秸秆的魅力:古代草质农器抉微——以元代王祯《农书》为中心的考察

Straw's Charms:Herbaceous Implements in Ancient China——Baced on Nongshu by Wang Zhen

秸秆是古代农器制作的重要材料,这在王祯《农书·农器图谱》中体现的最为充分,该书所录的"农器"既包括农业生产工具,也涉及与农业生产密切相关的基础设施,其中不少"农器"都是直接以草或秸秆为原料制成的,如蔀、籍、积苫、帚、篱笆、风障、屝等。还有一些复杂农器则以草为辅助材料,如苫盖守舍、拖车、田庐、廪、庾、囷以及部分房屋的屋面等,窖、窦、泥瓮等储粮场所的建造也会用到草或秸秆。草、秸秆还可以替代竹、苇、木等材料,制成简易低廉的农器,如木棉筳秆、蚕簇、帘、席、蓐、簾等。王祯《农书》充分展现了农业生产废弃物在农器制作过程中的智慧。

Graphs are major content of Nongshu by Wang Zhen,which includes not only farm tools,but also facilities related closely to agricultural production.Some of the implements were made of straw,such as simple bins,covers,brooms,hedges and shoes.Parts of some complex facilities were made up of straw,like the tops of farm houses and granaries.Straw was also used when constructing storage caverns and jars.Sometimes,straw could replace other material like bamboo,reed and wood,and be made into cheap and simple tools,such as frames,curtains and mats for silkworms.In short,the extensive usage of straw was unfolded completely in the book.