地理認識及其流變——以中國海洋文獻中的大食概念為例

Abstract

學界咸認為古代中國典籍中的大食一詞所指即七世紀興起於阿拉伯半島上的政教合一政權，即阿拉伯帝國或伊斯蘭世界。本文認為大食一詞的確切來源與涵義未有明確的證據，則大食一詞所指為何尚有可研究討論之處。 本文認為唐代的海洋大食文獻可分為三個系統：一是前往印度取經的佛僧在旅途中的見聞，這些見聞不僅表現出大食代波斯而興的政權更替，也呈現了大食在海上貿易逐漸取代波斯的現象。二是唐代官修史籍中採訪自外夷的紀錄，這些紀錄無論是杜環敘述的東伊斯蘭世界或是賈耽記錄的廣州通海夷道，其資訊皆來自大食。三則是筆記小說中的異聞國度，這些異聞除了傳達出大食濃厚的商業氣息，其來源主要亦皆來自波斯灣海域世界的蕃客。 宋代的大食文獻紀錄則多數皆來自海路。北宋時期的大食所指常與穆斯林海商有關，而且北宋關於大食的文獻無論就貢使紀錄或是文人的記載皆常伴隨著南海世界的諸國如三佛齊、闍婆、占城、注輦、故臨。這呈現出此時期的南海世界主要為穆斯林海商所掌握。南宋的《嶺外代答》、《諸蕃志》則提及大食作為諸國之總名的「大食諸國」概念，此概念更明確地指出其義應為伊斯蘭世界，而其所指涉的實際地理仍以波斯灣海域為中心。這個以波斯灣海域為中心的大食諸國與南海世界再現了波斯灣海商所主掌的印度洋世界。 蒙元興起後，大食一詞的商業意象為中亞內陸傳來的回回一詞所取代。大食一名僅存於南海世界中的傳說國度或用以指稱穆斯林社群。

The “Tashi” in ancient Chinese sources is generally recognized as an Arab or Islam Caesaropapism regime in Arabian Peninsula rose in 7th century. This essay considers that the meaning and origin of Tashi are obscure and uncertain as well as there could be some new surveys and interpretations in this theme. The maritime Tashi sources in Tang Dynasty could be three classifications. First, the Chinese monks who went to India brought the sources of what they saw and heard in their travelling. These sources tells us not only the Arabs conquered the Persians but also the muslim traders appeared in Indian Ocean. Second, the writing of official history were reported from the foreign traders and envoys. The information of Du Huan’s words about east Islamic world and Jia Dan’s shipping route from Guanzhou to Persian Gulf both came from Islam world. Third, the Tashi fictions in the essays and novels were relative to maritime commerce of Tashi and an Arabic origin. The Tashi sources in Sung Dynasty always associated with maritime activities. The Tashi in Northern Sung period were about maritime muslim traders and always connected with the South Sea emporiums such as San-fo-chi (Sri Vijaya), She-po (Java), Champa, Chola, Kulam. It showed us that the South China Sea world was controlled by the muslim traders. The Lin-wai-dai-da (嶺外代答) and Zhu-fan-zhi (諸蕃志) in Southern Sung provides the Tashi is a collective name for all the countries in the Islamic world and it is more clearly than the sources before. The Tashi toponym in the two books are centered on Persian Gulf and related to Islam commercial activities. It represents an Indian Ocean world controlled by Persian Gulf muslim merchants. After the Mongols conquered the Sung, the commercial images of Tashi were replaced by “Huehue(回回),” a name came from Inner Asia. The meaning of Tashi were associated with fictions or muslim groups in South China sea.