祭祀天地是中国古代帝王的特权与神圣义务。北宋时期，宋神宗熙丰变法时期对礼制的改革，引发了关于郊祀礼的激烈争论，争论的焦点是天地应该分祭还是合祭。伴随着北宋中后期最高当权者的更迭和新旧党争的形势变化，这场争论也不断反复。在这个过程中，以恢复古礼相标榜而主张天地分祭的许多新党，表现为食古不化的保守，而以适应宋朝现实为依据，主张实行天地合祭的许多旧党，却表现出与时俱进的革新精神。由于时代变迁、财力的局限和皇帝事务的繁忙，按照古礼恢复天地分祭的主张已难于实行，天地合祭，皇帝每三年亲祀一次，遂成为宋朝郊祀礼的主流。宋人对天地分祭与合祭的争论既是礼制、学术之争，更牵涉北宋中后期的党争，从一个侧面彰显了宋朝士大夫政治的时代特色。

The Dislocation between Classicalism and Innovation:

A New Discussion of the Controversy on Separated or Consolidated Sacrifice

to Heaven and Earth in the Northern Song Dynasty                                  Ding Jianjun, Jiang Yun

Offering sacrifice to Heaven and Earth was privilege and sacred duty of the emperors in imperial China. During the Northern Song Dynasty, reformation of ritual system as a part of the political reformation of Wang An-shi in the reign of Emperor Shenzong caused violent controversy on suburban sacrifice, focusing on that the sacrifice to Heaven and Earth should be separated or consolidated. With the changes of imperators and situation of struggle between the old and new parties in the middle and late Northern Song Dynasty, the controversy also repeated. In the process, many members of the New Party who proposed restoring classical rites and separated sacrifice, showed a conservative inclination; while many members of the Old Party who proposed consolidated sacrifice to fit the situation of the times, showed innovative spirit. In the Song Dynasty, separated sacrifice was inexecutable due to the change of time, limitation in finance, and the emperor’s press of business, and consolidated sacrifice with the emperor taking part in person every three years, became the main form of sacrifice to Heaven and Earth. The controversy on separated or consolidated sacrifice to Heaven and Earth was not only a debate on rites and academics, but also involved the party struggle, and manifested the characteristics of scholar-bureaucrat politics at that time.