Exploration of the Mountain Sacrificial System in the Han Dynasty

Abstract

Natural worship is a unique spiritual activity of human civilization that has existed since ancient times, arising from the awe-inspiring feeling that humans have towards mountains, rivers, and all things in nature. The mountain sacrifice system is a ritual practice that developed from the spiritual development of natural worship. Since the mythological era, the worship of natural phenomena and objects has existed, and Confucianism incorporated the ethics of nature into its doctrine, including mountains and rivers in its philosophical concept of Earth. During the Han Dynasty, rulers reorganized and reformed the mountain sacrifice system and formed the core ritual of the Taishan Mountain sacrifice. The various functions of the Han Dynasty mountain sacrifice ceremony reveal social customs during the Western Han period and Confucian related rituals. The changes in the mountain sacrifice policy during the Han Dynasty reflect the political strategies of rulers and the connection between Confucianism and its rituals. This article analyzes the changes in the Han Dynasty mountain sacrifice system and the basic situation of Han people's worship and beliefs through close reading of texts. It aims to demonstrate the peculiarities of the Han Dynasty mountain sacrifice system and its connection with Confucianism and its rituals.