夔(kuí)是古代中(zhong)國神話傳說中(zhong)的(de)(de)一條(tiao)腿的(de)(de)怪物(wu)。《山(shan)海(hai)經(jing)·大荒(huang)經(jing)》記載:東海(hai)中(zhong)有(you)流波山(shan),入海(hai)七千里(li)。其上(shang)有(you)獸(shou),狀如牛(niu)(niu),蒼身(shen)(shen)而無角,一足,出入水(shui)則(ze)必(bi)風雨,其光(guang)如日月(yue),其聲(sheng)如雷(lei),其名曰(yue)夔。黃帝得之,以其皮為鼓(gu),橛以雷(lei)獸(shou)之骨,聲(sheng)聞五(wu)百里(li),以威(wei)天下。(譯文:夔牛(niu)(niu)是古時(shi)代神獸(shou),古時(shi)生于東海(hai)流波山(shan),形狀似(si)牛(niu)(niu),全身(shen)(shen)都是青色的(de)(de),沒有(you)長角,只(zhi)(zhi)長了一只(zhi)(zhi)腳,每次出現都會有(you)狂(kuang)風暴(bao)雨。它(ta)身(shen)(shen)上(shang)還閃耀著光(guang)芒,似(si)日光(guang)和月(yue)光(guang),它(ta)的(de)(de)吼聲(sheng)和雷(lei)聲(sheng)一樣震耳欲聾。后來黃帝得到這(zhe)種獸(shou),用它(ta)的(de)(de)皮制成鼓(gu)并用雷(lei)獸(shou)的(de)(de)骨做槌,敲(qiao)擊鼓(gu),鼓(gu)聲(sheng)響徹五(wu)百里(li)之外,威(wei)懾天下。)夔(kuí)是傳說中(zhong)的(de)(de)一條(tiao)腿的(de)(de)怪物(wu)。
《黃(huang)(huang)(huang)帝(di)內經(jing)(jing)》載:“黃(huang)(huang)(huang)帝(di)伐蚩(chi)(chi)尤(you),玄女(nv)為帝(di)制夔(kui)(kui)牛(niu)皮鼓(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu)八(ba)(ba)十面,一震(zhen)五(wu)百里,連震(zhen)三千八(ba)(ba)百里。”九(jiu)天(tian)(tian)(tian)玄女(nv)令軍士宰夔(kui)(kui)牛(niu)制作(zuo)八(ba)(ba)十面戰(zhan)鼓(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu),使黃(huang)(huang)(huang)帝(di)在(zai)得到九(jiu)天(tian)(tian)(tian)玄女(nv)輔助之后(hou),帶兵與蚩(chi)(chi)尤(you)大(da)(da)(da)戰(zhan)于中冀。當黃(huang)(huang)(huang)帝(di)擺(bai)下“奇門(men)遁甲”陣之后(hou),即令軍士以(yi)雷(lei)獸之骨,大(da)(da)(da)擊(ji)八(ba)(ba)十面夔(kui)(kui)牛(niu)皮巨鼓(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu),一時鼓(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu)聲(sheng)大(da)(da)(da)作(zuo),只見整個(ge)戰(zhan)場(chang)地(di)動山(shan)搖(yao),天(tian)(tian)(tian)旋地(di)轉,喊殺沖(chong)(chong)宵漢,蚩(chi)(chi)尤(you)兵卒神魂(hun)顛倒,沖(chong)(chong)殺無門(men),敗(bai)倒如山(shan)。“蚩(chi)(chi)尤(you)銅頭(tou)(tou)啖石”,即把石頭(tou)(tou)當飯食,且能“飛空(kong)走險”。但在(zai)夔(kui)(kui)牛(niu)鼓(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu)震(zhen)聲(sheng)中,“九(jiu)擊(ji)止之,尤(you)不能走,遂殺之”。爾后(hou),黃(huang)(huang)(huang)帝(di)又誅榆罔于阪泉(quan)(今河北(bei)省涿(zhuo)鹿縣東南),經(jing)(jing)過這場(chang)大(da)(da)(da)血戰(zhan),天(tian)(tian)(tian)下始得大(da)(da)(da)定。(譯文:在(zai)黃(huang)(huang)(huang)帝(di)和蚩(chi)(chi)尤(you)的戰(zhan)爭中,黃(huang)(huang)(huang)帝(di)捕獲了(le)夔(kui)(kui),用(yong)它(ta)的皮制作(zuo)軍鼓(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu),用(yong)它(ta)的骨頭(tou)(tou)作(zuo)為鼓(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu)槌,結果擊(ji)打這面鼓(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu)的聲(sheng)響(xiang)能夠傳遍方圓500里,使黃(huang)(huang)(huang)帝(di)軍士氣(qi)大(da)(da)(da)振、蚩(chi)(chi)尤(you)軍大(da)(da)(da)駭。)
夔與天地同生,世上只(zhi)有(you)(you)三(san)只(zhi),以(yi)上是第(di)一只(zhi),第(di)二只(zhi)乃秦始皇所(suo)殺。但秦始皇沒有(you)(you)黃帝的功(gong)業,所(suo)以(yi)這只(zhi)夔的皮(pi)做成的鼓就(jiu)沒那(nei)么神奇了。
更(geng)多的(de)(de)(de)(de)古(gu)籍中(zhong)(zhong)則說夔是(shi)蛇(she)狀怪物。“夔,神魅(mei)也,如龍(long)(long)一(yi)(yi)(yi)足(zu)。”(《說文解字》)“夔,一(yi)(yi)(yi)足(zu),踔(chuo)而(er)行。”(《六帖》)在商晚期和(he)西周時期青(qing)銅(tong)器(qi)(qi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)裝飾上(shang),夔龍(long)(long)紋(wen)是(shi)主(zhu)要紋(wen)飾之(zhi)一(yi)(yi)(yi),形(xing)(xing)象(xiang)多為(wei)張口、卷尾的(de)(de)(de)(de)長條形(xing)(xing),外(wai)形(xing)(xing)與青(qing)銅(tong)器(qi)(qi)飾面的(de)(de)(de)(de)結構線(xian)相適合,以(yi)直線(xian)為(wei)主(zhu),弧線(xian)為(wei)輔,具有古(gu)拙的(de)(de)(de)(de)美感。青(qing)銅(tong)器(qi)(qi)上(shang)的(de)(de)(de)(de)龍(long)(long)紋(wen)常被稱為(wei)夔紋(wen)和(he)夔龍(long)(long)紋(wen),自宋代以(yi)來的(de)(de)(de)(de)著錄中(zhong)(zhong),在青(qing)銅(tong)器(qi)(qi)上(shang)凡是(shi)表現一(yi)(yi)(yi)足(zu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)、類似爬(pa)蟲的(de)(de)(de)(de)物象(xiang)都稱之(zhi)為(wei)夔,這(zhe)是(shi)引(yin)用(yong)了(le)古(gu)籍中(zhong)(zhong)“夔一(yi)(yi)(yi)足(zu)”的(de)(de)(de)(de)記(ji)載。其實,一(yi)(yi)(yi)足(zu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)動(dong)物是(shi)雙足(zu)動(dong)物的(de)(de)(de)(de)側(ce)面寫形(xing)(xing),故(gu)不采用(yong)夔紋(wen)一(yi)(yi)(yi)詞(ci),稱為(wei)夔龍(long)(long)紋(wen)或龍(long)(long)紋(wen)。