Tang And Song Dynasty Ritual System

The Ritual systems were a basic one to the ancient Chinese society, the development of which was closely associated with the ancient Chinese society. It is of great significance for us to analyze the characteristics of the evolution of the ancient Chinese society by combing the contents, the heritage and evolution of the Ritual systems. This is rightly the perspective of the dissertation.The dissertation consists of four parts.The preface. The author chiefly combs the evolutional threads of the Ritual systems, synthesizing the characteristics of the stages of Ritual systems (especially the those of Tang & Song Dynasties).Volume 1. The heritage and evolution of Ritual systems in Tang & Song Dynasties, consisting of five chapters. It goes with the sequence of the five rituals ,outlining the heritage and evolution of the official Ritual systems. Inspecting the Ritual systems in Tang & Song Dynasties as a whole, the author believes that these changes had not turned the basic tune of the Ritual systems in Tang & Song Dynasties, though there were many changes happening in the official Ritual systems. The frame and principles confirmed by Tang Dynasty were inherited by Song Dynasty. Under this premises , the trend of the Ritual systems in the North Song Dynasty was to make up the details and change with the change of contemporary affaires. In this way the official Ritual systems developed.Volume 2. The relation of Ritual systems and the society, consisting of four chapters. It goes deep into the combination of law and Ritual systems, the strengthening of Ritual systems and the social binding, Ritual systems with the unification of Tang & Song Dynasties, and the stability of polity. The 1st chapter goes into the combination of law and Ritual systems and the construction of Ritual systems. It stresses the gradual and obvious coercion of Ritual systems and the influence of that by textual regulations and their applications. The 2nd chapter goes into the strengthening of andRitual systems the social binding. The author researched the social structure and the Ritual systems, the official solicitude to the civil ceremonies, private scripts on the ceremonies and the further social binding, the advocates of the government and the morals of filial piety (to fathers and brothers) to analyze the relation between Ritual systems and the society. The 3rd chapter goes into Ritual systems with the unification of Tang & Song Dynasties. It argues that the unique function of Ritual systems in local cultural exchange by pointing the southward trend of Ritual systems in Tang & Song era and their absorption of southern cultures. The author also probes into the confrontation between and combination of the Ritual systems and religions. The 4' chapter goes into Ritual systems with the unification the stability of polity. The author chooses the perspectives of monarchical reinforcement and the improvement of bureaucracy, arguing that the gradual reinforcement of political functions of the Ritual systems placed basis for the monarchical despots and its binding on the bureaucrats, that it also exerted great influence on the psychology of ranks and relevant social values.The conclusion syntheses the main thinking threads of the dissertation, further indicating that Tang & Song Dynasties was a vital era in the evolution of the Ritual systems. The Ritual systems not only experienced a lot of inner changes insdinctively, but also exerted great influence on the social ,cultural and political aspects. All the above propelled the Tang & Song Dynasties and later historical eras.