华夏考

A Research in "Hua Xia

在殷墟甲骨文中,“华”“夏”二神具有与“河”神相似的崇高地位,这点提供了揭示华夏文明起源和“华夏”名称来源的重要线索。然而,百年来这两个字一直被误释为“岳”和“爱”。本文主要通过甲骨文字形与周秦两汉古文字中已确认的“华”、“夏”等字的形体比较,考释甲骨文(华)“夏”二字。“华”和“夏”本来都是地理上的名称,分别指华山和大夏。两者对峙于黄河南北,遥遥相望,迤逦相连,自古以来就流传着“河”神擘开“华、夏”的神话。由此得以理解甲骨卜辞“河”、“华”、“夏”三神相提并祀在认识上的根源。“华夏”一带正是上古尧舜禹和商周秦各代相继据有的核心重地,被视为“中土”。“华”“夏”由此转化为“中国”(指中土)的代称,而与“四方”、“四夷”相对;又以处“中”之义转化为“中华”、“中夏”之称,均为地域概念;然后以地域文化的内涵转化指“中国”人民。“华夏”作为民族之称,代表的不是血缘上的,而是地域文化意义上的民族概念。论文分四部分:一、释甲骨文;二、释甲骨文“夏”;三、“华”“夏”地望及开辟神话;四、“华”“夏”地位与华夏族称。

In the oracle - bone inscriptions of Yin times both the gods of 'Hua' and 'Xia' had a similar high position with the god of 'He' (river) , which afforded an important clue for revealing the origin of Hua - xia civilization and the source of the term 'hua xia' . In the past hundred years, however, these two characters were always misinterpreted as 'yue' and 'nao'. 'Hua' and 'Xia' were originally geographical terms, referring to Hua Mount and Great Xia respectively, which were located in and connected by the opposite south and north banks of the Yellow River. And there was a legendary myth about the god of 'River' who ripped 'Hua' and 'Xia'. Accordingly, the fact that the three gods were mentioned together in the inscriptions could be understood from their cognitive source. The region of 'Hua Xia' was just a core place that was occupied in succession by Yao, Shun and Yu and by Shang, Zhou and Qin Dynasties, and was regarded as 'zhong tu' (middle land) and further an alternative name of 'zhong guo' (literally, middle country, that is, China) , as opposed to the 'four directions'. Then, its implication of regional culture was transformed and referred to the people of 'zhong guo' (the Chinese people) . As a name of the nation, 'Hua Xia' represented a national concept in the sense of regional culture instead of blood relationship.