论元宵观灯起源于西域佛教社会

The Custom of Watching Lamps during the Festival of Lanterns Origin ated from the Buddhism Society of the Western Regions

在元宵节的起源问题上,学术界存在着几种不同的看法。传统的认为元宵节起源于西汉汉武帝于正月十五日祭祀太一神活动的观点及相类似的看法,都是不妥的。元宵节是古代中西文化交流的产物,它是受西域佛教社会燃灯供佛宗教习俗的影响,而在唐代最终确立的一个民俗节日。佛教涅槃部的经典及其思想,在这一过程中发挥了重要的影响。

There are several different viewpoints on the origin of the festival of lanterns. Traditionally, it is believed that the festival of lanterns originated from the sacrifice ritual for God Tai Yi (Grand One) held by Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty in the fifteenth of the first month of the lunar year, but this viewpoint, together with other similar viewpoints, are not right. The festival of lanterns is the result of the cultural intercourse between East and West. With the influence of the custom of lighting lamps and worshiping Buddha in the Buddhist community in the Western Regions, the festival of lanterns was finally set as a folk holiday in the Tang Dynasty. The sutras of Mahaparinirvana and their ideas exerted significant influence in this course.