Abstract
Previous studies on the Nanhaishen Temple 南海神廟 (Temple of the South Sea God) in Guangzhou in the Tang dynasty focus mainly on the South Sea God as the patron of the Maritime Silk Road, without thoroughly discussing the state ritual and the sacrificial right of the Tang government. This paper illuminates five new points concerning the ritual. First, the sacrificial ritual to the South Sea God developed from the suburban rituals in previous dynasties into both forms of suburban and local rituals, which was also categorized as the medium sacrifice among the three major sacrifices in the state ritual system of the Tang dynasty. Second, the first commissioner who was sent by the central government to perform the sacrificial ritual to the South Sea God was Zhang Jiuling, and henceforth the temporary assignment of court officials to the ceremonies became institutionalized. In the tenth year of Tianbao (751), the South Sea God was entitled Guangliwang 廣利王 (King Guangli), and the commissioner sent on this mission was Zhang Jiuzhang, Zhang Jiuling’s third younger brother, rather than his second younger brother Zhang Jiugao as seen in some records. Third, most of the commissioners were dispatched by the central government in the early Tang, and therefore the sacrifice to the South Sea God was related to the state ritual system; but in the late Tang local officials became dominant in the ritual ceremonies, and thus good harvests and social stability in the Lingnan region became the major concern of the sacrifice. Fourth, the legend that the Buddhist Master Xiujiu 休咎禪師 took over the temple and accepted the South Sea God as his disciple reflected the reciprocity between Buddhism and the South Sea God belief. Last but not the least, the sacrificial ceremonies to the South Sea God established in the Tang dynasty and performed by the officials of both the central and local governments had a significant influence on the ritual in the following dynasties.
Highlights
Published: 2 November 2021The Nanhaishen Temple 南海神廟 (Temple of the South Sea God) is one of the bestpreserved temples that enshrine the spirits of the four seas in China as its location has not changed throughout the various dynasties since the 14th year of Kaihuang in the Sui dynasty (594)
Most of the commissioners were dispatched by the central government in the early Tang, and the sacrifice to the South Sea God was related to the state ritual system; but in the late Tang local officials became dominant in the ritual ceremonies, and good harvests and social stability in the Lingnan region became the major concern of the sacrifice
Last but not the least, the sacrificial ceremonies to the South Sea God established in the Tang dynasty and performed by the officials of both the central and local governments had a significant influence on the ritual in the following dynasties
Summary
The Nanhaishen Temple 南海神廟 (Temple of the South Sea God) is one of the bestpreserved temples that enshrine the spirits of the four seas in China as its location has not changed throughout the various dynasties since the 14th year of Kaihuang in the Sui dynasty (594). A large number of spirits could be sacrificed simultaneously (ibid., 7.129–30) In this sense, the sacrifice rituals to yue-zhen-hai-du became a part of the suburban sacrificial institution at the capital during the Sui dynasty as the spirits were thought to be able to bring proper rain. The titles of the four seas conferred by the emperors varied, as the East Sea God blessed people with proper winds and rain, the South Sea God with prosperous voyages and good harvests of fish and salt, the West Sea God and the North Sea God with abundant rain to stop droughts Sea God was concerned, the emperors sent commissioners to Guangzhou to officiate the ritual ceremonies
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