原香：历史/文化结构试析

Original Incense: An Analysis of Historical and Cultural Structure

在古代中国社会礼俗中,"焚香"不仅具有重要礼仪功能,更蕴含着深层次的历史文化心理结构。从人类学的视角,结合文献和考古材料分析,可以梳理出祭祀用香材料和方式的变化,在此基础上,探寻"香通神明"背后的隐喻结构。从"取萧祭脂"到"焚香酹酒"以礼化俗的过程,实是维系"家国一体"社会结构和"差序格局"的仪式象征。从"尚臭"到"香火",旨在敬天法祖、延续血缘、为子孙后世祈福,以实现"慎终追远,民德归厚"的儒家伦理秩序理想。

In the ancient Chinese social etiquette, incense burning not only had important etiquette functions, but also contain historical and cultural structures. Taking an anthropological perspective, and by analyzing related literature and archaeological materials, this article maps out the historical changes of the ritual use of incense in terms of materials and ways of using, and discusses the metaphoric structure behind the belief that"incense connects to the deity". The shift from the ritual use of"burning incense and fat"to the secular use of"lighting an incense stick and offering wine"to pay respect to the deceased represents a ceremonial symbol that maintains the"family nation unit"social structure and"differential mode of association". From"admiring the smelly"to"incense burning", what reflected is the practice to respect the ancestors, to continue the blood tie, and to pray for the future generations so as to realize the Confucian ethical order ideal of"let there be a careful attention to perform the funeral rites to parents, and let them be followed when long gone with the ceremonies of sacrifice-then the virtue of the people will resume its proper excellence".