坚守还是改变:中国西南古代民族研究“三大族系说”的多学科讨论

Insist or Change:A Multidisciplinary Review of the “Three Ethnic Groups” Theory about Ancient Southwest China

在中华民族多元一体格局形成的"多元"历史过程逐渐被揭开,中国各民族起源、形成与发展研究不断深入的背景下,古代民族研究不能再简单地理解"中华民族共祖"的丰富内涵。通过重读有关古典文献材料、系统梳理新近考古发现、专题探讨语系与族系的关联、汲取中国民族史与西南区域文明史研究新成果等多学科、多视角研究与讨论,把中国西南古代历史归结为"氐羌、百越、百濮""外来族群迁入结果"的叙事体系,已然无法立足。"三大族系说"是在20世纪中期"民族国家建构"运动中,处于"无献无征、考古无证"情境下产生的学术假说,已经证明是错误的。当前不少历史叙述,面对学术界的新发现、新成果,却不加甄别地沿用旧说,造成西南古代民族历史叙述上的混乱,必须将以修正。中国西南古代民族研究,要立足本土文化脉络与地方传统的梳理,摒弃"外来"思维,实现从"外来叙事"到"本土陈述"的回归。把材料还原到当地民族与文化大背景之中,才能正确地理解古代西南民族与区域历史和地方文化的关系,深刻理解中华民族多元一体格局形成的丰富多样的历史进程。对"三大族系说"在内的近代以来中国学术史上习以为常的"外来说"叙事传统,包括各种"大迁徙""大传播""大叙事"等"典范历史"与"民族常识"的反思与再出发,有助于深化对中国历史发展基本逻辑的认识,推动学术创新与进步。

The “Three Ethnic Groups” theory held that ancient ethnic people in southwest China belonged to the three ethnic groups of Diqiang, Baiyue and Baipu. Made against a background of na. tional construction in the 1930s and 1940s, this hypothesis lacks the support of complete literature and archaeological evidence and has been proved wrong. However, despite of new discoveries made by the academic community, some historical accounts still indiscriminately follow the old hypothesis and led to confusing descriptions about the history of ancient ethnic groups in southwest China, which has to be corrected. The claims that ancient ethnic groups in southwest China had a common origin should be a. bandoned and changed. In order to correctly understand the history and culture of ancient ethnic groups in southwest China, related research must focus on examining such local cultural contexts as natural geography and tradition, return to “local historical accounts” from “foreign historical accounts” and interpret the materials in the the local ethnic and cultural context. A reflection on “foreign-origin” nar. rative tradition commonly accepted by Chinese academic community, including such theories as “grand narration”,“classic history” and “national common sense”, will help us start afresh in historical ex. ploration. deepen our understanding of the basic logic of Chinese historical development and promote academic innovation.