『禮記』 「禮運」편에 나타난 禮와 天의 관계

Abstract

Since the Li(禮) had originated in sacrificial rites, the ancient Chinese attached importance to sacrificial rites relatively to the others of Five rites(五禮). Thus, to undrestand the relation between Li(禮) and Tian(天) I analyzed ceremonies and customs of ancient sacrificial rites. It was especially concentrated on clearing up the correct meaning of the sentence “Li is necessarily founded on Tian(禮必本於天)” in the chapter of Liyun(禮運) in Liji(禮記). The work arrived at the conclusion as follows. As glancing at the table of contents of ancient ritual codes, we discover that most of sacrificial rites were connected with times and seasons, 24 solar terms. This was because the rotation of four seasons and the change of growth and dying produced a most deep impression on the men of all natural phenomena. Not only did men offered up a prayer to times and seasons but they performed the other sacrificial rites in accordance with that. The change of seasons is produced by movements of heavenly bodies as the sun, the moon, and the stars. In this sense Heaven implied the meaning of times and seasons. Thus, “Li is necessarily founded on Tian(禮必本於天)” in the chapter of Liyun(禮運) can be interpreted as Li is necessarily founded on natural time law, that is, Li is necessarily performed in accordance with the natural time program. Sacrifice rituals is the way man express his gratitude to what is the source of himself. It is interesting that he would perform the ceremony in sympathy with the natural law caused by movements of heavenly bodies.