文化传播、 萨满教 “底层” 与早期中国文化格局———童恩正“边地半月形文化传播带” 再思

Cultural Diffusion，Shamanism Bottom and Early Chinese Cultural Perspective—Tong Enzheng’s “Crescent-Shaped Cultural Diffusion Belt in Borderland” in Retrospect

摘要:

20 世纪 80 年代, 童恩正注意到由东北至西南这一半月形地带内从新石器时代晚期至铜器时代 存在若干文化因素上的相似性, 提出 “边地半月形文化传播带” 概念, 在学界产生广泛影响。 现有考古资 料表明, 这一地带文化因素的相似性并非都是由文化传播导致, 萨满教 “底层” 是不可忽略的原因之一。 而 “文化传播带” 的命名, 容易让人对这些共性出现的原因产生先入为主的印象, 建议将其命名为 “边地半 月形带” 或 “童恩正带”。 自 “边地半月形文化传播带” 提出以来, 不断有学者在其基础上试图补充修正, 使 得我们越发清晰地认识到, 这一概念事实上与整个东亚大陆乃至更大范围的文化格局及变迁密切相关。

Abstract:

In the 1980s，Tong Enzheng noticed the similarities of some archaeological cultural elements along the crescent-shaped area which spans northeast to southwest China from the late Neolithic Age to the Bronze Age. He proposed a concept of _“Crescent-Shaped Cultural Diffusion Belt in Borderland _”，which has had considerable impact in the academic circle. Inspired by western anthropological theories and methods，and with traditional Chinese historical training and long-term field practice experience，Tong used the archaeological materials found in Southwest China which he steeped himself in to conduct an interdisciplinary investigation on archaeological cultures，particularly viewing them in different ecological environments and social backgrounds. Although it is often quoted by other scholars when exploring the similarities or convergences of cultural factors in different regions within this zone as a theoretical basis，Tong Enzheng himself did not emphasize the role of cultural diffusion in the formation of cultural similarities. The only case of cultural diffusion between different regions he discussed in detail concerns the slab stone burials. The archaeological data now available shows that the diffusion order he constructed has been completely reversed，and the distribution of slab stone burials also demonstrate that the origin and diffusion of this custom cannot be explained in terms of “Crescent-Shaped Cultural Diffusion Belt in Borderland”. Since the term of “Cultural Diffusion Belt” is liable to lead to the preconceived impression for the emergence of these commonalities，we suggest renaming it as the _“Crescent-Shaped Belt _” or _“Tong Enzheng Belt _”. The recent researches indicate that the existence of several similar or identical cultural factors in the Crescent-Shaped Belt in Borderland is also due to similar ideological and spiritual pursuits，namely，the _“bottom layer _” of Shamanism. After the Western Zhou，the material relics related to Shamanism gradually disappeared in the mainstream culture of the Central Plains region，remaining only in folk culture. However，in the border areas，people have maintained the original Shamanism faith，as similar material relics were left behind. From the perspective of today _’s archaeological materials，there are common cultural landscapes in Crescent-Shaped Belt in Borderland surrounding the Central Plains region. This process of cultural change deserves more research for further details，but it undoubtedly provides another possible perspective to understand the Crescent-Shaped Belt in Borderland and even the early civilization pattern，in addition to the ecological environment and cultural identity. Since the proposal of the _“Crescent-Shaped Cultural Diffusion Belt in Borderland _”，scholars have continuously attempted to supplement and revise the concept，fully demonstrating its inspiration and extensibility，and making us more aware that this concept is in fact closely related to the cultural pattern and changes of the entire East Asian continent and of even wider scope. In the future，it is necessary to examine the reasons for the formation of cultural commonalities within a broader space，in order to deepen our understanding of the motives and pattern characteristics of ancient civilization formation.