Banquet for Community Leaders and Rural Elders

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于鄉(xiāng)間設酒宴酬賓之禮，是古代人倫生活中的一項重要禮儀。“鄉(xiāng)”是古代的基層行政區(qū)劃單位。“鄉(xiāng)飲酒禮”在“鄉(xiāng)”間舉行，因其用意的不同，可大體分為兩類：一類是宴請鄉(xiāng)中德行賢良之士，以彰顯對賢者的尊崇；另一類則由基層行政長官主持，宴請鄉(xiāng)中年長之人，以表達對長者的尊敬與關愛?！班l(xiāng)飲酒禮”對于維護、調和基層的人倫秩序具有重要意義。

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This was an important social function in ancient China. On the basis of their purpose, such banquets can generally be divided into two kinds: one was to entertain virtuous people in the locality in a display of respect for them; the other was hosted by local officials to entertain the elders to show respect and care for them. Such banquets were important in maintaining moral order in rural communities.

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引例 Citation：

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◎鄉(xiāng)飲酒之禮，六十者坐，五十者立侍，以聽政役，所以明尊長也。六十者三豆，七十者四豆，八十者五豆，九十者六豆，所以明養(yǎng)老也。（《禮記·鄉(xiāng)飲酒義》）

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鄉(xiāng)飲酒禮規(guī)定，六十歲以上的長者就座，五十歲以上的人站立陪侍，以聽候政事差遣，所以彰顯對年長者的尊敬。六十歲以上的長者享用三豆菜肴，七十歲以上者享用四豆菜肴，八十歲以上者享用五豆菜肴，九十歲以上者享用六豆菜肴，以彰顯對年長者的奉養(yǎng)。

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At banquets hosted for village elders, those who were over sixties sat, and those who were only in their fifties stood to serve them, and this shows that the elders were honored. Those in their sixties had three dishes, those in their seventies four, those in their eighties five and those in their nineties six, thus demonstrating care for the aged. (The Book of Rites)