Chapter 68 present

Wei Suo Reading newspapers is rewarding, though sometimes dull.For example, China is the country that commemorates the most national humiliations in the world. On this day, as usual, there will be several records and articles in the newspapers.But this thing really overlaps too much, too long, and it is easy to be the same. If it works this time, it will work the next time. If it was used last year, it may still be used next year, as long as there is nothing new.Even if there is, I am afraid that the written text can still be used, because there are only a few sentences that can be said anyway.Therefore, if people are not forgetful, they will feel dull and unable to see new revelations.

Yet I watch it anyway.Today I happened to see the memorabilia of the anti-Japanese hero Deng Wen [2] in Beijing. First, there was a report, second, a speech, and finally, "The ceremony is completed, and the meeting ends with music". So I got a new revelation: all commemorations are just "rituals". China was originally a "land of rites and righteousness". There are three major volumes of books on rites [3], which have been translated even in foreign countries. I really admire the translator of "Yili".It is not necessary to talk about serving the king now; serving relatives, of course one must be filial, but the method after death has been included in the sacrificial ceremony, and each has its own rituals, that is, worshiping the death day, doing Yinshou and so on.When the new death date is added, the old death date will be lessened, "the new ghost is big, and the old ghost is small" [4].Our anniversaries are also relatively indifferent to the old ones, and the new ones are indifferent, so we have to wait for the future, just like other people's death anniversary.Some people say that the Chinese state is based on the family, which is really insightful.

In China, "comity is the country" [5]. If there is courtesy, there will be concessions, and the more concessions, the more complicated the courtesy will be.In short, let’s not talk about this section. In ancient times, the world was governed either by Huang Lao or by filial piety [6].Now, I am afraid that we have entered the period of governing the world with rituals. Knowing this, we know that it is wrong to blame the people for their indifference to the anniversary. Anything is wrong, Confucius said: "Ci Yeer loves his sheep, I love his gifts!" [8] "Don't see anything wrong with propriety, don't hear anything wrong with propriety, don't speak anything wrong with propriety, don't move anything wrong with propriety" [9], quietly waiting for others to "do many unrighteous actions, and you will kill yourself" [10], etiquette also.September 20th.

[1] This article was originally published in "Shen Shen Free Talk" on September 22, 1933. [2] Deng Wen was then the cavalry division commander of the Mazhanshan Department of the Northeast Army, and was assassinated in Zhangjiakou on July 31, 1933.On September 20, 1933, the newspaper carried the news that "all walks of life in Beijing mourned Deng Wen yesterday".Beijing refers to Beijing. 〔3〕Three books on rites refer to "Zhou Li", "Yi Li", and "Book of Rites". "Rites" has an English translation by J. Steel, published in London in 1917. 〔4〕"New ghosts are big, old ghosts are small" see "Zuo Zhuan" Wengong two years: Spring and Autumn Period After the death of Lu Mingong, his half-brother Xigong succeeded him; Xigong died, his son Wengong succeeded him , according to the order of the world, the position in the ancestral temple should be Min Xianxi and later; but when Wen Gong offered sacrifices to the Taimiao in August of the second year, he put his father Xi Gong before Min Gong, saying that "the new ghost is big, and the old ghost is small." .It means that Duke Xi, who died not long ago, was an older brother, and he was older when he died; and Duke Min, who had been dead for many years, was a younger brother, who was younger when he died, so it is necessary to "be older first and then younger".

〔5〕 "Rites for the country" comes from "The Analects of Confucius Liren": "The Master said: 'If you can use courtesy for the country, what's the point? Can't use courtesy for the country, how about etiquette?'" 〔6〕Using Huang Lao to rule the world refers to governing the country with criminal names and spells that originated from Taoism and became great in Legalism.Huang Lao refers to the Yellow Emperor and Lao Dan who are regarded as ancestors by Taoism.Governing the world with filial piety refers to governing the country with the Confucian ethics of "monarch, minister, father, son". 〔7〕The phrase "no courtesy to ordinary people" can be found in "Book of Rites · Qu Li": "No courtesy to ordinary people, no punishment to high officials".

〔8〕 "Ci Ye loves his sheep, and I love his gifts!" See "The Analects of Confucius Ba Yi": "Zigong wants to tell Shuo's sheep. Zi said: 'Ci Ye, you love his sheep, I love his sheep. Love its rituals!’” According to Zhu Xi’s note in the Song Dynasty: “饩羊” means live sheep.The princes report to the temple to listen to the government on the first day of every month (the first day of the new year), which is called Gao Shuo.Zigong (Ci Duanmu) saw that the ruler of the Lu State had abolished the ceremony of telling Shuo, so he wanted to get rid of the sheep prepared for the ceremony; but Confucius thought that there was a little bit of formality in the form of sheep. , so say so.

〔9〕"Do not see anything that is contrary to the propriety, do not listen to anything that is contrary to the propriety, do not speak anything that is contrary to the propriety, and do not move anything that is contrary to the propriety." For the words of Confucius, see "The Analects of Confucius·Yan Yuan". 〔10〕"If you do many unrighteous actions, you will die yourself" see "Zuo Zhuan" in the year of Yin Gong, the original language is what Zheng Zhuanggong said about his younger brother Gongshu Duan in the Spring and Autumn Period.