西周金文誓语中的诅咒

A Study on the Oaths of the Bronze Inscriptions in the West Zhou

西周金文誓语中的咒辞,可以分为两类,一类是世俗惩罚,一类是神主惩罚。世俗惩罚主要运用于不同宗族、不同族氏之间的世俗纠纷、约定而言,涉及违反政令、土田纠纷与交易等方面,违背誓约被咒诅要遭受的惩罚,往往与西周时期的世俗刑罚相一致。这类诅咒主要用于制约不同宗族或家族之间的事务和行为。神主惩罚则往往见于宗族内部事务中,用于制约本族人(包括后世子孙)的行为,涉及宗族祭器的保有,宗君命令的执行等,以本宗族神主的灵威确保咒语的可畏。由此可见,世俗政府和宗族神主,是制约西周时期人们行为的主要力量。

The bronze inscriptions in the west Zhou can be divided into different text types, the oath is one of a kind. The oaths of the bronze inscriptions fall into two categories based on the punishment they claimed： the secular punishment which was imposed by the government; and the supernatural punishment which was imposed by the supernatural gods of a clan. the secular punishment is used in the secular affairs, such as land disputes between two families, the supernatural punishment oath is used inside the clan, such as safeguard the clan＇s belongings. The secular government and the supernatural gods of a clan are two mainly kinds formidable factors to the people of the West Zhou.