libationer

libationer

English

Etymology

libation +‎ -er

Noun

libationer (plural libationers)

1. A priest or religious official who conducts a libation ritual, in which a drink is poured as an offering to a divinity or ancestor.
   • 2012, Aylward M. Lloyd, Gods Priests & Men, page 83:

     That the libation was the all-important element at this ceremony is further illustrated by the fact that a regular attribute of Isis as the chief officiant thereat is ḳbḥ∙ t “the (female) libationer” (id., pp. 13, 55, 56).

   • 2015, Kimani S. K. Nehusi, Libation: An Afrikan Ritual of Heritage in the Circle of Life, page 16:

     However, on special occasions there may be an elaborate and complex ritual and more than one libationer, usually a leading or chief libationer and an assistant or a number of assistants.

   • 2015, Mwalimu J. Shujaa, Kenya J. Shujaa, The SAGE Encyclopedia of African Cultural Heritage in North America:

     The “libationer” may also solicit the spiritual presence of humans who are alive although not physically present at that particular enactment of the ritual—people who are known to share the aims of the librartioner and would therefore support the petition(s).

2. A Taoist religious office analogous to that of parish priest.
   • 1995, Taoist Resources - Volume 6, Issue 2, page 13:

     Harming other people or bullying them because the libationer is in a position of power or has connexions with people in power is also proscribed (60, 92).

   • 2004, Russell Kirkland, Taoism: The Enduring Tradition, page 135:

     Its primary office, that of the "libationer" (chi-chiu), was open to women and men alike, though scholars today have begun to question whether that office was actually clerical or simply a term for lay leaders.

   • 2013, Fabrizio Pregadio, The Encyclopedia of Taoism: 2-volume set, page 550:

     At that time, accession to the office of libationer already involved the conferral of sacred texts.

3. The head of the Chinese Imperial College (Han dynasty through the Qing dynasty), and, by extension, any of the most highly respected scholars during that time period.
   • 1971, Leonard Feinberg, Asian Laughter: An Anthology of Oriental Satire and Humor, page 186:

     Take the libationer of the Imperial College, for instance, who is my tutor.

   • 1972, Xun Lu, Old Tales Retold, page 69:

     From the Han and Wei Dynasties onwards, this became an official title, like libationer of the imperial academy, libationer of the imperial college, etc.

   • 2011, Finding Wisdom in East Asian Classics, page 204:

     Similarly, at the capital the libationer (or chancellor) of the Imperial College should lead a discussion each month on important questions, with the emperor and his ministers attending in the role of students.

   • 2013, David Solomon, P.C. Lo, The Common Good: Chinese and American Perspectives, page 187:

     IIn his own words, Huang says, The libationer [rector] of the Imperial College should be chosen from among the great scholars of the day He should be equal in importance to the prime minister, or else be a retired prime minister himself. On the first day of each month the Son of Heaven should visit the Imperial College, attended by the prim minister, six ministers, and censors. The libationer should face south and conduct the discussion, while the Son of Heaven too sits among the ranks of the students. If there is anything wrong with the administration of the country, the libationer should speak out without reserve.

Anagrams

• liberation