The Eight Immortals Table is a practical utensil, which not only has basic practical functions, but also undertakes the function of indoctrination, and the cultivation of many cultural customs is completed by using the Eight Immortals Table as the carrier.
Whether it is the spatial layout of the central axis symmetry or the orderly seating ceremony of the elders and children, it reflects the respect for "etiquette" in traditional Chinese society and people's interpretation of social order.
Dominate the nave
In the traditional form of Chinese living environment, the role and location of the Eight Immortals Table is very important.
Usually, the Eight Immortals table is placed in the middle hall of the main house, and this form is still retained in the life of ordinary people in many areas.
The central unit of traditional Chinese housing is a space composed of a series of furniture and a family hall or calligraphy and painting plaque hanging on the wall.
The ancient Chinese middle hall adopts the layout form of axial symmetry, generally a table and two chairs of the spatial layout form, that is, a table of eight immortals in the middle, and an armchair on the left and right, known as the "Taishi Chair".
The symmetrical pattern of one table and two chairs began to form in the middle of the Northern Song Dynasty, and by the middle of the Song Dynasty, a pattern of two people sitting opposite each other was formed.
The Ming Dynasty inherited the form of one table and two chairs in the Song and Yuan Dynasties, but it had not yet formed a fixed set of furnishing methods, and the symmetrical pattern of one table and two chairs in the Qing Dynasty was fixed.
The layout and furnishings of traditional Chinese architecture adopt the form of central axis symmetry, which is not only the center line of representation, but also the embodiment of order.
Corresponding to the furnishings of the middle hall, the Eight Immortals Table is placed in the middle of the middle hall, that is, on the central axis of the main house, and there are east and west compartments outside the main house, symmetrical left and right, corresponding to the eight immortals table on both sides equipped with two Taishi chairs.
The middle hall is generally furnished in a pattern of eight immortal tables and armchairs such as the Taishi chair, with the right hand side being the east side.
The interior of the nave with a ceremonial nature is arranged like this: the Taishi chair on both sides of the Eight Immortals Table is the place where the host and the guest meet, the east is the main, the west is the guest, and through the chair, there are differences in materials, scale, shape and even structure, in order to strengthen the orderly relationship between the guest and the host.
Because the eight immortals table shape system is regular and square, more solemn and solemn than other round tables, strip tables and tables with different shapes, it is suitable for various occasions in life, at the same time, because it is more convenient and easy to lift than other paintings and long tables, so the eight immortals table is set up in the middle of the house to symbolize the core position of the middle hall, which not only cooperates with the rules of the whole house, but also facilitates the use of it at any time.
In ordinary families, the middle hall symbolizes the prestige and absolute authority of the family, in the traditional family that attaches importance to family order and ethics, the middle hall space with ancestor images, the placement of ancestral tablets and the sitting of the family elders is the core and cohesion of a family, so it is necessary to strictly follow the requirements of the Confucian etiquette system and symmetry, highlighting the order and majesty of "orderly longevity and childhood".
The shape of the eight immortals table and the configuration of the Taishi chair together form an absolutely symmetrical format of the middle hall, and the absolutely symmetrical layout is conducive to strengthening the sacredness of the middle hall, which is a centripetal and cohesive plan layout.
The square structure of the Eight Immortals Table is suitable for and conducive to the pattern of the dominant middle hall, which is convenient for the definition of the upper and lower left and right space orientations, and can create a spatial atmosphere of divine majesty.
Through the pattern of the middle hall dominated by the Eight Immortals Table, it is convenient for people to form central and orderly life behaviors and habits, and at the same time, it is conducive to the cultivation of people's sense of order.
The sacredness of the nave is reflected in the fact that it is a medium connecting ancestors and present descendants.
As far as the general family is concerned, the layout of the middle hall is generally as follows: the front of the middle hall is placed against the wall with a large strip, and the wall above the strip case is hung with the portrait of the ancestors, or enshrined with bodhisattvas, and the table is placed with refreshments, incense burners, and floral crafts.
However, the customs of various places are not the same, and all parts of the southeast, such as Fujian and Anhui, place a large clock in the center of the case, put a porcelain bottle on the left, and display an interstitial screen on the right, which means "lifelong peace", and the north rarely places a large bell.
Therefore, the articles, the decorations on the case, and the ancestral portraits hanging on the walls together constitute a sacred space, symbolizing the deceased ancestors, as well as the family laws and rules handed down by the ancestors, this space is like the ancestral hall and the god box in the family, which is full of majesty and awe.
In front of the case is a table of eight immortals, equipped with two Taishi chairs on either side, and occupies the center of the room.
This "one table and two chairs" has become a medium connecting the sacred space behind it and real life, where family members can do activities, communicate, reunite, and reflect and grow in front of their ancestors, so the Eight Immortals Table plays a very unique and symbolic role in the family, reminding people to always remind, correct their words and deeds, and clarify their identity in the family.
Standardize seating etiquette
As early as ancient China, the relationship between "yin and yang", "up and down", "primary and secondary", "long and young" and so on was formed, and this mutual relationship was also reflected in the traditional Chinese food etiquette.
The dietary ritual is not concerned with the diet itself, but the practice of "ritual" through the consumption of food. The most central part of the Chinese food ceremony is the second ceremony.
The seating ceremony has appeared in the primitive society, the slave society and the feudal society period are more prominent, since the appearance of the eight immortals table, the seating of the banquet is more prominent, the square shape of the eight immortals table is suitable for the arrangement of the seating, and through the emphasis on the seating, a humanistic order is created.
Seats in China are generally arranged according to the age, generation, position, and social relations.
Through the specification of seating, the traditional ethical concept of longevity and order can be strengthened, and the personality and mental state and quality of the user can be subtly affected.
The layout of traditional Chinese buildings and furniture should conform to the identity status and cultural connotation represented by the orientation, and the traditional Chinese food and drinking customs are the most direct channels for reflecting this orientation.
"King Xiang stayed with Pei Gong and drank on the same day. King Xiang and Xiang Bodong sat facing east, and Father Ya sat south. Sub-father, Fan Zengye. Pei Gong sat north, and Zhang Liangxi sat in the west. Fan Zeng counted the Number of Xiang Wang, and cited the three who pei YuJue to show it, and the Xiang King silently should not. ”
It can be seen that Xiang Yu sits in the east direction of the most honorable, Ya Father sits in the south direction of the second honor, and Liu Bang sits in the third seat, facing different directions according to the different status and inferiority.
"Set up chairs left and right, and then sit down one by one to receive the salute... Then he scattered the money and wrapped up gold and silver and other things. When a feast is placed, men and women sit back and offer TuSu wine, hehuan soup, auspicious fruit, and ruyi cake."
"Dream of the Red Chamber" also pointed out that it is necessary to sit in accordance with the norms of the elderly and the young, the male east and the female and the west in turn, which shows that the specification of the seat in ancient China is very exquisite, and the scope of use of the seat in turn is also relatively extensive.
From ancient times to the present, due to the evolution of tables, the arrangement of seats has changed accordingly.
Today, the tedious order of feasting and drinking has been simplified, but the necessary etiquette has been preserved.
Traditional Chinese banquets generally use the Eight Immortals table, and the placement of the Eight Immortals Table generally follows the principles of "sitting north and facing south", "Shangzuo Zundong" and "facade positioning".
Since most of the ancient Chinese architecture is "sitting north and facing south", facing the south, the opposite is the upper seat, and the two sides are partial seats.
"South" is a symbol of power and status in the minds of Chinese, and is influenced by the Confucian concept of "filial piety", which generally allows the elderly or powerful people to sit in the upper seat, and others can only enter the seat after the upper seat is seated.
The modern seating pattern is generally two sides of the seat, the elderly, the guest of honor or the person of higher status sit on the seat, the male and female hosts or accompanying guests sit down, and the rest of the guests sit in the order of the side seats.
In informal banqueting venues, in addition to the arrangement of seating, the requirements for other positions are more different depending on the customs of each region.
Regardless of the north and south, generally according to the principle of left is respected, right is secondary, upper is respected, lower is second, middle is respected, and partial is secondary, while in the West, it is considered that the right is respected and the left is secondary.
In the above-mentioned seat pattern, the seat pattern of the elderly and the young, as well as those of men and women, cannot be changed at will, and it can also be seen that the concept of orderly growth and childhood is deeply rooted in the Chinese ideology.
In addition, the placement of the eight immortals table is also more exquisite, generally in the informal banquet, the texture of the table to face the door, some small and medium-sized banquets due to a limited number of eight immortals table, so usually more than two eight immortal tables for splicing, generally two tables horizontal or two tables vertical splicing is the most appropriate.
If the two tables are arranged horizontally, the main table in the horizontal row will face the front mouth and is generally placed on the right side.
If the two tables are arranged vertically, then the Eight Immortals table that is farthest from the main entrance is the main table.
If the banquet consisting of three or more tables of eight immortals will also take into account the distance of the other tables from the main table, in general, the closer to the main table, the more noble the status of the table.
In ancient China, there were also obvious rules on the order in which dishes were placed.
"Whoever eats, the left dish is the right quilt, the left of the eater, and the right of the soup dweller." Outside the hot place, inside the sauce, on the right of the sliced shallots, and to the right of the syrup. Those who are vulgar, left and right".
The etiquette for placing dishes is that the dishes with bones are placed on the left, the meat is placed on the right, the dried dishes are placed on the left hand side of the person, the soup is placed on the right hand side of the person, the grilled meat is placed farther away, the sauce is placed nearby, the mixture such as green onions is placed next to it, and the drinks such as wine and soup are placed in the same direction.
If you want to put dried meat, beef breasts and other dishes separately, then the curved on the left, straight on the right, today, although the placement of dishes although not as strict as the above norms, but also to follow a certain norm, the superior dishes are generally placed in the elderly, the elderly and other more honorable people nearby.
Toasting in order is also an indispensable part of the Chinese dinner, toasting in order of age, position, and the identity of guests and hosts.
At the time of dinner, we must gradually toast to the elders, bless the health, toast the relatives, thank each other for supporting each other, give the future students a drink, and wish the flying Yellow Tengda.
Leave the table with the senior, the elderly and the women first. Leave from the left and insist on "left in and left out".
The four-square shape of the Eight Immortals Table integrates the ancient Chinese concept of spatial orientation, and this special shape is conducive to strengthening the traditional Chinese social ethics concept of orderly growth and childhood reflected by the division of seats, and further strengthening social order through the orderly social ethics concept of longevity and childhood.
The decoration of the Eight Immortals Table in the middle hall is closer to the humanistic meaning, reflecting the family etiquette of the distinction between the main and the guest, strengthening the solemn and majestic spatial order and sacredness of the middle hall, and the spatial layout of the central axis symmetry presents a stable and orderly state of space, which is a spatial pattern with vitality and historical continuity, and through the strengthening of social order and etiquette, it triggers people's observance and maintenance of traditional ethics and morality.
The placement of the Eight Immortals Table in the nave has gone beyond the simple role of the dining table, becoming the medium and transition connecting the sacred space of "God" and the living space of man, which is the core of human activities and spirit.
* Article source Ming and Qing Furniture Study Society, infringement please inform! Any copyright rights and interests involved, please leave a message or add friends to inform, Hongqiao Red first time to explain or delete and pay the copyright fee!