水井与北方乡村社会——基于山西、陕西、河南省部分地区乡村水井的田野考察

Water Wells and Northern Rural Society: Based on Field Research on Rural Water Wells in Some Areas of Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan Provinces

本研究利用田野调查所搜集的水井碑刻及访问材料,考察了明清以来山西、陕西、河南等北方地区的水井习俗,勾画了北方乡村生活用水的情境。通过水井制度研究表明,北方乡村水井在建构社区空间、规定社会秩序、管理社区人口、营造公共空间、影响村际关系等方面有重要作用。水井制度突出了地缘关系,反映了北方乡村社会的特质,对之研究有助于我们对北方传统乡村社会的认识。

Using stelae from water wells and oral materials collected during field research, this essay examines water well customs in Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan since the Ming and Qing dynasties, and gives a sketch of how water was used in rural life in North China. Research into the water well system indicates that in northern villages water wells played important roles in building community space, establishing social order, managing the population of the community, constructing public space, and influencing relations between villages. The water well system stressed geographic relationships and reflected the special nature of rural society in the North. Research into this topic can help us to understand traditional northern rural society.