商国号考说

有关商国号的由来与取义，迄今的研究仍有许多不明确之处；又文献中，普遍存在着殷商混用或殷商合称的情形。本文指出：商是本号、自称，殷是别号、他称。商早于殷。商起初是作为族名使用的，这一族名出现于该族凤凰图腾成立以后，时间上不晚于传说中的商族始祖契；商族名形成的地域，则应在东方，今鲁西南地区。又商从族名上升为“有天下之号”即国号，始于汤；汤定“有天下之号”为商，不仅光显了商族的功绩，而且具有神化其政权的功用。至于商之别号、他称“殷”，本起自周人之泛称东方民族为夷；周灭商以后，周称商为殷也并不含贬义。

A Study On The Dynastic Title Of Shang

The origin and essential meaning of the dynatic title ofShang isstill nuclear to us in the up-to-day research. BothShang and Yin arose as dynastic title in ancient documents,andeven combined together sometimes. This article concludes thatShang is the name that Shangpeople called themselves, while Yinis just a name from the people outside of Shang. Shang, a titlederived from the totem of phoenix,and originally just a title ofthe nationality, then of the state, has a history longer than thatof Yin. Having been set up as the title of the dynasty, Shangcould not only show the glory of Shang nationality, but also deify the state.