先周历史与《牛郎织女》传说的起源

《牛郎织女》的两主人公分别来自周人和秦人的祖先,是我国从史前直至近代农业经济社会中男耕女织家庭的集中反映。牛女传说具有突出的反封建性,反映了广大劳动人民对幸福生活的不懈追求和对爱情的无限忠贞。《山海经.海内经》、《山海经.大荒西经》、《山海经.大荒北经》都有周祖叔均突出贡献的记载,《诗经》、《史记.周本纪》中更有祭祀周田祖和先周历史的详细描述。周祖叔均发明了牛耕,是周民族历史上杰出的首领,也成了周民族的田祖。甘肃庆阳地区属于古代文献中所说的豳地的范围之中,是周人的发祥地和早期活动地区。《诗经.小雅》中的《甫田》、《大田》是周人祭祀田祖叔均的诗篇,表现了周人对远古先祖的缅怀与崇敬。叔均应名"均","叔"是辈份的排序,不是周祖的长子,应有哥哥,这与牵牛(牛郎)有哥哥的情节相合。分析民国时期不同地区流传的六个主要采录本,再结合古代诗、词、赋、小说和戏曲来看,牛女故事也是最早流传于北方,应产生于西北。

The Pre-Zhou History and the Origin of the Tale of Niulang and Zhinu

The characters in the Tale of Niulang and Zhinu are the images of the ancestors of Qin tribe and Zhou tribe respectively.They are the typical reflection of the agricultural life style from pre-historic period to early farming society in Chinese history.The story has remarkable anti-feudalism characteristics and eulogized the pursuit of love and happiness of the masses.Books from ancient times recorded the great contributions of ancestor Zhou,who invented farming culture.Qingyang is located in the territory of Bing in history,a place where the Zhou tribe lived on farming.The Book of Changes recorded poems describing ceremonies in honor of Shujun,ancestor of field farming.The name of "Shujun" is actually "Jun",where "Shu" refers to seniority in the clan.As he was not the eldest son of Ancestor Zhou,he must have elder brothers.This is in conformity with the tale that Niulang had an elder brother.Judging from the six different versions of the story in different regions in the period of the National Republic and from early poems,songs,odes,stories,and plays,we realize that the tale became popular in the north and should also come from the north.