The Research On The Community Drinking Rituals Of The Pre-Qin And Han Dynasties

The Community Drinking Rituals was an important part of the rites system in ancient China, and it was also one of seventeen chapters of Yili. In Confucians’ views, it had a significant function in respecting the sage and the old, and it also could regulate the order of community. As an important vehicle to promote moral values to the masses, it has been seriously treated by the Confucian scholars, the Squire, the local officials and even the central government since the Pre-Qin dynasty. Although there were small changes in the middle, from the overall point of view, it was basically throughout the entire traditional society form the Pre-Qin dynasty to late Qing dynasty.The ancient texts documented only a small part of it. There were no records about the time, the place, the participants, the nature, the purposes and the origins of evolution. According to Zhouli and Liji, Zhengxuan believed that there were four styles of the Community Drinking Rituals in the community, such as "Xiangdafu choose the able","Qingdafu treat the sage","Drinking before the Community Archery Rituals" and "Drinking when The Community Laji Rituals". Later scholars inherited and developed his point of view.Compared with traditional research, the research of new era was a great breakthrough, especially in the perspectives and methods. Modern scholars achieved a great deal in the research of its origin, evolution and function. However, there were also three aspects of shortcomings in these studies. Firstly, they rarely suspected the classic, especially the Zhouli; secondly, their research paid little attention to the Pre-Qin and Han dynasties period; thirdly, they were lack of the in-depth analysis of its function, especially respecting the guests.This article specifically study the Community Drinking Rituals of the Pre-Qin and Han dynasties based on previous studies. There are four chapters:The first chapter is the "Introduction", reviewed the ritual studies history, the current situation and determined the purpose and significance of the writing of this article. The second chapter is "the Community Drinking Rituals in the vision of Confucian Classics". This chapter introduced the rites according to the records in Yili, Revealed its Liyi according to the interpretation of Liji, sorted out the opinion of the traditional scholars. The third chapter is "investigation about the actual situation of the Community Drinking Rituals". This chapter interpreted the connotation of Xiang according to reliable historical records, discriminate the understanding of "choosing the able" in the Community Drinking Rituals. This chapter also reveals two errors of Zhengxuan’s view and Restore the real meaning of the Community Drinking Rituals. The forth chapter is "Origins Evolution Implement and function of the Community Drinking Rituals". First of all, this chapter analysis its source by combining with the research of the history of the development of rituals system in the Pre-Qin dynasty, and indicated that the direct resource is the Yanxiangli, which once widely practiced among the nobility of the Western Zhou and the Spring and Autumn period. Secondly, this chapter noted that the time it generated is the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, and it’s creator is Confucian scholars. The investigation of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period to fill the research gaps. Thirdly, this chapter explored the characteristics and role of the Community Drinking Rituals through the analysis of the Pre-Qin dynasty form of society and its evolution, thus revealed the deep political significance of the Community Drinking Rituals behind it.