I. Ritual Protocol

One day before the formal sacrifice, the ritual attendants Zhishizhe: Staff members responsible for the logistical execution of the ceremony. set up an incense table outside the slaughterhouse original: 宰牲房 (zaishengfang).

An usher original: 贊引 (zanyin) leads the Officiating Official Xianguan: The high-ranking officer designated to perform the offerings.—who wears his standard everyday robes for this stage—to the Inspection Area original: 省牲所 (shengshengsuo) to oversee the "Inspection of the Animals." The attendants lead the sacrificial animals past the incense table. Once the usher announces that the inspection is complete, the animals are slaughtered. A small portion of the fur and blood is collected on a plate; the remainder of the fur and blood is stored in clean vessels. When the time for the sacrifice arrives, the attendants first bury these remains in a ritual pit original: 瘞于坎 (yi yu kan); a practice of returning the animal's life-force to the earth.

In the period leading up to the ritual, the attendants clean the upper and lower levels of the altar and set up the Officiating Official's waiting tent original: 幕次 (muci) outside the middle gate. The attendants arrange all items according to the prescribed diagrams.

At dawn on the day of the ceremony, the attendants fill the bamboo baskets Bian: Baskets for dry offerings like fruit or jerky., stemmed bowls Dou: Vessels for moist offerings like sauces or pastes., wine jars, and other containers. They also wash the libation cups original: 爵 (jue); three-legged bronze vessels for wine. The Officiating Official is excused from personally washing the cups during the actual sacrifice.

The Officiating Official then puts on his formal ceremonial robes. The invocation boards original: 祝板 (zhuban); wooden tablets inscribed with the prayer to the spirits are collectively prepared in the waiting tent. The attendants place the invocation board on the ritual table and the ritual silks in their basket.

The Master of Ceremonies original: 通贊 (tongzan) calls out the start of the ritual. The attendants take their assigned posts, and the assisting officials original: 陪祭官 (peijiguan) take their positions. The Master of Ceremonies then calls for the Officiating Official to take his place...