Treatise on Armament Technology, Volume 107

Military Resources: Warfare — The Ma Sacrifice, Part 1

Page 1

[The Officiating Official recites]: "Your divine merit is peerless. Having reverently received the Imperial command to defend this land, and as it is now the middle of Spring/Autumn, we respectfully offer livestock, sacrificial wine, and various items to carry out the regular sacrifice. May you graciously accept these offerings."

Attached: Song Dynasty Protocols

In the fourth year of the Xianping era original: 成平 (Chengping), likely a transcription error for 咸平 (Xianping, 1001 AD), an imperial edict commanded ritual officials to determine the specific details for the Ma sacrifice Ma: A ritual performed at the start of a military campaign or at the army camp to ensure victory to be performed at the site of a military expedition. These instructions were delivered to the General-in-Chief of the Northern Front.

The protocol requires clearing a patch of ground to serve as an altar Shan: A leveled, cleaned area of earth used for outdoor rituals to sacrifice to the Yellow Emperor, Xuanyuan The legendary ancestor of the Chinese people and a primary deity of war. For this ritual, sheep and pigs are used as substitutes for the Great Sacrifice Tailao: The highest grade of offering, traditionally consisting of an ox, a sheep, and a pig. The General-in-Chief serves as the First Officiant, while the rest of the ceremony follows the established ancient rites.

The spirits of the Tooth Banner original: 牙神 (Yashen); the 'Tooth Banner' was the commander's personal standard and the Great Standard original: 纛神 (Daoshen) are each offered a Lesser Sacrifice Shaolao: A secondary grade of offering consisting of a sheep and a pig. The ritual silk used for the Tooth Banner must be white, while the silk for the Great Standard must be black.

The ritual must be held on a "Hard Day" An odd-numbered day in the sexagenary calendar cycle, considered auspicious for external or military actions. Lacquerware vessels should be used for the food offerings. The sacrifice is held at the altar, which is demarcated by a green rope and covered by a ceremonial canopy. The designated positions for the Military Tooth Banner and the Great Standard are also seven inches square and three-tenths of an inch thick.

There are likewise three rounds of offerings. A single pig is sacrificed to the Large War Drum original: 鼖鼓 (fengu). All officiating officials must wear military dress and observe a "pure fast" abstaining from meat, wine, and distractions for one night. The old laws also combined...