孔子的祭祀观及其对汉代社会的影响

Confucius' View of Offering Sacrifice and Its Influence on the Han Society

祭祀礼仪在孔子力图重建的礼制中占有重要地位。孔子对祭祀有完整而系统的认识,他的祭祀观念深刻而全面,他认为祭祀要"慎"与"敬"。孔子的祭祀观继承了殷周时期祭祀理念的合理成分。在孔子的观念里面,原为祈福、禳灾的祭祀已丧失了原始的价值与意义,成为涵养个人品德及教化他人的仪式。这种祭祀观薪火相传,对于中华民族文化和心理的形成与发展均产生了巨大作用,孔子祭祀观对汉代的祭礼及祭祀理念的巨大影响,是其中的一个重要表现。

Sacrificial rites take an important role in Confucius＇ efforts of reconstructing the propriety. He has a whole and systemic understanding of it and his view on it is profound and comprehensive. He maintains that the sacrifice rites should be cautious and respectful since he inherits the reasonable thoughts of the people in the Yin and Zhou Dynasty. In his opinion, the early offering sacrifice, whose function is for blessings and avoiding disasters, has lost its primitive significance and value and become one kind of etiquette ceremony completely. This kind of conception is inherited from one generation to another and has a sigr^cant influence on the form and development of the traditional Chinese culture and spirit. One of exampies is that his view has a strong influence on the sacrificial ceremony and thoughts in the Han Dynasty.