提 要：殷商时期的诸多辞例中有“小臣”。时贤对其多有研究，但在“商代小臣是什么”这一问题上仍有争论。其实，商代的小臣是一批后备人员。在内服方面，商王朝主要从这批人员中选拔商王朝的重要官员，可能与“臣扈”、“臣沚”等商王朝的重臣相比还处于成长和训练阶段，故被称为“小臣”。这批后备人员有的来自外国族，有的是商王子嗣，还有的是女性。他们担任的职务各不相同，商人往往在“小臣”上加上他们所担任的职务或所来自的国族来区分他们。在外服方面，商王朝常从内服小臣中挑选成员回他们所来自的国族担任军事首领。通过内服小臣训练外服军事首领是商朝控制方国的手段之一。这些人员在身份显赫之后，仍然用“小臣”称名，因而出现了商代小臣纷繁多样的现象。

关键词：殷商时期；小臣；外服；内服；国族

Title: On theXiaochenin Yin Dynasty

Author:Wang Jinfeng, Lecturer, Department of History, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.

Abstract: There were many records ofXiaochen(小臣，petty officials) in various inscriptions dated to the Shang dynasty. Although considerable researches have been done on this topic, controversy remains in the accurate identification of this group of officials. This paper, argues thatXiaochenfunctioned as the baking up personnel of the Shang administrative system. In the core area, the Kings picked up some high level officials from this circle. In the exterior areas, some distinguished people from this circle were chosen to take the offices of military leaders. This was one of the means of the Shang dynasty to realize its control over the country. Because those who got significant status improvement continued to be called asXiaochen, many confusions were created in later related records.

Key words:The Shang dynasty;Xiaochen; the core area; the exterior areas; the clans