Miscellaneous Rituals Category

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

2.8

Word count: 6.5K words
Chapters: 12

Summary

The Classic says: When the state has a campaign on the frontier, the Son of Heaven holds court in the main hall and appoints a general, proclaiming to him: "I, lacking virtue, have unworthily received the great mandate, so that marauding enemies have invaded and plundered the borderlands. I forget food until late in the day, and my worries persist waking and sleeping. I trouble the general's divine martial prowess to lead the army and respond to them." The general bows twice and receives the edict. He then has the Grand Historian divine, fasts for three days, and brushes the tortoise shell in the Grand Temple. The Grand Historian selects the day and presents the battle-axe. The ruler enters the Grand Temple, stands facing west, personally takes the axe and presents it to the general, saying: "From this point on, up to Heaven, the general governs it." He then takes the haft of the axe and presents it to the general, saying: "From this point on, down to the Springs, the general governs it."

Having received the command, the general kneels and replies: "I have heard that a state cannot be governed from outside, and an army cannot be controlled from within. A divided heart cannot serve the ruler, and doubtful resolve cannot meet the enemy. Since I have received the command and hold sole authority over the awe of the axe, I do not wish to return alive; I ask that the ruler also bestow a single word of command upon me. Otherwise I dare not take command. If the ruler grants me this, I then take my leave and set out." In matters of the three armies, no ruler's command is heard; all proceeds from the general. When the general sets out and faces the enemy in decisive battle, there is no divided heart. Thus there is no Heaven above, no Earth below, no ruler's command in the middle, no enemy to the side. Therefore the wise devise plans for him, the brave fight for him; their spirit rises to the blue clouds, their speed is like galloping steeds, and before blades clash the enemy submits. Victory is won abroad, merit is established at home. The general then dons white mourning garb and vacates his lodging, requesting instructions from the ruler, and the ruler commands him to take lodging again.

Editor's review

This book focuses on the ritual procedure of dispatching troops and bestowing the axe in antiquity, from the Son of Heaven appointing the general, the Grand Historian divining the day, and fasting and announcing at the temple, to the ruler bestowing the axe and the general receiving the command and swearing an oath, fully presenting a military authorization process steeped in ritual significance. Passages in the source such as "a state cannot be governed from outside, and an army cannot be controlled from within" and "in matters of the three armies, no ruler's command is heard; all proceeds from the general" highlight the core tension in the ancient ruler-general relationship between "sole delegation" and "control." The value of this book lies not in narrating specific battles but in revealing through ritual details how power is symbolically transferred, how military orders obtain legitimacy, and the moral and responsible pressure borne by generals upon receiving command. For readers studying ancient ritual systems, military institutions, ruler-general relations, and political culture, this is a rather interesting specialized source. When reading, treat it as a text at the intersection of institutional history and ritual history, attending to the political meanings behind ritual actions rather than merely browsing it as a story.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Scholars studying ancient ritual systems, military institutions, and ruler-general relations
Readers of history and literature interested in pre-Qin and Qin-Han political culture
Deep readers who enjoy interpreting the operation of power through ritual details
University students needing materials on ancient troop-dispatch rites for specialized research

Not a good fit for

Military readers expecting battle processes and tactical details
General readers who prefer light narrative and quick reading
Those uninterested in ancient ritual procedures

Reading tips

When reading, first outline the sequence of steps in the general-appointment ritual, then consider the symbolic meaning of each step.
Cross-reference relevant records in ancient ritual texts, noting the source's emphases and selections.
Focus on the tension between "an army cannot be controlled from within" and the ruler's bestowal of the axe, and take thematic notes.
If used for academic writing, excerpt key quotations and verify them against original sources.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
卷三杂仪类
授钺篇第二十五
部署篇第二十六
将军篇第二十七
阵将篇第二十八
队将篇第二十九
马将篇第三十
鉴人篇第三十一
相马篇第三十二
誓众军令篇第三十三
关塞四夷篇第三十四

FAQ

Does this book discuss specific wars or ritual institutions?

Judging from the source, the book focuses on the ritual procedure of dispatching troops and appointing generals, including the Son of Heaven's edict, the Grand Historian's divination of the day, fasting and temple announcement, bestowal of the axe, and the general's reply, rather than specific battle processes. It is better read from the perspectives of institutional and ritual history.

How should "an army cannot be controlled from within" be understood?

This phrase emphasizes that an army campaigning abroad should not be remotely constrained by the ruler, and that the general, once commissioned, should have discretion to decide on the spot. In the source, only after the general requests that the ruler "bestow a single word of command" and obtains permission does the statement appear that "in matters of the three armies, no ruler's command is heard; all proceeds from the general," reflecting the tension between delegation and sole authority in the ancient ruler-general relationship.

Can this book be used directly as an introductory text on ancient ritual institutions?

It can serve as specialized material, but is not well suited as the sole introductory book. It focuses on the specific ritual of dispatching troops and bestowing the axe; readers with a basic framework of ancient ritual and military institutions will understand it more smoothly. Readers with no foundation may need to read it alongside general surveys.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.