《考工记》“锺氏染羽”新解

The New Explanation to "Mr.Zhong Dyes the Feather" in Kaogongji

对《考工记》所载"钟氏染羽,以朱湛丹秫三月,而炽之,淳而渍之.三入为纁,五入为緅,七入为缁"这段记文,古代和今天有许多不同的解释.这些解释既有可取之处,也有值得商榷的地方.根据所收集文献材料并参考现代染色相关原理,对原有诸多解释进行辨析,其中重点对于记文中的"钟"、"羽"、"朱"、"秫"进行了新的诠释,指出"钟"为"緟"之假借字;"羽"不是特指羽毛,而为多彩之意;"朱"为植物红豆杉;"秫"为谷物红高粱,并据此以新的观点阐述了这段记文所述从纁色至缁色的染色过程.

From ancient times to now there have been many different explanations to the record-- -- -- ＂Mr. Zhong Dyes the Feather, 朱 and 秫 dipped in water for three months and then being boiled, which is used for dyeing when the liquid getting thick ;and three times as 緟, five times as 緅, seven times as 缁 in KaogongJi. Although the explanations have many redeeming features, many points there need discussing. On the basis of collected literatures and modern dyeing theories, this paper gives analyze to many old expla- nations and gives new annotation to 锺 ,羽,朱,秫. It is indicated that 锺 is the phonetic loan character of ＂緟＂ and ＂羽＂ means colorfulness; that ＂朱＂is yew plant; 秫 is red sorghum. And according to the new point, the dyeing process from color 緟 to 缁 is expatiated in this record.