Treatise on Military Preparations, Volume 45

...to pull apart rotten wood; no stronghold is too firm to be destroyed, and no ferocity is too great to be extinguished. May Your Spirit store its keenness and nourish its divine essence. When called upon, may you respond. We specifically offer these animal sacrifices in ritual. May Your Spirit accept this offering.

The Ritual for the Border Sacrifice and Sacrifices to Mountains and Rivers Along the Path

original: 禡祭 (Maji); a solemn military sacrifice performed before an army sets out for war or upon reaching the borders of the empire to ensure victory and protection.

• Fasting and Purification
  The Emperor undergoes a pure fast for one day. The Great General, the assisting ritual officials, and all subordinates shall do the same. Ritual fasting in this context involved abstaining from meat, alcohol, and "distractions" to achieve a state of spiritual readiness.

• Inspection of the Sacrificial Animals
  Two days prior to the rite, the Emperor’s grand pavilion original: 大次 (daci); a temporary imperial structure or large tent used during outdoor ceremonies. is set up to the east of the temple courtyard. The site for inspecting the sacrificial animals is located outside the south gate.

One day prior, the Escort Officials and the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices original: 太常寺卿 (Taichang Si Qing); the high official responsible for state rituals and temple maintenance. guide the imperial procession to the grand pavilion. The Emperor wears the Heaven-Piercing Crown and the Crimson Gauze Robe. The Heaven-Piercing Crown (Tongtian Guan) and Crimson Gauze Robe (Jiangsha Pao) were specific sets of high-ranking regalia used for major state ceremonies, though slightly less formal than the "Sacrificial Robes" used for Heaven-worship.

Upon arrival at the inspection site, the Director of Sacrificial Animals original: 廩犧令 (Linxi Ling); the official in charge of raising and preparing the livestock for state offerings. leads his subordinates to bring forth the animals. They proceed from east to west, passing before the Emperor’s presence. Once the inspection of the animals’ health and purity is complete, they are led to the Divine Kitchen.

The Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices then requests the Emperor to proceed to the Divine Kitchen to inspect the cauldrons and the washing of the ritual vessels. Once the inspection is finished, the animals are cooked. The Emperor then returns to the grand pavilion.