现代、当代与现当代：历史分期术语的清晰界定与辨析

Introduction

The terms "Modern," "Contemporary," and "Modern-Contemporary" are frequently encountered in academic discourse, particularly within the fields of history and literature. However, their definitions and the boundaries between them can often seem ambiguous, varying significantly across different disciplines and cultural contexts. This article aims to provide a clear, structured analysis of these terms, examining their temporal definitions, disciplinary nuances, and the rationale behind their usage. By clarifying these distinctions, we can foster more precise communication and understanding in both scholarly and general discussions.

在学术论述，尤其是历史和文学领域，"现代"、"当代"与"现当代"这些术语频繁出现。然而，它们的定义及其之间的界限常常显得模糊不清，并且在不同学科和文化语境中存在显著差异。本文旨在对这些术语进行清晰、结构化的分析，探讨其时间定义、学科细微差别以及使用背后的逻辑。通过阐明这些区别，我们可以在学术和大众讨论中促进更精确的沟通与理解。

Key Concepts and Definitions

1. Modern (现代 / Xiàndài)

In the context of Chinese history, the "Modern" period is most commonly defined as spanning from the May Fourth Movement in 1919 to the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. This era is characterized by the New Democratic Revolution, marking a significant shift where the Chinese proletariat emerged as a new political force on the historical stage. The May Fourth Movement itself was a pivotal anti-imperialist, anti-feudal cultural and political movement, often seen as the intellectual foundation for revolutionary change.

在中国历史的语境中，"现代"时期最常被定义为从1919年五四运动到1949年中华人民共和国成立。这个时代的特征是新民主主义革命，标志着中国无产阶级作为一支新的政治力量登上历史舞台的重大转变。五四运动本身是一场关键的反帝反封建文化和政治运动，通常被视为革命性变革的思想基础。

From a global or technological perspective, the "Modern" era is often associated with the Industrial Revolution onwards, specifically including periods like the Electrical Age (c. 1800-1900) and the Atomic Age (c. 1900-1970). This view emphasizes technological and socio-economic transformations.

从全球或技术视角来看，"现代"时代通常与工业革命及之后相联系，具体包括**电气时代（约1800-1900年）和原子时代（约1900-1970年）**等时期。这种观点强调技术和社会经济的转型。

2. Contemporary (当代 / Dāngdài)

In Chinese historical and political discourse, the "Contemporary" period unequivocally begins with the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949, and extends to the present day. This periodization is closely tied to the establishment of socialist culture and governance. In everyday language, the distinction between "Modern" and "Contemporary" is often blurred, but in specialized fields like literary studies, the separation is strict and carries significant implications for classifying authors, works, and literary movements.

在中国的历史和政治论述中，"当代"时期明确始于1949年10月1日中华人民共和国成立，并延续至今。这种分期与社会主义文化和政体的建立紧密相连。在日常用语中，"现代"与"当代"的区别常常是模糊的，但在文学研究等专业领域，这种区分是严格的，并且对作家、作品和文学流派的分类具有重要影响。

Globally, "Contemporary" often refers to the period following World War II, or more specifically, the Information Age starting around the 1970s, driven by the digital revolution. Some frameworks also look ahead to a potential "Biological Age."

在全球范围内，"当代"通常指第二次世界大战之后的时期，或者更具体地说，指由数字革命驱动的、始于20世纪70年代左右的信息时代。一些框架也展望了潜在的"生物时代"。

3. Modern-Contemporary (现当代 / Xiàn Dāngdài)

The compound term "Modern-Contemporary" is primarily used in literary and artistic criticism. It refers to individuals (especially writers and artists) whose creative careers bridge the 1949 divide. For example, authors like Lao She and Bing Xin, who were born and began their work before 1949 but remained active and influential well into the Contemporary period, are classified as "Modern-Contemporary" figures. The term thus denotes a continuity of creative activity across the two defined historical periods.

复合术语"现当代"主要用于文学和艺术批评。它指那些创作生涯跨越了1949年分界线的个人（特别是作家和艺术家）。例如，像老舍和冰心这样的作家，他们出生于1949年之前并开始了创作，但在当代时期仍然活跃并具有影响力，因此被归类为"现当代"人物。因此，这个术语表示跨越两个既定历史时期的创作活动的连续性。

Comparative Analysis of Periodization

Temporal Frameworks

The core distinction lies in their defining timelines within the Chinese context:

• Modern (现代): 1919 – 1949. A period of revolution and struggle.
• Contemporary (当代): 1949 – Present. The period of socialist construction and development.
• Modern-Contemporary (现当代): A trans-period classification for creative figures, not a distinct time block.

It is crucial to note the preceding period: the "近代" (Jìndài) or "Early Modern" period, from the First Opium War in 1840 to 1919. This era marks China's transition into a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society and sets the stage for the revolutionary movements of the Modern period.

核心区别在于它们在中国语境下的定义时间线：

• 现代：1919年 – 1949年。 一个革命与斗争的时期。
• 当代：1949年 – 至今。 社会主义建设与发展的时期。
• 现当代： 针对创作人物的跨时期分类，而非一个独立的时间段。

必须注意其前一个时期："近代"，从1840年第一次鸦片战争到1919年。 这个时代标志着中国向半殖民地半封建社会的过渡，并为现代时期的革命运动奠定了基础。

Disciplinary Perspectives

The application of these terms varies by field:

• History: Focuses on socio-political milestones (e.g., 1919, 1949).
• Literature: Employs strict periodization to categorize literary history, styles, and generational cohorts of writers. "Modern Literature" and "Contemporary Literature" are distinct fields of study.
• Global/Technological Studies: Uses benchmarks like the Industrial Revolution or the Digital Revolution, leading to different chronological boundaries (e.g., Modern = 1800s-1970s).

这些术语的应用因领域而异：

• 历史学： 关注社会政治里程碑（如1919年、1949年）。
• 文学： 采用严格的分期来对文学史、风格和作家代际进行分类。"现代文学"和"当代文学"是不同的研究领域。
• 全球/技术研究： 使用如工业革命或数字革命等基准，导致不同的年代界限（例如，现代 = 19世纪至20世纪70年代）。

Rationale and Significance of the Distinctions

Why are these distinctions necessary?

1. Historical Precision: They provide a framework for analyzing the distinct political, social, and cultural dynamics of different eras in China's rapid transformation from empire to nation-state to socialist country.
2. Academic Clarity: In disciplines like literary studies, these categories are essential tools for scholarship, allowing for the analysis of thematic evolution, stylistic shifts, and the impact of historical context on artistic production.
3. Cultural Demarcation: The 1949 divide, in particular, serves to mark the foundational moment for New China and its developing socialist culture, separating it from the preceding revolutionary and republican periods.

为什么需要这些区分？

1. 历史精确性： 它们提供了一个框架，用于分析中国从帝国到民族国家再到社会主义国家的快速转型过程中，不同时代独特的政治、社会和文化动态。
2. 学术清晰性： 在文学研究等学科中，这些分类是学术研究的重要工具，便于分析主题演变、风格转变以及历史背景对艺术创作的影响。
3. 文化划界： 特别是1949年的分界线，标志着新中国及其发展的社会主义文化的奠基时刻，将其与之前的革命和共和时期区分开来。

Conclusion

Understanding the differences between "Modern," "Contemporary," and "Modern-Contemporary" requires attention to both temporal benchmarks and disciplinary context. In the Chinese framework, 1919 and 1949 are the pivotal dates. While "Modern" and "Contemporary" define successive historical periods, "Modern-Contemporary" is a hybrid category acknowledging the enduring influence of figures across this divide. Recognizing these nuances is key to engaging accurately with Chinese historical, literary, and cultural scholarship.

理解"现代"、"当代"和"现当代"之间的区别，需要同时关注时间基准和学科背景。在中国的框架内，1919年和1949年是关键日期。"现代"和"当代"定义了连续的历史时期，而"现当代"则是一个混合类别，承认了跨越这一分界的人物所具有的持久影响力。认识到这些细微差别，是准确理解中国历史、文学和文化学术研究的关键。