试论礼与中国传统文化模式

礼是中国传统文化的核心,构成了中华民族独特的文化模式。西周的礼乐文明是这一文化模式的上古形态,汉代礼文化的重建完成了从春秋时期礼崩乐坏为开端的文化转型。此后,礼文化通过对一些新的、外来的文化要素的不断整合、吸收,保持了自身内在结构和功能的稳定和统一。礼将整个民族的物质生活、制度规范和精神心态融为一体,奠定了中国传统文化的根本特征。

Propriety and the Chinese Traditional Cultural Mode

Propriety, or rite, (li) is the core of the Chinese traditional culture, as forms the unique cultural mode of the Chinese nation. The Western Zhou Dynasty saw the rite-music civilization of this mode in its ancient form, and the Han Dynasty had the culture of ethics of rites reestablished, which completed the cultural transformation that started with the breakdown of proprieties in form of rites and music. Thereafter, the culture of rites has maintained its stability and unity of the inherent structure and function through unceasing integration and assimilation of fresh foreign cultural elements. Rite, which has fused into one the whole nation's material life, institutions and mentation, determines the fundamental property of the Chinese traditional culture.