明清晋水流域水母信仰及水母祭祀圈思考

Thinking on Shui Mu Belief and Sacrifice Circle in the Jin River Basin of the Ming and Qing Dynasties

形成于宋金时期的晋水流域水母信仰在明清两代达到大盛,并借助神亲链形成了水母祭祀圈。这与当时晋水流域生态环境变迁、人口增长,以及造纸业发展导致的用水紧张、村际关系恶化有密切联系。水母信仰同以张郎为例的个体村落水神信仰大异其趣,后者发挥的作用多是证明自身水权的合法性,目的是争夺水权;而水母信仰更大的作用是协调村际用水矛盾,维系、整合整个晋水流域。水母信仰覆盖整个晋水流域,并借助神亲链发展成为了祭祀圈,成为晋水流域一种文化认同,对和谐村际关系起到了关键性的作用。

Formed in the Jin River basin of the Song and Jin period, Shui Mu （the Mother of Wa- ter） belief was prosperous in the Ming and Qing dynasties and developed into Shui Mu sacrifice circle by virtue of god＇s relative chain, which was closely related to the change of ecological envi- ronment, the growth of population, the water shortage and the deterioration of relationship a- mong villages caused by the development of paper making industry. Shui Mu belief differed great- ly from Shui Shen （the God of Water） belief of individual village such as Zhang Lang. The latter was to prove the legality of one＇s own water right and to fight for it while Shui Mu belief was to coordinate the water conflicts among villages and to maintain and integrate the whole Jin River basin. Shui Mu belief involved the whole Jin River basin, developed into Shui Mu sacrifice circle and cultural identity by virtue of god＇s relative chain, which played a key role in building harmo- nious relationship among villages.