汉代苜蓿传入我国的时间考述

苜蓿不仅是世界性优良牧草,而且也是中西科技文化交流的象征,更是丝绸之路上的一颗耀眼的明珠。虽然苜蓿在我国已有2000多年的栽培史,但是苜蓿是什么时间传入我国的,不论是草学界还是农史界乃至史学界对其看法不一。本文以前人的研究为基础,试图从张骞两次出使西域的时间或使者往来于汉的活动背景,对苜蓿传入我国的时间进行梳理归纳和考释,以期对其有个清晰的认识,为我国苜蓿起源和苜蓿史研究提供依据。研究表明,目前对苜蓿传入我国的时间有4类看法:1)围绕张骞两次出使西域所确定的苜蓿输入我国的时间,主要包括公元前139年/138年、公元前129年、公元前126年、公元前119-115年和张骞两次出使西域带回; 2)围绕汗血马引入我国的时间,即公元前102/101年;3)时间不确定;4)张骞死后或其他时间。经考证,张骞公元前139年/138年、公元前129年带入苜蓿的观点明显不妥,公元前126年带归苜蓿的观点还需做进一步的研究;从实际需求出发考证,苜蓿与汗血马同时输入我国的可能性是存在的;其他两类看法还需要挖掘史料做进一步的证实。

Research on the introduction of alfalfa into China during the Han Dynasty

Alfalfa is not only an excellent forage worldwide, but is also a symbol of the cultural exchange between China and western regions, being regarded as a dazzling bright pearl on the Silk Road. Although alfalfa has more than 2000 years of cultivation history in China, scholars in pratacultural science, agricultural history, and Chinese history have different opinions on when this plant spread into China. This article reviews the literature and interrelates the time when Alfalfa was introduced in China based on previous studies. We considered the times when Zhang Qian travelled to western regions and when envoys came to China, with an aim to identify similar ideas and explain the differences among the various theories. There are several ancient books that describe the origin and history of alfalfa, but there are opposing views on when it was introduced into China. The proposed introduction times are: 1) 139 or 138 BC, 129 BC, 126 BC, or 119-115 BC; 2) when Zhang Qian visited western regions in 102-101 BC; 3) an uncertain time; 4) after Zhang Qian’s death or another later time. By analyzing the existing texts, we eliminated the first and second proposed introduction times. The third view requires further historical data to confirm when Zhang Qian visited western regions, because there is a lack of direct historical evidence that Zhang Qian brought back alfalfa seeds. It is possible that alfalfa and ‘sweats blood’ (Ferghana) horses entered China at the same time. Further analyses of historical data are required to validate or disprove these theories.