An Analysis of the Pictorial Archery Ritual on Eastern Zhou Pictorial Bronze Vessels: The Relationship between the Archery Ritual and Bi-yong (辟雍) and Ming-tang (明堂)

Abstract

States Period led to the emergence of a number of pictorial bronze vessels decorated with narrative patterns. The content of these decorations was substantial, displaying a variety of scenes that reflected lifestyles during that period, ranging from hunting, battling, feasting and mulberry picking to hou-shooting and bird-shooting. Among these scenes, the archery ritual is considered one of the most important. According to these decorative pictures, the rite of archery in pre-qin period can be divided into two types, i.e. the indoor archery and the outdoor archery. The former mainly took place inside buildings, while the latter in the open countryside. Since the design, construction, location and usage of the buildings in the indoor archery are homogenous with those of the ”bi-yong” and ”ming-tang” depicted in ancient texts, this article suggests that ”bi-yong” and ”ming-tang” have a close relationship with the archery ritual. Moreover, the article points out that ”xie-gong”, ”xue-gong”, ”xie-lu” and ”da-chi” stated in ancient books and bronze inscriptions are synonymous with ”bi-yong” and ”ming-tang”.

我國古代青銅器紋飾以饕餮紋與夔鳳紋最為習見，下逮春秋戰國之際，銅器鑄造工藝取得新突破，出現一批飾有敘事圖案的東周畫像紋銅器。畫像紋銅器所蘊涵的內容豐富，反映當時狩獵、攻戰、宴樂、採桑、射侯、弋射等生活情景，而當中禮射圖更為其重要內容之一。從銅器的畫像可知，先秦禮射之舉行地點可分為室內及室外兩類，前者於建築物內舉行，而後者則是散射於郊野。本文認為禮射圖所見建築之設計形制、位置及用途皆與古書所記的「辟雍」、「明堂」類近，由是推斷「辟雍」、「明堂」與古禮射的關係甚為密切，而古書及金文所見之「射宮」、「學宮」、「射廬」、「大池」等諸名，或亦應為「辟雍」、「明堂」之異名。