神仙思想的起源和变迁

On the Evolution of Ideology of Supernatural Beings

从墓葬朝向来看,中国神仙思想的起源和变迁经历了4个阶段:旧石器初民的墓葬大多朝向东方,旨在祈祷死者像太阳那样复活,说明灵魂观念和长生思想已经出现。新石器先民的墓葬大多朝向各自氏族发祥地、氏族公墓所在地,旨在祈祷死者重回先妣肚腹(子宫)中,实现生命的循环。三代时期古人虽仍葬山丘,但常常仅取让死者登上苍天、永生不死的新意,说明石器先民的生命循环信仰已经演变为登天成仙、永生不死的信仰。战国秦汉以来,古人亦葬山丘,但因道教的出现,古人相信,通过服食养性,灵魂和肉身都可长生不死,而这一新信仰正是最近几千年中国人最为熟悉的神仙思想。

As reflected in the changes of ancient tomb orientation, the ideology of supernatural beings in Chinese history has evolved through 4 phases of development following the Old Stone Age, the New Stone Age, the Xia,Shang,and Zhou dynasties, as well as the days of the Warring States, Qin and Han dynasties. The Daoist belief did not become familiar to the Chinese until the last few thousands of years that the spirit and body of the deceased could be everlasting with intake of some elixir of life and cultivation of his moral temperament.