This study covers the funeral of the nobles during the Spring and Autumn Period. "Zuo Zhuan" is selected as the central piece of reference and complemented by "Gong", "Gu" and the three "Li". Through the evaluation of "Li Ye" and "Fei Li Ye" in "Zuo Zhuan", the standards for the noble funerals during the Spring and Autumn Period is clarified.
The funerals during the Spring and Autumn period descended from the rituals and customs during the Yin Shang dynasties. Since the establishment of the Humanistics Spirit during the West Zhou dynasty, funeral customs had fully come into existence. The essence of funerals is to grief and not being luxurious. The funeral ceremony is divided into four parts according to the "Yi Li"(儀禮). The first covering the deathbed to the funeral, the second involved the process from the funeral to the burial, the third involved processes after the burial, and fourth other matters during the whole ceremony. There are corresponding records in Zuo-Zhuan (左傳), which shows the completeness of the funeral records in Zuo-Zhuan. This thesis starts by discussing the reasons for the nobles’ death. Many noble deaths involved irrational circumstances. In particular, 48 of the 172 nobles’ death recorded involved unnatural deaths. It shows a major issue involving violation of courtesy between the various countries. In the second part of the thesis, funeral rites from different mourners are explored and investigated for associations with the attitudes and reasons for diplomatic alliances during the funeral. The focus of this thesis remains on the length involved for the nobles’ funeral. Among the 172 cases studied, only 47 of the nobles’ funerals followed the standards and rules. This shows more than 70% that did not follow the rules. A chart is also made to analyze the causes of different funeral times in various countries. There are two standards for condolences and the funeral procession: “The Rules of the Ex-King”(先王之制) and “The Ritual of Wen Overlord and Xiang Overlord” (文、襄之霸之禮). People who do not follow the rules are often due to flattering, persecution, and disrespect. This thesis also discussed “The Presents of Funeral”(贈喪) and “The Zhou Posthumous Knighting”(周王追命) . The various power struggles behind the determinant for the scale of the burial of the nobles and the arrangement of the burial place are also assessed, as many do not conform to the standards. The effects of the nobles’ funeral on the domestic and international situation must also be paid attention to. The thesis then discusses re-burials and change places to re-burial, both of which are mostly caused by a civil war or foreign enemies.
In summary, the funerals of the nobles during the Spring and Autumn Period were mostly against rituals. The three reasons included domestic politics, international situation, and the trend of times. Through these three reasons an insightful understanding of the nobles’ funerals during the Spring and Autumn Period can be obtained.