What is the existence of the Ministry of Rites in ancient China?

The Ministry of Rites was one of the most important governmental organizations in China in ancient times, and it became one of the six ministries of the central administration after the Sui Dynasty, so its status can be imagined. The Ministry of Ceremony was specifically responsible for ceremonial rites and rituals, as well as for school examinations. Between the Sui Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, it belonged to the Shangshu Province, and in the Yuan Dynasty, it belonged to the Zhongshu Province, while in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was directly appointed by the emperor.

In terms of organizations under the current political system, the Ministry of Ceremonies is almost an amalgamation of various departments such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and the Council of Ethnic Administration. And the Ministry of Ceremonies is also second only to the Ministry of Officials and the Ministry of Revenue among the six ministries. China used to attach great importance to etiquette, so as the management of etiquette of the Ministry of Rites it is a relatively high status, in the three provinces and six departments of the system of some departments as early as the Shang and Zhou Dynasty has been set up, while the Ministry of Rites is in the North and South Dynasties period only.

And after the North and South Dynasties, the Ministry of Rites is increasingly becoming a very important department in the court, such as the choice of the auspicious date of the emperor's wedding, the date of the army's expedition are required to the Ministry of Rites to hear. Later, with the development of the times, the Ministry of Rites is responsible for more and more aspects, and the Ministry of Rites officials his power is also more and more, which is why later on someone will go outside the Ministry of Rites, and the establishment of another department to divide the Ministry of Rites of the reason for the function. To the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the power of the Ministry of Rites is directly by the emperor is responsible for and not handed over to other people to manage.

Besides the importance of the Ministry of Ceremony, the Ministry of Science and Technology also plays an important role. In ancient times, the imperial examination was a very important thing, every time there are countless children of the poor family through the imperial examination to go to the Dragon Gate, so the Ministry of Rites officials in charge of the examination is also in a way those future big officials of the teacher, which also formed a very complex network of relations. But want to become an official of the Ministry of Rites, it is not necessary to be exactly the kind of people who are very familiar with the rules of etiquette and law, because in ancient times, the choice of the six ministries of the position is not something that you can do only if you are good at which aspect of the ability.