One of the biggest events during in ancient China is an event for the emperor to present "Offerings to the Heavens" (祭天). Whether it was done properly is considered to have a huge impact on the future of the nation, and often affect god's hand in outcomes in wars and conflict.
This book outlines in detail a mural painted by the imperial artists to capture the procession of these grandiose occasions.
The story kicks off with the the emperor getting dressed on the morning of the selected departure date.
An emperor does not often leave the Imperial Palace, so the process to get the imperial procession ready to travel south to present "Offerings to the Heavens" requires a lot of meticulous planning and cooperation from many of the court's senior civil and military officers!
Who gets to accompany Emperor at the altar? In what order and what position will everyone be in? What rules and etiquette must everyone follow?
All of this is captured in a beautiful mural captured now known as the 《大駕鹵薄圖書》.
The National Treasures series is a set of books covering interesting historical events in Chinese history in kid-friendly picture book format. It highlights stories around the inventions, the culture, and the economy that is relatable in modern-day setting.
Softcover | 44 pages | 23 x 24cm