The origin and allusion of Zhou Gong’s gift
The origin of the rites of the Duke of Zhou is as follows:
The rites of the Duke of Zhou refer to the general name of the etiquette system of the Zhou Dynasty. This etiquette system had an important influence on China's feudal society and even affects today. . So, what is the origin and allusion of Zhou Gong’s gift?
Zhou Gongdan, the younger brother of King Wu of Zhou, was a famous politician, military strategist, cultural bureaucrat and scholar in Chinese history. He had outstanding achievements in politics, military, culture and other fields. One of his greatest contributions in the cultural field was the formulation of the etiquette system of the Zhou Dynasty, which is the rites of Zhou Gong.
According to rumors, when King Wu of Zhou attacked the Shang Dynasty, he received help from the southern wizard Jiang Ziya. Jiang Ziya was a man who knew a lot about astronomy, geography and Feng Shui. He gave King Wu of Zhou advice to let him understand God's will and find a way to defeat the Shang Dynasty.
After King Wu of Zhou succeeded, in order to thank Jiang Ziya for his help, he gave him a high-level position called "Grand Master", so that Jiang Ziya could participate in King Wu of Zhou's important decisions and ask him questions.
One day, Jiang Ziya complained to King Wu of Zhou that when the courtiers went to the Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices, their behavior was too wanton, and some even rode in on horses.
He believed that this would affect the image of the Zhou Dynasty, and suggested preparing a complete and reasonable etiquette system to regulate the behavior of officials at all levels. King Wu of Zhou also held the same view and believed that the management of the etiquette system should be strengthened, and decided to let Duke Zhou formulate the etiquette system.
After a long period of research, thinking and practice, Duke Zhou finally formulated a complete set of systematic etiquette regulations, which were called "the etiquette of Duke Zhou" by later generations.
This etiquette system covers all aspects of official political life, marriage and family life, funerals and sacrifices, etc., which greatly improved the cultural quality and political structure of Zhou Dynasty society. The rites of Duke Zhou have become an important part of the history of Chinese civilization and have been widely recognized and inherited in the Chinese character culture circle.
In short, the origin of Zhou Gong's etiquette is because during the Zhou Dynasty, the southern wizard Jiang Ziya complained to King Wu of Zhou that officials lacked rules. King Wu of Zhou believed that a complete etiquette system should be formulated to regulate the behavior of officials at all levels. Therefore, The Duke of Zhou formulated a comprehensive set of etiquette standards, which were later known as the Etiquette of the Duke of Zhou.