对“中国青铜时代”的再思考

Revisiting the “Chinese Bronze Age”

根据通行的“技术演进三期说”,青铜的功能在于推进生产。实际上,中国古代的青铜多用于制造祭祀的礼器和战争的武器,而很少用于制造农具。这些器具通过占有最高超的技术和珍贵的材料,体现出权力的力量。反过来,祭祀和战争本身又是对“植入权力”和“施加权力”最好的诠释。而“九鼎”的传说和观念则将权力的这两个方面结合起来,成为中国青铜时代“纪念碑性”最好的标志。

According to the prevalent “three periods of technical evolution”, the function of bronze is to promote production. As a matter of fact, bronze in ancient China was often used to make ritual tools for sacrifices and weapons for wars, and was rarely used for agriculture. These tools and weapons reflect power relations through their appropriation of advanced techniques and rare materials. In turn, the sacrifices and wars were the best explanation to the empowerment and enforcement of power by these tools and weapons. The legend and conception of Jiuding, for example, combined these two aspects of power and became the best monument of the Chinese Bronze Age.