嫘祖故里试探

Probe into Leizu’ native place

嫘祖西陵氏是黄帝正妃,她是蚕丝的发明者,又是热爱云游的旅行家,故被炎黄子孙尊称为"人文女祖"、"先蚕"和"行神",受到尊重和祭祀。但嫘祖的故里在哪里?据统计:全国有十四五处之多,各地众说不一。据武威汉简中的有关记载和《水经注》中的相关资料说明,汉代西陵就在今河南省西平县境内。西平在远古又是炎帝族系西陵氏、吕氏、雷氏的聚居区。炎帝族系与黄帝族系是互婚集团,西平与黄帝故里新郑较近,嫘祖成为黄帝正妃是完全可能的。西平自古适合蚕桑,在西平又发现与嫘祖时代相当的仰韶文化遗址,故说西平是嫘祖故里,其依据是较为充分的。

Leizu Xiling, Yellow Emperor＇ s imperial concubine, is the inventor of silk and a traveler as well. Therefore, the descendants of the Yan and Huang Emperors repectfully call her ＂female ancestor of human culture＂, ＂the inventor of silkworm breeding＂ and ＂traveling god＂ receiving respect and sacrifices offering. But where is leizu＇ native place？ Statistics show that there are as many as fourteen in the whole country, each place offering different reasons. Relative records in the wood slips of the Han Dynasty in Wuwei and Shui Jing Zhu show that the west mausoleum of the Han Dynasty is within the boundaries of today＇ Xiping county, Henan province. In ancient times Xiping was also the community of Yan Emperor clans of Xiling, Lu and Lei. Yan Emperor clan and Yellow Emperor clan were two groups related by marriage. Xiping is near to Yellow Emperor＇ s native place Xinzheng, so it is quite possible for Leizu to become Yellow Emperor＇ s imperial concubine. Xiping has been suitble for silkworm raising since ancient times, and the ruins of Yangshao culture similar to that of Leizu times were discovered in Xiping.So it is quite reasonable to consider Xiping to be the native place of Leizu.