先秦四极地理观的形成

The Formation of View on Siji Region in the Pre-Qin Period

四极地理观,指古代中国人对东西南北四极所至之地的看法。这一观念源于东夷及殷商文化,主要蕴含在《山海经》和《尚书·尧典》之中,后被战国学者继承、发展,这在《孟子》、《庄子》、《韩非子》、《吕氏春秋》、《楚辞》等著作中均有表现。先秦四极地理观主要表述为东至旸谷或大海、南至交趾、西至昧谷或流沙、北至幽都等,具有虚实参半的特点,并为后世所沿用,深刻影响了古代中国人对天下的认知。

The view on Siji Region refers to the ancient Chinese idea of the marginal land in the east and west,south and north. The notion originated from the culture of eastern Yi and Shang dynasty,which was mainly contained in The Classic of Mountains and Rivers and the Yao dian（ the Chronology of Emperor Yao）. The notion was carried forward by scholars in the Mencius,the Zhuangzi,the Hanfeizi and so on during the Warring States period. The fictitious and true mixed notion were usually described that the marginal land in the east and west,south and north respectively were the Yanggu or the sea,Meigu or the desert,Nanjiao and Youdu. Then the notion was adopted by the later generations.