On the morning of January 19, 2026, the Analysis Report on Original Research Methods in Chinese Philosophy and Social Sciences (2026) (hereinafter referred to as the "Report"), developed by the Information Center for Social Sciences of Renmin University of China and the Digital Innovation Platform for the Autonomous Knowledge System of China's Philosophy and Social Sciences (Academic World), was officially released at the "Release Conference of Achievements in China's Autonomous Knowledge System (2025)" co-hosted by Renmin University of China and the National Museum of Classic Books. As the third part of the "Trilogy of Originality - Oriented Academic Evaluation", the Report aims to select and analyze original research methods in Chinese philosophy and social sciences, summarize the laws governing methodological innovation in this field, promote the formation of an academic paradigm with Chinese characteristics, and is of great significance for guiding the construction of an autonomous knowledge system of philosophy and social sciences. Among the 10 representative original research methods selected, the Methodology of Historical Political Science stood out for its theoretical originality and methodological leading role, emerging as one of the core outcomes of this report.
To guide the innovative development of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, the Information Center for Social Sciences of Renmin University of China has officially launched the selection and analysis of original academic concepts, theories, and research methods in Chinese philosophy and social sciences (i.e., the "Trilogy of Originality-Oriented Academic Evaluation") since 2023. It attempts to sort out and analyze major original achievements in the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese philosophy and social sciences, explore the connotative characteristics and judgment criteria of China's original academic concepts, theories, and research methods, and select representative examples. The selection process for this Report strictly followed the essential characteristics of "new paradigm and new transformation" and the general criteria of "new principles, new dimensions, new tools, new models, and new effectiveness". Through sample selection, data collation, collection and screening, information inquiry, peer review, and author confirmation, 10 representative examples of original research methods in Chinese philosophy and social sciences were selected. The "Historical Political Methodology", to which Professor Yang Guangbin made significant contributions, was among the 10 selected methods.
A pivotal discovery of historical political science is historical ontology. Simply put, the generic existence of history determines the path of political development and implies the laws of political evolution; political theories strive to uncover these laws, thereby forming political doctrines. Historical ontology shapes the modes of political change, which in turn determine the forms of political institutions, while political theories serve as an integrated expression of the corresponding political development paths and institutions. In European social history, the mode of institutional change featured the competitive and confrontational distribution of resources, giving rise to confrontational political institutions and theories accordingly. In Chinese political history, the unified mode of institutional change has evolved a political theory centered on the thread of governing for prosperity and winning the people's hearts. Historical ontology constitutes the fundamental basis for constructing or identifying political theories. In other words, historical political science, with propositions of historical ontology as its core hypothesis, is not only an epistemological and methodological framework for understanding political theories but also possesses the functions of analyzing real-world politics and constructing political theories by virtue of the existence of historical ontology.
Under the research plan of "historical political science", the School of International Relations at Renmin University of China assembled a team of distinguished senior scholars and launched the compilation of the first series of Collected Essays on Historical Political Science and the Independent Knowledge System of Chinese Political Science in early 2019. As of 2025, a total of five representative works have been published, including Historical Political Science: A Paradigm Revolution in Chinese Political Science, The Concept of Politics: Epistemological Principles of Historical Political Science, The Cultural and Educational State: A Historical Political Study of China's State Form, Founding a Republic and a New Theory of Governance: Qian Mu's Studies in Historical Political Science, and The Socio-Political Origins of the Zhou-Qin Transformation: From a Feudal State of Emperors and Lords to a Monarchical Bureaucracy. This series is the first to systematically propose and elaborate on "historical political science" as a core research paradigm that integrates the historical depth of historiography with the theoretical framework of political science. It delves into the ontology, epistemology and methodology of historical political science, filling the gap in systematic research that interprets political practices and constructs theoretical systems by drawing on China's profound historical traditions. It has exerted a profound influence on reflecting critically on the Western-centric research approach in political science and establishing the subjectivity of Chinese political science. These achievements have become an important reference for the academic community to deeply understand the characteristics of Chinese politics and extract China's governance wisdom, and hold significant theoretical value and far-reaching practical significance for constructing an autonomous knowledge system of Chinese political science and enhancing China's academic discourse power.