甲骨文所反映殷商社會制度之探究

An Exploration of Shang Dynasty’s Social sYst:em as Reflected in the Oracle Bones

甲骨文之發現為中國近代學術史上之一件大事，最早被發現於今河南省北部安陽市西北效之小屯村。此地原是商代後期國都，史稱之為「殷」，《史記．殷本紀正義》引《竹書紀年》曰：「自盤庚徒殷至紂滅，二百七十三年更不遷都。」是以商稱之為「殷商」。殷墟甲骨文乃殷商考古中最重要發現之一；近百年來學者對甲文之搜集、整理、釋讀與研究，已取得豐碩之成果。而出土之卜骨、卜甲，其刻辭內容包含甚廣，舉凡祭祀、天象、田獵、農業、征伐、王事等，對古史之研究甚有助益，而從甲古文之深入研究，對殷商禱的之歷史興制度，當可更能豁然明白，今試就甲骨文之刻辭，以探究殷商之奴隸、農業、畜牧業、青銅業、商業、夜通等各項制席。

The discovery of the oracle bones of the Shang Dynasty is one of the major developments in the academic history of modem China. First uncovered in a small village in northen Henan Province, which was judged by Su Ma-Qian, the 1 author of The Historical Records, to be the capital of the late Shang Dynasty for 273 years, the oracle bones have been collected, classified, and interpreted by scholars in the past one hundred years. The scripts on the bones and shells were relevant to the worshipping practices, astronomy, hunting, farming, battles, and royal families of the Shang Dynasty. The bones and shells provide a new window to the history and the social systems of the ancient dynasty. The purpose of this study is to examine the carved scripts on the oracle bones and shells in order to explore the social systems of Shang Dynasty, including slavery, agriculture, animal husbandry, metal production, commerce, and transportation.