The reconstruction of sacrificial ceremonies for Heaven and Earth from the Wei (魏) Dynasty to the Jin(晋) Dynasty is an important part in the chain of a series of early Chinese ancient ritual reform. The sacrifice to Heaven and Earth were determined by emperor Wei Mingdi's(魏明帝) edict, while the sacrifice to Heaven and Earth of Western Jin was part of The New Rites (《新礼》)which reflected the dream of the ruling elite class. There are some apparent differences between the sacrificial ceremonies for Heaven and Earth of Western Jin and that of Wei. The most important one is that Wei followed Zhengxuan's (郑玄) explanation while Jin followed that of Wang Su (王肃). Moreover, to carry out the sacrifice for venerating their royal ancestors, Wei had reconstructed the ancestral genealogies. The reconstruction of Wei and the Western Jin's Heaven and Earth sacrificing ceremonies , as well as the recreation of royal ceremonial music, showed that during the process of early Chinese ancient ceremonial evolution, each component had to adapt to others. The collapse of the Western Jin did not make the tradition of reconstructing rites disappear, and the later dynasties continued the practice of reconstructing rites.
places to worship Heaven and Earth by the emperors
Zheng Xuan(郑玄) and Wang Su's(王肃) explanation for classical works
the Cao and Wei Dynasties
the Western Jin Dynasty
sacrificing to Heaven and Earth
The New Rites(《新礼》)