“禹敷土”本义考辨及对大禹治水事迹的重新认识

The Original Meaning of Yu Futu and a Re-examination of Da Yu's Deeds

古代典籍“大禹治水”故事中神话与历史交织。大洪水本属神话,当为一种“象”,即“混沌”的象征。所谓洪水克服、天地开辟,象征的是历法及天地秩序的确定。所以禹的治水故事伴随着他的“步天”,即对天上日月星辰的观测,以制定历法、确定分野,占卜天意等。“禹敷土”,就是对这种具有天人合一意义的天地一体看法的简明概括。“敷土”本义为“布土”,据《尔雅》,“布”本义为“祭星”,是将天上星宿与地上山川土地作对应性安排,即所谓“分野”,这涉及古人对天地的度量和星占,它与《周礼》所说“星土”意思略同。上古度量天地主要用“矩”,而“矩”“禹”古时音字皆同,说明禹的原型之一正是“矩”。禹“敷土”伴随“随山刊木”等,反映的还包括上古时代的“巡守”之礼。早期的“巡守”礼主要表现为“敬授民时”以及垦荒辟地、开挖沟洫等。在这里,焚荒垦殖被误读为“治水”,其所用的工具也被误解成禹治水之乘行工具。

Fiction and facts are interwoven in the tales of Da Yu.In these tales,the fl ood is a symbol of chaos while the control of the waters and the settlement of the heaven and the earth symbolize developing calendars and settling the order of the world.Therefore the story of Da Yu included his star-gazing aimed at developing calendars,fenye,and practicing divination.Yu futu is a phrase summarizing this practice of unifying heaven and man.The word futu is derived from butu.According to Erya,bu means"worshiping the stars"and making connections between the stars above and the mountains and rivers on earth,in other words,fenye.It is an ancient practice that surveys heaven and earth and divines,a synonym of xingtu according to Zhouli.Ju is the tool for surveying;The characters yu and ju are homonymous,indicating that ju is one of yu's origins.Yu's futu is accompanied by his practice of suishan kanmu,implying the ancient ritual of xunshou.Early practices of xunshou included teaching the calendars,land reclamation,and ditching,yet,through time,land reclamation was misread as taming the fl ood while the tools of land reclamation were misunderstood as Yu's boats.