Chapter 45 3. Fasting in the fasting palace

Sacrifice is an important ceremony in the court, and any emperor's personal sacrifice must be fasted in advance.Sacrifice and fasting are rituals of sincere respect for the sacrificed, expressing introspection to the gods worshiped, and also a restraint for the worshipers.When fasting, you should purify your body externally (bath) and your mind internally (refinement), and talk about "three fasts and five precepts". "San Zhai" is a three-day fast for the great priest, and the "Five Precepts" are not to drink alcohol, not to eat meat, not to have fun, not to pay attention to criminal names, and not to be close to women, to show respect and sincerity.During the fasting period, the bronze figure was cast. The cast bronze figure in the Ming Dynasty was one foot and five inches high, holding a tooth slip in his hand.It is said that the "Bronze Man" was cast in the image of Wei Zheng, a famous admonisher in the Tang Dynasty.

Emperor Ming fasted in Wenhua Hall (or Wuying Hall).When fasting, the emperor lived in the east room of Wenhua Hall during the day, with the words "sincerity and sincerity" written on the west wall and the words "respect one" written on the lintel, and stayed in the west room at night.At that time, in the northwest of Wenhua Hall, there was a "Provincial House", which was a simple wooden hut with a three-foot-high foundation and no ground under the wooden wall.During the reign of Chongzhen, internal and external turmoil continued, and Emperor Chongzhen came to the province many times to live and repair the province.

When it comes to fasting, we must talk about the fasting palace. The Temple of Heaven Zhai Palace sits on the west and faces east, surrounded by two palace walls and two imperial rivers. The plane is in the shape of "Hui". "(jiong) (character shape.), there are front main hall, back bedroom hall, bell tower, value room and other buildings.The main hall of the Zhai Palace is the beamless hall, which was built in the eighteenth year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1420). It is about 18 meters high, with green glazed tiles on the roof and five rooms. Cornerstone column.The Wuliang Hall is the place where the emperor fasted during the day. The furnishings in the hall are simple, and the plaque "Qinruo Haotian" written by Emperor Qianlong is hung.The fasting palace has a rigorous layout and an elegant and quiet environment. It is a masterpiece of Chinese sacrificial and fasting architecture.There are also five rooms in the back bedroom hall of the fasting palace.Emperor Qianlong's "Zhai Palace Poems" said: "Leading the green flag out of the Forbidden City, the Xiangning Building is snowy and the wind is light. I pray for the day and stay in the palace, and I will get a new poem Ji Shanggeng." ("Ji Xia Jiu Wen Kao" Volume 57 ) Xiannongtan Zhai Palace is located in Dongwaitan, guarded by walls, and was changed to Qingcheng Palace in the middle of Qing Dynasty.

The fasting palace in the palace: In the ninth year of Yongzheng (1731), the fasting palace was built in the Forbidden City, and the fasting ceremony was changed to the palace.Zhai Palace is located in the east of Qianqing Palace, west of Yuqing Palace, and south of Jingren Palace. It is an independent palace courtyard.Inside the gate of Zhai Palace, there are two courtyards.In the main hall of the front yard and five rooms of the Zhai Palace, there is a plaque of "Jingtian" hanging inside, which is the imperial pen of Emperor Qianlong.In the algae well in the palace, there are carved and hung dragons.The East Nuan Pavilion is a bookstore, and the West Nuan Pavilion is a Buddhist hall.The backyard is the sleeping hall, which was originally named "Fuyong Hall" and later changed to "Chengsu Hall". There are 5 sleeping halls, with yellow glazed tiles on the top of the mountain.There are 3 east and west side halls each.It is stipulated that for major sacrifices such as offering sacrifices to the heavens, praying for grain, and Changyu (praying for rain), three days before the sacrifices, the emperor will fast in the Imperial Palace; for mid-level sacrifices such as offering sacrifices to the ground, Taimiao, and Sheji, fasting will be in the Hall of Mental Cultivation two days before the sacrifices.There is a small room in the east of the back room of the East Nuan Pavilion of Yangxin Hall. There is no window. There is a fairy building inside. It is a place for worshiping Buddha. There are beds in the room. "As proof.

When the Qing emperor was fasting in the Zhai Palace, he entered the bronze man.Since the tenth year of Yongzheng (1732), on the day of fasting, the emperor, princes and ministers, and people walking in the palace all wear fasting cards (breast cards). "Qing Hui Dian" contains: "The fasting card is made of wood, decorated with yellow paper, and the date of fasting is written in Qing and Chinese." The fasting card is one inch wide and two inches long, with different shapes and textures, including square and round. , with silver, jade, wood, ivory, etc., hanging in front of the skirt (similar to a breastplate).On fasting days, the palace family members are not allowed to walk near it.During the fasting period, fasting wooden signs are hung on the gates of the palace, and they will be removed after the end.In case of offering sacrifices to heaven, fast for three days, the emperor only stays in the fasting palace for two days, and stays in the fasting palace at the Temple of Heaven on the third day.

To the west of the Temple of Heaven is the Shenyue Department (God Optimism), which is a place for joint exercises of sacrificial bands.The drums inside have two sides, four sides, six sides and eight sides, etc., Shengxiao Guanzhu (yue, ancient musical instrument), Zhonghe Shaoyue. To worship at the Temple of Heaven, the most diligent emperors of the Ming Dynasty were Emperor Chenghua and Emperor Hongzhi, who sacrificed in person every year; the laziest was Emperor Wanli, who only went to the Temple of Heaven to worship four times during his 48-year reign.The most diligent emperors in the Qing Dynasty were Emperor Kangxi (87 times) and Emperor Qianlong (158 times); Emperor Xianfeng was the laziest (12 times).

At the beginning, I asked: Does the emperor feel awe?Have.I cite two historical examples.Emperor Kangxi once set up an altar in the palace to pray, knelt for three days and nights, and ate light food every day, without salt and sauce. On the fourth day, he walked to the Temple of Heaven. palace.All the ministers were moved by his respect and sincerity. (Volume 275 of "Records of the Holy Ancestors of the Qing Dynasty") Tang Taizong said: "Every time I think of a word or do a deed, I will fear the emperor's heaven above and my officials below." ("Zhenguan Zhengyao·Humble") Therefore, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty used "always be humble and always fearful, be cautious every day" to warn himself.However, a wise ruler has fear, but a foolish ruler has no fear.In short, to be an emperor, a general, or a commoner, to be respectful and humble, and to be diligent and cautious every day is something that should be done, and it is also difficult to do.People, must not be without awe.Learn some history, and encourage each other.