申氏铜器与楚申氏的族属

The Bronzes of the Shen Clan and the Affinity of the Shen Clan of the Chu State

申氏是楚国望族，春秋时期涌现出申舟、申亥、申包胥等一批名人，然其族属却一直颇有争议。前些年发表的两则铜器铭文，内容关乎楚申氏的来源，有助于解开申氏族属的谜团。

The Shen Clan was an elite lineage of the Chu State in the Zhou Dynasty, but its affinity has been in debate for long. Based on the analysis of inscriptions on two bronzes belonging to the Shen Clan and the historic literature evidence, its origin can be traced to the Southern Shen State founded by the Jiang Family. In the early Spring-and-Autumn Period, when the Shen State was degraded into a subordinate of the Chu State, the Shen nobles turned to serve the Chu court and used the name of their former state as their clan name. There was evidence indicating that the Shen had once claimed the title of king, which probably took place earlier than 600 BC. The title of King of Shen still existed in the mid 6th century BC.