He sacrificed to the spirits, as if the spirits were present.

He sacrificed to the dead, as if they were present. He who knew its meaning would find it as easy to govern the kingdom as to look on this'-pointing to his palm. Some one asked the meaning of the great sacrifice. The Master said, 'At the great sacrifice, after the pouring out of the libation, I have no wish to look on.' If those were sufficient, I could adduce them in support of my words.' They cannot do so because of the insufficiency of their records and wise men. I could describe the ceremonies of the Yin dynasty, but Sung cannot sufficiently attest my words. The Master said, 'I could describe the ceremonies of the Hsia dynasty, but Chi cannot sufficiently attest my words. Now I can begin to talk about the odes with him.' 'Ceremonies then are a subsequent thing?' The Master said, 'It is Shang who can bring out my meaning. The Master said, 'The business of laying on the colors follows the preparation of the plain ground.' Tsze-hsia asked, saying, 'What is the meaning of the passage-'The pretty dimples of her artful smile! The well-defined black and white of her eye! The plain ground for the colors?''

In his contention, he is still the Chun-tsze.' If it be said he cannot avoid them, shall this be in archery? But he bows complaisantly to his competitors thus he ascends the hall, descends, and exacts the forfeit of drinking. The Master said, 'The student of virtue has no contentions.

The Master said to Zan Yu, 'Can you not save him from this?' He answered, 'I cannot.' Confucius said, 'Alas! will you say that the T'ai mountain is not so discerning as Lin Fang?' The chief of the Chi family was about to sacrifice to the T'ai mountain. The Master said, 'The rude tribes of the east and north have their princes, and are not like the States of our great land which are without them.' In the ceremonies of mourning, it is better that there be deep sorrow than in minute attention to observances.' The Master said, 'A great question indeed! 'In festive ceremonies, it is better to be sparing than extravagant. Lin Fang asked what was the first thing to be attended to in ceremonies. The Master said, 'If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with the rites of propriety? If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with music?' The Master said, ''Assisting are the princes -the son of heaven looks profound and grave' -what application can these words have in the hall of the three families?' Confucius said of the head of the Chi family, who had eight rows of pantomimes in his area, 'If he can bear to do this, what may he not bear to do?' The three families used the Yungode, while the vessels were being removed, at the conclusion of the sacrifice.

The confucian analects