自六十年代末期以來，後現代主義作為一種文化思潮，對於啟蒙運動科學理性的西 方現代文化，展開了有力的批判。這一思潮也衝擊了歷史研究的理論和方法，其表現主要體 現在兩個方面。一是反對現代西方歷史哲學中的一元論解釋，即所謂「大敘述」和「後設敘 述」，認為這些歷史理論無非是一種偽裝的西歐中心主義。二是對史學研究中的「真實性」 與「客觀性」，提出了進一步的質疑。由於使用語言的緣故，歷史學家的工作與文學創造， 在本質上並無不同。 受到後現代主義的影響，當代史學研究，包括中國史的研究，已經呈現一些新的氣象。 史學研究的重點已經移向了原遭忽視的「它者」，如非西方地區的文明、女性和下層社會。 也有一些歷史學家在研究中，有意識地模糊史學與文學的絕對界限。這些嘗試，特別是前者， 顯然有益於史學研究的發展。就總體而言，後現代主義無法真正動搖史學研究的基礎，即人 們希望瞭解事實真相的意願。

　　　　　Starting in the late 1960s postmodernism as a new cultural trend posted a strong challenge to modern Western culture, especially its basis, the Enlightenment belief in the universality of scientific reason. It has also challenged the traditional way of historical study in two aspects. The first is its attack on the monistic interpretation of historical movement exemplified in the modern philosophy of history, or the grandnarrative and/or metanarrative, which is considered a disguised Eurocentrism. The second is its questioning of the ideas of "truth" and "objectivity" in historiography. To postmodernists, the work of the historian is not dissimilar to that of the literary writer for they both use language as a means of communication. Due to the influence of postmodernism historical study today, including the study of Chinese history, has shown some noticeable changes. Historians have become more and more interested in the "Other" of modern historiography, such as non-Western culture, women and low social class. Some have also tried in their writings to bridge history with literature. These new changes, especially the former, are beneficial to the development of historical study. Taken it as a whole, however, the postmodern challenge has not shaken the basis of historical writing, which derives from one's desire for knowing what was/is really going on in the world.