Chapter 7 Four, children's rituals

Yan Zheng was staring at him, feeling very moved. It seems that little Kongqiu is not an ordinary child. Even if I do my best, I want to train him... In the Qilu Plain, south of Mount Tai and north of Yishui, there is a famous city called Qufu. Qufu, a holy place of history and culture, has been well-known as early as the Spring and Autumn Period, because it was the fiefdom of Duke Zhou. His son Boqin took office and was the first to be named Lord Lu. A cultural center other than Haojing and Luoyi. The spring in Qufu is very beautiful, the streets are lined with peach blossoms and willows are green, and the people on the street are neatly dressed and behave politely.

At noon, a car drove into the central street, and Yan Zhengzai and his seven-year-old boy Kongqiu were sitting in the car. Little Kong Qiu opened his eyes wide, watching curiously. "Mother, the people here are different from those in Zouyi. They all have smiles on their faces." "This is ritual, Qiu'er. Didn't you ask mother what is ritual? Mother has brought you to the holy place of ritual now. You should learn the ritual well." "Okay, mother." When the carriage arrived at Queli, Mrs. Man greeted her from afar and helped her carry her luggage. "Qiuerniang, look, although these two thatched huts are a bit dilapidated, they can still keep out the wind and rain, so you can make do with it."

"Where does Ermen live?" "It's next door. Now we're neighbors again. We'll see each other often in the future. If you need anything, just call me." "thank you so much." Zheng sold all his fine jewelry and entrusted the help of his neighbor Mrs. Man to settle down in two thatched huts in Qufu's west city gate. She raised silkworms from dawn to dusk, spun yarn, weaved cloth, planted vegetables, and went to the market... A woman struggled with little Kongqiu, and she desperately wanted to bring him up. This day is Konghe's memorial day, and at night, Yan Zheng stood silently in front of his deceased husband's spirit tablet... Husband, you have been away for three or four years, do you know that our Qiu'er is now seven years old, and he is extremely smart He is still studying under the lamp while the other children go to play at night. I take out all the books at home to teach him, and he learns very quickly.Don't worry, I will definitely bring up Qiu'er... No matter how tired I am, no matter how difficult it is, I will make my son stand out...

Zheng Zai read silently, and started to cry again: "Husband, I miss you so much, I really want to go with you, but Qiu'er is still young, I can't leave him..." Hu Shazheng heard the sound of crying, she turned her head and saw Xiao Qiuer crying softly behind her, her heart was shocked, she walked over slowly, knelt down, took out a handkerchief, and wiped away the tears for Xiao Qiuer. "Qiuer, my good boy..." "Mother, I won't let you go..." "Oh, mother won't leave you." Zheng Zai hugged his son, tears streaming down his face. This morning, she taught little Kong Qiu to recite poems:

After little Kongqiu had memorized it by heart, Zhengzai said again: "Qiuer, recite the poem I taught you yesterday." Little Kongqiu began to recite: "Okay, you recited well. Now eat quickly, and mother will take you to see Lord Lu offering sacrifices to King Wen later." "Okay, mother." Xiao Qiu'er put down the letter, picked up the bowl and ate with big mouthfuls. After a while, my mother asked: "Have you finished eating, Qiuer?" "Eat, mother." "Come on, put on this dress." Zhengzai helped little Kongqiu get dressed. "Mother, where are you going?"

"Zhou Gong Temple." "Duke Zhou is the virtuous official who made rituals and played music that my mother told me, and assisted King Cheng of Zhou, isn't it?" "Yes, because he has made great contributions to the Zhou Dynasty, the emperor of Zhou allowed him to worship him with the emperor's rites and music. Today you can hear the emperor's rites and music." "Ah! That's great, I can hear the emperor's rites and music." Little Kong Qiu jumped and ran ahead, and his mother followed behind panting. "Qiu Er, slow down, don't fall."

"Hey." Arriving outside the solemn and solemn Zhoujin Temple, little Confucius was stopped by the densely packed crowd. He couldn't squeeze in, and was so anxious that he wanted to cry. When Zheng arrived panting, Xiao Qiuer had already slipped in. She was standing outside the gate, but was stopped by the guards and was not allowed to go any further. Fortunately, she could see the temple platform. Little Confucius saw all kinds of banners inside and outside the temple, and various ritual vessels such as bronze tripods, gui, pans, and jade were placed on the temple platform.There are whole pigs, whole sheep and various sacrifices on it. The incense mist is lingering in the cauldron, flowers are inserted in the vase next to the altar, and the aroma of wine is wafting...

Little Kong Qiu was intoxicated, he watched intently... After a while, the auspicious day had arrived, and the bells and music rang. Little Kong Qiu saw various drums, music, zithers, chimes, and chimes lined up on both sides of the terrace of Danchi... two rows of musicians in colorful costumes were beating. Suddenly, after hearing "Lu Jun is coming", a group of noble chariots galloped over. In the most luxurious car, a man wearing a monarch's hat and court gown was helped out of the car. Three high officials came down from the chariot, and they surrounded Jun Lu majestically as they entered the Great Temple.

Little Kongqiu thought, the one in front must be Lu Jun.My mother said his name was Lu Xianggong, and the three ministers behind him were the Sanhuan doctors my mother mentioned: Jisun, Shusun, and Mengsun. After Lu Jun boarded the terrace of Danchi with the sound of ritual and music, the master of ceremonies announced the beginning of the sacrifice. Taishi held the sacrificial speech, and Lu Jun took it and read it.Then he took the wine bottle held by Taishi and sprinkled the sacrificial wine on the ground; then he took the sacrificial incense, held it with both hands and raised it over his head, and after three prostrations, he inserted it into the furnace cauldron; Playing the ritual music of the Son of Heaven...

Little Kongqiu suddenly felt solemn and sacred, his eyes began to light up, and his little face flushed with excitement. I have never seen such a solemn and solemn scene. It was the first time I heard this solemn and sacred ceremony and music. Little Confucius opened his eyes, ah!Little Kongqiu felt unprecedented excitement and excitement, and the blood in his whole body seemed to be surging... After Lu Jun paid his respects, he waved to the nobles and courtiers standing at the bottom of the steps, and the ceremony and music started again. Standing at the east and west steps, people wearing formal dresses and top hats lined up to the altar of Danchi from two directions. Singing a hymn:

After paying their respects, they sang a song praising the ancestors of the Lu Kingdom to the beat of the music, and walked down the steps slowly. ... Everyone dispersed, but little Confucius was still standing outside the Taimiao. He was thinking, why do people have etiquette and music... "Qiu'er, let's go home." Zheng Zai came over. "Mother, why do people have to be polite?" "Because ≥ having etiquette and music can make the relationship between people better." "Mother, I must learn ritual and music." One day, Zhengzai had cooked the meal, but Qiu'er came back, so he went out and walked to the street corner, and saw Kong Qiu, Xiaomanfu and a few friends playing games, and saw Xiao Qiu'er reverently asking some The small tripod and small gui made of clay kowtowed, and after the obeisance, they also read the congratulations.The small tripod and small gui also contained five grain offerings. Zheng Zai stared at it, feeling very moved. It seems that little Kong Qiu is not an ordinary child. I will train him even if I do my best. "Qiu Er, the food is cold, hurry up and go home for dinner." "Hey, let's go." When eating, little Kongqiu saw that there was a fried egg in his bowl but not in his mother's bowl, so he put the egg into mother's bowl and said: "Mother, if a mother doesn't eat good things, she only lets her son eat them. This is neither filial nor proper. Does the mother want her son to be unfilial and unkind?" Zheng was shocked when he heard that, since Xiaoqiuer moved to Qufu, he seems to be a different person. He asks, learns, and speaks like an adult every day. It seems that it is right for me to bring him to Qufu. Yes, Qufu is the capital of Lu State after all!