To Improve the Instrumentality of History

Abstract Few civilizations in the world have paid as much attention to the instrumentality of history as Chinese civilization. Over its long span, this tradition underwent several notable turns, the most significant of which occurred during the Song period (960–1279). Ouyang Xiu’s reworking of the earlier histories and Sima Guang’s compilation of the stately Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government were examples of establishing the writing of history as a useful mirror for issuing political and moral exhortations. Sima was driven to pursue this work by his innate conviction that history had philosophical didactic significance that may still be seen in the actual historical facts. Following the Song’s terrible defeat a century later, the neo-Confucians built on and altered their legacy to enhance the instrumentality of history by introducing a metaphysical dimension. This endeavor was embodied in Zhu Xi’s revision of Sima Guang’s work, which signified an important modification in the way imperial China thought about and practiced history.