A Sociological Analysis Centered on the Sacred Rituals of Confucian Thought

Ritual thought is a crucial component of Confucian doctrines, generally regarded as a behavioral norm that carries Confucian ethics and morality. According to Confucianism, the sacredness of rituals is compulsory or sacred. Regarding its origin, there are two analytical perspectives:the "magic taboo theory" and the "social ritual theory. " The former posits that ritual sacredness stems from residual "magic" elements, while the latter attributes it to society. Compared to Confucianism's own framework, neither perspective fully explains the sacredness of rituals. Taking the Shi ("尸") Ceremony as an example, this paper argues that the sacredness of Confucian rituals is rooted in the Confucian theory of human nature- "human beings are situated within society. " The ritual participants reconstruct a magical human-divine relationship through the physiological connections. The officiating participants' "heart of a filial son" and the assistants' ritual activities performed in accordance with ethical hierarchical order repeatedly reinforce the participants' view of "society". Hence, the Confucian ritual system provides a unique mechanism for establishing social solidarity.