The Frost's Descent and the Reversed Woman: An Inquiry into the Ritual, Heavenly Way, and Moderation of Pre-Qin Marriage Regulations
This article deeply interprets the twelve characters, 'The Frost's Descent and the Reversed Woman, Ice Thaws and Killing Ceases, One Coitus in Ten Days,' tracing their origins in Pre-Qin classics like the *Rites of Zhou* and the *Book of Rites*. It analyzes the underlying principles concerning temporal restrictions on marriage, Yin-Yang philosophy, agricultural governance considerations, and sexual moderation, aiming to reconstruct the core of Pre-Qin ritualistic thought.
Chapter 11: Monthly Ordinances in Lüshi Chunqiu
Section 1: Records Relevant to Marriage in the Twelve Records
Lüshi Chunqiu provides crucial corroboration regarding the seasonal markers:
I. Mid-Autumn Record: Notes the return of dark swallows (xuán niǎo guī 玄鸟归), signaling the end of the breeding season and the approach of the marriage season.
II. Late Autumn Record: States, "frost begins to descend" (shuāng shǐ jiàng 霜始降), and "all artisans rest... let all enter their chambers" (qí jiē rù shì 其皆入室). The command to enter chambers strongly implies the commencement of the period suitable for domesticity and marriage.
III. Early Winter Record: Notes the beginning of ice formation ("water begins to freeze," shuǐ shǐ bīng 水始冰). This is the height of the marriage season.
IV. Mid-Winter Record: Notes that "tigers begin to mate" (hǔ shǐ jiāo 虎始交). Ancient observers might have used the mating of large beasts as a signposts for human conjugal activity.
V. Late Winter Record: Notes that geese begin to fly north (yàn běi xiāng 雁北乡), and magpies begin nesting, signaling the first stirrings of Yang energy. This marks the end of the deepest phase of concealment, fitting for conception initiated during the preceding months.
VI. Early Spring Record: Notes the thawing of ice (dōng fēng jiě dòng 东风解冻) and the beginning of insect stirring.
VII. Mid-Spring Record: Notes the arrival of the dark swallows and the warning ritual before thunder sounds: "restrain their appearance and repose," reinforcing "ice thaws, cessation kills."
Section 2: General Discourse on the Twelve Records Monthly Ordinances
The philosophy here is that the Dao of Heaven is circular (yuán 圜); human affairs should follow this circular rhythm. "Frost descends, women are wed; ice thaws, cessation kills" is the application of this cyclical harmony to marriage, ensuring it repeats annually in its proper temporal slot.