Rei

In premodern Chinese society, this term refers to traditional social systems and moral regulations. In particular, it refers to the rituals established by the so-called sages of Confucianism (mainly the Duke of Zhou) (mainly the "Three Rites" in the "Zhou Li", "Rites", and "Book of Rites"), and is considered to be part of the Six Classics (Six Arts) and Five Classics. In general, it emphasizes differential order, concrete practice, and restrictive normativity. The character "ritual" was originally related to ritual vessels and festival ceremonies, but came to refer broadly to the order of aristocratic society. Confucius (Kongqiu), who revered the rituals of the Zhou dynasty, that is, the traditional culture of the Zhou dynasty, gave rituals a moral color, and advocated ritual rule (rule by virtue) over the rule of law, and "self-control and restoration of ritual" (conscious practical ethics). Confucians after Confucius, on the one hand, tried to inherit traditional ceremonies, while on the other hand, advanced the theorization of ritual, leaving behind various documents included in the "Book of Rites." Xunzi (Xunqing) placed particular importance on ritual, and developed a theory of ritual, believing that "ritual and righteousness" were invented by sages to maintain social order. Ever since Confucians were involved in the development of the imperial decree system in the Western Han Empire, Confucianism has often functioned as a rites doctrine that theoretically justifies a social order with the state at the top. On the other hand, the study of ritual as a classic was developed based on Zheng Xuan's "Commentary on the Three Rites," and the results of Han and Tang exegesis were compiled in the Tang dynasty's "Book of Rites Zhengy," "Commentary on Zhou Rites," and "Commentary on Rites." Zhu Xi (Zhu Xi) also valued ritual as a "paragraph of the Heavenly Law," and reconstructed the "Three Rites" to create the "Rite Jing Chuan Tong Ji." In addition, in the study of Qing Dynasty evidence, the meibutsu-study aspect of ritual studies produced results, and empirical research on ancient cultural artifacts such as palace carriages and clothing was promoted.

[Takahashi Tadahiko]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国の前近代社会で、伝統的社会制度や道徳規定をさす語。とくに、儒教のいわゆる聖人（おもに周公(しゅうこう)）の定めた礼（経書としては『周礼(しゅらい)』『儀礼(ぎらい)』『礼記(らいき)』の「三礼(さんらい)」が中心）をさし、六経(りくけい)（六芸(りくげい)）や五経の一部とされる。概して、差等的秩序、具体的実践、拘束的規範性を強調する側面がある。礼という文字は、元来、祭器、また祭礼の儀式とかかわるが、広く貴族社会の秩序をさすようになった。周の礼、すなわち周の伝統文化を尊崇した孔子（孔丘(こうきゅう)）は、礼に道徳的色彩を与え、法治に対する礼治（徳による支配）、「克己復礼」（自覚的実践倫理）を主張した。孔子以降の儒家は、一方で伝統的儀礼の継承に努め、一方で礼の理論化を進め、『礼記』に収められるさまざまな文献を残した。荀子(じゅんし)（荀卿(じゅんけい)）は、とくに礼を重視し、「礼義」こそ、聖人が、社会秩序の維持のために考案したものと考え、礼論を展開した。儒者たちが、前漢帝国の典章制度の整備に関係して以来、儒教は、国家を頂点とする社会秩序を、理論的に正当化する礼教として機能することが多かった。他方、経学としての礼学は、鄭玄(じょうげん)の『三礼注』を基礎に進められ、唐の『礼記正義』『周礼注疏(ちゅうそ)』『儀礼注疏』に、漢唐訓詁(くんこ)学の成果がまとめられている。朱熹(しゅき)（朱子）も、礼を「天理の節文」として重んじ、「三礼」を再構成して『儀礼経伝通解』を作成した。また、清(しん)朝考証学では、礼学の名物学的側面に成果があがり、宮室車服など古代の文物の実証的研究が推進された。

［高橋忠彦］

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