鄒衍"大九州"神話宇宙觀包括"大九州"和"昆侖中心"兩個核心內容,它是以《山海經》為主要知識淵源,以"九"數和對稱等為"法則",以天學步算為數理依據,在傳統"天下"觀的基礎上,順應戰國地學發展趨勢而提出的。它的提出,突破了傳統以"中國"為法統區、以洛邑為"天下之中"的"天下"觀,是對"王者居天下之中"觀念的挑戰,也是以鄒衍為代表的稷下學者為田齊帝制運動掃清障礙的重要舉措。我們應當以廣闊而有針對性的視野來認識"大九州"學說的學術史地位,其是漢代以《山海經》知識為源頭、以《淮南子·墬形訓》為代表文本的地學體系中承上啟下的一環。

Zou Yan’s mythical cosmology of"Nine Large Lands"consists of two central parts:"Nine Large Lands"and"Kunlun,center of the world".It took the knowledge of A Chinese Bestiary(Shan Hai Jing)as its main origin,followed the law of"nine"and "symmetry",based itself on the consequence of interrelated astronomical calculation,challenged the orthodox idea of "Tianxia",and conformed to trend of development of Warring States’ geography.Its birth struck the traditional idea of"Tianxia"which insisted on"Zhongguo"as the legitimate centre and Luoyi as"the centre of the world",thus challenging the idea which insisted that"emperors must set capital in the centre of the world".It was an important act of Jixiascholars represented by ZOU Yan in an attempt to remove obstacles for Tian Qi Monarchy.A broader and well-targeted perspective should be adopted in the understanding of the academic position of"the Nine Large Lands"proposition,for it is a bridge between the preceding and the following in the developmental processes of geographical system.