自顾颉刚先生开始分国别讨论春秋时期县的情况以后， 楚国的县制成为了学 者们讨论的焦点问题。 这既与材料的丰寡有关，也是因为这楚国作为春秋时的强 国，其县制的影响远超于封域之内。 在关于楚国县制的先秦文献和出土材料中，“县公”的使用频率远远高于“县 尹”，尤其是在具有权威性的行政文书和彰显身份地位的铜器铭文中，暂未发现 “县尹”这一称谓。楚国县一级官员的称谓，自有其内在的逻辑，而并非是比照 所谓“五等爵制”而进行的僭越。“县公” 是楚县邑长官的正式职称， 而“县尹” 则是楚国旧有官制下的习惯性称呼。 春秋时楚人对“县公”的认识，决然不同于其传统的尹官。而晋、楚县邑长 官及其家族称谓方式的不同，也使我们认识到“县公”一职的设计原本即具有一 定的官僚色彩。只是在楚国公族势力依旧强大的情形下，县公的这一特色往往难 以展现。 春秋时期楚县的性质存在一个变化的过程，蒍掩制赋和灵王县陈、蔡是这一 过程中的关键节点。以楚灵王时期为界，在此以前楚国的县与传统上作为“县邑” 的县更为相似。楚灵王以后，楚县的区划化日益明晰，其内部的旧氏族结构逐渐 遭到破坏，呈现出向郡县之县过渡的状态。 作为春秋晚期的楚国县公，叶公子高却在蔡县、叶县均领有封地， 显示出楚 县内土地所有权的变化，与楚平王之前楚王对县域内土地的严格把控截然不同。 这种情况， 从侧面向我们展示楚县发展过程中的另一种趋势，即楚县的封邑化。 在春秋晚期，楚县的发展呈现出郡县化和封邑化两种相悖的趋势，体现了春秋战 国之际楚国对构建新式国家的不同尝试。

Since Mr. Gu Jiegang began to discuss the situation of the county in the Spring and Autumn Period, the county of Chu State was made a focus for scholars to discuss. This is not only related to the abundance of materials, but also because this Chu State is a strong country in the Spring and Autumn Period, and its county system has far more influence than the domain. In the pre-Qin literature and unearthed materials about the Chu State system, the frequency of use of “Xian Gong” is much higher than that of “Xian Yin”, especially the term “Xian Yin” has not been found in the authoritative administrative documents and in the bronze inscription showing the status of identity. The title of the county magistrate of Chu State has its own internal logic. “Xian Gong” is the official title of the chief of Chu County, and “Xian Yin” is the habitual title under the old official system of Chu State. In the Spring and Autumn Period, the Chu people’s understanding of the “Xian Gong” was definitely different from its traditional official position. The differences between the chiefs of Jin and Chu County and their family appellations also made us realize that the design of the county magistrate originally had a certain bureaucratic nature. Only in the case that the traditional aristocratic forces in the Chu State are still strong, this characteristic of the county public is often difficult to show. In the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a process of change in the nature of Chu County. The reform carried out by Wei Yan and the establishment of Chen and Cai counties were the key nodes in this process. In the period of Chu Lingwang, the county of Chu was more similar to the county that was traditionally known as the county. After Chu Lingwang, the division of Chu County became increasingly clear, and the internal clan structure was gradually destroyed, showing a transition to the County system after the Qin Dynasty. As a “Xian Gong” in the late Spring and Autumn Period, Yegong Zi gao has a fief in Cai County and Ye County, showing the change of land ownership in Chu County, which is different from the strict control of the land in the county be fore Chu Lingwang. This situation shows us from the side to another trend in the development of the county of Chu, reflecting the different attempts of Chu to build a new country during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.