《十批判書》是20世紀三四十年代中國馬克思主義史學內部論戰的產物。1944年前后,郭沫若接連了解到翦伯贊、范文瀾、侯外廬等馬克思主義史家關于中國古代歷史的研究成果。他們重申與郭氏的學術分歧,并進一步展開學術批判,卻忽略郭氏已對舊說有所更新或修訂。因此,郭氏重燃寫作熱情,以"自我批判"或"隔空對話"方式展開論戰,最終結集成《十批判書》。這場論戰聚焦于商周社會性質和孔子、墨子思想的階級屬性,涉及古史分期、古代土地所有制形式等問題,上承20世紀二三十年代社會史論戰,下啟五六十年代"五朵金花"研究。作為論戰的主要成果之一,《十批判書》是研究馬克思主義史學史的重要史料。

Shi Pi Pan Shu was an outcome of the internal polemics of Chinese Marxist historiography in the 1930 s to 1940 s. Around 1944, Guo Moruo learned in quick succession about the research findings of Jian Bozan, Fan Wenlan, Hou Wailu and other Marxist historians on ancient Chinese history. They reiterated their scholarly differences with Guo and developed further scholarly criticism, but paid little attention to the fact that Guo had updated or revised his old doctrine. As a result, Guo rekindled his passion for writing, engaging in polemics in the form of ‘self-criticism’ or ‘implicit criticism’, which was compiled into Shi Pi Pan Shu. The debate focused on the nature of Shang and Zhou societies and the class attributes of Confucianism and Mohism, involving such issues as the staging of ancient history and ancient forms of land ownership. It also extended to the modern times ranging from the argumentation on the social history of the 1920 s to 1930 s, to the Five Golden Flowers studies of the 1950 s to 1960 s. As one of the main accomplishments of the polemics, Shi Pi Pan Shu remains an essential historical literature for the study of the Marxist historiography.