CHAPTER 4

1. Lin Fang asked what was the first thing to be attended to in ceremonies.

2. The Master said, "A great question indeed! "

2. AGAIN AGAINST USURPED RITES. Ba nhà người. 'Those belonging to the three families. ' They assembled together, as being the descendants of duke Hwan (II. 5), in one temple. To this temple belonged the Tòa in the last ch., which is call Quý thị tòa, because circumstances had concurred to make the Ke the chief of the three families; see Tứ thư đổi sai, viii. 7. For the Yung ode, see She-king, II. II. Ode. II. st. 7. It was, properly, sung in the imperial temples of the Chow dynasty, at the Triệt để, 'the clearing away', of the sacrificial apparatus, and contains the lines quoted by Confucius, which of course where quite inappropriate to the circumstances of the three families. Tích, —up. 4th tone, without an aspirate. Cùng nhau, —up. 3d tone, 'assistant', 'assisting'.

3. CEREMONIES AND MUSIC VAIN WITHOUT VIRTUE. Nhân, see I. 2. I don't know how to render it here, otherwise than in the transla. Comm. define it— Tâm chi toàn bộ đức, 'the entire virtue of the heart'. As referred to Lễ, it indicates the feeling of reverence; as referred to nhạc (go?), it indicates harmoniousness.

4. THE OBJUET OF CEREMONIES SHOULD REGULATE THEM: —AGAINST FORMALISM. 1. Lin Fang, styled Tử khâu, was a man of Loo, supposed to have been a disciple of Conf., and whose tablet is now placed first, on the west, in the outer court of the temples. He is known only by the question in this ch. Acc. to Choo He, Bản here is not căn bản, 'the radical idea', 'the essence'; but as ban đầu, 'the beginning', opposed to cuối cùng, = 'the first thing to be attended to'. 3. Lễ has not the gen. meaning of the char. in the 1st par. As opposed to Tang (up. 1st tone), it must indicate the festive or fortunate (Cát) ceremonies, —capping, marriage, and sacrifices. Dịch, read e, low 3d tone. Choo He explained it by Trị, as in Mencius— dịch hắn Điền Trù, 'to cleanse and dress the fields', and interprets as in the transl. The old comm. take the meaning— Ôn hoà, 'harmony and ease', i. e., not being overmuch troubled.

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 in minute attention to observances. "