Xunzi by Burton Watson

Author:Burton Watson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Philosophy/Eastern/General
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Published: 2011-09-09T16:00:00+00:00

Their rites and ceremonies are entirely according to rule,

Their laughter and talk are entirely appropriate.10

Rites are strictest in their ordering of birth and death. Birth is the beginning of man, death his end. When both beginning and end are good, man’s way is complete. Therefore the gentleman is reverent in his treatment of the beginning and careful in his treatment of the end, regarding both with the same gravity. This is the way of the gentleman and the highest flowering of ritual principle. To be generous in the treatment of the living but skimpy in the treatment of the dead is to show reverence for a being who has consciousness and contempt for one who has lost it. This is the way of an evil man and an offense against the heart. The gentleman would be ashamed to treat even a lowly slave in a way that offends the heart; how much more ashamed would he be to treat those whom he honors and loves in such a way! The rites of the dead can be performed only once for each individual, and never again. They are the last occasion upon which the subject may fully express respect for his ruler, the son express respect for his parents.

To fail to treat the living with sincere generosity and reverent formality is the way of a rustic; to fail to bury the dead with sincere generosity and reverent formality is the way of a miser. The gentleman despises rusticity and is ashamed of miserliness. Hence the inner and outer coffins of the Son of Heaven consist of seven11 layers; those of the feudal lords consist of five layers; those of the high ministers, three layers; and those of the officials, two layers. In addition, there are various rules governing the amount and quality of grave clothes and food offerings for each rank, and the type of coffin decorations and ornaments appropriate for each station, whereby reverence is expressed in outward form. In this way life and death, beginning and end, are treated the same and men’s longings are satisfied. This is the way of the former kings and the highest expression of the duty of a loyal subject and a filial son.

At the funeral of the Son of Heaven, notification is sent throughout the area within the four seas and the feudal lords are called together. At the funeral of one of the feudal lords, notification is sent to allied states and their high ministers are called together. At the funeral of a high minister, notification is sent throughout his own state and the eminent officials are called together. At the funeral of an official, notification is sent throughout his district and his friends are called together. At the funeral of a commoner, his family and close neighbors are gathered together and notification is sent throughout his community. At the funeral of an executed criminal, however, his family and neighbors do not gather together, but only his wife and children. His inner

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.