Just as the study of natural phenomena is based on experiments,the study of the present situation of human society is based on investigation and the study of the past of human society on the textual research.The objects of textual research are historical data,including evidence from books,material evidence and testimony of witnesses.The means of doing textual research is induction,comparison and contrast,resulting in the solution of disagreements.Collation" solves the right and wrong of book versions,distinguishing" is for the truth or falseness of evidence,and the study of difference" analyzes the similarity of difference of the records,with textual criticism as the general term.The science of textual criticism originated in the early Qin Dynasty,began to develop in the North and the South Song Dynasties and prospered in the Qing Dynasty.Scholars in modern times introduced the theory on authentic proof",improved the textual criticism deriving from the ruling years of Qianlong and Jiaqing.Now more scientific dialectics" should be applied to better the textual criticism.Looking forward into the future,the author believes the mainstream of Chinese history study,in an overall point of view,is to be the combination of textualism and historical materialism.
