Couplets and China Etiquette and Custom

Couplets and China Etiquette and Custom

Author: Fu

As a folk custom in China, couplets have been circulated for more than 1000 years. One of the reasons is that they are consistent with the traditional customs of China, and the emergence, evolution and spread of couplets are closely related to the traditional customs of China. Rites and customs, including etiquette, etiquette and folk customs, are an important part of the national characteristics of the Chinese nation.

China has always been known as "the state of etiquette". As early as the Zhou Dynasty, China's etiquette system was very complete, and the etiquette recorded in the Confucian classics "Yili", "Zhou Li" and "Li Ji" appeared at that time. Talking about couplets and ceremonies seems to be too far from the point, but it is not. Many folk customs in China are developed from the ancient etiquette system, and the reason why couplets become folk customs in China is closely related to the etiquette system and etiquette in ancient China. It is known that Spring Festival couplets originated in Fu Tao. In fact, Fu Tao was developed from ancient etiquette. According to the Records of the Book of Rites, there was a ceremony of praying for Qi (qíráng) in ancient times, which was an activity of praying for blessings and eliminating disasters. It is said that Xia Houshi prayed with reeds. Because reeds are overgrown, people who pray and pray use reeds for the prosperity of children and people. Eleocharis tuberosa is also a kind of plant, so it takes the sound of "communication" to pray for the smooth alternation of yin and yang in the seasons and not to cause disaster. The Zhou dynasty prayed for peach stalks, which are puppets made of peach wood, also called peach people. The ancients thought that mahogany tastes bitter and evil, which can inhibit evil spirits and all ghosts and gods (this understanding of mahogany has been passed down to this day, and the author talked about the role of "rosary" when he met a monk in a temple, saying that rosary is made of mahogany, which can bless and ward off evil spirits). In the Han Dynasty, every year on May 5th, a rice stalk blessing activity was held. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, the peach stalk was changed to a peach board, and the specified size was six inches long and three inches wide, and the writing time was "midsummer month", that is, the fifth month of the lunar calendar. In the Jin Dynasty, the prayer activity was changed to New Year's Day every year, and then it was called "Fu Tao". In Song Dynasty, replacing Fu Tao with Spring Festival couplets began to become a folk custom. From this development process, we can see the relationship between couplets and customs.

Using couplets is one of the most common folk customs in China. In our country, regardless of class, profession and belief, almost all couplets are used. Even where there are no scholars in the hinterland, I will never give up this custom of using tea bowls to buckle some circles on red paper instead of sticking Spring Festival couplets on the door during the New Year. The vitality of couplets is so great, and the use of couplets is so widespread, which is caused by the profound relationship between this folk custom and our traditional customs and concepts.

When it comes to manners and customs, we can't help but talk about the influence of Confucianism. Confucianism was the dominant ideology in China feudal society for more than 2,000 years. Almost all etiquette and customs in China are based on Confucianism and have absorbed some things from Buddhism and Taoism. Especially after the Song Dynasty, due to the development of Confucianism, school education and imperial examinations. They all focus on the thoughts of Neo-Confucianism, and the influence of Confucianism permeates all aspects of social life. Couplets and Fu Tao became folk customs after the Song Dynasty, which was closely related to the influence of Confucianism. I said earlier that the evolution from ancient prayer flags to peach symbols was influenced by Buddhism, but the most important thing was Confucianism. There are many superstitious things in China's traditional folk customs, and these superstitious things often have the color of Confucianism. For example, regarding the attitude towards ghosts and gods, Confucius' words are recorded in The Analects: "Be righteous for the people and stay away from ghosts and gods." Confucius believes that people should stay away from ghosts and gods, which should be the essence of people's treatment of ghosts and gods. In the Analects of Confucius, there is also a saying that "the son does not speak strange things, but has power, chaos and spirit." It seems that Confucius does not deny the existence of ghosts and gods, but he should "stay away from them." Why? Zhu, a neo-Confucian in the Southern Song Dynasty, believes that this is because Confucianism is "more important than the things that suit people, and is not confused by the unknowability of ghosts and gods" (see the note of the Analects of Confucius, Yongye). Confucianism "keeps away from ghosts and gods", but attaches great importance to the power and role of ghosts and gods in daily life, which is reflected in its attitude towards divination, offering sacrifices to gods and other activities. The Book of Changes is a book devoted to divination. Confucianism regards it as one of the classics, which shows that it attaches importance to divination activities. Sima Qian explained that the Book of Changes has ten Yi Zhuan, saying that Yi Zhuan originated from Confucius, but many people later doubted it. However, there is no doubt that Yi Zhuan reflects Confucianism. The Book of Changes has fully played the role of the Book of Changes, showing the Confucian philosophy, politics and ethics. Many have ruled out the superstitious color of ghosts and gods. Confucianism actually explains heaven, tunnels and human nature in the cloak of divination and superstition. Zhu's so-called "dedication to what is suitable for human nature", Confucianism attaches great importance to divination, divination and sacrifice, with the aim of maintaining the ethics they advocate and perfecting the moral cultivation suitable for the needs of the ruling class. Most of China's customs are consistent with this guiding ideology of Confucianism. Spring Festival couplets originated from the symbol of peach, which was first used to avoid ghosts and evil spirits, and then developed into activities such as celebration and good luck, all of which were related to Confucian customs and habits.

There was a great scholar named Dong Zhongshu in the Han Dynasty. He advised Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to "oust a hundred schools of thought and respect Confucianism alone". Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty adopted his opinion and established the dominant position of Confucianism in China. Dong Zhongshu has an understanding called "the feeling between heaven and man", which holds that God can intervene in personnel and human behavior can also influence God. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and droughts, as well as good weather, are all condemned or rewarded by God. Dong Zhongshu said: "There are anger, sorrow and joy in the sky." In this respect, heaven and man are the same, so he said to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty: "The country will die, and the first day will report disaster;" I don't know how to introspect, but I am weird and scared; I still don't know how to change, but I am hurt and even defeated. In this way, I can see the benevolence of the heavenly heart and stop its chaos. " At the same time, he also believes that the moral policies of the imperial court and superstitious activities of praying for heaven can also feel the heaven, so as not to bring disasters and blessings to people. Dong Zhongshu's thought provided a "theoretical basis" for some etiquette and customs advocated by Confucianism, and had an important influence on later etiquette and customs. After the Eastern Han Dynasty, Buddhism came to the east, and Dong Zhongshu's thought, Confucian view of heaven and Buddhist teachings were integrated, forming many traditional customs with China characteristics. One of its influences is that couplets have become a folk custom in China.

China's traditional customs and concepts introduced the folk custom of couplets, which played a role in maintaining, publicizing and expanding the traditional customs and concepts. The Kitchen God worshipped by every household in the old days is more colorful, more standard and therefore more national because of the couplets of "God speaks well and keeps people safe at home". Visit Buddhist temples in China and worship Buddha. On both sides of the Maitreya statue, you can see "a big belly, which can accommodate things that are difficult to accommodate in the world;" Laugh when you open your mouth, and laugh at the ridiculous people in the world. "People's feelings and tastes are absolutely different from those of other Buddhist temples without couplets. China can be said to be one of the pantheistic countries, with a wide variety of gods, which is rare in the world. Sacrificing gods is a traditional custom in China. Because of the couplets in the temple, the theme of sacrifice is clearer and the customs are stronger. Lingguan Temple enshrines the patron saint of three eyes, and a couplet says: "Three eyes clearly see all the earth; A whip will protect Nantian forever. " Another Li Anyun said: "The one who is righteous and jealous of evil is guaranteed by constant capital;" Demon defense refers to Xuanmen Town and Wan Yong Town. "The god of Lingguan is really great. This is the desire and psychology of worshippers, and this desire and psychology is expressed through couplets. In addition, such as Longwang Temple, River Temple, Fire Temple, Wind Temple, Horse Temple and Tiger Temple. Anything that can bless or eliminate disasters can become gods and can be enshrined. These temples are all equipped with couplets to show the reasons for offering sacrifices. As for Spring Festival couplets, birthday couplets, wedding couplets and elegiac couplets, etc. They have become folk customs, which are closely related to the traditional etiquette and customs in China. They are all caused by traditional etiquette and customs, and also enrich the folk customs in China.

When it comes to the relationship between couplets and China folk customs, we can't help but talk about the use of couplets by ethnic minorities in China. The author has been to some minority areas in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Hunan. All ethnic minorities here have the folk custom of using couplets, which are written in Chinese characters. In recent years, the Chinese National Park has been built in Beijing, which reproduces the life scenes and national customs of ethnic minorities in China, including the use of couplets in buildings and houses. Some ethnic minorities have high-grade couplets, such as several couplets on the drum tower of the Dong nationality in Guizhou:

Baifulongge, gathering people to discuss the golden drum;

Louyu Wanshou Dong Village, where people gather to sing and dance.

Wuhua Tianbao, Longlou Fengge is brilliant;

Outstanding people, beautiful scenery set each other off into interest.

Flowers are clustered, and green hills surround the Dong family;

The bridge hangs, and the Qingjiang River helps the people.

Dong is a culturally developed minority, and many Dong people speak Chinese. Dong Drum Tower has a unique national style and superb artistic characteristics. This is a place where young men and women have rural discussions, holiday parties and social activities. The above couplets are probably written by authors with high cultural level and good artistic accomplishment. In contrast, the couplets of Buyi people are more simple and can better express the national consciousness of ethnic minorities. Buyi people's rooms are mostly equipped with their parents' ancestral graves, and many couplets are posted on both sides of the graves. The following are from the same room:

The golden furnace has been burning for thousands of years;

Long live the jade lamp.

Fire and water give nutrition;

Sun and moon lighting.

Gold comes out of the ground;

Bai Yu was born in the soil.

The Buyi people began to have Latin letters in 1956. According to the cloud, the original couplets were written vertically in Buyi Latin, and the spelling length of each couplet is unlimited. Nowadays, young Buyi people are familiar with Chinese and Chinese characters, and the couplets above are translated according to the meaning of Buyi language. Buyi people use couplets to remember their ancestors and thank nature for their gifts, which is primitive to some extent and inevitably reminds people of some customs and habits in Zhou and Qin Dynasties.