Sa-tree culture and tradition in the Central Plain of China

Figures & data

Table 1. Sa-tree sylvanism and its institutionalization.

Sylvanism	Ancient state	Period	Name of archaeological culture
Sa-mode of thinking	Yu (虞)	Before 21st century BC	Shanxi Longshan Culture
Sa-ritual	Xia (夏)	2070–1600 BC	Erlitou Culture
(Sa-precinct)	Shang (商)	1600–1046 BC	Zhengzhou-Yinshi Culture
Sajik institution	Zhou (周)	1046–722 BC	Fenghao and Haojing
	Spring & Autumn period	722–480 BC	Chengzhou (Luoyang)
	Warring States period	480–221 BC
	Qin	221–207 BC
	Earlier Han	201 BC – AD 9
	Shin	AD 9–25
	Later Han	AD 25–222

Note: The three ancient kingdoms (Xia, Shang, Zhou) in the Central Plain in China are dated according to the Xia-Shang-Zhou Project carried out by mainland Chinese scholars and scientists.

Table 2. Textual evidence of Sa-institution in historical records of the Central Plain of China.

Ancient state	Social structure	Quotation and brief description
Yu (虞)	Chiefdom confederacy	1-1. “They [Yu] stamped an extensive earthen plain above the ground to construct Sa and erected woodpole for village gate.” Kwanzu
Xia (夏)	Chiefdom confederacy or kingdom	2-1. “The Xia's [King] Yu served pine as the Sa-tree.” Analects
		2-2. “As King Yu, the first king of Xia, was being booming, the Sa [ritual] was refined.” Shi Ji (Document of Fengchan)
		2-3. “If you follow my command you will be awarded at the ancestor shrine [Jongmyo]. But if you do not follow my command you will be punished at the Sa [precinct].” Book of Documents
		2-4. “Tang, the first king of Shang, wanted to move Xia's Sa [precinct], but he could not do it.” Shi Ji
Shang (商)	Kingdom	3-1. “The Yin [Shang] served cypress as the Sa-tree.” Analects
		3-2. King Wu of Zhou with his generals and solders performed a ritual at the Sa-precinct of the last capital of Yin after defeating Yin's army. Shi Ji
Zhou (周)	Kingdom	4-1. “The Zhou served chestnut as the Sa-tree.” Analects
		4-2. King Cheng, the second king of Zhou, performed a Sa-ritual at a newly built second capital (currently Luoyang). Book of Documents
		4-3. Pine, cypress, chestnut, catalpa, and scholar tree served as Sa-trees. The Exegetical Notes for Classic of Rites (Li Ji) by Kong Ying-Da (AD 574–638) of Tang Dynasty.
		4-4. Great Situ, the highest Earth official, was in charge of building and managing capital and feudal Sa-precincts. Zhou Li
		4-5. Village Sa, or Li-Sa, consisted of more than 100 households. Classic of Rites (Li Ji)
		4-6. Capital, feudal states and villages had Sa-precincts and organized community. Classic of Rites (Li Ji)
Spring and Autumn period	Feudal states under kingdom	5-1. Duke Huangong of Qi was agitated by the priest of Sajik precinct at the capital of the Qi dukedom (Linzi, Shandong province). Kwanzu
		5-2. Zhou-Sa and Bo-Sa precincts existed in the capitals of the feudal state Lu (Qifu, Shangdong province). Bo-Sa was at the capital of Song (Shangkou, Henan province). Chungjiu-Zuozhuan (Table 3)
Warring States period	Multiple states	6-1. “An old kingdom or dukedom is not where there is a grandiose tree, but it is where there are old vassals and subjects of many generations.” Mencius
		6-2. The powerful states or kingdoms, Qin, Hahn, Zhao, Wei, Chu, Yan and Zhongshan, had Sa-precincts at their capitals. Shi Ji
Qin (秦) & Earlier Han (前漢)	Empire	7-1. Liu Bang, the first emperor of Han Dynasty, demolished Qin's Sajik and established a new Han's Sajik at Xian. Shi Ji
		7-2. Village Sa, or Li-Sa, of Qin and Han consisted of more than 25 households. Classic of Rites (Li Ji)
		7-3. Liu Bang's hometown had a village-Sa precinct and was called Fenyu-Sa, Sa-precinct of elm. Shi Ji

Table 3. The Sa-related historical episodes recorded in Chunqiu-Zuozhuan.

	Year	Brief description
The Lu Dukedom
Duke Zhuanggong	23rd year (671 BC)	D1. In summer, Duke went to Dukedom Qi in order to see Sa-ritual.
	25th year (669 BC)	D2. Eclipse and flooding occurred. Sounding drums and sacrifices at Sa-precinct dedicated.
	30th year (664 BC)	D3. Eclipse occurred. Sounding drums and sacrifices were dedicated at Sa-precinct.
Duke Mingong	2nd year (660 BC)	D4. Divination at the birth of Jiyou, the last son of Duke Huangong, had told that he would support the duke family between two Sa-precincts.
Duke Zhaogong	25th year (517 BC)	D5. Duke Jinggong of Qi pledged a promise to Duke Zhaogong of Lu, staying in the western boundary of Qi. Duke Jinggong would give 1000 Sa (villages) to Duke Zhaogong.
Duke Dinggong	6th year (504 BC)	D6. Yanghu, a general of Lu, took oath with the Duke of Lu and the aristocrats at Zhou-Sa (precinct) and met the common people of the dukedom at Bo-Sa (precinct).
Duke Aigong	4th year (491 BC) Unknown	D7. There was fire at Bo-Sa (precinct). D8. Duke Aigong asked Zaiwo, one of Confucius’ disciples about Sa-institution. Analects
The Song Dukedom
Duke Ranggong	30th year (543 BC)	D9. After a bird cried at the Jongmyo of Song, another bird cried at Bo-Sa (precinct). Afterward, a big disaster (fire) occurred.

Figure 1. The big-diameter old cypress (Platycladus orientalis or Thuja orientalis) at Zhongshan Park, which includes the Sajik Altar of Beijing.

Figure 2. The Sajik Altar of Beijing, a single altar with five colored earths on the surface, which represent four directions and the center.