明代国家山川祭祀的礼仪形态和多重意义

The Ritual Pattern and Multiple Meanings of the State Sacrifices Offered to Mountains,Rivers,Lakes and Seas in the Ming Dynasty

明代国家山川祭祀礼仪是中国国家山川祭祀传统的重要环节,其基本形态在明太祖时期已经基本确定。这一礼仪主要可以从山川祭祀的主体、对象、时间、场所、陈设、乐舞、仪式程序等方面考察。其中,山川祭祀的主体包括中央政府、藩王、府州县等层面;祭祀对象大致可分为岳镇海渎、陵山、京畿山川、天下山川和外夷山川等;祭祀时间因祭祀形式不同而不同;祭祀的场所主要在坛场和祠庙。明代山川祭祀礼仪是一套复杂的仪式和象征体系,具有多重意义,主要表现在:第一,山川为万民所瞻仰,乃财用之所出,山川祭祀是崇拜和感恩山川的表达;第二,山川是国土疆域的象征,山川祭祀是建立统治合法性、确认和维护权力秩序的重要手段;第三,山川"能出云,为风雨",是天意的载体,以回应灾变为内容的山川祭祀是统治者发挥公共职能的重要方面。

The sacrificial ceremonies offered to mountains,rivers,lakes and seas in the Ming Dynasty were animportant part of the state ceremonies in traditional China,and its basic pattern was established by the Emperor Taizu.The ceremonies could be observed and studied through the subjects,objects,time,place,display,music,danceand ritual procedure.The subjects of the sacrifices offered to mountains,rivers,lakes and seas in the Ming Dynastyincluded the central government,principalities and local governments.The objects included Five High Mountains,FiveZhen Mountains,Four Seas,Four Rivers,Ling Mountains(mountains that ancestors’tombs located),capital areas’Mountains and Rivers,domestic Mountains and Rivers and foreign Mountains and Rivers(in vassal states of the MingDynasty).The time of different sacrifices were different.The places of the sacrifices were altars and temples.Thesacrificial ceremonies were a complicated ritual and symbolic system,which had multiple meanings.Firstly,mountains,rivers,lakes and seas were the source of material and respected by people.The sacrifices offered to them expressedworship and thanksgivings of people.Secondly,mountains,rivers,lakes and seas were the symbol of territorial area,the sacrifice offered to them was a very important way to establish legitimacy of rule and it confirmed and maintainedpower order.Thirdly,mountains,rivers,lakes and seas could produce clouds,wind and rain,and they were carrier ofthe will of Heaven.The sacrifices offered to them that responded to catastrophes were the important part ofgovernmental public functions.