Change In The Perspective Of Cultural Anthropology, Chinese Mourning

Mourning garment is a kind of apparel which is used in funeral when people mourning for the dead.Chinese mourning garment culture has a long history as far back to the Spring and Autumn Period.And it was further developed by Confucianism from the Funeral Ceremony of Zhou Dynasty and other folklore,and was standardized with institution according to the current need of patriarchal society. However,it became a type of political apparel after being adopted by Feudal Governing Classes.Owing to its strict grading,long-winded ceremony and rich humanistic intension, Chinese mourning garment is far more just an apparel;As an essential content to ancient Chinese ceremony,mourning garment system was specially observed by governors,and was adjusted and reformed to meet the ruling and social needs of dynasty from one to another;Yet all reformation were tender and tardy in the lengthy feudal age before Late Qing Dynasty.After Opium War,the continuous setback on the invasion resisting awakened the Chinese to review the advantages and disadvantages of traditional culture.In order to save the nation,they are compelled to proceed to modernization with western material civilization and institutional culture;The 1911 Revolution put an end to feudal monarchy,also disintegrated the foundation of mourning garment system for further developing;Fully influenced by concepts of liberty,equality and civil rights,Chinese mourning garment styles were gradually dominated by western-styles.Yet the traditional style did not fully step off the history stage due to the tradition of burial custom.After the founding of New China,the government no longer formalized it with regulations,but vigorously advocated and leaded to cultural funeral,which brought the traditional mourning garment into a new revolution;As a sign of culture,the dress has recorded every minute change of trend and convention that occurred by the social transition.Towards the traditional mourning apparel,there are lots of articles for especially the Five-Garment system,yet,no more constructive research for modern mourning garment culture;With the help of cultural change theory of Culture Anthropology,field research, comparative studies and macroscopic analysis,this article tries to summarize the character of mourning garment reformation in different periods of Chinese history,and reveals the interactive relationship between mourning garment culture and social transformation,and gives a new light to Chinese tradition and modern mourning apparel;Meanwhile,the systematic research of reformation rules of mourning apparel will provide a brand-new theory supports for burial custom revolution and cultural and ideological progress in Chinese New Village.