The person in charge of the ceremony was Zhang Zhao, a scholar of Wenhua Palace. There was a competition for the position of Minister of Ceremonies, and the main opponent was Liu Wensou, the Minister of Rites.
However, although he has not held an actual position in the court for a long time, Zhang Zhao is much more than Liu Wensou in terms of age and qualifications. He also served as a ceremonial envoy in his early years. The restoration and formulation of Han etiquette was also implemented under his leadership.
In addition, he was the master of all the princes, so Emperor Liu had to give him some face.
Zhang Zhao is nearly seventy years old and has put a lot of effort into this first ceremony since the founding of the People's Republic of China. The position of a master of ceremonies does not bring him much power, but fame, honor, and these implicit promotions are important to him.
It is still very important to say.
Zhang Zhao was early-witted, had read scriptures all over, and was familiar with the history books of various families. He was a learned and extremely confident man. At his age, he may not care about power, but he definitely cares about fame and fortune. A founding ceremony that attracted the attention of both the government and the public,
The old scholar's deepest passions were aroused.
The Imperial Ancestral Temple of the Han Dynasty was built in the southeast of the imperial city. Based on the previous buildings, although it was maintained and repaired every year, it was still old and decayed. In terms of scale and weather, it was not even as good as the Zhaolie Temple next door. Originally, the Ministry of Rites planned to recruit
We have to work hard to temporarily build a new Ancestral Temple. However, time is tight. If we want to complete it quickly, I am afraid it will only cost a lot of money. We only need to spare no effort in people's and financial resources.
Of course, being stopped by Liu Chengyou did not mean that all things that wasted money and people could not be done, but it was obvious that Emperor Liu tried his best to avoid this situation. In the end, he just decorated and refreshed the Ancestral Temple.
In fact, during the entire process of preparing for the ceremony, Liu Chengyou had discovered one thing, that is, he, the emperor, was not yet satisfied with his ambitions, but the ministers below him had obvious changes, a kind of relaxation after achieving great achievements, and felt that the world
Unification, I feel it’s time to enjoy it. Many things are done beautifully and with splendor, even at the expense of money and people’s efforts.
It has to be said that just because he was aware of this change in thinking and atmosphere, Emperor Liu, who was a little lazy at first, couldn't help but be alert and did not dare to be careless...
In front of the Ancestral Temple, there are all the legal guards and guards, and all the civil and military lords, all wearing court uniforms, are lined up in order. The scale is grand and the scene is solemn. The sacrificial ceremony has a complicated process and a solemn atmosphere, which tests both the mind and physical strength.
If it were Emperor Liu ten years ago, who had no taboos in his heart, he would only despise and be bored with this kind of process and ritual. However, now, he is enjoying it all with a peaceful mind.
I feel that these regulations are so kind...
It may be strange to say that as he grew older, as his throne became more stable, and as his authority expanded, Emperor Liu's inner sense of awe became even greater. Of course, perhaps it was also because Emperor Liu realized that, as an empire with an autocratic monarchy,
, these systems and rituals are also the embodiment of the authority of the emperor and the will of the emperor.
The older he gets, the more Liu Chengyou likes his subjects to abide by the rules, submit peacefully to the Han's management system, and be obedient subjects of Emperor Liu. Under such circumstances, even if he is above everything else and has unlimited power,
The emperor also gradually restrained himself, acted in accordance with rules and regulations, and set an example for the world. In his early years, Emperor Liu would make some willful and outrageous decisions and affairs, using imperial power to override national laws. But now, this situation is becoming more and more common.
The less.
The gorgeous court clothes and the noble imperial crown are very heavy on the body, just like carrying the weight of the country, the country, and the country, which makes people feel like they are carrying a huge weight and make them breathless. However, for Emperor Liu today, his His body, his shoulders, and his will are all enough to shoulder this important task, enough to lead the operation and development of the country...
Under the guidance of the celebrant Zhang Zhao, the ceremony gradually unfolded. Speeches, worships, everything went very smoothly. In such an environment and in such an atmosphere, everyone was restrained and obeyed respectfully. Etiquette must not be exceeded in any way.
Kneeling on the futon, surrounded by thousands of people, Liu Chengyou's upright body seemed a little aloof, towering over everyone. At this moment, everyone could only look at his back, including the royal family, clan members, ministers, ministers, everyone present. In the eyes of ordinary people, people who are high above the world seem to be worthy only of crawling at his feet.
Standing above all things, Emperor Liu suddenly had the arrogance to trample the entire world under his feet. This was a contradictory emotion. He was in awe of his status and power, but he was also proud of his ability to control it.
In fact, Liu Chengyou at this time was not very interested in the ancestors he worshiped, and he had little respect for them. There were five ancestors enshrined in the Taimiao from far to near, including Wenzu Liu Tuan, De Ancestor Liu Ang, Yizu Liu Xun, Xianzu Liu Jun, and Gaozu Liu Hao.
Of course, in Emperor Liu's view, except for Liu Zhiyuan, all other ancestors are sufficient, and from now on, he should be the one who takes the C position and accepts the sacrifices and offerings of future kings and the subjects of the world...
After the ceremony was completed, Liu Chengyou stood up first and waved his dragon robe, showing his domineering attitude. Zhang Zhao asked for instructions whether to continue and glanced at him. Everyone restrained their faces, but their fatigue could not be concealed. This is conceivable, such a solemn ceremony For such a long time before and after the ceremony, both mentally and physically, we were in a state of tension.
Even Emperor Liu himself was a little tired. However, all the procedures had been arranged, and Liu Chengyou didn't like to be interrupted. So, he calmly ordered to move to Zhaolie Temple to pay homage to the soldiers.
The Zhaolie Temple was built in the twelfth year of Qianyou. It lasted for half a year. Tens of thousands of people were levied in labor and more than 200,000 yuan were spent. According to Emperor Liu's wishes, it was used to commemorate all the soldiers who sacrificed for the establishment and development of the Han Dynasty and the defense and development of the Han Dynasty. , two sacrifices are held every year to comfort the heroic spirits.
Among them, the largest project is to record the merits of the stone. Those who have made outstanding contributions are recorded and their deeds are recorded. Regardless of officers and soldiers, as long as they are killed in battle, their names are engraved on the monument. By the first year of Kaibao, the names of those who had made outstanding contributions were recorded on the monument. In the 12th year of Tianfu (947), in a span of 16 years, the number of Han soldiers who were able to have their names engraved on Zhaolie Temple reached 213,789.
This also means that in these sixteen years, more than 200,000 soldiers actually threw their heads and blood and sacrificed their lives for the Han Dynasty. Moreover, due to the long period of time in the early years of the country, unification was inconvenient, or archives Due to poor data management, there are inevitably omissions, and there are also things that were concealed due to incomplete systems and poor control in the early years. The real number is even higher.
The establishment of Zhaolie Temple has had a great impact on the army. It has won the morale of the military. The soldiers' sense of identity with the royal family and the country has also been further enhanced. It is a place where the soul can rest, which can inspire the spiritual level, support loyalty, and strengthen the hearts of the people. The effect of cohesion is particularly obvious.
Because it is adjacent to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, it did not take much time to move to the Zhaolie Temple. However, following the entire process and waiting for the equally solemn sacrificial ceremony to end, it also took nearly an hour.
At noon, Emperor Liu finally showed mercy and gave everyone some time to rest. For everyone, being able to participate in the ceremony was a reflection of status and honor, but it was also a process of suffering. However, many times, the excitement of the spirit was Enough to reduce physical suffering.
Considering that many people, in order to ensure the solemnity of the ceremony and avoid accidents, did not eat, even at noon, they were still struggling, as if waiting for the royal banquet in the evening. Liu Chengyou was not an emperor who was inconsiderate of his subordinates, so he asked people to Prepare some supplies of drinking water and dry food.
After the ceremony, we took a short rest and set off for the military parade. Liu Chengyou used to have military parades, either at the Forbidden Army barracks, in the Kaifeng palace, or in front of the imperial city, but this time it was adjusted and turned into a military parade. During the parade, 30,000 horse infantry soldiers were selected from the Sanya Forbidden Army, fully equipped, and patrolled the main streets of Tokyo according to the established route to show the military power of the Han Dynasty to the people of the capital.
At the same time, on the bank of the Bian River, they inspected the drills of the naval forces. Of course, this was a more serious ceremony. After reviewing the troops, the royal chariot returned to the imperial city, where the emperor personally visited the palace to accept the worship of all the people.
To the south of the Imperial City, the large open space that was originally used to expand the imperial palace has been transformed into a square. Thousands of people gathered together, and the people stood shoulder to shoulder, exhaling like clouds, sweating like rain, and the atmosphere always maintained a climax. There were at least two people from Tokyo gathered together. There are 100,000 people, which accounts for almost a quarter of the population of Kaifeng City.
Because of the large number of people, Kaifeng Mansion and the Inspection Department specially set up cards to intercept and divert the people. Otherwise, the square in front of the Imperial City would not be able to accommodate the enthusiastic Tokyo people. This was almost a city-wide carnival, and every household , the city was full of joy, and the restaurants, restaurants, teahouses, and theaters in the city were all crowded with guests.
The prosperity and vitality of Kaifeng City seemed to burst out all of a sudden. Driven by the will of the country, everyone, high and low, rich and poor, showed their faces, cheered for the emperor, sang for the country, and blessed themselves.
Standing on the towering city gate, Emperor Liu looked down at the dense figures and swarming crowds in front of the imperial city, enjoying their warm cheers. Although he could not see their faces clearly, from the shouts of long live that shook like a sea wave , he felt a kind of enthusiasm that was close to belief, and he couldn't help but be intoxicated in it...
