中国古代夫妻合志首题书写的演变

On the Evolution of the Epitaph for the Couple in Ancient China

与单一墓主的墓志题式相比,夫妻合志的复杂性在于墓主的二人性,既然墓志是两人合志,那么在首题中理应兼书两人,但中国古代夫妻合志的首题书写经历了题不书妻到夫妇双标的演变:合志题不书妻,明代以前是常例,明代以后成为特例;合志首题夫妇双标,明代以前是特例,明代以后变为常例。以明为界,夫妻合志首题的书写发生了一个转换。寻究转换的原因,主要有二:服母丧制度的变化;文体自身完善的驱动。

Compared to the epitaph for the male only, the epitaph for the couple differs greatly. If the couples were buried together, the epitaphs usually mentioned the male subject, which was a usual practice in the Tang Dynasty. It was a rare case to mention the wife in the epitaph. After the Ming Dynasty, however,it became a common practice to mention both the husband and wife in the epitaph, This change resulted from the change of maternal funeral ritual and the improvement of epitaph style.