从“华夏”到“中华”——试论“中华民族”观念的渊源

From“Hua-xia(华夏)”to“Zhong-hua(中华)”:The Origin of the Concept of“Chinese Nation(中华民族)”

早在商和西周时期就有了"夏"和"华"字,周人自称"有夏",是高举"夏"这面光荣的旗帜来号令诸族归附,主要是取"夏"的大美之义。西周时期,"华"字已是人们形容非常美丽以致盛大辉煌的用词。春秋战国时期的"华夏"指文化水平高的诸侯国,亦可谓是"礼义之邦"。"中国"一词最早的文字记载见于西周成王时的青铜器《何尊》铭文。魏晋时期,将"中国"与"华夏"两词融合,"华夏"之称逐渐演化为"中华"。清末以降的思想家们多以"中华"和"中华民族"自励,如梁启超、杨度、章太炎等多次讲到关于中华民族复兴的问题。近代以来,各个民族、各个社会阶层的人们无不为"中华民族"这一个庄严的称谓而自豪和骄傲。我们完全可以说,作为我国诸民族集合称谓的"中华民族",源远流长,是各民族人民不断选择和认可的观念的结晶。

As early as the Shang and the Western Zhou Dynasties, there were records of "Xia" and "Hua". The Zhou people called themselves "You Xia". They utilized the title of "Xia" to order the other states to attach them, mainly because of the excellent meaning of Xia. In the Western Zhou Dynasty, the word "Hua" has been used to describe the beauty and magnificence. In the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, "Hua-xia" referred to the vassal states with high culture, which were also called "the state with rites and righteousness". The earliest word of "China" can be found in the inscription of He Zun, a bronze ware in the Era of King Cheng(成王) of the Western Zhou Dynasty. In the Wei and Jin Dynasties, "Zhong-guo(中国)" and "Hua-xia" were combined, and the term "Hua-xia" evolved into "Zhong-hua(中华)". Since the end of the Qing Dynasty, many thinkers, such as Liang Qichao, Yang Du, Zhang Taiyan and so on, using "the Chinese nation(中华民族)" to unite people. Since modern times, all ethnic groups and social strata in China have been proud of the solemn title of "Chinese nation(中华民族)". We can say that the "Chinese nation", as a collective appellation of all the people in China, has a long history and is the crystallization of the ideas constantly selected and recognized by all the people in China.