关于中国早期历史上游侠身份的重新检讨

二十世纪三十年代以来一些学者提倡的游侠来源于平民（或包括破落武士）的说法,大抵奠定了将游侠身份定位于游民、门客及武士的一般知识,虽然受到过各种质疑,但至今仍在影响着人们对于游侠的认识。此说的误区在于将游侠与“私剑”混为一谈,而钱穆在四十年代、章培恒在九十年代都曾在对游侠与“私剑”作出判别的基础上重新界定游侠,惜未引起学术界足够的重视。这种一般知识使得中国早期历史上实际存在的游侠在社会上的地位、作用明显地被低估。当然,将游侠与“私剑”混淆或将两者的特质杂糅在一起,有其更为复杂、深远的历史原因。

A Re-examination of the Chinese Knight-errants' Status in the Early History of China

The advocated viewpoint by some scholars since the 1930s that Knight-errants originated from populace(including the bankrupt warriors) almost set the general tone of looking on Knight-errants as vagabonds, followers and warriors. Although this view has been suspected, it still influences people' s understanding of Knight-errants up to now. The mistake is that it has confused "Knight-errants" with "Private swords-men", Mr Qian Mu and Mr Zhang Pei-heng have made some new definitions of these two concepts, but unfortunately they have not been paid enough attention to in the academic field. Therefore, the general knowledge about knighterrants under-evaluated their influence and social status. It is certain that this confusion has its more complex and far-reaching historical reasons.