Conduct State Sacrifices

Overview

A procedure for performing official state sacrificial rituals to deities, establishing religious legitimacy. Based on Qin's various sacrificial ceremonies (畤).

Steps

1. Select the Occasion

   • New state establishment
   • Major military victory
   • Regular calendrical observances

2. Prepare the Altar (畤)

   • Construct or designate the sacrificial altar
   • Choose appropriate location (e.g., western altar for western regions)

3. Prepare Sacrificial Animals

   • Select appropriate animals (horses, cattle, sheep)
   • Standard offering: three of each kind (三牢)
   • Larger ceremonies may use hundreds of animals

4. Conduct the Ritual

   • Perform sacrifice according to established rites
   • Make offerings to specified deities (e.g., Supreme God/上帝, White Emperor)

5. Record the Event

   • Document the establishment of new ritual traditions
   • Note any omens or divine responses

Examples

• Duke Xiang established the Western Altar (西畤) using three each of red horses, yellow cattle, and rams
• Duke Wen established the Fu Altar (鄜畤) using three sacrificial animals
• Duke De used 300 sacrificial animals for the Fu Altar

Expected Outcomes

• Religious legitimacy for the state
• Documentation of state traditions
• Connection between rulership and divine authority

Validation

• Verify that the appropriate occasion (state establishment, military victory, or calendrical observance) justified the sacrifice
• Confirm that sacrificial animals match the required standard (三牢 or as specified for the ceremony scale)
• Check that the event was documented including altar location, deities addressed, and any omens observed