汉朝与西域的贡赐贸易

马智全

内容摘要：在张骞通西域之前，汉朝即以“饶财”的形象为西域所知。汉武帝以来，汉朝通过派遣使者开启了与西域的官方交往，西域诸国随之派出使者到汉朝奉献畜物，汉朝依据献物赐予钱财，贡赐贸易由此成为西域与汉朝交往的重要方式。汉朝为西域使者提供饮食车马接待，派人迎送西域使者，确保其路途安全，以保障贡赐贸易的畅通。贡赐贸易与儒家“来远人”的王道思想有关，政治上表明西域诸国归顺于汉，经济上促进了汉与西域的物资交流。贡赐贸易是西域与汉朝交流的动力支撑，也是汉代丝绸之路繁荣畅通的重要保障。

关键词：西域;贡赐;汉简;丝绸之路

中图分类号：K877.5  文献标识码：A  文章编号：1000-4106（2021）06-0136-08

Tribute and Trade Relations between the Han Dynasty and

the Western Regions

MA Zhiquan

（Institute of Literature and History， Lanzhou City University， Lanzhou， Gansu 730070）

Abstract：Before Zhang Qian， the Han dynasty founder of the Silk Road， went to the Western Regions， the Han empire was already known in the area for its wealth and prosperity. Official communication began when the Han dynasty sent envoys to the Western Regions and the kingdoms of the Western Regions replied by sending envoys to the Han court laden with tributes （mainly livestock）， for which they received money in return. This form of "tribute trade" became typical of the exchanges between the Han and the Western Regions. The Han court provided food and transportation for visiting envoys， dispatched messengers to welcome or see them off， and ensured safe passage for their journeys. In the Han court， this form of tribute trade was associated with the Confucian ideology of recruiting distant peoples by virtue of a benevolent government and positive reputation. Politically， these exchanges indicated that the Western Regions kingdoms were making obeisance to the Han dynasty， while the economic relationship promoted the exchange of various goods between the two parties. Tribute trade was an important driving force for the establishment of a mutually beneficial relationship between the Han and the Western Regions and ensured that traffic along the ancient Silk Road proceeded smoothly.

Keywords：Western Regions; tribute trade; Han dynasty bamboo slips; Silk Road

貢赐贸易，是古代中原王朝与边疆民族开展经贸交流的一种方式，在我国古代社会长期发挥着重要作用。当然，因各个王朝边疆形势与民族交往的不同，贡赐贸易的方式和规模也有区别。唐宋以来的贡赐贸易，因其交易频繁和规模庞大而更加引人关注[1-4]。不过，考察贡赐贸易的形成与发展，汉代应是具有开创意义的重要时代。特别是在汉武帝开疆拓土的过程中，汉朝与边疆各民族的交流日渐频繁，贡赐贸易就成了政治认同与经贸往来的重要方式。20世纪以来西北地区先后发现大量汉代简牍，特别是新近刊布的悬泉汉简[5]、玉门关汉简[6]，生动地反映出汉与西域交往的具体过程，是认识汉朝与西域贡赐贸易的珍贵资料。借助汉简及传世史籍考察汉朝与西域贡赐贸易的丰富内涵，对深入理解丝绸之路人员物资交流状况很有意义。……