彭城应答中的“白贼”问题

Baizei Issues on the Diplomatic Responses in Pengcheng

公元450年,拓跋焘兵临刘义恭、刘骏困守的彭城,双方派出李孝伯、张畅为使者,为两方主帅居中传言。这场著名的外交应答中提到了“白贼”,许多史家都加以注意。“白贼”并非东晋南朝的白籍、白丁、白劫之贼,而是南北朝共有的民众叛乱为贼者,其以“白”为称,显示的是叛乱中的宗教因素,或与太上老君信仰的兴起有关。

In 450,Emperor Tuoba Tao of the Northern Wei led his army against Pengcheng,where Liu Yilong and Liu Jun,royal kings of Liu Song Dynasty,were trapped.Then the two sides sent special envoys to pass on the messages for their commanders in chief.The famous diplomatic response mentioned“Baizei”that has been given much attention by scholars.Baizei was not Baiji(household registration of population from other places),Baiding(common people)or Baijie(daylight robbery)in the Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasty,but the rebellions widely existed in the Southern and Northern Dynasties.Thus the character“Bai”represented the religious elements in rebellions,which was possibly related to the flourishing of beliefs in Tai Shang Lao Jun(the founder of Taoism).