Court of Imperial Sacrifices

Court of Imperial Sacrifices

太常寺
Agency overview
Formed	550 (Northern Qi)
Dissolved	1912 (Qing dynasty)
Parent department	Ministry of Rites

Court of Imperial Sacrifices
Chinese name
Chinese	太常寺
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Tài Cháng Sì Wade–Giles T'ai4 Ch'ang2 Ssu4
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese	Thái thường tự

The Court of Imperial Sacrifices, also known as the Court of Sacrificial Worship, was a central government agency in several imperial Chinese and Vietnamese dynasties. It was generally in charge of conducting major state sacrificial ceremonies according to ritual regulations. In China, the office was created during the Northern Qi dynasty (550–577) and continued until the Qing dynasty (1644–1912). In Vietnam, it was created by Lê Thánh Tông in 1466, and continued until the Nguyễn dynasty.

It was one of the Nine Courts and normally under the supervision of the Ministry of Rites. Prior to the Qing dynasty it was the most prestigious of the Nine Courts.

Office of the National Altars

Office of the National Altars
Chinese name
Chinese	郊社局 or 郊社署
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Jiāoshè jú / Jiāoshè shǔ
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet	Giao xã thự
Hán-Nôm	郊社署

The Office of the National Altars was a government agency under the Court of Imperial Sacrifices during the Sui, Tang, Song, Jurchen Jin, and Yuan dynasties. Between Sui and Tang it was known as Jiaoshe Shu, and between Song and Yuan it was known as Jiaoshe Ju. Its main function was to prepare for and participate in regular rituals at major sacrificial altars and temples in the dynastic capital.

References

• Hucker, Charles O. (1985). A Dictionary of Official Titles in Imperial China. Stanford University Press. p. 142.

• Hucker, Charles O. (1985). A Dictionary of Official Titles in Imperial China. Stanford University Press. p. 476.