The shell is of cypress wood, in pieces six cubits
long, from the trunk near the root.
41. When the son of Heaven is wailing for a feudal prince, he wears the bird's-(head) cap[1], a headband of sackcloth, and black robes. Some one says, "He employs an officer to wail for him." While so engaged, he has no music at his meals.
42. When the son of Heaven is put into his coffin it is surrounded with boards plastered over, and (rests on the hearse), on whose shafts are painted dragons, so as to form a (kind of) shell. Then over the coffin is placed a pall with the axe-heads figured on it This being done, it forms a plastered house. Such is the rule for (the coffining of) the son of Heaven[2].
43. It is only at the mourning rites for the son of Heaven that the feudal princes are arranged for the wailing according to their different surnames.
44. Duke Âi of Lû eulogised Khung Khiû in the words, "Heaven has not left the old man, and there is no one to assist me in my place. Oh! Alas! Nî-fû[3]!"
45. When a state had lost a large tract of
- ↑ This cap, it is said, was of leather, of the dark colour of a male sparrow's head. Hence its name.
- ↑ See Book XIX.
- ↑ Confucius' death took place on the 18th of the fourth month of duke Âi's 16th year, B.C. 479. The eulogy is given somewhat differently in the Зo Kwan under that year: "Compassionate Heaven vouchsafes me no comfort, and has not left me the aged man, to support me, the One man, on my seat. Dispirited I am, and full of distress. Woe is me! Alas! O Nî-fû. There is no one now to be a rule to me!" Khiû was Confucius' name, and Kung-nî his designation! After this eulogy, Nî-fû was for a time his posthumous title.
