镇水兽与中国传统镇水习俗

Harnessing-Water Beast and Chinese Traditional Harnessing-Water Customs

受中国传统厌胜思想的影响,古人在治水过程中逐步形成了镇水习俗。用于镇水的物什多种多样,其中以镇水神兽最为普遍,尤其是镇水铁牛。依靠所谓的神物当然不会达到伏波安澜的治水目标,但古人治理水患的理想和与水患作斗争的精神,永远值得后人尊敬和弘扬。研究中国传统镇水习俗,对于倡导树立水患意识,开发水文化旅游资源,研究丰富多彩的地域文化,都具有现实意义和应用价值。

Chinese forefathers often use magic arts to fight against evil things and gradually form the harnessing-water customs in the process of bringing water under control.There are a thousand and one animals used as harnessing-water objects,among which the harnessing-water iron ox is the most popular one.Although it is impossible to harness water depending on the supernatural animals,the ideal of harnessing water disaster and the spirits of struggling with water disaster deserve to be respected and highlighted.It is pointed out that the research into Chinese traditional harnessing-water customs is of practical significance.Such research may arouse the consciousness of water disaster,develop the travel resource of water culture and study various local cultures.