先农与灵星:秦汉地方农神祭祀丛考

Xiannong and Lingxing:Farming Gods in Qin and Han Period

先农和灵星是秦汉时期重要的地方农神祭祀。传世文献中对郡县先农祭祀的记载较为简略,本文考察了里耶"祠先农"校券和周家台"祠先农"简。从里耶秦简来看,秦代郡县已出现有规律的先农祭祀活动,其传统应可上溯至先秦。周家台秦简反映的是一种巫术性质浓厚的民间祭祀,与里耶祠先农校券性质不同。灵星祭祀始发于西汉,所祀对象为心宿(龙星)中的一组小星,以祈雨为主要诉求。农神祭祀与农业生产及基层生活息息相关,因此盛于郡县。后代地方农神祭祀多承自秦汉,虽易代而不易。

Xiannong [先农] and Lingxing [灵星] were two important farming gods in the Qin and Han period. Records in extant literature about local sacrificial ceremonies worshipping Xiannong are often too simple. According to Liye bamboo slips, by the Qin dynasty, sacrificial ceremonies were held regularly by local governments to worship Xiannong, while Zhoujiatai bamboo slips focus on non-governmental sacrificial ceremonies associated with sorcery. Lingxing, referring to a group of stars in the constellation xinxiu, was first worshipped in the Western Han dynasty to pray for rain. Because of its close relation with agriculture and everyday life, sacrificial activities related to farming gods were popular at local levels during the Qin and Han period and had great influence on later generations.