“青青园中葵”——说秦汉简帛中“葵”

“Green in the Green Garden”—On the “Kui” in Qin and Han Bamboo and Silk Texts

摘要: 本文系统梳理了秦汉简帛中关于“葵”的记载，从名实考证、栽培历史、食用价值、药用功能、经济属性及祭祀用途六个方面，揭示了葵菜在秦汉社会中的独特地位。葵菜在先秦已成为重要蔬菜，其种植遍及南北，消费量巨大；它不仅是日常饮食的核心蔬菜，亦是兼具生津、通利、疗疮等多重功效的常用药材；同时，葵菜及其种子已成为市场交易商品，并因其“倾心向日”的特性被用于祭祀礼仪。

Abstract: This study systematically examines the records of “Kui” (a type of sunflower) in Qin and Han bamboo slips and silk manuscripts. Through six dimensions—etymological verification, cultivation history, culinary value, medicinal functions, economic attributes, and ritual applications—it reveals the unique status of Kui in Qin-Han society. By the pre-Qin era, Kui had become a vital vegetable, cultivated across northern and southern regions with massive consumption. It served not only as a staple in daily diets but also as a versatile medicinal herb with multiple benefits, including promoting saliva production, relieving constipation, and healing sores. Furthermore, Kui and its seeds evolved into market commodities, and their “sunward orientation” characteristic made them ideal for ritual ceremonies.