Masters of Ceremonies and Imperial Rituals in the Ming and Qing Periods

This paper explores masters of ceremonies and their relationship with imperial rites in the context of bureau- cratic systems in the Ming and Qing Dynasties on the base of official histories,veritable records and local gazetteer.It is argued that masters of ceremonies played an indispensable but often neglected role in imperial rites in ancient China. They belonged to Taichangsi (Court of Imperial Sacrifices) and were mainly assigned as thedirectorof leading imperi- al ceremony to prepare sacrificial offerings,help rituals and read ceremonial address.Their position in the.Confucian rites centered on imperial rites is close to that of Taoist priests in Taoist rite and Buddhist monks in Buddhist rites.The rela- tionship between masters of ceremonies and ceremony of Confucian temple is discussed in detail to show that masters of ceremonies provide an indispensable ceremonial flame channeling the chief ceremonial official with gods in process,which is open and easy to he copied and offers a great possibility for imperial rites infiltrating into rural society.