明代祠祭署的设置、类别与职能

Setting, Types and Functions of the Sacrificial Offices in the Ming Dynasty

明代祠祭署隶属太常寺,是署官办事、居住的衙署,主要包括帝陵祠祭署、王坟祠祭署及京城祭坛祠祭署三类。其职能主要是组织陵、坟、坛户进行守值、洒扫、植树除草、供办祭祀等活动。各祠祭署署官通常情况下为奉祀、祀丞各一员。通过对明代祠祭署设置的研究可以看出明代祭祀及治国的一些基本原则和思想:君权至上原则,"亲亲"与"尊尊"原则,敬天保民、以农为本、大一统及慎终追远的思想。

The sacrificial offices were subject to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices in the Ming Dynasty. They were the places where the officers worked and lived, mainly including the sacrificial offices of the imperial tombs, the feudal lord tombs and the Altars in the capital cities. They were responsible for organizing the guardians of imperial tombs, the guardians of the feudal lord tombs and the guardians of the Altars to watch, to sweep, to plant trees and weed, to prepare for the sacrifices and so on. Usually, every sacrificial office had one sacrificer-in-chief and one sacrificial assistant. Analyzing the setting of sacrificial offices in the Ming Dynasty, we can perceive some basic principles and ideas underlying the sacrifices and governance: the supremacy of emperors, being close to one’s kinsfolk and respecting the respected, worshiping Heaven and protecting the people,"the great unification" thought and worshiping the rites of ancestors.