territory with its cities, the highest and other ministers, and the Great and other officers, all wailed in the grand ancestral temple, in mourning caps, for three days; and the ruler (for the same time) had no full meal with music. Some one says, "The ruler has his full meals and music, but wails at the altar to the spirit of the land."
46. Confucius disliked those who wailed in the open fields[1].
47. (A son) who has not been in office should not presume to give away anything belonging to the family. If he should have to do so[2], he ought to have the order of his father or elder brother for the act.
48. When the (ordinary) officers[3] are all entered, then (the chief mourner and all the others) fall to their leaping, morning and evening.
49. After the service on the conclusion of the twenty-fourth month of mourning, the plain white cap is assumed. In that month the service on leaving off mourning is performed, and after another month (the mourners) may take to their music[4].
50. The ruler may confer on any officer the small curtain (as a pall for his father s coffin).
- ↑ It was the rule to mourn in the open country for an acquaintance. See p. 134. There must have been some irregularity in the practice adverted to.
- ↑ That is, supposing him to have been in office; though some suppose that the necessity might arise, even in the case of a son who had not been in office.
- ↑ Of course the higher officers must also be there. This refers to the mourning rites for a ruler.
- ↑ See the note on page 130. It is difficult, notwithstanding all the references to it, to say definitely in what month the than sacrifice was performed.
