桂西北地区“认契”习俗及其功能探究——以河池市都安永乐村为例

Exploring the Custom of “Fosterage” and Its Function in Northwest of Guangxi——A Case Study of Yongle Village of Du’an Town of Hechi City

拟制亲属关系是民族学研究的热点问题之一,'认契'是其中的典型代表。'认契'是指两个或以上独立的没有任何血缘和婚姻关系的认契者和受契者,通过某种民间仪式确立一种'寄养'的拟制亲属关系,目的是希望借助受契者的'力量'来庇护认契者成长的一种民间育子习俗。这一习俗在桂西北地区长期且普遍存在,分为以人为对象、以树为对象、以石为对象三种具体表现形式,具有心理慰藉、抚育教化儿童的传统功能,在当代乡村社会变迁背景下则具有补充劳动力和亲属关系、扩充人际网络、凝聚社会关系的社会功能。

Quasi-kinship is one of the hot issues in the study of ethnography,among which fosterage is a typical representative,which refers to a kind of quasi-kinship of'foster care'established by two or more independent entrusters and entrustees who do not have any consanguinity and marital relationship through some kind of folk ritual,the purpose of which is to use the'power'of the entrustees to protect the entrusters from growing up as a folk child-rearing custom.This custom has existed for a long time in northwest Guangxi,which falls into three forms of expression:taking people,tree,and stone as the objects.It has the traditional functions of psychological comfort,raising and educating children,and has the social functions of replenishing labor force and kinship,expanding interpersonal network and condensing social relations under the background of contemporary rural social changes.