贞节观念历史演进轨迹的重构——汉唐间贞节观念的不断加强

Reconstruction of Historical Evolution of the Notion of Chastity: Increasing Influence of the Notion of Chastity from Han to Tang Dynasty

与传统看法不同的是,重建历史演进脉络之后的研究发现,汉至唐的千年时间内,贞节观念呈现出渐次加强的趋势。社会精英分子越来越强调作为妇德之一的贞节,政府不断加大对贞妇的褒奖力度,民众对贞妇的崇敬与日俱增,贞妇的社会地位日益提高,妇女守节的自律性日益增强。汉唐间贞节观念发展的过程就是作为人伦秩序的夫妇关系被融入帝国统治秩序的过程,在这一过程中,贞节逐步获得了与孝、忠同等的地位,并与之共同构成维护帝国统治的三根支柱。

Different from the traditional views, this paper utilizes historical evidence to reconstruct the evolution of Chinese history and to recognize the increasing influence of the notion of chastity in a thousand years from Han to Tang Dynasties. Moralists and leading literati increasingly placed emphasis on chastity as one of the virtues used to evaluate wives＇ behaviors. Governments, on the other hand, adopted incentive systems to award ＂chaste women.＂ As society became obsessed with the pursuit of ＂chaste women,＂ the status of ＂chaste women＂ also increased. Women thus became more concerned with how to stay ＂pure＂ in their conduct. The development of the notion of chastity went through a process from chastity that was regarded as an order to govern the relationships between husband and wife to it being integrated as part of the imperial rule. In the process, chastity gained recognition on bar to filial piety and loyalty and formed the third pillar of the moral basis of the imperial rule.