中国家庭史研究刍议

中国家庭史研究存在误区 ,其一是研究对象与婚姻史、家族史错位 ,其二是忽略历史资料中的家庭与实际家庭的区别 ,其三是把复杂多样的家庭简单化 ,最后是认为家庭史研究只研究历史上的家庭。家庭史研究应通家庭的“古今之变” ,理清家庭历史演变的来龙去脉 ,其历史使命是通过了解中国家庭的过去 ,正确地认识现状 ,科学地预见未来 ,从而推进传统家庭向现代家庭转型。

Opinions on Historical Studies of the Chinese Family

Historical studies on the Chinese family are misguided on a number of points: First, mistaking studies on the history of marriage or the clan as those on the family; Second, overlooking the differences between the family in historical materials and the family in real life; Third, an unfortunate simplification of the complexity and diversity found in the actual family; and finally, the view that historical studies on the family are concerned only with families in history. Actually, historical studies on the family must look into the changes that have taken place between the past and the present, and evaluate the events that constitute the historical evolution of the family. The historical task of such studies is to elucidate the past of the Chinese family, so as to gain a correct understanding of its present and a scientific foresight of its future, and help the transformation of the traditional family into the modern family.