Top of page

Photo, Print, Drawing High-ranking Officials Offering Sacrifices, Beijing, First Year of the Republic.

View 25 images in sequence.

About this Item

Title

  • High-ranking Officials Offering Sacrifices, Beijing, First Year of the Republic.

Summary

  • Beijing min guo chu nian gao ji guan yuan ji si (High-ranking officials offering sacrifices, Beijing, first year of the Republic) is a collection of photographs by Puyiya (Chinese name of Georges Bouillard, 1862-1930), an engineer at the Institut National des Métiers d'Art (National Institute of Art Crafts). Born in France, Bouillard went to China in 1898 to work as chief engineer on the northern section of the Beijing-Hankou Railway. He was very interested in sinology and in his free time engaged in photography, focusing mainly on Beijing as well as the areas near the Beijing-Hankou Railway. After his death, his wife Zhu Derong donated his large collection of maps, survey charts and graphs, and photographs to the National Beijing Library (predecessor of the National Library of China). People in China began to offer sacrifices to Confucius as early as 478 BC, the year after his death. After Xuanzong (reigned 712-756) of Tang dynasty conferred on Confucius the title of Wen xuan wang (King of Culture Manifestation), the scale of such ceremonies expanded. Sacrificial offering ceremonies were held at the Confucian temple in Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius, and at schools in various locations. During the Dade reign (1297-1307) of Yuan dynasty a Confucian temple was built in Beijing. It became the site of sacrificial offerings to Confucius throughout the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. In the early Republican era, educator Cai Yuanpei (1868-1940) considered worship of Confucius obsolete. However, in 1914 Yuan Shikai issued a decree reestablishing the tradition and stipulating that central and local governments were to hold a Confucian worship ceremony each year on the birthday of Confucius. Presented here is a group of 25 photographs taken by Bouillard that record scenes from such a ceremony at the Confucius Temple in Beijing early in the Republic. The photographs depict officials in robes embroidered with flowers, who, led by their attendants, carry out the various ceremonies with music, song, dance, and rites, in the midst of fragrant incense in sacrificial utensils. The officials kneeled three times and kowtowed nine times.

Names

  • Bouillard, Georges, 1862-1930 Photographer.

Created / Published

  • [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], [1901 to 1909]

Headings

  • -  China--Beijing--Beijing
  • -  1901 to 1909
  • -  Architecture, Chinese
  • -  Confucianism
  • -  Costumes
  • -  Photograph albums
  • -  Rites and ceremonies
  • -  Temples
  • -  Worship

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: 26 photographs : black-and-white.
  • -  Original resource at: National Library of China.
  • -  Content in French.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021669037

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright or other restrictions in the World Digital Library Collection. Absent any such restrictions, these materials are free to use and reuse. Researchers are encouraged to review the source information attached to each item. For information on contacting WDL partner organizations, see this archived list of partners

The Library asks that researchers approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here.

Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

For additional information and contact information for many of the partner organizations, see this archived capture of the World Digital Library site from 2021.

For guidance about compiling full citations consult Citing Primary Sources.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Bouillard, Georges, Photographer. High-ranking Officials Offering Sacrifices, Beijing, First Year of the Republic. Beijing China, 1901. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1909] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021669037/.

APA citation style:

Bouillard, G. (1901) High-ranking Officials Offering Sacrifices, Beijing, First Year of the Republic. Beijing China, 1901. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1909] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021669037/.

MLA citation style:

Bouillard, Georges, Photographer. High-ranking Officials Offering Sacrifices, Beijing, First Year of the Republic. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1909] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021669037/>.