华北水利水电大学学报（社会科学版）

中国自古以龙为本,农业生产与雨水关系十分密切。然而,特殊的自然条件使这个国家经常发生旱灾。当时的生产力水平使人们的认识水平极为有限,不能对降雨这种自然现象作出科学解释,以为雨水可以求得。因此人们常常求雨,形成了形形色色的求雨习俗。龙作为一种传说中的神异动物,虽然仅仅存在于人们的观念之中[1](P1),但是自古就被认为能够兴云布雨,从而成为求雨习俗中的主角。

As an agriculture-based country from ancient times,the agricultural production in China maintains a pretty close relationship with rainwater.However,the special natural conditions bring frequent drought to this country.At that time,the lower productivity had not yet reached the level to resist droughts.And people couldn't give a scientific explanation to the natural phenomenon of rain because of their extremely limited cognitive level,so they thought that the rainwater could be obtained by invocation.To achieve favorable weather,people often prayed for rain and formed a pray-for-rain practice.As a mythical and legendary animal that only exists in the mind of people,the dragon was considered to be powerful to fan the flames of rain and cloud since ancient times,so it became the protagonist in pray-for-rain practices.