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卷十六 志第六 禮三

Volume 16 Treatises 6: Rituals 3

Chapter 16 of 宋書 · Book of Song
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1
"The great affairs of a state are sacrifice and war." Ever since the age of written records and canonical scripture, all have honored this principle; among a sage's virtues, none surpasses reverence for one's father. Hence Sima Qian composed the Treatise on the Feng and Shan Sacrifices, while Ban Gu compiled the Treatise on Suburban Sacrifices, chronicling above the orthodox rites of emperors and kings and below the myriad deities worshipped in the commanderies and kingdoms. Sima Biao likewise wrote a Treatise on Sacrificial Rites to carry on the history of the Later Han. After the dynasty's restoration, the old institutions grew brilliantly complete in their provisions. From that time forward, there were further points of difference and agreement as well. Hence the present compilation and arrangement.
2
On the jichou day of the eleventh month of the first year of Yankang under Emperor Xian of Han, an edict commanded the nobles and ministers to announce sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. He sent Acting Grandee Secretary Zhang Yin bearing the imperial seal and cord along with the written abdication decree, yielding the throne to Wei. At that time Cao Pi had already succeeded as King of Wei and was on a southern tour at Yingyin. The responsible officials then erected an altar at the old city of Fanyang in Yingyin. On the gengwu day, he ascended the altar. Hua Xin, Chancellor of Wei, knelt to receive the seal and cord and presented them to the king. Once he had received them, he descended the altar to witness the burning of offerings, completed the ceremony, and returned. No ancestral accompaniment was performed.
3
使
In the first month of the second year of Huangchu, Emperor Wen of Wei sacrificed to Heaven and Earth at the suburbs and at the Bright Hall. At that time Wei had its capital at Luoyang, and the spirit domains, the Bright Hall, and the Spirit Terrace all followed Han precedents. In the seventh month of the fourth year, as the emperor prepared to tour the east and the main army was about to march out, he had the Minister of Ceremonies offer a single black bull to announce sacrifice at the southern suburb; this thereafter became standard practice. When Emperor Wen died, Grand Commandant Zhong Yao announced his posthumous title at the southern suburb—all were occasions involving suburban rites.
4
On the dingwei day of the first month of the first year of Taihe, Emperor Ming sacrificed at the suburbs to Emperor Wu as Heaven's companion and performed ancestral sacrifice to Emperor Wen at the Bright Hall as companion to the Supreme Lord. At that time the suburban sacrifice institutions of the two Han dynasties were still fully preserved, so what Wei added or reduced can be clearly seen.
5
使
In the eighth month of the fourth year, the emperor toured east and passed through Fanchang. He had Bearer of the Gilded Mace Zang Ba act as Grand Commandant and offer a single black bull in sacrifice at the altar where the throne had been yielded. The Annals of Later Han record that Emperor Zhang ordered Gaoyi to sacrifice at the altar of enthronement. Although this was a practice already carried out in former ages, an altar is built to sacrifice to Heaven, yet the altar itself is not a deity. Now, when there is no service to the Supreme Lord, yet sacrifice is offered at an empty altar—the basis for this is unclear.
6
On the yimao day of the tenth month of the first year of Jingchu, work began to build Mount Weisu south of Luoyang as the Round Mound Altar. An edict said: "When emperors and kings receive the Mandate, none fail reverently to receive Heaven and Earth, thereby manifesting the spirits and gods; they honor and sacrifice to the dynastic line to display merit and virtue. Therefore when the institutions of former ages are already established, the regulations for the di sacrifice, suburban sacrifice, and ancestral temple are complete. In the early days of the Han, following Qin's destruction of learning, they gathered what survived in fragmentary form to restore the suburban sacrifices. From Ganquan, Houtu, Yong Palace, and the Five Altars, the spirit domains and shrine sites were mostly absent from the classics, and because institutions rose and fell without fixed pattern, shifting from one to another—for more than four hundred years the di rite was abandoned. What the ancients had repeatedly established thus came to have gaps. The Cao clan lineage traces to the Youyu clan; at sacrifice at the Round Mound, the founding ancestor Emperor Shun serves as companion, and the Round Mound is titled Imperial Imperial Emperor Heaven. What is sacrificed at the Square Mound is titled Imperial Imperial Empress Earth, with Lady Yi, consort of Shun, as companion. What is sacrificed at the Heavenly Suburb is titled Spirit of Imperial Heaven, with the Great Ancestor Emperor Wu as companion. What is sacrificed at the Earthly Suburb is titled Spirit of Imperial Earth, with Empress Wu Xuan as companion. In ancestral sacrifice, the late father, the High Ancestor Emperor Wen, is honored at the Bright Hall as companion to the Supreme Lord. On the renzi day of the twelfth month, the winter solstice, sacrifice to Imperial Imperial Emperor Heaven at the Round Mound began, with the founding ancestor Emperor Shun of Youyu as companion. From the Zhengshi era onward, through the end of Wei, suburban sacrifice was never performed again.
7
祿
When Sun Quan first assumed the imperial title at Wuchang, he sacrificed at the southern suburb to announce his accession to Heaven. The text reads: "The Emperor, your subject Sun Quan, ventures to use a black bull to announce clearly to Imperial Imperial Emperor and Empress. Han enjoyed the state for twenty-four generations, spanning four hundred and thirty-four years; its cycle of cosmic force and fate ran its course, its blessings and fortunes were exhausted, all under Heaven fell into disorder, and the realm split apart. The wicked minister Cao Pi then seized the imperial regalia. Cao Pi's son Cao Rui succeeded him in wickedness and usurped titles to disorder the institutions. Quan was born in the southeast, encountered the appointed fortune, received Heaven's mandate and took up arms, his will set on saving the age, bearing the mandate to execute punishment—every step was taken for the people. Ministers, generals, chancellors, and officials of the hundred cities in the provinces and commanderies all held that Heaven's will had already departed from Han, the Han house had ended by Heaven's decree, the imperial seat stood empty, suburban sacrifice had no lord, auspicious signs and fine omens came one after another in profusion, and the succession rested upon his person—he could not but accept. Quan feared Heaven's command and dared not fail to obey reverently. He respectfully chose the auspicious day, ascended the altar with firewood burning, and assumed the imperial throne. May you, the spirits, accept this offering! May Wu be sustained on every side, and Heaven's pole be forever tranquil. Thereafter, considering that his residence was not in the central lands, he did not restore or establish the rites again. In his middle years, the ministers submitted a memorial proposing that suburban sacrifice should be restored. Quan said: "Suburban sacrifice should be performed in the central lands; the present place is not the proper one. They submitted again: "All under Heaven—none is not the king's land. A king takes all under Heaven as his home. Formerly King Wen and King Wu sacrificed at the suburbs in Feng and Hao—not necessarily in the central lands. Quan said: "King Wu attacked Zhou and took the throne at Haojing, and sacrificed at the suburbs in the place where he had assumed the throne. King Wen had not yet become Son of Heaven when he established suburban sacrifice at Feng—in what classic is this seen? They submitted again: "We have seen in the Treatise on Suburban Sacrifices in the Book of Han that Kuang Heng memorialized moving the suburban sacrifices from Ganquan and Hedong to Chang'an, stating that King Wen sacrificed at the suburbs in Feng. Quan said: "King Wen's virtue was humble and yielding; he occupied the position of a feudal lord—it is clear he had not yet sacrificed at the suburbs. The classics and commentaries have no clear text on this; it derives from the vulgar scholar Kuang Heng's arbitrary interpretation, not the correct meaning of the canonical texts, and cannot be used. Yu Xi's Forest of Records says: "The Lord of Wu corrected and refuted the suburban sacrifices and pursued condemnation of Kuang Heng; all who witnessed it sighed with approval and praised him. He Chengtian says: "Considering that Quan established his title and succeeded Heaven, yet his suburban sacrifices were deficient—this was certainly wrong. In his final years, although he performed one southern suburb sacrifice, he then had no northern suburb rite. Huan's Annals of Wu: "Quan wished to exalt the principle of honoring the father as companion to Heaven, and posthumously advanced his father Sun Jian with the exalted title Founding Ancestor of Wu. If this account is correct, then in Quan's final years at the suburban sacrifice, Sun Jian served as Heaven's companion. After Quan's death, the three successor rulers through the end of Wu performed no suburban sacrifice—thus Quan never enjoyed the rite of companion to the Supreme Lord."
8
In the first year of Zhangwu, Liu Bei assumed the imperial throne and set up an altar. On the bingwu day of the fourth month of summer in the twenty-sixth year of Jian'an, the Emperor, your subject Liu Bei, ventures to use a black bull to announce clearly to Imperial Heaven, the Supreme Lord, and the spirits of Earth. Han possessed all under Heaven, and its succession was without limit. Formerly Wang Mang usurped the throne; Emperor Guangwu in wrath executed punishment, and the altars of soil and grain were restored. Now Cao Cao obstructed the army and was cruel and forbearing; his son Cao Pi carried on his wicked rebellion and usurped the imperial regalia. Ministers and generals held that the altars of soil and grain had fallen into ruin and Bei should restore them, succeeding the martial virtue of the two ancestors and carrying out Heaven's punishment. Bei alone lacks virtue and fears disgracing the imperial throne; he inquired of the common people, and extending outward to the chieftains of the barbarians, all said Heaven's command cannot go unanswered, the ancestral enterprise cannot long be set aside, the four seas cannot be without a lord—all the realm looked in hope to Bei alone. Bei feared Heaven's majesty and also feared that the Han domain would perish from the earth. He respectfully chose the auspicious day, ascended the altar with the hundred officials, and received the imperial seal and cord. He performed burning and burial offerings and announced his accession to the great spirits. May the great spirits accept this offering! May fortune rest upon the house of Han and forever bring peace to the four seas."
9
In the tenth month of the second year of Zhangwu, an edict ordered Chancellor Zhuge Liang to construct the southern and northern suburban altars at Chengdu.
10
使
On the jiazi day of the twelfth month of the second year of Xixi under Emperor Yuan of Wei, Commissioner with the Staff of Authority, Palace Attendant, and Grand Guardian Zheng Chong, together with Acting Grand Commandant and Director of the Secretariat Li Xi, presented the imperial seal and cord along with the abdication decree, yielding the throne to Jin. On the bingyin day, Jin set up the altar platform at the southern suburb, burned firewood to announce the accession, and performed no ancestral accompaniment. The text reads: "The Emperor, your subject Sima Yan, ventures to use a black bull to announce clearly to Imperial Imperial Emperor and Empress. The Emperor of Wei examined and harmonized with the imperial fortune, continuing Heaven's bright command, and commanded Yan, saying: "Formerly Tang Yao abdicated to Yu Shun, and Yu Shun in turn abdicated to Yu—passing down virtue and leaving instruction through many years. When Han virtue had declined, the Great Ancestor Emperor Wu quelled disorder and aided the people, supported the Liu house, and in turn received the abdication from Han. In the house of Wei, generation after generation faced many troubles and nearly fell into ruin; it truly relied on Jin's virtue of righting and saving, thereby preserving its sacrifices and receiving great aid in hardship. This is the great debt Jin owed to Wei. Extending to the people of the four directions, none failed to obey reverently; founding states and establishing marquisates, proclaiming ritual and clarifying punishments, clearing Liang and Min, embracing Yang and Yue, within the central lands benevolence arose, the eight directions shared one track, far and near hastened in righteousness, auspicious omens repeatedly arrived, Heaven and humanity harmonized in response—none who considered it failed to submit. Therefore I take as model the three sovereigns and thereby gather the great Mandate here. Yan alone lacked virtue to succeed and in declining could not obtain permission. Thereupon the dukes, ministers, scholars, the hundred officials and common functionaries, the people and attendant servants, extending to the chieftains of the hundred barbarians, all said: "Imperial Heaven looks down, seeking the people's afflictions; since the accomplished command already exists, it truly cannot be resisted by declining. Heaven's order cannot be without succession; humanity and the spirits cannot be without a lord. Yan reverently received the imperial fortune, feared Heaven's majesty, and dared not fail to accept the fine command respectfully, respectfully choosing the auspicious day, ascending the altar to receive the abdication, announcing his accession to the Supreme Lord, thereby forever answering the people's hope and spreading blessing over the myriad states. May only the bright virtue be accepted."
11
便 便
In the first month of the second year of Taishi, an edict said: "The responsible officials previously memorialized that suburban sacrifice should provisionally use Wei's rites. I did not consider the difficulty of changing and establishing anew; now let it be made the permanent institution. The multitude of discussions were confused and intermingled, and thus it was not settled in season; I could not in season offer sacrifice to the spirits and gods with the ancestors and late fathers as companions—day and night I sighed and looked forward, reducing my food and forgetting rest. Let suburban sacrifice be performed forthwith. At this time the ministers again discussed: "The Five Emperors are Heaven; the five cosmic forces differ with the seasons, and therefore their titles differ. Although the names are five, in reality it is one deity. At the Bright Hall and southern suburb, the seats of the Five Emperors should be removed. At the five suburbs, the titles of the five essences should be changed; all alike are titled August Heaven Supreme Lord, with only one seat established for each. At the northern suburb, the accompanying sacrifice of the former and later empresses was also removed. The emperor accepted all of these proposals. On the dingchou day of the second month, he sacrificed at the suburbs to Emperor Xuan as Heaven's companion and performed ancestral sacrifice to Emperor Wen at the Bright Hall as companion to the Supreme Lord. In the eleventh month of that year, the responsible officials again memorialized: "In antiquity the mound altar and suburban sacrifice were not distinct; the Round Mound and Square Pond should be combined with the southern and northern suburbs, and the altar sites should be repaired anew. The sacrifices of the two solstices should be combined with the two suburbs. The emperor again accepted this proposal. This followed entirely the proposal of Wang Su that Emperor Xuan had adopted. In that month, on the gengyin day at the winter solstice, the emperor personally sacrificed at the Round Mound in the southern suburb. From this time onward, the Round Mound and Square Pond have not been separately established down to the present.
12
In the tenth month of the tenth year of Taikang, another edict said: "The Classic of Filial Piety says, 'Sacrifice at the suburbs to Hou Ji as companion to Heaven; perform ancestral sacrifice to King Wen at the Bright Hall as companion to the Supreme Lord. Yet the Offices of Zhou says: 'In sacrificing to Heaven, present offerings to the Supreme Lord.' It also says: 'In sacrificing to Earth, present offerings to the Four Expanse.' The Four Expanse are not Earth, which makes clear that the Supreme Lord cannot be Heaven. Formerly the multitude discussed removing the Five Emperors' seats from the Bright Hall; examined against ritual texts and canonical classics, this does not accord. Moreover the Preface to the Odes says: 'The achievements of Wen and Wu began with Hou Ji.' Therefore he is advanced as companion to Heaven. Emperor Xuan by divine martial prowess founded the enterprise and was already Heaven's companion; to have the former emperor again as Heaven's companion is also improper in principle. Let the Five Emperors' seats at the Bright Hall and southern suburb be restored."
13
In the first month of the third year of Taikang, Emperor Wu of Jin personally performed suburban sacrifice. The crown prince, imperial younger brothers, and imperial sons all attended the sacrifice—this was not a former precedent.
14
Emperor Min was at Chang'an and had not yet time to establish suburban temples before defeat.
15
便
When Emperor Yuan restored the dynasty south of the Yangzi, in the first year of Taixing he first rebuilt the suburban shrine sites. The institutions all followed Han and Jin precedents as laid out by Minister of Ceremonies He Xun. On the xinmao day of the third month, the emperor personally performed suburban sacrifice; the rites of offering and accompaniment all followed the precedent of Emperor Wu's first suburban sacrifice. Initially Minister of the Secretariat Diao Xie and Director of the Imperial Academy Du Yi argued that restoration should wait until the capital returned to Luoyang. Minister of Works Xun Zu cited that when Emperor Xian of Han resided at Xu, he immediately established the suburbs; it was fitting to restore and perform them here. Swift Cavalry General Wang Dao, Vice Director Xun Song, Minister of Ceremonies Hua Heng, and Secretariat Gentleman Yu Liang all agreed with Zu's proposal. The matter was then carried out. Considering that Emperor Yuan in his restoration mandate followed Han precedents, he should have enjoyed the Bright Hall ancestral sacrifice rites. East of the Yangzi no Bright Hall was established, and therefore this was omitted.
16
In the seventh month of the third year of Taining of Emperor Ming, an edict first ordered establishment of the northern suburb. Before construction was completed the emperor died; therefore in the first month of the eighth year of Xianhe of Emperor Cheng, following the earlier intent, it was established south of Mount Fuzhou. On the xinwei day of that month, the northern suburb was sacrificed to; for the first time Empress Xuanmu Zhang served as Earth's companion. This was a Wei precedent, not an old Jin institution.
17
In the first month of the first year of Jianyuan of Emperor Kang, as the northern suburb was about to be performed, there was disputed discussion. Minister of Ceremonies Gu He memorialized: "In the Taishi period, the sacrifices of the two solstices were combined with the two suburbs. The month for the northern suburb has no clear text in antiquity; some use the summer solstice, or likewise use the return of yang. Emperor Guangwu of Han, on the xinwei day of the first month, first established the northern suburb. Thus it was in the same month as the southern suburb. At the restoration when institutions were newly established, the hundred regulations were simplified, and the northern suburb was combined on one mound. The statutes were not complete; provisionally this rite was used—this was what the time required. By the Xianhe period, discussion proposed separately establishing the northern suburb, using the same first month. Wei inherited Later Han and in the first month sacrificed to Heaven with Earth as companion, yet called it Zhou ritual—that the suburban sacrifices of the three kings all used the first month of summer. Thereupon they followed He's proposal. On the xinwei day of that month, the southern suburb sacrifice was performed. On the xinsi day, the northern suburb sacrifice was performed. The emperor personally performed both.
18
輿 使輿
In the third month of the third year of Yuanxing of Emperor An, the founding emperor of Song pursued Huan Xuan in defeat. On the jimao day, he announced the merit of the righteous enterprise at the southern suburb. That year the emperor was in exile at Jiangling and had not returned. The following year the suburban sacrifice was due. Court discussion held that one should follow Zhou ritual, with the Minister of Rites acting in proxy and the Three Dukes performing the ceremony. Left Assistant Director of the Secretariat Wang Nazhi alone said: "Since the suburban sacrifice follows the burial, it is naturally the Son of Heaven who should face the sun; with a lord present, one receives the command and acts—what is there to distinguish? Whether to fast or not—how can it be compared to the present situation? Those discussing also said that the suburban sacrifice should now be performed, and therefore it was by imperial command that the Three Dukes should perform the ceremony. Moreover sacrifice to Heaven is supremely exalted—there is only one; therefore none but the Son of Heaven performs sacrifice. Commoners and above all perform seasonal offerings; when the heir resides outside, the secondary son performs the service—the ritual texts are brilliantly clear. There has never been one who could sacrifice to Heaven without personally receiving the command. Moreover Emperor Wu received the abdication and used the second month for suburban sacrifice; Emperor Yuan at the restoration used the third month. Now the time for suburban sacrifice has not passed, and day by day one looks for the imperial carriage. Do not, wishing for speed without basis, cause the imperial carriage to turn back so that he can no longer perform it personally. They thereupon followed Nazhi's proposal.
19
使
In the fifth month of the second year of Yuanxi of Emperor Gong of Jin, envoys were dispatched bearing the written decree, yielding the throne to Song. On the dingmao day of the sixth month of the first year of Yongchu, an altar was set up at the southern suburb; he received the imperial seal and cord, burned firewood and announced his accession. The decree read: "The Emperor, your subject Liu Yu, ventures to use a black bull to announce clearly to Imperial Imperial Emperor and Empress. The Emperor of Jin announced that his allotted span had ended and the succession had its destination; reverently following the bright fortune, he commanded Yu. To establish a lord and govern the people—the realm is public; when virtue fills the imperial position, the people's joyful submission gathers. Transcending Tang and Yu, descending to Han and Wei, none failed to have the supreme sage attain the culture-ancestor and the founding merit ascend the imperial position, thereby greatly saving the black-haired people and leaving instruction without end. Since Jin moved east, the four bonds were not established and one relied on chancellors and assistants—for many days already. Hardship pricked at Long'an, disaster formed at Yuanxing, reaching the point where emperors and kings were driven away and ancestral sacrifices were extinguished. Though Yu's territory was not like Qi and Jin and his hosts were not a single brigade, looking up he grieved at the age's hardship and looking down he mourned the flood of calamity; with a wave of his sleeve he restored the imperial fortune. In danger he could hold firm, in overturn he could support; traitors and villains were all destroyed, usurpers and pretenders were certainly extinguished. Truly, denial ends and peace must come; rise and fall have their season. As for quelling disorder and aiding the people, the great achievement for the house of Jin—by relying on the fortune of the time, he undertook its labors. Moreover foreign peoples admired righteousness and came with repeated tribute at the border; wherever the calendar reached, all submitted to the transforming influence. Even the three numina displayed omens, mountains and rivers reported auspicious signs, humanity and the spirits harmonized, and the years bore witness. Therefore the dukes, ministers, scholars, and the hundred million common people all said the imperial spirits looked down with lofty scrutiny and the Jin court showed sincerity below; Heaven's command cannot long be delayed, the imperial throne cannot briefly stand vacant. Thus compelled by the multitude's discussion, he respectfully performed this great rite. Humbly with meager virtue, he was placed above the hundred million people. Though looking up in awe of Heaven's majesty is a small matter, he turned his thoughts to what lay far ahead and in reverent fear was as if in peril. Respectfully choosing the auspicious day, he ascended the altar to receive the abdication, announced his accession to the Supreme Lord, thereby answering the myriad states' fine hope. May the heavenly blessing be duplicated and fortune forever rest upon Song. May the bright spirits accept this offering!"
20
In the first year of Yongchu, the crown prince paid respects and announced at the southern and northern suburbs.
21
On the upper xin day of the first month of the second year of Yongchu, the emperor personally performed suburban sacrifice.
22
西
In the third year of Yuanjia of Emperor Wen, as the imperial carriage campaigned west against Xie Hui, silks were offered to announce at the two suburbs.
23
輿 輿
On the guisi day of the sixth month of the first year of Xiaojian of Emperor Xiaowu, the Eight Ministers memorialized: "Liu Yixuan and Zang Zhi, defying the time and violating obedience, filled Heaven with wickedness, linking Huai and Dai in conspiracy against the altars of state. From the day when Zhi first rebelled and the army was placed on alert, the two suburbs, temples, and altars had all already been fully announced. Yixuan's rebellion had not yet been jointly announced. As the imperial carriage was about to set out, the wicked troops melted away; Zhi was already displayed on the gibbet and Yixuan captured—both rebels were destroyed and all should be clearly announced. Examining the beginning of the campaign against Xie Hui in the third year of Yuanjia, announcement was made everywhere at the two suburbs and the Imperial Temple. When the rebels were pacified, announcement was made only at the Imperial Temple and Grand Altar of Soil and Grain, not at the two suburbs. The ritual officials broadly discussed. Erudites of the Imperial Academy Xu Hong, Sun Bo, and Lu Cheng discussed: "In ritual there is no failure to report. Since at the beginning announcement was made everywhere, now that the rebels have been captured, they should not differ. Assistant Instructor of the National University Su Weisheng discussed: "Considering the Royal Regulations: when the Son of Heaven tours, 'upon return, he rests at the ancestral temples of father and forefather. In Zengzi's Questions it also says: 'When feudal lords go to the Son of Heaven, they announce at the ancestor, set out offerings at the forefather, and command the invocator-historian to announce at the altars of soil and grain, ancestral temple, mountains, and rivers. Announcement uses victims and silks; upon return it is likewise. When lords paid visits to one another, they always announced their return to the ancestral temples, then ordered the invocator-scribe to report their arrival at every shrine that had been notified before they set out. It also states: "Before the Son of Heaven or any feudal lord departed, silk offerings, hides, and jade tokens had to be presented in announcement at the ancestral temples. On returning, they had to announce that they had arrived safely. Whether the business was great or small, the rites for the Son of Heaven and for feudal lords were broadly the same: the duty to announce on departure and on return could not logically differ. Zheng Xuan comments: "The ceremonies for departure and return are identical. That meaning is perfectly clear. When the Son of Heaven went to war, he performed the border sacrifice to the Supreme Lord; by the same logic that required announcing one's return to every shrine notified before departure, announcing at the suburban altars was obligatory and left no room for doubt. In the third year of Yuanjia, only the temple and Grand Altar of Soil and Grain were notified; the reasoning behind that choice remains unclear. Perhaps they relied on the Book of Rites passage that speaks only of "returning to rest at the ancestral temples," with no mention of announcing at the suburbs. If that was truly their rationale, I cannot fathom it at all. The Book of Rites is a damaged work to begin with, never a complete compendium; broken bamboo slips and corrupted characters have left countless gaps. The proper course is to infer meaning from parallel examples, not to demand explicit wording for every step. Even the emperor's return announcement at the Grand Altar of Soil and Grain has no fixed precedent in the records—why should announcing at the suburbs alone be treated as suspect? The requirement to announce departure and return springs from filial reverence—it is nothing more than that. The point is to announce one's safe return, not to perform the rite of presenting a military victory. On this occasion the emperor's procession never left the palace—there is no occasion for a return-announcement text. To invent a ceremony announcing that the campaign was never launched would be without any precedent. I take the invocator-scribe's formal declaration to be a matter of signaling sincerity and good faith. When the rite's logic does not fit the facts, it is right to omit the declaration altogether. We have deliberated together and hold that announcements are appropriate: victims should be offered in announcement at both suburban altars, the Grand Temple, and the Grand Altar of Soil and Grain, with the great ministers officiating as in former practice.' The edict approved it.
24
使 祿 祿
On gengyin day in the first month of Xiaojian 2, the responsible officials submitted: "The southern suburban sacrifice falls on the fifteenth of this month. Under the old regulations, at temple sacrifices the emperor himself led the rite, with the Grand Commandant performing the secondary libation; at the southern suburban sacrifice he likewise officiated in person, with the Minister of Ceremonies performing the secondary libation. At temple rites, moreover, the ceremony opened with pouring wine on the ground; but when the spirits were dismissed, no libation was poured. At the suburban altar, libation occurred both at the opening and at the dismissal of the spirits—unlike the temple practice—raising doubts about which rite was correct. We request that the ritual officials examine and resolve these discrepancies. Wang Sizhi, Erudite of the Imperial Academy, argued: "The Rites of Zhou assigns the Chief Ritualist to 'assist the king in guarding the realm, serving spirits and deities through auspicious ritual, and performing the smoke sacrifice to August Heaven. That office corresponds to today's Minister of Ceremonies. For the suburban sacrifice to Heaven, the Minister of Ceremonies should perform the secondary libation. The Rites of Zhou also states, in the section on the Outer Ceremonialist: 'When the queen consort does not attend, she assists the Ritualist. Zheng Xuan explains: 'When the queen does not attend the sacrifice, the Ritualist takes charge of it. His commentary also states: 'The ruler holds the libation cup and pours for the deceased; the Chief Ritualist holds the long-handled libation cup and performs the secondary libation. Since middle antiquity the empress no longer participated in temple sacrifices; by that logic the Chief Ritualist ought to stand in for her at the secondary libation. Yet in current practice the Grand Commandant performs the secondary libation. Zheng Xuan's commentary on the Monthly Ordinances notes: 'The Three Dynasties had a Minister of War, not a Grand Commandant. The Grand Commandant was a Qin institution. Over time reverence for the ancestral temple deepened, and standing in for the empress became a weighty duty—hence a senior duke was assigned the secondary libation.' He further argued: "The filial feeling that comes when one walks the seasons runs deeper than frost and dew; at the door of the ancestral chamber one is moved by the echo of a familiar voice. Since one cannot know where the spirits dwell, one seeks them in more than one place. Zheng Xuan's commentary on the Officers section of the Ceremonial Rites states that the Son of Heaven and feudal lords offer at the side altar and then perform the follow-up sacrifice. The follow-up offering is itself another sacrifice. Temple ritual today omits the farewell libation because the offering is shifted to the side-altar follow-up sacrifice—the spirits are being detained, not yet released. Suburban and temple rites differ by design, and so their libation practices at dismissal should differ as well. Zhu Yingzhi, Assistant Director of the Minister of Ceremonies, argued: "The Rites of Zhou charges the Chief Ritualist with canonical ritual, ranking service to the spirits above all else and overseeing every sacrifice—with August Heaven foremost. Today's Minister of Ceremonies is that same Chief Ritualist. Yuan Shunsong's Register of Han Offices further records: 'At suburban sacrifices the Grand Commandant performed the secondary libation and the Supervisor of Attendants the tertiary libation. At every sacrifice the Minister of Ceremonies reported the ritual order in advance and stood beside the emperor to assist him. He had no duty of performing the libations. The ritual records show that in Han times secondary libation was always the province of senior ministers, not the exalted Minister of Ceremonies. Today the Grand Commandant's secondary libation and the Supervisor of Attendants' tertiary libation at the ancestral temple follow Han practice. He Xun's regulations also require the Grand Commandant to ascend the altar by the southeast ramp—clear proof that this officer must take part in the suburban sacrifice. Ancient rite may have assigned the secondary libation to the Ritualist, but custom changes with the age; the senior minister's secondary libation is what Han practice established. I believe the suburban sacrifice is no less solemn than the ancestral rites, and the two should be aligned. And the Minister of Ceremonies already assists the emperor throughout the ceremony—he cannot take on a second major role. On the question of libation, the Book of Rites says: 'Sacrifice seeks communion between yin and yang. The Yin dynasty first sought the yang principle.' After three movements of music, the victim was brought in. Thus the Yin people poured the libation only after that. 'The Zhou people first sought the yin principle.' 'Libation used fragrant wine, reaching down to the deep springs. Only after the libation was the victim brought in. Thus the Zhou people poured libation first. All of this concerns temple sacrifice, not the suburban rite. The Heavenly Offices section of the Rites of Zhou states: 'At all sacrifices, assist the king in libation and offering. Zheng Xuan explains: 'Libation (guan) means pouring (guan). Only human ancestors in the temple receive poured libations; Heaven and Earth, supreme among spirits, do not. Suburban sacrifice never included libation in the first place, so its presence in current practice is ritually dubious. The commentaries of the great ritual scholars leave no doubt. If the libations now performed are an inherited error, they should be abolished. The matter was circulated among the Eight Ministers, their assistants, gentlemen, and erudites, and all endorsed Zhu Yingzhi's view. The Director of the Masters of Writing, Prince Liu Hong of Pingjian, reviewed the debate again and found Zhu Yingzhi's proposal acceptable. An edict approved it.
25
輿 使 退 便
On the new moon of the first month of the second year of Daming, the responsible officials submitted: "The southern suburban sacrifice falls on the sixth of this month, and the emperor will officiate in person. Rain may fall on that day. Under Wei, when rain fell, Gao Tanglong argued that the rite should be moved to the next xin day. In Jin, when the procession had already set out and met rain, Gu He likewise held that a fresh announcement was required. Xu Chan notes that under Emperor Wu of Jin, make-up dates sometimes fell on bing days, sometimes on ji or geng days. We ask the ritual officials to settle these questions in full. If the date is postponed, must the ancestral temple be notified again? Wang Xiezhi, Erudite of the Academy, argued: "Postponing the suburban sacrifice because of rain was settled practice in earlier dynasties. The ritual classics also provide clear precedent for xin days. The Suburban Sacrifice chapter states: 'The suburban rite uses a xin day; when Zhou first performed it, the season had just arrived. Zheng Xuan explains: 'All three dynasties held their suburban sacrifices in the first month of the Xia calendar. They chose xin days for their associations with fasting, purification, and renewal. The Monthly Ordinances also commands: 'Choose the primal day and pray for grain to the Supreme Lord. The commentary defines 'primal day' as the first xin day of the month. The suburban sacrifice is the rite of Heaven. The Spring and Autumn Annals records two suburban sacrifices: in Duke Cheng's seventeenth year, on xinchou day of the ninth month; and in the Gongyang commentary: 'Why hold a suburban sacrifice? On the first xin of the first month. In Duke Ai's first year, on xinsi day of the fourth month, again a suburban sacrifice. The Guliang commentary explains: 'From the first month through the third month is the season for the suburban sacrifice. On the last xin of the twelfth month one divined the first xin of the first month; if Heaven did not approve, one divined again from the last xin of the first month toward the first xin of the second; and if still not approved, from the last xin of the second month toward the first xin of the third. From this it is clear that the suburban sacrifice was never performed except on a xin day. When the Jin dynasty used bing, ji, or geng days instead, each case rested on special arguments. When Emperor Wu received the abdication at the southern suburban altar on bingyin day in the twelfth month, that was plainly not a xin day. In the second year of Taishi, on jimao day of the eleventh month, the court first merged the Round Mound and Square Pond solstice rites into the two suburban sacrifices. In the third year, on gengyin day of the eleventh month at the winter solstice, Heaven was worshipped with a suburban sacrifice at the Round Mound. That ceremony followed the Round Mound rite, not the spring prayer-for-grain sacrifice alone, so again a xin day was not required. Today's suburban feast follows the Xia calendar; even if the date is postponed, a xin day should still be used. The precedents Xu Chan cited may not apply here. The Suburban Sacrifice chapter also states: "Receive the mandate at the ancestral temple and perform tortoise divination at the temple of the immediate ancestor." Zheng Xuan explains: "'Receiving the mandate' means announcing one's departure from the ancestral temple and then divining." The announcement concerns the suburban rite itself, not the chosen date. Although the date has changed, the suburban sacrifice itself is unchanged; I do not think a second announcement is warranted. Zhu Yingzhi, Section Director of the Ministry of Ceremonies, argued: "Earlier scholars disagreed on the suburban sacrifice. The Rites of Zhou prescribes a Round Mound sacrifice on the winter solstice. The Monthly Ordinances calls for praying for grain to the Supreme Lord in early spring. In Zheng Xuan's view, the Round Mound rite worships August Heaven the Supreme Lord with Emperor Ku as associate—the great seasonal di sacrifice. The prayer-for-grain rite worships the Five Essence Emperors with Hou Ji as associate—the suburban sacrifice. The two ceremonies fall at different seasons and honor different deities. Other scholars hold that Hou Ji served as associate at the Round Mound sacrifice. Because it was held in the suburban fields, it was called the suburban sacrifice. In terms of its physical form, it was called the Round Mound. The names differ, but in substance it is one sacrifice. Emperor Wu of Jin rejected Zheng Xuan's view and followed other scholars, hence the suburban sacrifice fell on the winter solstice. Because the date was fixed by the solstice, there was no constant xin-day rule. Jin practice in the Central Plains thus did not require xin days for the suburb, just as Xu Chan argued. South of the Yangzi, the sacrifice has been held in the first month since Jin moved east: the classics say each dynasty's suburban rite used its own New Year month; the court kept the Xia calendar, so the rite follows the year's opening rather than the winter solstice, always on the first xin—a practice now entrenched as law. Ritual prescribes that a sacrifice not performed in season should not be held later. We are still in early spring, within the proper season; postponing because of rain violates no rule. Once the date has been announced, reverence requires a fresh announcement if the rite cannot proceed. Gao Tanglong records the southern suburb on the ninth day and the northern suburb on the tenth. That precedent shows the northern suburban sacrifice need not fall on a xin day. He Yan, Director of the Masters of Writing, argued: "Zheng Xuan's commentary on the Book of Rites cites the Book of Changes: all three dynasties held their suburban sacrifices in the first month of the Xia calendar. The Rites of Zhou likewise schedules most great state affairs for the New Year month. The Zuo Commentary records a suburban sacrifice at the Excited Insects season. Zheng Xuan's position is well grounded. Dissenting views hold that each dynasty sacrificed to Heaven in its own New Year month—but that is pedantic disputation, useless for establishing ritual practice. As for Guliang's claim that any of the three spring months will serve, that is plainly superficial. On the requirement of xin days, however, all commentators agree. Jin's use of geng and ji days is irregular and lacks earlier precedent. When postponing the suburban sacrifice, I hold that a xin day should still be chosen according to ritual. Wang Xiezhi's reading of "receiving the mandate" and tortoise divination shows that announcements concern the rite, not the date—a finely learned point. Xu Ai, Right Assistant Director, argued: "Insisting on xin days complicates postponement; the ritual and sacrificial offices have already examined the matter thoroughly. He Yan is right that ritual does not require a second announcement, and I share that view. The announcement should report only the rescheduled date of the suburban sacrifice, not the entire rite anew. The next xin day falls ten days off; fasting can begin at once and the sacrificial animals remain in the cleansing pen— there is no reason to wait until the third month. After the blood-and-hair announcement for the chosen victim, if rain intervenes, the responsible officials should complete the rite on the spot—the suburban sacrifice must not be moved again. The deliberations remained divided. The joint recommendation: "Follow the classics—when rain forces postponement, use the next xin day without a fresh announcement. If rain falls after the victim has been slaughtered and the blood offered, the responsible officials should proceed with the ceremony." An edict approved it.
26
In the eleventh month of the second year of Taishi, Emperor Ming issued an edict: "I have newly received the imperial mandate amid unending hardship; chariots have raced to war and strategy has consumed every hour. Announcements to Heaven have been made, yet I have not worshipped in person. Now that the realm is at peace and every sacrifice restored to order, I should follow ancient precedent and perform the suburban sacrifice to worship the Supreme Lord." The responsible officials searched the records and found no exact precedent. Xu Ai, Attendant Gentleman of the Yellow Gate, argued: "Yu performed the border sacrifice; the Yin dynasty recorded the solemn announcement to Heaven. When a dynasty establishes itself through great achievement, its virtue and enterprise are such that it must offer worship to the Supreme Lord. From Han and Wei onward, every new reign has followed this precedent. When Grand Ancestor Emperor Wu defeated the puppet state of Chu while Emperor An of Jin remained at Jiangling, he announced the righteous triumph at the suburban altar in the capital. Your Majesty's Taishi reign received Heaven's mandate through divine martial resolve; you marched in royal wrath while war dragged on. The responsible offices maintained the offerings, but you have not yet worshipped in person. Emperor Wu of Jin held his suburban sacrifice in the second month; Emperor Yuan performed the smoke sacrifice in the third. An extraordinary triumph calls for an extraordinary ceremony; it cannot be forced into the usual schedule of the first xin of the first month. I propose that the historiographers choose an auspicious day in the eleventh month for Your Majesty to conduct the suburban sacrifice in person, worshipping August Heaven the Supreme Lord with Grand Ancestor Emperor Wu as associate at the feast. The other collateral spirit tablets need not be included in this ceremony. Prince Liu Xiuren of Jian'an, Director of the Masters of Writing, and others endorsed Xu's proposal. The joint deliberation found it acceptable. An edict approved it.
27
使
In the first month of the sixth year of Taishi, an edict declared: "Ancient ritual called for the king to hold the suburban feast every year, and also to worship at the Bright Hall. From Jin onward the court sacrificed at the suburbs every other year and held the Bright Hall ceremony on the same day. Plain and ornate forms, full and abbreviated rites, and their frequency all had their proper balance. Henceforth the suburban sacrifice shall be held every two years and the Bright Hall rite every other year. The ministries may deliberate the details." The responsible officials reported: "Yu Yuan, former Concurrent Section Director, had argued: 'The suburban sacrifice and Bright Hall worship both honor heavenly spirits; holding both with full offerings on the same day is ritually excessive. Your edict would have the Round Mound report merit with a feast every three years, and the Bright Hall honor the Emperor as associate with a solemn offering every other year. Weighing the calendar carefully, this would be a worthy and splendid arrangement." On referral for joint deliberation, all agreed. Wang Yanxiu, Section Director, argued further: "The reform is indeed as Your Majesty intends. Yu Yuan's earlier proposal echoed Your Majesty's intent but did not spell out the resulting cycle. Under the proposed schedule, the suburban sacrifice would come every two years and the Bright Hall every year—so the second suburban sacrifice and the third Bright Hall ceremony would again fall in the same year. Yu Yuan therefore proposed that after the initial ceremonies, both rites should be spaced two years apart, which by extension would keep the two ceremonies on separate years indefinitely." The matter was circulated among the Eight Ministers, who endorsed Wang Yanxiu's proposal."
28
In the tenth month of Yuanhui 2 under the Deposed Emperor, the responsible officials reported that the suburban sacrifice and Bright Hall worship would again be held on the same day, once every other year.
29
使 宿 西
Emperor Wen of Han first sacrificed to the Earth Spirit at Weiyang with Emperor Gaozu as associate; Emperor Wu established the Queen Earth altar at Fenyin, also with Gaozu as associate. The Han used the Grand Ancestor as associate for both Heaven and Earth and did not yet assign an empress to accompany Earth. When Wang Mang was chancellor, he cited the Rites of Zhou to justify honoring the deceased mother as associate at the northern suburban sacrifice. Sacrificing to Queen Earth at the summer solstice with Empress Gaohou as associate began at that point. During Guangwu's Jianwu reign no northern suburban altar was established, so Queen Earth regularly received collateral offerings at the Heavenly Altar; mountains, rivers, and all petitioned spirits—1,514 in all—were worshipped within the same precinct. In Zhongyuan 1 the northern suburban altar was established; Minister of Works Feng Fang was sent to announce at the Gaozu temple, and Empress Bo replaced Empress Lü as Earth's associate. When the court moved south, no northern altar existed at first; Earth and the other earth spirits were worshipped together at the heavenly suburban sacrifice. Emperor Cheng of Jin established both suburban altars. The heavenly suburb honored sixty-two spirits: assistants to the Five Emperors, the sun and moon, the five planets, the twenty-eight lodges, Literary Glory, the Northern Dipper, the Three Terraces, the Director of Fate, the Yellow Emperor's carriage, Queen Earth, Grand One, Celestial One, the Supreme Palace Enclosure, the Hook Array, the North Pole, the Rain Master, Thunder, Lightning, the Minister of Works, the Wind Lord, and the Old Man. The earthly suburb honored forty-four spirits: the Five Sacred Mountains, the Four Outlooks, the Four Seas, the Four Watercourses, the Five Lakes, assistants to the Five Emperors, Mount Yi, Mount Yue, Mount Bai, Mount Huo, Mount Yiwulü, Mount Jiang, the Song River, Mount Kuaiji, the Qiantang River, and the Spirit of Agriculture. The lesser mountains of Jiangnan were established after the move south, much as the Western Han assigned sacrificial rank to minor waterways near the capital passes. The roster of spirits for each suburban altar is recorded in the official commentary.
30
In the ninth month of Yongchu 3, Minister of Works Xie Xianzhi, Director of the Masters of Writing Fu Liang, and others submitted: "We have heard that exalting virtue through bright sacrifice is the august canon of every dynasty; and that aligning human affairs with Heaven has always been the same principle. Forms may change with the age, plain or ornate as the times require, but the root purpose—honoring Heaven and teaching reverence—remains one. Grand Ancestor Emperor Wu harmonized with Heaven and Earth and received his mandate from above; through unceasing diligence he established the people's foundation, moved virtue across the realm, spread great harmony, and extended the transforming influence of his rule to the farthest reaches. Your Majesty, inheriting this legacy with sage wisdom, has won the loyalty of every state. Sacrificial worship has long lapsed; now is the time to honor Heaven, celebrate your ancestors, and restore the glory of the founding achievement. Grand Ancestor Emperor Wu should serve as associate at the heavenly suburban sacrifice; For the associate at the earthly sacrifice, though ritual texts are silent, earlier dynasties always established a precedent, and Wei and Jin practice provides a sufficient model. We propose that Empress Wu Jing serve as associate at the northern suburban sacrifice. It expresses heartfelt remembrance in pursuit of filial piety, elevating reverence for the sage without end, facing the Two Principles and harmonizing the realms of spirit and flesh. In early spring of the coming year the two suburban sacrifices will be held; we ask that the court be notified throughout and that the old regulations be followed in full. An edict approved it.
31
In the winter of Taikang 2, Emperor Wu of Jin's officials submitted: "The spring-establishment sacrifice in the first month of the third year falls in cold weather; the responsible offices should conduct the rite." The edict replied: "The suburban sacrifice is among the weightiest of ritual canons; during the wars we repeatedly suspended it and approved your requests to delegate the rite. From now on external affairs are simpler, and this rite above all demands the emperor's personal presence at the smoke offering and feast."
32
When Emperor Cheng sacrificed at the southern suburb, rain fell. Attendant Within Gu He submitted: "The procession should turn back. A new date should be chosen." An edict approved it.
33
Emperor Ming of Han, following the Monthly Ordinances, instituted the five-suburb rite of welcoming the seasons with appropriate colors; adopting Yuanshi-period precedents, he established five suburban altars at Luoyang and sacrificed to their emperors and spirits, with chariots and garments colored according to each direction. Wei and Jin followed the same practice. After the move south, the court has had no opportunity to build them.
34
耀西 沿 便 西 殿 殿
In the fourth month of the fifth year of Daming, Emperor Xiaowu issued an edict: "When civil virtue flourished in Zhou, the Bright Hall was the seat of supreme worship; and when Han rose on great merit, Wenyi was honored in the same way. Through such worship the seasons were kept true, the great name was exalted, and benefit to the age resounded far. Our late father, Grand Ancestor Emperor Wen, whose merit shone through the primal void and whose sage spirit illuminated custom, harmonized the realm within, brought benevolence to every rank, pressed outward to the eight directions, and awed distant peoples into submission. He regulated ritual and raised the roots of agriculture, spread music and harmonized the records of the four seasons. He adorned the ancestral order and drew in what lay beyond the untitled; he extended honor to worthy ministers and embodied the fullest models of virtue. His instruction urged agriculture; his governance set punishment aside. The ten thousand things flowed in harmony, and the hundred spirits presented blessings. His movement accorded with Heaven's measure and followed Earth's virtue below. Essences of the upper spirits and auspicious growth below responded; feudal lords kept the Way, and the realm from river to sea lay at peace. I rely on this great achievement as ruler of the myriad people; Heaven and Earth have blessed my reign for nearly a full cycle. I wish to uphold and spread that beautiful virtue forever. Let the Ji canon be examined in detail, the Bright Hall begun, the former spirits worshipped, and the Supreme Lord matched in form—sincerity and reverence fully displayed, the hidden and manifest all in order. My thoughts reach far, and my heart is moved to grief for the departed." The responsible officials submitted: "The Bright Hall and Imperial Academy have no fixed design in the regulations; the classics disagree and transmitted explanations contradict one another. Famous scholars and penetrating sages each follow their own view—some hold the names differ but the substance is the same, others that both name and substance differ. From Han through Jin, none could settle the question. The Documents of Zhou state that the Clear Temple, Bright Hall, and Road Chamber share one form. Zheng Xuan's commentary on the Rites derives its meaning from this passage. Other scholars place the Bright Hall south of the capital at the bingji position, within three li. The layout of chambers, bays, doors, windows, and orientations has grown obscure over the generations, and complete detail is hard to recover. Pei Wei of Jin, Attendant Within and eminent scholar of the Western Capital, examined earlier records in detail but could not fix the design. He held that honoring the ancestor and matching Heaven was clearly established in meaning, while the temple structure remained unsettled; a hall could be built at once to exalt solemn worship. All other miscellaneous details should be set aside. Zheng Xuan's annotations, examined in detail, provide some standard basis; and Pei Wei's memorial, in my view, can be adopted. South of the National Academy the ground lies truly at bingji, open, level, and smooth— sufficient for construction. Its walls and chambers should follow the Grand Temple as model, with twelve bays to correspond to the cycle number. Following Han Wenshang diagram protocol, set the Five Emperors' positions, with Grand Ancestor Emperor Wen facing them at the feast. Sacrifice to August Heaven the Supreme Lord involves some lowering in rank, but the three-year reverent ceremony cannot logically differ. The return from the suburb to the palace should also fall on the same day. The Book of Rites prescribes a special victim for the suburb; the Odes speak of sheep and ox for the Bright Hall—purification is the same, but substance and ornament differ by canon. The suburb includes burning firewood, but the hall has no smoke offering; tripods, stands, and ritual vessels should all follow temple ritual. Deploy the hundred offices, gather materials and select craftsmen, provisionally appoint the Director of the Construction Department and Grand Master of Works, measure materials and calculate the schedule, and set construction for this autumn. They followed Pei's proposal but built only a great hall with carved decoration—without the ancient form of thirty-six doors and seventy-two windows. In the first month of the sixth year, returning from the southern suburb, Emperor Shizu personally worshipped at the Bright Hall, sacrificing to the Five Seasons' Emperors with Emperor Wen as associate—following Zheng Xuan's proposal. The offices have annotations recording this.
35
On jiazi day of the ninth month in the fifth year of Daming, the responsible officials submitted: "The southern suburban sacrifice uses three oxen. The temple's four-season sacrifice in six chambers uses two oxen. The Bright Hall has been newly established to sacrifice to the Five Emperors with Grand Ancestor Emperor Wen as associate—how many oxen should be used?" Sima Xingzhi, Erudite of the Imperial Academy, argued: "Zheng Xuan's annotation on the Great Tradition in the Book of Rites states: 'The Classic of Filial Piety: at the suburban sacrifice Hou Ji accompanies Heaven, associating with Spiritual Brilliance and Ascent. Ancestral worship of King Wen at the Bright Hall accompanies the Supreme Lord, associating with the Five Emperors.' The Five Emperors govern the directions; their positions differ but their merit is one—sacrificial victims should not be reduced in rank. Grand Ancestor Emperor Wen personally completed Heaven and Earth—his Way encompasses covering and bearing; and left and right all living beings—his transformation harmonizes the four seasons. Titles of ancestor and temple are insufficient to display boundless beauty; and sounds of metal and stone cannot broadcast the splendor of his achievement. Thus the Bright Hall was built—the sage heart thereby displays the dark pole; and broadly matching the ancestral temple—former scholars thereby express true ritual sentiment. In my humble view, six oxen should be used. Yu He, Erudite, argued: "Though five emperors are worshipped by name, the substance they generate is constantly one. The Five Virtues' Emperors in turn had resting kings, each governing its domain—hence there are five chambers. Ancestral worship must follow whichever king is chiefly honored and feast accordingly. One chief deity and one associate—two oxen are appropriate. Yan Huan, Section Director of Sacrifices, argued: "Sacrifice, in its meaning, always speaks of the Five Emperors. Though five emperors are named, the sacrificial victims used should not exceed those for suburban sacrifice and temple sacrifice. Two oxen should be used."
36
In the tenth month of the seventh year of Taishi, Emperor Ming's officials submitted: "On the eighteenth day of the first month next year, sacrifice will be performed at the Bright Hall. Under the old practice, the southern suburb and Bright Hall fell on the same day, and both were announced to the Grand Temple. It is not yet clear whether, when sacrificing at the Bright Hall, the Grand Temple should again be notified." Wang Yanxiu, Section Director of Sacrifices, argued: "Zheng Xuan states: 'Suburb is the name for sacrificing to Heaven; Supreme Lord is Heaven's other name. Spirits have no two masters—thus the Bright Hall stands elsewhere, to avoid Hou Ji.' The suburban and ancestral sacrifices, though named differently, are substantially the same; as for requiring announcement, there can be no difference. Acting Director of the Masters of Writing Yuan Can and others all agreed with Wang Yanxiu's proposal.
37
使 使 便
During the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei, Central Guard General Jiang Ji memorialized: "For emperors and kings, the great rituals begin with inspection tours; and illuminating ancestors and spreading merit to forefathers—the feng and shan rites come foremost. Thus from ancient times, none who received the mandate through revolution failed to tread Liangfu, ascend Mount Tai, inscribe an enduring name, and record the juncture of Heaven and Man. Sima Xiangru said that since writing began, seventy-two rulers had done so—some following predecessors, carefully leaving traces for those who came after. The Grand Historian said: 'When the ruler above has sage brilliance yet does not proclaim it, it is the responsible officials' fault.' Primordial merit and beautiful virtue, if not inscribed on the stones of Mount Tai and Liangfu, cannot display the emperor's achievement or spread the people's immortal vision. As the saying goes: to face one's ruler and sigh over the beauty of Yao and Shun is like a son praising another man's father before his own. Great Wei now shakes off the corrupt disorder of a hundred kings, saves those adrift in peril, connects a thousand years of decline, and continues a hundred generations of abandoned governance. From Wu and Wen down to the present sage, the dynasty has completed Heaven and Earth's Way and governed the transformation of human and spirit; Heaven responds above and auspicious omens appear—compared with former ages, its abundance and grandeur have no parallel. Yet down to the present generation the great ritual has not been performed. Though the will is to sweep away remaining bandits and wash away leftover filth, there has been no leisure for this affair. If so, when the Three Miao were stubborn in rivers and seas, Great Shun should have abolished the eastern tour ritual; when Xu and Yi rebelled on the Huai and Si, King Cheng of Zhou should have stopped the Taishan ritual. Moreover last year Wu bandits were broken at the Jiang and Han; this year Shu bandits were destroyed at Longyou. Their shock and internal collapse will not long endure; we should probe their dens and lairs without letting the feng and shan rite be burdened. This ritual has long been abandoned and cannot be decided in haste. It is suitable to refer the matter to the ministers and grandees, broadly compile the ritual, divine the year and examine the time, and solemnly announce to the Supreme Lord, to match the realm's hope. I await punishment in the army yet cannot suppress this great wish, and so risk death to report it. The edict replied: "Hearing Ji's words makes sweat flow down my feet. Since the opening of the age, only seventy-odd rulers have performed the feng and shan. The Grand Historian also said: 'Though there are rulers receiving the mandate, achievement is not complete—thus the distant interval spans over a thousand years, the near several hundred. Its ritual gaps cannot be recorded.' What virtue have I cultivated that I should dare hope for such a thing? Does Ji mean there is no Guan Zhong in the age, and that I harbor Duke Huan's ambition to ascend Mount Tai? I would not dare deceive Heaven. What Ji said is splendid indeed, yet it does not help me. Let the ministers, attendants within, Masters of Writing, and regular attendants review it and that is all. Do not deliberate further, and there is no need to reply to the edict. Though the emperor rejected Ji's proposal, he actually had Gao Tanglong draft the feng and shan protocol. Because the realm was not yet unified, he declined to perform the great ritual at once. When Long died, the rite was never performed.
38
西 使
Emperor Wu of Jin conquered Wu and unified the realm. On gengyin day of the ninth month in Taikang 1, Wei Guan, Director of the Masters of Writing, Shan Tao, Left Assistant Director, Wei Shu, Right Assistant Director, and Masters of Writing Liu Shi and Zhang Hua submitted: "Sage virtue flourishes and brilliance covers the four directions; all Xia is at peace and the dark and distant all follow. By divine stratagem and temple calculation Wu and Yue were swept away, Sun Hao kowtowed, and the six directions became one household—achievement towering to Heaven and Earth. It is suitable to follow the ancient canon, inscribe and enfeoff the Eastern Peak, and charge the Three Offices and Minister of Ceremonies with the ritual protocol. Guan and others memorialized again: "Since the birth of the people there have been rulers, and the number of recorded sacrifices is beyond reckoning. Those who established virtue and benefited the age, spreading benevolent wind—seventy-four houses ascended and enfeoffed Mount Tai; of posthumous names knowable, there are fourteen. Sunk in silence and obscurity, never leaving a trace—those cannot be fully recorded. Before the Yellow Emperor ancient transmission is obscure; from Tang and Yu onward canons and plans shine clearly. Three dynasties rose in succession, inheriting substance and enterprise; when Zhou's Way was lost Qin inherited it—down to Han and Wei, substance and ornament were not restored. Great Jin's virtue began with Chong and Li, truly assisting Zhuanxu; through Xia and Shang generations ordered Heaven and Earth; in Zhou they did not lose the thread. Metal virtue was about to ascend; generations aided bright sages; Shu and Han were pacified outwardly and hearts returned within—the splendor of military achievement truly came from civil virtue. When Your Majesty received the mandate and ascended the throne, broadly establishing great enterprise, all living beings looked upward—only beyond the rivers, lakes, Yuan and Xiang did fierce villains hold firm, through generations refusing submission. By divine plan and sole decision generals were sent to campaign; military might was briefly applied and in several tens of days all was settled—binding the rebels and pardoning their crimes. Cloud covering and rain spreading, the eight directions came together; sound and teaching reached the four extremities. Though Yellow Xuan's campaigns, Great Yu's distant strategy, and Zhou's generations of inheritance—how can they compare with today? As for dark stone and plain text inscribing titles in former records, symbols by surname and words reporting affairs—the signs of the River Chart and Luo Writing are not excessive. Added to this, zouyu and linzhi and many auspices all arrived together. Formerly Xia and Yin took great elevation as auspicious, Zhou Wu took the black fish as beautiful—all said, 'How splendid!' Yet talisman responses and the splendor of complete offerings—none match today's abundance. It is suitable to proclaim the great canon, perform ritual at the Central Peak, enfeoff Mount Tai, perform shan at Liangfu, issue virtue titles, clarify supreme honor, enjoy Heaven's blessing, deepen care for the people, inscribe the tablet of a thousand ages, and spread renown to later ages—so that under a hundred generations none fail to rise up. This is the emperor's splendid enterprise and Heaven and Man's utmost hope. The edict replied: "Though fleeing bandits are extinguished, the frontiers still have alarms and the people are not yet at ease—this splendid virtue affair is not yet for deliberation." Guan and others memorialized again: "Now east to the sea, west to drifting sand, north of the great desert, south to the sun's vertical point—none fail to connect. Vast and boundless, Yu's traces—today we truly surpass them; Heaven and Man's Way is complete and towering achievement established. It is suitable to perform ritual at Liangfu, repair ritual for the Earth Spirit, ascend and enfeoff Mount Tai, and extend sincerity to the Supreme Lord to answer Heaven and Man's wish. We beg as in the former memorial. The edict replied: "Yin and yang are not harmonized, governance and punishment are not proper, and the people have not obtained their place—how can one inscribe achievement and announce completion?" Guan memorialized again: "We have heard that those occupying the emperor's position must have a calendrical fortune's term and Heaven's mandate's response; those accomplishing great merit for the living people must have splendid virtue's countenance and the announcement-of-completion canon. Nothing can be falsely claimed; something cannot be declined—from ancient Way. Yet the bright edict is modest and restrained, repeatedly declining its ritual. Though splendid virtue is present, it is pushed yet not yet occupied. The Three Dukes' office canon is Heaven and Earth, truly administering the people's affairs; the state's great affairs take deliberation from this. Han feng and shan—this was not that office, not in that affair. Our former memorial stated ancestors' achievement and Heaven's mandate responding again; Your Majesty's virtue harmonizes the four seas—examining antiquity and present, it is suitable to repair this ritual. As for fixing the year and month, one must await the Five Offices' upward deliberation, then memorial and report. Please copy the edict and memorial as before and refer down for deliberation. The edict replied: "Though the Jiang was swept clear, that is all the labor of those facing affairs—how is it sufficient to announce completion? Now I look to the queens and consorts, thinking to exalt great transformation, to bring peace to the realm, the people obtaining governance and resting with them—this is what I hope day and night. Nothing further to refer to the various offices. Do not again be troublesome. Guan and others memorialized again: "We have heard that in the two ages of Tang and Yu, rulers of great merit benefiting the age—none failed to look up answering Heaven's heart and look down harmonizing the people's will, ascend Jie mound and tread Liangfu—none declined, probably because it cannot be declined. Now Your Majesty's merit exceeds the hundred kings, virtue without equal, abundant achievement and great plan, towering enterprise—truly not what we subjects can exhaust in discussion. Yet the sage intent is laboring and modest, repeatedly self-restraining; the time arrives yet not responding, pushing beauty not occupying—lacking the august dynasty's upper ritual, blocking the spirits' sincere hope, making Great Jin's canons not share wind with the Three and Five. We subjects truly dare not receive the edict; please as in the former memorial implement. The edict replied: "Just now we should together exalt governing the Way to bring peace to the myriad achievements. And await other years; no further confusion."
39
西 便
In the winter of Taikang 1, princes and responsible officials memorialized again: "From ancient sage brilliance illuminating the four seas, enfeoffing famous mountains—recorded in histories and annals, seventy-four rulers have done so. Shun and Yu having the realm—inspection tours of the four peaks, personally performing their Way. The Changes shows 'Observing the people and examining directions,' the Rites has 'Ascending to the center of Heaven,' the Odes praise 'Ascending its high mountain'—all recorded in registers and plans. King Wen as Western Earl served Yin; the Duke of Zhou with Lu as feudatory ranked among feudal lords—some feasted at Mount Qi, some had affairs at Mount Tai. Only by virtue of sage merit could they perform the rite at all. From then onward, merit thin yet usurping its ritual—cannot be fully stated; titles and posthumous names not extinguished, down to the present. Moreover High Ancestor Emperor Xuan at the beginning opened royal enterprise and cut off overseas; World Ancestor Emperor Jing aided with great achievement, gathering peace in the regions of Xia; Grand Ancestor Emperor Wen received mandate creating Jin, sweeping and settling Shu and Han; Your Majesty responded to the term and dragon rose, unifying the six directions, grace covering all living beings, awe shaking beyond the borders. Formerly Han lost succession, Wu and Shu stood like tripods; warfare since has approached a hundred years. Terrain dangerous, customs different, people's hope severed by barriers—considered outside the realm, this has been long. Great enterprise's splendor, heavy light four generations; unrestrained bandits—two generations and pacified. If not intelligent, divine, and martial, beforehand not opposing Heaven—who could tower and have success like this! We subjects are fortunate in this thousand-year age to encounter the fortune, personally receiving great transformation, eye witnessing peace—utmost public beauty, with whom to decline. It is suitable to trace ancestors following former courts, take statutes from antiquity, inscribe achievement at Mount Dai, ascend and enfeoff announcing completion, exalt ritual and music's system, correct the three Yong canon, spread name ten thousand generations, to display ancestors. Thus unable to bear the great wish, I dare report obscured by death. Please announce to the Minister of Ceremonies to prepare ritual protocol. The emperor again issued an edict: "What is deliberated is truly the former blazing age's splendid affair. Just now it cannot yet be so. Then report and cut it off."
40
使
Song Grand Ancestor was on the throne long and had intent for feng and shan. He sent envoys to inspect the old Mount Tai route and issued an edict to Academician Shan Qianzhi to draft feng and shan protocol annotations. Afterward the northern bandits invaded south and six provinces were ruined and destroyed—his intent then ceased.
41
綿 輿 耀 殿耀 西使
In the eleventh month of the first year of Daming, Shizu received a submission from Grand Preceptor Prince Liu Yigong of Jiangxia: "Only August Heaven exalts and calls the Great Way, at first performing yielding and resignation. Down to Jin—though urgently repairing former thread, traces sunk and words abandoned, erased from bamboo and silk—how can one write singly. Continuing Qian, establishing emblem titles, flowing wind and sound, covered by silk and pipes—since Wuhuai, what can be transmitted and not decay—seventy-four rulers. None benevolent and thick yet Way extinguished; few righteous yet decadent and virtue proclaimed—bell and pitch's precedence, ages distant and thread broken, hard to obtain and hear. What Qiu and Suo make clear—still has remaining brilliance. Thus the Changes says beforehand Heaven not opposing, afterward Heaven following seasons. Probably Tang Yao, Yao's consort, Shang Ji, and Zhou Ji rulers—none failed to follow this Way. Thus transformation greatly harmonized and brilliance shone afterward. Blazing Han's two emperors also followed former rule, following the people's hearts and hearing the cart men's praise—dragon carriage and imperial robes, carving jade at Liangfu, bright words and clear titles, announcing completion to the upper spirit. Moreover Great Song displays auspicious signs of Tang and Yu, receiving termination of plain virtue—mountain dragon opening tally, gold and jade displaying omens, strange colors soaring from Zhen ruins, purple mist over the domain, bestowed crown signaling the ninety-five sign, patterned leopard attending Heaven's calendar meeting. Truly the two ancestors' hidden celebration and the sage empress's dark blessing. Way crowns Xuan and Yao, grace deep as universal nurture; yet still holding restrained simplicity, not yet speaking of feng and shan—the four seas privately feel ashamed. Your subject hears: only the sovereign matches the pole, only the emperor sacrifices to Heaven—thus able above to examine Qian's pattern, shine upon the people, harmonize the vaulted blue, and receive abundant blessing. Grand Ancestor Emperor Wu, brilliance joining sun and moon, light shaking the eight regions, saving drowned Jin, crossing the age of drifting currents, settling disorder and bringing peace to the people, responding to Heaven receiving mandate—great emblem harmonizing beyond the seas, aweing majesty shaking beyond the sands. Grand Ancestor Emperor Wen embodied sagehood and tread benevolence, continuing enterprise and raising ritual, correcting music and praise, making elephant calendar—clarity reaching through to spirits and earthly powers, mysterious grace covering above and below. Benevolence and filiality commanding the age, keen martial outstanding—encountering fortune blocked and denied, three powers submerged; then dragon flying five regions, phoenix soaring nine rivers, body ahead of eight hundred's term, severance exiting human and ghost's table—celebration mist responding to high banner's establishment, wind brilliance at trace-issuing time, personally cutting fierce rebels, personally clearing dark dust; Heaven and Earth beginning renewal, husband and wife again creating—how same-year discussion with those inheriting enterprise, expanding Yu's traces, chariots one track, writing without different script! Now dragon unicorn has arrived, phoenix already manifested, bi li already fruited, spirit thatch already abundant—carved mist descending at palace pavilions, precious dew in forbidden groves, auspicious grain at hall eaves, connected trunks in garden enclosures—all shining at the separate palace, roots planted in the orchid garden. As for frost down dark text, plain wings crimson feathers, springs rivers mountains and peaks' omens, grass wood metal stone's auspicious signs, square regions' audiences, resisting post cutting off ancestor's memorials—brilliant and mixed abundant, cannot be fully stated. Peace's responses—here abundantly rich. It is suitable to follow Heaven and Man's sincerity, follow former kings' rule, prepare ten thousand chariots, arrange law carriage, repair enfeoff Mount Tai, bury jade at Dai's foot, extend Qiao and Song at east sequence, edict Han and Qi at west wing, wave Heaven's gate, send to open pass, visit Purple Palace, audience Grand One, play Rotating Heaven, chant Cloud Gate, praise and spread hidden depth, surpassing sound before antiquity—how not splendid! I respectfully wish that the Ritualist be commanded in due time to prepare this canon and measure. The edict replied: "The Grand Preceptor's memorial reads thus. Former splendid kings forever preserved great names and always stood foremost in reputation—by this Way. I inherited the throne amid many hardships; my virtue is thin and my merit shallow—examining myself I collapse in shame. Recently qilin and phoenix displayed auspicious signs and thatch and grain both proved auspicious—though the omens appear clearly, my shame runs deep; I hope to follow my ancestors' will, expand and clear the central realm, perform ritual to earthly powers and visit the spirits—I will try."
42
In the fourth month of the fourth year, on xinhai day, the responsible officials memorialized:
43
: 綿
Your subjects have heard that exalting titles and establishing the pole requires observing custom to plant teaching; correctly occupying position and establishing form requires gathering the age to establish words. Successive generations of sage rulers all followed this Way. Dark achievement and upper blazing merit remain undivided in blended chapters; sounding light is entrusted to thread, resting yet not hidden. As for displayed posthumous names and soaring tracks, they tie continuing sound and color, signs and outlines heard and known. Down to Ji and Han, wind and flow still exist; lingering fragrance and remaining glory continuously reflect in records and threads. Though years severed from generation's sacrifice and generations changing essence and splendor—one can still soar gold and color, present jade's luster, carve traces to scent the present, and inscribe virtue to beautify the distant. Yet the Four Outlooks buried the di song ritual and Mount Ri relaxed the repair and enfeoffment countenance—is it not that the spirits' enterprise is hard to exalt and achievement's traces easily extinguished? From then down to the final age, none failed to wish to exalt emblem positions and detail and solidify great sound. This was not merely deep silence and cultivating letters, governing the age from an abyss dark alone. Surely because entwined silk is not empty memorial and writing is not falsely buried—striking rain forgiving spirits, pure blessing again planted—how obtain purple altar solemn reverence, bamboo palace bearing station, scattering fire casting to suburbs, shooting stars rushing to seats. Precious thread forms the initial foundation; satiated spirit marks the mandate's calendar; virtue shakes the relaxed net and achievement crosses the sunken image—dark immersion flows mixed, splendid liquid hidden and moistening, rule preserved for eternal driving, thought detailed and tree distant.
44
:調 耀耀 輿
Grand Ancestor Emperor Wen with opening encounter of great fortune, bright prospect shaking and congealing, gathering music adjusting wind, collecting ritual proclaiming measure—ancestors mutually reflecting, tracks and traces heavy brilliance. The sage sovereign containing tally in the river, standing soaring at Balance and Han, gold waves masking illumination, splendid glory stopping brightness—movement and fortune time coming, leaping flying wind rising, clearing atmosphere over sea and Dai, opening brightness in central regions, resting spirits returning souls, collapsed Heaven heavy brilliance, stored correctness congealing position at double brightness, imperial mountains spreading splendor at primal ranks. Thus auspicious signs reflected the flourishing foundation and a series of seals issued on plain silk. Added to this deploying court awaiting canon, adorning orders detailing ritual, compiling sunken wasteland, searching entrusted drift—presenting jade at suburban palace, smoke offering jade at dark terrace, brilliance gathering at Heaven temple, pulse soil auspicious agriculture, season reaching dawn sun, river mounds early ritual, net awe touring, displaying peace in central fields, historians flowing their praise, people drawing their wind. Thereupon containing traces viewing yin, shaking sound awesome resonance, generations' channels sunken in hope within, secure marquis' length, worthy kings entering attendance, special birth strange qi, following custom returning home, feather tribes plant rites, cherishing sound changing form, border silks cutting writing, provisional light relaxing candles. Heaven's Dai issuing spirit, ancestral river opening treasure, lofty mound sinking cauldron, shaking color at Si abyss, cloud emperor king peaks, spreading ornament across Han, united horns immediate sound, roosting soaring forbidden enclosure, imperial armor frost beak, fluttering dance river market, glory spring flowing mirror, later shining river source—thus waves boiling outer pass, clouds steaming inner marsh. As for snow footprints and green down, dark text and crimson color, sun and moon in suburban fields, selecting wood and playing sound. Added to this were glory dew soaring from the pavilion, Xiao cloud masking the tower, Hao and Ying sprouting buds, moving splendor in the abyss forbidden, mountain carriage standing at balance, cloud jian soaring wings, sea flounder swimming in flow, and river thatch issuing shade. The collating books' ranks looked up with brush to adorn words, while Ji and Dai's feudatories presented towns awaiting ritual. Is it not spirit harmony qi flourishing, things auspicious cloud shining, reed carriage turtle axle, pure spring fragrance.
45
:耀耀 使 宿
Grand Preceptor Prince of Jiangxia Liu Yigong chews the Way following brilliance, drawing out wonder surpassing antiquity, encompassing charts and histories, deploying detail in sealed records—displaying achievement surpassing former beginning, virtue shining Yan and Hao, ascending text at central Dai, ascending register at Heaven gate, brilliance crowning glory name, spreading and shaking sound titles. Yet the Way modest calling foremost, ritual with empty drawing—will make dark earthly powers lack viewing, hidden omens miss the term, Liangfu without splendid virtue's countenance, Jie mound without ascending-heard sound. Added exhausted spring's wilds presenting eight generations' steeds, intersecting wood's village offering severed gold's bow—solemn spirit heavy tables, precious talismans both bestowed. Respectfully considering Your Majesty's plan detailed and abyss-deep records, spreading beautiful chapters, following signs of sage spirits, moistening sound enterprise, seeking days examining antiquity, solemn and ordered alert ranks, Confucian assistants deploying color, ritual officers assisting protocol, suspended ru moving sound, great bell soaring sections, yang road arranging guards, correct path clearing forbidden. Thereupon they threaded ring pendants and upright jade ornaments; the sounding phoenix stood at pitch, the soaring carriage flowed in pattern, mixed colors compared to the elephant's countenance, and bright clear garments recorded the numbers. Emblems blazed in the Heaven array, countenance ornamented spirit movement, emerald canopy cherishing yin, feather splendor ranks shining. Then he issued an edict joint affairs to manage sacrifice, guest assistants to praise protocol, gold branches suspended overnight, and bell stone with moist sound. He commanded five spirits to arrange in ranks, opened nine passes to gather spirits, alerted guard soldiers to open clouds, and first had rain earthly powers sprinkle the road. Rosy clouds congealed at the birth gate, mist rose forming a palace, the terrace crowned cinnabar light, and the altar floated in plain mist. Then approaching central altar, preparing splendid ritual—Heaven descending auspicious gift, longevity solidifying imperial root, valley moving spirit sound, mountain transmitting praised resonance. Then they distinguished years and asked elders, presented odes and observed custom, returned offerings announcing spirits, and offered to the Clear Temple. Splendid beauty's abundance would shine brilliant through ten thousand ages; and abyss auspicious blazing would overflow without end. How splendid it would be!
46
:
Your subjects born meeting flourishing age, solemn and earnest in bright generation, bound teaching and limited hearing—not sufficient to speak of the Way. Moreover chapter will submerged and micro, generations past sunk and severed—constrained gathering remnant text, distinguishing bright instructions and admonitions, second visit to Zou and Lu, grass bundles writing buried jade ritual, fully prepared stone rope gold ritual, harmonizing orchid moistening gem, inscribing seal Qian enfeoffment. We fear not following tracks belonging to the upper emblem and brilliance matching the king's rule. We respectfully present the protocol annotations for your review.
47
Edict: "Heaven produces divine things; former kings called it shame—how much more in scant virtue, daring to receive great gift. Now writing and tracks not yet one—may stop this memorial."
48
使 使 歿
In the fifth month of Jian'an 18, Han Emperor Xian enfeoffed Wei Emperor Wu as Duke of Wei with ten commanderies of Hebei. That seventh month the ancestral temple was first established at Ye, using feudal lords' ritual to establish five temples. Afterward, though his rank advanced to king, nothing was changed. In Yankang 1, Emperor Wen succeeded the royal position; in the seventh month he posthumously honored his imperial grandfather as Grand King and Lady Ding as Grand Queen. In the eleventh month of the first year of Huangchu, receiving the abdication, he again posthumously honored Grand King as Grand Emperor and his imperial father King Wu as Emperor Wu. In the sixth month of Taihe 3, Emperor Ming again posthumously honored High Ancestor Grand Autumn as High Emperor and Lady Wu as High Empress—both worshipped at the Ye temple. Then Emperor Wen's great-grandfather the commoner, great-grandfather High Emperor, and grandfather Grand Emperor shared one temple. Imperial father Grand Ancestor Emperor Wu had a special temple never destroyed through a hundred generations—thus worship stopped at four chambers of the immediate temple. By the eleventh month of Taihe 3, the Luoyang capital temple was completed—then with affection exhausted the commoner tablet was moved, a garden settlement established, and a magistrate and assistant sent to offer sacrifice. Acting Grand Tutor Minister of Ceremonies Han Ji and Acting Grand Temple Director of Imperial Clan Cao Ke were sent with staff to welcome High Emperor and below spirit tablets together in one temple—still only four chambers. In the sixth month of Jingchu 1, ministers and responsible officials first memorialized fixing the seven-temple system: "Great Wei three sages succeeded one another, thereby completing imperial enterprise. Emperor Wu at the beginning established great foundation, settling disorder and leveling danger—is Wei Grand Ancestor. Emperor Wen succeeding Heaven's revolution, responding to the term receiving abdication—is Wei High Ancestor. Your Majesty completing great mandate, clearing and settling Huaxia, raising and establishing ritual and music—should be Wei Blazing Ancestor. North of the Grand Ancestor temple two zhao were made: on the left Emperor Wen's temple, titled High Ancestor, bright zhao; on the right Emperor Ming was planned as Blazing Ancestor, reverent zhao. Three ancestors' temples, ten thousand generations not destroyed; the remaining four temples, affection exhausted in turn moved—all like Zhou's Hou Ji, Wen, Wu temple zhao ritual. Sun Sheng's Wei Clan Spring and Autumn says: "Posthumous names express conduct, temples preserve countenance—all after death then displayed. Thus seeking origin and requiring end, to display meaning for a hundred generations. Never before has the system for ancestors and temples been reversed in the same year, before death yet presumptuously self-exalting. Formerly Hua Yue because of heavy levies received criticism; Zhou people because of anticipating misfortune violated ritual—Wei's various offices, at this lost correctness."
49
使
Emperor Wen's Empress Zhen was ordered to die—therefore not ranked in temple. When Emperor Ming ascended, responsible officials memorialized requesting posthumous title Empress Wenzhao; Minister of Works Wang Lang was sent with staff presenting edict announcing sacrifice at tomb. Three Dukes again memorialized: "From ancient times Zhou people's ancestral founder Hou Ji again had a special temple to sacrifice Jiang Yuan. Now Empress Wenzhao toward later generations, sage virtue to utmost transformation—how can there be measure? Taking the imperial house's generations of consort honor, spirit migrating and transforming, yet without sleeping temple to continue offering sacrifice—not thereby repaying displayed virtue, displaying filial reverence. Examining antiquity's system, it is suitable to follow the Rites of Zhou and separately establish a sleeping temple for the deceased mother. The memorial was approved. In the second month of Taihe 1, temple was established at Ye. In the fourth month, as Luoyang's ancestral temple was first constructed, digging earth yielded a jade seal one inch and nine tenths square, inscribed: "The Son of Heaven admires and thinks kindly of his parent." Emperor Ming's expression changed at this. He announced the event to the temple with a great sacrificial victim. By jiwei day of the twelfth month in Jingchu 1, responsible officials again memorialized that Empress Wenzhao's temple be established in the capital for perpetual feast sacrifice. Music and dance were the same as at the ancestral temple. The Ye temple was abolished.
50
殿
In the sixth month of the second year of Huangchu, because Luoyang's ancestral temple was not yet completed, Wei Emperor Wen sacrificed to Emperor Wu at Jianshi Hall, personally holding offering and presentation like family ritual. He Chengtian says: "By ritual, when palace chambers are about to be constructed, the ancestral temple comes first. Common people have no temple—therefore sacrifice in sleeping chamber. Emperors performing it—not ritual, very much so."
51
殿 殿 殿 殿
Han Emperor Xian Yankang year one seventh month, Wei Emperor Wen visited Qiao, personally sacrificed at Qiao tomb—this is Han ritual. Han house various tombs all have garden sleeping quarters—continuing what Qin established. Explainers hold that anciently the temple stood front and sleeping chamber rear, symbolizing the ruler's court in front and sleeping chamber behind. The temple stored tablets for four-season sacrifice; the sleeping chamber held garments, hats, and image-life implements for offering new. Qin at first moved the sleeping chamber to the tomb side; Han followed without change. On tomb called sleeping hall; image-life implements—ancient sleeping chamber's meaning. When Wei Emperor Wu was buried at Gaoling, responsible officials following Han practice established a tomb-top sacrifice hall. In the third year of Huangchu, Emperor Wen issued an edict: "The former emperor personally practiced frugal simplicity, and his testamentary edict called for economy. For a son to carry on his father's work is filial piety; for a subject to carry on his lord's affairs is loyalty. Ancient times did not sacrifice at tomb—all set at temple. Gaoling upper hall chambers all destroyed, horses and chariots returned to stable, garments stored in treasury—to follow former emperor's frugal virtue's will. Emperor Wen's own final regulations again stated: "At Shouling do not establish a sleeping hall; make only a garden settlement." From that time to the present, tomb sleeping quarters have been abolished.
52
使 西 使 使 輿 輿使 宿
Sun Quan did not establish seven temples; because his father Sun Jian once was Changsha Administrator, only established a Jian temple at Changsha's Linxiang county. Since Sun Quan did not sacrifice in person, he simply followed Later Han precedent at Nandun and had the Administrator perform the rite. Sun Jian's temple was also honored as the Ancestor-Founder Temple, yet it stood outside the capital. Moreover they used timber from the tomb of Wu Rui that commoners had opened—something unheard of before. At Jianye they established a temple to his elder brother, Prince of Changsha Sun Ce, south of Zhuque Bridge. When Sun Quan fell ill, the crown prince prayed at Sun Ce's temple. Sun Quan died; his son Sun Liang succeeded him. The next first month they established Sun Quan's temple east of the palace, calling it the Grand Ancestor Temple—neither south of the palace nor in bright-reverent order. When Sun Hao first ascended, he posthumously honored his father Sun He as Emperor Wen. Sun Hao had first been enfeoffed as Marquis of Wucheng—he immediately reburied Sun He on Wucheng's Western Mountain, titled the tomb Bright Tomb, and established a garden settlement of two hundred households. At Wucheng they established tomb sleeping quarters and ordered the county magistrate and assistant to offer sacrifice in all four seasons. In Baoding 1 they separately established Wuxing commandery at Wucheng and sent an Administrator to manage affairs. The responsible officials soon proposed that a temple should be established in the capital. In Baoding 2 they constructed it anew, titling it the Clear Temple. They sent Acting Chancellor Meng Ren, Minister of Ceremonies Yao Xin, and others with Central Army infantry and cavalry, using the spirit carriage and law chariot to welcome the spirit tablet from Bright Tomb; Sun Hao personally led Ren in bowing and sending it off in court. When Ren returned, hand edicts from central clerks followed day and night in succession, inquiring into the spirits' rising, resting, movement, and stopping. Shamans and diviners said they saw Sun He in garments and countenance as on ordinary days—Sun Hao both grieved and rejoiced and summoned all ministers, grandees, and Masters of Writing to the pavilion to receive gifts. When the spirit carriage was about to arrive, he sent Chancellor Lu Kai to offer a three-victim sacrifice at the near suburbs. Sun Hao lodged exposed outside Jincheng. The next day he gazed and bowed outside the east gate, then again bowed at the temple presenting a feast. For seven days he held three sacrifices, with singers and performers entertaining day and night. The responsible officials memorialized: "'Sacrifice should not be frequent; frequency brings excess'—feeling should be restrained by ritual." Then the rites stopped.
53
In the fourth month of Zhangwu 1, Liu Bei established his honored title at Chengdu. That month he established the ancestral temple and performed he sacrifice from the High Ancestor down. Liu Bei, succeeding the age and rising, also did not determine which emperor to take as father temple, and had no ancestors' titles. Liu Shan bound facing north, Northern Palace King Liu Chen wept at Liu Bei's temple—showing that Liu Bei's temple was separately established.
54
西
In Xianxi 1, Wei Emperor Yuan increased Jin Emperor Wen's enfeoffment and advanced his rank to king, posthumously commanding Wuyang Xuanwen Marquis as Jin Emperor Xuan and Zhongwu Marquis as Jin Emperor Jing. That eighth month Emperor Wen died, receiving the posthumous title Emperor Wen. On bingyin day of the twelfth month in the first year of Taishi, Emperor Wu received the abdication. On dingmao day he posthumously honored his imperial grandfather Emperor Xuan as Emperor Xuan, his father's elder brother Emperor Jing as Emperor Jing, and his father Emperor Wen as Emperor Wen; Emperor Xuan's consort Lady Zhang as Empress Xuanmu and Emperor Jing's lady Lady Yang as Empress Jing. In the first month of the second year, responsible officials memorialized that the Son of Heaven's seven temples should be constructed according to ritual. The emperor weighed the labor and issued an edict provisionally establishing one temple. Thereupon ministers deliberated: "Upper antiquity's Clear Temple was one palace, honoring distant spirits; down to the Zhou house, seven temples were made to distinguish ancestral lines. The sage intent is deeply expansive, distant tracks reaching upper ages, thickly honoring Tang and Yu. Setting aside the splendor of seven temples, he followed one palace's honoring of the distant. Formerly Shun received Yao's abdication, received termination at Culture Ancestor, then ascended imperial position—probably thirty years; month correct primal day, again arriving at Culture Ancestor. Thus the Yu clan did not change the Tang temple, continuing the former palace. May follow the Youyu clan precedent and immediately use the Wei temple. The memorial was approved. Thereupon they posthumously sacrificed Campaigning West General, Yuzhang Lord, Yingchuan Lord, and Jingzhao Lord with Emperor Xuan, Emperor Jing, and Emperor Wen as three bright and three reverent. At that time Emperor Xuan had not yet ascended and the Grand Ancestor position was empty—thus they worshipped six generations with Emperor Jing as seven temples; ritual followed Wang Su's explanation. In the seventh month he again issued an edict: "The Director previously memorialized using the Wei old temple—truly it also has standard. Yet in reverently serving the spirits, he still felt uneasy. It is suitable again to construct, exalting correctness and eternal system. Thereupon they altered and created the ancestral temple. In the eleventh month they posthumously honored Emperor Jing's lady Lady Xiahou as Empress Jinghuai.
55
In Taikang 1, Princess Ling Shou Xiu Li was enfeoffed at the Grand Temple—Zhou and Han never had this standard. Emperor Ming of Wei then separately established a temple; Jin again differed from Wei.
56
便 西 西 西 西 西 西 殿西 西 西
In the eighth year, because the temple collapsed it should be rebuilt. Ministers deliberated and memorialized again: "In ancient times the seven temples stood at different places—naturally it is suitable to follow ritual." The edict replied again: "Anciently there were seven temples, but from recent generations onward all have been one temple with seven chambers—in ritual not abolished, in feeling as narrative, also following the age's suitability. They were to continue as before. By the tenth year they again constructed it inside Xuanyang Gate, extremely grand and splendid. Yet the pit-position system remained as at first. When the temple was completed, the emperor led the hundred officials in moving spirit tablets to the new temple; from Campaigning West down, chariot garments and escort all followed emperors' protocol. This followed Zhi Yu's deliberation. When World Ancestor Emperor Wu died, Campaigning West was moved; and when Emperor Hui died, Yuzhang was moved again. Yet in Emperor Hui's age, Minhuai crown prince and the crown prince's two sons Mourning Grand Heir Zang and Chong Grand Heir Shang were all enfeoffed at the temple. In Emperor Yuan's age, Emperor Huai's infant crown prince was again enfeoffed at the temple, titled Yin Chamber four infant deaths. At Emperor Huai's beginning, they again issued an edict posthumous title for Emperor Wu's Empress Yang as Empress Wudao and changed burial beside Junyang tomb. They separately established Hongxun Palace, not ranked in the temple. Emperor Yuan having ascended the honored position and upward succeeding Emperor Wu—in ritual as father temple, like Han Emperor Guangwu upward succeeding Emperor Yuan. At that time Western Capital spirit tablets were buried and destroyed in the barbarian court; establishing the temple in Jiangzuo, all was newly constructed. Soon with ascending Emperor Huai's tablet, Yingchuan was moved again. Position though seven chambers, in substance five generations—probably following Diao Xie, taking brothers as generation count. At that time the hundred offices were at grass roots creation and old ritual was not complete; three ancestors' destroyed tablets provisionally occupied separate chambers. In Taixing 3, about to ascend Emperor Min's tablet—they fixed the altered system, returning Yuzhang and Yingchuan two lords to bright-reverent positions, same as Emperor Hui succeeding Emperor Wu, while Emperors Hui, Huai, and Min from spring-autumn honoring-the-honored meaning were in temple not replaced. When Emperor Yuan died, Yuzhang was moved again. Yet Emperor Yuan's spirit position still stood below Emperor Min's—therefore there were pit chambers totaling ten. When Emperor Ming died, Yingchuan was moved again—still ten chambers. At that time continuing and expanding the Grand Temple—thus three moved lords all returned to western store, named zhao, to standardize distant temple. In Xianhe 3 under Emperor Cheng, Su Jun overturned order in the capital; Wen Jiao and others entered to attack and established a traveling temple at Baishi, announcing to former emperors and empresses: "Rebel minister Su Jun has overturned the state altars, destroyed the three correct, and defiled the realm. We your subjects Liang and others have personally slain the barbarian chiefs, reverently performing Heaven's punishment. Only Middle Ancestor Emperor Yuan, Reverent Ancestor Emperor Ming, and Empress Mingmu's spirits—descend to inspect the guilty, exterminate their mandate, cut off these villains, to secure the ancestral temple. Your subjects though falling heads and crushing bodies, still have years of life. In the fifth month of Xiankang 7, they first made Empress Wudao's spirit tablet, enfeoffed at temple, collateral feast with World Ancestor. Emperor Cheng died and Emperor Kang succeeded—as brothers one generation, Jingzhao was not moved; first eleven chambers. When Emperor Kang died, Jingzhao moved into western store, together called zhao, like former three ancestors moved lords' ritual. Thus the main chambers still numbered eleven. Emperor Mu died and Emperors Ai and Haixi were both brothers, with nothing to ascend or descend. At the beginning of the Xi'an reign, Emperor Jianwen succeeded Emperor Yuan upward, and generation ranks ascended. Thereupon Yingchuan and Jingzhao two lords again returned to bright-reverent positions. When Emperor Jianwen died, Yingchuan was moved again. In Taiyuan 16, Emperor Xiaowu altered and constructed the Grand Temple—hall main chambers sixteen bays, east and west stores each one bay, total eighteen bays. The ridge stood eight zhang four chi high; the hall foundation measured thirty-nine zhang one chi long and ten zhang one chi wide. The hall gathered square stone; the courtyard was paved with brick. Honoring with complete law chariot, they moved spirit tablets to the traveling temple. Campaigning West to Jingzhao four lords, and crown prince grand heir, each used their position's protocol garments. The four lords did not follow emperors' protocol—this differs from Taikang. When the various lords had entered the temple, dried and pickled meat offerings were set. When the new temple was completed and the emperor lords returned to chambers, dried and pickled meat offerings were set again. In the second month of the nineteenth year, they posthumously honored Jianwen's mother Kuaiji Grand Consort Lady Zheng as Jianwen Emperor's Empress Dowager Xuan and established a temple west of the Grand Temple road. When Emperor Xiaowu died, Jingzhao was moved again, like Emperor Mu's age four zhao precedent. In Longan 4 under Emperor An, they enfeoffed Xiaowu's mother Jianwen Empress Dowager Li and the emperor's mother Xunde Empress Dowager Chen at Empress Dowager Xuan Zheng's temple.
57
祿
In the third month of Yuanxing 3, Grand Temple spirit tablets were at Xunyang—new tablets had already been established at the Grand Temple, with provisional announcement of the righteous affair. In the fourth month, Assistant General He Wuji escorted the spirit tablets back. On bingzi day, the hundred officials bowed in welcome at Shitou. On wuyin day they entered the temple. Emperor An died before the di sacrifice could be held, and Heaven's blessing ended.
58
殿 西
When Song Emperor Wu first received Jin's mandate as King of Song, he established an ancestral temple at Pengcheng, following Wei and Jin precedent with a single temple. The first sacrifice honored High Ancestor Lord of Kaifeng, great-grandfather Lord of Wuyuan, imperial grandfather Lord of Dong'an, imperial father the Commoner Lord, and Empress Wu Jing Zang—following the feudal lords' five-temple ritual. After ascending the throne, he added worship of the seventh-generation Right Beiping Lord and sixth-generation Chancellor's Assistant Lord, making seven temples. At the beginning of Yongchu he posthumously honored his imperial father the Commoner as Emperor Xiaomu and his imperial mother Lady Zhao as Empress Mu. In the third year Empress Xiaoyi Xiao died and was again enfeoffed at the temple. When the High Ancestor died, his spirit tablet ascended the temple, still following bright-reverent order like the Wei and Jin system, with the Grand Ancestor position left empty. The temple hall was also not rebuilt, again like early Jin following Wei. At the beginning of Yuanjia, Emperor Wen posthumously honored his birth-mother Lady Hu Jieyu as Empress Dowager Zhang and established a temple at Western Jin Empress Dowager Xuan's site. Emperor Xiaowu's Empress Dowager Zhao and Emperor Ming's Empress Dowager Xuan were both enfeoffed at Empress Dowager Zhang's temple.
59
In the first month of Taixing 3, Emperor Yuan of Jin issued an edict: "Though I succeed the World Ancestor, toward Emperors Huai and Min I still face north and call myself subject. Now at the Grand Temple sacrifice I do not personally hold the goblet and pour, but have responsible officials conduct the ritual—in feeling and ritual this is not at ease. It should be reconsidered according to ritual." Minister of Ceremonies Hua Heng deliberated: "Now the sage sovereign succeeds Emperor Wu; it is suitable to follow Han World Ancestor precedent and not personally hold goblet and cup." He also said: "Your Majesty succeeds Emperor Wu, yet the temple's bright-reverent order covers only four generations. Former Minister of Ceremonies He Xun and Erudite Fu Chun held that Emperors Hui, Huai, and Min should have separate temples. Yet I consider temple chambers should be limited by capacity for tablets, not bound by a fixed number. The Yin age had two ancestors and three temples; if bound to seven chambers, one would sacrifice only to the father temple. Extending this discussion, Yuzhang and Yingchuan should be restored and the full seven-temple ritual observed. Pillar-and-Cavalry Chief Clerk Wen Jiao deliberated: "The claim that brothers do not enter the temple together is not found in ritual texts. Moreover Guangwu roused his sword and rose, was not enrolled under Emperor Xiaoping, devoted spirit to the affair to respond to the nine-generations prophecy; and ancient times did not share temples—thus he separately established one. Your Majesty, speaking by enrolled name, differs from Guangwu's case; personally performing winter and autumn sacrifices is canonically correct and emotionally fitting. Minister of Ceremonies Heng wished to return the two lords to complete seven generations—Jiao considers this suitable. Pillar-and-Cavalry General Wang Dao endorsed Jiao's view. Jiao again said: "For those who were not his sons, one may directly say, 'The emperor dares announce to a certain emperor. Moreover if one emperor counts as one generation, then not sacrificing to the father temple falls below even commoners.' Thereupon the emperor followed Jiao's deliberation and implemented it all. Sun Sheng's Jin Spring and Autumn says: "The Yangqiu Commentary says, 'Ministers and sons follow one pattern. Though succeeding to the ruler's position, one does not use later honor to reduce former reverence. Formerly Duke Xi of Lu succeeded Duke Zhuang upward, elevating by friendship of elder and younger—that was rebellion. Measured by ancient meaning, the bright edict is correct."
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西西 西 西 西 西 西
In the seventh month of Yonghe 2, responsible officials memorialized: "At the tenth month yin sacrifice, Jingzhao Lord should move to the zhao chamber. Formerly the destroyed tablets of Campaigning West, Yuzhang, and Yingchuan three lords—at the Restoration beginning provisionally occupied the Heavenly Mansion west of the temple gate. In Xiankang, Minister of Ceremonies Feng Huai memorialized continuing to return them to western store side chambers, calling it zhao—this too was doubtfully unritual. Now Jingzhao moving in—this is a four-generations-distant ancestor, long above the Grand Ancestor. Formerly the Zhou house's Grand Ancestor was generations distant—thus moving had a destination. Now in the Jin temple Emperor Xuan is chief, yet four ancestors occupy it—this is bending the ancestor to submit to the grandson. Yin he sacrifice above—this replaces the Grand Ancestor. Acting Director of the Masters of Writing Cai Mo deliberated: "The four lords should have separate chambers built; if not yet displayed, they should enter Grand Temple chambers. No one dares belittle their ancestors—Wen and Wu do not precede Buqiu. On yin sacrifice day, Campaigning West faces east, above Emperor Xuan. Thereafter moved temple lords are stored in Campaigning West's zhao, sacrifice and offering not severed. Protecting Army General Feng Huai memorialized: "Ritual states: 'Those without a temple—make an altar to sacrifice. May separately establish a chamber to store them; at yin di, then sacrifice at the altar." Assistant General Prince of Qiao Sima Wuji and others deliberated: "Scholars say Great King and King Ji moved tablets stored in Wen and Wu's zhao—thus the lords' moved tablets should be in Emperor Xuan's temple. Yet now there is no sleeping chamber—construction should be adapted. Moreover at yin he in the Grand Temple, Campaigning West faces east." Masters of Writing Gentleman Sun Chuo agreed with Wuji. He said: "Though the Grand Ancestor's position began at ninety-five, the Way followed from smoothness, replacing human rank's honor and deepening Heaven's kinship's Way—thus completing teaching's root and illuminating a hundred generations." Masters of Writing Gentleman Xu Chan deliberated: "Ritual states: 'Removing zhao makes altar, removing altar makes open ground; yearly he then sacrifices. Now the four ancestors' moved tablets may be stored in a stone chamber. When there is prayer, sacrifice at the altar and open ground." They also sent Chan to Kuaiji to visit Recluse Yu Xi. Xi replied: "In Han times Wei Xuancheng and others buried destroyed tablets in the garden. Wei court deliberators said they should be buried between the two steps. Moreover spirit tablets originally stood in the Grand Temple—if now sacrificed in a separate chamber, permanent storage is better. Moreover the four lords have no posthumous title ritual—further clarifying they should be destroyed without sacrifice." Thereupon General of the Forward Army Prince of Kuaiji Sima Yu, Master of Writing Liu Shao, and others memorialized: "Four ancestors together occupy western zhao, store tablets in stone chamber, di and he then sacrifice, like former court old ritual." At that time Chenliu Fan Xuan's elder brother's son asked about this ritual. Xuan replied: "Shun's temple sacrifices all were commoners. Their later generations grew distant and were destroyed, not occupying above Shun, not ordering bright-reverent. Now the four lords' titles still follow originals—not by merit and virtue attaining ritual. If following Yu lord's burial, the tablets would remain stored where descendants are; if following Xia lord's burial, then again not the original temple's steps. It is suitable to think of the change and separately build one chamber; if affection is not exhausted then di and he, positioned above Emperor Xuan; if affection is exhausted then no reason to descend and join descendants' ranks." Thereafter Minister of Ceremonies Liu Xia and others agreed with Cai Mo. Erudite Zhang Ping deliberated: "Some doubt those displayed before the Grand Ancestor are all their later destroyed lords. Examining ancient meaning, there is no separate before-after text. Yu did not precede Gun—then moved lords occupying above the Grand Ancestor can also be without doubt."
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In the fourth month of Yixi 9 under Emperor An, they were about to perform yin sacrifice. An edict called for broad deliberation on moving and destroying ritual. Grand Marshal Prince of Langye Sima Dewen deliberated: "At Taishi beginning the Grand Ancestor position was empty, yet following affection flowing distant, upward reaching Campaigning West—thus when generation is exhausted it is suitable to destroy, while Emperor Xuan corrects the Grand Ancestor's position. Moreover Han Emperor Guangwu moved eleven emperors' tablets to Luoyang—then destroyed tablets not established, principle can be extended. They should follow Fan Xuan's advice, build a separate chamber for the four lords' tablets, and store them permanently without sacrifice. Grand Agriculture Xu Guang deliberated: "The four lords once occupied the temple chambers' foremost, receiving sacrifice throughout the realm. If buried in hidden earth, feeling and principle are perhaps not all exhausted. I consider they may be moved and stored in western store as distant zhao, while di and feast are forever severed." Grand Commandant Advisory Staff Member Yuan Bao argued: "Keep the old practice unchanged. Yin sacrifice still reaches four lords—feeling and principle as acceptable." Section Director of Sacrifices Zang Tao deliberated: "Four lords' tablets, feast sacrifice ritual abolished—then spirits do not rely. It is suitable to follow Yu lord's burial." At that time High Ancestor Liu Yu assisted Jin, agreeing with the Grand Marshal's deliberation. They awaited the afterward yin sacrifice to conduct ritual and alter the system.
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Emperor Xiaowu of Jin, fifth month renxu of Taiyuan 12, issued an edict: "Formerly constructing the Grand Temple, each affair followed economy and simplicity, thinking with the realm to devote effort preparing ritual. Moreover the Grand Ancestor position was empty and the Bright Hall was not yet constructed. Suburban sacrifice—the state's great affair—yet examining antiquity's system finds it lacking. The court should deliberate the details." Section Director of Sacrifices Xu Miao deliberated: "Round Mound suburban sacrifice—canon has no duality—Emperor Xuan once distinguished this meaning. Yet examining the sage canon, down to the Restoration, fully added research to fix southern and northern two suburbs—truly not something different learning can lightly alter. I believe continuing as before is the secure course. Emperor Wu established temple, six generations three bright three reverent; Emperor Xuan the foundation-establishing lord is truly the Grand Ancestor, kin then king-father—four temples above, not yet reaching moved generation, thus provisionally empty east-facing position. Brothers succeeding one another, meaning not two generations—thus present temple sacrifice, generation count not sufficient; yet wishing Grand Ancestor correct position violates serving seven's meaning. Moreover the Rites says 'Commoner son as king also he ancestor establishes temple.' This probably means that when a branch descendant receives the throne, near kin must be restored to worship. Jingzhao Lord at present six generations—it is suitable again to establish this chamber, then Emperor Xuan not above six generations; former generations must already be moved, then Grand Ancestor position is fixed. Jingzhao moving and destroying—it is suitable to store tablets in stone chamber. Even di and he would still not reach them. Why? Tradition says destroyed lord ascends and joins Grand Ancestor—ascending is name from below, not saying can lower honor to submit to humble. The four lords enshrined in the dark chamber as crown prince and imperial grandson held the grave status of designated heirs and were attached upward to the temple entrusted to the imperial ancestor. When the generations grow distant they should be moved, and the grandsons who share their offerings should then be removed with them. Bright Hall round-square system, outline already raised—not suitable to lack matching Emperor's sacrifice. Moreover kings take the realm as home, not necessarily one state—thus Zhou Ping and Guangwu did not abolish worship at the two capitals. The Duke of Zhou worshipped King Wen ancestrally; Han Emperor Ming paired with the World Ancestor—unless it is the newly established father, who matches the Supreme Lord? Miao again said: "The spirits matched at the Bright Hall remain a matter of accumulated doubt. The Changes states: 'Yin presents the Supreme Lord, to match ancestors and fathers.' Ancestors and fathers share the match—then the Supreme Lord is also Heaven, and the meaning of honoring the father is clear. The Rites of Zhou: journeying to the Supreme Lord has its occasions; announcing to Heaven and the regular suburban sacrifice both use four jade tablets, hence they are spoken of together. If the Supreme Lord is the Five Emperors—why does the canonical text not say 'sacrifice to Heaven and journey to the Five Emperors, sacrifice to Earth and journey to the Four Outlooks'? Human Emperor and Heaven Emperor—though a Heaven-human common term, the five directions cannot be called Supreme Lord, and feudal lords cannot be called Great Lord. The Documents lack full evidence, yet meaning accommodates both sides—thus between the Taishi and Taikang reigns, rise and abolition alternated." Attendant Within Che Yin agreed. He also said: "The Bright Hall system is already difficult to detail in full. Music chiefly lies in harmony and ritual in reverence—thus substance and ornament differ, and musical instruments differ as well. Since thatched hut and broad hall do not share one measure, why guard its form and model yet fail to exalt the root and follow the people? When the nine domains are at peace and the north of the river is without dust, then the Bright Hall and Imperial Academy can be exalted and repaired. Director of the Masters of Writing Wang Min agreed with Yin. Minister of Ceremonies Kong Wang argued: "Taishi's opening foundation upward sacrificed to the four lords because the generation count was still near and feast sacrifice was possible—not like Yin and Zhou former ages, foundations of royal traces. If Jingzhao at that time had been outside seven generations, these four kings would naturally not have been sacrificed. From this it follows that after destruction, yin di is what is severed." Director of the Ministry of Personnel Wang Qin argued: "The Bright Hall images Heaven and Earth—a great ceremonial observance; it should await the imperial residence returning to its old state before repair." Pillar-and-Cavalry General Prince of Kuaiji Sima Daozi and Director of the Masters of Writing Xie Shi agreed with Qin. Thereupon the court implemented the proposals without alteration.
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In the sixth month of Yixi 2, White-Robed Acting Left Assistant Director Kong Anguo submitted: "In the summer of Yuanxing 3, yin sacrifice was due. In the third month of the former year the imperial carriage returned. That fourth month yin was due, yet Minister of Ceremonies Erudite Xu Qian and others argued: 'Early autumn should be used.' The office verified that from Taihe 4 onward all used winter and summer; Qian and others, having submitted to early winter, again traced and clarified that early autumn was not an error. Censor-in-Chief Fan Tai argued: 'Now though after enfeoffment winter and autumn sacrifice is possible, there is no yin feast comparison.' Taixuan 21's tenth month should have had yin—Emperor Liezong died in the ninth month of that year. By Longan 3 the state was greatly auspicious and the yin affair was repaired. Moreover ritual: when in mourning abolish auspicious sacrifice and sacrifice the new lord at the sleeping chamber. Now no separate sleeping chamber is established—after enfeoffment, sacrifice at the temple. Thus four-season winter and autumn lodges pursuing-distant thought; three years one di practices bright-reverent ordering—meaning's root differs in each. Three years mourning complete, then combined feast at Grand Ancestor; encountering season then yin—no taking from the limit of thirty months. Probably the inner office always used the limit-month as established practice. Just as he said, when in mourning yin is possible. At Longan's beginning it was indeed abolished because of mourning. Month count varied, again slow and fast missing the center. As for repairing when the sleeping chamber period applies—meaning not yet understood. Anguo submitted again: 'Fan Tai said: "Now after enfeoffment sacrifice is at the temple, thus four-season winter and autumn. As Tai's words show, yin and winter-autumn sacrifice—their root is not the same. After enfeoffment, one may personally perform winter-autumn sacrifice yet cannot personally perform yin. Minister of Ceremonies Liu Jin said: 'Empress Zhang's mourning is not yet one cycle—sacrifice should not be performed.' I seek: in the fifth month of Shengping 5 Emperor Mu died; that seventh month the mountain tomb, tenth month yin. Xingning 3 second month Emperor Ai died; Taihe 1 fifth month Haixi consort Lady Yu died—then empress; seventh month burial, tenth month yin. This was within Emperor Ai's second cycle; after Lady Yu's burial, two yin edict texts were seen in the temple. Moreover Empress Dowager Wen died in the seventh month of Longan 4—Your Majesty tracing former intent, personally wearing heavy regulations, fifth year tenth month yin. Within the second cycle, not because the affair was abolished. Now because of the lesser consort's mourning, Tai further says the great ritual cannot be performed. I find from Yonghe 10 to now, fifty-odd years, using thirty months then yin—all seen in annotated records; this follows ritual, five years twice yin. Yet Tai's words are not truly difficult to rebut, but rather say the sage court's practice misses the center in slow and fast. Tai as censorate officer should clearly examine right and wrong; if my submission is not accepted, he should be blamed and impeached—yet delay and stagnation show he has forgotten the old practice. I request that Tai and Jin be removed from office.' On dingsi day, edict: all retain office in white robes. Thereupon Erudite Xu Qian and others were all removed from office. Initially Yuanxing 3 fourth month could not perform yin sacrifice—advanced to tenth month; if counting regular limit, Yixi 3 winter should again have yin; if starting origin anew, next year fourth month should be used. Acting Director of the Masters of Writing Wang Mi and Danyang Intendant Meng Chang argued: "Extraordinary celebration requires extraordinary ritual. Yin sacrifice old standard is not wrong—probably applied to regular constant alone. As for Yixi's celebration, unmatched through the ages—though called returning fortune, the principle matches receiving the mandate. I consider principle and fortune renewed—at this then beginning. Fourth month is suitable. Central Guard General Xie Hun and Minister of Ceremonies Liu Jin argued: "Yin has no fixed day—examining season shows reverence; moreover ritual intent honors simplicity. Last year's tenth month sacrifice—though the day had discrepancy, feeling and canon were fully prepared; it is suitable still to take as correct. Erudite Xu Qian argued: "Three years one he, five years one di—classics, records, and annals contain no text supplementing yin." Supernumerary Attendant Gentleman Acting Director of Compilation Xu Guang argued: "Seeking former affairs—Haixi Duke Taihe 6 tenth month yin sacrifice. Emperor Xiaowu held yin sacrifice in the tenth month of Ningkang 2. If following regular thirty months before, fourth month should be used. At that time there was probably cause, yet moved to winter—but that affair is not yet detailed. Taixuan 1 tenth month yin sacrifice—following regular thirty months, year two fourth month should be used. Tracing calculation, xinwei year tenth month did not fit sixty months yet twice yin. He Shaofu annotating Gongyang Commentary says he follows the former lord coming, accumulated number as limit. From Duke Xi's eighth year to Duke Wen's second year—knowing as he sacrifice.' Thus treading origin dwelling at start, inheriting source forming flow—the node of comprehension distantly because of ancestral root. The former year had cause and was postponed—not its regular measure. The former affairs of Ningkang and Taixuan may be followed. Though years have distant-near difference, tracing calculation's principle is the same. I consider following the restored regular sequence—to push returning to the correct Way. Left Assistant Director Liu Runzhi and others argued: "Taixuan 1 fourth month should have yin—yet ritual officers fell and lost, established using tenth month. Originally not correct term—should not immediately take loss as start. The returning-to-origin fourth month is suitable as the start. The tenth month of year three should be used. The Masters of Writing memorialized following Wang Mi, taking the tenth month of year one as the start.
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Emperor Xiaowu Xiaojian 1 twelfth month wuzi, responsible officials memorialized: "Following old practice, year one tenth month is yin sacrifice month. Acting Section Director Fan Tai jointly deliberated, following Yongchu 3 precedent, must be outside second cycle for yin sacrifice. Seeking sacrifice: second cycle coming, two years third month—if using fourth month yin, still within mourning taboo. The matter was referred to ritual officers for deliberation and correction. National Academy Assistant Instructor Su Weisheng argued: "By ritual, three years mourning complete, then he at Grand Ancestor. Also says 'three years no sacrifice—only Heaven, Earth, and Soil and Grain, crossing hemp performing affair.' Moreover not yet taboo then sacrifice—seen criticized in Spring and Autumn. Seeking ancient ritual, while mourning garments have not ended, there is fundamentally no meaning of libation and feast. From Emperor Wen of Han onward, all followed provisional system—ancestral temple and court audience, all auspicious. Though auspicious taboo nominally exists, without hemp sash change—winter-autumn feast offering not different from ordinary days. Yin sacrifice ritual is already not different—how alone because heart grief as impediment. Erudite Xu Hong argued: "Three years mourning—though following provisional system, at second cycle auspicious change still wearing plain silk, not yet pure auspicious—no capacity to sacrifice. I consider coming fourth month not yet suitable for yin immediately; tenth month is acceptable. Minister of Ceremonies Assistant Director Zhu Yingzhi argued: "Yu ritual says: 'Middle month then taboo—that month auspicious sacrifice, still not matched. Meaning twenty-seventh month already taboo sacrifice; at four seasons' sacrifice day, consort not yet matched—grief not forgotten. Extending this, not yet tabooed means cannot sacrifice. Moreover in Spring and Autumn, Duke Min's second year saw auspicious di at Duke Zhuang. Zheng Xuan said: 'Duke Min's heart fearful at difficulty, devoted to self-respect to suppress calamity—altogether twenty-two months yet removing mourning, again not taboo.' Saying again not taboo—clarifying within taboo cannot di. Wang Su and others told the Wei court: 'For now preserve ancient ritual provisionally and await the completion of three years.' The old explanation holds that when three years' mourning is complete, one performs di when di is due and he when he is due. Zheng Xuan said: 'Di is in early summer, he in early autumn. The practice now successively uses the tenth month. As for the Gongyang passage Hong submitted, if there is doubt, it also concerns Duke Min's establishment of mourning and thus speaks only of mourning regulations. Why must one fully permit that a plain cap allows auspicious di? Even if the Gongyang explanation differs, the office takes ritual as correct and also seeks what is suitable in measure.' Gentleman of the Palace Zhou Jingyuan jointly deliberated: 'On the tenth day of the ninth month of Yongchu 3, Fu Liang's deliberation was memorialized: "The provisional system of immediate auspiciousness is suitable for governing the age. For the great ritual of the ancestral temple, it is suitable to follow ancient canon. That became the established standard for Imperial Song's founding generation. I consider Erudite Xu Hong and Minister of Ceremonies Assistant Director Zhu Yingzhi's deliberation to use next year's tenth month for yin sacrifice acceptable. The edict was approved.
65
In Song, yin sacrifice was performed only after immediate auspiciousness. In the second month xinhai of the seventh year of Daming, responsible officials memorialized: 'Yin sacrifice is due in the fourth month—if affairs in progress prevent it, may early autumn be used?' General of the Forward Army Chief Clerk Zhou Jingyuan deliberated: 'The Rites Record says: "The Son of Heaven he di he feast he winter-autumn. Following the ritual text, yin occurs in all three seasons of summer, autumn, and winter—not only winter and summer. At the beginning of Jin Yixi, Director of the Masters of Writing Kong Anguo submitted: from Taihe 4 onward yin sacrifice successively used winter and summer. Anguo submitted again: from Yonghe 10 to now, fifty-odd years, using thirty months then yin sacrifice. Erudite Xu Qian challenged Anguo according to ritual. Qian again cited Jin Xiankang 6 seventh month yin sacrifice—this is not exclusively using winter and summer. At that time the Jin court did not follow Qian's deliberation, yet Qian had ritual and Xiankang precedent—Anguo had nothing with which to overturn it. Now if yin sacrifice cannot be performed in the coming fourth month, moving it to early autumn violates no ritual.' The joint deliberation, having ritual evidence, considered using early autumn acceptable. The edict was approved.
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Emperor Wu of Jin, eleventh month jiyou of Xianning 5, Empress Dowager Hongxun Lady Yang died—the ancestral temple abolished sacrifice for a time, Heaven, Earth, and Bright Hall removed music, and sacrificial meat was not offered. Shengping 5 tenth month jimao, yin sacrifice—because after Emperor Mu's death, music was not performed. Initially in Yongjia, Attendant Gentleman Jiang Tong deliberated: 'The Yangqiu meaning is to remove music upon completing the affair.' This means auspicious sacrifice may abolish music. Thus it was implemented at the end of Shengping. Thereafter Minister of Ceremonies Jiang You memorialized: 'After Emperor Mu's mountain tomb, tenth month yin sacrifice followed Minister of Ceremonies Qiu Yi and others' deliberation and withdrew music. You, seeking in detail the present implemented Han system, found no special sacrifice distinction. Since entering the temple for auspicious di, what doubt about music?"
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The historian says: hearing music brings no joy, thus feeling is expressed in suppressing and sealing. As for mourning darkness and seizing garments, fearing the waste and abandonment of government affairs—thus riding authority to pass and establish change, measuring light and heavy and lowering and bending. As for performing music and mourning silence, these neither add nor subtract from critical affairs; even if doubt turns both ways, one should still follow kinship through affection.
68
In the Song age, when the state had cause, temple sacrifices all suspended music.
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