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. 三家者. '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 庭 in the last ch., which is call 季氏庭, because circumstances had concurred to make the Ke the chief of the three families; see 四书改错, 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 彻, '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. 辟,—up.4th tone, without an aspirate. 相,—up.3d tone, 'assistant', 'assisting'.

3. CEREMONIES AND MUSIC VAIN WITHOUT VIRTUE. 仁, see I.2. I don't know how to render it here, otherwise than in the transla. Comm. define it—心之全德, 'the entire virtue of the heart'. As referred to 礼, it indicates the feeling of reverence; as referred to 乐(gŏ), it indicates harmoniousness.

4. THE OBJUET OF CEREMONIES SHOULD REGULATE THEM:—AGAINST FORMALISM. 1. Lin Fang, styled 子邱, 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, 本 here is not 根本, 'the radical idea', 'the essence'; but as 初, 'the beginning', opposed to 末, = 'the first thing to be attended to'. 3. 礼 has not the gen. meaning of the char. in the 1st par. As opposed to 丧(up.1st tone), it must indicate the festive or fortunate(吉) ceremonies,—capping, marriage, and sacrifices. 易, read e, low 3d tone. Choo He explained it by治, as in Mencius—易其田畴, 'to cleanse and dress the fields', and interprets as in the transl. The old comm. take the meaning—和易, '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."