小麦的推广种植与先秦时期“四时”观念的强化

The Popularization of Wheat Planting and the Strengthening of the “Four Seasons” Conception in the Pre-Qin Period

作为一种社会时间,先秦时期的“四时”观念与农事活动的周期有着密切关系。基于这一基本认识,借助植物考古学的最新研究成果,佐之以必要的文献材料,梳理小麦在殷周春秋之际推广种植的时空特征,可以发现其与先秦时期“四时”观念的萌生与演进存在极强的时间继起性与空间重合性,从而为探讨二者之间的逻辑联系提供了可能。一方面,作为“四时”观念得以萌生的起点,“二时”观念能够客观反映殷商时期中原地区特定的农业技术水平下固有的农事活动周期,也能有效指导农事活动的开展,但小麦以其特殊的生长节律,嵌入到春种秋收的农事周期中,则对“二时”观念形成了一定冲击,进而推动“四时”观念的萌生;另一方面,爬梳古文字材料和传世文献,可以发现在“四时”观念中相对晚出的冬、夏两季,皆与小麦存在联系。由此,足见小麦的推广种植是促使先秦时期“四时”观念不断强化的重要因素之一。

As a kind of social time, the conception of “four seasons” is related to the cycle of agricultural production activities in the pre-Qin period.Based on this basic understanding, and combing through the temporal and spatial characteristics of promoting wheat planting between Yin-zhou and the Spring and Autumn Period with the latest research results of plant archaeology and necessary documentation, it can be found that it is in line with the initiation and evolvement of the concept of “four seasons” in the pre-Qin period.There is a temporal continuity and spatial coincidence.On the one hand, the conception of “two seasons” objectively reflects and effectively guides the cycle of agricultural activities in the Central Plains during the Shang dynasty.But wheat with its special growth rhythm, was embedded in the agricultural cycle of planting in spring and harvesting in autumn.It had a certain impact on the concept of “two seasons” and promoted the emergence of the conception of “four seasons”.On the other hand, combing through ancient written materials and handed-down documents, it can be found that winter and summer that appeared relatively late in the conception of “four seasons” were all related to wheat.Therefore, the popularization of planting wheat was one of the important factors that promoted the continuous strengthening of people’s conception of “four seasons” in the pre-Qin period.