Marriage Custom in The Book of Songs

Marriage customs in The Book of Songs: the phenomenon of marriage customs in Zhou Dynasty reflected by the orders of parents, the words of matchmakers and the love of thinking. The marriage and love customs in the marriage and love poems in the national wind era are diverse, including both the traditional customs of ancient society and the new contents that appear with the development and progress of the times: the orders of parents, the words of matchmakers and the words of thinking. There are both complicated wedding procedures and simple wedding methods. On the one hand, the Zhou Dynasty implemented a set of strict and standardized marriage procedures to maintain its political rule. On the other hand, due to regional differences, places far from the political center were less influenced by Zhou rites but still retained their ancient marriage customs. From the Book of Songs? The coexistence of ritual and traditional folk customs in Zhou marriage can be clearly seen in the love poems in the Collection of National Styles, which show the folk customs of various places.

(1) Parents' life, matchmaker's words

The Book of Rites has repeatedly emphasized? Parents' orders, matchmaker's words? For example, in "Faint Justice"? Men and women are not known by their media; No money, no money, no kissing. ? Therefore, men and women have no media, no money, no opportunities, and they are afraid that there is no difference between men and women. ? It can be seen that marriage without parents' orders and matchmakers' words was indecent and illegal at that time, and it was not recognized by families, clans and others in society. In this way, both men and women almost have no right to decide the happiness of marriage through free love. We can learn from the Book of Songs. I learned from Guo Feng's love poems that people paid attention to this marriage custom at that time. First of all, look at the important role of parents in marriage: men don't marry themselves and women don't marry themselves? . As? Worship the temple with things for future generations? Of course, the conclusion of marriage should proceed from the interests of the family, so both men and women must obtain the consent and approval of their parents before marriage. For example, "Qi Feng? Is there one in Nanshan? If you marry a wife, you will sue your parents. Explain the importance of parents' lives; Zheng Feng? Lieutenant general? Are you afraid of my parents after taking love? Zhong kehuai, the life of his parents, is also awesome? , showing obedience to parents' life; "Hurricane? White boat? Mother is not only that, but also does not forgive people? In the poem, a woman falls in love with a young man, and her mother forces her to marry someone else, but she refuses to die. It can be seen that under the marriage arrangement system, the women to be married are in a passive position and lose the right to choose their lovers freely; And "Fengfeng? Hey? Women have cable, distant brothers and parents? Is such a person pregnant, too big to believe and too ignorant of life? This poem is a strong condemnation and accusation against this woman who boldly pursues freedom of marriage and destroys marriage etiquette. In addition, the matchmaker also plays an important role in the process of marriage. No matter whether men or women need to get married, they must go through a matchmaker. If there is no matchmaker's introduction, then the important conditions for men and women to get married will be lost. From the marriage customs of the Zhou Dynasty? No bandit media allowed? The best explanation is, for example, the poem "Abandoned Wife" "Feng Wei? Self-protection? When I was a bandit, there was no good media. This sentence reveals that the root cause of female marriage failure lies in? No good media? , do not have the necessary conditions for marriage; " Qi Feng? Nanshan? What about salary analysis? There is no axe to cut. How about getting a wife? No bandit media allowed? Repeatedly emphasize the important role of matchmaker in marriage; And "Hurricane?" Wako? How to cut off the handle of an axe? There is no axe to cut. How did you marry that wife? No bandit media allowed? Married, there must be media. From the love poems in the Book of Songs listed above, we can find out how the ancient marriage system was formulated. Parents' orders, matchmaker's words? The way of choosing a spouse, if it lacks this marriage condition, will be condemned or lead to tragedy.

(B) the love of thinking

In the era when The Book of Songs was born, because the society of Zhou Dynasty was not far away after all, the new concept of marriage had not been deeply rooted in people's hearts, the legacy of ancient marriage was still stubborn, and men and women were still relatively open in love. At the same time, because ancient people's activities mainly focused on agriculture, spring ploughing, Xia Yun, autumn harvest and winter storage? This is the law of agricultural production. ? Farmers' life can be roughly divided into two seasons: from February of the lunar calendar, they go to the fields to cultivate the land, and they don't end their life in the fields until they harvest the crops in September. From 10 to the end of next year 1 0,

Mainly live at home. ? When people live in their own families, they seldom contact with the outside world, so they also reduce the opportunities for men and women to meet and fall in love. Spring has come, everything is budding, and people begin to work in the fields, which increases the opportunities for men and women to meet. Over time, many fixed customs and festivals have been formed. In addition, the ancients attached great importance to the induction between man and nature, and thought that on March 3, the sun was shining, yin and yang were harmonious, and everything was multiplying. At this time, people should get married and have children in time, so that human beings and nature can feel and promote each other. Therefore, many customs are held in February or early March of the lunar calendar, and thinking above is one of the important auspicious customs.

Shangsi: It was originally scheduled for the first half of March (mid-spring) (hence the name Shangsi). In the old customs, this day is used to eliminate the ominous sign, and it is also called Hughes. However, after Cao Wei, this festival was designated as March 3. According to the surviving "Han Shi", it is the custom of the State of Zheng to summon spirits in Mizunokami, Qin and Yan, on March 3rd, and blow away ominous things. Every Spring Festival, men and women should bathe by the water to wash away the ominous smell. At the same time, the communication between men and women at this time is very open and free, so that both sides have no scruples and taboos. Especially for women, the love songs sung are passionate, obedient to their own will and emotions, and unrestrained, so this is also the time for men and women to have sex. For example, "Zheng Feng? Qin Yan:? Qin and Yan, Fang Huan and. The Scholars, Fang,,. Wei and his daughter, Yiqi, teased each other and gave peony. ? It means: men and women show their love by the Qin river, and the peony given to them expresses their willingness to marry them; Zheng Feng? Shang Shang? When I think of you, I get involved with Qin. If you stop thinking about me, won't someone else come to me? The same poem describes the love affair between men and women in Qinshui.

As far as marriage customs are concerned, the society of the Zhou Dynasty is an era when the ethical code was first established and the ancient customs still existed, and the formation of marriage customs reflected the social life at that time. "Zhou Li? Sheriff? Media? Judge the people. All men and women who are famous or above are famous for their books. Marry a man at thirty and a woman at twenty. Whoever marries a wife and has children is a book. Zhong Chunyue, the achievement of men and women. So sometimes, I can't help running. If you do not use the order for no reason, you will be punished. ? It can be seen that there is a corresponding relationship between the geographical division in love poems and the differences in poetry contents. It is inevitable that love and marriage poems that express and praise etiquette appear in the political center of the Zhou Dynasty, showing an orthodox social life under the rules of rites. However, there are also crazy phenomena that violate the rites of Zhou, mostly concentrated in Zheng, Wei and Chen. Among them, Zheng's love poems are the most vivid and vivid, and Zheng's new move to the East will naturally blend in with the newcomers and be more energetic. ? Those who are unconscious of the ceremony are also the basis of the ceremony. ? The ceremony of husband and wife is the key to the stability of other social relations. The establishment of a strict marriage etiquette system in the Zhou Dynasty aims to standardize the confusion of primitive marriage, arouse the sense of shame, establish a stable family relationship, and achieve the effect of governing the country by courtesy. With the vigorous implementation of the Zhou Dynasty, weddings were highly valued by various vassal States and all walks of life. The love poems in The Book of Songs reflect that the understanding and execution of weddings by various vassal states also show a high degree of consistency, strictly implement the orthodox wedding engagement and matchmaking system, and strive to maintain the solemnity and prudence of weddings. At the same time, it also truly reflects that the process of promoting etiquette system is not consistent. Zheng, Wei, Chen and other places were less influenced by etiquette education in Zhou Dynasty, and stubbornly retained their local customs and habits. It can be seen that there was indeed a parallel phenomenon of etiquette and customs in the Zhou Dynasty.

Marriage Custom in The Book of Songs: Patriarchal Society under the Patriarchal Son

The Zhou Dynasty entered a society dominated by male power and patriarchal system. Women have entered a tragic stage with world historical significance. Women lost their original lofty status, except that the economic power was controlled by men, mainly because of a series of etiquette and concepts that men were superior to women formed by the legal system of the Zhou Dynasty. ? In order to consolidate the ruling order of slavery, the Zhou Dynasty established a more systematic patriarchal system than the Shang Dynasty by using the patriarchal clan system evolved from the clan organization based on blood. The marriage relationship under the patriarchal clan system is monogamous in name, but polygamous in fact. Recognize the status of the first wife and confirm the inheritance right of the first son, because polygamy. Under the patriarchal clan system, the patriarchal inheritance system, first of all, puts the eldest son first. No matter whether political power and property are inherited by father and son, the man is both the ruler of the country and the manipulator of the family, which will inevitably form the idea that men are superior to women, and girls are discriminated against from birth. In fact, the Zhou marriage system under the patriarchal system abolished women's autonomy in marriage more severely. In this way, women fell from the dominant position in the matriarchal period to the dominant position, and became subservient to men, thus losing the rudder of the boat that ferried their lives and destiny. Through the Book of Songs? The concept of marriage custom of teaching women and attaching importance to fertility in love poems of national style can effectively explain the situation and social status of women in the patriarchal society at that time.

(a) Educating women

Book of rites? Article 44 "? Therefore, the ancient woman married at the beginning of March, and the ancestral temple was not destroyed and taught in the public palace; The ancestral temple was destroyed and the imperial clan taught. Teach women virtue, speech, appearance and merit. The sacrifice of the church is to sacrifice fish, using apples and algae, so it becomes a woman. ? The development of primitive agriculture and primitive animal husbandry at that time not only promoted the development of social productive forces at that time, but also caused the decline of women's status due to the changes in production methods and women's own physiological conditions, and the society gradually changed into a slave society. At that time, women had become private property under the rule of men and gradually lost their social status. But some people will question this: Why are there many poems describing and praising women in The Book of Songs? In fact, after careful appreciation, we will find that the beautiful images of women in The Book of Songs are all shaped by others' eyes, and the praise for them is not a praise for their contribution in historical development, but only a praise for their virtue and their hard singing. Such as "hurricane? Yan Yan's bride is a woman whose external beauty and internal beauty are unified. The integrity of the second sister is really long when you think about it carefully. Gentle and obedient, cautious and kind. ? The bride in the poem not only meets the requirements of the ancients for women's appearance, but also conforms to the image of the daughter-in-law in the traditional society of China. What about Nan Zhou? In Yao Tao? Is it appropriate for my son to go back to his hometown? Repeatedly told the married girl, expecting the woman to obey the rules when she arrives at her husband's family, take care of the housework attentively, and work hard to make the husband's family prosperous.

(2) Reproduction.

In ancient times, when the land was vast, the population was sparsely populated, famine prevailed and science was underdeveloped, it was necessary and necessary to reproduce the population and have children to overcome nature, develop production, survive and continue the race. The prosperity of descendants and people has become a wish and pursuit of our ancestors, and it has become a fixed concept and practice over time. Book of rites? Article 44 "? Those who are stunned by the ceremony must be consistent with their second surnames. The upper one is a temple, and the lower one is a successor, so the gentleman values it. ? Marriage is a major event related to respecting ancestors and succeeding to the throne, and is related to the inheritance and prosperity of the family. The Zhou Dynasty under patriarchy attached importance to fertility for its own reasons: on the one hand, China has always been a country based on agriculture, and the development of ancient agriculture depended on enriching the people, especially the male Ding Laiwei; On the other hand, because the Zhou Dynasty was a patriarchal society, it was very important to have a male heir to continue the clan. For example, "Nan Zhou? Cricket describes the scene where women collect plantain seeds that can be used to treat infertility, reflecting their emphasis on fertility. In addition, in order to meet the needs of the survival and development of the Zhou Dynasty, the reproduction of species was in an extremely important and sacred position, so the ancestors worshipped the reproductive phenomenon in an all-round way. Many animals and plants mentioned in The Book of Songs are symbols of reproductive worship, such as Nan Zhou? Tiger? ! Il's children, shake it up! ? Owl, a highly fertile locust, was promoted to a reproductive god by ancient ancestors. This poem is very popular in Nan Zhou. During the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, Huang Teng's family lived in Tushan, and they took locusts as their totem. This poem is undoubtedly a song they sang to sacrifice cats, and its theme is to seek to protect God and help them reproduce. Then why can plants be used as a symbol of reproductive worship? According to some research? In appearance, petals and leaves can be shaped like vulva; In terms of connotation, plants blossom and bear fruit every year, with numerous leaves and unlimited reproductive capacity. Therefore, ancient ancestors worshipped plants with blooming flowers, lush foliage and rich fruits as symbols of vulva in order to pray for their own prosperity. ? For example, "Nan Zhou? Yao Tao suggested? Suitable room to live in? Woman? Peach flies away and burns its glory? Like a peach, it is leafy and fruity; And don's style? Pepper chat? Zanthoxylum bungeanum chat is real and full of enthusiasm. His son, huge? , with many pepper chat metaphor woman. Since marriage, childbirth has always been an important expectation of the society for this relationship between men and women, and in the era of etiquette and law, this expectation has become even heavier.

In order to maintain the rule, the Zhou dynasty became a patriarchal society with the eldest son inheritance system as the core in the political system. Men have become masters of society, and marriage has also evolved into a kind of? Monogamy? Of course, this is relative to promiscuity when there is no order. In short, a man has at least one wife, namely? Monogamy has its particularity from the beginning, which makes monogamy only for women, not for men. ? It can be seen that the Zhou Dynasty nominally practiced monogamy, and Engels also said that? The difference between monogamous families and paired marriages is that the marriage relationship is much stronger, and this relationship is no longer free for both parties to dissolve. ? [6] However, judging from the love poems in The Book of Songs, Zhao Nan? Line dew? Who says birds don't have horns? Why should they wear my house? Who says women are homeless? Why did you come to prison so soon? Allegations of marital robbery? We see that the monogamous marriage custom is still mixed with many other customs. ? However, regarding the Western Zhou Dynasty, Mr. Yang Xiangkui said: Shortly after the transition from clan society to class society in the early years of Zhou Zong, it retained many customs and habits of clan society. In the life of men and women, the form of marriage is lively and laissez-faire, and even in the early days of monogamy, the remnants of pairing marriage still exist. ? In the Spring and Autumn Period, as Mr. Gu Jiegang said? Just for the sake of warlords' separatist regimes, countries have different productive forces and relations of production, so they have different systems, fashions and ideas? Some retain more vestiges of pre-society, while others breed more elements of post-society, that is, as far as the marriage system is concerned, there are many examples of group marriage, couple marriage and monogamy, but it is an indisputable fact that the mainstream always transitions to strict monogamy. ? [9] The Zhou Dynasty nominally practiced monogamy, but actually practiced polygamy, such as the Book of Rites? Article 44 "? The ancient emperor established six palaces, three wives, nine wives, twenty-seven wives and eighty-one concubines in order to listen to the rule of the world and be obedient to women, so the world was harmonious and the family was supreme. ? Under such a system, some chapters in the love poems in The Book of Songs clearly reflect the unequal social conditions in the patriarchal society of the Zhou Dynasty.

To sum up, through the book of songs? Some marriage customs in Guo Feng's love poems: We simply analyzed the marriage situation and social reality in the Zhou Dynasty. On the one hand, in love, men and women still retain a part of the right to choose freely; On the other hand, society began to hire men and women to get married, setting a hierarchical etiquette and legal system for marriage life? How to choose a spouse? Parents' orders, matchmaker's words? Fixed the marriage mode of monogamy and concubinage, improved the status and authority of men, bound women, especially their marriage life, and made them gradually become the vassals and reproductive tools of men. Although the Zhou Dynasty was in a transitional stage, various systems were gradually established and perfected, and many concepts were gradually formed. In fact, it reflects a set of social and cultural norms, that is, a man marries a woman and lives in her husband's house to establish a new family after marriage? It did have a long-term impact on future generations.