《西南彝志》关于马的科技与文明记述研究

The accounts of horses in connection with scientific technology and civilization in Chronicles of the Yi in Southwest China

《西南彝志》是最重要的彝文史籍,其中关于马的记述所用的篇幅之多在彝文古籍中十分罕见,堪称绝无仅有。该书详细记录了许多名马的品种、名称和部分名马的主要特征,区分了马在彝族社会中的主要功用。与汉文史志材料相比较,这些名马的特征是吻合的。书中所记录的彝族先民注意清理好马的谱系,精选马种要注意血统纯正,配马亲要选择名马的父本特别是繁殖力强的母本,通过杂交产马,避免近亲繁殖,精心饲养等,符合现代畜牧学的科学技术原理,体现了古代很高的养马科技水平,对研究西南地区古代畜牧史和科技史有重要的参考价值。

Chronicles of the Yi in Southwest China, the most important historical record in the Yi language, gives more accounts of hor- ses than other Yi history books, the only one of this kind. Chronicles of the Yi in Southwest China gives a detailed description of the breeds and names of many well - known horses as well as their main features, and differentiates the main uses of horses in the Yi com- munity. The records of the characteristics of these well - known horses in Chronicles of the Yi in Southwest China are consistent with some Chinese historical materials. What is recorded in this book is in line with the scientific theories of modern animal husbandry, such as a good choice of pedigrees and pure breeds of horses, especially preferable for well - known male parents and female parents with strong fecundity and in favor of careful hybridization to avoid inbreeding, which reflects a high - level horse breeding in ancient times and has much reference value to the study of the history of animal husbandry and scientific technology of southwest China in ancient times.