“夔纹”再识

The Further Study on the "Kui-dragon Design"

"夔纹"是商周青铜器纹饰中的重要纹样,一般指张口、一足、卷尾的动物侧面形象。这类动物形象被普遍认为是神话类动物龙形的一种。笔得曾从纹样图形的角度进行详细比较,指出"夔纹"

＂Kui-dragon Design＂ is an important motif of decorative patterns on Chinese bronze vessels of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. It has been thought to be associated with the mythical creature long （龙, Chinese dragon） since the Song Dynasty. However, the evidences of both its features and the evolutions of the character representing it in the oracle bone and bronze inscriptions reveal the fact that the original pattern of ＂kui-dragon design＂ is actually derived from the animal hu （虎, tiger） . The supreme and supernatural creature long （dragon） was usually used to identify those unknown zoomorphic decorations on the Shang and Zhou bronze vessels by the antiquarians of the Song Dynasty, which causes misunderstandings of ＂kui-dragon design＂.