阿嵯耶:“中国造”的洋标签

Acuoye:the Indian Label Made in China

阿嵯耶最先见于云南地方史料《南诏图传》,但从史源、史料真实性、南诏佛教具体内容等方面来看,不能认为《南诏图传》所说是真实的历史。从南诏历史来看,南诏具备强大国力和独立政治后,欲与唐约为兄弟或舅甥,却被唐中央根据《春秋》大义,要求像以前一样向唐奉表、称臣、贡方物。南诏为了使自己较以前有更高的地位,一方面淡化其受唐朝支持和受汉文化的影响,另一方面试图表达南诏与印度文化有密切关系,以便抗衡汉文化。阿嵯耶是南诏在试图建构足以抗衡汉文化的文化体系时创造的"梵名",是南诏处理其与唐关系时,力图争得与其国力相当的政治地位而创造出来的洋标签。

The name of Acuoye was first found in The Illustrated Story of Nanzhao,a text commonly looked at as a material about the local history.However,by the standard of historiography,and by the facts of Buddhism in Nanzhao,The Illustrated Story of Nanzhao can not be judged as a faithful record of the history of Nanzhao.After Nanzhao became a great power with a political autonomy,the King wanted to be seen as a brother or a nephew of the Emperor of the Tang dynasty.However,the Tang court refused to change policy,and continued to treat Nanzhao as a dependency.Nanzhao was still expected to pay tribute to the Tang.In order to elevate its own status,Nanzhao reduced its dependence on the Tang and managed to play down the influence of the Han culture.At the same time,it tried to establish a close cultural tie with India so as to offset the influence of Han culture.＂Acuoye＂ is the Sanskrit name that Nanzhao created for itself in order to resist the culture system of the Han civilization.It is an Indian label with which Nanzhao hoped to cope with the difficulties in its relationship with the Tang dynasty,and attempted to establish the political status proportional to its economic and military power.