楚王践祚易名相关问题研究

A Study on the King of Chu's Name-changing and Related Issues

披读楚史,不难发现楚王践祚后有易名的习俗。考察此习俗,其源头可上溯至西周后期的楚君熊延;再详考《春秋》楚十三君,可知并非所有楚王在践祚后皆要易名。楚王易名之举一般发生在两种情况之下:其一,楚王非顺位继承者践祚后易名;其二,幼冲为君者待至成年亦改名。二种不同情况下的易名,在时间的选择上有所区别。楚王易名不仅是称谓的改变,且具有特殊的政治内涵。此一习俗延续至战国,由于王位继承制度的完善而消亡。

From the history of Chu, it is not difficult to find that the kings of Chu often changed their names after ascending the throne. This convention can be traced back to Xiong Yan, the King of Chu in late western Zhou dynasty. By investigating thirteen kings of Chu in the spring and autumn period, we find that not all of them changed their names. The kings of Chu changed their names in two different conditions： first,when they had obtained the throne through violence, and second, when they ascended the throne at a very young age. And the renaming in these two different situations occurred at different time. Changing the name represented not only a change of title for the kings of Chu, but had also special political implications. This custom disappeared in the Warring States period when the succession system was improved.