On Zhang Xuecheng's View on History

Zhang Xuecheng was rather a thinker than a historian and a literary critic,for he was concerned with probing into significance of systematic learning while other scholars of his day tended to conduct textural criticism for its own sake.Above all,he opined that six classics are history in opposition to traditional concept that the study of Confucian classics falls within rationalistic Confucian philosophical school,for in his opinion,scriptures are all tools,and merely the political classics of former sovereigns,therefore exegesis on study of Confucian classics could not clarify doctrine whereas literary and historical studies could.As such,Zhang Xuecheng managed to integrate literature,history and philosophy and touched upon most basic social life,thus endowing literature and philosophy with philosophical meaning and replenishing philosophy,hence new attainments in his studies on history.