The character Bi and the Bi people were much recorded in available inscriptions on bones and tortoise shells and in bronze objects.All the variants of the variable Bi were derived and varied from the character Bi,which originally stood for a ＂long-handles small-size net＂ top trap birds or animals.The character Bi was pronounced either as Bi or as Qin and interchanged with Fei but the character Bi and all derivatives from it were all associated with the sense of trapping birds or animals.The Bi people was a tribal nation knighted by the king in the Shang Dynasty and took frequent part in royal diplomatic missions,conquests,sacrifices,hunting,reclaiming wasteland and contributing tribute,leaving their footsteps in extensive areas in the reaches of the Huanghe River and those of the Huaihe River.A tribe good at trapping birds and animals,the Bi people＇s deeds and activities much coincided with those of the early ancestors of the Qin people.All this offered new important clues to investigate the origin and westward migration and historical experience of the Qin people in the Shang Dynasty.%■及■族在已知的甲骨文、金文资料中都有较多记载。在■、■、■、■、■诸字中,为本字,其余俱为之衍生和派生字;而为畢之本字,义即田网,也就是＂形小而柄长＂的捕鸟兽之网。读毕,亦读禽,又通费,以及衍生字俱为捕鸟兽之义。及族既是商代一个部族方国,也是拥有爵封的诸侯世官,曾广泛参与商王之出使、征伐、祭祀、狩猎、巡查、垦田和纳贡等活动,其足迹涉及黄河中下游和淮河流域广大地区。及族作为一个善于捕鸟兽的部族,其事迹与活动与秦人早期先祖多有契合。这为我们了解秦人起源与西迁,秦人在商代的历史概况,提供了新的重要线索。
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