北齊顏之推（531–589）遺囑葬事設置「七星板」。本文的目的，是借助文獻資料和考古發掘遺物，對於做為棺中藉屍之板的「七星板」和內棺其他七星圖像做一梳理。初步得出結論認為：於棺板飾北斗七星圖於西漢墓葬已可見到，但用以藉屍的七星板實物相對較晚，其原因不排除是和考古的偶然有關。墓葬中的七星圖像應該是和北斗信仰有關，即相信北斗主死，並以北斗厭勝。但是，北斗七星同時也是判定時辰、季節、方位的指標，所以出洋的船隻有時也會於船體龍骨刻鑿出七個呈北斗排列的圓孔，內置銅錢或鐵錢。 北齊黃門侍郎顏之推（531–589）所撰《顏氏家訓》是理解南北朝時期文化、風俗和學術等各方面的重要史料。1 其中，〈終制〉一篇涉及了當時的葬儀和之推本人對於自身後事的理想，遺囑葬事遺物只有「松棺二寸，衣帽已外，一不自隨。床上唯施七星板，至如蠟、弩牙、玉豚、錫人之屬，並須停省，糧甖明器，故不得營，碑誌旌旗，彌在言外」，期許後事儉約，不設明器。筆者以前曾結合考古資料針對顏之推所反對入壙的蠟、弩牙、玉豚、錫人、糧甖，和碑誌進行過初步的考察，當時雖也言及連主張節葬的顏之推也同意設置的七星板，但援引的實例很不全面。2 本文的目的，是擬借助文獻資料和新出考古發掘遺物，再次針對所謂七星板做一梳理，試者釐清其來龍去脈及其變形，文末另將例舉日本和韓國七星板用例，以為參考比較。

Yan Zhitui (A.D. 531–589) of the Northern Qi dynasty had instructed in his will that the “seven-star board” be used in his mortuary rites. The “seven-star board” was placed at the bottom of the coffin, upon which the body was laid. With the aid of literary sources and latest archaeological discoveries, this article aims at sorting out the history of “seven-star board” as well as other seven-star images decorated on the inner coffin. The preliminary results indicate that earliest instance of images of the Dipper on the coffin boards appeared in the Western Han tombs. However, extant cases of the “seven-star board” used underneath the body can only be found at a later date. The reason is probably due to the incidental nature of archeological finds. The seven-star image used in burials is related to the cult of the Northern Dipper. It is believed that the Northern Dipper is in charge of death and capable of expelling evil spirits. Meanwhile, the Dipper is also a pointer used to determine time, season and directions. Therefore, round holes lined in the contour of the Dipper are sometimes drilled into the sailboat keels and inlaid with copper or iron coins.