An Interpretation of the Culture of Rice Cultivation in Luoyue Huashan Rock Paintings

来源 :民族学刊 | 被引量 : 0次 | 上传用户:chengyfei
下载到本地 , 更方便阅读
声明 : 本文档内容版权归属内容提供方 , 如果您对本文有版权争议 , 可与客服联系进行内容授权或下架
论文部分内容阅读
  Abstract:In 2016, the “Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape” in Guangxi was inscribed on the (UNESCO) World Heritage List, and became Chinas first rock art site to be inscribed on this list. The rock art vividly represents the spiritual and social life of the ancient Luo Yue people who inhabited the area of the Zuo River from the 5th century B.C to the 2nd century A.D. This article aims to analyze the specific relationship between the Huashan Rock Art and the culture of rice cultivation from the perspective of human interaction with the environment in ecoanthropology, and proposes that the Huashan rock paintings themselves represent the ritual ceremonies of rice production.
  For a long time, anthropologists have researched the topic of the relationship between humans and the environment. Humans are born in the natural environment, and, since their birth, humans have maintained a close interactive relationship with the natural environment. On the one hand, the environment is the material foundation for human survival, and human development is conditioned by the environment; on the other hand, human production and behavior also affects the natural environment—natural resources are utilized and transformed by humans. Culture is formed within this close interaction between human beings and the environment. Ecological anthropologists concern themselves with the role culture plays within the relationship between man and the environment, assuming that humans understand their environment and resources through culture. Meanwhile, humans also receive or use these resources through culture. As such, culture is a kind of intermediary mechanism between humans and the environment created by human beings in order to ensure their security and survival.
  Zuojiang Valley is one of the numerous Neolithic sites recently found in Guangxi Most of the sites are remains of unearthed stone shovels that are widely distributed in more than 50 sites along the Zuojiang river, for example, in Longzhou, Jiangzhou, Ningming, Daxin, Fusui, and Nanning, etc.. Stone shovels are a kind of composite tool made of wood and stone which can be used to turn the soil, dig a ditch, level the land, and so on. The emergence of the large number of shovels indicates that during this period, farming using hoes had come into being in the Zuojiang Valley. As early as the 1940s, archaeologists researching agriculture, and related topics confirmed that South China was one of the origins of rice domestication. Other studies demonstrate that rice production had begun in the Guangxi area 9000 years ago, indicating that this is one of the centers for the origin of rice cultivation.   In the preQin period, the Luoyue people of the Baiyue ethnic group lived in the area of Zuojiang River, an area which belongs to the area of karst landforms interwoven with mountains and waters. It is characterized by a subtropical monsoon climate with abundant heat and rainfall. By this time, in accordance with the geographical and climate conditions, the Luoyue people chose to make a living by cultivating rice. As a result, rice cultivation became the center of their social life, and praying for the harvest became their permanent pursuit. Therefore, their cosmology, cultural values and customs formed on this basis and they all embody the characteristics of a rice cultivation culture. The Huashan Rock Art, as an important relic of the Luoyue peoples means of production and life, contains rich elements and features of a rice cultivation culture that illustrate the social and spiritual life of the Luoyue people.
  Among all the elements of Huashan Rock Art, more than 90 percent are portraits of humans using the same gesture—namely, hands spreading to both sides, elbows pointing upwards, squatting with legs split and knees bending downwards. Since the gesture very much resembles a leaping or a lying and stretching frog, it is named the “frog-shaped man”. The picture of the “frog-shaped man”, repeatedly represented in Huashan Rock Art, expresses the strong admiration the ancient Luoyue people had for frogs. Frogs not only catche and eat pests, thereby preventing crops from any damage, but they also are sensitive to changes of weather. By paying attention to the changes in the croak of the frogs, people can predict whether a thunderstorm is coming or whether there will be a great drought. For the Luoyue, seeing frogs signified a good harvest. The Luoyue, by associating the special charateristics of frogs with rice production, made frogs a symbol of the harvest. The symbol of the “frog-shaped man” was a way of showing their intimacy with the “Frog Deity” which in turn showed the Luoyue peoples ultimate goal of realizing a large population coupled with rich production.
  There is a close interaction between human culture and the ecological environment. As human society developed, the stage of hunting and gathering advanced into the period of of the Agricultural Revolutionin which agriculture became the main mode of production. The interaction of human culture and the ecological environment is reflected in that people believe that they are united with the universe in a continuous manner. Heaven, earth, insects, grass and people are all one piece, closely related to each other; so our position is to keep in harmony with nature, and respect each other. Therefore, the Luoyue peoples wish for the reproduction of their own people is extended to the harvest of crops. Meanwhile, worship of the frogs reproductive ability was extended to praying for a good harvest.   There are images of a “Pentagram” found in Huashan Rock Art. They are identical with the image of the sun rays found in the center of the surface of each of the bronze drums cast and used by the Luoyue people. In rock art, there are images of “sun rays” which are substitutes for the bronze drums during sacrifices. These in turn are similar to the “Maguai Festival” where we can see people from the Zhuang ethnic group dancing and playing the bronze drums. As an ethnic group which cultivates rice, the Luoyue people portrayed the ceremony of sacrifice to the sun on their rock art in order to illustrate their worship of the sun, and their aspirations for favorable weather and good harvests.
  Using the sun pattern as an artistic decoration or as an image in rock art is associated with ancient peoples worship of the sun. Globally, people have found that the sun pattern consisting of a round circle with rays emanating from it, universally existed in archaeological ruins. While personifying and deifying the sun, peoples belief in the sun is particularly prominent in ancient farming areas. Because these places have sufficient sunlight and rain, and enjoy superior natural conditions, people are, thus, dependent on the sun, rivers, and rain all of which are the lifeline of farming for the tribes. As a result, sun worship is inevitably a primitive belief. Therefore, during the rapid development of an agricultural economy in early society, the changes in the regulations of the suns movement affects agricultural production at all times, and as such, worshipping the sun plays an important role in peoples daily life.
  There are images of birds, as well as humans with feathers decorating their heads. People from the Baiyue ethnic groups believed that they were the descendants of birds, and, accordingly, held birds in deep admiration. There are also some prevailing legends about how birds helped people cultivate the fields. In fact, birds really can help wild crops grow by spreading seeds, which inspired humans to domesticate rice at an early stage of development. The worship of birds is closely connected with the origins of agriculture. In the rock art, the Luoyue people dress like birds and dance with feathers on their heads in the hope of communicating with the gods and praying for good harvest.
  The pictures of boats found in the rock art allude to the ritual ceremony of the Luoyue people to the God of Water in the hopes of preventing floods and ensuring the safety of their harvest. Therefore, water worship is another universal in agricultural culture. Rivers are considered the home of the God of Water. It is an important ritual to make a sacrificial ceremony on traveling boats in the process of rice cultivation.   The development of human society experienced three stages:(i) Hunting and Gathering; (ii) the Agricultural Revolution; and (iii) the Industrial Revolution. All of them reflect the interaction between human culture and the environment. During the initial phase of the Agricultural Revolution, the interaction between human culture and the environment shamanistic rituals were pervasive throughout the entire production process. Similarly, the creation of Huashan Rock Art is also associated with rituals of the rice production. In fact, today, many activities of the religious rituals practiced by the Zhuang people in Longzhou County of Zuojiang Valley in Guangxi are related to rice farming.
  As for the rock art in the early period of human society, a large part of it is the result of shamanistic ceremonies.Praying for good weather and a good rice harvest were an important purpose of the rituals. The location of Huashan Rock Art, carefully selected by the rock art painters, is on cliffs that are difficult to access by ordinary people; the location is selected with the purpose of restricting nonessential people. it. The rock art expressed mysterious desires and appeals, so, the rock art sites were sacred places from which blasphemers were prevented from accessing and the communicating with holy spirits. Eightyone rock art sites have been discovered along Zuojiang Valley, and the distribution of rock art is associated with rice fields. 78% of rock art sites are located at river bends where there are fertile alluvial sandy lands suitable for planting, cultivation and irrigation. The land across the sandbar and Huashan Rock Art constitute the spatial pattern of mutual protection. At that time the Luoyue people had little knowledge about the factors that affected rice production, so they constantly held ceremonies to pray for the rice harvest. In order to realize the eternal sacrificial effect of time and space, people used a variety of methods, including painting the ritual process on the cliffs, which formed the Huashan Rock Art.
  The Huashan Rock Art reflects the culture of rice cultivation. Thousands of years later, this culture still exists in the lives of the descendants of the Luoyue rock art painters, i.e. the ZhuangDong language family groups. Some of the cultural memories of rice cultivation became rituals of folk beliefs, and some turned into ethnic festivals. The rice culture elements shown in Huashan Rock Art, such as the emphasis on the worship of frogs and birds, the respect given to the sun and rivers, and the peoples desire to integrate their lives with nature, are still of great value now in the ecological environmental protection during the present era of industrialization.   Today, based upon the increased protection of rock art, when we study Huashan Rock Art, we can acquire an overall understanding of the cultural ecological system of the Huashan culture. Furthermore, we can take a broader perspective to look at the Huashan culture, and expand the cultural studies on rice cultivation to eventually move to a study of rice cultivation civilizations which emphasizes the harmonious and balanced relationship with the natural environment, between society and the universe. When faced with the dilemma of modern and postmodern development of the industrial revolution, human society should seek the wisdom of survival from those rice cultivating civlizations and emphasize that the harmonious coexistence and common prosperity with all creatures in nature is the only way for the sustainable survival of human civilization.
  Key Words:Huashan Rock Art; Luoyue People; Worship of Reproduction; Rice Cultivation Civilization
  References:
  Chen Jia. Guangxi zuojiang yanhua yu daozuo wenhua (Study on Zuojiang Rock Art and Rice Planting Culture). In Agricultural Archaeology,2016(3).
  Cultural Relic Bureau of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Prefecture. Zuojiang huashan yanhua yanjiu baogao ji (Research Reports of Huashan Rock Art in Zuojiang).Nanning:guangxi kexue jishu chubanshe,2015.
  Cultural Relic Work Team of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Prefecture. guangxi nanbu diqu de xinshiqi shidai wanqi wenhua yicun (Late Neolithic Cultural Remains in Southern Guangxi). In guangxi wenhua kaogu baogao ji (Report of Guangxi Cultural Relics and Archaeology[1950-1990]) . Nanning: guangxi renmin chubanshe, 1993.
  Editorial Committee of Collected Works of Chinese Folk Literature. Zhongguo minjian gushi jicheng (The Collected Works of Chinese Folklore·Guangxi Volume).Beijing:the Center of ISBN in China,2001.
  Gao Fujin. taiyang congbai yu taiyang shenhua(Sunworship and Sun Myths). In Social Sciences in Yunnan,1993 (4).
  Liang Tingwang. Huashan yanhua de daozuo wenhua neihan (The Rice Planting Culture Connotation of Huashan Rock Art. In Journal of Contemporary Guangxi,2016(16).
  Huang Ruxun, Huang Zhe. Huashanyan bihua xianmin shengye yu yanhuang nonggeng wenhua (Study on Huashan Rock Art and Chinese Cultivation Culture). In yandi yu han minzu guoji xueshu yantaohui lunwen ji (The Proceedings of International Symposium on Yandi and the Han Nationality. Baoji,2002.
  Huang Yaqi. Dunjushi renxing yanhua:daomi dongchuan zhilu de zuyin (Crouching Figure Paintings:Footprints in the East Pass of Rice) ]. In Chinese Social Sciences Today,2013-03 -27,(B08).   J.Steward H. Theory of Culture Change. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1955.
  Jiang Tingyu. zhuangzu tonggu yanjiu(Study on the Bronze Drum of Zhuang Nationality). Nanning: guangxi renmin chubanshe,2005.
  Jan Assmann. “ wenhua jiyi” lilun de xingcheng he jiangou (Das Kulturelle Gedachtnis). Jin Shou Fu,trans. Guangming Daily,2016-03-26 (11).
  Jan Assmann. wenhua jiyi:zaoqi gaoji wenhua zhong de wenzi,huiyi he zhengzhi shenfen (Das Kulturelle Gedachtnis: Schrift, Erinnerung Und Ploitische Iedntitat in Fruhen Hochkulturen). Jin Shou Fu, Huang Xiaochen,trans.Beijing:beijing daxue chubanshe,2015.
  LevyBruhl Lucien. yuanshi siwei (La Mentalité Primitive). Ding You,transl. Beijing:shangwu yinshuguan,2010.
  Li Yiyuan. shengtai huanjing,wenhua linian yu renlei yongxu fazhan(Ecological Environment and Cultural Concept and Sustainable Development of Human Being). In Journal of Guangxi University for Nationalities (Philosophy and Social Science Edition),2004(4).
  Qin Naichang.zhuangzu daozuo nongyeshi(The History of Zhuang Rice Farming).Nanning: guangxi minzu chubanshe,1997.
  Qin Fang.guinan shichan yizhi yu zuojiang yan bihua de wenhua guanxi(Study on Cultural Relations of Southern Guangxi Stone Shovel Ruins and Zuojiang Rock Art).In Tang Hua ed. Huashan wenhua yanjiu (Study on Huashan Rock Art). Nanning: guangxi renmin chubanshe,2008.
  Qin Hongzeng,Mao Shuzhang,Nong Ruiqun. zhongyue bianjing guangxi jinlong budai zuqun de “tian” yu tianqin(“Then and ThenQin”of BuDai Ethnic Groups on the Frontier in Jinong Township,Guangxi).In Guangxi Ethnic Studies,2012 (2).
  Qin Naichang Qin Cailuan,Zheng Chaoxiong.zuojiang liuyu wenhua kaocha yu yanjiu(Inspection and Research of Zuojiang Valley Culture). Journal of Nanning Teachers College,2007,(1).
  Raymond Firth. Renwen leixing (Human Types). Fei Xiaotong,trans. Beijing:shangwu yinshuguan,1991.
  Ru Yu. wawen yu wa tuteng congbai (Study on Frogpatterns and Totemism of Frog). In Cultural Relics of Central China,1991(2).
  Shi Youming. Lun huanshan yanhua zai zhongguo shanggu nongye wenmingshi zhong de yiyi (On the Significance of Huashan Rock Art in the History of Ancient Chinese Agricultural Civilization). In Agricultural Archaeology,2016 (3).
  Tong Yongsheng. Zhongguo yanhua zhong de yuanshi nongye wenhua yanjiu (A Study on the Primitive Agricultural Culture in Chinese Petroglyphs). Nanjing:Nanjing Agricultural University,2011.
  T. Ingold. Culture and the Perception of the Environment .E. Croland D. Parkin ed. Bush Base: Forest Farm. London: Routledge, 1992.
  Wang Jian,Ye Hong. wenhua yu shengjiang: guizhou dadi shuizuxiang dui hanzai de tiaoshi zhishi (Culture and Ecoenvironment: the Local Knowledge of Drought in a Town Inhabited by the Shui People in Guizhou). In Journal of Guangxi University for Nationalities (Philosophy and Social Science Edition),2015,(1).
  Wang Shougong. Kaogu suojian zhongguo gudai de taiyang congbai(On Sun Worship of Ancient China in Archaeology). In Cultural Relics of Central China,2001 (6).
  Yuan Tongkai. Renlei, wenhua yu huanjing—shengtai renleixue de shijiao(Humanity, Culture and Environment: from EcoAnthropological Perspective). In Journal of the Second Northwest University for Nationalities(Philosophy and Social Science Edition),2008,(5).
  Zhao Guohua. The Cultural Theory of Reproduction Worship.Beijing:Zhongguo Shehui bexue chubanshe,1990.
其他文献
[摘要]面临中国当代民族文学遭遇西方现代文化、中国当代主流文化和当今大众流行文化的挤压困境,有必要进行一次全面而深刻的“美学突围”,那就是我们的民族文学创作要切实保留自我性的作者身份,以建构民族作家主体地位的美学自信心;提倡使用民族式的语言形式,以凸显民族文学的自由本色的美学自信力;努力呈现原生态的内容立意,以开掘民族文学生命意力的美学生态性;充分开辟多样化的传播途径,以寻求民族文学现代媒介的美学
期刊
广义上的基督教乃世界三大宗教之一,是目前世界上信仰人数最多的宗教。基督教在世界范围内的传播,特别是基督教分异下的天主教和新教在世界各地的传播史,可以说也是近现代西方世界主导下的现代世界体系构成中的重要内容之一。而在近现代西方世界对外进行的全面性扩张过程中,基督教的传播与扩散使命便是其中的重要驱动力之一。这种驱动,当近代中国被船坚利炮的西方殖民者打开“天朝大门”后,也顺势通过各种渠道(武力传播或自由
期刊
[摘要]元代唐兀崇喜(杨崇喜)编撰的《述善集》不是纯粹的作家个人别集,也不同于一般的文学总集。其所涉的内容十分广泛,具有历史、民族、文化、教育、民俗等多方面重要价值。同时其文体也十分丰富,包括序、记、赞、碑铭、箴、志、符文、疏、传、诗、赋等。这些作品反映出唐兀崇喜与各族名士的广泛交往,具有羌汉文学关系典型范例的性质。本文着重对《述善集》编者唐兀崇喜及其唐兀家族作者、其他少数民族作者、主要汉族作者等
期刊
[摘要]进入19世纪后,中外学者开始关注彝族文化,并有不少著述问世。中华人民共和国成立后,特别是改革开放以来,彝族文献的搜集、翻译、整理、出版成就卓著。尤其是106部①《彝族毕摩经典译注》出版发行后,社会反响很大。但是毕摩文献仅仅是彝族文献中的一部分,在包括译著、彝族文化人用汉语文及其他语种撰著的作品、彝文文献在种类和数量上都有相当规模的语境下,应当树立“彝族文献”的概念,并对之进行科学分类。分类
期刊
[摘要]随着经济全球化与国际投资活动的纵深发展,并随着中国-东盟自由贸易区以及北部湾经济区的快速发展,国际贸易与投资对民族地区广西产生了重要影响。文章采用1990—2013年相关数据,通过图表等形式分别从总量、比重等方面对民族地区广西FDI 与国际贸易的现状进行分析,总结出二者发展的特点。同时利用计量回归模型,分别探讨了FDI流入、地区经济增长对广西进出口额分别所产生的影响,以及分析了FDI、进出
期刊
[摘要]哈尼族宗教艺术中蕴含着独特的生态智慧,这种生态智慧实质上是一种文化屏障。在生态文明领域,本文首次提出了“文化屏障”这一概念,并通过分析发现哈尼族宗教艺术所形成的文化屏障,对于保护传承本民族优秀文化,排斥强势文化的消极影响,均具有积极的意义。文章进而对如何在协调保护本民族优秀文化的基础上,吸收、借鉴外来强势文化的问题,进行了探索。  [关键词]宗教艺术;生态智慧;民族文化屏障;现代转换  中
期刊
Abstract:In the age of economic globalization,information networking and cultural diversification,Chinese traditional culture is facing a strong challenge from Western modern culture,while at the same
期刊
[摘要]20世纪羌族卫生习俗的变迁是外因性演变与内因性演变相结合的结果。西医技术与实践在羌区的传播、赤脚医生的选拔培养与回村服务、爱国卫生运动和商品经济的繁荣等外部因素对羌族地区卫生习俗的变迁起到了积极的助推作用,羌族地区自身经济的发展也为其卫生习俗的变迁提供了良好的经济支持。同时,卫生习俗的变迁对羌族社会产生了重要影响,主要表现为:改变和丰富了羌族民众的疾病观与医疗实践,改善了羌族民众的居住环境
期刊
Abstract:  Based on the census data,this article chooses several proxy indicators to analyze the progress of Chinas ethnic minorities building a moderately peosperous well-off society.The main conclus
期刊
[摘要]  依法管理宗教事务,在全面推进依法治国进程中具有特殊意义。对四川藏区而言,依法管理宗教事务可以在坚持党对宗教工作和宗教事务管理的领导的前提下,积极稳妥推进宗教事务法治化的制度建设,坚持依法管理与政策指导相结合,动员社会力量共同推进依法管理事务,采用新型管理方式规范寺院规模及僧人数量,强化民族工作“四支队伍”尤其宗教界人士队伍作用,发挥佛教戒律对僧团组织的维系功能,畅通僧人退出渠道、为还俗
期刊