分寸之间:古玺印与度量衡关系述论

A Sense of Propriety: On Chinese Ancient Seals and Weights and Measures

中国玺印是"艺术之器",更是"制度之器"。度量衡作为中国传统社会的"法度之法",对玺印制度规范起着重要的基础支撑作用。古玺印自汉代以来逐渐改变"尊卑共之"的先秦旧制,建立起"惟以式之大小分高卑"的官印等级权度标准,且呈现出印制不断增大、等级日益细密的时代演变趋势,其背后深受历代度量衡变迁的直接影响。有鉴于此,今人才能借助文献史料与考古实物的互证,由官印制度推断出金元等王朝的尺制,弥补既往研究的不足。古玺印与度量衡关系的深入持续探讨,必将溢出单纯的器物或技术层面,进一步触及社会政治与文化观念等深层次问题。

Chinese ancient seals are not only related to the calligraphy art, but also obvious evidence related to the traditional national system. As ancient standards, weights and measures played an important role in supporting the foundation of seal system. Since the Han Dynasty, the seals had been distinguished of different sizes according to the official rank. Futhermore, the size of each seal became bigger than before. Therefore, we may preliminarily judge the age of a seal by its size and improve the understanding of metrology system through the study on the seals. Continuous discussion of the relationship between seal and measure would go beyond the technical issues and prompt us to understand those issues such as social politics and cultural ideas in depth.