殷周之際物觀念的生成脈絡──以儀式行動與禮文意識為線索的考察

Formation of the Concept of“Things”物in the Yin and Zhou Dynasties:Ritual Practices and Ritual Consciousness

本文所欲從事者，既不在於對不同物論進行哲學性的辨證，亦非從詞彙史的進路來論究物的不同意義群，而是聚焦物，從卜辭到先秦禮類相關文獻中的重要概念及其思想衍變內涵，並以儀式行動與禮文意識作為生成脈絡的線索，觀測物觀念於早期禮樂文明的演進，展開底下二個層面的思索：第一、物究竟是什麼？它是如何生成的？第二、物於殷周時期經歷怎樣的觀念化階段？期以揭示從原始物觀念，到後世物思想建立的轉換過程，從而呈顯物範疇的發展軌跡。對此，本文嘗試提出：卜辭「勿」字雖有「分割」、「切斷」之本義，但尚存在一種「分別」、「分辨」的理解方向，可連繫至後起具有分辨、挑選犧牲毛色的「物」字義涵，並能窺知殺牲祭祀之前，對於相度毛色的準備與要求，反映出儀式行動的整體性思考。此一義涵，實與先秦禮類相關文獻所載的「物色」、「物類」、「名物」、「物則」等觀念，具有內在的關聯性。接著，結合先秦禮文意識的相關線索進行爬梳，可以窺知物不僅帶有神話學、宗教學、博物學的色彩，更發展出政治學、社會學、倫理學的屬性或功能，當是殷周之際形成古代知識經驗、社會秩序、倫理實踐與政治權力的重要觀念。

The aim of the present study is to neither discuss the dialectics of the character wu 物 (thing, object or substance) nor investigate the groups of concepts in terms of lexical development surrounding it, but rather to focus on “things” based on critical concepts regarding its development from divination to its connotations in related pre-Qin ritual literature. Taking ritual practices and a so-called ritual consciousness as clues for discerning the contexts behind the formation of “things,” one can observe the evolution of “things” in the early rites and music civilization, and begin to consider the following two underlying facets: First, what ultimately is wu and what forms it? Second, what phases of conceptualization did wu undergo in the Yin and Zhou dynasties? The transformation process from the original concept of “things” to the establishment of thought concerning “things” of the later generation is then revealed, so as to show its trajectory as a category. With the above in mind, this study indicates that although the original meaning of the character wu 勿 within oracle inscriptions is “to divide” or “to cut off,” it still retains markers of understanding such as “to distinguish” or “to discriminate,” which can be connected to later meanings of “things,” namely discrimination or the selection of colors of ritual animals. One can then note the preparations and requirements for the color of the animal’s coat before the sacrifice, reflecting the holistic thinking of the ritual practice. This connotation is intrinsically related to the conceptions of the “color” 色, “kind” or “class” 類, “name” 名, and “principle” 則 of “things” within pre-Qin ritual literature. Furthermore, by combining the relevant threads of the pre-Qin ritual consciousness, one can note that “things” not only carries the aura of mythology, religion, and natural history, but also develops the attributes or functions of politics, society, and ethics, all of which are important concepts within the formation of ancient knowledge, social order, ethical practices, and political power during the Yin and Zhou dynasties.