伊尹、微子启、管仲等先秦重要政治人物,曾为地位低下者或罪人,他们在得到君主重用前都受过祓礼。这个仪式是一种专门祛除人身秽气的巫术,旨在为受礼者告别卑贱走向高贵打通道路。《战国策·楚策四》"湔祓"一词,即追溯此礼,以寓士人仕宦之志。湔祓仪式源于原始社会的收养习俗,本质上是前国家时代"尊贤"之风与以"亲亲"为特点的"家国一体"政权形态两种文化因素相互碰撞的产物。
Some important political people like Yi Yin, Wei Ziqi, Guan Zhong all had accepted the Fuli, which was a kind of witchcraft that could make people get rid of mephitis and pave the way from humble origins to nobility for the receivers. The phrase "Jianfu" in fourth piece of Zhanguoce could be traced back to the ritual and implied scholars' aspiration for official career. The ritual of Jianfu originated from the custom of adoption in primitive society, which was the touch of custom of "respecting the sage" in the pre-state ages and the system of "family-country integration".