“观象授时”与“占候吉凶”——先秦时期天文学的二重功能性论析

“Telling the People Seasons by Observing Celestial Phenomena”and“Divining the Good and Bad Luck”——On the Two Functions of Astronomy in the Pre-Qin Dynasty

在先秦时期,"观象授时"与"占候吉凶"是天文学的两大基本功能,二者相互依存,相互影响,这既缘于农耕文明的社会性质,也取决于统治阶级维护自身统治的需要。到春秋时期,人们在视异常天象为上天"告凶"的同时,开始思索导致"天谴"的人事原因。先秦时期天文机构、职官的设置基本上是一身二任的,既负责观察天象的运行来治历明时,又负责通过天象的变异来占测吉凶。

In the period of Pre-Qin dynasty,＂telling the people seasons by observing celestial phenomena＂and＂divining the good and bad luck＂are two basic functions of astronomy; they are interdependent and interact together. This is because of the social nature of agriculture civilization and also depends on the ruling class to maintain its ruling need. In the spring and autumn period,the people started to think about the personal reason that leads to heaven＇s condemnation and in the same time to look abnormal celestial phenomena as the sign for god to tell the fierce. Judging from the setting of astronomical organizations and the officials,they have both roles of responsibility for calendar by observing celestial phenomena and also responsibility for divining good or bad luck by observing abnormal celestial phenomena.