What is the name of the ceremony when the emperor went out to see him off?

The "military salute" in the Western Zhou Dynasty includes the rules of engagement and military camp etiquette. At that time, these ceremonies were also an important system to maintain military discipline and ensure the efficiency of military operations.

Sacrificial ceremony

Sacrificing to the gods and praying for their blessing and victory is the most important etiquette of the ancient army. This solemn etiquette is also used to enhance the soldiers' belief in winning.

Confucian classics say that in the Western Zhou Dynasty, whenever troops were sent, large-scale sacrificial ceremonies were held to slaughter cattle and sheep and sacrifice ancestors and the country (the god of land and grain). All the soldiers who participated in the war lined up, and the slaughtered cattle and sheep turned around in the queue, numbered "martyrdom" and announced that "all those who don't need to die will be beheaded". The Commander-in-Chief personally soaked the blood of sacrifice in weapons, symbolically soaked flags, drums, Jin Duo and weapons used in combat with a little blood of sacrifice in the name of "trouble". Strangely, the chariot soaked with animal blood was put back into the library for preservation. After the sacrifice, the cattle and sheep were cooked, that is, "meat", and distributed to the soldiers.

According to the records in Zuo Zhuan, this tradition was still reserved in the Spring and Autumn Period. Moreover, we can know that at that time, enemy prisoners were often killed on the spot as sacrifices, and their blood was soaked in war drums, nicknamed "the drum of trouble."

For example, in 627 BC, the whole army was wiped out in the battle of Lushan Mountain, and three generals, Meng and others, were captured. Later, Jin released the three generals at the request of the monarch's wife, but they broke their word and sent troops to pursue them. Meng shouted from the boat, "Thank Jin Jun for his kindness. Don't bother us. Let's go back to China and accept the death penalty. Never die, come back in three years. "

In 537 BC, there was a war between Wu and Chu. The King of Wu sent his younger brother Chang You to join the army and was captured by the Chu army on the way. The king of Chu wanted to "drum" and sent someone to ask him ridiculously, "Did you get lucky divination when you came?" You replied, "I made a fortune." Knowing that the king might attack our country, the monarch of our country asked Bu:' Send someone to kill the army, make preparations in advance, and investigate the situation.' This result is a good sign. Now that the king wants to trouble me, our country knows to be on guard. Isn't that great? "The king of Chu has never tasted it, and there is no reason to kill him.

In the Han Dynasty, every autumn after the worship ceremony began, the emperor personally drove a car pulled by a white horse with red mane to shoot an elk on the road outside the East Gate, and worshippers drove the elk to the ancestral temple for sacrifice. The emperor gave a bunch of silks to the military attache, who presided over a large-scale meeting and practiced Sun Wu's Art of War. The emperor led hundreds of officials to watch it. When the general was appointed for war, Fu Jielang awarded the general "Jie" and "Yue" on behalf of the emperor. In the Western Jin Dynasty, the emperor was present in person, and the ministers awarded the General's Day and Yue. The above ceremony will still be held when going out.

These rituals have been followed for a long time. The Northern Dynasty was slightly modified, and the Northern Qi Dynasty added sacrificial gods in the expedition ceremony, including the directions and mountain gods that Houtu, Shenzhou, Yue Zhen, Haidu and Yuanchuan will pass through. In addition, a ceremony of sacrificing military flags was held separately to celebrate auspicious days, and military flags were sacrificed to the Thai supervisor (all cows, sheep and pigs). When we arrive at the battlefield, we will hold a ceremony to worship the local land gods, prepare black sacrifices, line up, set up an altar on the altar, pile firewood, slaughter sacrifices, and the band will play the song "Dabao". After the ceremony, remove the sacrifice and light the firewood. On the day before the war, a ceremony was held to pray for the ancestors and the land. If you win, you will get a reward, sacrifice to the prison and reward the soldiers with your life. And execute those who don't want to die on the social altar.

The etiquette of the Northern Qi Dynasty was later followed by the Tang and Song Dynasties. The leading flag of the army is called "Tooth Flag", and teachers must offer sacrifices. Sacrificial ceremonies are also called "horses" and have special "utensils". An altar must be built in the barracks, surrounded by green ropes, covered with curtains, and decorated with tablets of military teeth and flags. Sacrifice requires a full set of sacrifices, and the sacrifice is too firm. If there are no cows, sheep and pigs can replace them. The Commander-in-Chief died in full military uniform, accompanied by the school. The blood of slaughtered animals still needs to be "drummed".

In the Ming Dynasty, flag temples were specially established in the capital and local health centers for daily sacrifices. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, when the emperor sacrifices mountains and rivers, he also goes to the "flag temple" in Beijing. The sacrificial gods also expanded to "flag-headed generals", "six commandments generals", "five flags gods", "gods who dominate warships", "gods who use crossbows to fly guns and stones" and "gods who only have five generals before and after the battle". The seven gods were sacrificed to the prison. A temple was built behind the local police station, and the commander was the main sacrificial official. Before the war, there was a ceremony. In the Ming dynasty, the ceremony of seeing off the general was resumed. The emperor wore a military uniform and served in Fengtian Hall. The general entered Danyong Temple, made four obeisances, entered the temple from the west, and knelt down again. Accept the official announcement system and award the generals with festivals and lots. The general went outside the noon gate, summoned soldiers, raised flags, sounded golden drums, and marched in procession to celebrate the festival. Play the music first, and then the officials will send it.

Meeting ceremony

In ancient China, the main etiquette was to bow. Until the Tang Dynasty, people in China used to sit on the floor. The ancient people's "sitting" is actually what we are doing now, kneeling on the ground, and then sitting on the heel with the feet facing back. When you want to show respect, straighten your upper body. This is called "pulling yourself up". Further respect etiquette is to lean forward and hold the ground with both hands, which is "worship". On formal occasions, there are kowtows, nods and short positions. Kowtow means that the worshipper kneels, presses his left hand on his right hand, supports himself on the ground, then kowtows on his knees, misses for a while, puts his hands in front of his knees and puts his head behind his hands. This is the most important etiquette, generally used for courtiers to greet the king or children to sacrifice their ancestors. The basic action of nodding is the same as that of kowtowing, except that kowtowing is faster and the forehead touches the ground. Generally used to salute from bottom to top. The basic movements of short-hand technique are to land on your knees, arch your chest with your hands, bow your head and reach out, and your head will not touch the ground calmly. Also known as "hand worship". This etiquette has become a habit in the future. Even after the Song Dynasty, people widely used chairs and stools to "sit with their feet down", but they still kept the ceremony of bowing down.

In ancient times, people of the same generation and status could bow back. Looking at each other with your hands crossed on your chest is generally called "bowing", while those who make "promises" are called "singing promises". During the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period, when the nobles traveled and drove, they saw that someone with higher status had to give way, and the other person had to put his hand on the crossbar in front of the car. This was called "style".

According to the records in Confucian classics, these ordinary ceremonies were not allowed in the military camps of the Western Zhou Dynasty. For example, all soldiers wearing armor can't bow down, but only bow and raise their hands to people taller than themselves, numbered "middle officials don't bow down"; And those who are respected only need to bow their backs. Even if someone salutes the coachman, there is no need to return the gift, and the number is "No chariot". When sending and receiving weapons with sharp edges in the barracks, submit one end of the wooden handle. When leaving the barracks, the blade of the weapon should be forward, and when entering the barracks, the blade should be backward.

After the Han Dynasty, these military etiquette still existed. For example, in the famous story of Emperor Wendi, Zhou Yafu refused to bow down on the grounds of "Military". However, soldiers without armor still have to bow their heads.

In the future, the military camp meeting ceremony will combine the bow ceremony with the bow. Qi Jiguang, for example, stipulates that middle-and lower-level soldiers in military camps must "bow down" when they meet generals and "bow down" when they meet indirect subordinates. Lu Yu's boss, to dismount to make way, bowed their heads and meet the road. If you are an indirect superior officer, you still have to dismount and stand at attention. Seeing that money is always "two hands and one knee", the same is true at all levels below. When the superior gives orders, the subordinate must kneel. He also declared that "the army is neutral and grass is the standard" and must salute the superior. These military ceremonies were later used by the Qing Dynasty.