“未央”词义新考

New Study on the Meaning of 未央

央字本义为"祸殃"之殃的本字,后引申出"中"的意义,自《诗经·小雅·庭燎》以来,"夜未央"中的"未央"一词开始不断出现在历代诗歌作品之中,但是,对于"未央"的词义究竟是"未中"还是"未尽"或"未久",历代注疏家有不同的说法,本义拟从央字的本义与"未央"词义的关联;"夜未央"的天文纪时意义;以及从《诗经》到《楚辞》再到汉魏乐府中"未央"词义的演变三个方面展开分析,藉以论证"未央"本义当为"未中",后逐步衍生出"未久""未尽"的涵义,并分析其演变过程背后的深层文化与审美机制。

The character Yang(央) comes from Yang(殃) in 祸殃, which means catastrophe. Later its meaning extends to signify middle. Ever since the Book of Songs, 未央in 夜未央, which means the night has not ended, appeared constantly in poetry works of all the following dynasties. However, as to whether the meaning of 未央 is "not middle", or "not end", or "not long", exegesis scholars through the ages have different theories. Based on the association between the original meaning of央 and the meaning of 未央, the time meaning of 夜未央, the evolution of the meaning of 未央 from the Book of Songs through Chuci to Hanweiyuefu, this paper proves that the original meaning of 未央 should be 未中, which means "not middle", from which derives the meaning of "not long" and "not ended". This paper also analyzes the deep culture and aesthetic mechanism behind its evolution process.