| | 冠义: |
凡人之所以为人者，礼义也。礼义之始，在于正容体、齐颜色、顺辞令。容体正，颜色齐，辞令顺，而后礼义备。以正君臣、亲父子、和长幼。君臣正，父子亲，长幼和，而后礼义立。故冠而后服备，服备而后容体正、颜色齐、辞令顺。故曰：冠者，礼之始也。是故古者圣王重冠。 |
| Guan Yi: |
Generally speaking, that which makes man man is the meaning of his ceremonial usages. The first indications of that meaning appear in the correct arrangement of the bodily carriage, the harmonious adjustment of the countenance, and in the natural ordering of the speech. When the bodily carriage is well arranged, the countenance harmoniously adjusted, and speech naturally ordered, the meaning of the ceremonial usages becomes complete, and serves to render correct the relation between ruler and subject, to give expression to the affection between father and son, and to establish harmony between seniors and juniors. When the relation between ruler and subject is made correct, affection secured between father and son, and harmony shown between seniors and juniors, then the meaning of those usages is established. Hence after the capping has taken place, provision is made for every other article of dress. With the complete provision of the dress, the bodily carriage becomes (fully) correct, the harmonious expression of the countenance is made perfect, and the speech is all conformed to its purposes. Hence it is said that in capping we have the first indications of (the meaning of the) ceremonial usages. It was on this account that the sage kings of antiquity made so much as they did of the capping. |
| | 冠义: |
古者冠礼筮日筮宾，所以敬冠事，敬冠事所以重礼；重礼所以为国本也。故冠于阼，以著代也；醮于客位，三加弥尊，加有成也；已冠而字之，成人之道也。见于母，母拜之；见于兄弟，兄弟拜之；成人而与为礼也。玄冠、玄端奠挚于君，遂以挚见于乡大夫、乡先生；以成人见也。 |
| Guan Yi: |
Anciently, when about to proceed to the ceremony of capping, they divined for the day by the stalks, and also for the guests (who should be present). In this way did they manifest the value which they attached to capping. Attaching such a value to it, they made the ceremony very important. They made the ceremony so important, showing how they considered it to lie at the foundation of the state's (prosperity). Hence (also) the capping took place at the top of the eastern steps, (appropriate to the use of the Master) - to show that the son would (in due time) take his place. (The father) handed him a (special) cup in the guests' place. Three caps were used in the ceremony, each successive one more honourable, and giving the more importance to his coming of age. When the capping was over, he received the name of his maturity. So was it shown that he was now a full-grown man. He presented himself before his mother, and his mother bowed to him; he did the same before his brothers and cousins, and they bowed to him - he was a man grown, and so they exchanged courtesies with him. In the dark-coloured cap, and the dark-coloured square-cut robes, he put down his gift of introduction before the ruler, and then proceeded with the proper gifts to present himself to the high ministers and Great officers, and to the old gentlemen of the country - appearing before them as a man grown. |
| | 冠义: |
成人之者，将责成人礼焉也。责成人礼焉者，将责为人子、为人弟、为人臣、为人少者之礼行焉。将责四者之行于人，其礼可不重与？ |
| Guan Yi: |
Treating him (now) as a grown-up man, they would require from him all the observances of a full-grown man. Doing so, they would require from him the performance of all the duties of a son, a younger brother, a subject, and a junior. But when these four duties or services were required from him, was it not right that the ceremony by which he was placed in such a position should be considered important? |
| | 冠义: |
故孝弟忠顺之行立，而后可以为人；可以为人，而后可以治人也。故圣王重礼。故曰：冠者，礼之始也，嘉事之重者也。是故古者重冠；重冠故行之于庙；行之于庙者，所以尊重事；尊重事而不敢擅重事；不敢擅重事，所以自卑而尊先祖也。 |
| Guan Yi: |
Thus when the discharge of filial and fraternal duties, of loyal service, and of deferential submission was established, he could indeed be regarded as a (full-grown) man. When he could be regarded as such, he could be employed to govern other men. It was on this account that the sage kings attached such an importance to the ceremony, and therefore it was said, that in capping we have the introduction to all the ceremonial usages, and that it is the most important of the festive services. |
