[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [佛祖統紀](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035) › 44.17 # 佛祖統紀 44.17 佛祖統紀 44.17 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [44.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.44.17) 述曰。自古尊先聖者。漢高始過魯行祀封。其後平帝始封褒成公。梁武始令天下建廟。北魏孝文改諡文宣公。唐太宗用房元齡議。太學釋奠。始尊為先聖。而以顏子陪享。明皇始進號文宣王南面坐。用王者宮縣之樂。皇朝真宗加諡至聖文宣。而祝文進名定儀特拜。自古尊先聖莫若此日也。韓昌黎謂天下通得祀孔子。自天子而下北面拜跪。祀事之盛未有如孔子者。蓋孔子以德。雖不得位而得常祀（見處州孔子廟碑）是知自明皇尊以王禮。故世世天子拜而祭之。今真宗特拜有合於古。不知當時禮官何為不知而定肅揖之儀。恥哉。 > The author remarks: In honoring the Former Sage from antiquity, it began with Han Gaozu, who passed through Lu and performed sacrifices and enfeoffment. Later, Emperor Ping first enfeoffed him as Duke Baocheng. Emperor Wu of Liang first ordered that temples be erected throughout the realm. Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei altered the posthumous title to Duke Wenxuan. Emperor Taizong of the Tang adopted Fang Xuanling's proposal: when the Libation Sacrifice was performed at the Imperial Academy, \[Confucius\] was first honored as the Former Sage, with Master Yan as his companion in sacrifice. Emperor Xuanzong first advanced his title to King Wenxuan, seated facing south, using the Palace Hanging music fit for a king. Our imperial dynasty's Emperor Zhenzong added the posthumous title Most Sagely King Wenxuan; moreover, in the sacrificial prayer his personal name was advanced, and the established ceremonial protocol was specifically to make prostrations. From antiquity, the honoring of the Former Sage has never been greater than on this day. Han Changli said that across the realm all may sacrifice to Confucius; from the Son of Heaven on down, they kneel and prostrate facing north, and never has the magnificence of sacrificial rites equaled that accorded Confucius. This is because Confucius possessed virtue: though he did not obtain rank, he obtained constant sacrifice (see the Chuzhou Confucius Temple Stele). Thus we know that from Xuanzong onward he was honored with the rites of a king, wherefore the Sons of Heaven of successive generations have prostrated and sacrificed to him. Now Zhenzong's special prostration accords with antiquity; I do not know why the ritual officials of the day, out of ignorance, prescribed the ceremonial protocol of a solemn bow. How shameful! > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 44.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.44.16) - [Next: 44.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.44.18) - [Up: 44](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.44) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035~en-mt.44.17) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.44.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.44.17) · Pramāṇa