Abstract
Sacrifice was an important aspect of governmental power in ancient China. The rain-making sacrifice, which was named the Yu sacrifice in the ritual-music system of the Zhou, was a significant sacrificial ceremony to the rulers and common people. Apart from praying for the supernatural power of the nature deities and ancestor gods, what were the reasons for performing such a great sacrifice, especially during a severe drought? Was the sacrifice offered only to make rain? In the thesis, the rituals of the Yu sacrifice will be organized and they will be employed as examples to demonstrate how the sacrificial rite contributed to the consolidation of the political legitimacy of the rulers of the Zhou dynasty.