The order of ancient emperors’ rituals to worship heaven

The order of the ceremony of worshiping heaven:

1. The first item of the ceremony is to welcome the gods. Fireworks are raised in the burnt wood stove, which expresses the meaning of transmitting the respect of heaven from the world to heaven.

2. After returning to the position of worship, kneel down three times and bow nine times to the gods.

3. After welcoming the gods, lay jade and silk fabrics, that is, offer jade and silk fabrics to the gods and ancestors.

4. The third order is Jinzu.

5. Next, make the first gift.

6. After the first offering, make the second offering and the final offering. Extended information

The reasons for worshiping heaven:

Heaven has its own way, the earth has its own way, and people have their own humanity. The way of heaven is in "initiating all things", and the way of earth is in "producing all things".

Among all things in the world, humans should have a sacred mission. Sacrifice to heaven is to remind people to "accord with the weather and geography" and to live in harmony with nature. From this we can know that heaven does have a kind of holiness, and people should have a sense of awe towards heaven. This is reflected to a considerable extent in religious emotions.

To bow before the Emperor of Heaven, the emperor of the human world must show respect to the Emperor of Heaven and must have certain etiquette and offerings. As the emperor is the Son of Heaven, he must maintain close contact with God. In this way, offering sacrifices to heaven becomes a platform for the emperor to communicate with God. Here, the emperor was authorized by God to rule the people and convey God's will.

Therefore, it is the emperor’s unshirkable sacred responsibility to talk to God. The way the emperor communicated with heaven was through various sacrificial activities. Even today, when people stand in the center of the circle and look up at the sky, they will feel close to heaven.

The emperor is not only ordered by "Heaven", but he must also be the one who prospers "luck". Therefore, when Chinese people kneel down to listen to the supreme instructions, they will always hear the opening remarks: "It is God's destiny, the emperor decrees."

Baidu Encyclopedia-Sacrifice to Heaven