研究班（石川）

情報と近現代中国

　　激動と変化に富んだ近現代中国の歴史を、「情報」という要素をかませることによって、違った相貌にしてみることはできないかというのがこの研究班のねらいである。後世の高みに立つ歴史家が、歴史事件生起の因果関係や結末を知っているのに対し、歴史上の人物は、必ずしも時系列に沿って、あるいは正確な情報ばかりに接しているわけではない。それどころか、情報をそもそも持たずに、あるいは誤解して判断を下したり、行動したりしていることもしばしば見受けられる。それは市井の民であっても、知識人でも、国家指導者でも変わらない。こうした情報の伝達（誤伝を含む）・操作の要素を加味した研究は、決して多くはなく、大きな可能性を秘めている。近現代中国のさまざまな変動、動乱、革命はどのような情報環境のもとで展開したのか、また「情報」を握るものが歴史事件の発生や進行にどのような影響をあたえたのかが問われるであろう。いわば「情報」なる透明要素を仲立ちとして、あの日あの時何があったのかということにこだわる「史実解明」の歴史学アプローチと、情報スクリーンを経たのちの「報道」に焦点をあてる「解釈」としての歴史学アプローチとを有機的に結びつけて中国を見ること、それが本研究の目的である。

The modern aspects of information in 20th century China

　　　　The aim of this research seminar is to explore the history of modern and contemporary China from various perspectives by adding the element of "information". While historians of later generations know the cause-and-effect relationships and consequences of historical events, historical figures do not necessarily have access to a chronological sequence of events, nor do they have access to accurate information. In fact, they often lack information altogether or misunderstand it, leading to erroneous judgments and actions. This is true whether they are ordinary citizens, intellectuals, or national leaders. Studies that have considered this element of information transmission (including misinformation) and information manipulation are scarce, but such studies have significant potential. The question that must be asked is under what kind of information environment the various social changes, movements, and revolutions in modern and contemporary China developed, and how those who controlled "information" influenced the occurrence and progress of historical events. The purpose of this study is, so to speak, to look at China through the transparent medium of "information." This perspective will enable us to combine the "historical fact-finding" approach to history, which focuses on what happened on a particular day and place, with the "interpretative" approach to history, which focuses on the "reported facts" after they have passed through the information screen. 　　The history of 20th century China, on one level or another (depending of the field) has been written under the dictates of political parties’ revolutionary ideologies. Not only did these parties have their own self-centered narratives of modern history, but they also collected and compiled historical materials so as to reinforce their narratives. The problem is, however, that they often falsified the source materials when editing them into official documents. As a result, in order to understand 20th century Chinese history, we must first understand how these narratives were formed through the compilation of historical materials.
　　This research project aims to investigate and restore various source documents considered to be basic materials for the study of various areas of modern China, such as politics, the revolutionary movement, literature, art, and so on. This type of research, which makes full use of the original sources scattered around the world to revive the primary documents of 20th century China, will open the way for a fresh understanding of “real” modern Chinese history.