Bai Hu Tong Yi (白虎通義) · Volume 7

《春秋》譏二名何？所以譏者乃謂其無常者也，若乍為名，祿甫元言武庚名。

The Spring and Autumn Annals criticizes two-character names. Why? What it criticizes is those that lack regularity, such as suddenly making a name; Lufu was originally called Wu Geng by name.

不以日月山川為名者，少賤卑己之稱也，臣子當諱為物示通故避之也。

The sun, moon, mountains and rivers are not used for names, because those are humble terms of self-abasement, and subjects should avoid taboo names, so as to let things communicate; therefore they are avoided.

《禮》曰：“二名不偏諱，逮事父母則諱王父母，不逮父母則不諱王父母也。君前不諱諱，詩書不諱，臨文不諱，郊廟中不諱。”又曰：“君前臣名，父前子名”謂大夫名卿、弟名兄也。明不敢諱於尊者之前也。太古之時，所不諱者何？尚質也，故臣子不言其君父之名。故《禮記》曰：“朝日上值，不諱，正天名也。”

The Rites say: "A two-character name is not tabooed in part. If one has served one's parents, one avoids the names of the deceased grandparents; if one did not catch up with one's parents, one does not avoid the names of the grandparents. In the ruler's presence there is no avoidance, nor in the Odes and Documents, nor when facing a text, nor in the suburban sacrifice or the temple." It also says: "Before the ruler a subject says his own name, and before a father a son says his own name." This means that a grand master uses the name of a minister, and a younger brother uses the name of an elder brother. It shows that one dares not avoid names in front of the honored. Why was there no avoidance in the earliest times? They valued plainness, so subjects did not call their lord's or father's name. Hence the Record of Rites says: "When the court faces the sun, it is not avoided; this is to correct Heaven's name."

人所以十月而生者何？人，天子之也，經天地之數五，故十月而備，乃成人也。

Why is a person born after ten months? A person is the child of Heaven, and passes through the Heavenly and earthly number five, so after ten months he is complete and becomes a person.

人生所以位何？本一干而分，得氣異息，故泣，重離母之義也。《尚書》曰：“啟呱呱而泣也。”

Why does a person cry when born? He was originally one trunk and has been divided; the qi he receives and his breathing are different, so he cries, which values the righteousness of leaving the mother. The Book of Documents says: "Qi wailed and cried."

人拜所以自名何？所以立號自紀禮拜。自後不自名何？備陰陽也。

Why does a person give his own name when bowing? To establish his title and regulate himself in worship. Why does he stop giving his own name after that? To complete yin and yang.

人所以相拜者何？所以表情見意屈節卑體，尊事人者也，拜之言服也。

Why do people bow to each other? To express feeling and show intention, bending the joints and lowering the body to serve others with honor. Bai (to bow) means to submit.

所以必再拜何？法陰陽也。《尚書》曰：“再拜稽首也。”必稽首何？敬之至也。頭至地何？以言首謂頭也，《禮》曰：“首有瘍則沐。”

Why must one bow twice? Taking the model of yin and yang. The Book of Documents says: "Bowing twice, he touched his head to the ground." Why must one touch the head to the ground? It is the utmost respect. Why must the head reach the ground? Because shou means the head, and the Rites say: "If the head has a sore, wash it."

所以先拜首後稽首何？名順其文質也。《尚書》曰：“周公拜首稽首。”

Why does one first bow with hands joined and then touch the head to the ground? The names follow the order of form and substance. The Book of Documents says: "The Duke of Zhou bowed with hands joined and touched his head to the ground."

人所以有字何？冠德明功，敬成人也。故《禮?士冠經》曰：“賓北面，字之曰伯某甫。”又曰：“冠而字之。”敬其名也。所以五十乃稱伯仲者，五十知天命、思慮定也，能順四時長幼之序，故以伯仲號之。《禮?檀弓》曰：“幼名，冠字，五十乃稱伯仲。”《論語》曰：“五十而知天命。”

Why do people have style names? To crown virtue and make merit clear, and to respect a grown man. So the Capping Ceremony of the Scholar in the Rites says: "The guest faces north and gives him a style name, called Bo-so-and-so fu." It also says: "He is capped and given a style name," which shows respect for his name. So only at fifty is one called by Bo or Zhong, because at fifty one knows Heaven's mandate and one's thoughts are settled, and one can follow the order of the four seasons and of old and young, so Bo and Zhong are used as titles. The Tangong chapter of the Rites says: "In childhood, a name; at capping, a style name; at fifty, Bo or Zhong." The Analects says: "At fifty I knew Heaven's mandate."

稱號所以有四何？法四時用事先後，長幼兄弟之象也，故以時長幼號曰伯、仲、叔、季也。伯者，長也，伯者子最長，迫近父也。仲者，中也。叔者，少也。季者，幼也。適長稱伯，伯禽是也。庶長稱孟，以魯大夫孟氏。

Why are there four kinds of titles? They follow the sequence in which the four seasons carry out their work, which is the image of old and young and elder and younger brothers, so according to the season and seniority the titles are Bo, Zhong, Shu and Ji. Bo means eldest, the eldest son, close to the father. Zhong means middle. Shu means younger. Ji means youngest. A principal-wife eldest son is called Bo, as with Boqin. A concubine's eldest son is called Meng, as with the Meng clan, grand masters of Lu.

男女異長，各自有伯仲，法陰陽各自有終始也。《春秋傳》曰：“伯姬者何？內女稱也。”婦人十五稱伯仲何？婦人值，少變。陰陽道促，蚤成。十五通乎織糹任之事，思慮定，故許嫁笄而字。故《禮經》曰：“女子十五許嫁，笄。禮之稱字之。“婦姓以配字何？明不娶同姓也，故《春秋》曰：“伯姬歸於宋。”姬者，姓也。

Men and women are distinguished and ranked separately, each having Bo and Zhong, modeled on yin and yang each having their own end and beginning. The Spring and Autumn Commentary says: "What is Bo Ji? It is a title for a woman of the inner household." Why are women called Bo or Zhong at fifteen? Women are plain and straightforward and change little. The way of yin and yang is hurried, and they mature early. At fifteen she understands weaving, her thoughts are settled, so she is promised in marriage, wears the hairpin, and receives her style name. So the Ritual Classic says: "A girl of fifteen is promised in marriage and wears the hairpin. The ritual names her by her style name." Why is a woman's surname used with the style name? To show that one does not marry within the same surname, so the Spring and Autumn Annals says: "Bo Ji returned to Song." Ji is the surname.

值字所以於仲春何？值者親，故近於仲；文子尊尊，故於伯仲之時物尚值，叔之時物失之章，即如是，周有八士。《論語》曰：“伯達，伯適，仲突，仲忽，叔夜，叔夏，季隨，季”，積於叔何？蓋以兩兩俱生故也。不積於伯，季，明其無二也。

Why is the plain style name placed in mid-spring? Plainness is closeness, so it is near Zhong; the cultured child honors the honored, so in the time of Bo and Zhong things are still plain and straight, and in the time of Shu things lose their luster. If so, Zhou had eight scholars. The Analects says: "Boda, Bokuo, Zhongtu, Zhonghu, Shuye, Shuxia, Jisui, Ji [a rare character lost in transcription]." Why are they grouped under Shu? Probably because they were born two at a time. They are not grouped under Bo or Ji, which shows there were not two of those.

文王十子，《詩傳》曰：“伯邑考，武王發，周公旦，管叔鮮，蔡叔鐸，成叔處，霍叔武，康叔封，南季載。”載所以或上其叔何也？管、蔡、霍、成、康、南，皆採也，故上置叔上。伯邑叔震也，以獨無乎？蓋以為大夫者，不是采地也。

King Wen had ten sons. The Commentary on the Odes lists them: "Bo Yikao, King Wu (Fa), Duke of Zhou (Dan), Guan Shu Xian, Cai Shu Du, Cheng Shu Chu, Huo Shu Wu, Kang Shu Feng, and Nan Ji Zai." Why is "Shu" sometimes placed first in the name, as in Shu Zai? Guan, Cai, Huo, Cheng, Kang and Nan were all fiefs, so Shu is placed before the name. Is Bo Yi the same as Shu Zhen, and why is he alone lacking a fief? Probably because he served as a grand master, which was not a fief.

天者何也？天之為言鎮也，居高理下，為人鎮也。地者，易也。言養萬物懷任，交易變化也。

What is Heaven? Heaven means "to press down": dwelling on high and governing what lies below, it presses down upon humankind. Earth means "to change": it nurtures the myriad things, carries them in its womb, and exchanges and transforms them.

始起之天，始起先有太初，後有太始，形兆既成，名曰太素。混沌相連，視之不見，聽之不聞，然後剖判清濁。既分，精出曜布，度物施生。精者為三光，號者為五行。行生情，情生汁中，汁中生神明，神明生道德，道德生文章。故《乾鑿度》云：“太初者，氣之始也。太始者，形兆之始也；太素者，質之始也。陽唱陰和，男行婦隨也。”

When Heaven first arose, there was at the beginning the Great Beginning, then the Great Origin; once the first signs of form were complete, it was called the Great Plainness. All was chaotic and joined together, unseen when looked at and unheard when listened to. Only then were the clear and the turbid divided. After the division, the essence came forth, shone and spread, measured things and bestowed life. Its essences are the Three Luminaries, and what is named are the Five Phases. The Phases gave birth to feeling, feeling gave birth to its fluid center, the fluid center gave birth to spirit-intelligence, spirit-intelligence gave birth to the Way and virtue, and the Way and virtue gave birth to patterned culture. Hence the Qian Zaodu says: "The Great Beginning is the start of qi. The Great Origin is the start of form. The Great Plainness is the start of substance. Yang sings and yin answers; the man leads and the wife follows."

天道所以左旋、地道右周何？以為天地動而不別，行而不離。所以左旋、右周者，猶君臣、陰陽相對之義。

Why does the Way of Heaven turn to the left while the Way of Earth circles to the right? It is because Heaven and Earth move without separating and travel without parting. Hence one turns left and the other circles right, just as ruler and minister, yin and yang, correspond to each other in righteousness.

男女總名為人，天地所以無總名何？曰：天圓地方，不相類，故無總名也。

Man and woman together are called "people"; why do Heaven and Earth have no common name? It is said: Heaven is round and Earth is square; they are unlike one another, so they have no common name.

君舒臣疾，卑者宜勞，天所以反常行何？以為陽不動，無以行其教；陰不靜，無以成其化。雖終日干乾，亦不離其處也。故《易》曰：“終日干乾，反覆道也。”

The ruler is leisurely and the minister hurried; the lowly ought to toil. Why, then, does Heaven instead keep constantly moving? Because if yang did not move, it would have no way to carry out its teaching, and if yin did not rest, it would have no way to complete its transformation. Even though it is vigorous all day long, it never leaves its place. Hence the Changes says: "All day long vigorous, returning and repeating the Way."

天左旋，日、月、五星右行何？日、月、五星比天為陰，故右行。右行者，猶臣對君也。《含文嘉》曰：“計日月，右行也。”《刑德放》曰：“日月東行。”

Heaven turns left while the sun, moon and five planets travel to the right. Why? The sun, moon and five planets are yin compared with Heaven, so they travel to the right. Their rightward travel is like a minister toward his ruler. The Han Wenjia says: "In calculating the sun and moon, they go right." The Xingde Fang says: "The sun and moon go east."

而日行遲，月行疾何？君舒臣勞也。日日行一度，月日行十三度十九分度之七。《感精符》曰：“三綱之義，日為君，月為臣也。”日月所以懸晝夜者何？助天行化，照明下地。故《易》曰：“懸象著明，莫大乎日月。”

Yet the sun moves slowly and the moon moves quickly. Why? The ruler is leisurely and the minister toils. The sun travels one degree a day, and the moon thirteen degrees and seven nineteenths. The Ganjing Fu says: "In the meaning of the Three Bonds, the sun is the ruler and the moon the minister." Why are the sun and moon hung in the day and night? To help Heaven carry out its teaching and to illuminate the earth below. Hence the Changes says: "Of hanging images that shine brightly, none is greater than the sun and moon."

日之為言實也，常滿有節。月之為言闕也，有滿有闕也。所以有缺何？歸功於日也。八日成光，二八十六日轉而歸功，晦至朔旦，受符復行。故《援神契》曰：“月三日成魄也。”所以名之為星何？星者，精也，據日節言也。一日一夜適行一度，一日夜為一日，剩復分天為三十六度，周天三百六十五度四分度之一。日月徑千里也。

The sun means "full": it is always full and has its measure. The moon means "lacking": it has fullness and lack. Why does it wane? Because the achievement is credited to the sun. In eight days it completes its light; in sixteen days it turns and returns the credit; from the last day to the new moon it receives the sign and sets out again. Hence the Yuanshen Qi says: "On the third day the moon forms its dark body." Why are the stars called stars? Stars are essences, and are spoken of according to the sun's measure. In one day and night it travels exactly one degree, one day and night counting as one day, and Heaven is further divided into three hundred sixty-five and a quarter degrees. The diameter of the sun and moon is a thousand li.

所以必有晝夜何？備陰陽也。日照晝，月照夜。日所以有長短何？陰陽更相用事也，故夏節晝長，冬節夜長。夏日宿在東井，出寅入戌；冬日宿在牽牛，出辰入申。

Why must there be day and night? To complete yin and yang: the sun lights the day and the moon lights the night. Why does the sun have longer and shorter days? Yin and yang take turns at work, so in the summer season the days are long and in the winter season the nights are long. In summer the sun lodges at Dongjing, rising from Yin and setting at Xu; in winter the sun lodges at Qianniu, rising from Chen and setting at Shen.

月小大何？天道左旋，日月東行。日日行一度，月日行十三度，月及日為一月，至二十九日未及七度，即三十日者過行七度。日不可分，故月乍大小，明有陰陽也。故《春秋》曰：“九月庚戌朔，日有食之。”“十月庚辰朔，日有食之。”此三十日也。又曰：“七月甲子朔，日有食之。”“八月癸已朔日有食之。”此二十九日也。

Why are some months short and some long? The Way of Heaven turns left while the sun and moon travel east. The sun moves one degree a day and the moon thirteen degrees a day; the moon catches up with the sun in one month. By the twenty-ninth day it is still seven degrees short, and by the thirtieth it has gone seven degrees beyond. The sun cannot be divided, so the moon suddenly becomes small and suddenly large, showing that there is yin and yang. Hence the Spring and Autumn Annals says: "In the ninth month, on the first day, gengxu, there was an eclipse of the sun." "In the tenth month, on the first day, gengchen, there was an eclipse of the sun." These fall on the thirtieth day. It also says: "In the seventh month, on the first day, jiazi, there was an eclipse of the sun." "In the eighth month, on the first day, guisi, there was an eclipse of the sun." These fall on the twenty-ninth day.

月有閏餘何？周天三百六十五日度四分度之一，歲十二月，日過十二度，故三年一閏，五年再閏，明陰不足，陽有餘也，故《讖》曰：“閏者陽之餘。”

Why are there intercalary months? The celestial circuit is three hundred sixty-five and a quarter days; in a year of twelve months the sun exceeds the moon by twelve degrees, so there is an intercalary month every three years and two in five years. It shows that yin is deficient and yang is in surplus. Hence the apocrypha says: "The intercalary month is the surplus of yang."

所以名為歲何？歲者，遂也。三百六十六日一周天，萬物畢死，故為一歲也。《尚書》曰：“期三百有六旬有六日，以閏月定四時，成歲。”

Why is it called a "year"? A year means "to complete". In three hundred sixty-six days it makes one circuit of Heaven, and the myriad things all die, so this is one year. The Book of Documents says: "A year has three hundred and sixty-six days; use the intercalary month to fix the four seasons and complete the year."

春夏秋冬。時者，期也，陰陽消息之期也。四時天異名何？天尊各據其盛者為名也。春秋物變盛，冬夏氣變盛。春曰蒼天，夏曰昊天，秋曰天，冬曰上天。《爾雅》曰：“一說春為蒼天等是也。”四時不隨正朔變何？以為四時據物為名，春當生，冬當終，皆以正為時也。

Spring, summer, autumn and winter. A season means a "period": the period of the waxing and waning of yin and yang. Heaven has different names in the four seasons; why? Heaven is honored, and each season is named for what is most flourishing in it. In spring and autumn, things change most; in winter and summer, the qi changes most. Spring is called Cangtian (Azure Heaven), summer Haotian (Vast Heaven), autumn [a rare character lost in transcription of the base text] Heaven, and winter Shangtian (Upper Heaven). The Erya says: "One account says spring is Azure Heaven," and so on. The four seasons do not shift with the calendar's first month; why? Because the four seasons are named by their things: spring should give birth and winter should end, and all take the proper month as the season.

或言歲，或言載，或言年何？言歲者，以紀氣物，帝王共之，據曰為歲。《春秋》曰：“元年正月。”“十有二月朔。”有朔有晦，知據月斷為言年。載之言成也，載成萬物，終始言之也。二帝言載，三王言年，皆謂窺窬。故《尚書》曰：“三載四海遏密八音。”謂二帝也。又曰：“諒陰三年。”謂三王也。《春秋傳》曰：“三年之喪，其實二十五月。”知闕。

Some say sui, some say zai, some say nian; why? Sui is used to record the principles of qi and things; emperors and kings use it alike, and it is based on the sun. The Spring and Autumn Annals says: "First year, first month." "The twelfth month, the first day." There are new moons and last days, and since one knows to judge by the moon, it is called nian. Zai means "to complete": it carries and completes the myriad things, speaking from end to beginning. The Two Emperors said zai and the Three Kings said nian, both speaking of a peering through. Hence the Book of Documents says: "For three zai the four seas were hushed and the eight kinds of music silenced," which refers to the Two Emperors. It also says: "Three years of mourning in silence," which refers to the Three Kings. The Spring and Autumn Commentary says: "The three-year mourning is in fact twenty-five months." From this one knows there is a shortfall.

日言夜，月言晦，月言朔，日言朝何？朔之言蘇也，明消更生，故言朔。日晝見夜藏，有朝夕，故言朝也。

Why do we say "night" for the sun, "last day" for the moon, "new moon" for the moon, and "morning" for the sun? Shuo (new moon) means "to revive": the light fades and is born again, hence it is called shuo. The sun appears in the daytime and is hidden at night, and has a morning and an evening, hence it is called zhao (morning).

聖人所以製衣服何？以為■蔽形，表德勸善，別尊卑也。所以名為衣裳何？衣者，隱也；裳者，障也。所以隱形自障閉也。《易》曰：“黃帝堯舜垂衣裳而天下治。”何以知上為衣下為裳？以其先言衣也。《詩》曰：“褰裳涉溱。”所以合為衣也。《弟子職》言“摳衣而降也。”名為衣何？上兼下也。

Why did the sages establish clothing? They held that [a rare character lost in transcription of the base text] [a damaged character in the base text] cover the body, honor virtue, encourage goodness, and distinguish the honored from the lowly. Why are they called yi and chang (upper and lower garments)? Yi means "to conceal" and chang means "to screen": they conceal the body and shield it. The Changes says: "The Yellow Emperor, Yao and Shun let their upper and lower garments hang, and the world was ordered." How do we know the upper is yi and the lower is chang? Because yi is mentioned first. The Book of Odes says: "Lifting the chang to wade the Zhen." So together they are yi. The Dizi Zhi says: "Holding up the yi, he descends." Why is it called yi? Because the upper covers the lower as well.

獨以羔裘何？取輕暖。因狐死首丘，明君子不忘本也。羔者取跪乳遜順也。故天子狐白，諸侯狐黃，大夫狐蒼，士羔裘，亦因別尊卑也。

Why is the lambskin robe used alone? It is chosen because it is light and warm. Also, a fox dies with its head toward its hill, showing that the gentleman does not forget his roots, and the lamb kneels to suckle, showing humility and obedience. Hence the Son of Heaven wears white fox, the lords yellow fox, the grand masters grey fox, and the officers lambskin, which also serves to distinguish the honored from the lowly.

所以必有紳帶者，示謹敬自約整。繢繒為結於前，下垂三分，身半，紳居二焉。必有ひ帶者，示有事也。

There must be a sash because it shows reverence and the self restrained and ordered. A band of patterned silk is knotted in front and hangs down three parts; of the half-length of the body, the sash takes two parts. There must be a knee-covering band, which shows that one has duties to do.

所以必有佩者，《論語》曰：“去喪，無所不佩。”天子佩白玉，諸侯佩山玄玉，大夫佩水蒼玉，士佩需珉石。佩即象其事。若農夫佩其耒耜，工匠佩其斧斤，婦人佩其釒鹹鏤，何以知婦人亦佩玉？《詩》云：“將翱將翔，佩玉將將。彼美孟姜，德音不忘。”

There must be girdle ornaments. The Analects says: "Once mourning is over, there is nothing one does not wear." The Son of Heaven wears white jade, the lords dark jade of the mountains, the grand masters blue jade of the waters, and the officers [a rare character lost in transcription of the base text] stone. The ornament symbolizes one's work, just as a farmer carries his plow, an artisan his axe, and a woman her needle and thread. How do we know women also wear jade? The Book of Odes says: "As she roams and as she soars, her girdle jades chime. That beautiful Meng Jiang, her fair name is not forgotten."

聖人治天下，必有刑罰何？所以佐德助治，順天之度也。故懸爵賞者，示有勸也；設刑罰者，明有所懼也。刑所以五何？法五行也。科條三千者，應天地人情也。五刑之屬三千，大辟之屬二百，宮闢之屬三百，腓闢之屬五百，劓、墨闢之屬各千。張布羅眾，非五刑不見。劓、墨何，其下刑者也。腓者其臏。宮者，女子淫，執置宮中，不得出也；丈夫淫，割去其勢也。大辟者，謂死也。

Why must a sage governing the world have punishments? To support virtue, aid government, and follow Heaven's measure. Therefore ranks and rewards are displayed to show encouragement, and punishments are established to show there is something to fear. Why are there five punishments? They are modeled on the Five Phases. The three thousand articles correspond to the feelings of Heaven, Earth and humankind. The five punishments comprise three thousand offenses: two hundred for the capital punishment, three hundred for castration, five hundred for cutting off the feet, and a thousand each for cutting off the nose and tattooing. Spread out and set forth among the multitude, without the five punishments they could not be seen. Nose-cutting and tattooing are the lower punishments. Fei is binbin, the cutting of the kneecaps. As for castration: when a woman is licentious she is seized and confined in the palace and cannot go out, and when a man is licentious his genitals are cut off. The great punishment means death.

刑不上大夫何？尊大夫。禮不下庶人，欲勉民使至於士。故禮為有知制，刑為無知設也。庶人雖有千金衣幣，不得服。刑不上大夫者，據禮無大夫刑。或曰：撻笞之刑也。禮不及庶人者，謂酬酢之禮也。

Why are punishments not applied to grand masters? To honor the grand masters. Ritual does not descend to commoners, so that one may encourage the people to reach the rank of officer. Hence ritual is made for those who know, and punishment is set up for those who do not. Even if a commoner has a thousand pieces of gold in clothing and cloth, he may not wear it. That punishments do not reach grand masters means that ritual has no punishment for grand masters. Some say it means the punishment of beating with sticks. That ritual does not reach commoners refers to the ritual of toasts and exchanges.

孔子所以定《五經》者何？以為孔子居周之末世，王道陵遲，禮樂廢壞，強陵弱，眾暴寡，天子不敢誅，方伯不敢伐。閔道德之不行，故周流應聘，冀行其聖德。自衛反魯，自知不用，故追定《五經》以行其道。故孔子曰：“《書》曰：“孝乎，惟孝，友于兄弟，施於有政。是以為政也。”孔子未定《五經》如何？周衰道失，綱散紀亂，五教廢壞，故五常之經鹹失其所，象《易》失理，則陰陽萬物失其性而乖。設法謗之言，並作《書》三千篇，作《詩》三百篇，而歌謠怨誹也。

Why did Confucius edit the Five Classics? Because he lived at the end of the Zhou, when the kingly Way had declined, ritual and music were ruined, the strong bullied the weak and the many oppressed the few, the Son of Heaven did not dare to punish and the regional lords did not dare to attack. He grieved that the Way and virtue could not be put into practice, so he traveled around answering invitations, hoping to carry out his sagely virtue. Returning from Wei to Lu, he knew he would not be used, and so he retraced and fixed the Five Classics to carry out his Way. Hence Confucius said: "The Book of Documents says: 'Filial, indeed filial, and friendly to one's brothers; extend this to government.' This is government." What was it like before Confucius fixed the Five Classics? The Zhou had declined and the Way was lost, the guiding threads were scattered and the order was in chaos, the five teachings were ruined, and so the constant rules of the five constants all lost their place, as when the Changes loses its principle, and yin, yang and the myriad things lose their nature and go astray. Slanderous words were set up, and together he made the three thousand chapters of the Documents and the three hundred Odes, while folk songs voiced resentment and criticism.

已作《春秋》，後作《孝經》何？欲專制正。於《孝經》何？夫孝者，自天子下至庶人，上下通《孝經》者。夫製作禮樂，仁之本，聖人道德已備，弟子所以復記《論語》何？見夫子遭事異變，出之號令，失法。

After having made the Spring and Autumn Annals, why did he afterwards make the Classic of Filial Piety? Because he wished to decide matters by his own authority and to correct them. What of the Classic of Filial Piety? Filial piety runs from the Son of Heaven down to the commoner, and the Classic of Filial Piety connects high and low. To make ritual and music is the root of humaneness. The sage's Way and virtue were already complete, so why did his disciples again record the Analects? Because they saw the Master meet with changes of events, issue commands, and yet lose the model.

文王所以演《易》何？文王受王不率仁義之道，失為人法矣，己之調和陰陽尚微，故演《易》，使我得卒，至於太平。日月之光明則如《易》矣。

Why did King Wen expand the Changes? King Wen received the kingly undertaking, and there were some who did not follow the way of humaneness and righteousness and lost the model of being human, while his own harmonizing of yin and yang was still slight. So he expanded the Changes, so that I could complete it and reach great peace. The brightness of the sun and moon is just like the Changes.

伏羲作八卦何？伏羲始王天下，未有前聖法度，故仰則觀象於天，俯則察法於地，觀鳥獸之文與地之宜。近取諸物，於是始作八卦，以通神明之德，以象萬物之情也。

Why did Fuxi make the eight trigrams? Fuxi had just begun to rule as king over the world and had as yet no model from earlier sages. So looking up he observed the images in Heaven, and looking down he examined the patterns on Earth, watching the markings of birds and beasts and what suits the ground. Taking things from near at hand, he then began to make the eight trigrams, to penetrate the virtue of the spirit-intelligence and to take the images of the myriad things' conditions.

經所以有五何？經，常也。有五常之道，故曰《五經》：《樂》仁、《書》義、《禮》禮、《易》智、《詩》信也。人情有五性，懷五常，不能自成，是以聖人象天五常之道而明之，以教人成其德也。

Why are there five Classics? A classic means "constant". There is the Way of the five constants, hence they are called the Five Classics: Music is humaneness, Documents is righteousness, Rites is propriety, Changes is wisdom, and Odes is trustworthiness. Human nature has five natures and carries the five constants, yet cannot complete them by itself. Therefore the sages took the images of Heaven's Way of the five constants and made them clear, to teach people to complete their virtue.

《五經》何謂？謂《易》、《尚書》、《詩》、《禮》、《春秋》也？《禮?解》曰：“溫柔寬厚，《詩》教也；疏通知遠，《書》教也；廣博易良，《樂》教也；潔靜精微，《易》教也；恭儉莊敬，《禮》教也；屬詞比事，《春秋》教也。”

What are the Five Classics? Do they mean the Changes, the Book of Documents, the Odes, the Rites and the Spring and Autumn Annals? The Explanation in the Record of Rites says: "Gentle, kind and generous: that is the teaching of the Odes. Broad-minded and knowing what is distant: that is the teaching of the Documents. Wide-ranging, easy and good: that is the teaching of Music. Pure, calm and subtle: that is the teaching of the Changes. Respectful, frugal, solemn and reverent: that is the teaching of the Rites. Joining phrases and comparing events: that is the teaching of the Spring and Autumn Annals."

《春秋》何常也？則黃帝已來何以言之？《易》曰：“上古結繩以治，後世聖人易之以書契，百官以理，萬民以察。”後世聖人者謂五常也。《傳》曰：“三王百世計神元書，五帝之受錄圖，世史記從政錄帝魁已來，除禮樂之書三千二百四十篇也。”

What does the Spring and Autumn Annals take as its constant? On what basis is it said to go back to the Yellow Emperor? The Changes says: "In high antiquity they governed with knotted cords; later sages replaced these with written tallies, by which the officials governed and the myriad people examined matters." The later sages refer to the Five Emperors. The Commentary says: "The Three Kings, over a hundred generations, reckoned the books of the spirit origin; the Five Emperors received the charts and registers; the historians recorded affairs of government, recording from Emperor Kui onward, setting aside the books of ritual and music, three thousand two hundred forty chapters."

人道所以有嫁娶何？以為情性之大，莫若男女。男女之交，人情之始，莫若夫婦。《易》曰：“天地氤氳，萬物化淳。男女稱精，萬物化生。”人承天地施陰陽，故設嫁娶之禮者，重人倫、廣繼嗣也。《禮?保傅》記曰：“謹為子嫁娶，必擇世有仁義者。”

Why does the human Way have marriage? It is held that nothing in human feeling and nature is greater than the relation between man and woman, and the meeting of man and woman is the beginning of human feeling, and nothing is more important than husband and wife. The Changes says: "Heaven and Earth mingle, and the myriad things are transformed and enriched. Male and female join their essences, and the myriad things are transformed and born." Humans receive from Heaven and Earth and carry out yin and yang, so the rites of marriage were established to value human relations and extend the continuation of descent. The Record of the Tutors in the Record of Rites says: "Be careful in arranging the marriages of your sons and daughters, and certainly choose families that have been humane and righteous for generations."

禮男娶女嫁何？陰卑不得自專，就陽而成之，故《傳》曰：“陽倡陰和，男行女隨。”

By ritual the man takes a wife and the woman is married out; why? Yin is lowly and cannot decide for itself, but depends on yang to be completed, so the Commentary says: "Yang leads and yin follows; the man goes ahead and the woman follows."

男不自專娶，女不自專嫁，必由父母，須媒妁何？遠恥防淫佚也。《詩》云：“娶妻如之何？必告父母。”又曰：“娶妻如之何？匪媒不得。”

A man does not take a wife on his own authority, nor a woman marry on her own; it must go through the parents and requires a go-between. Why? To keep far from shame and prevent licentiousness. The Book of Odes says: "How does one take a wife? One must inform one's parents." It also says: "How does one take a wife? Without a go-between it cannot be done."

男三十而娶，女二十而嫁，陽數奇，陰數偶。男長女幼者，陽舒，陰促。男三十，筋骨堅強，任為人父；女二十，肌膚充盛，任為人母。合為五十，應大衍之數，生萬物也。故《禮?內則》曰：“男五十壯有室，女二十壯而嫁。”

A man marries at thirty and a woman at twenty; the number of yang is odd and that of yin is even. The man is older and the woman younger because yang is slow and yin is quick. At thirty a man's sinews and bones are strong and he can bear being a father; at twenty a woman's flesh is full and she can bear being a mother. Together they make fifty, corresponding to the Great Expansion number that gives birth to the myriad things. Hence the Domestic Rules in the Record of Rites says: "A man at thirty is in his prime and takes a household; a woman at twenty is in her prime and marries."

七歲之陽也，八歲陰也，七八十五陰陽之數備，有相偶之志。故《禮記》曰：“女子十五許嫁，笄而字。”禮之稱字，陰繫於陽，所以專一之節也。陽尊無所繫，二十五系者，就陰節也。陽舒而陰促。三十數三終，奇，陽節也。二十數再終，偶，陰節也。陽小成於陰，大成於陽，故二十而冠，三十而娶。陰小成於陽，大成於陰，故十五而笄，二十而嫁也。

Seven is yang and eight is yin; seven times eight makes fifteen, when the numbers of yin and yang are complete and there is a will to be matched. Hence the Record of Rites says: "A girl at fifteen is promised in marriage, puts up her hair with a pin, and is given a style name." By ritual she is called by her style name, and yin is tied to yang, which is the measure of single-mindedness. Yang is honored and tied to nothing, and is tied only at twenty-five, which follows the measure of yin. Yang is slow and yin is quick. Thirty is three completions, an odd number, the measure of yang. Twenty is two completions, an even number, the measure of yin. Yang is minorly completed in yin and greatly completed in yang, so a man is capped at twenty and marries at thirty. Yin is minorly completed in yang and greatly completed in yin, so a woman pins her hair at fifteen and marries at twenty.

一說《春秋梁傳》曰：“男二十五系，女十五許嫁，感陰陽也。”陽數七，陰數八，男八歲毀齒，女七歲毀齒。陽數奇三，三八二十四，加一為五而繫心也；陰數偶，再成十四，四加一為五，故十五許嫁也。各加一者，明專一系心。所以繫心者何？防其淫佚也。

Another account: the Guliang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals says: "A man at twenty-five binds his heart, and a girl at fifteen is promised in marriage, in response to yin and yang." The number of yang is seven and that of yin is eight; a boy changes his teeth at eight and a girl at seven. The odd number of yang is three, and three times eight is twenty-four, to which one is added to make twenty-five, when the heart is bound. The even number of yin completes twice to fourteen, to which one is added to make fifteen, so at fifteen she is promised. Each adds one, showing a single-minded binding of the heart. Why bind the heart? To prevent licentiousness.

《禮》曰：“女子十五許嫁。納采、問名、納吉、請期、親迎，以雁贄。納徵曰玄，故不用雁。”贄用雁者，取其隨時南北，不失其節，明不奪女子之時也。又取飛成行、止成列也，明嫁娶之禮，長幼有序，不相逾越也。又婚禮贄不用死雉，故用雁也。納徵，玄、束帛、離皮，玄三法天，二法地也，陽奇陰偶，明陽道之大也。離皮者，兩皮也，以為庭實。庭實，偶也。《禮?昏經》曰：“納采、問名、納吉、請期、親迎，皆用雁。納徵束帛、離皮。”

The Rites says: "A girl is promised at fifteen. For the presentation of the choice, the inquiry of the name, the report of the auspicious divination, the request for the date, and the personal welcome, a wild goose is used as the gift. The betrothal gift is called dark and light-red silk, so no goose is used." The goose is used as a gift because it goes north and south in its season without losing its timing, showing that the woman's time is not taken from her. It also flies in rows and rests in lines, showing that in the rites of marriage the elder and younger have their order and do not overstep each other. Also, a dead pheasant is not used as the marriage gift, so the goose is used. For the betrothal gift: dark and light-red silk, a bundle of silk, and a pair of deerskins. The three of the dark follows Heaven and the two of the light-red follows Earth; yang is odd and yin is even, showing the greatness of the Way of yang. A pair of skins is two skins, set out as the courtyard offering. The courtyard offering is even-numbered. The Marriage Classic in the Rites says: "For the presentation of the choice, the inquiry of the name, the report of the auspicious divination, the request for the date and the personal welcome, all use the goose. For the betrothal gift, use a bundle of silk and a pair of deerskins."

納徵詞曰：“吾子有加命，貺室某也。有先人之禮，離皮、束帛，使某請納徵。”上某者聲名也，下次某者使人名也。女之父曰：“吾子順先典，貺某重禮，某不敢辭，敢不承命！”

The words for the betrothal gift: "You, sir, have added to your commands and bestowed a favor on the household of So-and-so. In keeping with the rites of the forebears, a pair of skins and a bundle of silk, I have sent So-and-so to request the betrothal gift." The first So-and-so is the name of the family, the second So-and-so the name of the envoy. The girl's father says: "You, sir, have followed the ancient statutes and bestowed a weighty gift on So-and-so. I dare not decline; how dare I not accept the command!"

納采詞曰：“吾子有惠，貺貺室某，某有先人之禮，使某也請納采。”對曰：“某之子蠢愚，又不能教，吾子命之，某不敢辭。”

The words for the presentation of the choice: "You, sir, have been gracious and bestowed this favor on the household of So-and-so. In keeping with the rites of the forebears, I have sent So-and-so to request the presentation of the choice." The reply: "The son of So-and-so is foolish and moreover cannot be taught; since you, sir, command it, I dare not decline."

天子下至士，必親迎授綏者何？以陽下陰也，欲得其歡心，示親之心也。夫親迎輪三週，下車曲顧者，防淫佚也。《詩》云：“文定厥祥，親迎於渭。造舟為梁，不顯其光。”《禮?昏經》曰：“賓升，北面奠雁，再拜拜手稽首，降出。婦從房中也，從降自西階。揖御婦車，授綏。”

From the Son of Heaven down to the officer, one must go in person to welcome the bride and hand her the carriage cord. Why? It is for yang to humble itself before yin, to win her affection, and to show a heart of intimacy. When the husband welcomes the bride in person, the carriage wheels turn three times, and he gets down and looks back, to prevent licentiousness. The Book of Odes says: "The betrothal was set auspiciously; he welcomed her in person at the Wei. Boats were joined to make a bridge; how bright was the glory!" The Marriage Classic in the Rites says: "The guest ascends the hall, faces north and sets down the goose, bows twice, bows with joined hands and head to the ground, then descends the steps and goes out. The bride comes out from the chamber and follows him down the western steps. He bows, drives the bride's carriage, and hands her the cord."