Qin(秦) and Han(漢) tried to create national sacrifice to unite the various gods within the domain of their dominion. This was aimed at a hierarchical order with the emperor at the top. The order of national sacrifice they aimed for was the Heavenly Pole(天極), that is, the constellations in the sky centered on the North Star. Constellations in the sky, composed of Five Palaces(五宮) and 28 Xiu(宿) centered on the celestial pole, were unchanging nature itself in any case. It was national sacrifice that Qin and Han oriented to see this fixed and unchanging order as absolute truth and to realize its interpretation on the ground.
To this end, Qin built Jimiao(極廟) and Miao(廟), and selected 12 mountains and rivers around the capital, Xianyang(咸陽). However, Qin’s national sacrifice reflected the growth process of Qin, and as a result, there was an unavoidable distinction between the old land of Qin and the new land of the six states secured after unification.
Han had a different starting point from Qin. Han had no choice but to establish feudal states, legacies of the Warring States period. The emperor of Han, who used the old land of Qin as his base, was nominally the representative of ‘The World(天下)’, but in reality, he could only exercise control over his own domain. Since Gaoju(高祖), Junguomiao(郡國廟) have been built imitating Qin’s Jimiao(極廟) and Miao(廟), but unlike Qin, they were only applicable to a few emperors, and only to a few counties and states. In order to overcome this reality, sacrifices for the supreme beings were devised, such as Yong(雍) Wuzhi(五畤), Weiyang(渭陽) Wudimiao(五帝廟) and Chan’an(長安) Taiyici(泰一祠), etc. Ganquan(甘泉) Taizhi(泰畤) and Fenyin(汾陰) Houtuci(后土祠) were created during the reign of Emperor Wu(武帝), when the Han emperor established himself as the undisputed master of Han by overpowering the vassal states. It was only at this time that national sacrifice for the entire territory of the Han emperor’s control could be established, and apart from the national sacrifice in the center, the Five Mountains(五嶽) were gradually emerging in the regions. During the reign of Emperor Xuan(宣帝), the Five Mountains(五嶽) and Four Rivers(四瀆) were fully equipped, and various gods in other regions took responsibility for the rite by dispatching Messengers(使者) and Alchemists(方士) from the central government. The abolition of Junguomiao(郡國廟) during the reigns of Emperor Yuan(元帝) and the creation of Chang’an(長安) Jiaosi(郊祀) during the reigns of Emperor Cheng(成帝) was based on the result.
In particular, Jiaosi(郊祀) was the best facility for sacrifice that realized the cosmic order embodied in the constellations of the sky on earth. Although Jiaosi(郊祀) claimed by Confucian officials during the reign of Emperor Cheng were seemingly made on the principles of Confucian scriptures, in reality, they inherited national sacrifice accumulated since the founding of the Han Empire. Contrary to popular opinion, Jiaosi(郊祀) only brought Ganquan(甘泉) Taizhi(泰畤) and Fenyin(汾陰) Houtuci(后土祠), which were made during the reign of Emperor Wu, to Chang’an(長安), and the structure, that is, the appearance of a three-tiered octagon, was already implemented in Chan’an(長安) Taiyici(泰一祠) by radiation during the reign of Emperor Wu. In addition, with the advent of Jiaosi(郊祀), the reduction of regional national sacrifice promoted by Confucian officials was expanded more than twice as much as returning them to their original state. As a result of this reform, Jiaosi(郊祀) took an independent position in national sacrifice, and various national sacrifice in the center, which had been newly established in layers since the beginning of Han Empire, were all removed. However, this, too, was not due to the independent efforts of Confucian officials, but rather blossomed on top of the achievements of the process of growing up in national sacrifice in Han Empire. Confucian officials contributed to laying the foundation for the national sacrifice of Han to have lasting vitality by laying the foundation for Confucian scriptures beyond those of Han. Jiaosi(郊祀), which was completed by Emperor Gwangwu(光武帝) of Later Han, was made after the constellations in the sky on the one hand, and the order was also realized on the ground, containing the sky and the earth in a three-tiered octagonal structure. Jiaosi(郊祀), whose legitimacy was granted by the Confucian scriptures, was able to continue despite the ups and downs of the empires because it was able to unite heaven, earth, and the human world. It was established as a device that allows anyone to recognize that he is the ruler of the Chinese Word, ‘The World(天下)’.
In other words, if they can hold Jiaosi(郊祀) and their authority is acknowledged, the emperor can reign as the ruler of the Chinese world, ‘The World(天下)’. As long as Confucianism can reign as an ideology that supports national sacrifice centered on Jiaosi(郊祀), or as long as the order of ‘The World(天下)’ embodied by national sacrifice does not collapse, China’s successive empires will eventually be able to revive. At the center was Jiaosi(郊祀)