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24英语笔译 Luo Yan 202470081595 Chinese Coming-of-Age Ceremony

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Chinese Coming-of-Age Ceremony

Introduction

Rituals paly an indispensable role in human social interaction, embodying shared norms and customs. Life-cycle rituals——encompassing birth, coming-of-age, marriage, and funeeral ceremonies——carry profound cultural significance. As one such ritual, the coming-of-age ceremony marks the transition from childhood to adulthood. This article explores traditional and modern Chinese coming-of-age ceremonies and their contemporary relevance.

Traditional Coming-of-Age Ceremonies: Capping Ceremony(Guanli) and Hair-Pinning Ceremony(Jili)

Traditional coming-of-age ceremony is a rite performed when youths reach adulthood, serving as a cornerstone of ancient adult education.Through this ceremony, society educates and admonishes young people, signifying their departure from parental protection and their new responsibilities. In China, the primary ceremonies are the Capping Ceremony(Guanli) for males and the Hair-Pinning Ceremony(Jili) for females. Though distinct, both share similar rituals and procedures.

Capping Ceremony

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Capping Ceremony is the coming-of-age ceremony for aristocratic males. As recorded in Liji(Book of Rites), Qu Li Shang:" At the age of twenty, a man undergoes the Capping Ceremony called 'ruoguan'（弱冠）, signifying that he has reaches adulthood but his body is still not fully robust." At 20, a father or elder brother would crown the youth with a cap in the ancestral temple before esteemed guests, symbolizing his entry into adulthood. Historically evolving from "male coming-of-age ritual"(Chengdingli成丁礼）), Capping Ceremony emerges during the Zhou Dynasty. Throughout the Han Dynasty, it emphasizes adult education, while the Ming Dynasty imbues it with political significance. After the Ming Dynasty, Capping Ceremony declines and eventually merges with wedding ceremonies by the early Republican era(Zhang Jianying 2024,13-14). The traditional Capping Ceremony mainly includes the following procedures:

Divining an auspicious date; Notifying and instructing guests; Divining the chief guest

Several dyas before the Capping Ceremony, an auspicious date is determined through divination(using yarrow stalks or turtle shells) to express good wishes for the initiate. If the divined date is auspicious, it is adopted; if inauspicious, the divination is repeated until a favorable date is found. This process is known as "divining the auspicious date". The host then notifies the guests of the chosen date several dyas in advance and invites them to attend. After the invitees politely declines the first invitation as a formality, they accept the host's reinvitation. This ritual exchange is called "notifying and instructing the guests". Three days prior to the ceremony, a divination is performed to select the chief guest who would confer the caps on the initiate. The procedure mirrors that of divining the auspicious date, known as "divining the chief guest".

Displaying robes and vessels; Laying out mats; Threefold capping

Before the formal ceremony, the host first displays the robes, headgears and sacrificial offerings for the Capping Ceremony, then lays out the ceremonial mats north of the eastern steps in the ancestral temple——where the chief guest would confer the caps on the initiate. This precedes the core ritual: the threefold capping, in which the chief guest successively bestows three caps upon the initiate: first a black cloth cap, then a leather cap, and finally a ceremonial cap. The initiate also changes into three sets of matching robes. After each capping, the chief guest presents distinct blessings, symbolizing the initiate's progression toward adulthood. The escalating nobility of the robe in each capping stage is intended to make the initiate appreciate the journey to maturity.

The chief guest libates the initiate; Bestowing a courtesy name

After the Capping Ceremony concludes, the chief guest libates the initiate with ritual wine and offers congratulations, expressing expectations and blessings for the adult. The initiate then pays respect to his mother, bowing to express gratitude for her nurture. Following the libation, the chief guest bestows a countesy name upon the initiate. This sobriquet is typically used for peers addressing one another or juniors addressing elders, serving as a formal marker of respect.

Performing the ritual of salutation; Escorting the guests

Upon the conclusion of the formal Capping Ceremony, the initiate officially steps into adulthood. At this point, the newly capped adult performs the ritual of salutation to the guests, first paying respects to family members, then proceeding to meet the monarch, ministers, officials and local shcolars and gentry. This sequence of salutations——beginning with family and extending to the court and local community——symbolizes the initiate's transition from familial to social responsibility, marking the gradual assumption of adult roles. Finally, the host offers wine to the guests, presents gifts as tokens of gratitude, and escorts them to the gate of the ancestral temple, thus concluding the ritual（Zhang Qiuyan 2018，16-17）.

Hair-Pinning Ceremony

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Corresponding to the men's Capping Ceremony, the Hair-Pinning Ceremony is the coming-of-age ceremony for ancient Chinese women, commonly known as "topknot ceremony", emerging alongside the Capping Ceremony. "Receiving the hairpin" involves changing the juvenile haiestyle during the ceremony: the hair is coiled into a bun, wrapped with a black kerchief, and then fixed with a hairpin. The ceremony is presided over by the female head of the family, while an invited female guest places the hairpin on the maiden, signifying her adulthood and eligibility for marriage(Xu Xiaopan 2023,9). After the ceremony, noblewomen typically receive adult education in the royal palace or clan ancestral hall, instruct in the "four female virtues": fude(moral conduct), furong(deportment), fugong(domestic skills), and fuyan(eloquence). These encompass the ethics for interacting with others, the manners for serving in-laws, and practical skills like needlework——essential for a wife in traditional society.

Following the Hair-Pinning Ceremony, young women are deemed eligible for marriage and assume responsibilities as newly adult members of the family, initiating their roles as wives and later mothers in their husband's households(Zhang Cainian 2022,3). Under the ancient Chinese patriarchal tradition, the Hair-Pinning Ceremony is typically conducted shortly before marriage. However, if a woman remains unbetrothed, she would still undergo the ritual at age twenty to mark her entry into adulthood. This practice highlights the greater flexibility in the timing of the Hair-Pinning Ceremony compared to the fixed age of twenty for the Capping Ceremony for males. Its procedures parallels that of the Capping Ceremony, including threefold hair-pinning, paying respects to elders, and bestowing blessings. The core threefold hair-pinning mirrors its male counterpart but with distinct specifics: instead of successive caps, the maiden receives hairpins of increasing elegance——a wooden pin, a jade pin, and finally a ceremonial pin——symbolizing her transition from girlhood to womanhood.

Modern Coming-of-Age Ceremony

The modern 18-year-old coming-of-age ceremony originates in the 1990s. This innovative activity is quickly promoted by the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League of China and gradually developed into the "Coming-of-Age Ceremony" across all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China. On December 18,1993, the first 18-year-old coimg-of-age ceremony was solemnly held in front of the People's Heroes Memorial Tower on the Bund in Shanghai. For more than three decades, this activity——centered on patriotic education and aimed at fostering adolescents' sense of social and moral responsibility upon reaching adulthood——has generated a strong social response. Take schools' coming-of-age ceremony as an example(Zhang Jianying 2024,19-20）:

Passing through the door of adulthood, the door of talent, and the door of success

This tradition not only embodies expectations for students' growth but also contains rich cultural connotations. Firstly, "the door of adulthood" serves not just as a symbol in the coming-of-age ceremony, but as a reminder for students——alerting them to think independently and take responsibility for their actions. Secondly, "the door of talent" encapsulates the school's hopes for students' academic achievements, and encourages them to strive for continuous learning, enhance their comprehensive quality, and become useful members of society. Finally, "the door of success" not only commends students for their perseverance and courage to forge ahead but also expresses high expectations for their upcoming college entrance examination.

Flag-raising ceremony; Oath-taking; Presentation of the Constitution

As the primary front for cultural and ethical education, schools are committed to students' all-round development. The coming-of-age ceremony, as a part of schools' ritual education, conveys the nation's core socialist values to students through processes like the flag-raising ceremony, oath-taking, and presentation of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China. This aims to nurture students' patriotic feelings and sense of ownership, while inspiring thier responsibility and mission wotard society and the country.

Gratitude to parents

Of all virtues, filial piety comes first. Influenced by Confucianism, "filial piety" is a highly valued cultural concept and supreme moral ethic in our tradition, permeating the entire educational process. Therefore, in the coming-of-age ceremony held by schools, this part embodies the national value orientation. It teaches students to be grateful for their parents' sacrifices and love, cultivates a sense of gratitude, makes them aware of the close bond with family and kinship, reminds them to assume their responsibilities as children, forters correct family values, and clarifies their relos and duties within the family.

the Coming-of-Age Ceremony in Ancient Japan

The rite of initiation to adulthood in Japan is called as Coming of the Age ceremony. This adulthood initiation rite had a highest semiotic status in Japanese traditional culture. Adulthood Rites for boys in ancient Japan used to be held around age of 11-15 years old. This initiation rite was called as Genpuku, which is considered to be an important ritual that affected the whole life course of a boy. In ancient times, in the period between early childhood and Genpuku, Japanese boys were called as wakashuu. Genpuku rite was known as kanrei amongst the court nobility of ancient Japan and involved special guidance before initiation rites. Capping ceremony was the main part of Genpuku, which symbolized a ritual clothing ceremony of the child to adulthood wearing. Traditional Japanese rites of adulthood for girls was called Mogi that involved certain symbolical ritual elements such as new adult clothing for girls with presenting a token gift as pleated skirt. Girls also blackened their teeth, this rite was called Ohaguro. Initiation rites for girls also included the rite of Hikimayu – removing eyebrows and repainting it in a new make-up. Then girls received a new hairstyle by tying the long hair on a top. Moreover, girls were taught about new social responsibilities and traditional customs, art and history, as well as the way of being a good wife and mother（Batkalova, Kuralay and Anuar Galiev 2016,6）

The Inherited Value of the Coming-of-Age Ceremony

First, it reinforces self-awareness. The essence of the coming-of-age ceremony lies in marking the important transition from dependence to independence, from adolescence to adulthood. It not only signifies physical maturation and age progression but also symbolizes the development of an "adult" mindset.

Second, it carries cultural heritage. As an essential part of traditional culture, the coming-of-age ceremony is rich in historical memory and cultural meaning. It is not only a milestone in an individual's growth but also a vessel for cultural transmission. Through the ceremony, young people can engage with the essence of traditional culture, gain insights into ancestral wisdom and teachings, and help draw more public attention to traditional practices, thus promoting cultural dissemination and preservation.

Third, it fosters social cohesion. The coming-of-age ceremony is a collective ritual with strong social cohesion. It brings together people of different ages, genders, and regions to witness and take part in this significant moment. Such communal participation helps bridge generational gaps, eliminate gender biases, and overcome regional cultural differences（Wang Fei, Shi Haiquan 2025,117-118）.

Trems and expressions

成人礼 coming-of-age ceremony

冠礼 Capping Ceremony(Guanli)

笄礼 Hair-Pinning Ceremony(Jili)

成丁礼 male coming-of-age ritual(Chengdingli)

筮日 divine an auspicious date

戒宾 notify and instrust guests

筮宾 divine the chief guest

受冠者 initiate

陈服器 display robes and vessels

布席 lay out mats

三加 threefold capping/hair-pinning

缁布冠 a black cloth cap

皮弁 a leather cap

爵弁 a ceremonial cap

宾醴冠者 the chief guest libates the initiate

取字 bestow a courtesy name

行拜见礼 perform the ritual of salutation

送宾 escort the guests

Questions

1. What are the Guan Li and Ji Li ceremonies? Who are they intended for respectively?
2. At what age did males typically undergo the Capping Ceremony, and who presided over it?
3. At what age did females typically undergo the Hair-Pinning Ceremony, and who presided over it?
4. What are the main procedures of the Capping Ceremony?
5. What are the main procedures of the Hair-Pinning Ceremony?
6. What is the significance of the coming-of-age ceremony in today's society?

Answers

1. The Capping Ceremony is the ancient Chinese coming-of-age ceremony for young men, signifying their entry into adulthood, and it is applicable to men. The Hair-Pinning Ceremony is the ancient Chinese coming-of-age ceremony for young women, signifying their entry into adulthood, and it is applicable to women.
2. Ancient men generally held the Capping Ceremony at the age of 20, and it was usually presided over by their father or an elder.
3. Ancient women generally held the Hair-Pinning Ceremony at the age of 15, and it was usually presided over by their mother or an elder.
4. The main procedures of the Capping Ceremony include: divining an auspicious day, divining the chief guest, threefold capping, each with different meanings, bestowing a courtesy name, and libating the initiate by the chief guest.
5. The main procedures of the Hair-Pinning Ceremony include: divining an auspicious day, divining the chief guest, threefold capping, each with different meanings, bestowing a courtesy name, and libating the initiate by the chief guest.
6. The coming-of-age ceremony has significant meaning in contemporary society. It helps young people clarify their responsibilities and obligations, enhances their sense of social responsibility and belonging, and also aids in the transmission and promotion of traditional culture, strengthening cultural confidence.

References

[1]Batkalova, Kuralay, and Anuar Galiev. "Rites of passage in Japanese traditional culture." The IAFOR International Conference on Japan & Japan Studies 2016: Official Conference Proceedings. 2016: 6

[2] Wang Fei王妃, Shi Haiquan石海泉. 守正创新：传统仪式育人功能的时代解读——以成人礼为例[Upholding tradition and innovating: A contemporary interpretation of the educational function of traditional rituals—Taking the coming-of-age ceremony as an example][J].产业与科技论坛Forum on Industry and Technology,2025,24(04):117–118.

[3] Xu Xiaopan徐小盼. 汉族传统冠笄礼服饰的文化传承及其创新应用[Cultural inheritance and innovative application of traditional Han Chinese coming-of-age ceremonial attire][D].江南大学Jiangnan University,2023,9.

[4] Zhang Cainian张彩念. 传统成人礼服饰考证及其现代设计实践[Study on traditional coming-of-age ceremonial clothing and its modern design practices][D].江南大学Jiangnan University,2022:4.

[5] Zhang Jianying张剑英. 成人礼文化传承及传播研究[Research on the inheritance and dissemination of coming-of-age ceremony culture][D].西南科技大学Southwest University of Science and Technology,2024:13–14,19–20.

[6] Zhang Qiuyan张秋燕. 中国传统成人礼与当代青年成人教育[Traditional Chinese coming-of-age ceremonies and contemporary youth adult education][J].山西青年职业学院学报Journal of Shanxi Youth Vocational College,2018:31(03),16–17.

AI Statement

To help me to write my final paper, I have used the following AI chatbot: ChatGPT and Doubao.

At the early stage of writing, due to my limited understanding of the specific rituals and procedures of the coming-of-age ceremony, I first consult resources through Baidu, Google Scholar, and CNKI to build a basic framework in my mind—for example, the fundamental procedures of the Capping Ceremony and Hair-Pinning ceremony. Additionally, I discover that there are significant differences between traditional and modern coming-of-age ceremonies. As a result, the first draft of the paper focus primarily on comparing these two types of ceremonies. In the later stages of writing, I use AI tools to support and improve my work.

First, I have prompted the chatbot Deepseek with the following prompt:“Can you tell me what structural issues exist in this paper?”I found the following problems with the outcome: my paper focus too narrowly on traditional and modern coming-of-age ceremonies, making the content somewhat monotonous and incomplete. I have adjusted the output by the following measures(revising prompt as:“Based on the structural issues mentioned above, what content should be added to improve the structure?”) I enrich the framework by including examples of similar coming-of-age ceremonies from Western cultures, making the content more diverse and persuasive.

Second, the paper includes many culturally specific terms—for example, terms used in the process of Capping Ceremony, such as“divining an auspicious date, notifying and instructing the guest, divining the chief guest, displaying robes and vessels, laying out mats, threefold capping, the chief guest libates the initiate, bestowing a courtesy name, performing the ritual of salutation, and escorting the guests.”Due to my unfamiliarity with these terms, I have prompted the chatbot Doubao with the following prompt:“Can you explain the meanings of these terms?”I found the following problems with the outcome: my understanding of these terms is superficial, and the English translations are not accurate. I have adjusted the output by the following measures（revising prompt as:“Can you explain the accurate meanings of these terms with reference to Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial, James Legge’s translations, or other relevant sources, and provide standard English translations?”）I correct and refine the translations of these culturally specific terms to improve clarity and readability.

Finally, I have prompted the chatbot Deepseek with the following prompt:“Can you help identify mistranslations, omissions, grammatical errors, or logical inconsistencies in the English version of this paper?”I found the following problems with the outcome: my English translation still has some shortcomings and needs further revision and polishing. I have adjusted the output by the following measures (revising prompt as:“Can you point out the specific problematic areas and suggest methods of polishing the translation?”) I then carefully revise and polish the English version to improve the overall quality of the translation.

Throughout the early stages of writing, I maintain a rigorous academic attitude. From topic selection to structural design, I rely on my own independent thinking. When dealing with culturally specific terms, I conduct extensive research using multiple browsers and academic websites to ensure the most accurate translations. In the final stage of completing the paper, I use AI-assisted tools to identify and correct issues in the paper and thereby improve its overall quality.

成人礼

绪言

礼仪在人类社会交往中扮演着不可或缺的角色，它体现了人们共同遵循达的规范和习俗。人生礼仪以诞生礼、成人礼、婚礼和丧葬礼为主要内容，蕴含着丰富的文化价值。成人礼作为其中之一，是未成年人脱离稚气、迈入成人行列的标志性仪式。本文将围绕传统成人礼、现代成人礼以及成人礼的现实意义三个方面展开叙述。

传统成人礼：冠礼和笄礼

传统成人礼是古代青年在达到成人年龄时举行的象征他们迈向成人阶段的一种仪式，是古代成人教育中最重要的一环。传统社会通过举行成人仪式，教育并警示年轻人，使他们认识到自己即将脱离长辈的护佑，必须掌握一定的本领并要独立承担相应的社会责任。中国传统的成人礼主要有男子的“冠礼”和女子的“笄礼”两种，二者虽有不同，但它们的礼节仪式和程序非常相似。

冠礼

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冠礼是古代士族男子的成年仪式。《礼记·曲礼上》载“二十曰弱冠”，古代男子在20岁时要由父亲或兄长在宗庙中为其举行加冠仪式，并邀请德高望重的宾客参加，以此表明其已经长大成人。从冠礼的历史演变过程来看，由“成丁礼”演变而来的冠礼在周朝开始出现，直至汉朝均强调仪式对成年男子的教育功能，明朝的冠礼仪式则颇具政治意味，明代之后，冠礼逐渐衰微，至民国初期，冠礼与婚礼渐渐合为一体（张剑英，2024，13-14）。传统冠礼主要包括一些仪式和程序：

筮日、戒宾、筮宾

在行礼前数日，通过占筮的办法确定举行冠礼的吉日，表达对受冠者的美好祝愿。如果所占日子为吉日即可，若为凶日则需要重新占卜下一吉日，此为“筮日”。主人提前几日将冠礼吉日告知众宾，并邀请他们前来参加仪式，受邀者礼节推辞后，接受主人再次邀请，此为“戒宾”。冠礼的前三天，占卜在冠礼仪式上为受冠者加冠的正宾，其仪式和占筮吉日相同，此为“筮宾”。

陈服器、布席、三加

在正礼之前，主人需要先将加冠所用的冠服、头饰以及祭品等摆出来，并在祖庙阼阶偏北布设好加冠的席位，主宾要在此为冠者加冠。之后便进入冠礼的中心环节：由正宾向冠者进行三次加冠，依次为缁布冠、皮弁、爵弁，冠者也要更换三种不同的服饰与之相配，每次加冠后正宾都会赠予冠者不同的祝词，三次加冠的服饰越来越尊贵，意在让冠者体会成人的过程。

宾醴冠者、取字

在加冠完成之后，正宾要向冠者敬醴酒并祝贺，以表示对其的期许和祝福。而后，冠者要向母亲行拜见礼，以感激其养育之恩。宾醴冠者后，正宾要为冠者取字，“字”一般用于平辈之间相互称呼或晚辈称呼长辈，表示尊重。

行拜见礼、送宾

冠礼正礼完成后就意味着冠者步入成人阶段，此时，冠者要以成人的身份向宾客行拜见礼。冠者首先要拜见家庭成员，然后拜见国君、卿大夫、乡党士绅等。拜见礼由家庭开始，再到庙堂乡里，意味着冠者从家庭走向社会，标志着其逐渐成人。最后，主人以酒敬宾客，送礼物表示答谢，并将宾客送至门外，仪式结束（张秋燕,2018,16-17）。

笄礼

与男子冠礼相对应，笄礼是古代女子的成人礼，俗称“上头礼”，与冠礼同时期兴起。受笄即在行笄礼时改变幼年的发式，将头发绾成一个髻，然后用一块黑布将发髻包住，随即以簪插定发髻。主行笄礼者为女性家长，由约请的女宾为少女加笄，表示少女成年可以结婚（徐小盼，2023，9）。贵族女子受笄后，一般要在公宫过宗室接受成人教育，授以“妇德、妇容、妇功、妇言”等，作为媳妇必须具备的待人接物及侍奉舅姑的品德礼貌与女红劳作等技巧本领。

在行及笄礼之后，女子可以进行婚配，承担起作为新成年女子对家庭的责任，可以在另一个家庭开始其作为妻子而后作为母亲的家庭生活（张彩念，2022，4）。中国古代男尊女卑的社会风习下，笄礼只有在女子婚嫁前才举行。但是，如果一直待嫁未许人，则年至二十也行笄礼，以此标志她们进入成年阶段。由此可见，相对于男子冠礼，女子及笄礼举办的年龄更加灵活。其流程与男子冠礼相似，由三加、拜见长辈、祝辞等议程。突出中心环节“三加”，只不过具体内容有所不同。

现代成人礼

现代意义上的18岁成人礼仪始于20世纪90年代。这一具有创新性的活动很快得到共青团上海市委的推广，并逐渐发展成为遍及全国各省区市的“成人节”。1993年12月18日，上海外滩的人民英雄纪念塔前，第一届18岁成人仪式隆重举行。三十多年来，这一以爱国主义教育为核心，旨在激发青少年成年后社会责任感和道德感的仪式教育活动，在社会上引起强烈反响。以学校成人礼活动为例（张剑英，2024，19-20）：

过成人门、成才门、成功门

这一传统不仅体现了对学生成长的期望，也蕴含着丰富的文化内涵。“成人门”不仅是成人礼过程中的一个象征，更是对学生的一种警示，可以提醒学生开始拥有的权利和义务，告诫他们要学会独立思考并为自己的行为负责。“成才门”不仅饱含了学校对学生在学业成就上的期许，也是对学生通过不断努力学习、提高自己的综合素质、成为社会的有用之才的鼓励。最后的“成功门”不仅是对学生们坚持不懈、勇往直前的精神的赞扬，更对学生们即将迎来的高考寄予厚望。

升旗、宣誓、赠《宪法》

学校作为文化素质教育的主要阵地，致力于学生的全面发展。其中，成人礼作为学校仪式教育的一部分，在举办仪式活动的过程中，通过升旗、宣誓、赠送《宪法》等流程，向学生传达国家社会主义核心价值观，以培养学生的爱国主义情感和主人翁意识，激发学生对社会和国家的责任感和使命感。

感恩父母

百善孝为先，受儒家思想熏陶，“孝”是我们传统中极被重视的文化价值观念，是至高无上的道德伦理，贯穿教育始终。因此，在学校举办的成人礼中，感恩父母这一环节体现了民族价值观念取向，可以教导学生要懂得感恩父母的付出和爱护，培养对父母的感恩心态，让学生意识到自己与家庭和亲情的紧密联系，提醒学生承担起自己作为子女的担当，树立正确的家庭观念，明白自己在家庭中的责任和角色。

古代日本的成人礼

在日本，被称为“成人仪式”的成年礼，是一种具有高度符号意义的传统文化仪式。在日本传统文化中，这一成年的入门仪式被赋予了极高的象征地位。在古代日本，男孩的成人礼通常在11至15岁之间举行。这一仪式称为“元服”，被视为影响男孩一生命运的重要仪式。在从幼年到举行元服之间的阶段，日本男孩通常被称为“若衆”，意指尚未成年的少年。在日本古代宫廷贵族中，元服仪式被称为“冠礼”，举行前需由长辈进行特殊的指导教育。仪式的核心部分是“加冠”——象征着儿童向成年人的转变。日本传统上女子的成人礼称为“裳着”，该仪式也包含一系列象征性的仪式元素。女孩在仪式中会穿上象征成年的新服装，并获得一条象征意义的褶裙作为赠礼。此外，女孩还会进行“黑齿”仪式，即将牙齿染黑，这是成年女性的外在标志之一。裳着仪式还包括“引眉”——将原有眉毛剃除，并以新妆容重新绘制。女孩的长发也会被高高束起，象征着身份的转变和新的责任（Batkalova ,Kuralay and Anuar Galiev 2016,6）。

成人礼的传承意义

第一，强化自我认知。“成人礼”的要义在于标志个体从依赖走向独立、从少年迈向成年的重要转折点，其不仅代表着年龄的增长和生理的成熟，还意味着具有“成人”的意识。

第二，传承文化价值。“成人礼”作为传统文化的重要组成部分，承载着丰富的历史记忆和文化内涵。它不仅是个体成长的标志，更是文化传承的载体。在“成人礼”仪式中，青年人不仅能够接触到传统文化的精髓，了解祖先的智慧和教诲，还能够吸引更多的人关注和了解传统文化，从而促进文化的传播和普及。

第三，促进社会融合。“成人礼”是一个集体性的仪式，具有强大的社会凝聚力。它能够将不同年龄、性别、地域的人们聚集在一起，共同见证和参与这一重要时刻。这种集体性的参与有助于消除社会中可能存在的年龄代沟、性别偏见以及地域文化差异等隔阂。（王妃，石海泉，2025，117-118）

术语与表达

成人礼 coming-of-age ceremony

冠礼 Capping Ceremony(Guanli)

笄礼 Hair-Pinning Ceremony(Jili)

成丁礼 male coming-of-age ritual(Chengdingli)

筮日 divine an auspicious date

戒宾 notify and instrust guests

筮宾 divine the chief guest

受冠者 initiate

陈服器 display robes and vessels

布席 lay out mats

三加 threefold capping/hair-pinning

缁布冠 a black cloth cap

皮弁 a leather cap

爵弁 a ceremonial cap

宾醴冠者 the chief guest libates the initiate

取字 bestow a courtesy name

行拜见礼 perform the ritual of salutation

送宾 escort the guests

问题

1. 什么是冠礼和笄礼？它们分别适用于什么人？
2. 古代男子在举行冠礼时，一般在什么年龄？由谁主持？
3. 古代女子在举行笄礼时，一般在什么年龄？由谁主持？
4. 冠礼的主要流程有哪些？
5. 笄礼的主要流程有哪些？
6. 成人礼对当前社会存在哪些意义？

回答

1. 冠礼是古代男子成年礼，标志着男子正式进入成年阶段，适用于男子。笄礼是古代女子成年礼，标志着女子正式进入成年阶段，适用于女子。
2. 古代男子一般在20岁举行冠礼，通常由父亲或长辈主持。
3. 古代女子一般在15岁举行笄礼，通常由母亲或长辈主持。
4. 冠礼的主要流程包括：筮日（选择吉日）、筮宾（选择主宾）、加冠（三次加冠，分别代表不同的意义）、命字（取字）、醴酒（以酒礼宾）等。
5. 笄礼的主要流程包括：筮日（选择吉日）、筮宾（选择主宾）、加笄（将发簪插入发中）、命字（取字）、醴酒（以酒礼宾）等。
6. 成人礼在当前社会具有重要的意义，它可以帮助年轻人明确自己的责任和义务，增强社会责任感和归属感，同时也有助于传承和弘扬传统文化，增强文化自信。

参考文献

[1]Batkalova, Kuralay, and Anuar Galiev. "Rites of passage in Japanese traditional culture." The IAFOR International Conference on Japan & Japan Studies 2016: Official Conference Proceedings. 2016: 6

[2]王妃,石海泉.守正创新：传统仪式育人功能的时代解读——以成人礼为例[J].产业与科技论坛,2025,24(04):117-118.

[3]徐小盼.汉族传统冠笄礼服饰的文化传承及其创新应用[D].江南大学,2023:9.

[4]张彩念.传统成人礼服饰考证及其现代设计实践[D].江南大学,2022:4.

[5]张剑英.成人礼文化传承及传播研究[D].西南科技大学,2024:13-14,19-20

[6]张秋燕.中国传统成人礼与当代青年成人教育[J].山西青年职业学院学报,2018,31(03):16-17.

AI声明

本人声明在完成此课程论文的过程中使用了AI，尤其使用了Deepkseek以及豆包。

在论文写作初期，因对成人礼的具体仪式、流程不是很了解，于是我先通过百度、谷歌学术以及中国知网查找资料了解成人礼仪式，在脑中构建基本框架。例如，冠礼和笄礼的基本仪式。此外，我查阅资料还发现，传统成人礼与现代成人礼的基本仪式存在较大的差异。于是，论文初稿只要是围绕传统成人礼和当代成人礼展开叙述。到论文写作后期，我使用了AI工具辅助我的写作。

首先，我向Deepseek提出了以下提示：“能不能告诉我该篇论文在结构框架上存在那些问题？”我发现结果存在以下问题：我的论文内容主要关注的是传统的成人礼仪式和当代的成人礼仪式，内容过于单调、不够完善。我通过以下措施调整了输出内容（将提示修改为：“请结合以上提及的论文中存在的问题，告诉我应在结构框架中增加什么内容？”，重新完善了论文的框架结构：我在文中适当增加了西方国家相似的成人礼仪式，让论文内容更加丰富、更有说服力。

其次，该论文中出现了很多文化专有词汇，例如冠礼流程中出现的“筮日、戒宾、筮宾、陈服器、布席、三加、宾醴冠者、取字、行拜见礼、送宾”，在不清楚这些词汇具体含义的情况下，我向豆包提出了以下提示：“能不能告诉我以上这些词汇的真正含义？”我发现结果存在以下问题：我对这些术语的理解不够深刻，很多术语的翻译不够到位。我通过以下措施调整了输出内容（将提示修改为：“能不能结合以上术语的真正含义，查阅《仪礼》、理雅各等相关资料，给出以上术语的标准英文翻译？”），重新完善了文化专有词汇的翻译：我对原有术语的翻译进行了修正，让这些术语的翻译更加准确可读。

最后，我向Deepseek提出了以下提示：“能不能告诉我该论文的英文翻译是否存在错译、漏译、语法错误、逻辑紊乱等问题？”我发现结果存在以下问题：我的英文翻译还存在不足之处，需要进一步修改润色。我通过以下措施调整了输出内容（将提示修改为：能不能告诉我存在翻译问题的具体地方，以及修改润色的方法？”），重新修改了英文翻译内容：我对全文进行了润色，让翻译结果更加可观。

在论文撰写前期，我始终保持着严谨的科学态度，从选题到论文基本框架的建构都是基于我自己独立的想法和思考，对于文化专有词汇，我也都会通过各种浏览器和网站查找其最正确的翻译。在确定论文终稿时期，我确实使用了AI辅助工具，帮助我及时发现论文中存在的问题，并给予我建议，借此进一步提高论文的质量。