「古書研究」之「書」的定義及範圍初探－以出土簡帛為主要觀察對象

近一個世紀裡，先秦兩漢簡帛屢屢出土，促成古書研究之蓬勃發展。然而，古書研究經常使用的一些名稱，尚無明確的界定；甚至於究竟什麼可以稱為「書」，什麼不能算是「書」，也多有含糊混淆之處。本文乃針對「書」這個名詞在古書研究領域裡之指涉作初步的探討：首先透過字書、詞書的界定，以呈現中華語境裡「書」的一般指涉；繼而掃視傳世與新近出土之先秦兩漢文獻中所言及「書」的含義；並且綜觀當前相關學界的前輩、學者之見解；最後分析比較經由以上三個步驟所梳理出來的、目前古書研究學者們用以區分古書研究對象的論據。本文所呈現出的境況是：在先秦時代，「書」是「以文字記載」的「公牘文書」、「記言記事、傳述道理」、「書信」之通名；前二者之寫作目的大致為「通之諸侯」與「傳遺後世子孫」；至於載體與記載方式，則有「書於竹帛」、「鏤之金石」、「琢之槃盂」等；而在當前古書研究領域中，從媒介、記載方式、載體、書寫目的、對象、內容以及歷史賦予的價值各層面來衡量。本文乃進一步呈現出在這古今兩種界定下產生的一些需要斟酌的問題。

關鍵字

古書研究；新出土文獻；簡牘帛書；書寫材料；檔案；典籍；文書

並列摘要

In the past century, numerous bamboo and silk (paleography) manuscripts of the Qin-Han dynasties were unearthed. These discoveries contributed to the burgeonging research into ancient manuscript typology. However, the terminology employed in the researches has not yet been clearly defined. Even the delineation between what might and what might not be called a ”book” is still left vague and confusing. This article thus initiates research into the significance of the term ”書 (texts/book)” from the point of view of ancient Chinese manuscript studies. There are three stages: firstly, through the definitions given by dictionaries to reveal, in general, the concepts embedded in the word within the Chinese context; secondly, a brief review on the usage of the word in ancient literature from both the previously held and the newly unearthed; and thirdly, an overview of the opinions currently suggested by scholars. This is then followed by an analysis of the scholars' assertions in categorizing the ancient manuscripts. This article sets out the circumstances as: in pre-Qin era, the word ”書” was the generic term for all the manuscripts including documents recording public or political affairs; statements, events, theories; and letters. The purposes of the former two groups of writings were generally for ”passing around the nobility” and ”passing down to descendants”. As to the methods of producing the manuscripts, there were various approaches such as ”writing on bamboo and silk”, ”engraving on metal or stone”, and ”curving on family possesions”. However, modern scholars tend to classify the ancient manuscripts according to various properties such as the medium, the recording method, the physical material, the purpose of writing, the recipients, the content, and the historical value attached. This article therefore highlights some important issues involved due to the discrepancies between the ancient and the modern usages of the same character.

並列關鍵字

Chinese Ancient Manuscripts Researches ； excavated bamboo and silk manuscripts ； bamboo slip used for writting on ； the earliest book in China ； newly unearthed documents ； bamboo slip or wood tablet for writting on ； texts written on silk ； philology ； material for writing on ； archives ； ancient books and records ； official dispatches ； imperial edicts ； correspondence ； texts