Ritual and Ceremonial Buildings details the formation and historical development of ritual architecture, from the Confucian ritual concept to the sacrificial architecture of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The term "ritual architecture" is applied to buildings and structures constructed for sacrificial purposes, such as altars and temples. In feudal China, altars and temples were built according to strict traditions, and so naturally ritual buildings became an important part of China's ancient architecture. The first part of Ritual and Ceremonial Buildings traces ritual architecture as it developed from the Confucian philosophy that advocated the governing of the country by rites. In the second part, Sun Dazhang details these buildings with beautiful color photographs and explanatory captions, highlighting the artistic significance of the spectacular altars, temples and halls of ancient China.

As Confucianism became a national philosophy, the sacrificial altars and temples for worship began to fall under the direct control of the government. Their magnificence today can very well be compared with that of imperial palaces, large monasteries, and Taoist temples. This volume most notably highlights the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties held sacrificial ceremonies to heaven and prayed for rain and a good harvest. It also discusses the many different types of sacrificial architecture, including temples for the worship of natural gods, temples for the worship of ancestors, and temples for the worship of sages.

Including 119 color photographs, 26 illustrations and figures, and 3 maps, Ritual and Ceremonial Buildings documents the various examples of ritual and ceremonious architecture in ancient China. This volume displays the luxurious internal and external details of numerous halls and temples, presenting to the reader the skilled artistry that characterized ancient Chinese architecture.