Various customs of ancient royalty

I. Overview of court etiquette in ancient China

Court etiquette refers to the etiquette system that the ancient emperors and their family members had to follow and the conventions and rules that took place in the court. It is imbued with the strict feudal hierarchical concepts of honor and superiority of kings and ministers.

The etiquette of the palace is much more complex and strict than the folk etiquette, but it is also an indirect reflection of the social folk etiquette. Palace etiquette is attended by some of the emperor himself, some by the consorts, and some by the emperor's children and other officials as the main players.

II. Court etiquette subdivided

1. Royal Sacrifice

Including sacrifices to the earth, heaven and ancestors, is an important ceremonial activity in the court, which is presided over by the court's Ministry of Ceremonies.

(1) the heavenly ceremony

The heavenly ceremony, also known as the rituals of heaven, suburb, southern suburb, is the great ceremony of the emperor's sacrifices to the gods of heaven, and is the most solemn and grandest activity in the sacrificial ceremonies of successive emperors.

Fasting:There are three kinds of fasting, scattered fasting, to fast, clean fast. During the fasting period, the emperor and all the other civil and military officials who participate in the ceremony must bathe and change clothes, abstain from lust, do not drink, do not eat meat, and not close to the female sex, which is used to show the piety of the sky.

Decorating: The decorating requirements for the sacrifice of heaven are more stringent, including the order of business, the location of the event, the location of the door, the location of the sacrificial vessels, the location of the seat of the gods. Strictly in accordance with the regulations to carry out, this point for our lives today also has a far-reaching impact, such as the general fish and other dishes will be placed in the center and so on.

Saving sacrificial vessels: various ceremonial vessels are placed in various prescribed positions, followed by washing, cleaning and other work.

④Laying the Jade and Palm: Playing the Song of Sukhwa.

(2) Zongmiao Sacrifice

The so-called Zongmiao, according to the "interpretation of the name" records: "Zong, honors also; temple, the appearance of also, where the ancestral form also." China's ancient people believe that the ancestral temple is exactly where the spirits of the deceased reside. If the sacrificial vessels of the ancestral temple were moved away, it meant that a country also perished.

(3)Fengchan Ceremony

An unscheduled ceremony held by the ancient emperors to sacrifice heaven and earth.

2. Imperial Ceremonies

The ceremony of ascending the throne, the ceremony of enthronement of the crown prince, the ceremony of the emperor's marriage (the six rites: nacai, asking for the name, naji, naji, please period, and pro-welcome), the emperor's birthday festivals, the ceremony of the honorary title and emblem, and the ceremony of the royal festivals.

Attachment: Royal etiquette terms

Section, feather fan, duster, cover, music

3. Court political etiquette

(1) court etiquette

There are two main types of ancient Chinese emperors of the dynasty:

Daichaosi: the emperor General Assembly of the civil and military officials, including foreign envoys at times. It is a very solemn ceremony.

Ordinary Dynasty:It is one of the important activities of the emperor to deal with state affairs. Chaoyi is the regulation of the etiquette related to the handling of political affairs by the emperor and the hundred officials of cultural relics in the courtroom.

The Song dynasty, in accordance with the size of the official position as well as the position of high and low clearly stipulates the order of the civil and military officials to enter the court: the master, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too.

(2) Yan see the ruler of the state10

The scholar-daifu had a private audience with the ruler of the state after he had retired from the court, which was called "Yan see" in the literature.

The position of the ruler and his ministers during the audience was also based on the position of the ruler facing south. If the ruler was not standing facing south, he would salute from the east or west. When the king is in the hall, there is no strict rule as to which step the minister should take, but the king should go to the hall from whichever step he is near.

4. Court life etiquette

The court life etiquette, mainly for the group is female, including the queen, concubines, selected services ... Three palaces and six courtyards, in which the etiquette culture is tedious to the extreme, but is the ancient film and television drama favorites. The following is an example of court etiquette in the Qing Dynasty.

(1) dress

Dress is not only to cover the wind and cold, shielding shame and privacy, in feudal society, it is a sign of the feudal hierarchy, is a symbol of identity and status. In the palace royal family, dress to do according to identity, status and rank. Such as the royal family always use bright yellow, which is the imperial dress color.

Qing dynasty harem dress:

Queen

Queen's crown dress and dress points, the ceremony wear dress, usually wear dress. Gowns, crown top decoration in three layers, embroidered three small gold phoenix, decorated with pearls, the top of a large Dongzhu; red cap tassel around the seven small gold phoenix, behind a "Golden Zhai", decorated with valuable cat's eye stone, pearl; Zhai tail by five strings of pearls, *** three hundred and one beads. The robe is bright yellow, chest and back embroidered with gold dragons, interspersed with five-color clouds, under the sea water pattern. The pilgrimage skirt has overlapping pleats, and the pilgrimage lab coat is shaped like a kanji. Auspicious dress pattern is relatively simple, but the weaving and embroidery is gorgeous, the workmanship is extremely fine.

Queen's accessories are numerous, with gold, coral, pearl, jade and other accessories, such as beads, earrings, step rock and so on. Generally speaking, the Empress wears court dress hanging three strings of court beads, a string of Dongzhu, two strings of coral; wear regular clothes with a crown, cape, jade belt with it.

Concubines

Qing Dynasty harem concubines do not have to wrap their feet, you can wear high heels. The traditional Manchu high heels have a heel about three to five inches high, in the middle of the sole, similar to "stilts", known as "flowerpot shoes". They are dressed in cheongsams, combed with "two heads", and carry a walking stick and other accessories.

(2) daily etiquette

First of all, the Qing Dynasty harem hierarchy

from high to low order:

Queen (one), followed by the Imperial Consort (one), followed by the Consort (two), followed by the Consort (four), followed by concubines (six), followed by the Nobleman (number of people is not certain), followed by the Standing (number of people is not certain), followed by the promised (number of people is not certain), followed by the promised (number of people is not certain), followed by the Nobleman (number of people is not certain), followed by the Nobleman (number of people is not certain), followed by the Standing (number of people is not certain), followed by the Promised (number of people is not certain), followed by the Promised (number of people is not certain), followed by the Promised (number of people is not certain). (number indeterminate), and finally the palace maid.

Courtesy

There are two kinds of one-knee kneeling in Qing etiquette: one is called "playing a thousand", which is a common courtesy for slaves to see their masters and subordinates to see their superiors. The action is to hang down the right hand, bend the left knee, the upper body slightly forward. The other is the "invitation to peace", men's action is to bend the right knee half-kneeling; women's action hands on the left knee, the right knee slightly bent, crouching down.

The etiquette of daily life in the palace is generally kneeling and bowing, kneeling, saying Man-bok salute, nodding salute four.

Kneeling and bowing", and divided into one su, one kneeling, three kowtow and six su, three kneeling, nine kowtow.

The so-called "su" is to stand upright

The so-called "kneeling" is to kneel with the right leg first, then the left

The so-called "kowtow" is to kowtow with the right leg first

The so-called "kowtow" is to kowtow with the left leg first. The so-called "kowtow" is to kowtow

"Daowanfu" is a kind of Manchu etiquette, which is performed when a woman invites her elders or superiors to greet her. When performing the salute, the left leg is placed in front, the right leg is placed behind, the two legs are intertwined, the right hand is facing upwards, the left hand is facing downwards, the fingers are gathered together, the fingers of both hands are held together and placed on the left side of the body, while squatting, do not exceed 50 degrees.

"Nodding", nodding

The basic principle of saluting is that those who are higher in rank than oneself perform the higher etiquette, and those who are lower in rank than oneself perform the lower level of etiquette.

Title

Chinese civil and military officials were summoned by the emperor or the empress dowager, should be kneeling, the Han ministers must be called "X X X X respectfully request the emperor (or the empress dowager)," the Manchu ministers said "lackey". Empress, concubines, Manchu and Chinese ministers, whether in person or behind the back of the emperor as "emperor", only the dowager empress or imperial consort called the emperor as; emperor.

To concubines, eunuchs called "master". Crowned in front of the title, the written line called "master". As for the prince's name, not like now in the movie and television drama called "A brother". In the Qing dynasty on the prince's name of different status is different, "A brother" is the ministers of the prince's title, the Ministry of Internal Affairs officials and eunuchs always according to the prince's ranking said "X master". Written text is ranked according to the "Emperor X son". The emperor's daughter was not awarded the princess before, all said "Gege".

Three. Appendix - other commonly used items

1. Festival: the emperor as a credential object, "as I come".

2. Feather Fan:A large fan made of peacock plume and other bird feathers with a long wooden handle, used to strengthen the facade and expand the momentum.

3. duster: made of yak tail, horse tail, eunuchs and ceremonial personnel holding it for ceremonial purposes.

4. cover: also known as Hua Gai, yellow cover. Some people call it "umbrella cover"

5. music: held a big dynasty if there are no special circumstances, are required to play music. Court music is mainly divided into two categories of ceremonial and entertainment.