唐代敦煌官方祭祀新探 - 以S.1725V所載祭品為中心=A New Study on Official Sacrifices in Dunhuang during the Tang Dynasty - Centered on the Sacrifices Recorded in Manuscript S.1725V
Dunhuang manuscript S.1725V records a eulogistic text and detailed sacrifices offered to various deities and powers, including sheji （社稷, local gods of land and grain）, Shidian （释奠, an ancient ritual honoring Confucius）, Fengbo （风 伯, the god of wind）, and Yushi （雨师, the god of rain）. Scholars have generally agreed that the content of this text is not much different from a eulogy in Datang Kaiyuan Li （大唐开元礼, Rituals Established in the Kaiyuan Era of the Great Tang） written in the 20th year of the Kaiyuan era （732） under the rule of Emperor Xuanzong, which proves that the latter was implemented very effectively in Dunhuang. However, by comparing the offerings recorded in Datang Kaiyuan Li with S.1725V and other historical documents such as manuscript P.3896V, it can be seen that the sacrifices in the Dunhuang manuscript do not completely conform to the provisions listed in Datang Kaiyuan Li. In fact, the changes to the sacrifices found in S.1725V and P.3896V are actually quite similar to edicts made by the emperor at the time. On the other hand, Dunhuang’s local officials can be seen to have made adjustments to the sacrifices according to the economic circumstances of their position. However, if the sacrifices offered to Fengbo and Yushi in S.1725V are regarded as a prayer ritual, which required a different set of sacrifices, then the differences between the sacrifices described in the manuscripts and those recorded in historical books on rituals can easily be resolved.
