Textual research on the records about festival custom in the Tang Dynasty in “Travel Notes in The Tang Dynasty for learning Buddhism”

日本僧人圓仁所著≪入唐求法巡禮行記≫記載了他在中國遊歷九年多所見聞的唐代社會生活，節日習俗是其中一個側面。該書所記載的節日有除夕․元日․元宵節․立春節․寒食節․清明節․三月三․五月節․中元節․立秋節․冬至節等, 還有對日本節日和新羅八月十五節的簡短記述。圆仁对除夕․元日․元宵节․寒食清明․中元节․冬至节记载较多, 说明这些节日在当时是重要的大节。他笔下的节日习俗都是佛寺里的, 跟俗世节日生活大体相似, 也有佛寺生活特点。他对中元节盂兰盆会及唐武宗排佛事件记述较详细, 字里行间带有对排佛政策的愤慨和对佛寺劫难的同情。尤为值得注意的是, 他记述了来自朝鲜半岛的新罗僧人及侨民在中国唐朝的部分活动和八月十五节习俗。所記節日生活都是作者的個人經歷和親身見聞, 真實可信, 細節豐富, 是研究唐代節日民俗的珍貴資料。

“Travel Notes in The Tang Dynasty for learning Buddhism” by Yuanren, a Japanese monk, having lived in China for more than 9 years, recorded what the author had seen and heard about social life in Tang Dynasty, such as festival custom. The festivals recorded in the book are New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, the Lantern Festival, the Beginning of Spring, the Cold Food Festival, Pure Brightness Festival, the March 3 Festival, the May 5 Festival, the Hungry Ghost Festival, the Beginning of Autumn, the Winter Solstice, etc. In addition, there are short accounts of Japanese Festivals and the August 15 Festival of Xinluo in the book. The accounts of festival life in the book are authentic and credible with rich details as the authors’ personal experiences and knowledge. These are precious materials about festival folklores of Tang Dynasty.