戎狄考辨

A Study of "Rong" and "Di"

本文认为,戎具有本指与转指二义。戎本是先商族,为东夷的一支,后泛指华夏四境之少数民族,逐渐演变成一个文化概念。由于羌、狄在文化上与华夏族的差异,故戎主要用来指西北之羌人与狄人;狄人强大后,则主要用来指西方氐羌系少数民族。狄为犬族,是以犬为图腾的一个民族。狄族强大后,取得与戎并立的地位,成为北方少数民族的代表。

This research has proved that ＂Rong＂ has its original meaning and extended meaning.＂Rong＂ originally referred to the Xiuanshang group,a branch of the east Yi ethnic group and later referred to the minority groups of China,that is,a cultural concept.Due to the cultural differences between ＂Qiang-Di＂ and Huaxia group,＂Rong＂ referred to the Qing people and the Di people in northwest China.After the Di people become powerful,＂Rong＂ was used to refer to the minority groups of ＂Di-Qiang＂ in west China.The Di people used dog as their totem and together with the Rong people became the representative of the minority groups of north China.