Title

The Diverse Implications of Historiography in a Changing World: The Profound Meaning of Externalization in Qu Dajun’s New Discourse of Guangdong

Author

Lin I-jung

Genre

Article

Pages

61-101

DOI

10.6503/THJCS.202003_50(1).0002

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese

Key words

periods of change, New Discourse of Guangdong廣東新語, Qu Dajun屈大均, externalization, overlord

Abstract

This article examines the significance of geography, materiality, and social economy in the evidential learning of Qu Dajun 屈大均 (1630-1696) and his New Discourse of Guangdong廣東新語. It also interrogates the profound meaning of spiritual externalization advanced in the work.

The term “externalization” refers to the cultural teaching that begins with the distinction between internal and external and ends with “outsourcing internalization.” In the text, two aspects play an important role: “style and classification” and “narrative traits and discourse strategy.” This study begins by comparing three old editions of the Guangdong tongzhi廣東通志 in an effort to grasp changes in narrative views and the status of “foreign records” (waizhi 外志) in these works and reveal what is “unique” and “new” in the style of the New Discourse. Second, in contrast to natural history records and the traditional categories found in encyclopedias, the narrative in the New Discourse of Guangdong highlights the role of the “speaker,” and places more emphasis on the expression of self-existence and his sense of identity. Through my analysis of these two issues, I elucidate the diverse interests informing the composition of the New Discourse of Guangdong.

The final objective of the article is to cite Qu’s other works and construct a set of “externalized” discourses under the context of intertextual language. In addition, the article also outlines the cultural identity of the “southern overlord” (nanfang pianba南方偏霸) in the text, and sheds light on the diverse implications of historiography during periods of profound change.