The Rules of Sacrifice

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaAug 2020

3.9

Word count: 1.2K words
Chapters: 6

Summary

Jifa. The Youyu clan sacrificed to Huangdi with the di sacrifice and to Ku with the jiao sacrifice; they took Zhuanxu as ancestor and Yao as lineage founder. The Xiahou clan likewise sacrificed to Huangdi with the di sacrifice and to Gun with the jiao sacrifice; they took Zhuanxu as ancestor and Yu as lineage founder. The Yin people sacrificed to Ku with the di sacrifice and to Ming with the jiao sacrifice; they took Qi as ancestor and Tang as lineage founder. The Zhou people sacrificed to Ku with the di sacrifice and to Ji with the jiao sacrifice; they took King Wen as ancestor and King Wu as lineage founder.

Editor's review

Jifa was originally a chapter in the Book of Rites. In an extremely concise genealogical style, this chapter outlines the objects of the di, jiao, zu, and zong sacrifices for four generations—the Youyu clan, the Xiahou clan, the Yin people, and the Zhou people. Though brief, it is a key text for understanding ancient ancestral sacrifice rituals and dynastic orthodox ideas. The 2020 Bashu Publishing House edition presents this classic passage independently, making it easier for readers to study it closely. Its value lies not in telling stories but in presenting institutions: who is entitled to the di sacrifice, who enters the jiao sacrifice, and who is treated as ancestor and lineage founder—behind this is a dual arrangement of bloodline genealogy and political legitimacy. While reading, it can be compared with chapters such as “Wangzhi” and “Dazhuan” in the Book of Rites, and combined with pre-Qin history to understand differences between Shang and Zhou institutions. It is suitable as close-reading material for beginners in classical studies, ritual studies, and pre-Qin history, and also allows enthusiasts of traditional culture to appreciate the concision and solemnity of classical Chinese.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Beginners in classical and ritual studies doing close reading of a single Book of Rites chapter
Pre-Qin historians concerned with differences between Shang and Zhou ancestral sacrifice systems
Learners of classical Chinese practicing close reading of short prose texts
Enthusiasts of traditional culture learning about ancient sacrificial genealogies

Not a good fit for

Readers hoping to read full commentaries on the Book of Rites
Those seeking popular stories or entertaining history
Complete beginners in classical Chinese without annotation aids

Reading tips

First read the original through, mark the objects of di, jiao, zu, and zong for each of the four generations, and make a comparison table.
Read alongside relevant chapters of the Book of Rites and works on pre-Qin history to understand the institutional background.
Pay attention to differences in sacrificial objects between Shang and Zhou, and consider their political implications.
When encountering unfamiliar characters or terms, consult reference works first, then return to the syntax of the context.

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
正文一
正文二
正文三
正文四
正文五

FAQ

Is the standalone edition of Jifa suitable for readers with no background?

Not very suitable for complete beginners. This is a short classical Chinese text involving ritual terms such as di, jiao, zu, and zong; without annotations or reference works, it is quite difficult to understand. Readers should first have some ability to read classical Chinese, or use it together with an annotated translation of the Book of Rites.

What do di, jiao, zu, and zong mean respectively?

All four are types of sacrifice. Di refers to a grand sacrifice to distant ancestors; jiao is the sacrifice to Heaven paired with ancestral offerings; zu means sacrificing to someone as founding ancestor; zong means sacrificing to someone as lineage head. The original lists the objects for each of the four generations to display the institutional arrangement of dynastic genealogy and sacrificial rank; specific explanations require consultation of ritual commentaries.

Do I need to read other chapters of the Book of Rites first?

You need not read all of it, but it is advisable to have a basic understanding of chapters discussing sacrificial rites, such as “Wangzhi” and “Dazhuan,” which help grasp the place of di, jiao, zu, and zong in the overall ritual system. If time is limited, read the introductions to relevant annotated translations first.

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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.