水上南方丝绸之路——伊洛瓦底江流域航运考释

The Water Silk Road in the South:Shipping Investigation on the Irrawaddy River Basin

历史上伊洛瓦底江是中国云南与缅甸进行政治、经济、文化交流的主要通道,也是连接南方丝绸之路陆地与海洋贸易的主要纽带。伊洛瓦底江流域自古存在着大规模的航运和水上活动(如战争),贯穿中国云南西南部与缅甸全境,服务于政治、军事、经济、文化各个领域,见证了中缅两国交流交往的历史。梳理伊洛瓦底江流域的航运,包括水系分布、渡口与码头、造船与船型、水战、客货运输各个方面,可以发现,在航运大规模发展的时期也是海上丝绸之路和南方陆上丝绸之路鼎盛的时期,因为内河航运与海洋运输存在接续关系,反之亦然。

Historically,the Irrawaddy River was the main passageway between Yunnan and Myanmar through which both countries had the political,economic and cultural communications,and it was also the link which connected land trade and sea trade in the South Silk Road. Large-scaled shipping industry had been existing in the Irrawaddy River Basin since ancient times through Southwest Yunnan and Myanmar,and it was in the service of political,military,economic and cultural fields,which witnessed communications between China and Myanmar in history. Through the investigation on water distribution,ferries and docks,shipbuilding and ship types,water-battle and passenger or freight transportation,it boiled down to that the Godden Age of the South Silk Road and Ocean Silk Road was the period of time when shipping industry developed to its largest extent,and vice versa.