商周金文族徽“天黾”新释

A New Perspective on the Clan Emblem "Tianmin" in Bronze Inscriptions during the Shang and Zhou Dynasties

商周金文族徽"天黾",近人多释为"天鼋",即黄帝轩辕氏,其实此说乃出于对《国语.周语下》"我姬氏出自天鼋"一语的误解。是语主要讲周武王伐殷时的天象及相关传说,天鼋即十二次之玄枵,玄枵所对应的齐地有殷代逄(逢)伯陵的后人大姜嫁与周大王(古公亶父),因为周人从此勃兴,故有此说法。郭沫若误将"天黾"释成"天鼋",又以轩辕氏释之。古文字黾与龟、鼄三字,现已可以区分清楚,从而可知前人对"天黾"二字的释读无误。解读"天黾",所对应的应是进入有史时代的夏商周史料。"天黾"的"天"应是地名,"黾"就是夏族的冥氏,"天黾"乃冥氏的自称;在甲骨文中,商朝统治者称其为"黾"。

In modern research,the clan emblem 'Tianmin' in Shang and Zhou bronze inscriptions has been widely understood as 'Tianyuan,' i.e.the Yellow Emperor surnamed Xuanyuan.This is a misinterpretation of the sentence 'The Chinese are descended from Tianyuan' in the Discourse on the States:Discourse on Zhou State.The sentence actually tells us about the astronomical phenomena and related traditions associated with the invasion of Yin by the King Wu of Zhou.'Tianyuan' here refers to xuanxiao,one of the twelve stations along the path of Jupiter across the heavens.Xuanxiao corresponds to the Qidi area,where Dajiang,a descendant of Feng Boling of the Yin dynasty,married the Zhou King Tai of Zhou.The Zhou dynasty began to prosper from then on,whence this saying.Guo Moruo misinterpreted 'Tianmin' as 'Tianyuan,' assuming that it meant 'the surname of Xuanyuan.' Now that we can distinguish between the ancient characters for 'min','gui' and 'zhu',we know that the earlier interpretation of 'Tianmin' was correct.The relevant historical materials for interpreting 'Tianmin' should be those of the Xia,Shang and Zhou dynasties at the beginning of the historical period.'Tian' in 'Tianmin' should be a place name,while 'min' is the family name of the Xia clan.Therefore,'Tianmin' is a term the Xia clan used to refer to themselves;in oracle bone inscriptions,the Shang rulers simply refered to it as 'min.'