追福与荐亡——造像记所见北朝时期的追荐之风

Blessing and Salvation——The Custom of Praying for the Dead from the Inscriptions in the Northern Dynasties

北朝时期的造像记中,有大量追荐亡者的铭文。从发愿对象来看,主要是家庭和家族成员。这类造像在时间上有一定的规律可循,祈愿内容大多与宗教信仰相关。含有荐亡内容的题记表明,亲属亡故以后,通过造像为其超度,已经成为当时一种较为固定的仪式。而佛教的某些仪轨,已经深入民众的日常生活,成为民众养生送死的重要依据。

There were a large number of inscriptions about salvation of the dead in the Northern Dynasties. These inscriptions focused on family members. Carving time had certain rules to follow. To some extent,it had become a fixed ritual that turned undead through building statues after the relatives＇ death. Some of the rituals of Buddhism had been deep into people＇s daily life and become the important basis from living to death.