The
Chau dynasty has followed the regulations of Yin: wherein it took
from or added to them may be known. Some other may follow the
Chau, but though it should be at the distance of a hundred ages, its
affairs may be known.'
CHAP. XXIV. 1. The Master said, 'For a man to sacrifice to a
spirit which does not belong to him is flattery.
2. 'To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage.'
BOOK III. PA YIH.
CHAP. I. Confucius said of the head of the Chi family, who had
eight rows of pantomimes in his area, 'If he can bear to do this,
what may he not bear to do?'
CHAP. II. The three families used the YUNG ode, while the
vessels were being removed, at the conclusion of the sacrifice. The
Master said, '"Assisting are the princes; - the son of heaven looks
profound and grave:" - what application can these words have in
the hall of the three families?'
CHAP. III. The Master said, 'If a man be without the virtues
proper to humanity, what has he to do with the rites of propriety?
If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to
do with music?'
CHAP. IV. 1. Lin Fang asked what was the first thing to be
attended to in ceremonies.
2. The Master said, 'A great question indeed!
3. 'In festive ceremonies, it is better to be sparing than
extravagant.
In the ceremonies of mourning, it is better that there be deep
sorrow than a minute attention to observances.'
CHAP. V. The Master said, 'The rude tribes of the east and
north have their princes, and are not like the States of our great
land which are without them.'
CHAP. VI. The chief of the Chi family was about to sacrifice to
the T'ai mountain. The Master said to Zan Yu, 'Can you not save him
from this?' He answered, 'I cannot.' Confucius said, 'Alas! will you
say that the T'ai mountain is not so discerning as Lin Fang?'
CHAP. VII. The Master said, 'The student of virtue has no
contentions. If it be said he cannot avoid them, shall this be in
archery? But he bows complaisantly to his competitors; thus he
ascends the hall, descends, and exacts the forfeit of drinking. In his
contention, he is still the Chun-tsze.'
CHAP. VIII. 1. Tsze-hsia asked, saying, 'What is the meaning
of the passage - "The pretty dimples of her artful smile! The well-
defined black and white of her eye! The plain ground for the
colours?"'
2. The Master said, 'The business of laying on the colours
follows (the preparation of) the plain ground.'
3. 'Ceremonies then are a subsequent thing?' The Master said,
'It is Shang who can bring out my meaning. Now I can begin to talk
about the odes with him.'
CHAP. IX. The Master said, 'I could describe the ceremonies of
the Hsia dynasty, but Chi cannot sufficiently attest my words. I
could describe the ceremonies of the Yin dynasty, but Sung cannot
sufficiently attest my words. (They cannot do so) because of the
insufficiency of their records and wise men. If those were
sufficient, I could adduce them in support of my words.'
CHAP. X. The Master said, 'At the great sacrifice, after the
pouring out of the libation, I have no wish to look on.'
CHAP. XI. Some one asked the meaning of the great sacrifice.
The Master said, 'I do not know. He who knew its meaning would
find it as easy to govern the kingdom as to look on this; - pointing
to his palm.
CHAP. XII. 1. He sacrificed to the dead, as if they were
present. He sacrificed to the spirits, as if the spirits were present.
2. The Master said, 'I consider my not being present at the
sacrifice, as if I did not sacrifice.'
CHAP. XIII. 1. Wang-sun Chia asked, saying, 'What is the
meaning of the saying, "It is better to pay court to the furnace than
to the south-west corner?"'
2. The Master said, 'Not so. He who offends against Heaven
has none to whom he can pray.'
CHAP. XIV. The Master said, 'Chau had the advantage of
viewing the two past dynasties. How complete and elegant are its
regulations! I follow Chau.'
CHAP. XV. The Master, when he entered the grand temple,
asked about everything. Some one said, 'Who will say that the son
of the man of Tsau knows the rules of propriety! He has entered the
grand temple and asks about everything.' The Master heard the
remark, and said, 'This is a rule of propriety.'
CHAP. XVI. The Master said, 'In archery it is not going
through the leather which is the principal thing; - because people's
strength is not equal. This was the old way.'
CHAP. XVII. 1. Tsze-kung wished to do away with the offering
of a sheep connected with the inauguration of the first day of each
month.
2. The Master said, 'Ts'ze, you love the sheep; I love the
ceremony.'
CHAP. XVII. The Master said, 'The full observance of the rules
of propriety in serving one's prince is accounted by people to be
flattery.'
CHAP. XIX. The Duke Ting asked how a prince should employ
his ministers, and how ministers should serve their prince.
Confucius replied, 'A prince should employ his minister according to
according to the rules of propriety; ministers should serve their
prince with faithfulness.'
CHAP. XX. The Master said, 'The Kwan Tsu is expressive of
enjoyment without being licentious, and of grief without being
hurtfully excessive.'
CHAP. XXI. 1. The Duke Ai asked Tsai Wo about the altars of
the spirits of the land.
