CHINESE RELIGION
The ancestral approve was required before offering a sacrifice. Then, next were the Shang people with their sacrifices to the spirits called Shamans or priests where their rituals involved the burning of the Shamaness. The sacrificial rituals involved dance performances, music and offerings that involved the slaughter of herds of animals or even human beings. The civilized Chinese used to offer Heaven sacrifice for millet and wine.
The spirits that the royal diviners communicated with were of four types These included the spirits of the royal ancestors. This was the prominent group belonging to the ruling king seeking for the religious worship as well as for political being of the state. The second spirits included the cultural heroes, legendary or semi legendary figures. Then there was the nature deities like rivers, mountains and weather spirits. Lastly, there was the Di spirit, a single nature spirit of high power who received no sacrifices and was the most powerful. On entry of the Zhou house Di was also called Tian meaning sky or sometimes Heaven. The Shang people believed on the wind patterns where each of the four winds had its name. (Lopez p49)
For someone to believe in anything there must be someone who had seen or hear of it. They believed in ghosts and spirits since they believed that people had really seen them or even heard of their sounds. This was evident from what was written in the court chronicles of Zhou. Also, there was the Duke Mu of Qin to have evidently seen a ghost. This is well said by Mozi who says misfortune will surely befall al those who kill the innocent, and they will suffer the punishment of ghosts and spirits in this swift fashion. (Philip p83)
They believed that ghosts used to punish those who failed to swear an oath sincerely and also the division of sacrifices. For the sage kings to rule, they had put the ghosts and the spirits ahead of the people. There are references of ghosts in the silk text and text books. These are the books that they numerously used and thus they believed in what was in them. The ghosts brought order and prosperity to the people by responding to their sacrifices. The ancient Chinese believed that the ghosts used to reward the worthy and as well punish the wicked.
To their view heaven desires what is right and dislikes what is not right and heaven responds to ones desire. The right brings life, wealth, good order. In absence of right causes death, poverty and disorder. Thus they related Heaven with the right desires. They believed that Heaven was the most honored person and the richest person in the world that everyone else administers to him. This involved the chain ladder of governing down to the subordinates. They believed that by believing on Heaven, one is rewarded whereas negating lead to punishment.
They believed that in ancient times, the sage Kings believed in Heaven and thus they were rewarded, but the vicious kings were punished. The sage kings honored the spirits and cared for the generation whereas the vicious kings did not.
Socially, they believed that children should help to keep peace, reproduce and enrich heir family. During the times of mourning, the mourners had to starve, cry and wail, wear of sack clothing and live in a mourning hut. In this case, they believed that funerals should not be lavished and prolonged in order to allow people to enrich themselves.
When carrying out the burial ceremony they believed in carrying it in this manner A coffin of plain wood three inches thick to house the body with three layers of funeral clothes. The depth of the grave should not reach water level as well as not too shallow. And the burial mound should not exceed three foot. Finally, should be crying as mourners see the departed but this should end on returning home and resume the regular duties. (Philip p97)
By these ways, the Ancient believed one was living the Heaven way and he will never die unrewarded.
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