between Song Ci studies, the Song history, and Song Learning. The recently published Complete Diaries of Xia Chengtao provides a relatively systematic and vivid presentation of Xia Chengtao’s academic career.During the New Culture Movement of the early Republic of China, balancing new knowledge with traditional learning became a focal point in the academic circles. At this time, Xia Chengtao studied and researched history, classics and Li Xue. He familiarized himself with the methods of studying the Four Categories of Learning by the Qing Dynasty scholars through self-study, laying a foundation for his study of poetry. In the 1930s, while teaching at Hangchow University, Xia actively discussed the research objectives and methods of studying Song Ci, Song history, and Song Learning with senior colleagues and friends such as Zhang Ertian, Jin Songcen, Liu Yizheng, Huang Yunmei, and Deng Guangming, in order to resolve the conflict between historical and literary studies. In his later years, Xia reflected on his academic career, emphasizing that he had overcome the problem of being “greedy but not proficient” after repeated contemplation, and decided to specialize in the study of poetry based on his interests and accumulation of knowledge. However, the entanglement of classics, history, Li Xue, and practical affairs formed Xia’s broad perspective and profound scholarly insight in the study of the Song Ci, and also demonstrated the multiple aspects of the modern New Song Learning. The aim of modern New Song Learning is to fully integrate Chinese and Western, old and new knowledge, guided by Li Xue and, using modern literary and historical studies as the backbone, to achieve the modern transformation of Chinese culture. Firstly, in times of national crisis, it was an urgent task for the Song Studies to elucidate Li Xue and save people’s hearts and minds. Zhang Ertian emphasized that Song history should focus on distinguishing the relationship between Li Xue and the textual research. In order to promote Chinese culture, Xia Chengtao devoted himself to exploring ways in which Li Xue is intertwined with historical events, hoping to use his studies for practical purposes and to engage in meaningful academic researches. Secondly, in the context of modern academic and social discourse, historical studies must be the basis. Xia Chengtao adhered to the principle of “studying lyric poetry from historical perspectives” and established a modern system of Ci studies which is centered on poets’ anthologies. Moreover, academic research should have a comprehensive and interconnected perspective, combining both general and specialized knowledge. Through interactions with various scholars and inspired by Zhang Xuecheng’s method of historical analysis, Xia Chengtao gradually developed a plan for re-editing the Song history. His plan primarily focused on chronological events with biographical data as supplementary information, with charts and annotations, and also thematic studies.In modern times, specialized scientific research has become the mainstream trend in academia under the banner of scientific empiricism. Xia Chengtao’s struggles and doubts reflect the difficulties faced by scholars who straddle the past and present. By examining Xia Chengtao’s early academic career and systematically tracing his interactions with other scholars, we can outline the internal mechanisms and academic networks that shaped Xia’s early academic path within the context of the integration of Chinese and Western, old and new knowledge. This not only helps to clarify Xia Chengtao’s academic interests but also reveals the multifaceted nature of modern Song Learning and the Song history research, providing valuable insights for current reflections on Song Learning and Song history from the perspective of specialized scientific research.
张凯, 薛宸宇. 词史之间：夏承焘学术志趣与近代新宋学[J]. 浙江大学学报(人文社会科学版), 2023, 53(7): 98-108.
Zhang Kai, Xue Chenyu. Between Ci and History: Xia Chengtao’s Academic Interests and the New Song Learning in Modern China. JOURNAL OF ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY, 2023, 53(7): 98-108.
2023, Vol. 53 
