祭品与祥物——纸钱与传统丧葬风俗心态谫论

Sacrificial Offerin g and Auspicious Material——A Preliminary Comment on Paper Money and the Psychology of the Traditional Funeral Custom

纸钱是旧俗祭祀时烧化给死人当钱用的纸币、纸锭之类 ,作为一种普遍使用的丧葬和祭祀用品 ,纸钱既是实物又是一种象征符号并具有各种复杂的象征功能 ,其间折射出传统丧葬风俗的基本观念和心态。

According to the traditional funeral custom of off ering sacrifices, Paper Money refers to paper bill or paper ingot substituting f or money burnt and sent to the dead. As the popular sacrificial offering, Paper Money is not only a kind of material, but also a kind of symbol with all kinds o f complicated symbolical functions, which can reflect the basic opinions and psy chology of the traditional funeral custom.