中英雙語話中國民風民俗 第2期:成人禮

General Description

概述

Among the Han people，which constitute a vast majority of China's total population，the passage into adulthood is no longer celebrated，except in those very, very traditional families. In ancient times，this ceremony marked a person's transition to adulthood and was generally referred to as the capPing or hair-pinning ceremony.

漢族佔中國人口的絕大多數。在漢族人中，除了那些非常傳統的家庭，成人禮已不再舉行。在古代，這一儀式標誌着一個人進入了成年階段，通常被稱爲“冠禮”或“異禮”。

This ceremony started from the dan society of the long past and continued to be held until the Qing Dynasty(1644一1911) Manchu rulers then felt that this ceremony of the Han people had become“hypocritical" and meaningless and thus mandated that this ceremony，which had lasted for thousands of years，should be abolished. From then on the Han people have to enter the stage of adulthood without knowing it. Nowadays，it is mainly in those minor ethnic groups fihat this life passage is still celebrated. In some parts of China，this ceremony is experiencing a revival.

這一禮儀始於遠古的氏族社會，一直延續到清朝(1644一1911)。清朝的滿族統治者感到漢族的這一禮儀已經變成了一種虛文假醋，無足輕重，於是一紙令下，終結了漢族綿延幾千年的成人禮。從此後，漢族人只能在“不知不覺”中進人成年。現在，中國的成人儀式主要集中在一些少數民族。有些地方，漢族的成人禮也在漸漸復興。

Capping and Hair-Pinning

冠禮和異禮

The capping and hair-pinning ceremony of the ancient times was originally intended to prevent non-adults from getting married and later evolved into a moral test on adults' marriage qualifications.

古代的成年禮本意是爲了禁止與未成年的異性通婚。冠禮是成年禮的一種高級的代表形式，也可以說是對成年人婚姻資格的一種道德審查。

When a young man reached 18 or 20 years old，the capping ceremony would be held. It consisted of several procedures. The hair of the young man should be done up and pinned. Then three caps of different materials which carried different meanings should be placed the youth's head. This was called "Three Caps Cer emony"r this，the father or other seniors would appoint an alias to the new adult apart from his name. Only those men who had been through the“Three Caps Ceremony" and had an alias could get married in the past.

一個年輕的男人十八歲或二十歲時，要舉行冠禮。冠禮的程序可以分爲三部分。首先要把參加冠禮的年輕人的頭髮盤起替上。然後給他戴上三頂不同材質不同含義的帽子，這一禮儀叫“三加”。“三加”之後，由父親或其他長輩在其本名之外另起一個“字”，只有“冠而字”的男子，才具備日後擇偶成婚的資格。

The hair-pinning ceremony would be held when a girl was 15 years old. At the ceremony the mother or another senior did up and pinned the girl's hair. This change of hairstyle meant that the girl had reached maturity and can be wedded.

與男子的冠禮相對，女子的成年禮叫異禮，也叫加筍，在巧歲時舉行，就是由女孩的母親或長輩替她把頭髮盤結起來，加上一根簪子;改變髮式表示從此結束少女時代，可以嫁人了。

Teeth-Painting and Tattooing

漆齒和紋身

People from the Dai and Bulang nationalities celebrate the passage into adulthood through teeth-painting and tattooing. Those without painted teeth cannot engage themselves in socialising. Before his/her teeth are painted，the child usually smears them with some acid juice. And then some pine wood is lit to smoke the teeth. This may continue for several days until the teeth are all black.

漆齒和紋身是傣族、布朗族等成人禮的組成部分。沒有漆齒者不能公開參加社交活動。染齒前，需先用酸汁塗抹一遍牙齒，再點一束松明，以黑煙薰齒，連染數日，直至將雪白的牙齒染成墨黑色。

Tattooing is only for men. There is folk saying among the Dai and Bulang people，“Frogs have patterns on their legs;how can men have no tattoos on their legs" Men are proud of their tattoos;those without tattoos will be looked down upon and regarded as cowards by girls. The tattooing ceremony is usually held when the bov is fourteen or fifteen.

只有男人才會紋身。民間有諺語說:“蛙腿尚有花紋，男人之腿怎可沒有花紋。”男性以紋身爲榮，身上不刺紋者，會被姑娘們視爲懦夫。紋身一般在十四五歲時進行。

Changing into Trousers or Skirts

換裙和換褲

The Mosuo，Naxi，Pumi and Yi nationalities celebrate their passage of life into adulthood by changing into trousers or skirts.

摩梭族、納西族、普米族、彝族等都通過更換服飾象徵成年，女的換裙，男的換褲。

When a Mosuo child reaches 13，the rite of passage into adulthood will be held. This ceremony usually takes place on the first day of the lunar new year. The boy stands beside the“male column" on the left of the main hall and the girl beside the "female column" on the right, with one foot on pork and the other on a bag of grains，which means that they will be prosperous all along their life. Then the mother dresses her girl in a skirt and the uncle dresses the boy in adult men's clothes. The rites of passage into adulthood held by the Naxi and Pumi people are similar to this.

摩梭族孩子長到13歲，便要舉行成年禮。成年禮儀式一律在農曆大年初一凌晨舉行。行禮時，男孩站在正房左邊“男柱”下，女孩站在右邊“女柱”下，一隻腳踩着豬膘肉，一隻腳踩着糧袋，象徵終生吃用不盡。女孩由阿媽爲其穿上裙子。男孩由舅舅爲其穿戴簇新男裝。納西族、普米族的成人禮與此相似。

Other Customs

其他風俗

There are other interesting customs concerning celebration of the passage into adulthood. For example the rite of passage into adulthood of the Jinuo people involves cattle slaying and saga-chanting. Boys of the Yao nationality have to pass about ten dangerous tests and take oaths not to conduct bad deeds. There are 56 ethnic groups in China and customs vary，it is simply impossible to discuss all of them.

關於成人禮，還有其他一些有意思的風俗。比如基諾族舉行成人禮時要殺牛唱詩;瑤族的男孩要通過近十項危險的考驗，而且要發誓不幹壞事。中國有五十六個少數民族，要討論所有的風俗習慣是不可能的。