西周单氏《逨盘》铭文中的世系性质与宗法问题

Descent and Zongfa (Lineage System) Reflected in Inscriptions of Clan Shan’s Bronze Plate of Lai

单氏《逨盘》铭文中的世系不是西周世卿世禄制度下的爵职继承世系,也不是家世世系,而是一个由子孙向建功立业的祖先表达崇拜之情的家族性“英雄”世系。世系中所谓的“新室”,是指单氏家族中某人带着一部分由他管理掌控的兵农迁往一处新居的意思,而不应直接定义为另立新宗的“宗族分化”。笔者不赞成随意使用周代的大小宗概念,在周代,大小宗是指在一个同氏集团中居于某种特殊地位的个人,而不是团体;不宜将伯、仲、叔、季一类用于区分平辈兄弟出生顺序的排行字,不顾前提地视之为区分某人为大小宗的依据。

The present author contends that the descent in inscriptions of plate of Lai was reconstructed to honor the heroic deeds of ancestors and that the new household did not refer to the furthered division of existing clan but to a clan member’s migration to a new place with his private soldiers and farmers. Arguing against the abusive use of conventional concepts of greater and smaller honored heads of clan,the present author stresses that honored heads were not groups but individuals.