提 要：玉璧、玉琮是我国古代最为重要的两种礼器。对于二者象征意义的解释，诸说纷呈，莫衷一是。事实上，无论从文献记载来看，还是从考古材料来说，它们都应与阴阳观念相关，是阴阳、天地、乾坤、父母、男女等抽象话语的外化形式。其中，玉璧是阴、坤、母、地、女等概念的物化，是地母女阴的象征；玉琮是阳、乾、父、天、男等概念的具象，是天神男根的象征。“以苍璧礼天，以黄琮礼地”，乃出于先民交感天地、和合阴阳以祈求丰产增殖的美好愿望而已。

关键词：玉璧 玉琮 阴阳观念

Title:The New Exploration of the Original Meaning of JadeBiand JadeCong.

Author: Liu Zheng, Doctoral Candidate, Department of History, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.

Abstract: JadeBi(璧) and Jade Cong(琮) are two most important ritual utensils in ancient China. For the interpretation of the symbolism of both, there are many explanations. In fact, both from the view of literature, or of the archaeological material, they should be associated with theYin(阴) andYang(阳) concept, the outside form of the abstract discourse:YinandYang,Qian(乾) andKun(坤), Heaven and Earth, father and mother, men and women. Where, JadeBiis the materialization of the concept ofYin,Kun, mother, female, a symbol of Earth mother’s genital; JadeCongis the figurative concept ofYang,Qian, father, heaven, male, a symbol of Gods’ genital. “Worship the gods by White JadeBi, worship Mother Earth by Yellow JadeCong” which is out of ancestors’ wishes for intercourse of Heaven and Earth, harmony ofYinandYangand praying for high grain yield and population proliferation.

Key words: JadeBi JadeCong YinandYangconcept