| | 檀弓上: |
孔子曰：「之死而致死之，不仁而不可為也；之死而致生之，不知而不可為也。是故，竹不成用，瓦不成味，木不成斫，琴瑟張而不平，竽笙備而不和，有鐘磬而無簨虡，其曰明器，神明之也。」 |
| Tan Gong I: |
Confucius said, 'In dealing with the dead, if we treat them as if they were entirely dead, that would show a want of affection, and should not be done; or, if we treat them as if they were entirely alive, that would show a want of wisdom, and should not be done. On this account the vessels of bamboo (used in connexion with the burial of the dead) are not fit for actual use; those of earthenware cannot be used to wash in; those of wood are incapable of being carved; the lutes are strung, but not evenly; the pandean pipes are complete, but not in tune; the bells and musical stones are there, but they have no stands. They are called vessels to the eye of fancy; that is, (the dead) are thus treated as if they were spiritual intelligences.' |
| | 王制: |
凡居民材，必因天地寒暖燥濕，廣谷大川異制。民生其間者異俗：剛柔輕重遲速異齊，五味異和，器械異制，衣服異宜。修其教，不易其俗；齊其政，不易其宜。 |
| Wang Zhi: |
In all their settlements, the bodily capacities of the people are sure to be according to the sky and earthly influences, as cold or hot, dry or moist. Where the valleys are wide and the rivers large, the ground was differently laid out; and the people born in them had different customs. Their temperaments, as hard or soft, light or grave, slow or rapid, were made uniform by different measures; their preferences as to flavours were differently harmonised; their implements were differently made; their clothes were differently fashioned, but always suitably. Their training was varied, without changing their customs; and the governmental arrangements were uniform, without changing the suitability (in each case). |
| | 王制: |
中國戎夷，五方之民，皆有其性也，不可推移。東方曰夷，被髮文身，有不火食者矣。南方曰蠻，雕題交趾，有不火食者矣。西方曰戎，被髮衣皮，有不粒食者矣。北方曰狄，衣羽毛穴居，有不粒食者矣。中國、夷、蠻、戎、狄，皆有安居、和味、宜服、利用、備器，五方之民，言語不通，嗜欲不同。達其志，通其欲：東方曰寄，南方曰象，西方曰狄鞮，北方曰譯。 |
| Wang Zhi: |
The people of those five regions - the Middle states, and the Rong, Yi, (and other wild tribes round them) - had all their several natures, which they could not be made to alter. The tribes on the east were called Yi. They had their hair unbound, and tattooed their bodies. Some of them ate their food without its being cooked. Those on the south were called Man. They tattooed their foreheads, and had their feet turned in towards each other. Some of them (also) ate their food without its being cooked. Those on the west were called Rong. They had their hair unbound, and wore skins. Some of them did not eat grain-food. Those on the north were called Di. They wore skins of animals and birds, and dwelt in caves. Some of them also did not eat grain-food. The people of the Middle states, and of those Man, Rong, and Di, all had their dwellings, where they lived at ease; their flavours which they preferred; the clothes suitable for them; their proper implements for use; and their vessels which they prepared in abundance. In those five regions, the languages of the people were not mutually intelligible, and their likings and desires were different. To make what was in their minds apprehended, and to communicate their likings and desires, (there were officers) - in the east, called transmitters; in the south, representationists; in the west, Di-dis; and in the north, interpreters. |
| | 月令: |
孟春之月，日在營室，昏參中，旦尾中。其日甲乙。其帝大皞，其神句芒。其蟲鱗。其音角，律中大蔟。其數八。其味酸，其臭膻。其祀戶，祭先脾。 |
| Yue Ling: |
In the first month of spring the sun is in Shi, the star culminating at dusk being Shen, and that culminating at dawn Wei. Its days are jia and yi. Its divine ruler is Dai Hao, and the (attending) spirit is Gou-mang. Its creatures are the scaly. Its musical note is Jiao, and its pitch-tube is the Dai Cu. Its number is eight; its take is sour; its smell is rank. Its sacrifice is that at the door, and of the parts of the victim the spleen has the foremost place. |
| | 月令: |
仲春之月，日在奎，昏弧中，旦建星中。其日甲乙，其帝大皞，其神句芒。其蟲鱗。其音角，律中夾鐘。其數八。其味酸，其臭膻，其祀戶，祭先脾。 |
| Yue Ling: |
In the second month of spring, the sun is in Kui, the star culminating at dusk being Hu, and that culminating at dawn Jian-xing. Its days are jia and yi. Its divine ruler is Dai Hao, the attending spirit is Gou-mang. Its creatures are the scaly. Its musical note is Jiao, and its pitch-tube is the Jia Zhong. Its number is eight; its taste is sour; its smell is rank. Its sacrifice is that at the door, and of the parts of the victim the spleen has the foremost place. |
| | 月令: |
季春之月，日在胃，昏七星中，旦牽牛中。其日甲乙。其帝大皞，其神句芒。其蟲鱗。其音角，律中姑洗。其數八。其味酸，其臭膻。其祀戶，祭先脾。 |
| Yue Ling: |
In the last month of spring, the sun is in Wei, the constellation culminating at dusk being Qi xing, and that culminating at dawn Qian-niu. Its days are jia and yi. Its divine ruler is Dai Hao, and the attending spirit is Gou-mang. Its creatures are the scaly. Its musical note is the Jiao, and its pitch-tube is the Gu Xian. Its number is eight. Its taste is sour. Its smell is rank. Its sacrifice is that at the door, and of the parts of the victim the spleen has the foremost place. |
| | 月令: |
孟夏之月，日在畢，昏翼中，旦婺女中。其日丙丁。其帝炎帝，其神祝融。其蟲羽。其音徵，律中中呂。其數七。其味苦，其臭焦。其祀灶，祭先肺。 |
| Yue Ling: |
In the first month of summer, the sun is in Bi; the constellation culminating at dusk being Yi, and that culminating at dawn Wu-nu. Its days are bing and ding. Its divine ruler is Yan Di, and the (attending) spirit is Gu-rong. Its creatures are the feathered. Its musical note is Zhi, and its pitch-tube is the Zhong Lu. Its number is seven. Its taste is acrid. Its smell is that of things burning. Its sacrifice is that at the furnace; and of the parts of the victim the lungs have the foremost place. |
| | 月令: |
仲夏之月，日在東井，昏亢中，旦危中。其日丙丁。其帝炎帝，其神祝融。其蟲羽。其音徵，律中蕤賓。其數七。其味苦，其臭焦。其祀灶，祭先肺。 |
| Yue Ling: |
In the second month of summer the sun is in the eastern Jing, the constellation culminating at dusk being Kang, and that culminating at dawn Wei. Its days are ping and ting. Its divine ruler is Yan Di, and the (attending) spirit is Gu-rong. Its creatures are the feathered. Its musical note is Zhi, and its pitch-tube is Rui Bin. Its number is seven. Its taste is acrid. Its smell is that of things burning. Its sacrifice is that at the furnace; and of the parts of the victim the lungs have the foremost place. |
| | 月令: |
是月也，日長至，陰陽爭，死生分。君子齊戒，處必掩身，毋躁。止聲色，毋或進。薄滋味，毋致和。節嗜欲，定心氣，百官靜事毋刑，以定晏陰之所成。鹿角解，蟬始鳴。半夏生，木堇榮。 |
| Yue Ling: |
In this month the longest day arrives. The influences in nature of darkness and decay and those 'Of brightness and growth struggle together; the tendencies to death and life are divided. Superior men give themselves to vigil and fasting. They keep retired in their houses, avoid all violent exercise, restrain their indulgence in music and beautiful sights, eschew the society of their wives, make their diet spare, use no piquant condiments, keep their desires under rule, and maintain their spirits free from excitement. The various magistrates keep things quiet and inflict no punishments - to bring about that state of settled quiet in which the influence of darkness and decay shall obtain its full development. Deer shed their horns. Cicadas begin to sing. The midsummer herb is produced. The tree hibiscus flowers. |
