五星聚伏:景德四年天象阐释与宋真宗再受符命
作者简介:杨瑞,华中师范大学历史文化学院副教授 (湖北武汉 430079)。
基金项目:
本文为中国博士后科学基金第74批面上资助“祥瑞灾异与南宋初年国家正统的重建”(2023M741308)的阶段性成果
摘要: 景德四年六月,五星聚于鹑火。因为过于接近太阳无法被肉眼观测,司天监迅速重新奏报,将天象的重点从五星会聚转向五星皆伏,以喻臣下服从天子之明。王钦若则趁机谎称五星将聚于井宿,利用历史上“五星聚东井”的象征意义,与司天监合力营造“君主有德”的舆论氛围,从而将本次天象认定为祥瑞。以此次五星会聚为契机,真宗君臣不仅转向主动伪造天象以应天命,而且通过“天书”下降再受符命的方式消解了五星会聚“改立王者”的不利意涵。真宗君臣进一步利用五星会聚蕴含的革新、更始等宽泛意义,充分显示结束战乱局面、开启太平盛世的决心,为接下来的东封西祀寻求理论依据。
Five Planet Conjunctions: Reinterpretation of the Celestial Phenomenon in 1007
Abstract: In the fourth year of the Jingde era,the five planets converged in the position of Chunhuo (“鹑火”,the Fire Star mansion ). Due to their proximity to the sun,the planets were invisible to the naked eye. The Directorate of Astronomy promptly submitted a revised report,shifting the interpretive focus from the planetary convergence itself to the phenomenon of “the five planets being entirely obscured”,thereby symbolizing the submission to imperial authority. Wang Qinruo seized this opportunity to claim that the five planets had converged in the Dongjing (“东井”,Eastern Well)mansion. By invoking the historical political significance of “the five planets converging in the Eastern Well”,he collaborated with the Directorate of Astronomy to cultivate a discourse of “the emperor's virtue being manifest”,thus characterizing this celestial phenomenon as an auspicious omen. Taking this planetary convergence as a catalyst,Emperor Zhenzong and his court not only began actively fabricating celestial signs to accord with the Mandate of Heaven,but also dispelled the unfavorable connotation associated with such convergences. The emperor and his officials further exploited the broader implications of renewal and transformation inherent in the planetary convergence,fully demonstrating their determination to end the era of warfare and inaugurate an age of peace and prosperity.