A Study On The Funeral Custom In The Northwestern Shanxi Province During The Ming And Qing Dynasties

The development tendency of local traditional custom in the view of national etiquette system has always been a study focus to scholars.Funeral is an important part of traditional etiquette system,studying the local funeral custom under the nantional funeral system,from this perspective,to observe the implementation of the nantional funeral system which can find out the interactive process of the nantional funeral system evolutin and local social changes.This is the starting point of the study,at the same time is the foothold of this research.This paper takes the northwestern Shanxi Provinceis as the research object,is derived from its special geographical location.Firstly,it is located in the northwest of Shanxi Province,compared with the south of Shanxi Province,the development of funeral custom is obviously influenced by its local characteristics.Secondly,it is in Han and Mongolian cultural crossing belt,which can interact with the nomadic people frequently,so as to make the specific custom of the funeral etiqutte difficult to take off the influence of the nomadic culture.Funeral etiquette system in the process of the implementation of the northwestern shanxi Province during Ming and qing dynasties,the content of "change" and "constant" are the reflection that the national funeral system evolution and the local social changes.The author makes a detailed analysis of the relation chip between the imperial funeral custom and the regional funeral custom based on a large of historical data.During the Ming and Qing dynasties,the formation of the funeral custom evolution track in the northwest of Shanxi Province.On the one hand,is the result of the cultural characteristics under the influence of its geography and history.On the other hand,is the impact of the national funeral system.The formation of funeral custom in the northwest of Shanxi Province,can't take off the influence of the national funeral ritual and the legal system.Meantime,due to its geographical features,it presents following characteristics,such as:executing national ritual and law relaxly,tending to simple and unadorned,believing indeities and entertaining the dead body.These "similarities" and "different" are not only the passive adaptation of local social changes under the national etiqutte system,but also the adjustment of local initiative to the national etiqutte system,which still has reference significance to the development of etiqutte system in today.From Ming Dynasty to Qing Dynasty,the funeral custom in the northwest of Shanxi Province have both traditional and modern factors.Social development and collision and combination of different cultures.This paper is a perfect integration of unique part and the whole culture,maintaining that both of them should integrate together through communication.By revealing the essence of funeral custom system,the paper tells us that the formation and development of custom are actually for people's sake.Study the history to guide nowadays,the paper takes the funeral custom in the northwest of Shanxi province in Ming and Qing Dynasties as an example,local government should have it's special development in the guide of the central government.On the one hand,the cultural custom should take people as it's core.On the other hand,the reform of rites systems should follow the principle of drawing on essence and discarding the dregs,to balance favour and regulations.