海洋是生命的摇篮，它为生命的诞生与繁衍提供了必要的条件；海洋是风雨的故乡，它在控制和调节全球气候方面起着重要作用；海洋是资源的宝库，它给人类提供了极为丰富的食物和巨大储量的各种资源；海洋是交通的要道，它为人类从事海上交通提供了最为经济、便利的运输途径；海洋是现代高科技硏究与开发的基地，它是人类探索自然奥秘、发展高科技产业的重要场所。

　　海洋的边沿和近海的岛屿，历来是人类的重要活动场所。海洋中丰富的食物资源，为人类提供了充足的营养，它孕育着人类，人类也在不断地认识海洋、适应海洋、征服海洋和利用海洋的过程之中，创造出海洋文化。海洋文化又具有明显的地域性、历史性、民族性特点。早期住在海边和海岛上的人，大都是渔民，渔业是他们的主要生计。这种以打鱼为生的生活方式，相应地产生出不同于农业族群的生活习惯和文化传统，我们称之为渔业文化。

　　南海，又称南中国海。中国大陆濒临五大海区：渤海、黄海、东海、南海，及台湾以东太平洋海域。南海因其位于我国大陆的南方，故名。南海是世界著名的热带大陆边缘海之一，面积辽阔，水体巨大，水域深渊。整个南海几乎被大陆、半岛和岛屿所包围，北面是我国广东、广西沿海大陆和台湾、海南两大岛屿，东面是菲律宾群岛，西面是中南半岛，南面是加里曼丹岛与苏门答腊岛等。南北横越约2000公里，东西纵跨约1000公里。整个海域面积约350万平方公里，其平均水深为1212米，最深处为5567米，为一比较完整的深海盆地。中国在南海中的重要岛屿有海南岛，东沙、西沙、中沙、南沙等群岛和黄岩岛等。海岸地势较低，海岸线切割较弱。沿岸和岛屿附近有大量珊瑚发育，河口和海滩生长有红树林。北部湾和泰国湾为南海西部的大型海湾。注入南海的主要河流有珠江、韩江以及红河、湄公河和湄南河等。

　　史前时期的南海，是一个神秘、令人遐想和充满好奇的课题。纳入我们硏究计划的是南海史前时期的渔业文化。我们将目光集中在岭南的沿海陆地与近海岛屿史前时期的文化遗存，通过这一缩小的范围，我们更能够看清南海渔业先民的生态环境、人种人群、生产生活、社会发展程度，进而走近古人的精神世界。

　　所谓一方水土养一方人。一方水土孕育一方文化。人的性格的形成，人生观和世界观的形成，和他从小到大生存的环境、所接受的文化敎育有着密不可分的关系。不同的时代、不同的环境、不同的民族与文化背景，可以造就风格迥异的文化，而在更高的层次上看，中华大地上，不同的文化细流，又汇成了中华文化的主流。中华文明起源多元一统、多源一体的格局，已为考古发现提供的大量材料所证实。南海渔业先民的文化，旣有中华文化共同性，同时，也有着自己的特点。 

　　从考古学角度观察南海沿岸及岛屿史前文化，在不同的时期看到多个旣有联系又有区别的考古学文化面貌。在不同的层次上和角度上，可以把握不同的特点。这里发现的居住遗址主要有洞穴遗址、阶地遗址、贝丘遗址、沙丘遗址等类型。早期居民以洞穴为主要栖息地。旧石器时代早期这里就有人类生存活动，旧石器时代中晩期，这里是世界早期人类活动的重要地区，发现相当多的人类化石。更新世末至全新世初期的文化遗存更是普遍发现，并有着广泛的同质性。这种同质性具体表现是：与大熊猫-剑齿象动物群化石及稍晩的现代哺乳动物群标本伴生的打制石器、局部磨制石器、穿孔石器，以及一定数量的骨角器，广泛出现的螺殻堆积亦是这类文化的特征之一。在人类经济活动刺激下，华南全新世初期的石器加工工业也朝着适应渔猎的方向发展，穿孔石器，磨制刃部的石器和燧石小石器的出现反映出这种变化①。在许多遗址之中发现软体类、鱼类、两栖类、龟鳖类及哺乳动物。距今一万年左右的三亚落笔洞遗址是南海早期人类活动的一个重要遗址，在洞穴遗存的堆积物中，发现了大量的水生软体动物遗骸，堆积十分密集。水生动物计有7目24种，其中螺殻约有7万个之多，有些经火烧过。说明当时人们重视对水生动物的利用，捕捞经济比较兴旺发达，当时人类有广泛的取食范围，人们对水有较好的适应、瞭解和利用。新石器时代居住于海边河旁的先民，大量食用贝类生物，在住地及附近留下大量的堆积成丘的贝殻，其中残留着大量人类活动的痕迹和人类有意抛弃或无意失落的物品，因而形成我们现在所说的贝丘遗址，这是南海沿岸地区及近海岛屿最为常见的一种古文化遗址类型。海滨贝丘、河岸贝丘、河海交汇地点咸淡水类型的贝丘成为三种主要的贝丘遗址类型；沙丘遗址主要分布于南海岸边及岛屿的海湾上，大自然的造化，在海岸或海岛边沿形成许多的海湾，不少海湾上有沙堤或有沙滩，有淡水从山旁流出，优越的自然环境，使大量鱼类、贝类海洋生物聚集在这里，成为一个天然的人类粮仓。沙堤-泻湖类型沙丘遗址、沙滩连坡地型沙丘遗址为两种主要的沙丘遗址类型。沙丘、贝丘遗址为主的史前考古遗存广泛分布于南海北岸及其岛屿，重要的遗址如广西的邕宁顶蛳山遗址、西津遗址、秋江遗址、豹子头遗址、江西岸遗址；广东的高要蚬殻洲遗址、佛山河宕遗址、高明古耶遗址、西樵山镇头遗址、三水银洲遗址、东莞村头遗址、蚝岗遗址，深圳咸头岭遗址、大黄沙遗址、小梅沙遗址，珠海宝镜湾遗址、后沙湾遗址；香港的东湾遗址、大湾遗址、深湾遗址、涌浪遗址；澳门的黑沙遗址等等。这里是百越先民的发源地之一，这里的原始文化与中原地区的原始文化有着密切的联系，这里还是南岛语族的重要发生地。

　　渔网用于海洋捕捞，是一个具有划时代意义的进步，新石器时代中期，网鱼还只是小打小闹，在距今4000多年前，网鱼技术已经完全成熟，并形成规模生产。珠海宝镜湾先民大规模使用渔网捕鱼，该遗址中出土1000多件渔网的网坠和几十件比普通网坠更大的沉石，网坠成堆出土，或39件或24件一堆，显示出当时渔网编织时一个完整网具中包含网坠的可能数量。大量出土网坠的地点还见于香港涌浪遗址、珠海平沙棠下环遗址等地点，另外，在珠海宝镜湾遗址、珠海荷苞岛锁匙湾遗址、香港涌浪遗址、香港东湾遗址等地都出土多件可能用于船锚的大型石器。这些情况足以说明这一地区，这一时期的先民，有发达的渔业经济。宝镜湾岩画中刻下的海船，高明古耶发现的船桨，是史前时期人类征服海洋的重要工具的见证。石刻岩画是环珠江口地区的重要史前遗存，珠海、香港、澳门等地发现多处石刻岩画，在广西境内发现较多图绘的岩画。其中珠海宝镜湾岩画，是南中国目前发现面积最大、内容最为丰富的早期石刻岩画。史前岩画是渔业先民的艺术杰作，它记録了先民们的兴趣爱好与精神追求。

　　陶釜是史前时期渔业先民主要的炊器，中原地区大量使用的鼎、鬲在这里较少出现。这里是印纹陶技术发明与广泛使用的地区之一，丰富的陶器装饰纹使这里的陶器装饰十分有特色；有肩石器、有段石器、凹石器、蚝蛎啄、穿孔石器以及蚌殻制成的网坠、刀、鱼钩等工具较多地被先民使用，成为南海先民生产工具的特色；粤东地区是有段石器的主要分布区；珠江三角洲、桂南、粤西与海南岛地区是有肩石器的主要分布区，西樵山遗址是有肩石器的主要制作场①。史前时期珠江三角洲地区先民大量使用玉石制成的玦，常用的材料有水晶、石英石、石英脉、玉髓、玛瑙、灰岩等等。玦，最初是一种挂在耳上的装饰，由于制作精美，后来也较多用于祭祀活动。这里出土用于祭祀的礼器还有石钺、石圭、玉琮和玉（石）璋等；在广西泛北部湾地区，顶蛳山文化之后，新石器时代晩期出现一种大石铲的遗存，较具特色。这种形体硕大、造型美观、形制独特、结构合理、制作精致的大石铲，起源于前期的有肩石斧，是当地的骆越先民为适应原始农业发展的需要而发明制作的一种生产工具，随着社会的发展和祀祭仪式的需要，有一部分巨型石铲演变成专用于祭祀的礼器①。

　　南海渔业先民的文化，从人物性格上看，它不同于北方草原上游牧民族的文化，没有那么粗犷、豪放，也不同于长江、黄河流域的冲积平原上农耕先民的文化，没有那么痴迷地眷恋着故土，它是一种以海岸与岛屿为依托，以渔猎为生计的面向海洋的文化。史前时期南海渔业文化具有海洋文化的一般特性，这就是开放性、冒险性、交流迁移性、兼容性、商业性，同时，还有一种求眞务实的精神文明。

　　南海北岸史前渔业文化的硏究，涉及面广，内容极为丰富，本硏究仅是抛砖引玉的尝试。 


　　Southeast Chinese mainland is on verge of five sea areas: Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, South China Sea, and the Pacific Ocean sea area to the east Taiwan. In Chinese, we call South China Sea “Nanhai”, as “nan” means “south”；the Sea is one of the largest marginal seas in western Pacific, covering a vast area and its water is deep and abundant. Guangdong and Guangxi are the two major provinces on the north coast of South China Sea and the two are also called Lingnan region. 

　　Research on the Pre-Qin South China Sea is a mysterious subject, making people full of wild thoughts and curiosity. In this book, we will discuss the fishery culture of South China Sea in Pre-Qin period. Through focusing on the cultural relics and remains found on the coastal land and offshore islands of Lingnan region, we will get a clearer picture of the ecological environment, ethnic groups, production life, and social development levels of our ancestors and even walk into their spiritual life. 

　　As a Chinese saying goes, “the natural environment of a place builds the people's character”; but not only that, the natural environment of a place also breeds its culture. So peoples at different times and places create different cultures, it is the culture diversity that forms the grant Chinese culture. Being a part of Chinese culture, the fishery culture of South China Sea has its own unique characteristics. Most of the early islanders and inhabitants of the coastal areas in South China were fishermen and their living habits and cultural traditions varied from the racial groups relying on agriculture.  

　　Through archaeological observations, we could see these characteristics from different levels and angles. The residential sites found on the coast and islands of South China Sea are mainly: cave sites, platform sites, shell-mound sites, sand dune sites and so on. The human fossil unearthed proves that South China Sea had been an important area for human activities in the middle and late of Paleolithic Ages. More culture remains from the late Pleistocene to the early Holocene have been found, and these remains possess a lot of homogeneities. Under the stimulation of human economic activities, the processing industry of stone implements had developed to the direction adapting to fishing and hunting. The unearthed perforated stone tools, ground stone blades, small chert tools prove that transition. The remains of mollusc, fish, amphibian, chelonian and mammal have also been discovered in the sites. A large amount of water mollusc remains has been found densely stacked in the Luobidong Site of Sanya, Hainan province, which is 10,000 years before present. The mollusc can be classified into 24 species belonging to 7 orders, and the number of shells that have been found reaches over 70.000, some of which had even been fired. All these founding demonstrate that the ancestors had attached importance to making the best use of aquatic animals and fishery was quiet flourishing at that time. Since a large number of shellfish had been taken by the ancestors, the piles of shells they left form today's shell-mound sites which are one of the popular site types in the coastal areas and offshore islands of South China Sea. The three major types of shell-mound sites are coastal, river bank, and the shell-mound sites at a place where the sea and rivers converge. The sand dune sites distribute mainly on the north coast of South China Sea and the bays of its islands. As if designed by nature, many bays have beaches or sand bars, fresh water outflowing from the nearby mountains and here in these bays gather abundant fishes and shellfish. The excellent nature environment had provided the early human with sufficient food supplies. The two main types of sand dune sites are: sand bar-lagoon type and beach-slope type. The archaeological remains of South China Sea in prehistoric period are featured by its sand dune and shell-mound sites which largely distribute on the north coast of South China Sea and its lands. Some important sites include: Zinindin site, Xijin site, Qiujiang and Baozitou site of Guangxi province; in Guangdong province, there are the corbicula shell-mound site of Gaoyao city, Hedang site of Foshan, Guye site of Gaomin, Yinzhou site of Sanshui, Cuntou site of Dongguang, Xiantouling site of Shenzhen, Baojingwan and Houshawan site of Zhuhai. Tung Wan and Taiwan site in Hong Kong and the Hac Sa Site in Macao are also significant.

    The using of fishing net in marine capture was an epoch making progress. As early as 4000 years ago, the fish netting technology had completely matured and been widely used. More than one thousand net sinkers have been excavated in Baojingwan site, Zhuhai city. Also net sinkers have been unearthed in the Yung Long  site of Hongkong, the Xiahuang site of Zhuhai and many other places. Not only that, the big stone implements unearthed in Baojingwan and Yaoshiwan site of Zhuhai, Yung Long  and Tung Wan site of Hong Kong might have been used as anchors. All these prove that the ancestors in the area had a well-developed fishery economy. The sea boat on the rock painting of Baojingwan site and the paddles unearthed in Guye site of Gaoming, Foshan city also serve as evidence. Speaking of rock paintings, we have to say they are one of the most important prehistoric cultural remains in Pearl River estuary region and have been found in many places, such as, Zhuhai, Hong Kong and Macao. Among all these rock paintings, the one in Baojingwan site is the largest and most complete. Those paintings are artistic masterpieces of the ancestors and had recorded the early people's interests, hobbies and spiritual pursuits. 

　　Pottery Fu is one of the main cooking utensils for the ancestors in Pre-Qin Period. Pottery Ding and Li which were commonly used in central China are rarely seen in the north coast of South China Sea. However, this is the area where the technology of printing on potteries had been invented and widely adopted. The stone implements used to be employed by the ancestors are shouldered-stones, concave stones, perforated stones, pointed stones using as oyster openers, as well as the net-sinkers, knifes and fishhooks made by clamshells. All these are representatives of the production implements of the ancestors on South China Sea. The people in Pre-Qin also used a wide range of stones to make Jue, a kind of ornaments at that time. The stones they used were usually crystals, quartzes, chalcedonies, agates and lime stones. Initially, Jue was worn as jade ear rings for ornamental purpose; later it also served for sacrificial and ritual purposes because of its delicacy. The excavated sacrificial and ritual implements also include Stone Yue, Stone Gui, Jade Cong, Stone or Jade Zhang and so forth. After uncovering the Dingshishan Culture in the Pan-North Bay region of Guangxi province, there emerges the ruin of great stone shovels of the late Neolithic Age. These large, delicately designed, and carefully made stone shovels originated from the early shouldered-stone axes. They were first invented as a production tool in order to adapt to the development of agriculture; but with the development of the society and the need for sacrificial rituals, a proportion of these gigantic shovels had been used as professional ritual implements. 

　　From the angle of people's characters, the fishery culture of the early inhabitants on South China Sea differs from the nomadic people who had lived on the plateau of north China and whose characters were straightforward, bold and unconstrained. Also it varies from the culture of the farmers who used to live on the alluvial plain, the drainage region of Yangtze and Yellow River and who were sentimentally attached to their homeland. The fishery culture of the early inhabitants on South China Sea is a kind of marine culture and the people in this culture had the characters of openness, mobility, flexibility, commercialization and the spirit of risk, realism and pragmatism.(肖婧译)