本丛书的研究范畴是公元前六世纪至公元六世纪的中亚史。
这一时段的中亚史有各种原始资料,其中汉语资料无疑是关键的。可以说,没有汉语资料,这一时段的中亚史无法构建。西方(包括印度、俄罗斯)学者研究这一时段的中亚史已有一个半世纪,成绩可圈可点。其主要缺点是没有充分利用汉语史料。弥补这一缺憾的是日本学者,从白鸟库吉算起,至少已有四代学者投身这一时段的中亚史研究,其主要特色正是利用汉语史料。可惜的是,日本学者很少英译自己的论著,西方学者又多不习日语,因而日本学者的有关成果罕见引用。余氏的研究不仅填补了中国中亚史研究的空白,而且比日本学者更充分地利用了汉文史料,且不说余氏以汉语为母语,对汉语史料的理解应胜过日本学者。
该文集的出版则有助于西方学者理解和运用汉语史料,使国内中亚史的研究深入世界,继而使得世界史意义上的古代中亚史研究更上层楼。
十本英文著作大部分已在国外发表。著者的译文均经Prof. Victor H. Mair(梅维恒)和Dr. Bruce Doar(陶步思)修改、编辑。两位都是优秀的学者——母语是英语、精通汉语、有丰富的编辑经验、熟悉古代中亚历史,主要的是负责的工作精神。十本
內容簡介:
A STUDY OF THE RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD IN ANCIENT TIMES是同作者《古代地中海和中国关系史研究》一书的英文版,是作者研究希腊、罗马世界和中国关系的文献资料的辑录和成果集结。
部分辑录和诠释中国史籍所载古代地中海世界及其与中国中原王朝关系的资料。第二部分讨论古代地中海世界与中国北方游牧诸族的关系。公元六世纪之前,中国中原王朝对地中海世界的了解非常模糊,传说盛行。大部分传说竟出诸中国人自己的想象。这表明当时中国人对地中海世界是多么向往!反过来,希腊、罗马史家对中国中原王朝的了解同样十分模糊。同一时期,地中海世界与中国北方游牧诸族之间关系却比较密切。所谓草原之路至迟在公元前7世纪已经形成,商人、使者的往来,尤其是部落的迁徙,不仅加深了彼此的了解,也架起了沟通东西文明的桥梁。游牧诸族没有留下文献,我们主要是通过西方史家的记录来了解他们与地中海世界之间的关系,尽管这些记录需要推敲之处不少,但实质性交往无疑是存在的。中原王朝对地中海世界相互了解之模糊以及北方诸族与地中海世界之间关系之密切形成了鲜明的对照。早期地中海和中国的关系呈现在我们面前的便是这样一幅情景。
PREFACE ...... 1
PART Ⅰ
CHAPTER 1 Tiaozhi, Lixuan, Da Qin and the Geography in the Western Regions Concerned ...... 5
CHAPTER 2 Records Relevant to The Roman Empire in Ancient Chinese Historical Works ...... 42
CHAPTER 3 A Brief Study of the References on the Mulberry, the Silkworm and Silk Production in Da Qin in the “Xiyu zhuan” of Houhanshu (ch. 88) and the “Xirong zhuan” Chapter of Weilüe ...... 151
CHAPTER 4 “Da Qin” as Seen in Naxian biqiujing and Other Issues ...... 157
CHAPTER 5 Notes on “Issues Concerning to Liqian” ...... 166
PART Ⅱ
CHAPTER 1 A History of the Relationships between the Xiongnu, Xianbei and the Western Regions ...... 179
CHAPTER 2 Doubts about the Theory of Xiongnu-Hun Identity ...... 234
CHAPTER 3 A History of the Relationships Between the Rouran and the Western Regions ...... 269
CHAPTER 4 Doubts about the Theory of Rouran-Avar Identity and the Hypothesis about Avar-Yueban Identity ...... 304
CHAPTER 5 A Letter to the Emperor of Byzantium from theTürk Khan ...... 335
BIBLIOGRAPHY [PART I] ...... 344
BIBLIOGRAPHY [PART II] ...... 370
INDEX ...... 382
POSTSCRIPT ...... 393
內容試閱:
PREFACE The relations between the Mediterranean and China in ancient times refer to the relations between the Greco-Roman world and China, the theme addressed by the two groups of papers in this book. The first group of papers collects, compiles, and comments on the data regarding the relations between the ancient Mediterranean world and the dynasties of the Central Plain of China from the perspective of Chinese historical records, while the second group discusses the relations between the Mediterranean world and the nomadic tribes of Northern China. Down to the sixth century the understanding in the Mediterranean world of China’s dynasties of the Central Plains was very vague. Various legends were current, the majority of these deriving from the imagination of the Chinese themselves and revealing how much the Chinese at that time desired the Mediterranean world. Prompted by similar urging, the understanding among Greek and Roman historians of the dynasties on the Central Plain in China was also very vague. In contrast, the relations between the Mediterranean world and the nomadic tribes beyond the Great Wall were relatively close. The so-called Steppe Route had already formed by the end of the 7th century BCE at the latest, with merchants and envoys coming and going, and tribes in particular migrating, all of which deepened not only mutual understanding, but also established a bridge for communications between the civilizations of East and West. The nomadic tribes did not leave their own literature behind them and so our understanding of relations with the Mediterranean world mainly derives from the records of Western historians. There are many places that require deliberation, but there is no doubt that material contacts were substantial. The mutual vague understanding between the dynasties of the Central Plain and the Mediterranean world forms a sharp contrast with the close relationships between the nomadic tribes beyond the Great Wall and the Mediterranean world, and the early relations between Mediterranean and China appear to us in such a context.