| | 王制: |
天子五年一巡守：歲二月，東巡守至于岱宗，柴而望祀山川；覲諸侯；問百年者就見之。命大師陳詩以觀民風，命市納賈以觀民之所好惡，志淫好辟。命典禮考時月，定日，同律，禮樂制度衣服正之。 |
| Wang Zhi: |
The son of Heaven, every five years, made a tour of Inspection through the fiefs. In the second month of the year, he visited those on the East, going to the honoured mountain of Tai. There he burnt a (great) pile of wood, and announced his arrival to Heaven; and with looks directed to them, sacrificed to the hills and rivers. He gave audience to the princes; inquired out those who were 100 years old, and went to see them: ordered the Grand music-master to bring him the poems (current in the different states), that he might see the manners of the people; ordered the superintendents of markets to present (lists of prices), that he might see what the people liked and disliked, and whether they were set on extravagance and loved what was bad; he ordered the superintendent of rites to examine the seasons and months, and fix the days, and to make uniform the standard tubes, the various ceremonies, the (instruments of) music, all measures, and (the fashions of) clothes. (Whatever was wrong in these) was rectified. |
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山川神祇，有不舉者，為不敬；不敬者，君削以地。宗廟，有不順者為不孝；不孝者，君絀以爵。變禮易樂者，為不從；不從者，君流。革制度衣服者，為畔；畔者，君討。有功德於民者，加地進律。 |
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Where any of the spirits of the hills and rivers had been unattended to, it was held to be an act of irreverence, and the irreverent ruler was deprived of a part of his territory. Where there had been neglect of the proper order in the observances of the ancestral temple, it was held to show a want of filial piety and the rank of the unfilial ruler was reduced. Where any ceremony had been altered, or any instrument of music changed, it was held to be an instance of disobedience, and the disobedient ruler was banished. Where the statutory measures and the (fashion of) clothes had been changed, it was held to be rebellion, and the rebellious ruler was taken off. The ruler who had done good service for the people, and shown them an example of virtue, received an addition to his territory and rank. |
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五月，南巡守至于南岳，如東巡守之禮。八月，西巡守至于西岳，如南巡守之禮。十有一月，北巡守至于北岳，如西巡守之禮。歸，假于祖禰，用特。 |
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In the seventh month, (the son of Heaven) continued his tour, going to the south, to the mountain of that quarter, observing the same ceremonies as in the east. In the eighth month, he went on to the west, to the mountain of that quarter, observing the same ceremonies as in the south. In the eleventh month, he went on to the north, to the mountain of that quarter, observing the same ceremonies as in the west. (When all was done), he returned (to the capital), repaired (to the ancestral temple) and offered a bull in each of the fanes, from that of his (high) ancestor to that of his father. |
