七夕五考

七夕宗教文化现象无比繁杂而又影响甚巨,古今中外学者虽多有研究而始终不得要领。本文综合运用历史文献学和文化人类学的方法,比较全面地考证了这一宗教文化现象的来龙去脉,为相关宗教神话、天文历法、民族迁徙、民风民俗、文学艺术的研究开拓了新的道路。作者认为,中国几千年来无比繁杂的七夕宗教文化均当源于夏人的原始宗教和天文历法。原始夏历纪日,当兼顾月亮盈亏规律和夏人宗教信仰,而将一月四分为一七、二七、三七、四七,所余时日当另作月尾,以应女人行经之期。一七、二七,月呈死而复生状,象征先妣生命力、生殖力均得复活,且有无限生命神力,故古人祭之,意在假借月神女神两种生命神力;三七、四七,月呈将死状,象征先妣生殖力、生命力均渐死去,无力可借,故古人不祭。古人“七夕”祭祀先,意在祈祷活人“长生又长生”;又有“七七”丧葬礼,则欲祈祷死者复活,“长生再长生”,佛教只是附会了中国的这一原始宗教而已。古人“七夕”祭祀先后,青年男女无论婚否均可纵情野合,暂时恢复群婚时代的自由,但已婚男女只能一年一度才可放纵,平日则被严禁越轨,这才是牛郎织女神话的本像。西王母本称“西母”,亦称“希母遮”、“西摩”、“西膜”,本是西北羌戎的“母虎工”,其神话最晚从殷代开始传入中原,并最晚在汉代

Textual Researches into "Qixi" from Five Aspects

Religious culture about "Qixi" is very complicated and has great influence. Although a lot of researches have been doing about it in modern and ancient times, in China or elsewhere, the researchers do not seize the essential points. By adopting the methods of historical documents and cultural anthropology, this paper makes an overall research into the whys and wherefores of "Qixi", and opens up a path for study of related religion and mythology, astronomy and calendar system, immigration of people, folk customs and literature and art.