春秋诸侯媵妾婚有关问题考述

《公羊传》关于“诸侯一聘九女”的记述一直被当作春秋时期媵妾婚的定制、常态。但除了《春秋》所载鲁伯姬嫁宋,卫人、晋人来媵的事例外,难以找到其它例证。《左传》所载多为诸侯娶一国,由嫁女陪嫁蛭或娣。目前著录的媵器中,以一器铭一女,两国通婚为常态。这与文献记载相合。以一器兼铭两女,共嫁一夫的三国通婚为辅。尚未见一器兼铭三女,四国通婚的媵器,这说明“诸侯一聘九女”不是媵妾婚的定制。一般来说,几国通婚就构成几国婚姻政治联盟。

On the Marriage System of Accompanying Concubines in the Spring and Autumn Period

It is recorded in The Gong Yang Commentary that "an emperor married one princess with eight concubines from other kingdoms", a fixed system of marriage in the Spring and Autumn Period. However, such a practice was not then universal. As is recorded in The Zuo Commentary, an emperor often married a woman with her nieces or sisters as concubines, and the common practice was "one dowry ware for one woman and intermarriage between two kingdoms". This system was subsidiary by the marriage among three kingdoms and the custom of "one dowry ware for two women". The bronze dowry ware inscribed in three names has not been found. All this proves that "an emperor married one princess with eight concubines" is not a fixed system. Generally speaking, the political alliance was formed by the kingdoms involved in the marriage.