中华造纸术西传的历史真相再辨析

An Investigation into the Historical Truth of the Westward Spread of Chinese Papermaking Technique

中国古代四大发明之一的造纸术西传阿拉伯世界,一直笼罩着“造纸术通过一场偶然的军事冲突西传至阿拉伯”的说法。本文通过历史考证,吸收学术界最新研究成果,认为这个说法是源于阿拉伯作家诗人的一种文学想象,是不准确的。中华造纸术早在公元751年怛罗斯之战前就已经通过商人、使者等人际交流多种渠道传播至阿拉伯世界。中华文明在世界的传播渠道、方式历来是和平的,是润物细无声的,这源于中华民族固有的文化本质。对于中华造纸术西传真相的再辨析有助于突破文明冲突论等西方学术话语,有助于站在中华文化立场上对于中阿两大文明交流史重新进行“中国书写”。

As to how papermaking, one of the four great inventions of ancient China, spread westward to the Arab world, there has long been a theor y that it was brought there via an accidental militar y conflict. Th rough historical text ual research and absorbing the latest academic research results, however, this paper argues that the statement is inaccurate and merely a literary imagination of Arab writers and poets. Chinese papermaking technique had spread to the Arab world via private trade and travel long before the battle of Talas in 751 AD. The channels and ways of Chinese civilization spreading overseas have always been peaceful, even subtle, due to the inherent nature of Chinese culture. This investigation into the truth of the westward spread of Chinese papermaking technique can help free us from the theory of the clash of civilizations and other western academic discourses, and to re-narrate the history of Sino-Arab cultural exchange from the perspective of Chinese culture.