山东中元节节俗述略

A study of the Zhongyuan Festival in Shandong province

中元节一直是一个内容丰富多元、流传范围广、具有民族和区域特色的节日。历朝历代中元节普遍以七月十五为期,其活动内容既有与宗教有关者,也有一般人家所行的祭祖之礼,而且通常并行不悖,其中荐新祭祖一直是一般民众的主要活动。目前来看,该节在南方比北方要隆重。明清两朝至民国年间,山东中元节亦以"祭祖"这一基本内容最为普遍。当代山东地区的中元节无论是节期还是名称均延续了明清以来的习惯,在活动内容上也以祭祖(居家祭祀或上坟祭扫)为主。区域分布上,山东中元节习俗活动几乎涉及全省大部分村落,其中以鲁中地区的祭祖活动最成体系也最为典型。调查表明,尽管中元节在山东节日体系中的地位也存在区域差异,但人们认可中元节是对亲人的感恩与缅怀,表达的是对祖先的孝心与家族归属感,有其严肃性和神圣性,作为一种传统习俗应该积极传承下去,这应该就是它在传统文化体系中的地位和意义。

The Zhongyuan Festival is a popular one rich in local and ethnic implications. It falls on the 15th of the seventh lunar month. The festival includes both religion - related activities and ancestor - worship rituals, with the two being implemented smoothly without conflict. Offering newly harvested grains as sacrifices to ancestors is the main activity conducted by ordinary people. At present, this fes- tival is much more valued in the South than in the North. From the Ming and Qing dynasties to the Republic of China, paying respect to one＇s ancestors was the major activity of celebrating the Zhongyuan Festival in Shandong province. The contemporary celebration of this festival in Shandong follows the tradition of the Ming and Qing dynasties,including sacrificial practices at home or tomb - visiting ritu- Ms. Geographically, this festival is celebrated in most villages in Shandong, of which the ancestor - worship activities in central Shang- dong are the most formal and typical. The field investigations show that this festival is held seriously and sacredly for showing gratitude and honor to ancestors as well as a strong sense of filial piety and family belongingness, though regional differences do exist in terms of its status in the whole festival system. Thus, this traditional festival should enjoy inheritance due to its status and significance in the tra- ditional culture of China.