The legend of the king of crossing

Chapter 301

When it comes to the taste of the dishes in the palace, except for the lack of spiciness, I think the others are not bad compared with later generations, but the variety of New Year’s Eve dinner in the palace makes me very impressed. It can be worth the income of an ordinary family for several years. Xie Daoqing is usually quite frugal, and mostly eats vegetarian food. I don't say much about extravagance once in a while, not to mention that this is the most grand royal family's New Year's Eve dinner in a year.

This New Year's Eve dinner was eaten very slowly. Driven by Quan Jiu and Concubine Qiu, everyone kept talking, laughing and persuading people to drink. The atmosphere was lively, even Xie Daoqing kept laughing and talking. Compared with before, Xie Daoqing looked more and more like an ordinary person. The old ancestor, a little less majestic, but a little more kind, is completely different from my earliest memory. After dinner, it is close to midnight. At this moment, the palace is full of lanterns, shining everywhere Bright, straight as day.

After a while, Xie Daoqing said: "Officials, set off fireworks to welcome the New Year,"

"OK,"

Firecrackers in the Song Dynasty generally used paper tubes and hemp stems wrapped in gunpowder to make strings, so they were made into "knitting guns". With the advent of gunpowder, fireworks have also appeared in large numbers. According to legend, fireworks first appeared in the Tang Dynasty, and in the Northern Song Dynasty. (1119, 1125), the real fireworks with gunpowder as raw materials developed maturely, and there were large-scale fireworks. Xin Qiji wrote in his poem, "East wind blows flowers and thousands of trees at night, and the stars are like rain. , "This poem vividly describes the setting off of fireworks at that time. By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, fireworks had become popular among the people on a large scale.

The sound of firecrackers marks the end of the old year. For New Year’s Eve, setting off firecrackers is the most representative way of celebration for Chinese people. Unfortunately, in later generations, many big cities banned setting off fireworks, which made the festive atmosphere plummet.

According to the tradition of the Song Dynasty, on the first day of the new year, unless there are extremely special circumstances such as national mourning or a solar eclipse, the court will hold a grand court meeting. This grand court meeting is not to discuss national affairs, but a ceremony of congratulations, and the whole world celebrates together. , Monarchs and ministers have fun together, wishing a new year and a new atmosphere together, the harmony of the royal octave, the meeting on New Year's Day, the celebration of humans and gods, and the coming of Yi and Xia.

Last year's New Year's Grand Court was held shortly after the death of the late emperor, so everything was kept simple, and there were no celebrations such as fireworks and lanterns in the palace.

According to the arrangement of the Ministry of Rites, it was half past Yinshi (4 o'clock in the morning) on ​​the first day of the Lunar New Year, before dawn, I had already bathed and changed clothes, and came to the Hall of Prayer for Harvests early. Accompanied by Ma Tingluan, Minister of Rites , This is the first stick of incense in the new year in the palace, named "Tianxiang", which means to pray to heaven for the people of the world to pray for good weather and good harvest this year.

Although I watched the New Year's Eve in Ningkun Palace last night until the early morning and hardly slept all night, I was still full of energy, presumably because of the influence of the New Year's atmosphere.

After burning incense, the sky had just brightened, and I sat in a sedan chair and headed for the Daqing Palace. At this time, the palace gate was still closed, and the officials who had already gathered were waiting outside the gate, waiting for the Dachao Conference to be held.

"Your Majesty, it's time to call all the officials into the palace to congratulate you," Ma Tingluan said when I was sitting on the dragon chair in the main hall.

"Well, Xiaoqi,"

"The little one is here,"

"Lead the imperial guards to lead the officials into the palace,"

"Yes, Your Majesty,"

Lan Yu, the commander of the guards on duty outside the Daqing Palace, hastily informed Shen Mo to lead eighteen guards to the gate of the palace, and lead all the officials into the palace in order of rank. file in.

During the New Year’s Grand Meeting, the layout of the Daqing Hall is also slightly different from usual. In addition to the high-hanging lanterns in the hall, the most eye-catching thing is the four mighty-looking men wearing brand-new armor and holding golden axes in their hands. , Jinyue, Jinqiang, and Jinyong, standing majestically at the four corners of the steps of the main hall. These four people are known as the generals of the palace. According to traditional customs, the generals of the palace will hold various artifacts on the first day of the new year and guard the four corners of the hall. , you can keep the hall safe for a year, just like the role of the door god. This custom originated from Song Taizu and continued throughout the Song Dynasty.

The first person to enter the hall was Jia Sidao, the head of all officials. Among the ministers of the current court, although Jia Sidao's power is getting weaker and I don't like it, he is still the prime minister, at least in name. The first in line, followed by two semi-retired veterans, He Ji, the president of Lin'an University, and Zhao Kui, the Duke of the State. These two veterans, one civil and one military, respectively represent the civil and military ministers of the court, and then Wen Tianxiang, an academician of the Academy of Political Affairs He and Lu Xiufu, an academician of the Academy of Military Affairs, were followed by ministers and orders from various ministries except Ma Tingluan, and then a group of civil and military officials.

Since ancient times, our country has always paid attention to ranking, especially in the officialdom. Wen Tianxiang and Lu Xiufu, who ranked fourth and fifth in the palace, made all the ministers envious of their rapid progress. Beyond reason, the emperor and the courtiers are true.

I saw all the officials entered, and said, "Ma Aiqing, let's start."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Ma Tingluan, who is well versed in etiquette, said loudly, "First of all, Grand Master Jia Sidao is invited to lead all the officials to perform the New Year's ritual dance."

Jia Sidao went to the front of the officials, followed the pre-determined movements by the Ministry of Rites and Taichang Temple, and performed ritual dance worship. Ceremonies are not dances as they are usually called. Officials have to rehearse repeatedly before the Great Court Meeting on the first day of the first lunar month every year. No one dares to make mistakes on this occasion.

Nearly a hundred officials followed Jia Sidao to complete the whole set of movements. Although they were not graceful enough, they looked neat.

"The ceremony and dance are completed," Ma Tingluan said, "All the officials congratulate His Majesty, Long live, long live, long live, long live, long live, long live, long live."

Under the leadership of Jia Sidao, all the officials knelt down again and shouted in unison: "I wish the emperor a happy new year, and a long life without bounds.

"Everyone loves you, free from courtesy and live in peace, I also wish you good health and wish you success,"

"Thank you, Your Majesty,"

Ma Tingluan continued: "The guards are here, thunder around the temple,"

As Ma Tingluan's voice fell, several guards wearing green costumes appeared in the Daqing Hall. These guards were all five big and three thick, with loud voices, and they shouted in unison with a very loud and elongated syllable, "Roar," the voice was like thunder , resounding through the main hall, this way is called "circling the hall thunder," which is also a unique celebration method of the Song Dynasty court, and no one can clarify its meaning.

After seeing the guards in green leave, Ma Tingluan took a step forward and said, "Your Majesty, please send me a New Year's greeting."

"Dear dears, today is the first day of the second year of Xianchun. On the occasion of the new year, I wish all walks of life in the Great Song Dynasty to prosper and go to ZTE as soon as possible. Dear dear friends, this year is an extremely critical year for our dynasty. In this regard, I have three requirements. First, we need to vigorously develop the economy of our dynasty. Whether it is agriculture, handicrafts, commerce, etc., we must take it to a higher level. I have said before that the war is no longer simple. Military contests are more about financial competition. Of course, another important purpose of economic development is to ensure that the people of our dynasty have enough food and clothing, so as to ensure the stability of our dynasty; the second is to ensure that the government is clear and clear. As an example, only clear and effective government affairs can convince the people. Starting from this month, I will set up an Independent Commission Against Corruption in the court, and it will be extended to all roads and provinces within this year to supervise the words and deeds of our court officials. The third is Strengthening armaments, everyone knows that Mongolia will not be destroyed for a day, and our dynasty will never be peaceful. I want to go north, but why does Mongolia not want to go south? Therefore, this year is also a crucial year for northern Mongolia. Whoever can grasp this year will be To gain the advantage in the first place in the war, so I require that in military affairs, the soldiers must be well-trained and trained to ensure the victory of the Song-Mongol War."

I paused for a moment, and continued: "New Year's Day, everyone, take a good rest to meet the greater challenges this year. Finally, I also wish you and your family a happy new year. Happy new year, and the same as you,"

When Ma Tingluan saw that I had finished speaking, he said again, "play music,"

According to my request, the music played at this year's Great Court Meeting was changed to the military song of the Imperial Forest Army, that is, the song I taught at the founding ceremony of the Imperial Forest Army. The music played at the New Year's Grand Meeting can be called national music. The last time the national music was reformed was in the Shenzong period in the sixth year of Yuanfeng (1083).

After the song was over, everyone's hearts were filled with excitement. People who had never heard it before thought one after another, "What kind of song is this that makes people so excited?"

"Ma Aiqing, what is the next process?"

"Your Majesty, according to the etiquette system, the Great Court will be divided into three steps. The first step is in the Daqing Hall. This step is over. The second step is that Your Majesty will lead all the officials to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests to worship the spirits of heaven and earth and the ancestors of this dynasty. The third step is the imperial banquet and song and dance performances, "

"Okay, dear friends, follow me to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests,"

Compared with the Daqing Hall, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is much smaller and cannot accommodate all the officials. The worship ceremony can only be arranged outside the hall. This form is nothing more than going through the motions, worshiping the heaven and the earth, in order to ask God to bless the weather, and offering sacrifices to the ancestors in order to bless Guotai Minan.

In the morning, I burn the first incense here alone, called "Tianxiang." At this time, all the officials each offer another stick of incense, called "Dixiang." This is the third time to burn incense, which is called "Human Incense."

Under the careful arrangement of the Ministry of Rites and Taichang Temple, after worshiping the heavens, the earth and the ancestors, the second step of the ceremony of the Great Court Assembly will end.

Although these things are very simple, the collective actions of hundreds of people took a lot of time. When they left the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, it was already noon.