《追寻五帝》序

许倬云

顾颉刚整理中国古代传统，提出了层层累积的观念，以解释传统系统在时间轴在线的建构过程。顾氏的说法，表面上颇与考古地层学的观念相近，然而考古的地层一层便是一层，如果上下两层的文化各有自己的渊源，则上下之间未必有承袭的关系。

郭大顺清理五帝传统，都是真的从考古数据着手，遂能将时空两个轴线整合为原定古代传统的线索。《追寻五帝》的理论与实证基础坚实，因此有如此可佩的研究成果。

苏秉琦从大量考古资料中，依据地层学与形制学的线索，将中华大地的考古文化，理出区系类型的系统，终于实证地指出，中国的古代文化是许多系统之间的接触交流、迎拒与融合。这一宏伟理论，兼摄时空的多元互动。苏先生的贡献，不仅为中国考古学提示了解释演变的理论，我相信这一理论，还可适用于世界各处文化的互动过程。

郭大顺是苏先生的入室弟子，《追寻五帝》即是将苏先生的考古理论，施之于传说的研究。我在拙作《万古江河》中，论述中国历史文化的长程发展，以及近来全球化的展望，也是拜领苏先生理论的启示。

回到“五帝”这一课题，诚如郭先生的研究，这些古代传说中的人物，都有所归属，分别与古代若干族群的文化，有一定的关系，凡此本书均有详细论列。除此之外，更多一步推论，我们也无妨瞩视，古人为什么不断建构几个不甚相同的“五帝”系统？

我以为，古代族群众多，每一个文化系统都有自己的祖先祠、英雄谱。在不断地融合与重组过程中，这些记忆中的重要形象，也必须重加编排，以建构各部分相互之间的亲属关系，或者解释其接受与排斥的理由。最后，正如我们熟知的，“黄帝”成为所有中国人的共祖，“炎帝之后”勉强列为共祖的配角！

距今四五千年时，若干曾经兴盛的古代文化，忽然都趋于衰败，同时也有移徙别处的现象。只有本来并不十分出色的中原，不但存留了下来，而且竟形成后世中国的核心地区。在这里，又接纳融合了新来族群，确立了夏、商、周的“三代”。这一个沿着黄河两岸发展，西逾华山，东至海岱的核心地带，其文化英雄事迹是尧舜禹禅让与汤武征伐，凡此都足以延至这一核心地区政权的“合法性”。核心文化也可上溯其祖源，炎黄遂是其正统的先世，而将若干挑战者，列为反面人物，例如蚩尤与共工，甚至“诸夏”谱系之列的东夷英雄后羿，也只能列入闰统的另册，由少康取回诸夏的“合法”地位。

我以为，不同的“五帝”系统，可能是在不同情景下，将那些与核心有关联，却又不是核心直系的古代族群，以其英雄或祖先亲族，排列为一群可以接受，但又不必然是祖先的英雄谱系。于是，最为迩近的东方族群，有太昊、少昊代表日神崇拜的东夷集团，帝喾（高阳氏）则代表了原在北方，后裔中一部分迁移淮汉的祝融八姓，而颛顼则以其隔离天人的大巫身份代表了可能原在渤海平原的族群。至于稍后接触与互动的南方蛮越与北方的戎狄之属，则只能在扩大同祖的旁系子孙，安排其位置。战国秦汉多次整理传说系统，或可作如此推测。

郭先生此书胜义，处处可见，读者自能体会，我不必多所絮叨。此书早已在香港出版，现在在内地出版，实是国内考古学界的好事。苏秉琦一生献身于建构理论系统，从他早年瓦鬲的整理，到区系类型的方法学，为中国考古学，以实际数据的归纳，提出纲举目张的阐释。我读书时不在中国，未能亲炙大师教诲，仅能从他的研究，私淑体会博大精深之处。郭大顺是苏先生的大弟子之一，在苏先生百年冥寿之时，将本书引回内地，庶几考古学家以外的读者，也有开卷得益，诚是可喜之盛事！嘱我为序，十分荣幸，谨以管见献曝高明。

二〇〇九年十一月十九日

In his reexamination of the ancient history of China，Gu Jiegang proposed a theory of multi-layered stratification to explain how the traditional system was constructed in terms of the axis of time and space.On its surface，what Mr.Gu proposed shares some similarity with archaeological stratigraphy.But in archaeology，one layer is one layer.Even if each layer is distinguished by its own characteristics or demonstrates its own cultural origins，some continuity as well as new features in the next layer still should appear for us to detect the changes taking place in the time span in-between to tell that there is a successive lineage to trace.

Mr.Guo Dashun’s exploration of the five emperors in Chinese history is entirely built upon archaeological evidence.That’s why he is able to integrate axis of time and space into clues to trace back ancient traditions.Since In Search of the Five Emperors is construed with convincing theory supported by solid evidence，it comes as no surprise that the Chinese version of this book is wellreceived with high compliment from colleagues and general readers.

Aided with clues from stratification and typology，Mr.Su Bingqi，investigating a massive data base of field Chinese archaeology，successfully construes his typological lineages of artifacts in given regions by which he illustrates that Neolithic cultures in China underwent constant contacts between multiple systems.During this process，reception，rejection，adaptation，and assimilation occurred.His outstanding typological theory presents a picture of repeatedly multi-level interactions in time and space.In my opinion，Mr.Su’s contribution provides not only a theory for Chinese archaeologists to explain what happened in China，but also a universal framework to explain cultural interactions elsewhere in the world.

Mr.GuoDashun wasMr.Su’sstudent.In Search of the Five Emperors is an application of Mr.Su’s archaeological theory to the study of legends.I was also inspired by Mr.Su’s theory when I introduce the uninterrupted development of Chinese history and cultures，and anticipate the future effects of globalization in my book The Rivers beyond Eternity （Wangu jianghe）of which an English version is now published by Columbia University Press as China：A New Cultural History.

Let’s turn back to “the five emperors.”As indicated by Mr.Guo’s research，these heroes of ancient legends must have their origins and each of these figures was connected in some way with the culture of a certain tribal group.Their stories and evolution thereof are narrated and analyzed in great detail in the book.Apart from the narrations，he may go one more step ahead and try to explain why the ancient people constructed again and again the systems of “the five emperors” in a way drastically different from one another.

There were many tribal groups in ancient times and each cultural system had its own cultural heroes who were worshipped as ancestors.During the process of constant assimilation and regrouping，these important images had to be reshaped in people’s memory so that new kinships between different parts could be constructed，or the reasons for rejection and adaptation demand explanation.Finally，as we all know，“Emperor Huangdi”was chosen to be the common ancestor for all the Chinese people and “Emperor Yandi came after”merely as a supporting figure to “Emperor Huangdi”!

Four or five thousand years ago，some of the once-flourished Neolithic cultures either came to a sudden decline or moved away from their settlements.But the seemingly less“glamorous”cultures on the Central Plains not only continued their existence，but also evolved into a core region in the years to come.More tribal groups came to this region where Xia，Shang，Zhou，“the Three Dynasties”，came into existence.This key region developed along the drainages of the Yellow River，with its western border beyond the Huashan Mountain and the seashore in the East.In this region stories about cultural heroes in different places prevailed to describe the successions of dominations by Yao，Shun，and Yu，and the wars launched by Tang and Wu.These stories are cited to“legitimize”the change of powers that once dominated this core region.The sequence of these cultures of this region thus can be traced.Yan and Huang were leaders of earlier groups while their challengers，such as Chi You and Gong Gong，were de-picted as challengers，and Hou Yi，the hero of Dongyi （east barbarians）in the “Xia”ancestry was dismissed and replaced by Shao Kang simply because he could secure the “legal” position of“Xia.”

I think that the differences of the “five emperors”systems that evolved from such a backdrop might lead people to “incorporate”those ancient culture groups into one “lineage” symbolized by these cultural heroes.These cultural groups were related to the core region，but did not belong directly to the same cultural tradition thereof.They were ranked in accordance within a construed hypothetical kinships network.So in the eastern tribal groups，the nearest to the core region，appeared the Dongyi Group represented by Tai Hao and Shao Hao，the sun worshippers，while Di Ku（Gaoyangshi） represented the eight clans of Zhurong who had originally settled in the north and some of whose descendants later moved to the regions of the Huaihe River and the Hanshui River，and as a great wizard between gods and humans，Zhuan Xu represented those who might have settled on the Bohai Plain.The Man Yue groups in the south and the Rong Di groups in the north，since their contacts and interactions with the core region only happened in later days，could only be placed in an enlarged common lineage as remote cousins.During the Warring Periods，and the Qin，and Han dynasties，the grid of legends was rearranged many times.They could have done it for the same reasons I mentioned above.

Mr.Guo has many new findings presented in the book for readers themselves to read and enjoy.Years ago the first edition of the book was published in Hong Kong.Now its mainland edition will certainly come as good news to archaeologists in China.Mr.Su has dedicated his whole life to constructing theoretical systems.From the classifications of the li tripods in his early years to his successful formulation of a remarkable theory on evolution of types of relics in given regions that leads to a methodology based upon phenomena of cultural diffusion as well as development，Mr.Su enriches Chinese archaeology with highlighted interpretations based on careful studies of concrete empirical data.I didn’t have the opportunity to have learned directly from his teaching.However，I have the pleasure to appreciate his profundity through his researches and of his students，among whom Dashun was one of the best.Dashun now published the book on Mr.Su’s centennial birthday，in order to benefit those readers who are not archaeologists.It is a celebration indeed!I feel honored to have prefaced the Chinese version of this book，for having an opportunity to take my hat off to the remarkable scholarships of both the Master and his worthy disciple.Now，I have such a pleasure，once again，to revise the preface translated into English.Without reading the translated text，there may be some disparity in terminology between the text and this preface.The responsibility，therefore，is mine.

Chinese preface：November 19，2009

English preface：February 5，2012