战国至汉代桑林之舞、桑林野合图与祈雨习俗

The Mulberry Forest Dance Picture, Immorality in the Mulberry Forest, and the Custom of Praying for Rain from the Warring States Period to the Han Dynasty

“丧”“噩”与“桑”字的甲骨文、金文在音、形、义上皆有相类关系,“丧”字表示在桑林中向雷神呼号哭泣以祈雨,“噩”字表示手持桑木制作的燎柱向雷神呼号以祈雨。古人认为“蚕为龙精”,即蚕也是雷神化身之一的龙,在桑林中祈雨,最易引来雷神而致雨,故桑林成为兴云致雨之地。战国和汉代的桑林之舞、桑林野合图,实际上是古人祈雨的风俗画。古人以舞蹈模拟闪电之形,以男女交合引发天地交合,从而达到祈雨目的。

The oracle bone and metal inscriptions of the characters"sang丧"(mourning,funeral),"e噩"(ominous,bad)and"sang桑"(mulberry tree)are similar in sound,shape,and meaning."Sang丧"expresses the idea of crying to the thunder god in the mulberry forest to pray for rain,while"e噩"means holding a mulberry wood pillar while calling the thunder god and asking for rain.The ancients believed that"silkworms are dragon spirits",videlicet,that the silkworm is one of the incarnations of the god of thunder.Praying for rain in the mulberry forest,was a rite most likely meant to attract the god of thunder and cause rain to pour down from the skies.Such beliefs caused the mulberry forest to be perceived as a place where clouds brought rain.The Mulberry Forest Dance Picture and Immorality in the Mulberry Forest from the Warring States Period and Han dynasty are actually depictions of the ancients praying for rain.Simulating the shape of lightning through dance,while men and women engaged in sexual intercourse to trigger the mystic intercourse of heaven and earth,were all ritual practices that served the purpose of praying for rain.