Treatise on Military Preparations, Volume 45

...to the right of the Officiating Official. The Officiating Official receives the cup Jue: A three-legged bronze vessel used for pouring wine offerings.. The Herald original: 贊 (zan) calls out: "Offer the cup." The Officiating Official hands the cup to the attendant original: 執事者 (zhishizhe), who places it before the spirit tablet. Whenever presenting ritual silks or cups, it is done on the right side of the Officiating Official; whenever placing the silks or cups on the altar, it is done on the left side of the Officiating Official.

The Herald calls out: "Draw out the tablet." Hu: A flat ceremonial tablet made of ivory, jade, or wood, held with both hands during formal rites to show respect and record commands. The Officiating Official draws out the tablet from his waistband. The Herald calls out: "Prostrate. Rise. Stand upright." The Officiating Official performs the prostration, rises, and stands upright.

The Herald calls out: "Proceed to the prayer-reading position." The Officiating Official goes to the designated spot for the reading of the invocation. The Herald calls out: "Kneel." The Officiating Official kneels. The Herald calls out: "Read the prayer."

The Prayer-reader original: 讀祝者 (duzhuzhe) takes the written prayer original: 祝 (zhu), kneels to the left of the Officiating Official, and reads it aloud. When finished, the reader rises and places the prayer back on the ritual table. The Herald calls out: "Prostrate. Rise. Stand upright." The Officiating Official prostrates, rises, and stands upright. The Herald calls out: "Return to your position." The Officiating Official returns to his original station.

The Master of Ceremonies Tongzan: The head herald who directs the overall flow of the ceremony. chants: "Perform the Rite of the Second Offering." original: 亞獻禮 (Yaxian li)

The Assistant Usher original: 贊引 (yinzan) leads the Officiating Official to the wine vessel station. The Herald instructs the Wine-vessel Attendant original: 司尊者 (sizunzhe) to lift the vessel cover original: 羃 (mi), a cloth or lid used to cover ritual containers and pour the wine. The attendants each receive the wine in their cups. The Herald calls out: "Proceed to the front of the spirit tablets being honored." He leads the Officiating Official to the front of the altar. The Herald calls out: "Kneel." The Herald calls out: "Tuck the tablet into the sash." The Officiating Official kneels and tucks his tablet into his waistband. Holding...