A Study Of The Court Of Imperial Sacrifices (Taichang Si) In The Ming Dynasty

The official position of Taichang traces back to the position of Zhizong, which takes charge of the ancestor worship during the Pre-Qin Period. With the change of history, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices changes in the Ming dynasty, such as innovated the musical officials, abolished the government offices of Tai Yue and Gu Chui, seted up the institutions of Shen Yueguan and Jiao Fangsi, which is responsible for the sacrifices and rites’music, and then changed the Feng Lilang to Zan Lilang and the Zhai Lang to Chu Yi, set up the Si Yiguan and so on. The officials’ setting of the court of Imperial Sacrifices’keeps stabilized in generally, those officials fall into three categories, such as the senior officer, the chieftain and the officialdom. The major variation of the Court of the Imperial Sacrifices’ official is a change in the number or official rank. The officials of the the court of Imperial Sacrifices’have a high status in the official system in the Ming dynasty, the senior officer known as the Taichang Si qing, sitted pretty in the three classes as the senior officer of of the Dali si, which is one of the three temples that deals with the law matters, therefore it is higher than the senior officers of Guanglu si and Taipu si, which can imply the importance of court of Imperial Sacrifices in the country’s bureaucratic system. In addition to, the court of Imperial Sacrifices has a greater independence in balance of payments and official selection.The Court of Imperial Sacrifices in the Ming dynasty is a government organization which has its power on the ritual music and offering sacrifices. The court of Imperial Sacrifices investigate the ceremonies, such as the ancestor worshipping, Chaohui and the funerals, by measuring the goods and materials and calls the relevant departments to actualize the ceremony according to their results. The officials of the the court of Imperial Sacrifices’ selection and supplement follow the general approach of the Ming dynasty, but it appeared the situation such as the Taoist priests turn into official and the officials which is by means of direct appointment.,these are a disease of human disease.In addition, in the course of daily operation of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices’, the sacrifice funding and sacrifice sources, and kitchen service management also appeared in the some disadvantages and problems.The Court of Imperial Sacrifices have close relationship with sacrificial ritual and other national institutions in the process of operation. The Court of Imperial Sacrifices was mechanism for the direct execution of the national music activities, it was by the board of The Ministry of Rites in principle.But, because of its important position, the officials’higher rank and the overlap between the two departments in sacrificial rites and music related matters management, that it appeared more controversial between the court of Imperial Sacrifices and the Ministry of Rites. The Court of Imperial Sacrifices has functional contacts with the Court of State Ceremonial and the Court of Imperial. The Court of State Ceremonial in the ritual activities more play the auxiliary role; The Court of Imperial is the Palace Banquet Catering institutions, in charge of offering entertain, palace meal delicacy, its function exist the intersection with the court of Imperial Sacrifices. The court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Court of State Ceremonial and the Court of Imperial together, constitute the state sacrificial management system in the Ming Dynasty.