conduct-state-sacrifices

# Conduct State Sacrifices ## Overview A procedure for performing official state sacrificial rituals to deities, establishing religious legitimacy. Based on Qin's various sacrificial ceremonies (畤). ## Steps 1. **Select the Occasion** - New state establishment - Major military victory - Regular calendrical observances 2. **Prepare the Altar (畤)** - Construct or designate the sacrificial altar - Choose appropriate location (e.g., western altar for western regions) 3. **Prepare Sacrificial Animals** - Select appropriate animals (horses, cattle, sheep) - Standard offering: three of each kind (三牢) - Larger ceremonies may use hundreds of animals 4. **Conduct the Ritual** - Perform sacrifice according to established rites - Make offerings to specified deities (e.g., Supreme God/上帝, White Emperor) 5. **Record the Event** - Document the establishment of new ritual traditions - Note any omens or divine responses ## Examples - Duke Xiang established the Western Altar (西畤) using three each of red horses, yellow cattle, and rams - Duke Wen established the Fu Altar (鄜畤) using three sacrificial animals - Duke De used 300 sacrificial animals for the Fu Altar ## Expected Outcomes - Religious legitimacy for the state - Documentation of state traditions - Connection between rulership and divine authority ## Validation - Verify that the appropriate occasion (state establishment, military victory, or calendrical observance) justified the sacrifice - Confirm that sacrificial animals match the required standard (三牢 or as specified for the ceremony scale) - Check that the event was documented including altar location, deities addressed, and any omens observed