The sacrificial beasts filled the platters, their rich fragrance offered up; the spirits lingered, their approach stirring the hanging tassels.
Before the Long Splendor, radiance shone bright; cold and heat never erred, revealing Heaven's glorious order.
The verses unfolded in accord with the pitch pipes, jade ornaments chimed; the gong note enfolded, the jue emerged, stirring the clear zhi.
The sound rose to the rafters, lifting the yu and extending into the shang; these new melodies were fashioned to endure forever.
Sound and breath reached afar, the phoenix soared; the spirits lingered through the evening, delighting beneath the canopy and greatly enjoying the offerings."
The ritual music briefly ceased, and the long, obscure prayer carried in every direction through the echo wall.
Once Kong Rong finished reading, the ritual music resumed.
Liu Xie continued performing the three kneelings and nine prostrations, then presented wine cups before the accompanying spirit tablets.
The Heaven-Sacrifice Ceremony proceeded in orderly fashion. Only after more than two hours had the seven major stages finally been completed: welcoming the supreme deity, offering jade and silk, presenting the sacrificial meats, making the first, second, and final offerings, and removing the food.
"Send off the supreme deity! Play the Movement of Clear Peace!"
As the ceremony reached the sending-off stage, Liu Xie drew a deep breath and climbed to the upper tier of the altar.
The prestige of the Son of Heaven, the divine sanction of imperial power, the Great Han Orthodoxy he sought-all depended on whether the "auspicious omen" following the deity's departure could convince those present.
"Bow!"
After completing the final three kneelings and nine prostrations, Liu Xie approached the Sacrificial Brazier. Holding a written prayer in both hands, he read aloud:
"On this auspicious day of the fifth month, in the three thousand one hundred