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賓入大門而奏《肆夏》，示易以敬也。卒爵而樂闋，孔子屢嘆之。奠酬而工升歌，發德也。歌者在上，匏竹在下，貴人聲也。樂由陽來者也，禮由陰作者也，陰陽和而萬物得。 |
| Jiao Te Sheng: |
When the guests had entered the great door, the music struck up the Si Xia, showing the blended ease and respect (of the king). (While feasting), at the end of (every) cup the music stopped (for a moment), a practice of which Confucius often indicated his admiration. When the last cup had been put down, the performers ascended the hall, and sang;--exhibiting the virtues (of host and guests). The singers were (in the hall) above, and the organists were (in the court) below;--the honour being thus given to the human voice. Music comes from the expanding influence (that operates in nature); ceremonies from the contracting. When the two are in harmony, all things obtain (their full development). |
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諸侯之宮縣，而祭以白牡，擊玉磬，朱干設錫，冕而舞《大武》，乘大路，諸侯之僭禮也。臺門而旅樹，反坫，繡黼，丹朱中衣，大夫之僭禮也。故天子微，諸侯僭；大夫強，諸侯脅。於此相貴以等，相覿以貨，相賂以利，而天下之禮亂矣。諸侯不敢祖天子，大夫不敢祖諸侯。而公廟之設於私家，非禮也，由三桓始也。 |
| Jiao Te Sheng: |
For the princes to suspend (their drums and bells) in four rows like the walls of an apartment (after the fashion of the king), and to use a white bull in sacrificing; to strike the sonorous jade; to use the red shields with their metal fronts and the cap with descending tassels in dancing the Da-Wu; and to ride in the grand chariot - these were usages which they usurped. The towered gateway with the screen across the path, and the stand to receive the emptied cups; the axes embroidered on the inner garment with its vermilion colour - these were usurpations of the Great officers. Thus, when the son of Heaven was small and weak, the princes pushed their usurpations; and when the Great officers were strong, the princes were oppressed by them, In this state (those officers) gave honour to one another as if they had been of (high) degree; had interviews with one another and made offerings; and bribed one another for their individual benefit: and thus all usages of ceremony were thrown into disorder. It was not lawful for the princes to sacrifice to the king to whom they traced their ancestry, nor for the Great officers to do so to the rulers from whom they sprang. The practice of having a temple to such rulers in their private families, was contrary to propriety. It originated with the three Huan. |
| | 郊特牲: |
孔子曰：「繹之於庫門內，祊之於東方，朝市之於西方，失之矣。」 |
| Jiao Te Sheng: |
Confucius said, 'The repetition of the sacrifice next day inside the Ku gate; the searching for the spirits in the eastern quarter; and the holding the market in the morning in the western quarter - these all are errors.' |
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天子適四方，先柴。郊之祭也，迎長日之至也，大報天而主日也。兆於南郊，就陽位也。掃地而祭，於其質也。器用陶匏，以象天地之性也。於郊，故謂之郊。牲用騂，尚赤也；用犢，貴誠也。郊之用辛也，周之始郊日以至。卜郊，受命于祖廟，作龜于禰宮，尊祖親考之義也。卜之日，王立于澤，親聽誓命，受教諫之義也。獻命庫門之內，戒百官也。大廟之命，戒百姓也。 |
| Jiao Te Sheng: |
The son of Heaven, in his tours (of Inspection) to the four quarters (of the kingdom), as the first thing (on his arrival at each) reared the pile of wood (and set fire to it). At the (Great) border sacrifice, he welcomed the arrival of the longest day. It was a great act of thanksgiving to Heaven, and the sun was the chief object considered in it'. The space marked off for it was in the southern suburb - the place most open to the brightness and warmth (of the heavenly influence). The sacrifice was offered on the ground which had been swept for the purpose;--to mark the simplicity (of the ceremony). The vessels used were of earthenware and of gourds - to emblem the natural (productive power of) heaven and earth. The place was the suburb, and therefore the sacrifice was called the suburban or border. The victim was red, that being the colour preferred by the (Zhou) dynasty; and it was a calf - to show the estimation of simple sincerity. For (all) sacrifices in the border they used a xin day; because when Zhou first offered the border sacrifice, it was the longest day, and its name began with xin. When divining about the border sacrifice, (the king) received the reply in the fane of his (great) ancestor, and the tortoise-shell was operated on in that of his father; honour being thus done to his ancestor, and affection shown to his father. On the day of divination, he stood by the lake, and listened himself to the declarations and orders which were delivered, showing an example of receiving lessons and reproof. (The officers) having communicated to him the orders (to be issued), he gives warning notice of them to all the officers (of a different surname from himself), inside the Ku gate (of the palace), and to those of the same surname, in the Grand temple. |
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祭之日，王皮弁以聽祭報，示民嚴上也。喪者不哭，不敢凶服，汜掃反道，鄉為田燭。弗命而民聽上。祭之日，王被袞以象天，戴冕，璪十有二旒，則天數也。乘素車，貴其質也。旗十有二旒，龍章而設日月，以象天也。天垂象，聖人則之。郊所以明天道也。帝牛不吉，以為稷牛。帝牛必在滌三月，稷牛唯具。所以別事天神與人鬼也。萬物本乎天，人本乎祖，此所以配上帝也。郊之祭也，大報本反始也。 |
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On the day of the sacrifice, the king in his skin cap waits for the news that all is ready, showing the people how they ought to venerate their superiors. Those who were engaged in mourning rites did not wail nor venture to put on their mourning dress. (The people) watered and swept the road, and turned it up afresh with the spade; at (the top of) the fields in the neighbourhood they kept torches burning - thus without special orders complying with (the wish of) the king. On that day, the king assumed the robe with the ascending dragons on it as an emblem of the heavens. He wore the cap with the pendants of jade-pearls, to the number of twelve, which is the number of heaven. He rode in the plain carriage, because of its simplicity. From the flag hung twelve pendants, and on it was the emblazonry of dragons, and the figures of the sun and moon, in imitation of the heavens. Heaven hangs out its brilliant figures, and the sages imitated them. This border sacrifice is the illustration of the way of Heaven. If there appeared anything infelicitous about the victim intended for God, it was used for that intended for Ji. That intended for God required to be kept in its clean stall for three months. That intended for Ji simply required to be perfect in its parts. This was the way in which they made a distinction between the spirits of Heaven and the manes of a man. All things originate from Heaven; man originates from his (great) ancestor. This is the reason why Ji was associated with God (at this sacrifice). In the sacrifices at the border there was an expression of gratitude to the source (of their prosperity and a going back in their thoughts to the beginning of (all being). |
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天地合而後萬物興焉。夫昏禮，萬世之始也。取於異姓，所以附遠厚別也。幣必誠，辭無不腆。告之以直信；信，事人也；信，婦德也。壹與之齊，終身不改。故夫死不嫁。 |
| Jiao Te Sheng: |
By the united action of heaven and earth all things spring up. Thus the ceremony of marriage is the beginning of a (line that shall last for a) myriad ages. The parties are of different surnames; thus those who are distant are brought together, and the separation (to be maintained between those who are of the same surname) is emphasised. There must be sincerity in the marriage presents; and all communications (to the woman) must be good. She should be admonished to be upright and sincere. Faithfulness is requisite in all service of others, and faithfulness is (specially) the virtue of a wife. Once mated with her husband, all her life she will not change (her feeling of duty to him) and hence, when the husband dies she will not marry (again). |
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男子親迎，男先於女，剛柔之義也。天先乎地，君先乎臣，其義一也。執摯以相見，敬章別也。男女有別，然後父子親，父子親然後義生，義生然後禮作，禮作然後萬物安。無別無義，禽獸之道也。婿親御授綏，親之也。親之也者，親之也。敬而親之，先王之所以得天下也。出乎大門而先，男帥女，女從男，夫婦之義由此始也。婦人，從人者也；幼從父兄，嫁從夫，夫死從子。夫也者，夫也；夫也者，以知帥人者也。 |
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The gentleman went in person to meet the bride, the man taking the initiative and not the woman, according to the idea that regulates the relation between the strong and the weak (in all nature). It is according to this same idea that heaven takes precedence of earth, and the ruler of the subject. Presents are interchanged before (the parties) see each other; this reverence serving to illustrate the distinction (that should be observed between man and woman). When this distinction (between husband and wife) is exhibited, affection comes to prevail between father and son. When there is this affection, the idea of righteousness arises in the mind, and to this idea of righteousness succeeds (the observance of) ceremonies. Through those ceremonies there ensues universal repose. The absence of such distinction and righteousness is characteristic of the way of beasts. The bridegroom himself stands by (the carriage of the bride), and hands to her the strap (to assist her in mounting), showing his affection. Having that affection, he seeks to bring her near to him. It was by such reverence and affection for their wives that the ancient kings obtained the kingdom. In passing out from the great gate (of her father's house), he precedes, and she follows, and with this the right relation between husband and wife commences. The woman follows (and obeys) the man:-in her youth, she follows her father and elder brother; when married, she follows her husband; when her husband is dead, she follows her son. 'Man' denotes supporter. A man by his wisdom should (be able to) lead others. |
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玄冕齋戒，鬼神陰陽也。將以為社稷主，為先祖後，而可以不致敬乎？共牢而食，同尊卑也。故婦人無爵，從夫之爵，坐以夫之齒。 |
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The dark-coloured cap, and the (preceding) fasting and vigil, (with which the bridegroom meets the bride, makes the ceremony like the service of) spiritual beings, and (the meeting of) the bright and developing and receding influences (in nature). The result of it will be to give the lord for the altars to the spirits of the land and grain, and the successors of the forefathers of the past - is not the utmost reverence appropriate in it? Husband and wife ate, together of the same victim, thus declaring that they were of the same rank. Hence while the wife had (herself) no rank, she was held to be of the rank of her husband, and she took her seat according to the position belonging to him. |
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器用陶匏，尚禮然也。三王作牢用陶匏。厥明，婦盥饋。舅姑卒食，婦餕餘，私之也。舅姑降自西階，婦降自阼階，授之室也。 |
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The old rule at sacrifices was to have the vessels (only) of earthenware and gourds; and when the kings of the three dynasties instituted the (partaking of the) victim, those were the vessels employed. On the day after the marriage, the wife, having washed her hands, prepared and presented (a sucking-pig) to her husband's parents; and when they had done eating, she ate what was left - as a mark of their special regard. They descended from the hall by the steps on the west, while she did so by those on the east - so was she established in the wife's (or mistress's) place. |
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昏禮不用樂，幽陰之義也。樂，陽氣也。昏禮不賀，人之序也。 |
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At the marriage ceremony, they did not employ music, having reference to the feeling of solitariness and darkness (natural to the separation from parents). Music expresses the energy of the bright and expanding influence. There was no congratulation on marriage;-it indicates how (one generation of) men succeeds to another. |
