Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 27.djvu/501

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SECT. II.
THE NÊI 𝖅EH.
467

hsiang. The sovereigns of the line of Hsiâ entertained the former in (the school called) the hsü on the east, and the latter in (that called) the hsü on the west. The men of Yin entertained the former in the School of the Right, and the latter in that of the Left. The men of Kâu entertained the former in the kiâo on the east, and the latter in the Yü hsiang. This was in the suburb of the capital on the west.

The lord of Yü wore the hwang cap in sacrificing (in the ancestral temple), and the white. robes in entertaining the aged. The sovereigns of Hsiâ sacrificed in the shân cap, and entertained the aged in the dark garments of undress. Those of Yin sacrificed in the hsü cap, and entertained in the garments of white thin silk. Those of Kâu sacrificed in the mien cap, and entertained the aged in the dark upper garment (and the lower white one)[1].

2. 𝖅ǎng-𝖟ze said, "A filial son, in nourishing his aged, (seeks to) make their hearts glad, and not to go against their wishes; to promote their comfort in their bed-chambers and the whole house; and with leal heart to supply them with their food and drink:—such is the filial son to the end of life. By 'the end of life,' I mean not the end of parents lives, but the end of his own life. Thus what his parents loved he will love, and what they reverenced he will reverence.

He will do so even in regard to all their


  1. The above long paragraph constitutes, with very little difference, the first twelve paragraphs of Section v of Book III. Kû Hsî says that in this Book we have "old text," whereas Book III is a compilation of the Han dynasty; and that the authors of it incorporated this passage. I am willing to allow that they did so; but it may be doubted if this Book in its present form be older than the time of Han.

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