| name | imperial-ceremony-procedure |
| description | Use when planning or conducting the Fengshan ceremony (封禅仪式) to legitimize imperial rule. Covers legitimacy requirements, material preparations, the four-phase ritual at Mount Tai, and historical precedents from 无怀氏 through 周成王. |
Imperial Ceremony Procedure (封禅仪式)
This procedure outlines the requirements and steps for conducting the Fengshan ceremony.
Prerequisites
Legitimacy Requirements
- 受命而王 - Must have received the Mandate of Heaven
- 功至 - Must have achieved significant accomplishments
- 德洽 - Must have virtue that reaches all people
- 符瑞见 - Must have auspicious signs appear
Material Requirements
Ceremony Steps
Phase 1: Preparation
- Select auspicious date
- Prepare ritual vessels and offerings
- Purify participants
- Construct altars
Phase 2: Feng Ceremony (封泰山)
- Ascend Mount Tai from south side
- Perform sacrifice at summit
- Bury jade documents (玉牒书)
- Erect stone monument
Phase 3: Shan Ceremony (禅梁父)
- Descend to designated location
- Perform earth sacrifice
- Offer prayers for continued blessing
Phase 4: Proclamation
- Announce completion to realm
- Grant amnesty
- Distribute rewards
- Commemorate with inscriptions
Historical Precedents
Ancient rulers who performed Fengshan:
- 无怀氏
- 伏羲
- 神农
- 炎帝
- 黄帝
- 颛顼
- 帝喾
- 尧
- 舜
- 禹
- 汤
- 周成王
Warnings
- Do not perform without proper signs
- Do not perform without sufficient virtue
- Failure brings ridicule and loss of legitimacy
Validation
- Confirm all four legitimacy requirements are met: 受命而王, 功至, 德洽, 符瑞见
- Verify the four-phase ceremony sequence was completed in order: Preparation, Feng at summit, Shan at foot, Proclamation
- Check that jade documents (玉牒书) were buried and stone monument was erected, and amnesty plus rewards were distributed to the realm