Conclusion

Through this exhibition, we have viewed a series of artifacts related to the sacrificial rites inside the Chu culture. Going through thousands of years, the remaining relics are informing current people about these complicated and magnificent ritual customs, unveiling the mystery of that time.

Here we explore Chu culture’s sacrifice from different angles, through different artifacts with different forms. Depicted in calligraphy and paintings, god worship among Chu people is shown, different gods are placed on people’s different hopes and wishes. Then, the elegant and magnificent lacquered and bronze artifacts are also introduced as highlights of Chu Culture, in which many of them became in sacrificial use, such as food vessels and musical instruments. It unrolls a scroll of exquisite and luxurious royal life at that time.

To explore the reason behind the popularity of sacrificial culture in Chu, it can be derived from people’s religious belief: in ancient China, since Chu Culture was influenced by heavy Taoist, people viewed sacrifice as of great significance. They believe in many deities, seeking gods' protection and obtaining psychological comfort through the ritual ceremony. And they even had a written code of sacrificial rites, which included the arrangement of the divine position, the procedures of welcoming gods and their abdication, the selection of auspicious days for sacrificial rites, as well as the regulations of sacrificial hierarchy, etc.

Although thousands of years have passed, the sacrificial culture of Chu has not completely disappeared. It has gone through changes over time and has continued in the traditional sacrificial rites of some ethnic groups and minorities with profound influence.