Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typ...os. Excerpt from book: proceeded to a forest of mulberry trees, and there prayed, asking to what error or crime of his life the calamity was owing. He had not done speaking when ji copious rain fell. The ideas of substitution and consecration are thus to be found in the history of China, but they have not found their way into its religious ceremonies. The solstitial service is an acknowledgment by the emperor for himself, and his line, and the nation, of their obligations to God. 18. Writing with reference to the solstitial services, Dr. Edkins says that "the idea of a sacrifice in them is that of a banquet." ' This is hardly intelligible. The notion of the whole service might be that of a banquet; but a sacrifice . and a banquet are incompatible ideas. Nor is the idea of a banquet altogether appropriate to a solstitial service. It is true that the ancestors of the emperor are present, that is, are supposed to be present, in spirit, on the altar, and receive homage from him, thus being accessors of Shang Ti, and sharing with him in the tribute of the service; but they are there only from the deep 1 " Religion in China," p. 23. ' conviction of the solidarity of the family, which is characteristic of the Chinese. They and their descendants are the representatives of the family which was called by the divine decree to rule the empire when the sovereigns of the previous dynasty had been proved incompetent to fulfil that high charge. The highest title of the living chief of the family is that he is " the son of Heaven," the one man whom Heaven delights to honour, as if he were Its first-born son, and to whom is delegated the duty of ruling the myriads of the people for their good, in harmony with the divine will. The emperor stands forth in his dignity, and his glory is reflected on his ances...Detailed info »« Brief info