only by the emperor, as High Priest on earth, who was attended or
assisted in the ceremonies by members of his own family or clan or
the proper State officials (often, even in comparatively modern times,
members of the imperial family or clan). In these official sacrifices,
which formed part of the State worship, the people could not take part;
nor did they at first offer sacrifices to Shang Ti in their own homes
or elsewhere. In what way and to what extent they did so later will
be shown presently.


Worship of T'ien

Owing to T'ien, Heaven, the abode of the spirits, becoming personified,
it came to be worshipped not only by the emperor, but by the people
also. But there was a difference between these two worships, because
the emperor performed his worship of Heaven officially at the great
altar of the Temple of Heaven at Peking (in early times at the altar
in the suburb of the capital), whereas the people (continuing always
to worship their ancestors) worshipped Heaven, when they did so
at all--the custom being observed by some and not by others, just
as in Western countries some people go to church, while others stay
away--usually at the time of the New Year, in a simple, unceremonious
way, by lighting some incense-sticks and waving them toward the sky
in the courtyards of their own houses or in the street just outside
their doors.


Confusion of Shang Ti and T'ien

The qualification necessary to the above description is that, as