古代皇帝的画像为什么不肯外传给其他国家？｜罗振宇《文明之旅》之1053

这篇内容是对《文明之旅》节目中，以公元1053年为背景的一集节目的总结。当时正值宋仁宗和辽兴宗在位时期。这一集节目聚焦于一个看似微不足道的事件：辽国皇帝多次请求宋朝皇帝的画像。 1053年，辽兴宗表达了想看看他“兄弟”宋仁宗画像的愿望，感叹尽管他们名义上是兄弟，却从未见过面。宋朝朝廷对此请求置之不理。第二年，辽兴宗在宋朝使者来访时再次暗示想要画像。宋朝朝廷依旧毫无回应。 1055年，辽兴宗加大了力度，将他自己、他父亲和他祖父的三幅画像送给宋朝朝廷，以此作为善意的表示，并暗示希望能够互换画像。他还给宋仁宗写了一封亲笔信。宋朝朝廷现在面临着巨大的压力，但还没等他们做出回应，辽兴宗就因病去世，享年39岁，他的愿望未能实现。 两年后，在1057年，新即位的辽道宗重提了他父亲的请求。经过深思熟虑，宋仁宗终于同意在即将到来的新年庆祝活动中送出自己的画像。 随后，节目深入探讨了宋朝朝廷最初犹豫不决的原因。这不仅仅是为了避免冒犯。其中有着更深层次、更复杂的考虑： 1. **迷信和“巫蛊”：** 最直接的担忧是辽国朝廷可能会利用画像对宋仁宗甚至宋朝施展巫蛊或诅咒。虽然这看起来很迷信，但这种恐惧有着政治层面上的考量。如果辽国公开亵渎画像，或声称利用它来削弱宋朝，这可能会引发动乱，并壮大他们的军队的胆子。 2. **皇帝的神圣性：** 画像不仅仅是一张图片，它代表着皇帝的神圣性和权威。自唐朝以来，皇帝的画像就被用作政治权力的象征，甚至可以作为皇帝本人的替身。将画像交给辽国意味着放弃对这个象征如何被看待和使用的控制权。 3. **“天下”观念的演变：** 这是最重要的因素。传统的中国“天下”观念以中国皇帝为文明世界的中心，周围的“蛮夷”理应效仿中国文化。然而，到了宋朝，这种模式受到了挑战。辽国拥有自身成熟的文化和政治体系，不再被视为低下的蛮夷国家。因此，宋朝不再像过去那样拥有压倒性的文化优势。 4. **竞争与身份：** 无法坚持文化上的优越地位，迫使宋朝强调清晰的边界，包括地理和文化上的。拒绝分享包括皇帝画像在内的文化艺术品，成为维护自身独特身份和保持文化竞争感的一种方式。这体现在对书籍、技术和熟练劳动力出口的严格控制上，以避免给辽国带来任何优势。 这种“竞争”心态也导致了宋朝其他文化上的转变，例如对战争的热情更高，因为军事能力也被认为是衡量政治和社会力量的标准之一。 5. **图像时代的曙光：** 节目将宋朝对画像的顾虑与更广泛的文化转变联系起来：一个“图像时代”的开始。逼真的肖像画技术的出现意味着图像不再仅仅是符号，而是可以传达关于个人的详细信息。这给分享画像增加了一层新的意义，使其成为一个更加敏感的决定。 最后，该节目扩展到了对技术变革及其对社会的影响的思考。 该集节目以对人类对图像的普遍渴望的反思作结。它还将过去的有限图像环境与我们今天图像饱和的时代进行了对比，并认为在我们图像过剩的时代，仍然存在文化反思和进步的机会。

This is a summary of the Civilization Journey episode set in 1053 AD, during the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Song dynasty and Emperor Xingzong of the Liao dynasty. The episode focuses on a seemingly minor event: the Liao Emperor's repeated requests for a portrait of the Song Emperor. In 1053, Emperor Xingzong of Liao expressed his desire to see a portrait of his "brother," Emperor Renzong of Song, lamenting that despite their supposed brotherhood, they had never met. The Song court ignored this request. The following year, the Liao Emperor again hinted at wanting a portrait during a visit from Song envoys. Again, the Song court remained unresponsive. In 1055, the Liao Emperor upped the ante, sending three portraits of himself, his father, and his grandfather to the Song court as a gesture of goodwill, suggesting a reciprocal exchange. He also sent a personal letter to Emperor Renzong. The Song court was now under immense pressure, but before they could respond, Emperor Xingzong of Liao died at the age of 39, leaving his wish unfulfilled. Two years later, in 1057, the new Liao Emperor, Daozong, revived his father's request. After much deliberation, Emperor Renzong of Song finally agreed to send his portrait during the upcoming New Year celebration. The program then delves into the reasons behind the Song court's initial reluctance. It wasn't simply about avoiding offense. There were deeper, more complex considerations: 1. **Superstition and "Wugu" (Witchcraft):** The most immediate concern was the potential for the Liao court to use the portrait for witchcraft or curses aimed at Emperor Renzong or even the Song Dynasty itself. While seemingly superstitious, this fear had a political dimension. If the Liao publicly desecrated the portrait or claimed to have used it to weaken the Song, it could incite unrest and embolden their army. 2. **Emperor's Sacredness:** The portrait wasn't merely an image; it represented the emperor's sacredness and authority. Since the Tang Dynasty, portraits of emperors were used as symbols of political power, even acting as stand-ins for the emperor himself. Giving the portrait to the Liao meant relinquishing control over how this symbol was perceived and used. 3. **Evolving "Tianxia" (All Under Heaven) Concept:** This was the most significant factor. The traditional Chinese concept of "Tianxia" centered on the idea that the Chinese emperor was the center of the civilized world, with surrounding "barbarians" expected to emulate Chinese culture. However, by the Song Dynasty, this paradigm was challenged. The Liao, with its own sophisticated culture and political system, was no longer seen as an inferior barbarian state. Therefore, the宋 dynasty no longer held the overwhelming cultural advantage of previous times. 4. **Competition and Identity:** The inability to assert cultural superiority forced the Song Dynasty to emphasize clear boundaries, both physical and cultural. Refusing to share cultural artifacts, including the emperor's portrait, became a way of asserting a distinct identity and maintaining a sense of cultural competition. This manifested in strict control over the export of books, technology, and skilled laborers to avoid giving the Liao any advantage. This "competitive" mindset also led to other cultural shifts in the 宋 dynasty, such as greater enthusiasm toward war, because the military competence was also what was measured as a part of political and social power. 5. **The Dawning of the Image Era:** The episode connects the Song Dynasty's unease with the portrait to a broader cultural shift: the beginning of an "image era." The advent of realistic portraiture technology meant that images were no longer just symbols but could convey detailed information about individuals. This added a new layer of significance to sharing a portrait, making it a more sensitive decision. Finally, the episode expands into a reflection on the nature of technological changes and their effects on the society. The episode concludes with a reflection on the universal human desire for images. It also contrasts the limited image environment of the past with our current era of image saturation and argues that in our era of excessive images, there is still an opportunity for cultural reflection and progress.