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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Therefore at the services in the grand ancestral temple, all in the two lines of descent were present, and no one failed to receive his proper place in their common relationship, This was what was called (showing) the distance gradually increasing between relatives. 19. Anciently the intelligent rulers conferred rank on the virtuous, and emoluments on the meritorious; and the rule was that this should take place in the Grand temple, to show that they did not dare to do it on their own private motion. Therefore, on the day of sacrifice, after the first presenting (of the cup to the representative), the ruler descended and stood on the south of the steps on the east, with his face to the south, while those who were to receive their appointments stood facing the north. The recorder was on the right of the ruler, holding the tablets on which the appointments were written. He read these, and (each man) bowed twice, with his head to the ground, received the writing, returned (home), and presented ft in his (own) ancestral temple :—such was the way in which rank and reward were given. 20. The ruler, in the dragon robe and squaretopped cap, stood at the top of the steps on the east, while his wife in her head-dress and pheasantembroidered robe, stood in the chamber on the east. When the wife presented and put down the dishes on stands, she held them by the foot; (the officer) who held the vessels with new wine, presented them to her, holding them by the bottom ; when the representative of the dead was handing the cup to the wife, he held it by the handle, and she gave it to him by 248 THE Lf xt. BK. XXII. the foot; when husband and wife were giving and receiving, the one did not touch the place where the other had held the article ; in passing the pledge cup, they changed the cups:—so was the distinction to be maintained between husband and wife shown. 21. In all arrangements with the stands, the chief attention was given to the bones. Some bones were considered nobler, and some meaner. Under the Yin they preferred the thigh bone; and under the Kau, the shoulder bone. Generally, the bones in front were thought nobler than those behind. The stands served to illustrate the rule in sacrifices of showing favours. Hence the nobler guests received the nobler bones, and the lower, the less noble ; the nobler did not receive very much, and the lower were not left without any :—impartiality was thus shown. With impartiality of favours, government proceeded freely; with the free proceeding of government, undertakings were accomplished ; with the accomplishment of undertakings, merit was established. It is necessary that the way in which merit is established should be known. The stands served to show the rule for the impartial bestowment of favours. So did the skilful administrators of government proceed, and hence it is said that (sacrifices showed the principle of) impartiality in the business of government.
2The stands served to show the rule for the impartial bestowment of favours. So did the skilful administrators of government proceed, and hence it is said that (sacrifices showed the principle of) impartiality in the business of government. 22. Whenever they came to the (general) circulation of the cup, those whose place was on the left stood in one row, and also those whose place was on the right. The members of each row had places according to their age; and in the same way were arranged all the assistants at the service. This was what was called (exhibiting) the order of the old and young. BK. XXII. xt THUNG. 249 23. At sacrifices there were portions given to the skinners, cooks, assistants, feather-wavers, and doorkeepers,—showing how favours should descend to the lowest. Only a virtuous ruler, however, could do this; having intelligence sufficient to perceive (the wisdom of) it, and benevolence equal to the bestowment of it. Apportioning means bestowing ; they were able to bestow what was left on those below them. Skinners were the meanest of those who looked after the buff-coats; cooks’ assistants, the meanest of those who looked after the flesh ; feather-wavers, the meanest of those who had to do with the music ; door-keepers, those who looked after the doors ; for anciently they did not employ men who had suffered dismemberment to keep the doors. These four classes of keepers were the meanest of the servants ; and the representative of the dead was the most honoured of all. When the most honoured, at the close of the sacrifice, did not forget those who were the most mean, but took what was left and bestowed it on them, (it may be seen how) with an intelligent ruler above, there would not be any of the people within his territory who suffered from cold and want. This is what was meant by saying that sacrifices show the relation between high and low. 24. T'or the sacrifices (in the ancestral temple) there were the four seasons. That in spring was called yo’; that in summer, tt; that in autumn, khang; and that in winter, £Aang. The yo and tf expressed the idea in the bright and expanding (course of nature); the £#ang and &/4ng, that in ? Meaning, it is said, ‘meagre;’ the things offered being few in the spring season; but such explanations are far-fetched. 250 THE Lf xf. BK. XXII.
3The yo and tf expressed the idea in the bright and expanding (course of nature); the £#ang and &/4ng, that in ? Meaning, it is said, ‘meagre;’ the things offered being few in the spring season; but such explanations are far-fetched. 250 THE Lf xf. BK. XXII. the sombre and contracting (course). The tt showed the former in its fullest development, and the £4ang showed the latter in the same. Hence it is said, ‘There is nothing more important than the tt and 44ang.’ Anciently, at the tt sacrifice, they conferred rank, and bestowed robes ;—acting according to the idea in the bright and expanding (course); and at the &Aang they gave out fields and homesteads, and issued the rules of autumnwork ;—acting according to the idea in the sombre and contracting (course). Hence it is said in the Record, ‘On the day of the &£ang sacrifice they gave forth (the stores of) the ruler’s house;’ showing how rewards (were then given). When the plants were cut down, the punishment of branding might be inflicted. Before the rules of autumn-work were issued, the people did not dare to cut down the grass. 25. Hence it is said that ‘the ideas in the tt and khang are great, and lie at the foundation of the government of a state; and should by all means be known.’ It is for the ruler to know clearly those ideas, and for the minister to be able to execute (what they require). The ruler who does not know the ideas is not complete, and the minister who cannot _ carry them into execution is not complete. ' Now the idea serves to direct and help the aim, and leads to the manifestation of all virtue. Hence he whose virtue is the completest, has the largest aims; and he whose aims are the largest, has the clearest idea. He whose idea is the clearest, will be most reverent in his sacrifices. When the sacrifices (of a state) are reverent, none of the sons and grandsons within its borders will dare to be irreverent. Then the superior man, when he has a sacrifice, will BK. XXII. xf THUNG. 251 feel it necessary to preside at it in person. If there be a (sufficient) reason for it, he may commit the performance of it to another. But when committing the performance to another, the ruler will not fail (to think) of its meaning, because he understands the ideas in it. He whose virtue is slight, has but a small aim. He who is in doubts as to the idea in it, and will yet seek to be reverent in his sacrifice, will find it impossible to be so; and how can he, who sacrifices without reverence, be the parent of his people ?
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1Therefore at the services in the grand ancestral temple, all in the two lines of descent were present, and no one failed to receive his proper place in their common relationship, This was what was called (showing) the distance gradually increasing between relatives. 19. Anciently the intelligent rulers conferred rank on the virtuous, and emoluments on the meritorious; and the rule was that this should take place in the Grand temple, to show that they did not dare to do it on their own private motion. Therefore, on the day of sacrifice, after the first presenting (of the cup to the representative), the ruler descended and stood on the south of the steps on the east, with his face to the south, while those who were to receive their appointments stood facing the north. The recorder was on the right of the ruler, holding the tablets on which the appointments were written. He read these, and (each man) bowed twice, with his head to the ground, received the writing, returned (home), and presented ft in his (own) ancestral temple :—such was the way in which rank and reward were given. 20. The ruler, in the dragon robe and squaretopped cap, stood at the top of the steps on the east, while his wife in her head-dress and pheasantembroidered robe, stood in the chamber on the east. When the wife presented and put down the dishes on stands, she held them by the foot; (the officer) who held the vessels with new wine, presented them to her, holding them by the bottom ; when the representative of the dead was handing the cup to the wife, he held it by the handle, and she gave it to him by 248 THE Lf xt. BK. XXII. the foot; when husband and wife were giving and receiving, the one did not touch the place where the other had held the article ; in passing the pledge cup, they changed the cups:—so was the distinction to be maintained between husband and wife shown. 21. In all arrangements with the stands, the chief attention was given to the bones. Some bones were considered nobler, and some meaner. Under the Yin they preferred the thigh bone; and under the Kau, the shoulder bone. Generally, the bones in front were thought nobler than those behind. The stands served to illustrate the rule in sacrifices of showing favours. Hence the nobler guests received the nobler bones, and the lower, the less noble ; the nobler did not receive very much, and the lower were not left without any :—impartiality was thus shown. With impartiality of favours, government proceeded freely; with the free proceeding of government, undertakings were accomplished ; with the accomplishment of undertakings, merit was established. It is necessary that the way in which merit is established should be known. The stands served to show the rule for the impartial bestowment of favours. So did the skilful administrators of government proceed, and hence it is said that (sacrifices showed the principle of) impartiality in the business of government.
2The stands served to show the rule for the impartial bestowment of favours. So did the skilful administrators of government proceed, and hence it is said that (sacrifices showed the principle of) impartiality in the business of government. 22. Whenever they came to the (general) circulation of the cup, those whose place was on the left stood in one row, and also those whose place was on the right. The members of each row had places according to their age; and in the same way were arranged all the assistants at the service. This was what was called (exhibiting) the order of the old and young. BK. XXII. xt THUNG. 249 23. At sacrifices there were portions given to the skinners, cooks, assistants, feather-wavers, and doorkeepers,—showing how favours should descend to the lowest. Only a virtuous ruler, however, could do this; having intelligence sufficient to perceive (the wisdom of) it, and benevolence equal to the bestowment of it. Apportioning means bestowing ; they were able to bestow what was left on those below them. Skinners were the meanest of those who looked after the buff-coats; cooks’ assistants, the meanest of those who looked after the flesh ; feather-wavers, the meanest of those who had to do with the music ; door-keepers, those who looked after the doors ; for anciently they did not employ men who had suffered dismemberment to keep the doors. These four classes of keepers were the meanest of the servants ; and the representative of the dead was the most honoured of all. When the most honoured, at the close of the sacrifice, did not forget those who were the most mean, but took what was left and bestowed it on them, (it may be seen how) with an intelligent ruler above, there would not be any of the people within his territory who suffered from cold and want. This is what was meant by saying that sacrifices show the relation between high and low. 24. T'or the sacrifices (in the ancestral temple) there were the four seasons. That in spring was called yo’; that in summer, tt; that in autumn, khang; and that in winter, £Aang. The yo and tf expressed the idea in the bright and expanding (course of nature); the £#ang and &/4ng, that in ? Meaning, it is said, ‘meagre;’ the things offered being few in the spring season; but such explanations are far-fetched. 250 THE Lf xf. BK. XXII.
3The yo and tf expressed the idea in the bright and expanding (course of nature); the £#ang and &/4ng, that in ? Meaning, it is said, ‘meagre;’ the things offered being few in the spring season; but such explanations are far-fetched. 250 THE Lf xf. BK. XXII. the sombre and contracting (course). The tt showed the former in its fullest development, and the £4ang showed the latter in the same. Hence it is said, ‘There is nothing more important than the tt and 44ang.’ Anciently, at the tt sacrifice, they conferred rank, and bestowed robes ;—acting according to the idea in the bright and expanding (course); and at the &Aang they gave out fields and homesteads, and issued the rules of autumnwork ;—acting according to the idea in the sombre and contracting (course). Hence it is said in the Record, ‘On the day of the &£ang sacrifice they gave forth (the stores of) the ruler’s house;’ showing how rewards (were then given). When the plants were cut down, the punishment of branding might be inflicted. Before the rules of autumn-work were issued, the people did not dare to cut down the grass. 25. Hence it is said that ‘the ideas in the tt and khang are great, and lie at the foundation of the government of a state; and should by all means be known.’ It is for the ruler to know clearly those ideas, and for the minister to be able to execute (what they require). The ruler who does not know the ideas is not complete, and the minister who cannot _ carry them into execution is not complete. ' Now the idea serves to direct and help the aim, and leads to the manifestation of all virtue. Hence he whose virtue is the completest, has the largest aims; and he whose aims are the largest, has the clearest idea. He whose idea is the clearest, will be most reverent in his sacrifices. When the sacrifices (of a state) are reverent, none of the sons and grandsons within its borders will dare to be irreverent. Then the superior man, when he has a sacrifice, will BK. XXII. xf THUNG. 251 feel it necessary to preside at it in person. If there be a (sufficient) reason for it, he may commit the performance of it to another. But when committing the performance to another, the ruler will not fail (to think) of its meaning, because he understands the ideas in it. He whose virtue is slight, has but a small aim. He who is in doubts as to the idea in it, and will yet seek to be reverent in his sacrifice, will find it impossible to be so; and how can he, who sacrifices without reverence, be the parent of his people ?
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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