试析牛王节的文化内涵

Cultural Implications of Niuwang Festival

中国牛耕的起源很早,因此,各地都有崇牛敬牛的习俗。但把牛王节作为一个节日应该是唐宋以后的事。从牛王节的分布范围、来源传说、酬谢牛王的食品、对牛王节的称呼、牛王节时间安排和牛王节仪式内容等方面来看,牛王节是中国传统稻作文化的产物。牛王节的发源地虽然缺乏翔实的史料记载,但综合考察牛王节的传播情况,牛王节的最初发源地应在江浙一带。四月初八过牛王节、吃青精饭的习俗最初来源于中原和江浙一带的道教。南宋水稻种植的兴起和经济重心的南移,是牛王节在华南、岭南和西南地区广泛流行的主要原因。

It was quite early for humans to use buffalos or oxen for farming and there has long been the custom for respecting them. Ni- uwang Festival（ King Ox Festival） emerged after the Song dynasty in Jiangsu and Zbejiang. The rich contents of Niuwang Festival re- veal that it is a product of the rice culture of China. The date of this festival was associated with Taoism in the Central Plains and espe- cially in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The rice - growing and the shift of economic focus in the South Song dynasty helped make this festival popular in south and southwest China.