再论甘肃礼县鸾亭山等地出土玉人的功用

A Renewed Study on Jade Figures Unearthed in Lixian and Other Locations

多年来,陕、甘两地连续出土长方窄片状玉人四批,学者多以为是"人牺"或"人殉"。然而分析此类玉人的性质,既不能脱离其祭祀性质的出土单位,也不要忽视器物选材的特殊性。"巫以玉通神",周公制礼作乐,更是"以玉作六器,以礼天地四方",从此玉、巫、神三者绑定,成为独具中国特色的礼仪制度。古人举行祭祀活动都要有一定的仪式,如杀牺、燔烧、掩埋、唱歌、跳舞等,巫是必不能少的角色。本文根据出土遗迹单位的祭祀性质和玉人选材的特殊性,首先追溯了自新石器时代以来玉质人像或图案的宗教意义,而后列举了周、秦、汉祭祀属官的设置以及民间的巫觋活动,认为此类玉人代表的不是人殉和人牺,而与巫祝有关,取招引候神之意,是先秦时期暴巫、焚巫陋习的孑遗。

The four groups of narrow-leaf-shaped rectangular jade figures unearthed in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces are often believed to be a symbol of human beings killed in sacrificial rites or buried alive with the dead. Nevertheless, it is important to associate the function of jade figures with the excavation site and the jade material they are made of. ＂The ancient sorcerer used jade to connect the sacred beings＂. Moreover, when Zhou Gong stipulated standards for rituals and music, the ＂six sacred objects＂ were made in jade. The interconnections of jade, sorcery and the sacred are characteristic of ancient Chinese rituals. In ancient sacrificial practices such as preparing sacrifices, making fire, burying, singing and dancing, sorcerers played very important roles. Based on sacrificial functions of excavation sites and the materials, the current author traces the religious significance of jade figures or images from the Neolithic Age onward and studies official posts related to sacrifice supervision and non-official sorcery activities. It is concluded that jade figures in this kind are related to sorcery, rather than associated with sacrificial or burial ceremonies. They were used to attract and serve deities or spirits. This could be considered the remains of corrupt customs that go back to period prior to the Qin dynasty.