鱼木寨“坐活夜”民间习俗的文化意蕴略探

On "Zuohuoye′s" Folklore of Yumu Village

土家民俗“坐活夜”承载着复杂丰富的文化蕴含。这种用丧仪来进行的寿诞习俗极有可能留存了原始时代弃老厌老的影子,它随着社会的发展与老者人生价值的增长而在漫长的历史演变过程中逐渐失去了原有的野蛮血腥的味道。类似“坐活夜”习俗在其它民族民间习俗也曾经存在,但早就消失,而在上个世纪八九十年代中国湖北利川大兴乡的鱼木寨仍然留存。其中的原因大概主要与鱼木寨相对隔绝的地理环境以及土家文化独特的生死文化观有关。土家人对生与死、悲与喜相生相克、相反相成的辩证认识以及重死乐生的文化精神,可能直接导致这种用丧仪来祝寿的习俗流传得较其它地方更为久远。这种独特的文化习俗没能继续传承的原因则与“坐活夜”的社会文化功能在当今社会的逐渐丧失密切相关。

The ＂Zuohuoye＇s Folklore＂ of Yumu Village has its unique meaning of culture. There is the reflection of detesting and fejecting to old people in remote antiquity. But it has been preserved at Yumu Village of the city of Lichuan of Hubei Province in the 1990＇s. Maybe , two things account for the occurrence. One is the geographical position. The other is the idea about life and death of the Tujia nationality. But it has been lost now. Probably it belongs to the failing function of ＂Zuohuoye＇s＂ folklore at present.