Chapter 3 of the Analects of Confucius

孔kǒng子zǐ谓wèi季jì氏shì：“八bā佾yì舞wǔ于yú庭tíng，是shì可kě忍rěn也yě，孰shú不bù可kě忍rěn也yě!”

III.1. The head of the Ji family had eight choirs of dancers performing in the courtyard of his ancestral temple. Confucius said:
— If he dares to commit such an offense, what won’t he dare to do?

Notes:

The head of the Ji family, or Ji Sun, was a grand prefect in the state of Lu. The emperor had eight choirs of dancers; the regional lords had six, the great officers four, and lesser officers two. The number of men in each choir was equal to the number of choirs. Some authors say that each choir consisted of eight men. We don’t know which of these two opinions is correct. The head of the Ji family was only a great officer; he usurped the ceremonies and songs reserved for the emperor.

三sān家jiā者zhě以yǐ雍yōng彻chè。子zǐ曰yuē：“相xiàng维wéi辟bì公gōng，天tiān子zǐ穆mù穆mù。奚xī取qǔ于yú三sān家jiā之zhī堂táng!”

III.2. The three families had the song Yong performed while removing the vessels after offerings. The Master said:
— The attendants are all feudal lords; the demeanor of the Son of Heaven is most reverent; how can these words be sung in the ancestral temples of the three families?

Notes:

These three families were the families of Meng Sun (or Zhong Sun), Shou Sun, and Ji Sun, whose heads were grand prefects in the state of Lu. Yong is the name of an ode found in the Book of Songs among the Praises of Zhou. King Wu sang it when presenting offerings to King Wen. The Zhou people sang it in the ancestral temple at the end of offerings to announce that the ceremony was finished. The heads of the three families, who only held the rank of great officer, appropriated a ceremony and song reserved for the emperor.

子zǐ曰yuē：“人rén而ér不bù仁rén，如rú礼lǐ何hé！人rén而ér不bù仁rén，如rú乐yuè何hé!”

III.3. The Master said:
— How can a man without humaneness perform rituals? How can a man without humaneness appreciate music?

Notes:

When a man loses humaneness along with the virtues of the heart, his heart lacks the reverence that is essential to rituals; he lacks the harmony of passions that is the foundation of music.

林lín放fàng问wèn礼lǐ之zhī本běn。子zǐ曰yuē：“大dà哉zāi问wèn！礼lǐ，与yú其qí奢shē也yě，宁nìng俭jiǎn，与yú其qí易yì也yě，宁nìng戚qī。”

III.4. Lin Fang asked about the essence of rituals. The Master replied:
— Oh! What an important question! In ceremonies, it is better to be modest than extravagant; in mourning, it is better to show grief than to use elaborate displays.

子zǐ曰yuē：“夷yí狄dí之zhī有yǒu君jūn，不bù如rú诸zhū夏xià之zhī无wú也yě。”

III.5. The Master said:
— The barbarians of the east and north who have rulers are less miserable than the many people of China who have none.

季jì氏shì旅lǚ于yú泰tài山shān。子zǐ谓wèi冉rǎn有yǒu曰yuē：“汝rǔ弗fú能néng救jiù与yú？”对duì曰yuē：“不bù能néng。”子zǐ曰yuē：“呜wū呼hū！曾céng谓wèi泰tài山shān，不bù若ruò林lín放fàng乎hū!”

III.6. The head of the Ji family offered sacrifices to the spirits of Mount Tai. The Master said to Ran You:
— Cannot you stop this abuse?
Ran You replied:
— I cannot.
The Master said:
— Oh! Will people say that the spirits of Mount Tai are less intelligent than Lin Fang?

Notes:

Mount Tai is a mountain in the state of Lu. According to ritual, each feudal lord sacrificed to the spirits of the mountains and rivers within his domain. By sacrificing to the spirits of Mount Tai, the head of the Ji family usurped a right he did not possess (he was only a great officer). Ran You, named Qiu, was a disciple of Confucius and was then an official under Ji Sun. The philosopher said:
“Ji Sun must not sacrifice to the spirits of Mount Tai. You are his official. Is it the only thing you cannot make him change his mind about?” Ran You replied:
“I cannot.” The philosopher said, sighing: “Will people imagine that the spirits of Mount Tai accept sacrifices contrary to ritual, and that they understand less than Lin Fang, less than a citizen of Lu, what is essential in ceremonies? I am sure they do not accept the sacrifices of Ji Sun.”

子zǐ曰yuē：“君jūn子zǐ无wú所suǒ争zhēng。必bì也yě射shè乎hū！揖yī让ràng而ér升shēng，下xià而ér饮yǐn，其qí争zhēng也yě君jūn子zǐ。”

III.7. The Master said:
— The sage has no quarrels. If he has, it is certainly when he shoots at the archery. Before the contest, he bows and yields to his opponents and ascends to the prepared place. After the contest, he drinks the liquor that the losers are obliged to take. Even when he contests, he remains wise.

Notes:

According to the rules of solemn archery, the president divided the archers into three groups of three men each. When the time came, the three companions set out together, bowed three times, and showed three times their mutual respect, then ascended to the prepared place for the shooting. After the shooting, they bowed once, descended, and standing, waited for the other groups to finish shooting. The winners, standing in front of the losers, bowed three times. These bowed again, ascended to the shooting place, took the cups, and standing, drank the liquor they had to accept as punishment. Normally, when offering to drink, the cups were presented. But after archery, the losers had to take the cups themselves, without any polite invitation, to show that it was a penalty. Thus the ancient sages, even when vying for victory, were conciliatory and patient, bowing and showing mutual respect. In this way, even in the midst of the contest, they always showed equal wisdom. Truly the sage has no quarrels.

子zǐ夏xià问wèn曰yuē：“‘巧qiǎo笑xiào倩qiàn兮xī，美měi目mù盼pàn兮xī。’何hé谓wèi也yě?”子zǐ曰yuē：“绘huì事shì后hòu素sù。”曰yuē：“礼lǐ后hòu乎hū?”子zǐ曰yuē：“起qǐ予yú者zhě商shāng也yě，始shǐ可kě以yǐ言yán诗shī已yǐ矣yǐ。”

III.8. Zixia asked Confucius:
“In the Book of Songs, it says:
A skillful smile elegantly plies the corners of the mouth; her beautiful eyes gleam with a mixed light of black and white. A plain background receives a painting of various colors.

What does this mean?”
The Master replied:
— Before painting, one needs a plain background.
Zixia said:
— Does this not mean that external ceremonies require above all the sincerity of feelings?
The Master said:
— Zixia knows how to elucidate my thoughts. Now I can explain the poems of the Book of Songs to him.

Notes:

A man whose mouth is elegant and eyes bright can receive various ornaments, just as a plain background can receive a varied painting. The ancient emperors instituted the ceremonies so that they might be the elegant expression and ornament of the feelings of the heart. Ceremonies presuppose, as their foundation, the sincerity of feelings, just as a painting requires first a plain background.

子zǐ曰yuē：“夏xià礼lǐ吾wú能néng言yán之zhī，杞qǐ不bù足zú征zhēng也yě。殷yīn礼lǐ吾wú能néng言yán之zhī，宋sòng不bù足zú征zhēng也yě。文wén献xiàn不bù足zú故gù也yě。足zú，则zé吾wú能néng征zhēng之zhī矣yǐ。”

III.9. The Master said:
— I can explain the rituals of the Xia dynasty. But the princes of Qi (descendants of the Xia) no longer observe them and cannot testify to them with certainty. I can explain the rituals of the Yin dynasty. But the testimonies are lacking; for the princes of Song, descendants of the Yin, no longer observe them and cannot give certain knowledge of them. The princes of Qi and Song cannot testify with certainty to the rituals of the Xia and Yin because the documents and men are lacking. If they were not lacking, I could provide testimonies.

子zǐ曰yuē：“谛dì，自zì既jì灌guàn而ér往wǎng者zhě，吾wú不bù欲yù观guān之zhī矣yǐ。”

III.10. The Master said:
— In the ceremony Di, performed by the prince of Lu, everything that follows the libations displeases me; I cannot bear to see it.

Notes:

Confucius blames the permission given to the princes of Lu to perform a ceremony that should have been reserved for the emperor. In ancient times, the emperor, after offering sacrifices to the founder of the reigning dynasty, also offered them to the father of the founder of the dynasty and to the founder himself. This ceremony took place every five years and was called Di. Since Zhou Gong had distinguished himself by great services and had been created prince of Lu by his brother Wu Wang, Cheng Wang, the successor of Wu Wang, allowed the prince of Lu to perform this important ceremony. The prince of Lu therefore offered the sacrifice Di in the temple of Zhou Gong, to Wen Wang, as to the father of the founder of the dynasty, and associated with this honor Zhou Gong. This ceremony was contrary to the ancient rites.
The libations consisted of pouring a perfumed liquor on the ground at the beginning of the sacrifice, to invite the spirits to descend. At the time of these libations, the attention of the prince of Lu and his ministers was not yet distracted; the sight of this ceremony was still bearable. But then they gradually abandoned themselves to carelessness and negligence; they presented a painful sight.

或huò问wèn谛dì之zhī说shuō。子zǐ曰yuē：“不bù知zhī也yě。知zhī其qí说shuō者zhě之zhī于yú天tiān下xià也yě，其qí如rú示shì诸zhū斯sī乎hū？”指zhǐ其qí掌zhǎng。

III.11. Someone asked Confucius about the meaning of the sacrifice Di. The Master replied:
— I do not know. If one knew, governing the empire would be no more difficult than looking at this.
Saying this, he showed the palm of his hand.

Notes:

The ancient emperors showed their desire to be grateful to their parents and to honor their ancestors no more than in the sacrifice Di. This is what that man who asked about the meaning of the sacrifice Di could not understand. Moreover, in the state of Lu, where the princes performed this ceremony, one had to avoid recalling the law that forbade it to anyone but the emperor. For these reasons, Confucius answered: “I do not know.” Could there be something that the foremost sage in the world really did not know?

祭jì如rú在zài，祭jì神shén如rú神shén在zài。子zǐ曰yuē：“吾wú不bù与yù祭jì，如rú不bù祭jì。”

III.12. Confucius performed sacrifices to his ancestral spirits and the household gods as if they were present. He said:
— A sacrifice that I do not attend in person, and that is offered by another, does not seem to me a true sacrifice.

王wáng孙sūn贾jiǎ问wèn曰yuē：“与yú其qí媚mèi于yú奥ào，宁nìng媚mèi于yú灶zào也yě。何hé谓wèi也yě?”子zǐ曰yuē：“不bù然rán。获huò罪zuì于yú天tiān，无wú所suǒ祷dǎo也yě。”

III.13. Wang Sun Jia asked what the meaning of this proverb was:
It is better to curry favor with the god of the kitchen than with the spirits of the remote parts of the house.

The Master replied:
— Neither is better than the other. He who offends Heaven will find no intercessor among the spirits.

Notes:

Wang Sun Jia was an all-powerful grand prefect in the state of Wei. Confucius was then in that state. Wang Sun Jia suspected that he intended to seek office. He wished that he would attach himself to him; but he did not dare to say so openly. He therefore resorted to an allegory and said:
“According to a proverb, offerings are made to the god of the kitchen and in the remote parts of the house. The kitchen is the abode of the god of the kitchen. Although this god is of low rank, a special offering is made to him. The remote parts of the house are the apartments located in the southwest corner. The spirits that dwell there are of high rank; nevertheless, no special offering is made to them. When one wants to offer sacrifices to the spirits to obtain a favor, it is better to curry favor with the god of the kitchen to obtain his secret protection than to curry favor with the spirits of the house to pay homage to their useless dignity. This popular saying must have a profound meaning. What is its meaning?”
By speaking thus, Wang Sun Jia designated himself under the figure of the god of the kitchen, and he designated his prince under the figure of the spirits of the house. He meant to say that it was better to attach oneself to him than to seek the favor of the prince. Confucius guessed his meaning. Without openly reproving him, he merely replied: “I condemn all flattery, whether to the spirits of the house or to the god of the kitchen. Above the spirits of the house and the god of the kitchen is Heaven, which is supremely noble and has no equal. He who conducts himself according to the light of right reason is rewarded by Heaven. He who acts contrary to right reason is punished by Heaven. If someone does not know how to stay within the limits of his condition and follow right reason, he offends Heaven. He who offends Heaven, where will he find a protector to obtain his pardon?”

子zǐ曰yuē：“周zhōu监jiān于yú二èr代dài。郁yù郁yù乎hū文wén哉zāi，吾wú从cóng周zhōu。”

III.14. The Master said:
— The Zhou dynasty consulted and imitated the laws of the two previous dynasties. How beautiful are the laws of the Zhou! I follow the laws of the Zhou.

子zǐ入rù太tài庙miào，每měi事shì问wèn。或huò曰yuē：“孰shú谓wèi邹zōu人rén之zhī子zǐ知zhī礼lǐ乎hū？入rù太tài庙miào，每měi事shì问wèn。”子zǐ闻wén之zhī曰yuē：“是shì礼lǐ也yě。”

III.15. When the Master entered the temple of the most ancient prince of Lu, he asked about each of the rites. Someone said:
— Will they say that the son of the citizen of Zhou knows the rites? In the temple of our most ancient prince, he asks about each thing.
When the Master heard this, he said:
— In this, I followed the rites.

Notes:

In the state of Lu, the temple of the most ancient prince was that of Zhou Gong. Zhou is the name of a city in the state of Lu. Shou Liang He, father of Confucius, was prefect of this city. Confucius is therefore called the son of the citizen of Zhou. He was born in Zhou.

子zǐ曰yuē：“射shè不bù主zhǔ皮pí，为wéi力lì不bù同tóng科kē，古gǔ之zhī道dào也yě。”

III.16. The Master said:
— In archery, success does not consist in piercing the target, but in hitting the center; for men are not all of equal strength. This is how the ancients decided it.

Notes:

After displaying the target, a piece of leather that formed the center and was called Kou, small bird, was affixed in its middle. The ancients had established archery to judge skill. The essential thing was to hit the center of the target, not to pierce it.

子zǐ贡gòng欲yù去qù告gào朔shuò之zhī饩xì羊yáng。子zǐ曰yuē：“赐cì也yě，尔ěr爱ài其qí羊yáng，我wǒ爱ài其qí礼lǐ。”

III.17. Zigong wanted to abolish the custom of providing a sheep at public expense to be offered to the ancestors at the new moon. The Master said:
— If you like to keep the sheep for economy, I like to preserve the ceremony.

Notes:

At each new moon, the feudal lords offered a sheep to their ancestors and informed them of their plans. After inviting them, they presented the victim still alive. From Wen Gong onwards, the princes of Lu had ceased the ceremony of the new moon; however, the officers continued to provide the sheep. Zigong wanted to abolish this custom, which no longer served its purpose, and to suppress an expense that he considered useless. But although the ceremony of the new moon had been abandoned, the offering of the sheep reminded one of it and could bring it back. If one had suppressed the obligation to provide the sheep, the ceremony itself would have been completely forgotten.

子zǐ曰yuē：“事shì君jūn尽jìn礼lǐ，人rén以yǐ为wéi谄chǎn也yě。”

III.18. The Master said:
— In serving my prince, I observe all the rites exactly. Men accuse me of flattery because they serve their prince carelessly.

定dìng公gōng问wèn：“君jūn使shǐ臣chén，臣chén事shì君jūn，如rú之zhī何hé？”孔kǒng子zǐ对duì曰yuē：“君jūn使shǐ臣chén以yǐ礼lǐ，臣chén事shì君jūn以yǐ忠zhōng。”

III.19. Ding, prince of Lu, asked how a prince should conduct himself with his subjects and how the subjects should obey their prince. Confucius replied:
— The prince should command his subjects according to the rules, and the subjects should obey him with loyalty.

子zǐ曰yuē：“关guān雎jū，乐lè而ér不bù淫yín，哀āi而ér不bù伤shāng.”

III.20. The Master said:
— The ode Guan Ju expresses joy without licentiousness, and sorrow without despair.

哀āi公gōng问wèn社shè于yú宰zǎi我wǒ。宰zǎi我wǒ对duì曰yuē：“夏xià后hòu氏shì以yǐ松sōng，殷yīn人rén以yǐ柏bǎi，周zhōu人rén以yǐ栗lì。曰yuē：’使shǐ民mín战zhàn栗lì。’”子zǐ闻wén之zhī曰yuē：“成chéng事shì不bù说shuō，遂suì事shì不bù谏jiàn，既jì往wǎng不bù咎jiù。”

III.21. Ai, prince of Lu, having asked Zai Wo about the altars erected in honor of the Earth, Zai Wo replied:
— The Xia planted pines, and the Yin cypresses. The Zhou planted chestnuts, to inspire fear and awe in the people.
When the Master heard this, he said:
— It is useless to speak of things that are already done, or to remonstrate against those that are already well advanced, or to blame what is past.

Notes:

Zai Wo, named Yu, was a disciple of Confucius. The ancients planted, near the altars erected to the Earth, the trees that best suited the terrain. Zai Wo had misinterpreted their intention and attributed to the currently reigning princes the desire to punish and put to death their subjects. Confucius severely reproached him and pointed out several things that he should not speak of.

子zǐ曰yuē：“管guǎn仲zhòng之zhī器qì小xiǎo哉zāi！”或huò曰yuē：“管guǎn仲zhòng俭jiǎn乎hū？”曰yuē：“管guǎn氏shì有yǒu三sān归guī，官guān事shì不bù摄shè。焉yān得dé俭jiǎn？”“然rán则zé管guǎn仲zhòng知zhī礼lǐ乎hū？”曰yuē：“邦bāng君jūn树shù塞sè门mén，管guǎn氏shì亦yì树shù塞sè门mén。邦bāng君jūn为wéi两liǎng君jūn之zhī好hǎo，有yǒu反fǎn坫diàn，管guǎn氏shì亦yì有yǒu反fǎn坫diàn。管guǎn氏shì而ér知zhī礼lǐ，孰shú不bù知zhī礼lǐ？”

III.22. The Master said:
— How narrow is Guan Zhong’s mind!
Someone asked if Guan Zhong was too frugal. The Master replied:
— The Guan family had the San Gui tower built at great expense; in his house, no officer was in charge of two posts. How could one call him frugal?
— But, replied the interlocutor, if he spends so much, is it not because he knows the proprieties?
The Master replied:
— The princes have a screen in front of the door of their palaces; the Guan family also has a screen in front of its door. When the princes have a friendly meeting, they have a stand where the cups are overturned; Guan Zhong also has such a stand. If the Guan family knows the proprieties, who doesn’t know them?

Notes:

Guan Zhong, named Yi Wu, grand prefect of Qi, helped Huan, prince of Qi, to establish his authority over all the great feudal lords. He had a narrow mind, he did not know the great principles of conduct followed and taught by the sages.

子zǐ语yù鲁lǔ太tài师shī乐yuè，曰yuē：“乐yuè其qí可kě知zhī也yě。始shǐ作zuò，翕xī如rú也yě。从cóng之zhī，纯chún如rú也yě，徼jiǎo如rú也yě，绎yì如rú也yě。以yǐ成chéng。”

III.23. Instructing the great director of music of Lu, the Master said:
— The rules of music are easy to know. The various instruments begin by playing together; they then play in unison, distinctly and without interruption, until the end of the piece.

仪yí封fēng人rén请qǐng见jiàn，曰yuē：“君jūn子zǐ之zhī至zhì于yú斯sī也yě，吾wú未wèi尝cháng不bù得dé见jiàn也yě。”从cóng者zhě见jiàn之zhī。出chū曰yuē：“二èr三sān子zǐ，何hé患huàn于yú丧sàng乎hū？天tiān下xià无wú道dào也yě久jiǔ矣yǐ，天tiān将jiāng以yǐ夫fú子zǐ为wéi木mù铎duó。”

III.24. In the city of Yi, an officer in charge of the border guard asked to be presented, saying:
— Every time a sage has come to this city, it has always been possible to see him.
The disciples, who had followed Confucius in his exile, introduced this officer to their master. The man said, as he left:
— Disciples, why do you grieve that your master has lost his office? Disorder has reigned in the empire for a long time now. But Heaven is about to give the people in this great sage a herald of truth.

Notes:

There were two kinds of bells. One, with a metal clapper, was used for military affairs. The other, with a wooden clapper, was used by the officer in charge of teaching or warning the people.

子zǐ谓wèi韶sháo：“尽jìn美měi矣yǐ，又yòu尽jìn善shàn也yě。”谓wèi武wǔ：“尽jìn美měi矣yǐ，未wèi尽jìn善shàn也yě。”

III.25. The Master said that the Chants of Shao were entirely beautiful and sweet; that the Chants of Wu were entirely beautiful, but not entirely sweet.

Notes:

The songs of Shun are called the Songs of the Successor because he succeeded Emperor Yao and, like him, governed perfectly. The songs of Wu Wang are called the Songs of the Warrior because they celebrate the exploits of Wu Wang, who delivered the people from the tyranny of Zhou. The Songs of the Successor are nine in number because there were nine changes; the Songs of the Warrior are six because there were six changes.

子zǐ曰yuē：“居jū上shàng不bù宽kuān，为wéi礼lǐ不bù敬jìng，临lín丧sāng不bù哀āi。吾wú何hé以yǐ观guān之zhī哉zāi！”

III.26. The Master said:
— By what rule can one judge the conduct of a man who, in the exercise of high authority, has a narrow spirit, who performs a ceremony without respect, or who, at the death of his father or mother, shows no grief?