仪式与“罪证”:1914年袁世凯的祭天典礼

Ceremony and Testimony: the Sacrifice to Heaven Officiated by Yuan Shikai in 1914

1914年12月,北京天坛上演了袁世凯主祭的祭天典礼。这一典礼极力模仿传统帝王祭天的礼仪与服饰,其虽一度得到了孔教会、清朝遗老的支持,却在社会上激发了以"民主"为旗帜的广泛的质疑与批判,进而被坐实为袁氏预谋复辟帝制的"罪证"。事实上,该典礼是袁世凯重塑权威的仪式表演,也是"袁家班"和各种旧势力合谋自身利益最大化的意图体现,但并不是袁氏复辟帝制的预设步骤。

In December,1914,Yuan Shikai officiated the ceremony of the Sacrifice to Heaven at Tiantan,who effortfully imitated the typical Emperors' rites and dresses.Once supported by Confucianism and the old fogy from the Qing dynasty,the ceremony evoked much questioning and animadversion,and was subsequently used as 'evidence' that Yuan Shikai and his followers conspired to restore imperialism.In fact,the ceremony was merely meant to set up Yuan Shikai's authority and also reflected the intention of Yuan's group to maximize their interest.However,it should not be taken as Yuan's plan to restore imperialism.