对明代中葡关系研究中几个问题的考察

The Investigation of Several Issues Related to the Study of Sino-Portuguese Relations in the Ming Dynasty

China是外来词,还是汉字音译?它的含义究竟是什么?它与Cathay有什么关系?长期以来,这个词一直在困扰着中国学者,而“地理大发现”初期的西方君主,也对China与Cathay之间是否有关系感到迷惑。一些外国人为了强调葡萄牙人在16世纪最初十年就到了澳门,竟将与蚝镜并不相干的Oquem(福州)扯在了一起,并且误导了部分中国学者。明清史料所载澳葡议事会“西洋理事官哆”、“督理濠镜澳事务西洋理事官哆”,即“哆”,究竟是人名还是官名?是Vereador的音译,还是Procurador(检察官)的音译?此外,《明史》所载“哑诺归氏浮海求贡”,讲的是哪一位葡使?“佛郎机传”中的“佛郎机”是什么?它与葡萄牙、葡萄牙人、欧洲人及西方炮铳有什么关系?此外,《明史》中还存在将葡萄牙船号、官名误记作人名等问题。有鉴于此,本文对于史书记载错误或失实之处,在参考中外文献基础上作认真的辨析和考订。

Is the name China a foreignism, or is it ultimately derived from a Chinese term? What did it fact signify, and what is its relationship with the term Cathay? These questions have long attracted the attention of Sinologists, and a similar confusion between China and Cathay can also be observed among the pioneering generation of early Western explorers and their overlords. Some overseas scholars stress that in the first decade of the 16th century when the Portuguese came to Macao, they confused the place Haojing with Oquem (Fuzhou) and subsequently misled some Sinologists. Ming and Qing dynasty documents speak of a “Weliduo”. But it is not known whether this is the personal name of a Portuguese leader (Vereador) or the title of his position (Procurador)? The author also discusses the identity of a Portuguese ambassador referred to in Ming Shi as “Yanuoligui”, and also what preciously the term “Falangji” connoted – Portugal, the Portuguese, Europeans or even a type of Western cannon? The author also shows that Ming Shi often confounded the names of Portuguese vessels and o cial titles with personal names. Setting out to rectify these errors in the interpretation of Chinese written historical accounts, the author tackles the essential job of establishing the true signi cation of many of these terms which have long perplexed researchers.