A Study On Altar Of The Pre-Qin Dynasty And Related Problems

This dissertation, based on other scholars' achievements, examines the altar closely. The emphases of discussion focus on the altar that is used either for offering sacrifices to gods or for gathering with dukes, and deal with four portions such as concept of the altar, archaeological clue, the altar of offering sacrifices to gods in Western Chou, and other problems correlated one by one.Chapter I makes some discussion about concept of the altar and related worship locations such as Zhi Shan, Kan , trying to make a rather reasonable annotation about the altar and elaborate the relationship between the altar and Zhi, Shan, Kan. Chapter II puts altars dug out and relics with altar character in order, then accounts on archeological achievements with related studies and documents. By summarizing these altars' character, this chapter tries to probe into the origin of altar and reflects these altars' geographical distribution in the form of map. Chapter III emphatically inspects Taiyi altar during emperor Hanwu's times, and elaborates the similarities and differences with ancient customs in Western Chou. By means of analysis, this chapter demonstrates ancient sacrificial rites of altar and systems of countryside worship. Chapter IV discusses some questions concerned with altar, mainly being concerned about gathering altars used by the emperor for gathering with dukes before the Qin dynasty.Conclusions can be made through the study on altar. Altar is a tall platform with three steps constructed by soil and stone. It is used for national events such as worship, enthronement, meeting with the dukes and so on. Ceremonies of sacrificing to gods on the altar stemmed from prehistoric period, and gradually formed a set of programmed sacrificial rites undergoing the Xia, Shang and Western Chou dynasty. The institution of using altar essentially came into being. However, these rites were influenced by some thoughts such as Yinyang, mixing, Fangshu etc. and deviated from ancient institution during the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States.After the Qin and Han dynasty, the emperor sacrificed to gods through redesigning ceremonies with no specific etiquette, which were much different from old systems. Under this background, the Confucian scholars returned to the ancients with the help of the classics. The altar system caused greater alteration in this diverse andcomplicated transform, absorbing various doctrines-Yinyang, Mixing, Fangshuand so on.