造神:明代的鲁班神化与工匠信仰

Create a God:The deification of Luban and the Craftsman’s belief In Ming Dynasty

鲁班是春秋时期的鲁国人,因为技艺出众而受到历代匠人的追捧,此后因为民间故事的广泛传颂而逐渐被神化。到了明代,鲁班的生平经过具有官方背景的《鲁班经》的重新演绎,被彻底塑造为神,鲁班也从此被纳入到了民间信仰的神祇系统之中。明代鲁班被神化的过程,不仅仅是工匠行业内部长期供奉的必然结果,还隐含和折射了当时匠官与文官的政治冲突。同时也反映了工匠对于自我身份的接纳和诉求,寄托了明代匠人群体的精神信仰与追求。

Lu Ban was born in the state of Lu in the Spring and Autumn period.Because of his outstanding skills,he was sought after by the craftsmen of the past dynasties,and then gradually deified because of the spread of folk stories.In the Ming Dynasty,Lu Ban’s life was completely described by the"Lu Ban Jing".The records in"Lu Ban Jing"were completely divorced from the historical facts,and Lu Ban was completely shaped as a God.From then on,Lu Ban was included in the God system of folk belief.The deification process of Lu ban in Ming Dynasty is not only the inevitable result of long-term worship within the handicraft,but also reflects the real historical environment of conflict between craftsmen and literatis’at that time,reflects the acceptance and demand of craftsmen for their own identity,and reposes the spirit and belief of craftsmen in Ming Dynasty.