China News Service Client, Beijing, May 8th (Reporter Shangguanyun) With white hair and spirit, he talked about historical knowledge and immediately opened the conversation box. He was busy doing research and writing books every day. Living conditions.
More than ten years ago, he was hailed as a "star scholar" because of his popular series of lectures in "The Hundred Forums", and he gained many fans. Since then, he has done research while writing books to explain historical knowledge, and gradually faded out of public view.
A few days ago, his new book "The Six Hundred Years of the Forbidden City" was published, once again focusing on the readers' eyes. In an exclusive interview with a reporter from ChinaNews.com (WeChat public account: cns2012), Yan Chongnian also systematically described the years of experience in studying and spreading historical knowledge.
Yan Chongnian. Photo courtesy of interviewees
It took two years and ten drafts
The book "The Six Hundred Years of the Forbidden City" has more than 500,000 words. Yan Chongnian wrote it in two years, and his drafts are easily changed. Among them, a considerable part of the energy is spent on research.
"The book is a new book, and any new creation may encounter many difficulties. For example, if you see the new content in the book, you must first understand what is going on, then think about it and then think about it. How to explain to others, the last thing is to make the audience understand and the audience understand. "Yan Chongnian said.
In the book, there is a chapter about the Emperor Qianlong, referring to the allusions of the poet Song Lin in the Song Dynasty. He first consulted "Song History" and found that the record was too simple, so he went to the place where the legendary story took place.
"The location of Lin's retreat is in Gushan, Hangzhou, which is about one-third the size of the Forbidden City in Beijing." Yan Chongnian took a camera and a notebook and spent a long time on the hill, systematically studying the remains and inscriptions , And finally wrote an 2500-word article.
When talking about the construction of the Forbidden City by the Emperor Yongle in Beijing, he walked along the central axis starting from the Yongding Gate and walked all the way to the Bell and Drum Tower in order to have a deeper understanding of the historical context of the planning and construction of the imperial city.
"The book has a total of one hundred lectures. Sometimes there are several stories in one lecture, and the big story is set with small stories." Yan Chongnian calculated an account. "I have to check the original materials in person. The time is really very tight."
Seventy years of connection with the Forbidden City
This is not the first time Yan Chongnian has written the Forbidden City. In his own words, "I have been attached to the Forbidden City for seventy years."
Book cover of "The Six Hundred Years of the Forbidden City". Published by Huawen Press
When he was in middle school, there was only one street between the school and the Forbidden City. During their stay at school, after dinner, students often walked along the red wall of the Forbidden City. "At that time, I could see the magnificent Forbidden City and feel very happy."
Influenced by his teacher, Yan Chongnian chose history as a major when he was in college. Later, on the advice of historiographer Yang Shangkui, he set his research direction as Qing history. "The old man said that Beijing is the capital of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Checking various files and other materials has a unique advantage. At the time, this was also an uncultivated virgin land in the academic world. "
In this regard, Yan Chongnian plunged into the vast historical materials. He first systematically cleared the records of the Ming and Qing dynasties and the records of the Li dynasty, and read a lot of documents and archives, completing the "primitive accumulation" of the knowledge of Qing history. This process took Go to him for twenty years.
"At that time, my fate with the Forbidden City was to investigate the Ming and Qing archives." He recalled that he often went to the Ming and Qing Archives Department of the Palace Museum. Wake up in the morning to bring a head, the staff at noon will order some boiled water to deal with, the information is a day.
Yan Chongnian browsed through a large number of archives stored in the Forbidden City at that time, and made a cabinet of material cards. "Study history is just like Wang Guowei's learning." Last night the west wind withered the green trees, went up the tall buildings alone, and looked at the end of the world. " One question, you have to read and complete the materials as much as possible. "
Investigate the origin of "Pingxi Mansion"
In fact, from the age of 20 to the beginning of history studies, Yan Chongnian has authored several works such as Manchu Study Collections and Ancient Beijing, and has published more than 100 papers on Manchu Studies and Qing History.
More than one person used "rigorousness" to evaluate Yan Chongnian's attitude towards history. The editor of "The Six Hundred Years of the Forbidden City" once mentioned that when talking about Yu Zai, the king's name, Yan Chongnian specifically urged that "The Ming History" is the moat, and the 200th volume of the "Ming Shizong Shilu" records " The name of the third son of the Emperor, "Jì", should be clearly marked.
Yan Chongnian. Photo courtesy of interviewees
"I have researched before that it is said that there is a 'Pingxi Mansion' in Changping District, Beijing, which is Wu Sangui's mansion. I have read many Chinese materials that I can find, and there is no relevant record." Yan Chongnian also mentioned one of his "more real" The past, "In this case, you can only check the Manchu documents."
Later, he accidentally found a copy of the "Kangxi Manchu Zhu Criticism" in the Taipei National Palace Museum, which recorded a report on the imperial criticism of the Emperor Kangxi, which recorded in detail the number of palaces, houses, verandas, etc. The city walls found in the vicinity of the "fu" coincide with the ruins such as the moat.
Since then, he and other experts have found the Manchu Memorial to the Construction of the Xingong Palace in Kangxi's fifty-seven years from the Manchu Memorial to the First Historical Archives of China, at the location of the aforementioned "Pingxi Mansion".
Combining with other historical data, Yan Chongnian concluded that "Pingxi Mansion" is actually not related to Wu Sangui, but the Zhengjiazhuang Palace and Wang Mansion built by Kangxi. It took more than a year from the beginning of the examination to the final announcement of the results.
"Seeking truth and seeking truth, history and law are natural, this is the purpose of my history." Yan Chongnian explained.
Seeking new ideas: from "100 Forums" to "live broadcast" test
In addition to academic research, what really allowed Yan Chongnian to increase its popularity among the masses was still the popular "Hundred Forums".
In 2004, he was invited to board the "Hundred Forums", giving lectures on "Suspect Case of the Twelve Emperors of Qing Dynasty", "Sixty Years of Ming and Qing Xing", "Emperor Kangxi" and other lectures. Others believe that Yan Chongnian is the turning point in the "100 Forums" out of the trough, creating a trend of history.
Yan Chongnian (right) and Song Zhijun, president of the Chinese Press, are on the live broadcast. Image source: video screenshot
"This is a relatively popular program. From a certain perspective, it is difficult to 'translate' professional academic vocabulary and knowledge into content that the public can understand and easily accept." Yan Chongnian said at the time that he chose to accept the invitation to lecture , Probably because I am more willing to try new things.
This is true. Today, 86-year-old Yan Chongnian has begun to make audio lessons again. Not long ago, he also "touched the net" and presented a personal live show. He interacted with netizens for three hours without tire.
"My requirement for myself is to do three things." Yan Chongnian concluded, "Being a good person can help others as much as possible; doing things realistically, don't be" headless "; pursuing education and learning, this is also the life of academic research ."(Finish)