same ceremonies as in the south. In the eleventh month, he went on to the north, to the mountain of that quarter[1], observing the same ceremonies as in the west. (When all was done), he returned (to the capital), repaired (to the ancestral temple) and offered a bull in each of the fanes, from that of his (high) ancestor to that of his father[2].
17. When the son of Heaven was about to go forth, he sacrificed specially, but with the usual forms, to God, offered the Î sacrifice at the altar of the earth, and the Зhâo in the fane of his father[3]. When one of the feudal princes was about to go forth, he offered the Î sacrifice to the spirits of the land, and the Зhâo in the fane of his father.
18. When the son of Heaven received the feudal princes, and there was no special affair on hand, it was (simply) called an audience. They examined their ceremonies, rectified their punishments, and made uniform what they considered virtuous; thus giving honour to the son of Heaven[4].
19. When the son of Heaven gave (an instrument of) music to a duke or marquis, the presentation was
- ↑ Mount Hǎng; in the present district of Khü-yang, dept. Ting-kâu, Kih-lî.
- ↑ I have followed here the view of Khung Ying-tâ. It seems to me that all the seven fanes of the son of Heaven were under one roof, or composed one great building, called "the Ancestral Temple." See p. 224.
- ↑ The meaning of the names of the different sacrifices here is little more than guessed at.
- ↑ The second sentence of this paragraph is variously understood.
