the niece and younger sister of his wife (members of his harem)[1]. (Another) officer should not call by name the steward of his family, nor his principal concubine[2].
3. 7. The son of a Great officer (of the king, himself equal to) a ruler, should not presume to speak of himself as "I, the little son[3]." The son of a Great officer or (other) officer (of a state) should not presume to speak of himself as "I, the inheriting son, so-and-so[4]." They should not so presume to speak of themselves as their heir-sons do. 8. When his ruler wishes an officer to take a place at an archery (meeting), and he is unable to do so, he should decline on the ground of being ill, and say, "I, so-and-so, am suffering from carrying firewood[5]."
4. 9. When one, in attendance on a superior man, replies to a question without looking round to see (if any other be going to answer), this is contrary to rule[6].
5. 10. A superior man[7], in his practice of ceremonies
- ↑ The bride (what we may call the three brides in the preceding note) was accompanied by a niece and a younger sister to the harem.
- ↑ This would be the younger sister of the wife, called in the text "the oldest concubine."
- ↑ So the young king styled himself during mourning.
- ↑ The proper style for the orphan son of such officer was, "I, the sorrowing son."
- ↑ Mencius on one occasion (I. ii. 2. i) thus excused himself for not going to court. The son of a peasant or poor person might speak so; others, of higher position, adopted the style in mock humility.
- ↑ The action of Зze-lû in Analects 9, 5. 4, is referred to as an instance in point of this violation of rule.
- ↑ The "superior man" here must be an officer, probably the head of a clan or family. Does not the spirit of this chapter still appear in the unwillingness of emigrants from China to forget their country's ways, and learn those of other countries?
