近年来着重从经济这一本原涵义出发探讨丝绸之路、亦即丝路贸易史的研究已引起学术界的重视。有关论著中颇多真知灼见,然而其中也有一些问题仍缺乏深入研究,纵有涉及,其观点也往往是仁智互见。例如对发生在丝绸之路上的中国与西域诸国、诸地区诸民族之间的朝贡和赏赐,究竞应该怎样认识或评价?一种看法认为贡赐是中原政权统治者政治外交上好大喜功之举,并无多大经济意义;另一种意见却认为贡赐往来基本上体现了一种文明平等的贸易关系。笔者以为这两种观点虽各有其合理之处,但也都有一定的片面性。对于历史上中西之间的贡赐交往,似可从以下三个方面来认识。 In recent years, focusing on the economic interpretation of the original meaning of the Silk Road, that is, the study of the history of the Silk Road trade has attracted the attention of academics. However, some of these problems are still lack of in-depth study. Even when it is involved, their views are often seen as both kind-minded and opinionated. For example, how should tribes and rewards of tributaries and rewards between the peoples of China and the Western Regions on the Silk Road be understood or evaluated? What is the opinion that tribute is a great joy in the political diplomacy of the rulers of the Central Plains? , Not much economic significance; another opinion is that tribute exchanges basically reflect a civilized and equitable trade relations. Although I think each of these two views has its own reasonable point, I also have some one-sidedness. For the history of tribute between China and the West, it seems from the following three aspects to understand.