A Correction on the Claim that Fan Wenlan's A Short General History of China “Plagiarized” Qian Mu's Outline of National History

Abstract: In Yan'an, Fan Wenlan compiled A Short General History of China, which incorporated the research outcomes of a multitude of preceding scholars. Among these works, Qian Mu's Reference Materials for A General History of China and Outline of National History furnished support for Fan's compilation, spanning from clues to historical sources to perspectives on historical events. Nevertheless, there existed no instance of “plagiarizing” materials from Outline of National History. The similarity in narration between A Short General History of China and Outline of National History can be attributed to two factors:First, it arose from their shared historical sources; Second, while A Short General History of China did gain insights into the origins of historical facts from Outline of National History, it subsequently expanded the scope of historical materials by drawing on traditional historical records, rather than directly inheriting Qian Mu's works. The underlying reason for historians in Yan'an referring to Qian Mu's works likely lies in the fact that these works extensively addressed the hardships of the underclass, issues related to people's livelihood and the economy, as well as the darkness of the ruling class-features that embodied a distinct “progressive” character and, to a certain degree, were congruent with the narrative orientation of A Short General History of China. In the early 1940s, Qian Mu's political stance gradually came to light. Historians of the Communist Party of China thus shifted their attitude toward him from a positive one to a critical one, with Outline of National History becoming a target of criticism. This development, in turn, overshadowed the academic affiliation between A Short General History of China and Outline of National History.