从“孔子之祀”到“圣孔释奠礼”

Abstract

In this paper, I regard “the memorial service for Confucius(孔子之祀)” held in the family shrine of Que-Li(阙里) as immediate source of “the Ritual of Shi Dian for Sage Confucius(圣孔释奠礼)”, and is dealing with the whole process and motives of “the memorial service for Confucius” shaping into “the Ritual of Shi Dian for Sage Confucius”. The main arguments of this paper are as below. First, the beginning of “the Ritual of Shi Dian for Sage Confucius” started from the Imperial House holding Ritual Practices of “the memorial service for Confucius”. In Han Dynasty reign period, Confucianism has a very important rule in dominant groups, and especially “Prognostication and apocryphal texts (谶纬)” which had been widely spread throughout society in that time provided a occasion for justifying of Han Dynasty’ rules. Through a series of this process, Confucius has gradually been sacralized and at the same time the status of him and his family was ascended. For instance, The Imperial Government conferred the title of nobility on descendants of Confucius, made them hold “the memorial service for Confucius”. This measure means that descendants of Confucius are in the Imperial Government service through directly performing sacrificial rites for Confucius. Furthermore, in the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, government newly started to appoint local officials engaging in “the memorial service for Confucius” in the schools of every region. In the late of the Eastern Han Dynasty, government after all set up official position in government center in mainly performing “the memorial service for Confucius” in the family shrine of Que-Li(阙里), and stood all the expenses for it. Through this process, “the memorial service for Confucius” that is initially held in the family shrine and in the schools of the regions, finally was enrolled into official institutions and system of the State cult practices. Second, “the memorial service for Confucius” as a royal ritual practices in the beginning takes the family shrine of Que-Li(阙里)’s form, but after go through a series of measures taken by a few of top rulers it eventually was reborn in form named “the Rituals of Shi Dian(释奠礼)” at the Imperial Academy(太学), That is nearly similar to “the Ritual of Shi Dian for Sage Confucius(圣孔释奠礼)” in form and procedure. In the CaoWei Dynasty(曹魏)’periods, “the memorial service for Confucius” served to one of the main parts of education for emperors got in the Imperial Academy, at that time, it was ascended official performance called “the Ritual of Shi Dian”. Since the Eastern Jin Dynasty(东晋), “the Ritual of Shi Dian” had started to get out of simple performance form and pattern and gradually had have a various and complex functions. For example, that is combined with lectures on Confucian Scriptures in the Imperial Academy, the symbolization of the rites of passage for succession to the Imperial Throne, confirmation and completion of qualification for succession to the Imperial Throne, and so on. Since this time “the Ritual of Shi Dian” centered in the Crown Prince and the Juvenile Emperor was not simply a sort of one-dimensioned simple ritual, but rather at least had embodied in royal family’s dignity and its supreme authority. For doing this ends appropriately and well, most of all the most important thing was to construct place for “the Ritual of Shi Dian”. And so, since XiaoWu Emperor(孝武帝) of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the ruler group founded a sort of sacred place－the Kong temple(孔子庙) on the basis of the Confucius shrine of Que-Li(阙里), in the Imperial Academy. Third, after Tang Dynasty unifying a whole nation, the development of “the Ritual of Shi Dian” gradually has been in lined with the rule principle of New Kingdom, finally became “the Ritual of Shi Dian for Sage Confucius”. In this process, XuanZong(玄宗) made big contributions in this trends, he putted emphasis on dominance by Confucian virtues, especially by “Filial piety”. Due to his vigorous effort, during his reign, along with the thought of loyalty and filial rapidly spread on the whole nation, the status and authority of Confucius and Confucianism also naturally been established. From this time, ZhouGong(周公) naturally was thrown out in the memorial ceremony for the Sages performed by government school, only Confucius put down roots in performance of “the Ritual of Shi Dian”. Since this time, “The Shi Dian Ritual of the Crown Prince” has become the grandest ritual for Confucius that was held by Emperor’s commands himself. In conclusion, the whole process and development of “the memorial service for Confucius” becoming “the Ritual of Shi Dian for Sage Confucius” shows the fact that the result of Emperor’s political belief and practice being mainly based on Confucianism’s values and continually effort to spread them into whole nation by intension. So “the Ritual of Shi Dian for Confucius” institution and its functions eventually symbolize the groundings of each ruler’s legitimate reign and authority, which is mainly due to the political ideals of Confucianism, namely the dominance on virtues.