中国古代对竹子采伐方法的记载及辨析

Methods of Logging Bamboo in Ancient China

竹子采伐是频繁且有规模的民间劳作,中国古代先人留下丰富的竹子采伐方法记述,可供当代人开展竹林经营时寻找传统依据,也对理解古人林业思维有重要意义。在收集整理相关历史文献资料基础上,分析古人对竹子伐期龄、采伐方式、采伐月份的安排。研究认为,古人以工艺成熟确定竹子伐期龄,为4年至7年,主张"留三去四"、"公孙不相见,子母不相离",并在大年采伐,对于不同竹子品种,可以调整伐期龄;主伐方式为按龄级择伐,主伐同时对幼竹进行抚育,体现出采育结合的特点;抚育伐方式包括开花林分抚育伐、全面改造抚育伐、带状改造抚育伐、生长抚育疏伐等多种;古人以防蛀、防病、材性等为依据确定竹子采伐宜忌月份,认为盛夏伐竹材质最佳,10-12月采伐符合时气、材质坚硬、竹材不蛀,而1-9月则多记录有逆时气、易蛀、根红鞭烂。中国古代竹子采伐知识尚缺乏实验数据支撑,建议在现代科学的研究框架下,开展实证研究,对其科学性加以验证,以利于更好地古为今用。

Logging bamboo is a frequent and large-scale folk work. There are abundant records on methods of logging bamboo in ancient China, which can be used for reference by contemporary people to find the traditional basis for bamboo forest management and to understand ancient people's forestry thinking. Based on relevant historical documents and materials,this paper analyzed ancient people's arrangement for the logging age of bamboo,cutting methods and harvesting season. The results showed that the cutting age of bamboo was determined by technically mature,being 4 to 7 years old in general, and varying with various bamboo species. It was advocated that to keep the bamboo under three years old and chop down those more than four years old,and harvest in the on-year. The main logging method was to cut selectively according to the age class,and to tend the young bamboo at the same time,reflecting the combination of cutting and cultivation. Tending modes included flowering stand tending,comprehensive tending,belt tending,growth tending and so on. The ancients determined the appropriate and taboo months to log bamboo based on moth and disease prevention,bamboo properties,etc. It was recorded that the bamboo logged in summer had the best material quality.The bamboo cut in the period from October to December conformed to the season,the material was hard and did not be decayed by moth. While,the bamboo logged from January to September had the risk of moth-decaying and rotting roots and rhizomes. The knowledge of harvesting bamboo in ancient China is still lack of experimental data support. It is suggested to carry out research under the framework of modern science to verify its scientificness so as to better serve the past for the present.