THE METHODS OF CRITICIZING HISTORICAL SOURCES AND INTERPRETING HISTORY OF TA CHI DAI TRUONG IN THE EARLY 1970S – A CASE STUDY FOR IDENTIFYING VIETNAMESE HISTORICAL WRITING SCHOOLS

Abstract

Vietnamese historiography has transformed in thought and writing methods through different periods. The process that Vietnamese historians started to pay attention to gather and criticize historical sources in consequence to apply theories on intepreting history is constantly controversial and modifiable to achieve popular methodology of studying Vietnam history. Comparing the Historical perspective of the both synchrony and diachrony, it can be recognized that Ta Chi Dai Truong makes a certain contribution to Vietnam historiography in 1970s. This paper aims to indentify Ta Chi Dai Truong’s historical methodology including methods of employing and criticizing historical sources, expressing his perpective, intepreting history, questioning “why” for history instead of “how” is narrative history.