The Rite And Music Of Sacrificial Rituals That Pray For Rain In Ancient China

China has always been a big agricultural country with agricultural production as its mainstay since ancient times.As early as the period of Three Emperors and Five Emperors,there had been a ritual activity of praying for rain for grain.By the Zhou Dynasty,this ritual activity was standardized and institutionalized and formally formed after the Duke of Zhou made the rites and music,which was used in later dynasties.The sacrificial rituals of praying for rain,are not unchanged in the process of inheritance.Instead it has different characteristics in different historical stages,that is,it is a dynamic and evolving ritual.Under the system of rites and music that "both rites and music should be used for each other",The music of different dynasties will also be different from the changing of the rites in different dynasties.Therefore,it is necessary to sort out and study the sacrificial rituals and their use of music in past dynasties.In this regard,this article will discuss from the following aspects:The first part:Teasing out the historical development and analyzing the main characteristics in each dynasty of the sacrificial ritual.The second part: First,according to the holding time and different nature,the sacrificial rituals can be roughly divided into three types: the Zheng Yu,the Han Yu,the Da Yu different types of the sacrifice.Second,under the background of ancient agricultural society and ritual culture,this paper discusses the functional significance of the sacrificial rituals that is,highlighting the royal power,appeasing the people and reflecting the cultural changes.The third part:The music of sacrificial rituals is very rich,for example,in Zheng Yu and Da Yu,Sheng Yue,Ya Yue,Guchui Yue,Huang Wu and Yi Wu are mainly used.;In the Han Yu,Ku Ge and Wu Wu are mainly used;Tongzi Wu and Ge Wu are used in three Yuji.The distinctive feature of Yu Yue is to reverse the situation that Yang flourishes and Yin declines,so that to keep the balance between Yin and Yang.The fourth part: Yunwu,a folk dance in Yao village of Anhui Province,which aims to pray for good weather and rich harvest of grain,is not only the same name as Yunwu that a music dance for the sacrifice,but also originated from the dragon dance in Song Dynasty.o it is speculated that Yunwu in Yao village should be a folk relic of the sacrificial rituals.