The Probe Of The Western Zhou Ritual

The sacrifice system of Zhou dynasty described in the book of rites is the research object of this paper. Using the plain text analysis method, the writer takes the book of rites as the basis, and also has studied many ancient literature resources such as Chou rite, Yili, the book of minister, Zuozhuan and the relative writings of modern scholars in order to discuss some basic issues of the ritual system of the Western Zhou Dynasty and to have better ttnderstanding of the ancient legal traditions of China. The writer believes that if we envisaged the tradition, we would not have a brighter furore. Therefore, such research may help us to correctly deal with the study of the integrity of tradition and modernity in the process of legal modernization of China.This paper is divided into Introduction, Main Parts and Miscellaneous. In the part of Introduction, it mainly deals with the research object of the whole essay, the central text as the analysis basis and the method of analysis. The writer takes the system of sacrifice in the Western Zhou Dynasty as the touchstone to the study of its ritual system. The book of rites is taken as the central text to study the system of sacrifice of the Western Zhou Dynasty. The writer also adapts the plain text analysis method, and points out the disadvantages and advantages of such method by contrasting the triple-evidence approach.In the first part, the writer describes the logical connection among the sacrifice, rites and the book of rites. It is the basis ofthe research. At first, the writer states the primitive sacrifice activities before the formation of rites. Those regulations and customs in such sacrifice activities gradually have evolved into the rites in the later ages, which is the generally accepted theory in academic community. Secondly, the system of sacrifice has developed as the important system of the whole nation of the western Zhou dynasty. The propitious rite in the five main rites is referred to the rite of sacrifice. At last, the description about rites in the book of rites is rich in content. Those descriptions am the important sources to study and analyze the system of rites in the Western Zhou Dynasty.In the second part, to further improve the conclusion of the second part, the writer sorts out the system of sacrifice recorded in the book of rites, and its details such as the objects, varieties, methods, specific classification roles and the punishment for the its violation. The system of sacrifice has detailed and strict provisions about the different rights and obligations of different people from various classification. The monarch would represent the feudal nation to punish those who have violated the rites in the system of sacrifice such as depriving his fief, lowing his title of nobility, or inflicting punishment. In a word, the ritual system regulates the rights and obligations and classifies the people.The third part focuses on the features and functions of the system of rites in Western Zhou Dynasty form the analysis of the system of sacrifice in the Western Zhou Dynasty. At first, the rites system has the function of regulation. The system of sacrifice could adjust the rights and obligations of people from various classifications. It is implemented through the coercive force of the nation, and we could extrapolate the function of regulation of the ritual system in the dynasty. Secondly, the ritual system has the simple view on nature of the ancients. Such remains in the system of sacrifice represent the historical idea under the regulations of ritual system. Such activities uphold the simplicity. Thirdly, the system of rites stands for the role of classification in patriarchal clan system. Such preservation is represented in two fields: the monopoly power to worship the heaven, which stands for the legality of the monarch, and the clarification of human relations. The writer focuses on the rights and obligations between the monarch and his predecessor, the wife and the concubine, the husband and his wife in the regulations of the system of sacrifice.