《葛覃》的主旨与“归宁”的本义

On the Main Idea of Home-going of the Bride (Ge Tan) and the Original Meaning of “Gui Ning” in “Ge Tan”

正确解读“师者”“葛”“归宁”的含义是理解《诗经·周南·葛覃》主旨的关键。由“师者”可以推断主人公是一位贵族女子,“葛施中谷”“黄鸟集木”只是兴起嫁娶之义。“葛”在《诗经》时代是一种非常重要的经济作物;“制葛成衣”是女子出嫁前的必修课,属于妇功的范畴。在礼乐制度尚未完全崩坏的《诗经》时代,已出嫁的贵族女子回家省亲不合礼法,“归宁父母”应当被解为“出嫁以安父母之心”。

The correct interpretation of the meanings of“Shi Zhe”,“Ge”and“Gui Ning”is the key to understand the theme of The Book of Songs·Songs Collected South of the Capital,Modern Shaanxi and Henan?Home-going of the Bride(Shi Jing?Zhou Nan·Ge Tan).“Shi Zhe”indicates that the protagonist is a noble woman,and“Ge Shi Zhong Gu”(The vines outspread and trail in the midst of the vale.)and“Huang Niao Ji Mu”(yellow birds gathering on trees)merely introduce the concept of marriage.Ge was a very important cash crop in the writing time of The Book of Songs.Making clothes from Ge was a compulsory course for women before they got married,falling within the category of women’s duties.In the writing time of the Book of Songs,when the ritual and music system had not completely collapsed,it was improper for a married noblewoman to return home for a visit.Therefore,“Gui Ning Fu Mu”should be interpreted as“marriage to ease the parents’minds”.