隋唐时期的聚众之禁——中古国家与宗教仪式关系之一侧面

The Prohibition of Gathering People in Sui-Tang China: One Aspect of the Relationship between Medieval State and Religious Rituals

利用宗教仪式聚集百姓,并藉以对抗朝廷,是中国古代反复出现的现象。国家对此极为警惕,总是不遗余力加以约束。从隋朝开始,国家律令就对聚众有明确的禁约,地方官府切实执行,僧团对此也有清醒的认识,天台大师智[岂页]遗书中的第五恨即为明证。唐初的《永徽留司格》就有了对僧尼俗讲的限制措施,而目前所见《垂拱刑部格》与《开元户部格》也都有相关禁令,其对象包括了宿宵行道与白衣念佛的佛教斋会,隐逸人的广聚徒众,以及百姓的排山社等社邑组织。唐玄宗严禁僧、道人士在俗家居止,又严禁僧道离开所属寺观去山林兰若修炼。代宗则下诏不许州县公私借佛寺道观居止,并严禁僧尼道士进行斋会礼谒之外的“非时聚集”。从宪宗元和十年到文宗时,又陆续对两京与诸州寺观的俗讲聚众的时间、寺观数量等做出严格规定。隋唐的聚众之禁趋向严厉,与隋唐王朝重新统一全国、重建中央集权的国家秩序有关。

It is a common phenomenon in ancient China to use religious ceremonies to mobilize people to gather against the imperial court. The governments were extremely vigilant against this and has always spared no effort to restrain it. Since the Sui Dynasty, the state laws have clearly prohibited gatherings of people, which has been effectively implemented by the local government. The Sangha also has a clear understanding of this, as evidenced by “the fifth hate” in the last words of Tiantai master Zhi Yi. The Yonghui Regulations in the early Tang Dynasty had restrictions on vulgar talk of monks and nuns. Both Regulations of the Board of Punishment in Chuigong Era and Regulations of the Board of Finance in Kaiyuan Era have relevant prohibitions, which include the Buddhist ceremony at night and fasting clubs with white clothes reciting Buddha, the wide gathering of hermits, as well as social organizations such as Paishan Society of the common people. Emperor Xuanzong strictly prohibited monks and Taoists from staying in secular homes, and also forbade monks and Taoists to leave their temples to practice in the mountains and forests. Emperor Daizong issued an edict that local governments were not allowed to stay at Buddhist and Taoist temples for private residence, and strictly prohibited monks, nuns, and Taoist priests from “untimely gatherings” outside of the ceremonies. From the tenth year of Emperor Xianzong’s Yuanhe period to the reign of Emperor Wenzong, strict regulations were successively made on the time and number of temples on vulgar talk in the two capitals and beyond. In conclusion, the ban on gathering of people in the Sui and Tang dynasties became more severe, which was related to the reunification of the whole country and the reconstruction of the centralized state order.