七夕节在日本的传播与演变

The Spread and Evolution of Qixi Festival in Japan

源自中国的七夕节于白凤时代传入日本并发展起来。奈良和平安时代的天皇赐宴、举办诗会、观看相扑比赛、女子乞巧等七夕活动,皆可体现出日本几乎原封不动地接受了唐代宫廷的七夕节俗。武士阶级掌握大权,七夕节俗逐渐渗入武家社会,至室町时代,宫廷内会举行更为盛大的“乞巧奠”。到了江户时代,七夕节作为“五节供”之一被确定为幕府的官方活动,并融合了“棚机津女”神道信仰等传统元素,完成了彻底本土化的演变过程。直至明治改历,七夕节从宫廷和贵族阶层的上流专属活动发展成庶民阶层在内的全民性节日活动。随着西方近代文明席卷日本,传统节日开始没落。近年来,为了振兴传统节日,以“东北三大祭”为代表的七夕节俗闻名日本全国,但与中国古时的拜星祈福、乞巧等七夕内容几乎已无联系。

Qixi Festival originated from China was introduced to Japan and developed in the Hakuho era. During the Naraand Heian periods, the emperor gave banquets, held poetry festivals, watched sumo competitions, women begged for tricksand other Qixi events, all of which reflected that Japan accepted the Qixi Festival and customs of the Tang Dynasty court almostintact. Later, the samurai class took over the power, and the Qixi Festival customs gradually penetrated into the samuraisociety. In the Muromachi period, a more grand “Qiqiao Den” would be held in the palace. In the Edo period, the Qixi Festivalwas identified as one of the “Five Festival Offerings” as one of the official activities of the shogunate, and integrated traditionalelements such as “Tanabata Tsume” Shinto beliefs, completing the evolution process of complete localization. Until the Meijicalendar was changed, Qixi Festival developed from an exclusive event for the upper class of the court and the aristocratic classto a national holiday event for the common people. As the modern Western civilization swept Japan, traditional festivals includingQixi Festival suffered from a state of decline. In recent years, in order to revitalize traditional festivals, the Qixi Festivalrepresented by the “Three Northeast Festivals” are well-known throughout Japan, but they have almost no connection withthe ancient Chinese Qixi content such as worshiping stars and praying for good luck.