CHAPTER 16

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. "

14. THE COMPLETENESS AND ELEGANCE OF THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE CHOW DYNASTY. By the Chu we are specially to understand the founders of the power and polity of the dynasty—the kings Wan and Woo, and the duke of Chow. The two past dynasties are of course the Hea and the Shang or Yin. Văn is an adj.

15. CONFUCIUS IN THE GRAND TEMPLE. Lớn (= Quá) miếu was the temple dedicated to the duke of Chow (Chu công), and where he was worshipped with imperial rites. The thing is supposed to have taken place, at the begin. of Conf. official service in Loo, when he went into the temple with other officers to assist at the sacrifice. He had studied all about ceremonies, and was famed for his knowledge of them, but he thought it a mark of sincerity and earnestness to make minute inquiries about them on the occasion spoken of. Châu was the name of the town in Loo of which Conf. father had been governor, who was known therefore as 'the man of Tsow'. We may suppose that Conf. would be styled as in the text, only in his early life, or by very ordinary people.

16. HOW THE ANCIENTS MADE ARCHERY A DISCIPLINE OF VIRTUE. We are not to understand Xạ không chủ da of all archery among the ancients. The char. are found in the Nghi lễ, hương xạ, par. 315, preceded by the char. Lễ. There were trails of archery where the strength was tested. Probably Conf. was speaking of the Lễ xạ of his times, when the strength which could go through the da, 'skin', or leather, in the middle of the target, was esteemed more than the skill which could hit it.