士之溯源及其早期衍变

“士”对中国古代文明进程具有极其重要的意义。“士”之初义为“任事”,后来,时代的推进和与士相关的社会生活内容的变化带来了词义的改变。殷周时期,士成为社会等级制中最低级的贵族。春秋中后期,士开始了向“古代知识分子”的伟大过渡。春秋战国之交,新型的文士集团已经略具雏形。战国时期的士,则呈现出了令人眼花缭乱的面目。国祚短暂的秦代对士的演进也有着颇为深长的意味。

Origination and Early Evolvement of Shi

“Shi” has extremely importance to the process of ancient Chinese civilization. The original meaning of “shi” was “being employed”. Later, the meaning has taken on transformation with the changes of times and relevant social lives. In the period of the Yin and Zhou dynasties, shi was the lowest noble in the social estate system. In the middle and later stage of the Spring and Autumn period, shi began its great transition toward the “ancient intellectual”. The new-type literati groups appeared in an embryonic form as early as the intersection between the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States periods. And shi of the Warring States period present a dazzling scene. The short-lived Qin dynasty also had fairly profound significance to the evolvement of shi.