唐代很多诗文都提到“吐蕃”,不过有些是以别称出现的,如“土番、西蕃、西戎”等。这些词都可表示“吐蕃”含义,写法又都与“吐蕃”有或多或少的差异,文章统称之为“吐蕃异称”,并把它们划分为与吐蕃“音同形近”和“义同形异”两大类;进而阐述了与“吐蕃”异称相联系的唐朝民族政策及“吐蕃”读音问题,明确“吐蕃”不可能读bo音。文章旨在回顾那段唐蕃密切交流交往的历史,重新认识古代中华民族内部的族群关系及相关的语言、文化现象。
The word "吐蕃" (Tubo: Tibet) appears in many Chinese poems of the Tang dynasty, but it has differ- ent ways of writing, like "土番、西蕃,西戎". These words can be put into two categories, the words with similar pronunciation and form of writing, and the ones with different forms of writing. Additionally, this article discuss- es the ethnic policy of the Tang dynasty and the pronunciation of the word 吐蕃". It intends to review the histo- ry of Tubo and the Tang, as well as their close relationship, and to reacquaint the relationship between the nations of ancient China, and the languages and culture of the nations.