Abstract: Natural history is generally translated into “bowuxue”, however,it should be “ziranshi”. This dispute is not only in wording, but also concerns with our understanding of science and Chinese traditional scholarship. The key of history does not lie in investigating the past, but in the approach to faithful recording, noting and marshalling. Opposite to philosophical method, historical method is specific, localized, experiential and narrative. In this sense, natural history is still a kind of history.

Key words: natural history, bowuxue, historical method