试论商代的王位继承制度(下)

On Succession System of the Throne in Shang Dynasty

商代的王位继承制度是嫡长制,弟及与子继是嫡长制下的两种基本传位方式。嫡长制的根本原则是嫡长子具有绝对优先继承权。殷周在王位继承制度上的共同点是嫡长子具有绝对优先继承权,二者的主要差异在于,殷礼,太子死,先立太子之弟;周礼,太子死,先立太子之子。商代常态传位时期,王位更替的基本原则如下:若即位嫡长子有可传位的嫡长子,则直接传位于其嫡长子;若即位嫡长子之太子早死,则太子之弟按年齿顺序即位,由即位末弟直接传位于其嫡长子;若即位嫡长子嫡嗣年幼甚或无子,则即位嫡长子之弟按年齿顺序即位,由即位末弟直接传位于其嫡长子。商代自成汤至太戊时期遵行嫡长制,从中丁至阳甲时期,废止嫡长制,争乱局面绵延数世,从盘庚至帝辛时期又回归到嫡长制。

The succession system of the throne of Shang Dynasty is inheritance by the eldest son, and succession by brother and succession by son are the two basic transferring methods under the system. The fundamental principle of the system is that the eldest son has absolute priority. The common point of Yin and Zhou in the system of succession to the throne is that the eldest son has absolute priority to inheritance. The main difference between the two lies in the fact that： according to the system of Yin, the brother of the prince would first inherit the throne after the death of the prince ,while under the system of Zhou, the son of the prince would first succeed to the throne after the death of the prince. During the normal succession period in Shang Dynasty, the basic principles for throne succession were as follows： if the enthroned prince had successive eldest son, the throne would be directly passed to the eldest son; if the eldest son of the enthroned prince died early, the brothers of the enthroned prince would succeed the throne according to the order of age, and then the youngest brother of the prince would directly pass the throne to his eldest son; if the enthroned prince only had an infant or had no son, the brothers of the enthroned prince would succeed the throne according to the order of age, namely, the enthroned youngest brother directly passed the throne to his eldest son. From Chengtang to Taiwu periods in Shang Dynasty, the system of succession by the eldest son was followed; and from Zhongding to Yangjia periods, this system was abolished, and then the situation of struggle was prolonged for several generations. From Pangeng to Dixin periods, this system was resumed again.