中亚七河地区突厥语部族的景教信仰

Nestorian Christianity of the Turkic People at Semirechye in Central Asia

7世纪中叶,基督教聂思脱里派开始传入中亚七河地区,并为突厥语部族所信仰,汉语称之为景教。蒙元时期,由于统治者采取了宽容的宗教政策,景教在七河地区臻于极盛,与其他宗教一起形成了多元化宗教局面。14世纪中叶,随着突厥语部族改宗伊斯兰教,景教逐渐趋于湮灭。通过对考古资料和文献资料的研究可知,七河地区基督徒的日常用语主要是中世纪突厥语方言,而在传教场合则主要使用叙利亚语,但叙利亚语并非当地的主流语言;当地家庭普遍有基督徒,除了传教士以外,信徒中还包括其他职业者,比如军官、教师等;元代七河地区的基督教与中国内地保持着密切联系,反映了彼此的联系和互动。七河流域发现的碑文资料对重建当地基督教的历史,全面认识元代中国和中亚基督教的真实状况,丰富中外文化交流史的内涵,均具有重要学术价值。

In the mid 7th century,Nestorian Christianity (jingjiao in Chinese)reached Semirechye in Central Asia,and was adopted by the Turkic people there.As the Mongol rulers of the Yuan Dynasty pursued a policy of religious tolerance,Nestorian Christianity reached its peak at Semirechye and became part of China's religious diversity.By the mid 13 th century,with the general conversion of the Turkic peoples to Islam,Nestorian Christianity had begun to wane.A study of archaeological and epigraphic materials reveals that although the daily language of Christians at Semirechye was a medieval Turkic dialect,it was the Syriac language that was mainly used in preaching.However,Syriac was not the mainstream language used in that region.Christians were widespread among local families.In addition to missionaries,followers of Nestorian Christianity also included people from other walks of life,such as military officials and teachers.During the Yuan Dynasty,there was close communication between Christians at Semirechye and the Chinese hinterland,reflecting their connections and interactions.Stele inscriptions from Semirechye are of academic significance for the reestablishment of the local history of Christianity,for a full understanding of Yuan China and of Christianity in Central Asia,and for an understanding of cultural exchanges between China and other countries.