历史过程的“折叠”与“拉伸”——社的存续、变身及其在中国史研究中的意义

Folding and Stretching of the Historical Processes--Last and Shape Shifting of She (Territorial Shrine) and Its Significance in the Studies of Chinese History

社与社祭是中国社会的古老传统,起源于上古并遗留至今,既存在于国家礼仪,又在民众的日常生活中扮演重要角色,作为国家和社区的认同标识,成为中国社会与文化中最具贯通性的表征。人们通常认为社与社祭已经消亡,但通过田野调查,我们发现它或继续存在,或不断变身,在各个区域多元而不同步的发展过程中持续生成或得到重塑。从不同区域现存的社与社祭的观察出发,可以在本体论的意义上对历史过程中的"折叠"与"拉伸"有所认识。

She and She worship are very old tradition in Chinese society,which originated from the ancient time and has been lasting till today,both of which existed in the rites of the state and play important roles in popular daily life. As a marker of identity both for a state and for a community,there is a most coherent representation in Chinese society and culture. In common sense,She and She worship are thought to have disappeared,but by fieldwork we have found they are either alive or shape shift,continuously making and reshaping in the multi-variant and out-sync development of the regions. By observations on living She and She worship in different regions,we may know more about the folding and stretching in the historical process in an ontological sense.