Festivals in Classical China: New Year and Other Annual Observances During the Han Dynasty, 206 B.C.-A.D. 220 0691030987, 9780691030982

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DERK BODDE

Festivals in Classical China NEW YEAR AND OTHER ANNUAL OBSERVANCES DURING THE HAN DYNASTY 206 B.C.-A.D. 220

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS THE CHINESE UNIVERSI TY OF HONG KONG

W:J:t)"·LC C;rT' *89 �

CONTENTS

,A ]63 j

NOTE ON CHRONOLOGY

Copyright © 1 975 by Princeton University Press ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication data will be found on the last printed page of this book

�

�

Pub1ica ion of this ook has been aided by The John Simon Guggenheim MemorIal FoundatIOn and American Council of Learned Societies Printed in the United States of America by Princeton University Press,

Throughout the book, numbered months are those in the Chinese lunar calendar; corresponding dates in the Gregorian calendar are approximations only.

ILLUSTRATIONS

ix

PREFACE

xi

CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE

XV

I. INTRODUCTION

1. The Problem 2. Sources

1 15

3. The Chinese Calendar and Chronology

26

4.

35

The Han W orId View

Princeton, New Jersey

PART ONE: NEW YEAR FESTIVALS II. PROLOGUE: WHEN DID THE NEW YEAR BEGIN?

45

III. THE LA OR PEOPLE'S NEW YEAR

49

(Winter, month xii, 3rd hsii day after Winter Solstice:: Jan. 16/27)

1. Pre-Han History

49

2. Dating and Cosmological Significance

50

3. The La as a Religious Festival

54

4. The La as a Secular Celebration

58

5. Foods and Drinks

65

6. The La and the Cha

68

IV. THE GREAT EXORCISM

75

(Eve of the La)

1. Significance and Pre-Han History

75

2. Descriptions in Han Literature

81

3. The Devouring Creatures in the "Treatise on 4. Counterparts of the Devouring Creatures

HAR.VAR.D

UNIVERSITY LIn" , 76, 87, 90, 95, 98, 1 1 2, 1 2 8 , 1 3 6, *41 1 Ullambana Festival, 394 United States, 1 49 Ural-Altaic peoples, 77 ; see also Turkish culture/peoples Vegetables, strong-smelling, see Strongsmelling vegetables Venus, magical significance of, 354 Visions (kuan), 82, *86, 96, 98, *99, 1 1 3 de Visser, M . W., 300-301 , 41 6 Waley, Arthur, 67, 1 27, 1 34-- 1 3 5, 1 3 8 , 230, 247, 278, 295-296, 299, 367, 41 6 Walpurgis Night, 294 Wang, Empress Dowager nee :E.lit:kJ§, 6 1 , 266, 279-280, 383 Wang Ching �, 378 Wang Ch'ung, 22, 37, 40, 75, 90--9 1 , 93-96, 1 04, 1 1 3, 1 1 5, 1 28, 1 30, 1 36, 202-203, 300--3 01 , 3 1 0--3 1 1 , 344-345 , 347, *407

INDEX Wang Hsi-chih .:E�z, 281 Wang-hsiang (demon), 85, *101 , * 1 071 08, 1 1 2-1 1 3 , 1 1 7 Wang Hsien-ch'ien, 1 7-1 8, 23, 209, 337, 348, 350, 382-383, *402 (sub Han shu ; Hou Han shu) Wang HSii :E!Jf, 94 Wang Hung 1m, 378 Wang Jung i%if!, 1 8 1 Wang Kuo-wei , 240, 4 1 7 Wang-liang (demon), * 1 03-1 04, 1 06-1 08, 1 1 2-1 1 4, 1 1 7, 1 24 ; see also Fang-liang Wang Lung, 357, *402 (sub Han-kuan chieh-ku) Wang Mang :E$ (usurper), 8, 9, 24, 27, 35, 6 1 , 67, 99, 1 33 , 1 45, 1 99, 21 4--2 1 5 , 226, 244, 250, 256, 266-267, 271 , 279280, 305-306, 335, 353-355, 358, 3 62, 364, 377, 383 evil spirit of, 99, 1 1 3 See also Hsin-tu, Marquis of Wang Shao /ltJ , 302 Wang Vi, 68, *401 (sub Ch'u tz'u) Wang Yii-ch' iian, 141 , 1 5 1 , 230, 41 7 War, god of, 1 2 1 , 1 23 ; see also Ch'ih-yu Ware, James R., 99, 1 1 0, 301 , 403 (sub Ko Hung) Water, renewal of, 291 ; 294--2 97, 299 ; see also Fire, renewal of sacramental (ming shui), *300 Water-clock (clepsydra), 8 1 , 140, 1 79, 1 94, 223 Watson, Burton, 24, 34, 56, 84, 88, 99, 1 02, 1 04, 1 06, 1 08, 1 45-146, 1 98 , 233, 279, 322, 3 82-383 , 401 (sub Chuang-tzu), 405 (sub Shih chi) Weaving Maiden and Cowherd, 3 12, 394 Wei m (principality), 232 Wei m (river), 274-276 Wei Chao, 1 03 , 1 06, 1 08, 233, *403 (sub Kuo yii) Wei Hsiang III! .f§ , 296-297 Wei Hsien f!J!t., 46 Wei Hung, 2 1 , 57, 104, 1 28, 224, 268, 332, 3 3 5 , 337, 3 57-358, *402 (sub Han chiu-yi) Wei serpent, see Serpent, Wei Wei shu, see Apocrypha Wei shu (Wei History), 24, 218, *407 Wei-sui (demon destroyer), 82, *86-87, 98 Weighing of earth and charcoal, 171 , 1 75-1 77, 292

Welcoming the Ethers (ying ch 'i), 20, * 1 92, 1 94, 1 96, 1 99 the seasons (ying shih), 1 89, * 1 92-200, 337, 368, 387, 389-391 (autumn, 200, 327, 329, 3 3 1 -332, 387 ; spring, 20, 1 96, 1 99-200, 203 , 207-208, 3 64, 387, 389392 ; summer, 387 ; winter, 386-387) Well deity (ching), *55 Wells, dredging of, 29 1 , 294-295, 297, 3 1 1 Wen (Duke of Cheng), 274 (Duke of Chin), 351 . (Former Han emperor), 1 45, 1 98, 224, 226-227, 266, 272, 342, 384 (Sui emperor), 302 Wen Ying )'U1Ji:. 1 59 WH (abbreviation), 84, 86, 105, 1 07, 1 24, 1 42, 1 60, 225, 259, 356, 366, 371 , 384, *400 White Tiger (pai hu), 90, *91 Wilbur, C. Martin, 25, 3 5 , 417 Wilhelm, Richard, 1 6, 5 1 , 80, 89, 1 67, 201 , 227, 264, 275, 342, 345, 403 (sub Hsia hsiao cheng), 404 (sub Lii-shih ch 'un­ ch 'iu), 41 5 (sub Pelliot, Paul) Williams, Edward T., 228, 270, 272, 4 1 7 Wind, Earl o f (Feng Po), * 1 05 , 1 2 1 Winding waterways (ch 'u shui), *28 1 -283, 288 Wine, ch 'ang, * 1 3 5 cold (han chiu), *300 drinking of, 21 7, 2 8 1 -283 pepper (chiao), *66-68, 135, 2 1 7 spring, 143, 371 winter (tung chiu), 65, *66, 68 Wine-drinking ceremony, district (hsiang yin chiu Ii), *362, 368, 370--371 , 373, 376-377, 3 80 ; see also Entertaining the Aged Winter Solstice (tung chih), 1 8-19, 27, *28, 32-33 , 35, 39, 45-47, 51-52, 66, 70, 89-90, 92, * 1 65-1 88, 1 95, 2 1 5-21 6, 289, 291-293, 295, 298, 3 1 1 -3 1 2, 322, 3 86-387, 389, 391 , 393 and gnomon, 1 73 and yin/yang, 1 65-167, 1 74--176, 1 781 79 cessation of activities at, 1 65-1 67, 1 86 degeneration of, 1 88, 2 1 1 -214, 3 1 2 music of, 1 70-- 1 7 1 , 1 78-1 85

prognostications at, 1 67-169, scholastic origin of, 1 88. 214

1 74

437

I NDEX

Winter Solstice (cant.) significance of, 1 65-1 66 See also Summer Solstice Winter wine, see Wine, winter Winter's Beginning (Ii tung), 1 9 , *28, 1 95, 200, 387 Witchcraft, 101 , 1 72 World view, Chinese, 96 Han, 35-4 1 , 1 87, 214, 3 1 2, 391 Wright, Arthur F., 1 60, 41 7 Wu (Chin emperor), 238, 282 (Former Han emperor), 1 3 , 35, 99, 1 0 1 , 1 49, 1 59, 2 1 4, 226, 249, 251-252, 257, 279, 323, 332, 382 Wu, Silas Hsiu-liang, 21 2, 4 1 7 Wu Ch'eng-en :lR:*}g!" 1 3 8 W u Ch'i jffi , 328, 3 3 1 W u Chuang :5E; Jl± , 8 8 Wu Hsien & J8X; , 67 Wu hsing, see Five elements Wu-hsing ta-yi, 94-95, *407 Wu-keng (Quintuply Experienced), *361 , 363-364, 3 66-372 etymology and history of, 372-377 social origin of, 377-379 See also San-lao Wu Liang :lR: R , 1 39 Wu Liang Shrine jt\;�ijiqJ, 1 1 8, 1 22, 1 24, 1 55, 236-237 Wu Tzu-hsii {Ei:'f W, 3 1 5 W u Tzu-mu, 302, *404 (sub Meng liang lu) Wu- Yileh ch 'un-ch'iu, 259, *407 Ya � music, 1 99 Yang, see Yin/yang principles Yang firemaker, see Firemaker, yang Yang Hsiung, 1 3 , 107, 1 24, 259, 3 8 1 , *408 Yang K'un, 76-77, 99, 1 1 2, *412 Yang lao, see Entertaining the Aged Yang Lien-sheng, 3 3-34, 1 42, 1 87, 4 1 7 Yang Yiin �'�, 6 5 , 322 Yao (legendary ruler), 247, 287 Yao Chien !lJt�, 1 22 Yao culture, 4, 273 Year Star (t'ai sui), *93 Yeh-chung (Junior Brothers of the Wasteland), 85, * 1 0 1 , * 1 08, 1 1 2, 307 Yeh Lung �ll'�/Yeh Yang � , 64-65 Yellow Sovereign, see Huang Ti Yellow man's burden, 3 1 0 Yen, Alsace Chun-chiang, 284

Yen Keng-wang, 148, 359, *412

438

INDEX

Yeh Shih-ku, 1 3, 23, 59-60, 67, 1 10, 1461 47, 1 59, 233, 250, 2 6 7 , 271 , 279, 306,

320, 350, 383, *402 (sub Han shu) Yen Ti (Fiery Sovereign), *224 Yen t 'ieh lun, 22, 202, 334-335, 337, *408 Yen Yen-nien, see Chuang Yen-nien YHSFCYS (abbreviation), 8 1 , 1 78, 1 9 3 , , 202, 229, 245-246, 250, 254-255, 276, 278, 3 3 1 , *400 Yi � (archer), 1 34 Yi 5if (barbarians), 3 1 9 Y i £t (legendary minister), 330 Yi iff (river), 278 Yi ching, 1 00, ) 66, 202, 258, 293, 297, 328, *408 Yi Ii, 1 5 , 227, 258, 367, *408 Yi-nan iff ffi tomb, 1 1 8, 1 22-1 27, 1 30, 1 56-1 58, 1 6 1 Yi-wei (t 'ung-kua) yen, 22, 8 9 , 1 68-1 69, 1 7 1 , 1 74, 1 78, 1 8 1 , 1 86, 293, 400, *408 Yi-wen lei-chil, 1 06, 1 52, 295, 343 , *408 Yi Yin fft Jl", 287 Yin Tzu-fang �T.1J, 55-56 Yin/yang principles, *37-3 8, 40, 50-54, 80-8 1 , 1 29-1 3 0 , 1 89, 278-279, 300, 303 , 320, 389 and Winter Solstice, 1 65-1 67, 1 741 76, 1 78-179, 1 92, 1 99, 293 fear of, 290, 294-295, 302, 3 1 1 harmonizing of, 52, 75, 1 70-1 7 1 , 292 intercourse (chiao) of, *245, 290 YinCyang shu, 3 1 8 , 320, *408 Ying-ch'eng-tzu �:!$;T tomb, 1 20, 1 26-1 27 Ying Shao, 2 1 , 41 , 52, 57, 62, 64-66, 68-69, 1 08, 1 28-1 30, 1 96, 1 99, 303, 306, 308-309, 3 1 5 , 3 1 8, 320, 322, 336-3 37, 356-358, 366, *401 (sub Feng-su t 'ung­ yi), *402 (sub Han kuan-yi) Ying-tsung (Ming emperor), 2 1 2 Yong-je ch 'ong-hwa, 92, *406 (sub S ong Hyon) Yii (demon), 85, * 1 01 , * 1 09-1 1 2 Y ii (legendary ruler), 254 Yii (or yu chin), see Turmeric Yii .It (principality), 49 Yii 11 (principality), 232 Yii, Princess nee (Yii shih kung-chu), 268, *269,270 ; see also First Sericulturalist ; Silkworm divinities Yii, to drive, *240 ; to have sexual inter­ course, * 244

Yu,

Wen, 120, 126, 41 6 (sub Rudolph, Richard C.) Yu-ch'ih Kung �H!I�, 1 3 8 ; see also Gate Gods ; Hu Ching-te Yu-kuang (Roving Lights), 85, * 1 0 1 , * 1 08 , 1 1 2, 307 Yu Lu, 82, 85, 1 27-1 3 1 , 1 37, 303 theor:ies about, 1 34-1 36 See also Gate Gods ; Shen Shu Yii Shih, see Rain, Master of Yu Shih-nan, 343, *405 (sub Pei-t'ang shu-ch'ao) Yu Yii, 59, *403 (sub K'uai-chi tien-lu) Yuan (Former Han emperor), 6 1 , 266, 279, 385 Yuan Chen, 206, *408 Yuan Feng �li, 379 Yuan Shan-sung, 62, *402 (sub second Hou Han shu) Yuan Shao �Ki:l (general), 280

YUan-shih Ch'a1!J!-ch'ine chi. 206, .4Qg (sub Yuan Chen) Yuan Wa, Lady (yi.ian Wa fu-jen), 268, *269-270 ; see also First Sericulturalis t ; Silkworm divinities Yueh culture/region, 4, 1 09-1 1 0 Yuen ling, 1 6, 5 1 , 5 5 , 5 7 , 68-70, 80, 1 32, 1 67, 1 89-1 92, 1 95, 1 97-201 203 205' 2 1 5 , 224-226, 23 1 , *408, and pass'im Yueh ling chang-chil, 8 1 , 1 93, 202, 245, 250, 255, 278, *408 Yuen-wei hsieh-t'u-cheng, 22, 1 78, *409 Yun-yang (place), *297

von Zach, Erwin, 84, 86, 1 02, 1 07, 1 24, 1 42, 1 60-1 6 1 , 225, 259, 356, 366, 371 , 3 84, 400 (sub WH ; Chang Heng), 405 (sub Pan Ku), 408 (sub Yang Hsiung) Zithers and lutes (ch'in and se), * 1 8 1

439