通過對居住在中國湖南省藍山縣的過山瑤中傳承的祭祀儀禮的調查， 可以深切地感覺到從儀禮的實踐和儀禮中所使用的文字資料兩個方面立體 地、全方位地把握瑤族的儀禮知識系統的必要性。透過還家願儀禮，瑤人得 以成為祭司，並獲得法名以列入家先單中，自此取得祖先的身分，享有被後 世子孫祭祀的資格。本文的目的，是經由觀察還家願儀禮，探討這個貫穿儀 禮全程的主題。文中將通過儀禮實踐中能看到的與瑤族始祖神盤王有關的所 有事例，就盤王傳說是如何影響和作用於有關儀禮這一內容進行探討。其中 關於儀式構成中盤王願這一部分，在詳細展示儀式執行過程的同時，以問答 形式的歌唱為焦點就其意義進行考察。 本研究表明，瑤族的渡海神話（瑤族先人在渡海遭遇危險時，向盤王許 願求救，脫難後還願）在儀禮實踐中有明確的反映。其寓意為瑤族在喚起族 人對與始祖神的約定的同時，通過祭祀對不斷受到祖先的恩惠而表示謝意； 同時也喚起族人對本族輾轉相承的歷史的文化自覺和對與祖先關係的再確認。在還家願儀式的前半部分，家家戶戶都要舉行對以前許過的願的還願儀式，而後半部分則會再現在神話世界裡有過的許願還願儀式。在願望實現後的還願儀式中，對盤王的祭祀是必不可少的。對此可以這麼認為，貫穿儀式全程的重要主題就是瑤族人與盤王的祭祀約定和祭祀義務的履行。還家願儀式的這一主題與瑤族的全部儀禮體系中所體現的儀禮性世界觀是密切相聯的。

This research focuses on the recitation of songs about the Yao 瑤 mythic ancestor Pan Wang 盤王, which are performed during “Huanjiayuan 還家願” Initiation Rites among the Guoshan Yao 過山瑤 of Lanshan 藍山, Hunan Province. The data collected strongly suggests that the practices and documents employed during these ceremonies are integral for grasping the essence of Yao ritual knowledge. My research aims at clarifying the overarching theme underlining the “Huanjiayuan” initiation, through which a person’s ordination name would be written down in the household genealogy (jiaxiandan 家先單), allowing him/her to be worshipped as an ancestor after departing this world. The first part of the paper lays out the entire ritual program that involves the recitation of Pan Wang songs, with the discussion centering on how the Pan Wang legend has shaped these rites. In particular, the ritual singing which commences in Q & A form exemplifies why the ritual needs to be held. The paper’s second section confirms that the myth of “Crossing the Ocean” (in which the Pan Wang saved the Yao after they made vows to offer sacrifices to him) is indeed a recurring theme in the ritual. Accordingly, the ritual not only honors the vow that the Yao made to Pan Wang, but also re-affirms the relationship the Yao have with their ancestors. The final portion of the paper reveals that the performance of the first half of the “Huanjiayuan” initiation may vary according to individual vows different surname groups made with Pan Wang, but the performance of the second half invariably represents the myth of “Crossing the Ocean”. Last but not least, the overarching theme of “honoring the vow to Pan Wang” as represented by the “Huanjiay uan” initiation is positively intertwined with other Yao ritual performances.