物产异名与地方文化:以近代“兰花菇”的名实与流行为例

物产的名实关系牵涉人对物的认知与利用,不仅在实际生活中发挥重要作用,而且在史学研究中也备受关注。既有的相关研究相对重视实,而对名的关注相对不足。通过对近代兰花菇及相关名称的考察,可见物产名称在社会中也有着自己的生命力,且与地方文化有着千丝万缕的联系。不晚于18世纪末,广东南华寺僧人开始利用稻草栽培食用菌,遂有南华菇之谓,相关技术亦受到传播。19世纪下半叶以降,因音讹而产生的兰花菇渐趋流行,且名播粤外。同物异名的草菰在近代主要流行于两广,而麻菌则常与湖南浏阳密不可分,说明物产名称的地方性不必然直观见诸名称本身。关注物产名称并投以地方视角,有助于理解物产异名的产生、变异与传播,以及隐匿其背后的物质生活、技术、语言、地理、经济等因素,进而丰富对人类物质文化的认知。

Different Product Names and Local Culture: A Case Study of the Name and Entity of the Orchid Mushroom and Its Prevalence in Modern Times

The relationship between names and entities of products involves people’s cognition and utilization of products. It plays an important role in practical life,and also receives significant attention in historical research. Relatively speaking,historical studies place emphasis on entities,but give insufficient concern to names. Through a case study of the orchid mushroom and related names in modern times,it is found that product names also had their own vitality in society,and were inextricably linked with local culture. No later than the end of the 18 th century,the monks of the Nanhua Temple in Guangdong began to use straw to cultivate an edible fungus,which then obtained its name as Nanhua Mushroom;and related cultivation technique was also spread beyond the temple. From the second half of the 19 th century onward,the term Orchid Mushroom germinated from an incorrect pronunciation and began to prevail outside Guangdong. Moreover,the terms Straw Mushroom and Ramie Mushroom,two other names of the orchid mushroom,mainly prevailed in Guangdong and Guangxi,and Liuyang,Hunan respectively. These names indicate that local features of product names were not necessarily embodied in names themselves. In general,giving attention to product names and adopting a local perspective help to improve our understanding of the generation,changes and transmission of different product names,unveil the factors behind product names,such as material life,technology,languages,geography and economy,and further enrich our perception of material culture in human society.