The
minister of Rites would receive the edict in Taihedian (Hall of supreme
Harmony), where the Emperor was holding his court. The Minister would
then carry the decree on a yunpan (tray of cloud), and withdraw from
the Hall via Taihemen (Gate of Supreme Harmony).
1) The
minister would put the tray in a miniature longting (dragon pavelion),
beneath a yellow umbrella and carry it via Wumen(Meridian Gate),Tiananmen
Gate tower.
2) A courtier would be invested to proclaim the edict. The civil and
military officials lining both sides of the gateway beneath the tower
would prostrate themselves in the direction of the emperor in waiting
for the decree to the proclaimed.
3) The courtier would then put the edict in a phoenix-shaped
wooden box and lower it from the tower by means of a silk cord. The
document would finally be carried in a similar tray of cloud under
a yellow umbrella to the Ministry of Rites.
4) The edict, copied on yellow paper, would be made known to the whole
country.
Such a process was historically recorded as Imperial Edict Issued
by Golden Phoenix.
During the Qing and Ming dynasties Tiananmen was the most important
passage. It was this gate that the Emperor and his retinue would go
through on their way to the altars for ritual and religious activities.
The
minister of Rites would receive the edict in Taihedian (Hall of supreme
Harmony), where the Emperor was holding his court. The Minister would
then carry the decree on a yunpan (tray of cloud), and withdraw from
the Hall via Taihemen (Gate of Supreme Harmony).