The Xia Dynasty was a "great unification" dynasty with a vast territory. At that time, there were great differences between the economy and culture of the "Central Plains" and the surrounding areas. So, during this period, has the surrounding areas of our country entered the era of written records of the history of faith? It is worth noting that in 2001, in the tomb excavated in Guangfulin Village, Fangsong Street, Songjiang District, Shanghai, a pottery statue with a "stone (yuè) elk figure" engraved on the abdomen was unearthed, which attracted special attention from the academic community.
The discovery and research of "pictures" of Guangfulin Taozun
Archaeological data show that this Pottery Zun abdomen "painted a sika deer stone cymbal diagram with carving techniques." A sika deer has two horns, and there is a stone cymbal with a handle next to it. The handle curves outward in an unopened bow, and the lower end of the handle is also mounted with upset. There is also a picture next to it, but unfortunately most of it is worn, and the handwriting from the remnants looks like a deer."
Mr. Song Jian, an archaeologist, pointed out that in the past, it was not uncommon for figurative or abstract "deer" and "stone" figures to appear separately on prehistoric artifacts. However, the phenomenon of "combining the two figures of sika deer and stone deer" is "the first time" in prehistoric artifacts. Therefore, the discovery of this "picture" of TaoZun provides valuable new materials for the study of religious customs and cultural features in the southeast coastal areas of the early Xia Dynasty.
Guangfulin Taozun and his "Pictorial Text" (file photo)
Guangfulin Taozun "Pictorial Text" Interpretation
In ancient China, the huge deer was called "elk". Therefore, the first "deer" shape of this TaoZun abdomen can be read as "elk", and the last fragment of the picture should be the hieroglyph of "deer". In China's ancient literature, there is no shortage of examples of the phenomenon of "elk" being called "elk". Considering the ancient people's writing habits from right to left, this "sika deer stone map", called "stone deer map", is more appropriate. In our view, this line-engraved picture should be a "pictorial text" that indicates the name and purpose of its carrier.
TaoZun is an ancient ritual vessel dedicated to the gods. The cymbal was a common instrument of killing in ancient China, and the large cymbal was used as a symbol of royal power. The Shang Shu Pastoral Oath says: "The king's left staff is yellow, and the right side is white." Zhou Bingjun's note: "Yu, big axe also." Decorated with gold, it is known as yellow jade. According to the "History of Zhou Benji", when King Wu of Zhou ascended the throne, "Zhou Gongdan took the big cymbal, and Bi Gong took the small cymbal to clamp the king of Wu" It can be seen that the stone is often a specific symbol of aristocratic status and status.
"Elk" refers to a large deer. Elk are important prey for the summer sacrifice of the royal palace. According to the Zhou Li Tianguan And Ku Ren, "Hold a total of six animals, six beasts, and six birds, and identify their names." "Six beasts" Zheng Sinong said that it was "elk, deer, bear, elk, wild pig, rabbit" six kinds of beasts. In the same book, "Orcs", it is written: "Palm (gǔ) field beasts, and identify their names." Wolves are sacrificed in winter, elks are sacrificed in summer, and beasts are sacrificed in spring and autumn. "This is to say that the orcs use the poppy to catch the beasts, distinguishing the name and coat color of the catches. Wolves are caught in winter, elk in summer, and various wild beasts in spring and autumn. Elk are docile, delicious, numerous and easy to catch. This is an important reason why the ancients listed it as a field hunting object.
The elk was originally the prototype of the unicorn and is often referred to as the "benevolent beast". The Shuwen Shikabe says, "Qi, Ren Beast also." Then he said, "Lin, the great mullet deer also." This is why the Chinese ancestors often used "elk" to worship the gods.
It can be seen that the inscription "Stone Elk Diagram" on the abdomen of this TaoZun is to the effect that the elk is hunted with an axe to sacrifice the gods. Therefore, this "pictorial text" is consistent with the purpose of Tao Zun, which is the iconic picture of this Tao Zun.
The important value of Guangfulin Taozun's "pictorial text"
This pottery statue belongs to the relics of Guangfulin culture. Guangfulin culture is a new cultural type in the Taihu Lake area, but its cultural connotation "shows a large number of northern cultural characteristics, combined with carbon 14 data, its age is 4100 to 3900 years ago". That is to say, the age of the "stone elk figure" depicted on the abdomen of this Tao Zun was in the early Xia Dynasty.
"Pictorial writing" is an important stage of development of the origin and formation process of human writing. The History of Primitive Societies, edited by Mr. Lin Yaohua, points out that "at the end of 4000 BC, the ancient Babylonian Sumerians" had begun to use "pictorial writing". Marx pointed out that "pictorial writing" seems to have arisen during the boom of matriarchal clan communes.
The Yangshao cultural era was the prosperous period of China's matrilineal clan communes. This shows that the ancestors of Yangshao culture have gradually matured their habit of using "pictorial characters" to "record facts". This type of writing is a transitional stage in the development from a "single" object (logo) script to a "hyphenated group" chronicle script, which is of landmark significance in the process of the origin and formation of Chinese characters. (Cai Yunzhang)