东汉熹平三年中尚方铁剑考——兼论中国古代的灌钢工艺

A Study on the Central Service Office Iron Sword from the Third Year of the Xiping Era in the Eastern Han Dynasty:With a Discussion on Iron Casting Technology in Early China

汉代铁剑是中国古代铁剑发展的高峰。东汉熹平三年中尚方造错金铭文铁剑是中尚方造剑的首次发现,也是目前所见汉代铁剑中铭文最多的一件,对研究中国古代兵器史、科技史、工官制度、东汉晚期政治等皆有所助益。少府所掌工官系统实际分宫内省外、省中两类。两汉尚方职掌手工制作刀剑等皇帝专用器物,是省中工官的代表。中尚方剑用于佩服把玩,而非专杀大臣。题铭所见“五灌廿五辟”,可以代表冶金的工艺规格,主要反映既“灌”又“辟”的灌辟法。由此,中国古代灌钢工艺的出现,或可提前至东汉后期。此剑不仅体现中尚方的造剑工种与管理体制,而且由中常侍育阳侯曹节督造,又对汉末宦官势力的发展有所反映。

The Han dynasty represents a highpoint in the development of iron sword production in Early China.An iron sword with gold inlaid inscriptions dated from the third year of the Xiping熹平era of the Eastern Han Dynasty is the earliest sword found that was forged by the Central Service Office中尚方,it also contains the longest inscription to date among iron swords from the Han Dynasty.This sword could shed light on the history of ancient Chinese weapons,the history of science and technology,the imperial workshop system and the politics of the late Eastern Han Dynasty.The manufactories under the office of Palace Revenues少府were divided into two categories,the Outer and Central Palace Establishments.In the Han Dynasty,the Directorate for Imperial Manufactories was responsible for making swords and other special artifacts for the emperor,it was a representative of the Central Palace Establishments.The Central Service Office sword was used for decoration and the entertainment of the owner and not for the execution of officials.The“five casting and twenty-five forging”mentioned in the inscription refers to metallurgical technique,reflecting a casting process that included both casting and forging.The appearance of Early Chinese“steel casting”methods could possibly be traced back to the late Eastern Han Dynasty.This sword reflects not only the technological and management controls of the Central Service Office but also the ascension to power of the eunuch s in the late Eastern Han Dynasty in that the Central Service Office was supervised by Cao Jie.