Liu Zijian (1919-1993) was originally from Guiyang, grew up in Shanghai, and later studied at Tsinghua University in Peking. After the Japanese invaded Peiping, Tsinghua University moved south, and Mr. Xiang entered Yenching University. After the outbreak of the Pacific War, my husband and some teachers and students at Yanjing were suspected of engaging in resistance activities and were imprisoned. In the future, Mr. Wang would always say that he had no regrets for what happened during this war. After the war, he went to Japan as a member of the Chinese legal delegation at the International Military Tribunal in Tokyo. Mr. Liu Zijian came to the United States to engage in research on political and current affairs under the influence of Mr. Hong Ye, who was his teacher in the Yanjing period and respected him as his lifelong mentor. In 1950, he received a doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh and taught at the University and other schools. In 1960, he became a faculty member at Stanford University. In 1965, he entered Princeton University.

Historical writer Liu Zijian

Liu Zijian launches academic plan

At Stanford, Mr. Liu Zijian took the lead and launched a far-sighted academic plan. It not only promotes academic and cultural exchanges between the United States and Taiwan, but also benefits many graduate students in the field of "China Studies". With the efforts of Liu Zijian and others, this plan eventually developed into the "Joint Institute of American Universities" in Taipei (Translator's Note: It was renamed "National Taiwan University International Chinese Institute" after 1997).

Liu Zijian jumped into the world of Song history

In 1959, with a small book called "Reforms in China in the Song Dynasty", Mr. Liu Zijian became a leading figure in the world of Song history. This book was the third in the highly influential "Harvard East Asian Studies Series". The subject of Mr. Liu Zijian's research is one of the most controversial topics in the late imperial period. He cited a wide range of historical materials and used what he calls a "cross-sectional research method" to make a rather convincing analysis of this complex period. description. In addition, the book makes full use of the latest research results of Chinese history by Japanese and Chinese scholars. In this regard, compared with the general Western works at the time, it can be said to be a pioneer, which is eye-catching. Although there are many successors, in the field of Chinese history research, Mr. Liu Zijian has always been a bridge promoting academic exchanges between the United States and Japan.

Mr. Liu Zijian’s subsequent series of works show that he is one of the world’s top experts in the field of Song history. He paid special attention to Ouyang Xiu, an important poet, scholar, and official in the 11th century. With the same extensive citations, Mr. Liu Zijian conducted a comprehensive review of Ouyang Xiu's life and various interests in his Chinese book (New Asia College, Hong Kong) published in 1963 and his adapted English book (Stanford University Press) published in 1967. description. This work about Ouyang Xiu reflects from another perspective Mr. Liu Zijian’s role as a bridge between Chinese and Western historiography. As Deng Guangming said in the preface of "Research Papers on Song History in Commemoration of Dr. Liu Zijian's Birthday" (published in Kyoto, Japan, containing 40 articles) (Translator's note: This article was later included in the 12th volume of "The Complete Works of Deng Guangming"), Liu Zijian In many lectures and conferences in mainland China, Mr. Wang has emphasized that the approach should be broader and strive to break down disciplinary barriers in order to correct the mainland's academic training system that sometimes appears narrow, trivial, and dogmatic. At the same time, in the process of supervising graduate students, he also emphasized the importance of mastering first-hand materials before making big judgments. Students will never forget their teacher, not only because they received his careful training, but also because he was always willing to give wise advice and help.

Personal analysis of Liu Zijian’s unpopular articles

Of course, Mr. Liu Zijian’s articles often make big judgments. Why did polo lose its popularity in the 9th century? What changes have occurred in Tong Meng's "Three Character Classic"? Mr. Liu Zijian has made reasonable extensions to these issues. He proposed some brand-new concepts, such as the "new traditional era" and "inclusive politics." He also proposed some brand-new explanations, among which the most powerful one is the theory of "China turning inward" in the early 12th century (Harvard, 1988). An important reason for putting forward such a view is probably that he is eager to become another bridge connecting ancient China, contemporary China and future China (he always yearns for connecting the future).

Between China and the United States, Mr. Liu Zijian also hopes to connect Qiyi. Even though he was attacked in the United States for being friendly to the People's Republic of China and attacked in China for being stationed in the United States for a long time, he still did not change his original intention. When he returned to China, he learned of the tragic deaths of three of his brothers during the Cultural Revolution - something Zhou Enlai considered "too much" - but he did not show the slightest hint of resentment.

The origin of Liu Zijian’s role as Ban Bin

Mr. Liu Zijian knows that playing the role of a bridge will keep him from reaching both ends. For this reason, he gave himself a pen name called "Ban Bin" - half guest. Whether in the United States, Japan, Europe, or China, he regards himself as a guest. The name is also appropriate in the sense of being involved in a certain academic field or a certain historical period: he is half a guest in the social sciences and half a guest in the humanities. Colleagues and disciples around Mr. Liu Zijian realized that Mr. Liu Zijian knew a lot about various political events and historical materials, so if they wanted to understand China in the 20th century, it was right to ask him for advice; during a period of chaos, Mr. Liu visited China. Likewise, his in-depth knowledge of the 11th and 12th centuries makes one think that he had been a tourist in the Song Dynasty. Mr. Huizong's own calligraphy is the "thin gold style" of Song Dynasty, which can confirm this theory.