金文“生称谥”新解

A New Interpretation of the Use of Posthumous Titles for Living Western Zhou Kings As Seen in the Inscriptions on Ancient Bronze Objects

西周金文中的武、成、穆、共、懿等王号 ,因出现语境上的生称 ,致使不少学者认为西周或西周孝王以前犹无谥法。其实 ,只因这些铭文铸作于“生称谥”者谢世之后 ,才得以用其谥号追述前朝旧事。从金文中的多种文化现象和大量事例来看 ,谥法应创制于周初 ,且有一个从天子而下及诸侯等其他贵族的扩展过程。

The titles of Western Zhou kings Wu, Cheng, Mu, Gong and Yi appeared in inscriptions on ancient bronze objects as if at the time when the kings were alive. Many scholars were therefore led to believe that there were no rules for conferring posthumous titles on deceased kings during the Western Zhou dynasty, at least before the reign of King Xiao. In actual fact, it was because these inscriptions were engraved after the kings concerned died that their posthumous titles could be used when events that had happened during their respective reigns were recorded. From a variety of cultural phenomena and numerous events recorded in the inscriptions on ancient bronze objects, it can be seen that the rules concerning posthumous titles were adopted in the early years of the Zhou dynasty and their application was elaborated as they extended from the Son of Heaven (the Supreme Sovereign) to the dukes princes and other aristocrats. The view that the title of the Western Zhou kings were used when the kings were alive and were not posthumous titles does not tally with historical facts.