From Temple Worship to Imperial Veneration:The Taiping Palace Transformation,Sacralization of Imperial Power,and Ritual Reforms in Zhenzong's Reign

The transformation of Shangqing Taiping Palace under Emperor Zhenzong exemplifies the sacralization of imperial power in Northern Song China. Originally built to worship the deity Heisha ("黑煞"), the palace was repurposed as an imperial shrine housing Taizong's portrait, while the compilation of the Biography of the Virtuous Protector Sageredefined Heisha as a dynastic guardian. This institutionalization of imperial portrait veneration marked a key shift from deity worship to emperor-centered sacrality, reflecting broader trends of political centralization and ritual reform in Song governance.