本文提出構成歷史紀錄核心的是觀念史圖像中的事件，而不是和普遍觀念無關的社會事實。歷史研究必須以歷史紀錄為基本素材，為了實現歷史研究的客觀性，並不是去排除歷史事件背後的觀念，而是尋找支配該事件發生時真實的價值系統，並通過梳理觀念和事件的互動而產生更普遍的視野，以超越不同參與者和紀錄者的立場。本文結合作者近年來在中國思想史研究中利用數據庫方法的經驗，提出數據庫作為一種新的輔助工具，有助於歷史研究者確定支配該重大歷史事件背後的真實觀念是甚麼；也可以促使歷史學家從新的角度思考何為歷史研究的客觀性問題，或許，可以與年鑑學派和後現代主義展開新一輪對話。

In this essay we contend that the core of historical memory is constituted by events that were significant in the history of ideas, rather than by social facts irrelevant to widely-accepted concepts. The search for objectivity and value-free principles of historical memory does exclude the beliefs behind historical events. Instead, it is aimed at discovering the actual value system that came into play when a historical event took place. A broader picture can be obtained by examining the interaction between concepts and events. By doing so, we can move beyond the narrow positions and viewpoints of individual participants. This essay discusses the value of the database approach in discovering the actual concepts behind certain significant historical events. We believe that this approach can help us overcome the limits of the Annales School and postmodern history in reconstructing historical memory.