厕筹源流与规制演变考

A Study on the Origins and Evolution of Cechou

摘要: 厕筹起源有本土说与外来论之争。考古及文献参证表明，西汉敦煌烽燧遗址废简与人粪共存，证实中国本土早在印度律典东传前即以废简拭秽；外来律典制度东传后，为厕筹提供了系统化的材质标准与操作规范，使其从临时用具升格为制度化的律仪法具，并渐向世俗扩散。厕筹演变轨迹展现了本土传统与外来制度的融合，是制度移植与习俗交互的典型样本。

Abstract: There is a debate regarding the origin of the “Cechou” (small pieces of wood and bamboo used for cleansing after defecation), with some arguing for a local origin and others for a foreign one. Archaeological and textual evidence indicate that discarded bamboo slips were found alongside human feces at the Western Han-era Dunhuang beacon tower site, confirming that in China, discarded bamboo slips were used to wipe away excrement long before the transmission of Indian legal codes to the East; After the transmission of foreign legal codes to the East, systematic material standards and operational guidelines were established for the Cechou, elevating it from a makeshift tool to an institutionalized ritual implement governed by legal codes, and gradually leading to its diffusion into secular life. The evolutionary trajectory of the Cechou illustrates the fusion of indigenous traditions and foreign institutions, serving as a classic example of institutional transplantation and the interaction of customs.