日出、日落方向并非从来就被称作东方、西方——从北方民族方位观念发生、发展和演变谈起

THE DIRECTIONS OF SUNRISE AND SUNDOWN HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN CALLED THE EAST AND THE WEST

学界几乎普遍认为 ,从方位观念产生之日起 ,人们就将日出方向称为东方 ,将日落方向称作西方。其实 ,这种看法是不正确的。从北方民族方位观念发生、发展和演变来看 ,最早将今天的东、西方称作日出、日落方向 ;后来 ,称为前、后方 ;再后来 ,称为南、北方 ;最后才将日出、日落方向称作东。

It is almost a universal belief that since the date when the concept of the points of the compass came into being people have called the direction of sunrise the east, and the direction of sundown the west. But in fact, this is not true. Looking into the birth, development and evolution of the concept held by the various nationals in North China we found that at the beginning the direction of sunrise was really called the east, and the direction of sundown the west, but then they were called the front and the back. Still later they were called the south and the north. And finally, again they were called and have been called the east and the west.