青铜礼器——中国三代文明的物化象征

Bronze Ritual Ware:Symbol of Civilization of China in Xia,Shang and Zhou Dynasties

青铜器知识和生产技术在新石器时代晚期传入中国后,很快与中国的农业社会环境和技术、文化传统相结合,为满足“国之大事在祀与戎”的社会需要,青铜广泛用于夏商周三代社会的祭祀器具和军事用品生产,形成自己独特的青铜时代文化特色——高度发达的青铜铸造礼乐器。这些青铜礼乐器用于庙堂等宗教与政治场所,不仅是三代时期主要国家宗教信仰和意识形态——祖先崇拜的献祭仪式用具,更成为国家政治制度——宗法制度的物化形式和统治者社会等级、身份地位的标识,被视为当时的国之重器与国家政权的象征,具有三代礼乐文化大传统物化象征的历史意义与文化价值,并对后来的中国历史文化产生了深远的影响。

After the knowledge and production technology of bronze ware was introduced into China in the late Neolithic Age,it was soon combined with China's agricultural social environment,technology and cultural tradition.In order to meet the social needs of religion sacrifices and military of the state,bronze was widely used in the production of sacrificial wares and military articles in Xia,Shang and Zhou dynasties,forming its unique cultural characteristics of Bronze Age——highly developed bronze casting ritual wares and arms.These bronze ritual wares used in the temple and political places were not only the sacrifice ritual objects of major national religion and ideology in Xia,Shang and Zhou dynasties,but also the materialized form of patriarchal clan system,the logo of social hierarchy,status identification of ruler,and the symbol of national power.Therefore,the bronze ritual wares are the materializing symbol of the great tradition of ritual and music culture of Xia,Shang and Zhou dynasties,and has a far-reaching influence on the later Chinese history and culture.