The Authority And The Practice Of The Monarchs

It is known to all that the transition of etiquettes correspond with political realities.Thus,this essay aims at making an observation of political system progressions in the scope of etiquettes, mainly:the enlighten hall,towel ze,er wang san ke and the official proclaims to arms, which were picked respectively from the etiquette categories of Ji(auspicious)jia(fine),bin(guests),jun(military) will be discussed in order to shed light on the particular political ideologies in Tang dynastyThe first chapter mainly discusses the changes of "Er Wang San Ke"(roughly translated as "Two kings, three lieges". It is a Chinese traditional reception ritual).The Selection and establishment of "Er Wang San Ke" is regarding the issue of whether or not the successive dynasty recognizes the former's legitimacy, as well as the regarding the rule of succession of cycle destiny and calendar."Zhou and Sui Dynasty" were set up as "Er Wang"(two kings) in the early days of Tang Dynasty, which adopt the legacy of framework of Zhou, Sui and Northern dynasties which indicated its recognition of the Northern regimes, when the Guanlong Group held the discourse power of orthodox ideas of that time, while the Guandong and southern Intellectual groups were yet incapable of doing so. The reshuffle of "Er Wang San Ke" system after the Emperor Gao-zong and Wuhou periods and the discussion about Li Tang's fortune and legitimacy were closely related with the growth and decline of all kinds of political groups'power. The decline of Guanlong Group accorded with the course that the Court and the Outside raised the issue of changing the cycle fortune and transferring the succession of "Er Wang San Ke" to Zhou Han and Southern Dynasties.The argument about whether the dynasty's destiny is traced back to North or South, Zhou or Han, reflected the understanding of that Tang dynasty has enjoyed unity, and generalization about Wei-Jin Northern and Southern Dynasties'history. A comprehensive overview of history implies the selection of its legitimate origin.The second chapter mainly discusses the changes of Headdress of Tang dynasty which argues about the changes in Tang's etiquette of "towel ze" which belongs to the category of the Jia rituals.The headwear's fashion worked as the symbols of power led by renowned politicians in Bei Zhou dynasty.Changes in headwear styles sensitively respond to the changing political situations.For instance,various headwear styles once prevalent in Wu De and Zhen Guan period such as the "flat-top ","blossoms upon ears ","prince Wei's tripping" and "master Zhao's leather sewed" were deliberately replaced by the " Wu princes " style in the latter Period marked by Wu Zetian's revolution in order to emphasize the overwhelming authority of the Wu's aristocrats.After the resurgence of ZhongZong, a temporary promotion of the "prince Ying's Bo style" implied the similar political intension, then the emperor was poisoned at the start.In the early period of Kaiyuan,the emperor employed the luxury garments design from the previous era.While revising the old-fashioned garments,a fresh order of power had been established.XuanZong did not promote his own style:"the long-legging LuoPu" and "official round-head style" until the mid term of Kai Yuan.The former one was carried out on the purpose of showing a mighty gesture against the influential governor Zhang Yue.At the later ages of TianBao,the vogue of women headwear led by Yang Guozhong's familyalso reflected their political status.Even after the rebellion of An Lushan,various kinds of headwear appeared on and on,the most significant one was the "soldiers'discipline"style which stood for the uprising of eunuchs.The imperial pretenders in Wu Dai period also created a great amount of headwear stylesunder the background of the supreme authority's absense.As shown above,the whole range of headwear was endowed with different characteristics of that time.In the third chapter,the enlighten hall will be discussed as a political landscape to reveal its significance during Wu ZeTian's reign.The changes of political status will be sharply reflected by the memorial architectures in Capital cities.As emperor Wu kept strengthening the honorific titles conferred on herself, in the meantime,the central part of palace which was represented by the enlighten hall had been continuously reconstructed and redefined.The hall acted not merely the symbol of legitimacy sequence inherited from Zhou dynasty and nostalgic complex,but also worked as the"Hua Cheng"built by Maitreya,the asgard in Daoism and the Seven Treasure Tower of Chakravartin.The memorial buildings along the axle wire of the hall of enlighted rule embodied her imitation of Chakravartin'sMaitreya believe.However,these monuments were removed by the new regime of Kai Yuan.The fourth chapter mainly concerns the etiquette and administrative operation of "Lu Bu"(official proclaims to arms) which is the alternate name for reports of military victories since the4th century."Lu Bu"is not only a type of official documents regulated by Tang government,but also a part of military etiquette.Certain ceremonies are indispensable in the administrative operation of "Lu Bu"etiquette.It was also a mixture of information release and political performance, which was concerned as a crucial expression of national authority formed in the6,7th centuries. The specific process of "Lu Bu"etiquette covered the entire society for the emperor to the primary units.Unlike the closeness and mystique of heaven and ancestral worship,"Lu Bu" coordinated with the triumphant return of arm would be a highly functional integration of displaying national power and image and thus be endowed with the characteristic of "national theater"when combined with the ceremony of offering the enemy troop's prisoners.