On Social-Cultural Value Of Folk Gravestone Couplet And Epitaph

Gravestone couplet and epitaph began to exist very early in China with constant development and improvement, it has formend a comparatively stable format. Being the special expression of Chinese traditional culture in grave burying, gravestone couplet and gravestone epitaph is a mirror that truely reflects how the living were mourning for the dead. When such a form spreads, it is also combined with different fork customs and hence has its unique charm. It does not only record the vicissitude of a family, but also keeps common people's experiences and living in history space which then becomes the folk history document that we can read from everywhere.Confines the research range into fork literature in sub-tradition, the present thesis analyzes the current situation, historic and cultural value and its limitation of gravestone couplets and epitaphs in south-west Hubei with the methods in History and Ethnology, and exposes the social cultural value this special historic information carrier embodys and its contribution to the presevation of folk literature heritage.The present research can be divided into three aspects. First, with the gravestone couplet and gravestone epitaph examples in south-west Hubei, the research explores the derivation and development history of gravestone couplet and gravestone epitaph and states its history, current situation and significance. Second, the research discusses that gravestone couplets and epitaphs are important history witness of ethnic culture development from the perspective of ethnic structure changes, ethnic ethic view, life-death view and fork arts, etc. Its document values lies on that it could not only complement the insufficiency of history document but also provides thorough proof for the local people to trace their origins. Third, the research expounds the limitation of fork gravestone couplets and epitaphs and shows that the limitation mainly are the praise and exaggeration in content, feudalism in ideology and low taste, etc.In general, gravestone couplet and epitaph can trace the change of local ethnic communities and fork. Meanwhile it can be the witness to the man of the time in history and greatly shows the virtures of Chinese people devotes to the country. In nowdays society, this speical culture form undoubtly has its unique significance and function in strengthening cohesion of Chinese ethnic communities.