Revisiting Kaozheng: Integrating Traditional Chinese Evidential Thinking into Contemporary Qualitative Research

Scholars have identified three interrelated challenges that contemporary qualitative researchers face: decontextualization, data overload, and ethical dilemmas. However, few practical approaches grounded in real case studies have been developed to address these issues. This paper responds to this gap by introducing Kaozheng—a traditional Chinese evidential research methodology emphasizing textual criticism—and shares its application in an oral history project with old Beijing residents.

Drawing on my interviews, ethnographic fieldwork, archival research, and rounds of analysis for this project, I present a Kaozheng skillset developed through this project, which includes: (1) establishing connections among knowledge that reflect broader socio-historical contexts, archival records directly related to oral accounts, and interview data; (2) conducting data mining guided by core research questions; and (3) foregrounding interviewees’ voices in the main content while placing researchers’ interpretations in supplementary sections (e.g., forewords, annotations, and commentaries)—a traditional technique used by Chinese historians in annotated classics, which expresses respect for participants’ contributions while upholding the evidential value of other data sources.

By demonstrating how Kaozheng can be incorporated into an oral history project, this paper offers methodological insights into how traditional evidential practices can inform contemporary qualitative research. Encouraging iterative data collection and analysis, Kaozheng enables rigorous cross-checking of findings to address the widespread problem of misinformation in the post-truth era. In addition, Kaozheng offers an effective way to navigate the complexity of working with multiple and diverse data formats and volumes, ensuring a sustained focus on theoretically and substantively meaningful research questions. Finally, Kaozheng emphasizes researchers’ positionality in work that is open to audiences, ensuring the transparency necessary for a mutually beneficial relationship between participants and researchers while clearly presenting the evidence chains supporting an argument.