Ancient Anti-Epidemic Traditions: The Foundation of Civilizational Evolution/古代防疫传统:文明进化的基础

Abstract: While concepts of hygiene and epidemic prevention have only emerged over the past century or so, certain ethnic groups possess traditions with epidemic-preventive functions that may date back more than 9,000 years. Multiple human genes have undergone selection to adapt to such traditions. Drawing on knowledge from microbiology, epidemiology, and molecular anthropology, this paper examines traditions from multiple ancient civilizations, many of which concern the selection and handling of food, drinking water, dining utensils, and the disposal of feces. These traditions embody numerous epidemic-preventive measures that effectively protect against fecal-oral infectious diseases. Such traditions exist in all ancient civilizations that exist or have ever existed. This can even serve as a clear and distinct boundary for distinguishing civilized societies from primitive ones. Epidemic-preventive traditions are not a consequence of the emergence of civilization; rather, the opposite is true. During the nascent stage of civilization, natural selection—driven by nature and microorganisms—eliminated groups lacking such traditions while preserving those with sound practices. Only groups that broke through this bottleneck were able to form large-scale aggregated settlements and cultivate grains in inland plains, prevent plague outbreaks, and advance toward civilization. keywords: The foundation of civilization, the tradition of hygiene and epidemic prevention, fecal-oral transmitted infectious diseases, and the reason for the "A Sky Full of Stars". . 【摘要】卫生和防疫这些概念是最近1百多年才有的,但有些民族具有防疫功能的传统可能超过9千年了,多项人类的基因为适应这些传统而做出了选择。本文运用微生物学、流行病学、和分子人类学的知识,分析了多个古文明的传统,其中有很多是有关选择和处理食物、饮用水、餐具、及处理粪便。这些传统中蕴含了许多防疫方面的措施,能有效预防粪口传播的传染病。所有现存或曾经存在过的古文明都存在这方面的传统。这一点甚至可以作为一个明确清晰的分界线,来区分文明社会与原始社会。 防疫传统不是文明产生后的结果,而是反之,文明萌芽期的自然选择是大自然和微生物淘汰那些缺乏防疫传统的族群,留下有优良传统的族群。突破了瓶颈的族群,才能在平原腹地大规模的聚居和种植谷物,防止瘟疫爆发,并走向文明。 【关键词】文明的基础,防疫传统,粪口传播,“满天星斗”的原因。