清华简《五纪》之象神观

The Concepts Xiang and Shen in the Tsinghua Wuji Manuscript

清华简《五纪》以“象”之概念作为物质存在的迹象,包括“数算”,即数目一至五之序列及其交错运算;“五时”,即风、雨、寒、暑、大音五种时节之征象;“五度”,度量的五种表现形式;“五正”,人事关系的五种调整形式;“五章”,色彩的五种彰显形式。凡是人体器官所能感知的形、声、光、味、寒、暑、轻、重乃至人事活动之仪式都属于“象”的范围。与之对应的是“神”,其意义广泛,既指精神、意识,又指神明、神仙等人们崇拜的对象。《五纪》凡列七十神祇,各有所司。神之负面则为鬼。天地、神祇、人事之上乃为把总之“天道”,当属自然规律。

The phenomena related to the states of matter are generally called xiang 象 in the Tsinghua Wuji 五纪 manuscript,they include shusuan 数算,i.e.referring to their numbered sequence from one to five and their inter-calculation;the wushi 五时 or five phenomena associated with the seasons,composed of wind,rain,cold,heat and dayin 大音,the wudu 五度 or the five means of expressing measure,the wuzheng 五正 or the five ways of adjusting interpersonal relations,and the wuzhang 五章 or the five manifestations of colors.Everything that can be perceived through the senses,such as shape,sound,light,taste,temperature,weight,and even rituals of human activity,all full under the scope of xiang.The notion corresponding to xiang is shen 神,which has a wealth of meanings and can refer to the spirit,consciousness,but also to gods and immortals worshiped by people.There are 70 gods administering respective areas listed in the Wuji,and their opposites,ghosts,which cause illness to human beings.Above heaven and earth,the gods and human beings,there is a concept of tiandao 天道 in charge of everything,it is probably some sort of natural law.