汉代徐闻与海上交通

Xuwen and Maritime Traffic in the Han Dynasty

位于雷州半岛的徐闻,扼琼州海峡的咽喉,不仅是汉朝控制海南岛的关键,而且是汉朝对交趾、九真、日南等地实施有效管辖的关键所在,其战略地位十分重要。汉代在徐闻设置的左右候官并非中国最早的海外贸易官员,而是属于合浦都尉属下的一级军事组织。徐闻等地与北方的海上交通历史悠久,在公元83年以后仍然发挥着重要的作用。考古发现证明,徐闻等地与南海的民间贸易比官方的朝贡贸易更为重要,更值得重视。

On the south China coast, Xuwen was an important port in the Han Dynasty. The importance of Xuwen in the overseas trade of Han China has been recently attested by archaeology. Precious articles of foreign origin, including amber, agate, pearl, and so on, have been found in Han tombs at Xuwen and Hepu. Some of them must have been imported from the South Sea.