The Myth of Universal Prostration

For centuries, Chinese historical dramas and operas have depicted a familiar scene: whenever the emperor’s procession passed through the streets, commoners would immediately drop to their knees in reverence. But was this dramatic portrayal historically accurate? By examining surviving Song Dynasty paintings and official records, we uncover a more nuanced reality—one where kneeling was not always mandatory, and where imperial interactions with the public were far more varied than popular culture suggests.

A Visual Journey Through Song Dynasty Paintings

Unlike later Ming and Qing depictions, Song-era artworks reveal a surprising lack of uniform kneeling during imperial processions. Three key paintings challenge the stereotype:

1. The “Welcoming the Imperial Carriage” (迎銮图, 1142)
– Held by the Shanghai Museum, this Southern Song painting captures the return of Emperor Gaozong’s mother, Empress Wei, from Jin Dynasty captivity.
– Crowds line the roads, yet most stand casually—some even appear to chat among themselves. Only a few officials perform formal bows.

2. “Auspicious Omens” (瑞应图) by Xiao Zhao
– Depicting the young Prince Gou (future Emperor Gaozong) returning from diplomatic missions, the painting shows civilians observing his procession without kneeling.

3. “Imperial Inspection of the Bian River Floods” (景德四图, c. 1008)
– Northern Song painters documented Emperor Zhenzong inspecting flood defenses. Laborers continue emergency work without interrupting their tasks to prostrate.

These artworks collectively suggest that during the Song Dynasty (960–1279), kneeling before the emperor was neither systematized nor strictly enforced for commoners.

Official Records: What the Bureaucrats Observed

Textual evidence corroborates the visual record:

– Emperor Zhenzong’s 1001 Tour
The Changbian Chronicles note that when Zhenzong inspected crops near Kaifeng, citizens “cheered and shouted ‘long live the emperor'” rather than kneeling.

– Ritual Handbooks
Zhao Sheng’s Court and Country Miscellany (朝野类要) specifies that only officials and monks within 100 paces needed to greet the imperial carriage—and even they could be exempted from bowing.

– Lax Enforcement
Scholar-official Song Xiang complained in 1040 that during Emperor Renzong’s outings, commoners would “run alongside the procession, shouting excitedly” or peer down from buildings—behaviors that drew no punishment despite new etiquette rules.

The Cultural Context: Why Kneeling Wasn’t Standard

Three factors explain this relative informality:

1. Confucian Pragmatism
The adage “rites do not extend to the commoners” (礼不下庶人) meant ordinary people weren’t expected to master complex court rituals.

2. Practical Governance
Song emperors frequently traveled for flood control, agriculture inspections, and diplomacy. Requiring mass kneeling would disrupt daily life and governance.

3. Military Considerations
Early imperial processions (lubu 卤簿) prioritized security over spectacle. The 20,000-person retinue described in Grand Ceremonial Guard Illustrations (大驾卤簿图书) functioned more as a mobile defense perimeter than a theatrical display of power.

The Ming-Qing Shift: When Kneeling Became Mandatory

A dramatic change occurred by the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644):

– 1368 Edict
The Hongwu Emperor decreed that all subjects must “kowtow and prostrate” when the imperial carriage passed. Violators faced flogging or execution.

– Visual Evidence
Qing paintings like The Kangxi Emperor’s Southern Inspection Tour (康熙南巡图) show meticulously arranged rows of kneeling officials and commoners—a stark contrast to Song-era spontaneity.

– Psychological Impact
Artists deliberately painted commoners as tiny figures dwarfed by the emperor’s grandeur, reinforcing a new social hierarchy where subjects were “as insignificant as ants before the sovereign.”

Legacy and Modern Misconceptions

Today’s historical dramas overwhelmingly depict universal kneeling because:

1. Source Bias
Most filmmakers reference better-documented Qing protocols rather than earlier dynasties’ customs.

2. Dramatic Effect
The visual power of mass prostration serves narrative needs, even at the cost of accuracy.

3. Cultural Memory
Later imperial propaganda (like the Yongzheng Emperor’s Ritual Illustrations) retroactively imposed Qing norms onto earlier periods.

Conclusion: Rethinking Imperial Encounters

The Song Dynasty’s relatively relaxed approach—where farmers might continue working during an imperial visit, or merchants cheer without kneeling—reflects an era when emperors still engaged directly with civilian life. Only later did ritualized subjugation become a tool for absolutist rule. By returning to primary sources, we recover a richer, more human history behind the pageantry of power.

Key Takeaway: Next time you see a drama scene of universal kneeling, remember—for much of China’s history, the rules were far more flexible than directors would have us believe.