中国传统宗族论

A Theory of Chinese Traditional Patriarchal Clan

研究中国传统宗族,必须从宗族与宗法血缘关系的内在结构与外在影响出发,对传统宗族进行客观的历史分期,尔后才能明确其范畴及其特征。中国传统宗族可以分为前、后两个时期:前期自宗族萌生到春秋时期;后期自战国秦汉直至现代。在这一大前提下,后期宗族又可划分为各具特色的三个阶段:自战国到唐前期的中古宗族,自唐后期到明清时期的近古宗族,自辛亥革命以来的现代宗族。前期宗族是具有共同的生产、共同的财产、共同的组织与首领、共同的武装、共同的教育与信仰、共同的祖先等等的宗法血缘共同体;后期宗族则是具有共同的祖先、共同的组织与首领以及在生产、财产、教育等方面有一定共通关系的宗法血缘共同体。宗族与宗法血缘关系是中国传统社会结构的基本构成要素,也是中国传统社会的标志性内容,对中国社会产生了深远影响。

To study the traditional clan culture in China,we must start from the internal structure and external influence of clan and consanguine clan system and divide it into different historical stages objectively;only after that can we make clear its categorization and features.Chinese traditional clan can be divided into two stages.The first stage lasts from the birth of clan to the spring and autumn period;the second stage lasts from the warring states period and Qin/Han until now.Clan in the first stage refers to the consanguine clan community in which people have the same production,the same property,the same organization and leader,the same army,the same education and belief,the same ancestors,and so on;Clan in the second stage refers to the consanguine clan community in which people have the same ancestors,the same organization and leader,and some common relationships in production,property,education,and so on.Clan and consanguine clan system are the key elements to form the traditional Chinese social structure.Moreover,they are the symbols of the traditional Chinese society,and have a profound influence on Chinese society.