“四十”——西域少数民族民间故事中的模式数字

"Forty" ——the Pattern Number in Folk Tales of Ethnic Minorities in Western Regions

模式数字是一种重要的文化符号,体现了独特的审美思维。在我国西域少数民族的民间故事中,"四十"这一模式数字十分常见。由于历史文化与宗教背景等原因,西域的民间故事呈现出神话传说化、故事化,传说故事宗教化的独特现象。本文以《中国民间故事集成·新疆卷》中记载的民间故事为主要研究对象,对涵盖了模式数字"四十"的文本数量进行了梳理,并根据模式数字在故事中的不同功能,将其分为修饰类、难题类、禁忌类三大类型。在伊斯兰教中,"四十"同样具有神圣性,但西域少数民族对"四十"的崇拜似乎由来已久,其源头并不是伊斯兰文化。伊斯兰教的传入深化了对该模式数字的认同与崇拜,使西域民间文化呈现出独特的风貌。

Pattern number is an important cultural symbol,which reflects the unique aesthetic thinking.In the folk tales of ethnic minorities in the western regions of China,the number of"forty"is very common.Due to the historical,cultural and religious background,the folk tales of the western regions show a unique phenomenon—the myths became legends and stories,and folktales were religiously storied.Taking the folk tales recorded in the Xinjiang Volume of Chinese Folk Tales Integration as the main research object,this paper sorted out the number of texts covering the pattern number"forty",and divided them into three types according to the different functions of the pattern number in the story:decoration type,puzzle type and taboo type.In Islam,"forty"is also hallowed,but the worship of"forty"by ethnic minorities in western regions seems to have a long history,so its source is not Islamic culture.The introduction of Islam deepened the identification and worship of this pattern number,which made the folk culture of western regions presents a unique style.