染料红花古名辨析兼及番红花名称考

Discrimination of the ancient dye name of safflower and saffron name research

"蓝"即蓝草,本为"染青之草",有蓼蓝、崧蓝、马蓝、木蓝诸种。作为染料的红花古亦称"蓝",曰黄蓝,又曰红蓝。黄蓝、红蓝之名产生于红花传入中原地区初期,当时蓝草早已人所普知,故而黄蓝、红蓝之"蓝"来源应该与此有关,古文献中多记载因其花或叶与蓝草相似、相同而得名。不过,研究比较发现,红花植物与各种蓝草皆无相似之处,更无相同可言。经考证认为,染料红花古名黄蓝、红蓝之"蓝"本义为泛指染料,与蓝草之"蓝"异。另外,研究红花古名还需要与番红花(西红花、藏红花)区别开。由于中国元代从西藏输入内地的一种新药材与汉代就有的红花药性近似,且外观、色彩也相像,故而产生了误解。研究表明,番红花(西红花、藏红花)与红花是完全不同的两种植物。

Indigo is a blue dye plant,including Polygonum, Woad, Assam indigo and Indigofera. In ancient times, safflower as an natural dye was called “ Blue” ,also known as “ reddish Blue”（红蓝） or “ yellowish Blue”（黄蓝 ）. The names were generated in the early stage of safflower which was spread into the central plains of China. At that time, indigo was widely known, and the name of “ reddish Blue” or “ yellowish Blue” was related to the name of indigo. About the naming reason, the ancient literature recorded that safflower has the same or similar aspects with indigo. But by comparison, it is found that it is not the case. Textual research shows in the ancient name of safflower,the original meaning of “ blue” referred to a dye,different from “ blue” of bluegrass. In addition, it is important to discriminate the differences in safflower and saffron crocus in name research. Because saffron as a new medicine introduced in Yuan dynasty from Tibet,has similar drug properties, appearance and color with safflower in Han dynasty,misunderstandings appears The research reveals that the saffron and the safflower are two different plants.