广东“年例”考源兼论其文化史意义

A Study on the Origin of Guangdong’s “Nianli” and Its Significance in Cultural History

广东“年例”民俗,是粤西最为重要的地方民俗活动之一。“年例”实源于上古“驱鬼”保平安之假面傩礼,由方相氏驱傩仪式变异而来。广东“年例”在岭南形成过程中,与元宵游灯仪式及民间二月“春社”仪式深度融合;进而形成一种以“游神驱邪”为核心内涵、以“聚饮演戏”为特点的年度民俗节日。近世以来民众在本土文化自觉召唤下,将当地最重要的岭南神衹冼夫人事迹与乡村例行的“驱傩仪式”进行有机结合,进而演化出“年例起源于冼夫人”的故事体系,其背后体现出深刻的农业社会信仰特点,是近世人格神信仰异常发达下的产物。

“Nianli”,Guangdong’s folk custom,is one of the most important local folk activities in western Guangdong.The formation of it actually derived from the Nuo ceremony of “exorcising ghosts” to ensure peace in ancient times,which had developed from the exorcism ceremony of Fangxiangshi.During the formation of Lingnan,Guangdong’s “Nianli” was deeply integrated with the Lantern Festival and the folk February “Spring Sacrifice” ceremony,thus becoming an annual folk festival with the core connotation of “parading gods to exorcise evil spirits” and the characteristics of “gathering to drink and act”.In modern times,under the conscious call of the local culture,the people have organically structured the most important deeds of the Lingnan god,Lady Xian,and the routine “exorcism ceremony” in the countryside,thus evolving the story logic system of “Nianli originating from Lady Xian”,which reflects the profound characteristics of agricultural social belief and is the product of the extremely developed belief in deification of personality.