A Research On Festivals Of The Six Dynasties

This paper addresses the synchronic study of Chinese festival history.The distinctive festival system of the Six Dynasties was shaped on a basis of which originally formed in Han Dynasty, through the reconstruction of the cultural resources. Not only did it present the precipitation in the evolution of festivals, but displayed various aspects of social life at that time. Therefore, the study of festivals in Six Dynasties is an important content of festival history study, and also it is the key of understanding the society in that period.The paper consists of five chapters.Chapter one first gives an overall description of the historical background in Six Dynasties, afterwards, makes a study of the fundamental conditions of festivals in Six Dynasties, and sets up a research framework of this thesis, all are conducted under the foundation of making full use of materials. Also in this part, festivals of this time are divided into three kinds, and they are age festivals, memorial festivals and religious festivals.The second chapter makes a case study of "Shangsi Festival", which is a typical representative of age festivals. The transformation of "Shangsi Festival" in Six Dynasties reflected in a fixed day of the festival, the modification of the festival purpose, literary gatherings of literary writers and the prevail of banquets held by the emperor, and all of which are obtained through an analysis of "Shangsi Festival" before Six Dynasties.Chapter three makes a case study of Tanabata Festival, which is a typical representative of memorial festivals. This chapter carries on tracing to origins respectively to the legend of The Cowherd and the Weaving Maid, and Tanabata Festival. In fact, there was no relevance between them, but finally they rolled into one in Six Dynasties. From then on, Tanabata Festival gradually focused on praying for wisdom and having a child, than it turned into Qiqiao Festival in reality as well in name.Chapter four makes a case study of The Ghost Festival, which is a typical representative of religious festivals. A conclusion that the ancient Ghost Festival began to assume a new aspect as a result of the integration of Buddhism is drawn through a study of the existing form of Ghost in July and a half, The Ghost Festival, and The Hungry Ghost Festival. Hereafter, Yu Lan Pen Festival walked out of Buddhist temples and walked into the common people's life, which is the major custom in July and a half. However, The Hungry Ghost Festival basing on Taoism was not widely accepted at that time.The last chapter reveals the historical context and time spirit of festivals in Six Dynasties, which are discussed based on the above study and the combination of other festivals'status of development.