一、引言我国古代的奴隶制在夏朝奠定丁基础,经过商朝的发展,到周朝达到了鼎盛阶段。当时不仅极大地强化了奴隶制的国家机器,而且还制定了一整套严密的礼乐制度,人们衣、食、住、行的一切活动,几乎都必须按照它的规定进行。这种制度是适应宗法奴隶制等级制度的需要而出现的,有许多内容渊源于氏族社会的原始习俗,在奴隶制产生以后,它又成为维系和巩固等级制度的锁链及其表现形式。《仪礼》就是关于周代礼制的一部汇编。它的内容虽然大部都源于西周古礼,但一般认为,它所记述的具体规定基本上是东周的制度。到秦汉时代,这种制度的某些内容仍被沿用。 I. Introduction In ancient China, slavery laid a solid foundation in Xia Dynasty. After the development of Shang Dynasty, it reached its heyday in Zhou Dynasty. At that time, not only the national machine for slavery was greatly strengthened, but a rigorous ritual and court system was also set up. Almost all the activities of people in clothing, food, shelter and transportation must be conducted in accordance with its provisions. This system emerged to meet the needs of the hierarchical system of patriarchal slavery. Many originated from the primitive customs of the clan society. After the birth of slavery, it became the chain and manifestation of the hierarchy that maintained and consolidated it. “Ceremony” is a compilation of etiquette rituals. Although most of its content stems from the Western Zhou Dynasty, it is generally believed that the specific provisions it describes are basically the system of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. In the Qin and Han dynasties, some elements of this system were still used.