菜蔬素齋：中國中古時期素食的潔淨象徵與功能

The Symbol and Function of Cleanliness of the Vegetarian in Medieval China

本文探討中國中古時期素食「潔淨化」過程，聚焦於素食的潔淨象徵與功能。首先討論祭祀前齋戒的素食化現象，從原本禁食氣味濃烈的辛臭類食物，進而將有腥羶氣味的肉類也包括在內，兩者皆被視為不潔淨的食物。再從社會上所習用的詞語變化，觀察素食的潔淨象徵，以菜、蔬、素、齋四字為例來說明。菜、蔬二字都只是指可食用的植物。中古時期開始，素、齋二字漸漸流行，素字有白色、無飾等意義，故「素食」一詞會讓人聯想到潔淨、質樸的意涵。「齋食」則是佛教和道教飲食的常用詞語，具有宗教神聖性的潔淨、崇敬之義，加上齋字本義具有與齋戒相關的戒潔、莊敬、誠意等意涵，「齋食」一詞因而具有潔淨、誠心、敬意等象徵意義。綜上所述，素食的潔淨象徵與功能是從中國中古時期開始出現與流行，影響及於後世。

This study investigates the symbolic meanings and functions of cleanliness in vegetarian food. The first aspect is about the vegetarianization of fasting. The meaning of“omnivorous”had started to change during the Middle Ages. Because of the poignant odor of such dishes, the meaning of“hun”葷was transferred from not eating foods with pungent tastes to not eating foods including the ingredient of meat, both of which are regarded as the unclean food.
Next, analyzing the cleanliness of vegetarian food from changes in the meanings of words, in this paper four words are discussed, namely“cai”菜,“shu”蔬,“su”素,“zhai”齋. Both“cai”and“shu”two words that refer to foods derived from edible plants. The word“su”has the meanings of“white”and“undecorated”, which make the word“vegetarian”carry the meanings of“cleanliness”and“asceticism”. The word“zhai”has the connotations of“solemnity”,“abstinence”and other ideas related to fasting; at the same time,“zhaishi”齋食is a common expression linked to the diet of Buddhism and Taoism, associated with the meanings of cleanliness and reverence for religious holiness.