桑弘羊民族关系思想初探

On Sang Hongyang’s Thoughts of Ethnic Relations

桑弘羊的民族关系思想主要由“厉武以讨不义,设机械以备不仁”“无手足则支体废,无边境则内国害”及反对汉与匈奴和亲等三部分所构成。桑弘羊比较系统地阐述了汉朝认真对付匈奴的原因及方略,并从两个方面探讨了国家是否应把施政的主要精力放在治理边疆民族地区这一重要问题,从汉与匈奴和亲不可能达到双方修好的目标、汉与匈奴和亲有损汉朝皇帝的颜面两个方面阐述坚决反对和亲的理由。桑弘羊民族关系思想的形成既受传统“大一统”思想的影响,又受前代政治家和思想家的影响,还与当时边疆地区的安全形势和民族关系形势有着密切联系。桑弘羊的民族关系思想虽有一定的偏激之处,但对西汉王朝民族政策有着较大影响,在中国民族关系思想史上占有重要地位。桑弘羊虽在政治斗争中失败惨死,但当世和后世之人却给予他积极评价。

Sang Hongyang’s thoughts of ethnic relations are mainly composed of three parts:“strengthening military training and preparing armaments to crusade against the wicked”,“paying attention to the border security”,and firm opposition to intermarriage between the Han and Hun.Sang Hongyang systematically elaborated the reasons and strategies for the Han dynasty to attack the Hun.After discussing whether the state should focus on governing the border ethnic areas,he elaborated the reasons for opposing the intermarriage from two aspects:the Han and Hun could not achieve the goal of reconciliation between the two sides by intermarriage,and the intermarriage between the Han and Hun was detrimental to the reputation of the Han emperor.The formation of Sang Hongyang’s thoughts on ethnic relations was influenced not only by the traditional thought of“great unification”,but also by the former generation of politicians and thinkers.Still,it was also closely related to the security situation and ethnic relations in the border areas at that time.Although Sang Hongyang’s thoughts of ethnic relations are extreme at some points,it has a great influence on the ethnic policies of the Han dynasty and has an important position in the history of Chinese ethnic relations.Although he himself failed and died miserably in the political struggle,but contemporary and later generations gave him some positive comments.