FVN Chapter 24: The Festival Begins
Chapter 24: The Festival Begins
Finally, on the third day of fasting, at the third quarter of the hour of Yin (3:45 AM).
The palace gates of Dazheng Palace slowly opened in silence.
Ying Zheng stood atop the highest point of the old palace wall in Yongcheng, dressed in black robes, his gaze sharp as he looked out at the undulating ridges of Yongshan Mountain in the distance.
On the dark mountain ridge, strings of tiny lights had already appeared.
That's 'Power Fire'!
From Xianyang to Yongcheng, every few dozen miles along the mountain ridge, there was a beacon tower shaped like a beacon tower.
At this moment, crimson flames ignited one after another in the deep night, announcing the imminent start of the Empire's highest priestly ceremony.
The emperor will perform the rites at the Temple of Heaven on the morning of the twelfth lunar month.
The flames stretched endlessly from the direction of Xianyang in the east, all the way west to the foot of Yongcheng, and finally converged in Ying Zheng's field of vision.
The scene resembled a colossal fire dragon composed of raging flames, majestically prostrating itself upon the vast Guanzhong Plain.
Ying Zheng took a deep breath. The morning wind in the twelfth lunar month was icy cold, but it also invigorated him.
The core site of the sacrificial ceremony is called the Blood Pool Altar, located on a mountain ridge about twelve kilometers northwest of Yongcheng.
The terrain here is unique, backed by towering mountains and facing gentle hills.
On this vast land of 4.7 million square meters, stands the ancient and sacred site of the Heaven Worship Ceremony.
The altar was built according to the ancient ritual of "below the high mountain and above the small hill".
The core is the Circular Mound Altar, the main altar for worshipping Heaven, and the entire structure is built of rammed earth in layers.
Surrounding the circular altar is a stone-built ring, which is the core of the blood pool. It is five feet wide and four feet deep, with the walls and bottom of the ditch paved with whole pieces of bluestone, making it watertight.
During the sacrificial ceremony, a large number of cattle, sheep, and pigs, as well as carts and horses, were slaughtered, and their blood was poured into the burial pit.
This is the origin of the name Blood Pool.
At this moment, Ying Zheng had changed into his most solemn black sacrificial robe.
The dark robe was as deep as night, and it was adorned with a magnificent sash woven from colorful silk threads.
He held the jade-hilted sword inlaid with gemstones, and as he walked with a light sway, the white jade pendants on his leather belt jingled softly.
The moment he stepped out of the Zheng Palace in Yongcheng—
"Thump! Thump! Thump—!"
The drums and gongs sounded in unison.
Three hundred tall and robust honor guards filed out, carrying black banners embroidered with the black bird totem. The black bird seemed to come alive as it flapped its wings, fluttering and soaring in the morning breeze.
Following closely behind was a procession of ritual officials, dressed in crimson and black sacrificial robes, wearing tall mountain-shaped hats, and holding jade tablets in their hands.
The chief priests, chief stewards, and other sacrificial officials, dressed in blue sacrificial robes and wearing five-colored ribbons symbolizing the five elements, followed closely behind.
Ritual music was played strictly according to the five notes of "Gong-Shang-Jiao-Zhi-Yu" in a cycle.
The resounding boom of the bronze chimes resonates with the clear, melodious sound of the stone chimes, creating a heavenly sound that strikes the soul.
And the Mandate of Heaven of the mighty Qin Dynasty was also proclaimed to the gods and spirits of all directions amidst this music.
The music of the Shang dynasty is splendid, and all kinds of music are played!
The entire massive procession, amidst ritual music and darkness, resembled ancient ancestors, marching westward.
They sailed in a grand procession toward the Blood Pool of Yongshan.
"Crack!"
The flames flickered in the morning breeze, illuminating the dark road as if it were daytime.
At this time, along the road from the Dazheng Palace in Yongcheng to the Xuechi Altar in the suburbs, there was a huge bronze lamp tree every thirty steps.
These bronze lamp trees not only illuminate the way for everyone, but also seem to be guiding them.
Step by step, step by step... stepping into an unknown realm.
That was the world of ancient gods!
The emperor rode a black horse, the prime minister rode in a carriage, and officials followed in their own carriages, with elite cavalry protecting them from the front and back.
Everyone had their place, and the whole team moved forward in an orderly manner.
"Is this the sacrificial ceremony of the pre-Qin period?" Zou Yun followed among the officials, quietly observing the entire ceremony.
"Really..."
At this moment, Zou Yun couldn't think of any words to describe it.
Just being here feels like stepping into another world!
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9:45 AM (巳时三刻)
The massive procession of carriages finally arrived at the foot of the Blood Pool Altar and came to an orderly stop in the vast courtyard in front of the altar.
Five thousand black-armored cavalrymen lined up on both sides of the road, their bodies and horses covered in frost, the bronze and iron armor plates gleaming coldly in the firelight.
Everyone should follow the signs to their assigned positions.
As Zou Yun walked, gazing at the altar standing atop the mountain, he silently admired it, thinking, "It's more exquisite than I expected."
The altar was built according to the ancient concept of "heaven is round and earth is square," with three huge circular platforms rising one after another, symbolizing the three elements of "heaven, earth, and man."
Each altar level is connected by nine white jade steps, totaling twenty-seven steps, connecting heaven, earth, humanity, and the spirit world.
The four steps correspond to the four symbols of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise, facing the four directions of east, south, west, and north respectively.
The altar is surrounded by a tall wall, and to the south is a solemn and majestic sacred path leading straight to the top of the altar.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Qin Shi Huang slowly ascended the altar, starting from the southern sacred path.
His steps were steady, each one seemingly treading upon the very fabric of heaven and earth.
As the emperor stepped onto the first step, the attendant standing below the altar in the Xun position chanted, "First bow to the sun, moon, and stars—"
The courtiers bowed their heads.
"Bowing twice to Heaven and Earth, gazing in all directions—"
All the officials knelt in worship.
"Three bows to the mountains, rivers, and all the gods—"
The masses bowed down.
After the three chants ended, Ying Zheng had crossed the three jade steps and stood at the boundary between the divine and the human.
When the ceremony reached this stage, people believed that if the emperor took another step forward, he would no longer be of this world.
It is the place where gods and humans meet!
At this moment, the chief priest was in place and lit the fire in the furnace.
A massive square furnace, cast in bronze, sits atop the altar on the north side. The furnace is filled with firewood and charcoal, and red flames lick the furnace walls.
When Ying Zheng finally stepped onto the altar and stood between heaven and earth.
quiet!
The entire Blood Pool Altar fell into a solemn and absolute silence.
Everyone was watching as their emperor, their Son of Heaven, made a new divine covenant with the ancient deities in the heavens on their behalf.
History stands still at this moment.
The three sacrificial animals for the grand feast were already prepared.
In accordance with the Qin people's reverence for black in the Five Elements system, dozens of pure black sacrificial animals were slaughtered and cleaned.
Moreover, upon closer inspection, one can be surprised to find that the sacrifices were entirely black, with not a single blemish on their skin.
At this moment, they are all neatly arranged in the kitchen beneath the altar.
In the cold winter wind, the sacrificed white fat and red meat steamed with wisps of white vapor.
In the first year after Duke De of Qin established his state in Yongcheng, he offered a sacrifice to Fuzhi with "three hundred animals"—a bloody feast in which 300 cattle, 300 sheep, and 300 pigs were slaughtered in one go.
Today, the La sacrifice that Qin Shi Huang will be carrying out, while not quite on such an exaggerated scale, can still be described as grand and magnificent.
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Every step of the ceremony was precisely calculated.
After Ying Zheng ascended to the throne, the Grand Minister immediately and respectfully presented him with the head of one of the three sacrificial animals, which was placed in a bronze sacrificial vessel.
The chief priest then presented the jade objects used in the sacrifice, including blue jade discs, gui, huang, and zhang, which symbolize the heavens, and arranged them one by one on the altar.
There were also exquisitely crafted food vessels filled with millet, sorghum, rice, and glutinous rice, which were already neatly arranged.
The clear sacrificial wine had long been poured into a huge bronze wine vessel.
The wine was as clear as a spring, silently reflecting the solemn sky above the jar.
Qin Shi Huang solemnly walked to the furnace.
They personally took up the burning torch and set it alight on the sacrificial animal bodies piled up in front of the furnace.
Then, he solemnly threw the jade disc, symbolizing his reverence for Heaven, and the silk scroll inscribed with prayers, into the raging fire.
"bass--"
Flames rose.
The animal carcass crackled and popped as it burned in the charcoal fire, the molten fat splattering out and releasing a fragrant aroma, while black smoke billowed into the sky.
A long, lingering black column of smoke remained in the winter sky.
The ancients believed that the rising smoke could reach the heavens.
Therefore, the emperor also used this method of "burning offerings to Heaven" to convey his sincerity and respect to the supreme God of Heaven and the Five Emperors of Heaven and Earth.
At the same time, the chief priest read out the eulogy.
"In the thirty-fifth year of the First Emperor's reign, the year was Yi Chou..."
The long, drawn-out sound echoed above the altar, as if it were truly a conversation with the celestial beings.
Ying Zheng knelt solemnly on the rush mat spread on top of the altar.
His black robes trailed on the ground, and the twelve white jade beads hanging from his crown swayed slightly, making a soft and crisp sound.
He meticulously performed every sacrificial action: burning incense, pouring wine, and throwing jade.
When the sacrificial offering was thrown into the furnace, at the moment when the flames symbolizing the connection between heaven and earth burned to their most intense and dazzling peak—
In the courtyard beneath the altar, the accumulated power of ten thousand people finally erupted.
"Long live! Long live! Long live!!!"
Like a thunderclap from a clear sky, or a raging storm in the sea.
A deafening roar suddenly erupted, crashing against the beams of Yongshan Mountain with overwhelming force.
At this moment, everyone was filled with pure excitement, and the cheers of ten thousand people rose higher and higher, echoing and reverberating between heaven and earth.
Alone, he stood there, silently reflecting.
The grandeur of the Qin Dynasty is fully displayed here!