宋代地方祠廟神祇,若能展現靈跡,解決水旱等災異問題,由士民陳請,經朝廷一系列的審查稽核程序後,賜予祠神廟額、爵號。其程序:先由地方士紳、耆老等民眾列舉祠神靈跡,銜名保明之。其次,縣衙、州衙、監司等地方官衙,負責詢究、覈實,依序保明備申給上級單位。最後,禮部、太常寺依朝廷的敕令,草擬祠神的廟額及封爵。但自大觀三年後,宋廷明訂祠神封爵號則命詞給誥,而以降敕的方式賜予廟額,兩者最大不同之處,在封爵號中多了中書舍人所擬「命詞」,代表中書舍人對祠神封爵號有疑義時,有拒擬命詞或書行的權力。若有鄉人在朝為官,可進一步幫忙疏通關說,有利於廟額、爵號的申請。宋廷賜予祠神廟額、爵號,除回報祠神的恩惠外,也是回應士紳耆老等民意的請求。如同舉留州縣長吏一樣,寄居官員、舉人、士人等士紳,逐漸扮演重要的角色,常列於銜名之首,顯示士紳在地方事務的運作中,居有一定的影響力。
During the Song Dynasty, if local temples and gods manifested miracles and helped resolve natural disasters, such as floods, then local residents would apply for bestowment of a title for the temple. After the imperial court performed a series of audit procedures, it would then bestow a plaque and a title to the temple. The procedures went as follows. First, the local residents, such as scholars and the elderly, listed the miracles manifested by the god and temple and requested a title in honor of the god and temple. Second, local government offices (county or state) and government officers were responsible for the investigation and checking of facts. The application was submitted to a superior unit in sequential order. Lastly, the Ministry of Rites and Court of Imperial Sacrifice followed the order from the imperial court to draft the plaque and title for the god and temple. However, after year 1109, the imperial court of the Song Dynasty stipulated that a plaque and title for god and temple shall be named by Chung-Shu-She-Jen and bestowed according to the edict issued by the Emperor. The major difference was the "naming" by Chung-Shu-She Jen, suggesting that Chung-Shu-She-Jen was entitled to reject a draft or title in case of any concern. If the local residents happened to serve as government officials in the imperial court, then they might be able to further persuade Chung-Shu-She-Jen, who might assist in the bestowment of plaque and title for the temple. In addition to paying tribute to the mercy of gods, the reason why the imperial court in the Song Dynasty bestowed temple plaque and title to god and temple was also to respond to the request/application of local residents. Similar to magistrates and mayors, candidates in the imperial examinations and scholars also played important roles and usually were responsible for filing the application, suggesting that local literati had a certain influence on the operations of local affairs.