論秦始皇「書同文字」政策的內涵及影響──兼論判斷出土秦文獻文本年代的重要標尺

On the Nature and Impact of the Qin Unification of Writing: With an Analysis of the Criteria for Periodization of Excavated Qin Texts

根據史書記載，秦始皇在統一中國以後迅速推行了一系列鞏固政權的政策，其中包括「書同文字」。「書同文字」政策施行以後，戰國古文很快就被廢除，秦文字成爲了當時唯一合法通行的文字系統。由於秦文字與戰國古文在字形和用字習慣上都有較大差異，因此「書同文字」的推行使得先秦文獻的面貌發生了重大變化。以往由於資料所限，學者對「書同文字」政策的內涵和影響有諸多歧見。本文根據《里耶秦簡［壹］》8-461號木方的記載，結合已有研究成果，指出秦「書同文字」政策並不是單純的統一文字政策，而是一個包括正字形、正用字和正用語三方面的語言文字規範政策。本文還依據里耶木方提供的信息，對秦文獻在統一前後的變化情況進行了研究，並總結其變化規律，爲出土秦文獻的斷代工作提供參考。

According to the Annals of Qin Shihuang (秦始皇本紀) in the Shiji, the First Emperor of Qin implemented a series of policies to consolidate his power when he unified the empire in the twenty-sixth year of his reign (221 BC). These included the policy of unifying the writing system, Shu Tong Wen Zi (書同文字). Most researchers consider it a policy of unifying the written characters throughout the empire based on the Qin character standard, while suppressing the other character systems which were used outside the State of Qin in the Warring States Period. However, it is difficult to tell what exactly was implemented, and still, there are many different hypotheses. We are very lucky to have new historical sources to inform this debate, and the most critical piece of evidence is the “Tong Wen Zi Fang” (同文字方), numbered 8-461 in Liye Qinjian vol.1 (里耶秦簡[壹]). This paper demonstrates that the “unification of writing” involved adjustment of graphic forms, rules for associations between character and word, and changes in standard vocabulary. As a result, not only was the writing of the other regions altered, but also Qin texts themselves were further standardized after the implementation of the policy. The differences could, therefore, become criteria for the periodization of excavated Qin texts.