从萨默斯著述中的“苗人”分类体系源流看西南少数民族历史研究

国外自19世纪中叶就显现出搜求、比较、研究我国西南地区“苗人”分类体系的热潮。但是由于历史的原因,现阶段我国学术界对彼时国外学者的研究成果还存在关注的盲点,资料收集尚有不少遗漏。作为新发现的文献,成书于150年前的萨默斯的著述应当被视为《百苗图》《黔说苗图》系列典籍在海外早期传播和研究的一个组成部分,而且是该系列典籍研究中对海外文献的最新补充,不仅填补了早前研究中遗留的一些空白,还为深入研究清代《百苗图》《黔说苗图》增加了一些新的历史参考资料。同时,从历史的角度审视该系列典籍及其海外传播状况,不仅能为当代有关西南地区少数民族研究增添一些新的史料,而且对于进一步深入探讨西南少数民族历史及其人群分类具有扩展和补充的意义。

A Study of the History of Ethnic Minorities in Southwest China Embodied in the Miao Classification System in James Summers’ Works

Since the mid-nineteenth century,the multi-perspective research on the classification of the“Miao people”in southwest China has shown an upsurge abroad.However,due to historical reasons,Chinese scholars today still have blind spots in the research findings obtained then by foreign scholars,and their collection of the relevant data is inadequate.As a new discovery with rich historical implications,the works of James Summers written 150 years ago should be regarded as an integral part of a series of classical works like Picture Book of Numerous Miaos and A Picture Book of the Miao People in Guizhou which enjoys the first popularization and research abroad,and provides the latest and valuable supplement to the overseas research in this aspect.At the same time,the examination of this series of classics and its international popularity from a historical perspective will not only add some new historical materials for the contemporary research on ethnic minorities in southwest China,but also have great significance to further in-depth studies on the history and classification of ethnic minorities there.