鷹背狗考

Yin Bei Go (Dog with Eagle on Its Back)

楊龢之(Ho-Ji Yang)

《中華科技史學會學刊》 13期 (2009/12) Pp. 47-65

https://doi.org/10.7094/BAFHS.200912.0047

摘要

李時珍《本草綱目》中稱遼東有鷹卵所化的「鷹背狗」，行獵時「隨母影而走，所逐無不獲者」云云。此一說法實出於元末明初，其流傳頗有軌跡可循。本文從史料所述此種狗之外型、習性，以及相關時期的國際局勢，推斷應為原產中東，慣與獵鷹配合行獵的Saluki犬之誤傳。而其致誤緣由，除地理懸隔、蒙漢隔閡等因素易滋誤解外，亦與傳統「物生三子必有一異」等不經觀念有關。
「鷹背狗」雖因元明之際的訛傳而起，惟其後宣德間宮中尚有Saluki犬；嘉靖至萬暦朝，可能亦因魯迷遠道來貢而有。而李時珍曾供職太醫院，或可能親見，因其性狀頗與他狗有別，遂襲舊說而不作評斷。

關鍵字

鷹背狗 ； 李時珍 ； Saluki犬 ； 中東

並列摘要

Li Shi-Zhen in his book ”Ben Tsao Gang Mu” mentioned ”Yin Bei Go” as dogs birthed from eggs of a type of eagle of Liao Dong, and when they hunted, they would ”follow the shadows of their mothers and never fail to catch their prey”. This version of the story can be traced back to the period between Yuan and Ming dynasties with certainty. This paper considers the outward appearance and behavioral characteristics of this animal as they were recorded in history, as well as the international relationship at the time, and identifies it as the Saluki hound which was often employed in hunting in conjunction with eagles in the Middle East. Apart from misunderstandings engendered by geographical and cultural distances, Chinese traditional view that ”of three off springs from the same parents, one is destined to be odd” may also be responsible for this unusual tale.
Stories of ”Yin Bei Go” are traceable to the period between Yuan and Ming dynasties, after which time, specimens continued to be brought to the Ming court from Asia Minor. Li Shi-Zhen, during his service in the Imperial Physicians' Office, might have actually seen this animal at court. Yet, perhaps because its appearance was so different from average dogs that the old story of its strange parentage was recorded by Li without further critical examination.

並列關鍵字

Yin Bei Go ； Li Shi-Zhen ； Saluki hound ； Middle East

參考文獻

李時珍，《本草綱目》，鼎文書局（臺北），民 62

阮元校勘，《十三經注疏》，藝文圖書公司（臺北），民 64

劉昫，《北齊書》，鼎文書局（臺北），民 69

李百藥，《舊唐書》，鼎文書局（臺北），民 69

脫脫等，《遼史》，鼎文書局（臺北），民 69