武则天选择嵩山封禅原因初探

A probe into the reason that empress Wu Zetian selected mount Song as the place for Feng Chan

封禅 ,系历代君王为感谢上天地礻氏授予自己治理人间权柄而举行的一项重大活动。中国古人以东方为主位 ,故封禅一般都在东岳泰山举行。万岁登封元年 ( 696) ,武则天却以中岳嵩山为封禅之地 ,本文对其原因作初步探讨。

Feng Chan was an important ceremony that monarches in all the past dynasties held to show thanks and respect to the heaven and the earth conferring them the right to reign the world. Ancient Chinese regarded the East as the main position; therefore, the ceremony Feng Chan was usually held in the Eastern Mauntain (Mount Tai). In 696 AD (ie. the first year Empress Wu Zetian was enthroned), however, she selecteed the Central Mountain (Mount Song) as the place for Feng Chan. It is the purpose for the author to probe into the reason in this article.