骑马术在欧亚草原的流行与在中国的兴起

The Spread of Horse-Riding in the Eurasian Steppe and Its Rise in China

欧亚草原乌拉尔南部牧民所培育的DOM2马种,加速了驯马术、马车和骑马术由乌拉尔山脉向东西方的传播和普及。从公元前8世纪开始,由欧亚草原东部南下的族群活动于今中国北方地区并与北方列国发生接触。随着公元前5世纪巴泽雷克文化兴起,中国北疆地区与骑马族群有了贸易与文化等多方面的交流。及至公元前4世纪末以赵国为代表的华夏诸国开始正视新的军事格局,一改前期忽视骑兵的传统而进行“胡服骑射”之类的军事改革。骑射技术的普及加速了交通路线的开拓以及列国深入边疆地域的进度,为国家和文化的统一奠定了必要基础。中华文明具有突出的包容性,骑马术向中国的传播是中华文明多元汇聚、兼收并蓄、开放交流的一个重要例证。

The first DOM2 horses,now attributed to the herdsmen of the southern Urals,were instrumental in the spread of horse domestication,chariots,and the practice of riding.From around the 8th century BC,societies of peoples from the eastern steppe migrated southward and began to take shape in north China,developing ties with the states which oversaw the northern borders.The rise of the Pazyryk culture during the 5th century BC intensified the contacts with China in terms of trade and cultural practices.Towards the end of the 4th century BC,the state of Zhao took the lead in reexamining the military landscape,incorporating horsemanship and mounted archery,along with the necessary clothing,into the military.The ground-breaking reform of their previous dismissal of riding advanced the effectiveness of mobility and escalated the scale of territorial expansion,both of which were conditions indispensable for the China's territorial and cultural unification.Chinese civilization is highly inclusive.The reception of horsemanship testifies to the strength and resilience of China's cultural fabric,which could absorb and modify elements from diverse backgrounds.