茶与族群边界：德昂酸茶在文化认同与族群身份建构中的纽带作用

Tea and Ethnic Boundaries: The Bonding Role of De’ang Sour Tea in Cultural Identity and Ethnic Identity Construction

摘要: 本文以云南德昂族的酸茶为研究对象，运用田野调查法与文献分析法，结合巴斯的边界理论与特纳的仪式理论，聚焦德昂酸茶在族群文化认同与身份建构中的作用。研究显示，德昂酸茶作为德昂族文化的核心符号，其文化内涵源于创世史诗《达古达楞格莱标》中的茶图腾观念，蕴含着“人类与万物同源共祖”的传统理念，并通过家庭饮用、社交礼仪、仪式活动等场景形成完整的文化表达体系。在精神层面，酸茶通过祭奉仪式、精神寄托等成为连接人与祖先、自然的媒介，强化了族群文化认同；在族群层面，其独特的制作工艺、社交功能与符号意义，不仅是区别于其他族群的文化标识，更通过代际传承维系着族群内部的情感联结与身份自觉。在现代社会变迁中，德昂酸茶借助非遗保护、产业创新等方式，在坚守文化本真性的同时适应时代发展，持续重塑族群文化边界。本研究揭示了物质文化符号在族群精神文化与族群认同中的多重功能，德昂酸茶作为德昂族文化传承的核心纽带，对维系德昂族族群文化特质、延续民族文化具有不可替代的价值。

Abstract: Taking the sour tea of the De’ang ethnic group in Yunnan as the research object, this paper adopts the methods of field investigation and literature analysis, and combines Fredrik Barth’s boundary theory and Victor Turner’s ritual theory to focus on the role of De’ang sour tea in ethnic cultural identity and identity construction. The results show that as a core cultural symbol of the De’ang ethnic group, the cultural connotation of De’ang sour tea originates from the tea totem concept in the creation epic Dagu Daleng Gelebiao, embodying the traditional philosophy that “humans and all things share the same origin and ancestry”. It has formed a complete cultural expression system through scenarios such as family consumption, social etiquette and ritual activities. At the spiritual level, sour tea serves as a medium connecting humans with ancestors and nature through sacrificial rituals and spiritual sustenance, thereby strengthening ethnic cultural identity. At the ethnic level, its unique production techniques, social functions and symbolic significance not only act as a cultural marker distinguishing the De’ang from other ethnic groups, but also maintain emotional bonds and identity awareness within the ethnic group through intergenerational inheritance. In the context of modern social changes, with the help of intangible cultural heritage protection and industrial innovation, De’ang sour tea has kept its cultural authenticity while adapting to the development of the times, and continues to reshape the boundaries of ethnic culture. This study reveals the multiple functions of material cultural symbols in ethnic spiritual culture and ethnic identity. As a core link for the cultural inheritance of the De’ang ethnic group, De’ang sour tea has irreplaceable value in maintaining the ethnic cultural characteristics and inheriting the ethnic culture of the De’ang people.