终椎研索

Research on Mallets to Exorcise Evil Spirits

建国以来，在我国山东、江苏东部沿海和湖南长沙一带的西汉墓葬中常有一种通体髹漆、长短不一、一头略粗、一头略细如锥状、锥末无任何使用痕迹的“木杖”出土，考古界对其用途、名称说法纷纭。笔者结合历史文献记载及该种“木杖”放置的位置、形制等作了综合研究，认定这种“木杖”名为“终椎”，其作用是压胜驱邪；而唐以来关于“钟馗打鬼”的故事，就是由此生发而来。

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, a kind of mallets entirely coated with lacquer has been unearthed from graves of the Western Han Dynasty, the length of which are not the same. The two ends of each mallet are not the same, either. One is slightly thicker and the other is a bit thinner. The mallets look like cones and there aren' t any used marks left on the tails. The archaeologists have different opinions about their usages and names. According to the records of the historical documents, the position and shape of the mallets, the authors have made a comprehensive study and firmly believed that this kind of 'Wooden Sticks' are called 'Mallets to exorcise Evil Spirits'. Since the Tang Dynasty, the story of a deity who beats ghosts has come into existence from it.