礼射:正己与观德

Ritual Archery: For Self-reflection and Moral Observation

礼射是华夏传统中一种独特的文化现象。根据召集者及举行地点与目的不同,礼射可分为不同的种类。通过一定的仪式程序,传统儒家赋予了礼射活动一些独特功用:礼射可以观德行、可以选贤能、可以反躬正己,从而成为士人自我认同的准则之一;此外,礼射还蕴涵艺术审美意味。儒家倡扬的礼射功能在历史上虽难一一具体实现,但其中蕴涵着德与才一的道德自信、反求诸己的道德自省、身心一体的信念追求、居安思危的忧患意识、美善兼综的情怀追求等文化精神仍值得省思。

Ritual archery（ Li She） is a Chinese-unique culture tradition. It was held in different procedures according to the identity of the summoners, the places and the purposes. Through certain ritual formalities, the activities were conferred by Confucians with special functions such as moral observation,talent selection, self-reflections, against which traditional Chinese intelligentsia judged themselves. In addition, ritual archery contains artistic aesthetic implications. Though the functions of ritual archery proposed by Confucians were hard to be totally realized, they shed lights on us with such cultural spirits as combination of morality and talents, moral self-reflection, body-soul integration, awareness of possible adversity and concern of both goodness and beauty.