In the year 441 AD, the tomb of Emperor Gao (Liu Yu) was to be relocated to inter Empress Zhao (Wang Xianyuan). The department responsible for the sacrifices at the time was undecided on whether to hold ancestral sacrifices and whether to follow the ritual of offering nine dishes during the sacrifices. Wang Jian, the Left Supervisor, said: "The relocation ceremony is akin to the offerings made at a person's death. The 'Book of Rites' states that sacrifices should be made from one tomb to another, just like offering sacrifices at a temple." He Xun also said: "When it comes to burial, sacrifices are necessary." Fan Ning also said: "Offering sacrifices is essential before the burial." While it may not be classified as ancestral sacrifices, offering sacrifices is still essential. Everyone adopted his opinion.
The officials in charge of the sacrifices also reported: "The spirit tablet of Empress Zhao is currently enshrined in the temple. Now that it is to be relocated, a Yu sacrifice (a ritual to appease spirits) should be held in the temple. Since the spirit is already in the temple, is a Yu sacrifice really necessary when relocating it? Zheng Xuan's annotations in the 'Book of Rites' state that the ritual for relocating from temple to temple should be the same as relocating from tomb to tomb. What distinguishes the two situations? The previous dynasty held that relocating did not necessitate a Yu sacrifice." Wang Jian, the Left Supervisor, added: "Fan Ning mentioned that there will definitely be a carriage to escort the soul during the burial. If the spirit is not sent back, where will it go? In secular customs, sacrifices are typically made at the tomb during reburials. How can we proceed without offering sacrifices? He Xun also said that sacrifices must be made at the tomb after burial to complete the ritual. While it may not be a formal Yu sacrifice, it serves a similar purpose. During the Jin Dynasty, the Five Tombs were restored, and during the Song Dynasty, Empress Dowager Jing was relocated, both with Yu sacrifices. There’s no reason to doubt the necessity of holding a Yu sacrifice now." Therefore, everyone adopted his opinion.
In the year 439 AD, the Crown Princess passed away, and the palace ministers were uncertain about what mourning attire to wear. Wang Jian, the Left Minister, said: "The 'Book of Rites' states: 'When the father is alive, act as a son; when the sovereign is alive, act as a subject.' Moreover, from the Han Dynasty to the Wei Dynasty, the duties of palace officials were clear, and the etiquette norms for subjects were primarily based on three aspects. When Yu Yi's wife died, Wang Yun and Teng Yin believed that the officials should wear minor ruler’s attire (a type of mourning dress). How much more important is the etiquette for subjects? According to the rites, the wife of the deceased former sovereign should wear mourning attire for three months. During the mourning period, officials can take leave and must visit the spirit to mourn in the morning and evening. All of this falls under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Palace. Officials not serving in the palace can take two and a half days off from their residences, then wear mourning attire according to funeral etiquette, write a report, and are not required to rush to the funeral." Everyone accepted his suggestion.
The Crown Princess's coffin was to be transported in a yellow carriage woven from grass (a type of ornate hearse), and they discussed whether to set up a mourning flag. Wang Jian, the Left Minister, said: "According to the etiquette, after the coffin is sealed, the inscription should be written and placed on the east side of the coffin. After the funeral rites are completed, it should be placed on the east side of the western steps."
In the second year of the Ming Dynasty, the crown princess passed away. According to the rules, she should be given a ceremonial escort with nine tassels. Then, the officials in charge of organizing the funeral began to discuss: "Should the crown princess also have tassels? If so, how many tassels are appropriate? Also, should we use the dragon flag that rises and falls (referring to a flag with a dragon, where rising and falling indicate the level of mourning and honor)? How many flags should we use?" Wang Jian suggested, "The tassels originally represent a person's status in clothing and are not directly related to the funeral. Nowadays, even the ministers in the court may not necessarily adhere to the regulations on etiquette in their daily lives, so it should only be temporarily added during funerals. The crown princess of the Eastern Palace holds a status equivalent to that of the wife of a ninth-rank official; she is considered one with the crown prince and should be entitled to the same etiquette. We should not establish a separate set of mourning tassels simply due to a lack of precedent. The practices before the Ming Dynasty were often executed without thorough discussion. Now we should follow the rules of etiquette and not simply imitate past mistakes. The ceremonial escort for joyous occasions has its own procession, and the funeral escort has its own banners. If we were to establish a tassel, where would we even put it? As for the dragon flags, according to regulations, eight flags should be sufficient." Everyone agreed with Wang Jian's opinion. Next, the officials reported, "In the past, there was a custom in the Ming Dynasty that when the crown princess died, a stone tablet would be erected in her tomb. However, this practice does not align with established etiquette. Think back to the inscription written by Yan Yan for Wang Qiu during the Song Yuan Jia period, where common people didn't have stone tablets, so they used epitaphs to record their merits. Since then, officials and nobles have followed this practice. The crown princess holds a noble status, and her ceremonial standards differ from those of ordinary people. Since there is already a memorial document in place, erecting a stone tablet is unnecessary." The emperor also agreed with this suggestion.
Finally, the officials asked again: "After the death of Consort Mu, while the coffin is still en route, if it coincides with the new moon (first and fifteenth day of the lunar month), should a sacrifice be held?" Wang Jian analyzed and said: "According to the rites, after the mourning ceremony, sacrifices are performed in the temple to honor the ancestors, in accordance with the proper order of mourning. This is different from the usual sacrifices made on auspicious days, hence the necessity of a sacrifice during the new moon. Border regions do not strictly observe these rites; for instance, during the Song Dynasty, sacrifices were still conducted on the new moon following mourning. However, for members of the imperial family, once mourning has concluded, there is no reason to hold a sacrifice during the new moon. Although the coffin has not yet reached the temple, a sacrificial space has already been set up on the funeral carriage, similar to the ceremonies of moving temples for Huan Xuan and Emperor Gao of the Song Dynasty. Should an additional sacrifice be performed while the coffin is still en route? Therefore, there is no need to wait for the new moon sacrifice. This practice did not exist before the era of Empress Song Yi, which further illustrates the views of the people at that time." The emperor also accepted Wang Jian's opinion.
In the third year of Jianyuan, someone reported to the court: Consort Mu, the Crown Prince's consort, passed away in the seventh month of the previous year, and that year had an intercalary month in the ninth month. How should this intercalary month be calculated? Should it be combined with the first month? If the intercalary month is counted separately, then the mourning rites for Prince Nanjun's brothers should be conducted on the last day of the fourth month this year, thus eliminating any further confusion during the official mourning period.
Wang Jian, the Left Chancellor, expressed his opinion on this issue: there are 360 days in a year, which is clearly stated in the Book of Shang. This is recorded in "The Commands of Duke Wen" from the Book of Shang, and the "Spring and Autumn Annals" offers criticisms on this matter. The "Guliang Commentary" states, "accumulating days to form a month," while the "Gongyang Commentary" claims, "there is no such month in the sky." Although the "Zuo Commentary" believes that it is proper to report mourning according to the new moon (the first day of each month), previous Confucian scholars held that during a three-year mourning period, leap months should not be counted when calculating the years. For mourning periods shorter than three years for lesser achievements, leap months are counted as months. Leap months are essentially the extra days in a year, corresponding to additional new moon days. So Wu Shang said, "Including leap months to determine the mourning period is reasonable." Although the mourning period for the Crown Princess is in November, a full year must pass before wearing mourning clothes. The various mourning attire systems must adhere to the principles of formal mourning attire. There should be a two-month interval between mourning attire and white mourning attire, so the same should apply to lesser mourning attire. Moreover, from a nominal perspective, lesser mourning attire is originally calculated based on the year limit, and from an ethical system perspective, there should also be a two-day gap between the two. Now, since the mourning period has been moved forward to coincide with the Yangu ceremony, it cannot be claimed that this is not the designated time. Since the matter is of the same nature, the reasoning should be consistent, and the principle of excluding leap months should take precedence. If the lesser mourning attire is held on the last day of April, there would only be three months left until wearing mourning clothes, which would not align with previous customs. It should be held on the last day of May. This is a significant national event and should be studied meticulously. It would be wise to gather officials from the relevant departments to thoroughly examine the differences.
Chuyuan, the Minister of Rites, disagreed with Wang Jian's opinion. He said: The specific regulations regarding the ceremony are determined based on seniority and hierarchy, so the systems of Xiang Fu (ceremonial mourning attire) and Gao Fu (formal mourning attire) do not clearly define how to calculate the mourning period in months and years. Holding the Xiaoxiang ceremony in November is acceptable given the mourning period. Since we are calculating by months, the intercalary month should also be included. If we include the intercalary month, how does that differ from the Gao Fu system? The doubts arise from whether the Xiaoxiang ceremony should take place during the intercalary month, and there is controversy over the calculation of months. Calculating the intercalary month based on accumulated days has always been part of the calendar system. Calculating by months will result in extra months; calculating by years includes the intercalary month, which results in extra days. Why can't we create a system that makes sense?
Jian answered Yuan's questions, saying, "The meaning of the leap month is difficult to explain even for scholars well-versed in Confucianism. However, the ritual should be conducted at the scheduled time, but now it has been postponed due to the leap month, which does not breach the ritual norms. From the names of the ceremonies, everything is in order; from the emotional aspect of mourning, there is no difference. Although the time difference is only a few months, essentially, it represents the remainder of the year, so it should be included. Because the elder has passed away, the auspicious sacrifice has been postponed, and it is included in the leap month, symbolizing the year's continuity, accounting for both the postponement and the ongoing nature of the rituals. The meaning of the classics is probably here! If the minor auspicious sacrifice is held in May and the leap month is in June, then removing mourning clothes after the auspicious sacrifice means two months have passed, which is equivalent to using November to symbolize the previous period, and using two new moons to symbolize the following year, so the designations are distinct and should not be conflated. In the twenty-eighth year of Duke Xiang of Lu, 'in the twelfth month of Yiwei, the Lord of Chu passed away,' only the previous month was recorded, and the leap month was not mentioned at the beginning, which serves as further evidence of the leap month's significance. Zheng Xuan, She Hou, Wang Su, and He Xun all believe that if the mourning sacrifice is held on time, the leap month should be included, and at first, there was no distinction between the auspicious sacrifice in the mourning period, probably considering it self-evident. Cheng Xiufu said, 'After the grand auspicious sacrifice, there should be a separate calculation for the leap month,' clearly indicating the auspicious sacrifice in the mourning period should not be equated with the time for donning regular clothes after the thanksgiving sacrifice. Therefore, this reflects the court's benevolence, and we should follow this example." Yuan then asked Jian more than ten questions based on old sayings, and Jian explained each one clearly.
The opinion of the deputy minister of the ancestral temple, Wang Gui, is: "Funeral arrangements are postponed due to the intercalary month. Minor rituals for those of lower status can be omitted when they coincide with the intercalary month. Even though the postponement is caused by the intercalary month, the name of the ritual still exists, which is different from other mourning periods. When considering the months, the postponement is to honor the deceased and bring distant time closer. Although the date has passed and the month is not the first month, it is still included and in accordance with ritual norms, and this makes sense logically. The opinion of the Minister of Works, Jian, is well-argued, and I fully agree. Although Minister of Education Yuan initially had doubts, after several discussions, he still disagreed with Jian's opinion. Finally, after consultation with the eight deputy ministers, it was agreed that Jian's opinion was correct. Therefore, the minor rituals will be held on the last day of May, and both the minor rituals and the thanksgiving rites will be carried out within the normal time limits. After reporting to the emperor, the decree was issued both internally and externally." The emperor approved it.
After the death of Princess Mu Fei, the deputy minister of the Left and concurrently the compiler, Wang Qun, went to ask the Minister of Education, Wang Jian: Does the Prince of Nanjun (the youngest son of the Crown Prince) need to wait until after his mother's mourning period to hold a wedding ceremony? Princess Mu Fei passed away on the twenty-fourth day of the seventh month, and the mourning period will begin in the eighth month. It will take eleven months to wait until June. If the Prince of Nanjun wants to wait until June to hold the wedding ceremony, then the major mourning period (for the father) will have to be extended by another month, which means he'd have to wait until August instead of January. From a perspective of filial piety, doesn't this seem inappropriate? If they hold mourning and wedding ceremonies separately, then mixing joy and sorrow might create confusion. I wonder if this is appropriate or not?
Wang Jian said: The farewell to the deceased has been completed; the dead cannot return to life. This "extreme filial piety" is not prescribed by the mourning customs. The clear distinction between mourning and celebration signifies the conclusion of this matter. Relatives waiting for one another to handle mourning or celebratory events is not mentioned in the classics. Many people think that if there is mourning at home, joyous events should not take place; as a result, mourning and celebratory events are often spaced a month or two apart, and sometimes occur simultaneously. However, this reflects personal choices and shows a lack of understanding of the essence of etiquette. I discussed this in my earlier work, "Mourning Records." It's common for those who are far away to wait until they return to pay their respects, while children at home have no excuse not to adhere to the customs. Etiquette already suggests that one should return home after mourning, as recorded in the classics, which speaks for itself.
If we really have to wait, the waiting period could be as long as a year. Wouldn't that mean wearing mourning attire indefinitely? The ritual offerings for ancestral worship will also be permanently interrupted, which is certainly unacceptable. Even if it’s only a matter of days, it shouldn’t be delayed. Why? Because rituals have their order, and rules must be followed. Now, people far away don't need to wait, while those nearby must wait for each other, which goes against etiquette and is simply not acceptable. If you are worried about brothers living together and mixing good and bad events, there was a practice of living separately in ancient times. If there is no separation, then the child who returns from afar should establish a separate space to conduct the funeral alone. The memorial service should take place with family present, and the memorial should be dismantled after the mourning period. Why is this? The "Funeral Rituals" says "do not set up a memorial tablet," and Zheng Xuan explains that "because the spirit is not present." Not being able to attend the funeral is because the person is away. It is also reasonable not to set up a memorial tablet for worship. This is caused by objective reasons and is unrelated to legitimacy. The illegitimate son at home does not need to wait for the legitimate son. Moreover, the concubine is the official wife of the royal family, and the Prince of Nanjun is the eldest legitimate grandson. The court strictly implements the ritual system; there’s no reason for hesitation. Therefore, there should be no waiting for each other. After the Prince of Nanjun's family completes the funeral, he only goes to pay his respects to Concubine Mu and does not accept condolences from others. After the mourning period, the brothers can console each other, without needing to host guests. This is an important national matter, and the eight chancellors should convene to discuss, determine the procedures for various situations, and then report to the emperor. Sima Chuyuan and twenty others also agreed with Wang Jian's opinion and requested that this regulation be made a permanent rule. The emperor issued a decree to approve it.
In the year 487 AD, Crown Princess Mu Fei passed away. The officials of the Prince of Nanjun (the ruler of Nanjun at that time) were uncertain about the appropriate mourning attire to show their condolences for Crown Princess Mu Fei. Jian (the identity of the person in the text is subject to further verification) also expressed his opinion: "According to the Book of Rites, 'Commoners should dress in mourning attire for the ruler.' Ancient scholars interpreted 'commoners' as referring to those holding minor government positions, such as a scribe. Furthermore, when the wife of a vassal lord passed away, the lord should wear mourning attire made of hemp for seven months. By this reasoning, Crown Princess Mu Fei's status is far more exalted than that of a vassal lord's wife, so we cannot resort to such a trivial formality to convey our condolences. Currently, the Crown Prince (referring to Prince Wen Hui) himself is a prince of a vassal state, and Crown Princess Mu Fei is the legitimate wife of the court. Officials in the palace can mourn using the mourning customs of a minor ruler, so how can we officials of Nanjun only use the etiquette of a noblewoman? We should wear plain clothing, white headbands, and plain belts, cry outside the palace gates, and only enter when it is time to pay respects, just like the palace officials."
In the year 497 AD, Crown Prince Wen Hui passed away. Right Chief Minister Wang Yan and others submitted a memorial stating: "According to the records of mourning attire, 'For the father or eldest son of a ruler, the mourning period should be the same as that for a ruler's father or eldest son.' Your Majesty, you only mourn for three months, not the customary three years, so court officials should wear the lower-ranking mourning attire designated for significant achievements. The mourning attire for the ninth month is designated for mourning between brothers and should not be used for honoring elders. After deliberation, we believe that the mourning attire classification should be elevated, the duration of mourning reduced, and mourning attire standardized to three months. Regarding the Crown Prince (the son of Crown Prince Wen Hui), mourning for three years is already quite significant; officials of Nanjun should wear mourning attire for the same period. The officials of Linru and Qujiang do not belong to the legitimate lineage and should not follow the mourning attire of the heir apparent. Therefore, officials of these two states are not required to observe mourning." The Emperor agreed to their proposal.
They reported again, saying: "According to the 'Funeral Attire Classic', although there is a saying 'Concubines should wear mourning clothes for the Lord's eldest son', this etiquette was abolished since the Han Dynasty. We suggest following the previous customs and no longer enforce this etiquette." The Emperor said, "Since it was abolished a long time ago, let's stop enforcing it."
They also reported: "We have consulted the relevant imperial clothing classics. During the mourning period of Prince Wen Hui, no music should be played. Although the princes also mourn for three months, the heir is the rightful representative of the ancestral temple, and the mourning etiquette should be the same. Once the mourning clothes are removed, music, weddings, and other activities should resume. However, we believe that these two joyful ceremonies, although both auspicious, carry different significance. Marriage is for procreation, which is not entirely considered auspicious, so music should not be played within three days, as clearly stipulated by the etiquette. During the Song Dynasty, those mourning at the level of great achievements were required to forgo music at weddings to express mourning for their relatives. We should follow the past precedents." The Emperor said, "Follow your advice."
The Emperor reported: According to ritual regulations, before the sacrifice, the sacrificial garments should be donned tonight, and the sacrificial ceremony should be held tomorrow morning. But now everyone changes clothes just before the start of the sacrificial ceremony, which is in violation of the etiquette. Today the prince is going to make a sacrifice. If we follow the usual practice, the Crown Prince must change into the sacrificial garments before the prince can do so. We ministers discussed and agreed that mourning should be completed first, and then the sacrificial ceremony should be held. Those ministers participating in the sacrifice should change into their clothes at their respective residences, and then go to the Prince's residence to offer their condolences.
The Emperor said, "Approved!"
In the second year of Jianwu, during the court session, the mourning period for Emperor Shizu had not yet ended, and everyone was discussing whether or not to play music. He Tong, an official in the Ministry of Rites, expressed his opinion: "In the past, when Emperor Shun succeeded Emperor Yao, although Emperor Shun was not actually Emperor Yao's son, after Emperor Yao passed away, Emperor Shun still held a three-year mourning ceremony for Emperor Yao. When Emperor Kang of the Jin Dynasty ascended, no music was played either. In the first year of the Yongjia reign under Emperor Huai, when the mourning period of Emperor Hui had not yet ended, Jiang Chong also mentioned that in ancient times, successive emperors, even with different blood relationships, still had the same importance in ceremonies." His opinion was accepted by everyone.
In January of the 26th year AD, the relevant authorities decided it was necessary to establish how to conduct the memorial ceremony for Emperor Guangwu's grandfather, Emperor Wenzong (Liu Kuang), on his death anniversary, major auspicious days, and minor auspicious occasions. They consulted officials from the Imperial Academy and the National University.
Dr. Tao Shao said: "It has been a tradition since ancient times to give ancestors posthumous titles and establish sacrificial rituals. Emperor Wenzong has now been posthumously revered as an ancestor, so the order and hierarchy of the sacrifices must be clearly defined. Therefore, on the death anniversary, major auspicious days, and minor auspicious occasions, the emperor should wear ceremonial robes and go to the Taiji Hall to pay his respects, and the officials should also don ceremonial robes to accompany him."
The Minister of Ceremonies, Li Hui, believes: "Since the posthumous title of Emperor Wen has been conferred, the mourning attire should also be formal. However, because expedient measures have been taken before (referring to the simplification of mourning attire), there is no need for hemp mourning garments and staffs. Moreover, the current circumstances differ from those of ancient times; the world has changed, so how can one not feel emotions? Think about it, when Empress Jingxian of the Jin Dynasty passed away, the court officials all wore the mourning clothes of a minor ruler. Now that Emperor Wen has been posthumously honored, we cannot disregard past precedents. Since he is posthumously honored as an emperor, the imperial sacrificial rites should be used. Although the rituals for the ministers are the same, the rituals will vary with the times. The current emperor is the emperor of the restored dynasty, and the situation is different from the ancient succession to the throne, so there is no need to wear the ancient deep mourning clothes. However, as an emperor, he should wear mourning clothes to the main hall for the sacrifices, and the officials should weep bitterly, as was the custom."
The Assistant to the Censorate and Assistant to the Imperial Academy, Xie Tanji, said: "There is a fixed system of funeral rituals, with different regulations for the days of mourning, major auspicious days, and minor auspicious days. The sacrifices and offerings express the feelings of missing deceased relatives, and the minor auspicious day expresses sorrow for the deceased, all to convey deep love and sorrow. Although the virtues of Emperor Wen have long been consolidated, his teachings have not yet fully penetrated people's hearts. Posthumously honoring him as an emperor is also out of filial piety. There is no real basis for stating how the ministers should behave, and it is not practical to say how the emperor himself should act. The emperor currently governs the realm and enjoys the favor of heaven, offering sacrifices at the seven ancestral temples, which differs from the previous sacrifices made for the three empresses, so there are no precedents to refer to for the rituals of the weekly mourning, auspicious days, and offerings." Doctor of the Imperial Academy, Cui Yi, agrees with Tao Shao; Minister of Ceremonies, Shen Tan, aligns with Li Hui; and Doctor of the Imperial Academy, Liu Jing, along with others, supports Xie Tanji's opinion.
Minister He Tong of the Ancestral Temple Department said, "The central idea of the 'Spring and Autumn Annals' is that ministers should uphold the king's affection. Although the bonds of grace and blood are distinct, the rituals remain the same. This is the only way to deepen the feeling of respect and adhere to the funeral rituals. Although the emperor inherited the position of the founding emperor and once paid homage to him, now the current emperor is in power, and his benevolence knows no bounds. As descendants, the loyalty should remain unwavering. I believe that on the anniversary of Emperor Shizong's death, the emperor should don mourning attire in court, and the officials should offer their condolences collectively. Following the ceremony, the officials should proceed to Xuan De Palace to pay their respects, and then go to the mausoleum to express their remembrance of the ancestors." The Minister of Works Wang Yan and nineteen others unanimously accepted He Tong's opinion. The emperor issued a decree to "approve the memorial."
Prince Hailing passed away, and the officials gathered to mourn for him. At this time, as they were preparing for the funeral, there was much debate in the court regarding appropriate attire for the funeral. Minister He Tong of the Ancestral Temple Department proposed, "Fur-lined robes and dark hats are inappropriate for mourning. Therefore, military uniforms should not be worn to attend the funeral. In the second year of the Song Dynasty's Taishi era, on the day of Emperor Xiaowu's passing, when the officials came to the palace to pay their respects, they all changed out of their military uniforms at the palace gate and put on civilian clothes. After the mourning, they changed back into their military uniforms before leaving." His suggestion was unanimously accepted.
Praise: The Ji family's system and Confucian teachings serve as models for all kings. The three thousand are counted, and the four dimensions are established. Loss and gain are determined by rituals, and the old regulations have been abolished. Military sacrifices are made for the country, and ancestral temples and educational institutions are revered. Ceremonies for crowning, marriage, court meetings, and clothing regulations for funerals are all observed. Uphold the virtues of the past while being mindful of previous mistakes.
