Bai Hu Tong Yi (白虎通義) · Volume 9

《書》曰：“成王崩。”天子稱崩何？別尊卑，異死生也。天子曰崩，大尊像，崩之為言，崩伏強天下，撫擊，失神明，黎庶殞涕，海內悲涼。諸侯曰薨，國失陽。薨之言奄也，奄然亡也。大夫曰卒，精耀終卒。卒之為言終於國也。士曰不祿，失其忠節，不忠終君之綠。綠之言消也，身消名彰。庶人曰死，魂去亡。死之為言澌，精氣窮也。崩、薨紀於國何？以為有尊卑之禮，諡號之制即有矣。禮始於黃帝，至舜堯而備。《易》言復者，據遂也。《書》殂落、死者矣，各自見義。堯皆僭痛之，舜見終，各一也。

The Book of Documents says: "King Cheng collapsed." Why is the death of the Son of Heaven called a collapse? It is to distinguish the honored from the lowly and to mark off death from life. The Son of Heaven's death is called a collapse because it is the image of the greatest honor; to collapse means to fall prostrate over all under Heaven, with blows and beating, the loss of spiritual brightness, the common people shedding tears, and sorrow within the seas. The death of a feudal lord is called a hong, for the state loses its yang; hong means to be suddenly gone, vanished in an instant. The death of a senior officer is called a zu, the bright essence ending; zu means to end in the state. The death of a scholar is called bu lu, for he loses loyalty and integrity and cannot loyally end his service with his emolument of the ruler. Lu means to melt away: the person melts away while the name shines. The death of a commoner is called si, the soul departing and lost. Si means to dry up, the vital essence exhausted. Why are the collapse and the hong recorded in the state annals? It is held that where there are the rites of honored and lowly, the system of posthumous titles already exists. The rites began with the Yellow Emperor and were completed by Shun and Yao. The Book of Changes speaks of returning, which relies on following through. The Book of Documents speaks of cu luo and si, each showing its own meaning. Yao showed the grief of even exceeding what was proper, and Shun was seen at his end, each a case of its own.

喪者，何謂也？喪者，亡。人死謂之喪何？言其亡，不可復得見也。不直言喪何？為孝子心不忍言。《尚書》曰：“武王既喪。”《喪終》曰：“死為室。”知據死者稱喪也，生者喪痛之亦稱喪。《禮》曰：“喪服斬衰。”《易》曰：“不封不樹，喪期無數。”《孝經》曰：“孝子之喪親也，是施生者也。”天子下至庶人，俱言喪何？欲言身體髮膚，俱受之父母，其痛一也。

What does sang, mourning, mean? Sang means to lose. Why is the death of a person called sang? It says that he is lost and can no longer be seen. Why does one not say "death" directly? Because the filial son cannot bear to say it in his heart. The Book of Documents says: "King Wu had already passed away." The Mourning's End says: "Dying is to go to the proper chamber." From this we know that sang is used according to the dead. The grief of the living is also called sang. The Rites say: "Mourning dress of the coarsest grade." The Book of Changes says: "They neither heaped a mound nor planted trees, and the period of mourning had no fixed number." The Classic of Filial Piety says: "As for the filial son's mourning for his parent, this is applied to the living." From the Son of Heaven down to the commoner, all say sang. Why? Because body, hair and skin are all received from one's parents, and the pain is the same.

天子崩，計告諸侯何？緣臣子喪君，哀痛憤懣，無能不告語人者也。諸侯欲聞之，又當持土地所出以供喪事，故《禮》曰：“天子崩，遣使者計諸侯。”

Why, when the Son of Heaven dies, is notice sent to the feudal lords? It accords with the way subjects, losing their ruler, are grieved and aggrieved and cannot but tell others. The feudal lords wish to hear of it, and should also supply what their lands produce for the funeral. Therefore the Rites say: "When the Son of Heaven collapses, he sends envoys to give notice to the feudal lords."

王者崩，諸侯悉奔喪何？臣子悲哀慟怛，莫不欲觀君父之棺柩，盡悲哀者也。又為天子守蕃，不可頓空也，故分為三部：有始死先奔者，有得中來盡其哀者，有得會喪奉送君者。七月之間，諸侯有在京師親供臣子之事者也，號泣悲哀奔走道路者，有居其國哭痛思慕，竭盡所供，以助喪事者。是四海之內鹹悲，臣下若喪考妣之義也。葬有會者，親疏遠近盡至，親親之義也。童諸侯不朝而來奔喪者何？明臣子於其君父，非有老少也，亦因喪質，無般旋之禮，但盡悲哀而已。

When the king dies, why do all the feudal lords hasten to the mourning? Subjects are grieved and anguished and all wish to see the coffin of their lord and father and exhaust their sorrow. But they also guard the borders for the Son of Heaven, who cannot be left suddenly empty, so they are divided into three groups: some hasten at once upon the death, some can arrive midway to exhaust their grief, and some can arrive in time for the funeral to escort their lord. During the seven months, some feudal lords personally perform a subject's service in the capital, weeping and grieving as they hurry along the roads, and some stay in their own states wailing and longing, bringing all they can supply to help with the funeral. This is the meaning that within the four seas all grieve, and subjects mourn as for a deceased father and mother. At the burial there is a gathering, and kin near and far all come, which is the meaning of loving one's kin. Why do young feudal lords who have not yet come to court nonetheless hasten to the mourning? It shows that, for subjects toward a lord and father, there is no young or old; and also that the mourning is plain, with no rite of lingering ceremony, only exhausting grief.

臣死亦赴告於君何？此君哀痛於臣子也，欲聞之加賻之禮。故《春秋》曰：“蔡侯考父卒。”《傳》曰：“卒赴而葬，禮也。”

Why, when a subject dies, is notice sent to the ruler? This is the rite in which the ruler grieves for his subject, wishes to hear of it, and adds a gift to help with the funeral. Therefore the Spring and Autumn Annals says: "Fu, Marquis of Cai, died." The commentary says: "That a death was announced and the burial held is according to the rite."

諸侯薨，赴告鄰國何？緣鄰國欲有禮也。《春秋傳》曰：“桓母喪，告於諸侯。”桓母賤尚告於諸侯，諸侯薨告鄰國，明矣。

Why, when a feudal lord dies, is notice sent to neighboring states? It accords with neighboring states wishing for the rites. The Spring and Autumn Annals commentary says: "When the mother of Duke Huan died, notice was given to the feudal lords." Since even the lowly mother of Duke Huan was announced to the feudal lords, it is clear that the death of a feudal lord is announced to neighboring states.

諸侯夫人薨，告天子者，不敢自廢政事，天子亦欲知之當有禮也。《春秋》曰：“天子使宰喧來歸惠公仲子之。”譏不及事。仲子者，魯君之貴妾也，何況於夫人乎？

When a feudal lord's wife dies, notice is sent to the Son of Heaven, for the lord dares not abandon affairs of government on his own, and the Son of Heaven also wishes to know and ought to observe the rites. The Spring and Autumn Annals says: "The Son of Heaven sent the Grand Steward Xuan to bring the funeral gift for Zhongzi, mother of Duke Hui." It criticizes that it did not arrive in time for the event. Zhongzi was a noble concubine of the ruler of Lu, how much more so a wife.

諸侯薨，使臣歸瑞於天子何？諸侯以瑞為信，今死矣，嗣子諒暗三年之後，當乃更爵命，故歸之，推讓之義也。《禮》曰：“諸侯薨，使臣歸瑞於天子。”

When a feudal lord dies, why does he send a subject to return the jade tablet of investiture to the Son of Heaven? The feudal lord holds the jade tablet as his credential; now that he has died, the heir, after three years in the mourning hut, should again receive his rank and charge, so it is returned, which is the meaning of yielding. The Rites say: "When a feudal lord dies, he sends a subject to return the jade tablet to the Son of Heaven."

天子聞諸侯薨，哭之何？慘怛發中，哀痛之至也。使大夫吊之，追遠重終之義也。故《禮?檀弓》曰：“天子哭諸侯，爵弁，純衣。”又曰：“遣大夫弔詞曰：‘皇天降災，子遭離之難，嗚呼哀哉！大王使臣某吊。’”

When the Son of Heaven hears that a feudal lord has died, why does he wail for him? Anguish comes from within, and grief reaches its utmost. He sends a senior officer to offer condolences, which is the meaning of remembering the distant and honoring the end. Therefore the Tan Gong in the Rites says: "The Son of Heaven wails for a feudal lord, wearing the leather cap and plain robe." It also says: "The words of condolence of the officer he sends are: 'August Heaven has sent down disaster, and you have met with calamity. Alas, how sad! The great king has sent me, so-and-so, to offer condolences.'"

臣子死，君往吊之何？親與之共治民，恩深義重厚，欲躬見之。故《禮?雜記》曰：“君吊臣，主人待於門外，見馬首不哭。君至，主人先入，君升自阼階，西向哭。主人居中庭，從哭。”或曰：“大夫疾，君問之無數；士疾，二問之而大夫卒，比葬，不食肉；比卒哭不舉樂。士比殯，不舉樂。”玄冠不以吊者，不以吉服臨人兇，示助哀也。《論語》曰：“羔裘，玄冠不以吊。”

When a subject dies, why does the ruler go to offer condolences? He governed the people together with him in person, the affection was deep and the duty weighty, and he must see him himself. Therefore the Miscellaneous Records of the Rites says: "When the ruler offers condolences to a subject, the host waits outside the gate, and on seeing the horses' heads does not wail. When the ruler arrives, the host enters first, and the ruler ascends by the eastern steps and wails facing west. The host stands in the middle of the courtyard and wails after him." Someone says: "When a senior officer is ill, the ruler inquires after him without limit; when a scholar is ill, he inquires twice. When a senior officer dies, until the burial he does not eat meat, and until the end of the wailing he does not hold music. For a scholar, until the coffining he does not hold music." The black cap is not used for condolences, nor is auspicious dress used to face another's misfortune, which shows helping in grief. The Analects says: "Lambskin robes and the black cap are not worn to offer condolences."

崩薨三日乃小斂何？奪孝子之恩以漸也。一日之時，屬纊於口上，以候絕氣；二日之時，尚冀其生；三日之時，魂氣不返，終不可奈何。故《禮?士喪經》曰：“御者四人皆坐，持體屬纊，以候絕氣。”《禮》曰：“天子、諸侯，三日小斂；大夫、士二日小斂。”屬纊於口者，孝子欲生其親也。

Why is the small dressing done only on the third day after the death of a ruler? It gradually takes away from the filial son's affection. On the first day, a silk floss is placed over the mouth to wait for the last breath to cease; on the second day, one still hopes he may live; on the third day, the soul's breath has not returned, and in the end nothing more can be done. Therefore the Rites on the Burial of a Scholar say: "Four attendants all sit, holding the body and placing the floss, waiting for the last breath to cease." The Rites say: "For the Son of Heaven and feudal lords, the small dressing is on the third day; for senior officers and scholars, on the second day." Placing the floss over the mouth is because the filial son wishes to make his parent live.

人死必沐浴於中ニ何？示潔淨反本也《禮?檀弓》曰：“死於牖下，沐浴於中ニ，飯含於牖下，小斂於戶內，大斂於阼階，殯於客位，祖於庭，葬於墓，所以即遠也。”奪孝子之恩以漸也。所以有飯含何？緣生食今死不欲虛其口，故含。用珠寶物何也？有益死者形體，故天子飯以玉，諸侯以珠，大夫以米，士以貝也。

Why must a person who dies be bathed under the central eaves? It shows cleanliness and a return to the root. The Tan Gong in the Rites says: "He dies beneath the window, is bathed under the central eaves, has the rice and pearl placed in the mouth beneath the window, is given the small dressing inside the door, the great dressing on the eastern steps, is coffined in the guest's place, is sent to the ancestors in the courtyard, and is buried at the grave, so he gradually goes farther away." It gradually takes away from the filial son's affection. Why is there the placing of rice and pearl in the mouth? It accords with his eating in life, and now that he is dead one does not wish his mouth to be empty, so it is filled. Why are precious things used? They benefit the form of the dead. Therefore for the Son of Heaven jade is used, for feudal lords pearls, for senior officers rice, and for scholars shells.

贈礻遂，何謂也？贈之為言稱也，玩好曰贈；礻遂之為言遺也，衣被曰曰礻遂。知死者則贈礻遂，所以助生送死，追恩重終，副至意也。贈者，何謂也？贈者，助也也。所以相佐，給不足也。故弔詞曰：“知生則賻，貨財曰賻，車馬曰。”

What do zeng and sui mean? Zeng means to match, for playthings are called zeng; sui means to bequeath, for clothes and bedding are called sui. When one knows the dead, one gives zeng and sui, to help the living send off the dead, to follow affection and honor the end, in accord with the utmost intention. What do zeng and feng mean? Zeng means to help. They are used to assist one another and supply what is lacking. So the words of condolence say: "When one knows the living, one gives fu; goods and wealth are called fu, and carriages and horses are called feng."

天子七日而殯，諸侯五日而殯何？事有大小，所供者不等，故《王制》曰：“天子七日而殯，諸侯五日而殯，卿大夫三日而殯。”

Why does the Son of Heaven have the coffining on the seventh day and a feudal lord on the fifth? Affairs differ in scale and what must be supplied is not equal. Therefore the Royal Regulations say: "The Son of Heaven is coffined on the seventh day, a feudal lord on the fifth day, and a minister or senior officer on the third day."

夏后氏殯於阼階，殷人殯於兩楹之間，周人殯於西階之上何？夏后氏教以忠，忠者厚也，曰生吾親也，死亦吾親也，主人宜在阼階。殷人教以敬，曰死者將去，又不敢客也，故置之兩楹之間，周人共夾而敬之。周人教以文，曰死者將去，不可又得，故賓客之也。《檀弓》記曰：“夏后氏殯於阼階，殷人殯於兩楹之間，周人殯於西階。”

The lord of Xia coffined at the eastern steps, the Yin people coffined between the two pillars, and the Zhou people coffined above the western steps. Why? The lord of Xia taught through loyalty, and loyalty means generosity: it said that in life he was my kin, and in death he is still my kin, so the host should stand at the eastern steps. The Yin people taught through reverence, and said that the dead was about to depart and one dared not treat him as a guest, so the coffin was placed between the two pillars, where the Zhou people jointly honored him on both sides. The Zhou people taught through refinement, and said that the dead was about to depart and could not be had again, so he was treated as a guest. The record in the Tan Gong says: "The lord of Xia coffined at the eastern steps, the Yin people between the two pillars, and the Zhou people at the western steps."

《稽命徵》曰：“天子舟車殯何？為避水火災也。故棺在車上，車在舟中。”臣子更執紼，晝夜常百二十二人。紼者，所以掌持棺也。故《禮》曰：“天子舟車殯，諸侯車殯，大夫攢塗，士瘞。”尊卑之差也。

The Verification of the Mandate says: "The Son of Heaven is coffined with boat and carriage. Why? To avoid the disasters of water and fire. So the coffin is on the carriage and the carriage is inside the boat." The subjects take turns holding the funeral ropes, with always one hundred and twenty-two men day and night. The ropes are used to hold the coffin. Therefore the Rites say: "The Son of Heaven is coffined with boat and carriage, a feudal lord with a carriage, a senior officer is plastered over with mud, and a scholar is buried in the earth." This is the difference between the honored and the lowly.

祖於庭何？盡孝子之恩也。祖者，始也，始載於庭也。乘軸車辭祖禰，故名為祖載也。《禮》曰：“祖於庭，葬於墓。”又曰：“適祖，升自西階。”

Why is there the sending to the ancestors in the courtyard? It fulfills the filial son's devotion. Zu means to begin, and the coffin is first loaded in the courtyard. He mounts the bier-carriage to take leave of the ancestors and father's shrine, so it is called the ancestral loading. The Rites say: "Take leave of the ancestors in the courtyard, and bury at the grave." It also says: "Going to the ancestral shrine, one ascends by the western steps."

所以有棺槨何？所以掩藏形惡也，不欲令孝子見其毀壞也。棺之為言之貌，所以藏屍令貌全也；槨之為言廓，所以開廓闢土無令迫棺也。《禮?王制》曰：“天子棺槨九重，衣衾百二十稱於領；大度曰：“公侯五重，衣衾九十稱；士再重。”禮曰：“大夫有大棺三重，衣衾五十稱；士無大棺二重，衣衾三十稱。單備為一稱。”《禮?檀弓》曰：“天子棺四重，水光革棺被之，其厚三寸。地棺一，梓棺二，柏槨以端，長六尺。”

Why are there inner and outer coffins? They are used to conceal the ugliness of the form, for one does not wish the filial son to see it decay. Guan, the coffin, means appearance: it is used to hide the corpse and keep its appearance whole. Guo, the outer coffin, means enclosure: it is used to open up an enclosure and push back the earth so the earth does not press close upon the coffin. The Royal Regulations in the Rites say: "For the Son of Heaven there are nine layers of inner and outer coffins, and one hundred and twenty sets of clothing and coverlets at the collar; the Great Measures says: for dukes and marquises, five layers and ninety sets; for scholars, two layers." The Rites say: "A senior officer has a great coffin of three layers and fifty sets of clothing and coverlets; a scholar has no great coffin but two layers and thirty sets. A single coverlet with its complete set counts as one set." The Tan Gong in the Rites says: "The Son of Heaven's coffin has four layers, covered with rhinoceros hide, three inches thick. There is one coffin of yi wood, two of catalpa, and the outer coffin of cypress is made with the ends set in, six feet long."

有虞氏瓦棺，今以木何？虞尚質，故用瓦。夏后氏益文，故易之以┾周，謂┾木相周，無膠漆之周也。殷人棺槨有膠漆之用。周人浸文，牆置た，加巧飾。喪葬之禮，緣生以事死，生時無，死亦不敢造。太古之時，穴居野處，夜皮帶革，故死衣之以薪，內藏不飾。中古之時，有宮室、衣服，故衣之幣帛，藏以棺槨，封樹識表，體以象生。夏殷彌文，齊之以器械。至周大文，緣夫婦生時同室，死同葬之。

The lord of Yougu used a clay coffin; why is wood used now? Yu honored plainness, so he used clay. The lord of Xia was more refined, so he changed to the encircling coffin, which means that the timbers surround one another, without the encirclement of glue and lacquer. The Yin people's coffins and outer coffins used glue and lacquer. The Zhou people grew more refined still, setting up feathered screens on the wall and adding skillful decoration. The rites of mourning and burial serve the dead by following life: what did not exist in life, one dares not make for the dead. In remote antiquity people lived in caves and dwelt in the wilds, and at night wore belts of hide, so the dead were clothed in firewood and buried inside without decoration. In middle antiquity there were houses and clothing, so the dead were clothed in silks, placed in coffins and outer coffins, and a mound and trees were set as markers, the body being used to resemble the living. Xia and Yin grew more refined and used vessels and implements to set things in order. By Zhou the refinement was great, and, following the way husband and wife live in one room in life, they were buried together in death.

屍柩者，何謂也？屍之為言失也，陳也，失氣亡神，形體獨陳；柩之為言究也，久也，不復章也。《曲禮》曰：“在床曰屍，在棺曰柩。”

What do shi and jiu mean? Shi means to lose, and also to lay out: the qi is lost and the spirit gone, and the form alone is laid out. Jiu means to exhaust, and also long: it will not shine forth again. The Summary of the Rites says: "On the bed it is called shi; in the coffin it is called jiu."

崩、薨別號，至墓同，何也？時臣子藏其君父，安厝之義，貴賤同。葬之為言下藏之也。所以入地何？人生於陰，含陽光，死始入地，歸所與也。天子七月而葬，諸侯五月而葬何？尊卑有差也。天子七月而葬，同軌必至；諸侯五月而葬，同會必至，所以慎終重喪也。

The collapse of a king and the hong of a feudal lord are named differently, yet at the grave they are the same; why? At that time subjects were burying their lord and father, and in the meaning of laying him to rest, the honored and the lowly are alike. Burial means to store downward. Why does one enter the earth? A person is born of yin and holds the sunlight within, and only at death enters the earth, returning to where he belongs. The Son of Heaven is buried in the seventh month and a feudal lord in the fifth month; why? Honored and lowly differ. The Son of Heaven is buried in the seventh month so that all of the same axle-gauge will surely arrive; a feudal lord is buried in the fifth month so that all of the same covenant will surely arrive, which is to be careful at the end and to take mourning seriously.

《禮》曰：“冢人奉圖。先君之葬，君居以中，昭、穆為左右，群臣從葬，以貴賤序。”

The Rites say: "The keeper of the tombs presents the upper plan. In the burial of a former ruler, the ruler lies in the middle, the zhao and mu rows are on the left and right, and the ministers are buried following him, arranged in order of rank."

合葬者何？所以固夫婦之道也。故《詩》曰：“谷則異室，死則同穴。”又《禮?檀弓》曰：“合葬，非古也，自周公已來未之有改也。”

Why is there joint burial? It is used to strengthen the way of husband and wife. Therefore the Book of Songs says: "In life we had separate rooms; in death we shall share one grave." And the Tan Gong in the Rites says: "Joint burial is not ancient; since the Duke of Zhou it has not been changed."

葬於城郭外何？死生別處，終始異居。《易》曰：“葬之中野。”所以絕孝子之思慕也。《傳》曰：“作樂於廟，不聞於墓；哭泣於墓，不聞於廟。”所以於北方何？就陰也。《檀弓》曰：“孔子卒，所以受魯君之璜玉葬魯城北。”又曰“於邑北北首，三代之達禮也。”

Why is burial outside the city walls? The dead and the living dwell apart, and the end and the beginning do not share a home. The Book of Changes says: "They buried them in the middle of the wilds." It is used to cut off the filial son's longing. The commentary says: "When music is played in the temple, it cannot be heard at the grave; when there is weeping at the grave, it cannot be heard in the temple." Why is it to the north? It follows the yin. The Tan Gong says: "When Confucius died, he received the jade huang of the ruler of Lu and was buried north of the city of Lu." It also says: "North of the town, with the head toward the north, was the rite commonly practiced in all three dynasties."

封、樹者，所以為識。故《檀弓》曰：“古也墓而不墳，今邱也。東西南北之人也，不可以不識也。於是封之，崇曰尺。”春秋《含文嘉》曰：“天子墳高三仞，樹以松；諸侯半之，樹以柏；大夫八尺，樹以欒；士四尺，樹以槐；庶人無墳，樹以楊柳。”

The mound and the trees are used as markers. Therefore the Tan Gong says: "In ancient times there were graves but no mounds. Now I, Qiu, am a man of the east, west, south and north, and cannot be without a marker. So I will raise a mound for it, one ren high." The Spring and Autumn Annals Han Wen Jia says: "The Son of Heaven's mound is three ren high, and pine is planted; a feudal lord's is half that, with cypress; a senior officer's is eight feet, with the luan tree; a scholar's is four feet, with the locust; a commoner has no mound, and willow is planted."