在今日中國「南方文明」的南方，存在一個高度發展的古代文明──東山文化。東山文化及其前身除了有其自新石器時代末期以來自身文化發展的清楚脈絡之外，也有明顯的證據顯示，越南北部與中國南方甚至華北在其文明形成的過程中，存在不同程度的接觸與交流。過去中國學者多認為這種接觸是單向的，越南北部地區為單純的文化接受者，並且在相當程度上，這種外來文化因素形塑了東山文化的風貌。但出土證據顯示，這種文化交流不是單向的，東山文化的特徵器物──人形柄銅短劍也曾在中國湖南長沙楚墓中出土。本文爬梳研究所能獲得之人形柄銅短劍資料，認為東山式人形柄銅短劍可以分為二種類型六種形式，其製作的年代約從西元前四至三世紀到二至一世紀，它們並非實用器，而可能具有某種儀式性功能或代表持有者之身分地位。而其早期形制在西元前四至三世紀即透過某種方式與途徑傳入中國長沙地區。

The Dongson Culture, a highly developed civilization, existed in the southern region of the “Southern Civilizations” of China. The Dongson Culture and her forerunners bear a distinct course of historical development since the end of the Neolithic to the Iron Age. Evidence indicates that certain kinds of contacts existed between northern Vietnam and southern China or even northern China. Chinese scholars once held that these contacts manifested themselves as a unidirectional path of cultural transmission in which China was the donor of the cultural assemblage which eventually formed the Dongson Culture. However, cultural interaction is always a multi-directional process: In fact, archaeological evidence indicates that characteristic objects of the Dongson Culture, such as anthropomorphic-handled daggers, had made their way into the Hunan province of China. In this article, the author analyzes the available evidences related to this particular dagger and categorizes two types and six sub-types of them which were cast around the 3rd/4th century to the 1st/2nd century BCE. These daggers were certainly not common implements for daily use. Rather they were objects which were most likely used in certain ceremonial events or as prestige objects to represent the status of the owners. The exotic anthropomorphic-handled dagger was introduced into China during the 4th to 3rd century BCE through a certain manner and course which still remains unknown at this moment.