Zhang Xuecheng said in the article "Annals of Hezhou": "Zheng Qiao has knowledge of history but no history, Ceng Gong has knowledge of history but no history method, and Liu Zhiji has history method but no history meaning. This is what Shi Wen Yi Tong did. " Here, by comparing with the above-mentioned scholars, he clearly pointed out that he wrote the book "General Meaning of Literature and History" only to illustrate historical significance. In addition, he also talked about the importance of expounding historical significance in many chapters of Shi Wen Yi Tong. For example, in his article Literature, History, Yi Tong and Gong Yan, he said: "Being a historian and knowing what he means does not mean telling stories, but just seeking the end of things." The article "Literature and History" said: "History is precious and righteousness is also." In the chapter "Zhongzheng", he said: "Historians don't seek righteousness, why do they write?" Wait a minute.

Why does Zhang Xuecheng emphasize the importance of historical significance so much? He believes that historiography mainly includes three parts: historical events, historical essays and historical significance, among which historical significance is the soul, so it is the most important. He said in the article "The General Meaning of Shen Zheng's Literature and History": "When Confucius wrote Spring and Autumn Annals, he said that his work was the bronze inscription of Qi Huan and his work was history. He meant that Confucius claimed that he had gained something." On this basis, Zhang Xuecheng named his work "General Meaning of Literature and History", expressing the hope that he would be familiar with historical significance through the study of historical books and documents. Expose and attack other bad styles of writing other than textual research. Zhang Xuecheng said in another book with Zhu: "This book is contemptuous, and all confidants can make it a paper. I don't know what the future is, but it's not entirely a literary and historical plan. I am angry about my life and write it in a book. A hundred years later, it may make the word "Yi Tong" and old Du Ge's poems feel depressed. Gong Yan and Shuo Lin's article in Yitong was an old manuscript more than ten years ago. Now it is urgently revised and published, not an urban article, but a decadent style. Scholars struggle with each other, and disputes are inevitable. I can make it reasonable, I can also open its thorns and calm its poison, while Qin Yi can see the purity of heaven and earth, the greatness of the ancients, or the hearts of local customs! "

Although Zhang was good at historiography, he was never valued by the Qing government. Therefore, he applied his historical theory to the compilation practice of local chronicles. Editing local chronicles occupies a very important position in his life's activities, making him an extremely important person in the cause of local chronicles. Liang Qichao praised him as China's "ancestor of local chronicles" and "sage of local chronicles". After 1978, China local chronicles compilation upsurge, his local chronicles theory was also regarded as the enlightenment theory.