Walking the Ten Thousand Daos

Chapter 74: Sacrificial Rites

As for why most souls become muddled and confused, the reason is simple.

The chapter on "Humans and Ghosts" in the Zhu Book clearly records: "When a dead person becomes a ghost, they also possess no awareness. How can this be verified? By the fact that they had no awareness before birth. A person before birth exists within the primal qi of heaven and earth; after death, they return to the primal qi. Primal qi is vague and indistinct, and the qi that constitutes a person exists within it. If a person before birth has no awareness, and upon death returns to the origin of unawareness, how can a ghost possess awareness?

This is what reincarnation is. There is no such thing as Meng Po's soup; the Underworld merely recycles the qi of all things, purifies it, and then redistributes it into heaven and earth, completing a grand cycle.

The reason humans are intelligent and wise is because they contain the qi of the Five Constants Qi. The reason the qi of the Five Constants Qi can exist in the human body is due to the presence of the five internal organs within the physical form. If the five internal organs are unharmed, a person is intelligent and wise; if the five internal organs are diseased, a person becomes disoriented. Disorientation leads to foolishness and idiocy.

When a person dies, their five internal organs decay. When the five internal organs decay, the qi of the Five Constants Qi has no place to reside.

The organs used to store wisdom have decayed, and the qi of the Five Constants Qi used to produce wisdom has left the body. Form requires qi to be generated, and qi requires form to gain sensation. There is no fire that burns alone in the world without a physical object, so how can there be essential qi that perceives independently without a body?

This is also why spirits are apprehended within seven days: within seven days, the five internal organs have not yet decayed. Although their qi of the Five Constants Qi is like rootless water and flameless fire, it still exists, allowing for a brief period of consciousness. Once the corpse decays, they become completely muddled.

Human death is like the extinguishing of a fire. When a fire is extinguished, its light no longer shines; when a person dies, their consciousness ceases to function.

Therefore, ordinary ghosts cannot harm people.

Just as an unhatched chicken egg is in a state of chaos within its shell, appearing like a watery form when broken open. A good hen incubates it, and when the body forms, it can peck and scratch. After a person dies, they return to a chaotic state. How can such chaotic qi harm people?And why can some ferocious ghosts harm people?

Because they utilize tools, as water and fire can burn and drown. Anything that can harm people is made of the Five Elements. Metal injures people, Wood strikes people, Earth crushes people, Water drowns people, Fire burns people. If, after death, a person's spirit becomes a "thing of the Five Elements," it can harm people; if not, it cannot. If it is not a thing, then it is merely qi.

As long as one can resist the things of the Five Elements, one can resist the attacks of ferocious ghosts.

All of this knowledge Li Qi acquired last night by poring over books and questioning Shen Shuibi.

Based on this knowledge, Li Qi could determine that the ghost he was currently facing, being capable of harming and even cursing others, must have preserved some of its power. This implies that its corpse must still be intact, not fully decayed.

In that case, the ritual should be conducted using the method for sacrificing to "dead people."

Because, for a ritual priest, "dead person" and "ghost" are two entirely different concepts.

Li Qi murmured to himself: "The history of sacrifices also contains auspicious and inauspicious times. For instance, Blood Taboo and Moon Killing days are inherently ominous. Offering sacrifices by slaughtering animals on such days will surely bring calamity and misfortune. Sacrifice is for nourishing ghosts; ghosts are the spirits of the dead. One extends the treatment of the living to the dead, extends the treatment of humans to ghosts. Seeing that living people have food and drink, the dead, as ghosts, should also be able to eat and drink. One thinks of one's kin upon seeing an object, hence the sacrifice. And for the altars of other gods and a hundred ghosts, though not dead people, the rites of their worship are also the same as for the dead—"

This is the Zhu Book' record on how to sacrifice to the dead.

To explain, it means extending the practices of nurturing the living to honoring the dead, treating the dead with the same courtesies as the living.

But the first sentence specifies that one must pay attention to special times like Blood Taboo and Moon Killing. During these times, sacrifices must not be performed, or calamity will ensue.

...

Through this knowledge, Li Qi confirmed that the timing for the sacrifice today was appropriate.

So, let's begin.

According to the Zhu Book, the appropriate ritual to use now is the Feasting Rite, which refers to a ceremony for offering cooked food.

The ritual process is very complex. First, the ritual priest enters, then presents two platters, one containing pickled mallow, and the other containing snail paste, with the platter of snail paste placed to the north.

Using a dagger, the body of the sacrificial animal is raised from its container and placed on a zu, a stand for meat. Another is prepared for the revered 'corpse' and placed to the west of the eastern steps, covered with a linen cloth.

These items were already prepared by the Wang family yesterday at Li Qi's request.

Then, the fish is brought in and placed to the east of the pork, while the mutton is specially placed to the north of the pork and fish.

Two bowls containing millet and foxtail millet are placed to the south of the zu, with the western one being superior.

Two more shallow vessels containing meat broth and vegetable broth are placed to the south of the dou platters, arranged facing south, next to the platters.

At this point, the ritual priest cleans the wine cup and drinking horn, pours wine into them, and places them to the south of the xing vessels. Next, the lid of the food container is opened and placed upside down to the south of the bowls.

Then, the ritual priest stands, taking position to the right of the altar, and begins the invocation.

"Spirit of the netherworld, Li Qi respectfully welcomes you from the outskirts. This foolish child was ignorant, yet desires peace and tranquility."

"Today, with ample sacrificial offerings, I call upon you to rest... I humbly ask for your forgiveness and invite you to partake of this meal. If you have a spirit, can you inform me?"

This was an appeal for forgiveness.

Li Qi grew tense.

Because the next step was: "The ritual priest welcomes the 'Corpse' outside the gate. The host descends and stands to the east of the principal steps."

What does this mean?

Technically, the ritual priest invites the "Corpse" to ascend the steps and enter the hall. The host descends from the hall and stands to the east of the eastern steps, waiting quietly.

If the true master heard the invitation, they should now arrive.

(This set of rituals is primarily based on the Feasting Rite from the Book of Rites (Yi Li) of the Zhou Dynasty. I have incorporated elements from the Lunheng of the Eastern Han Dynasty and some ancient folk customs to create this original sacrificial rite. If there are any similarities, please do not hold me accountable.) - Author