25. 𝖅ǎng-𝖟ze asked, "Anciendy, when they marched
on an expedition, and carried no displaced tablets
with them, what did they make their chief consideration?"
Confucius said, "They made the instructions from the tablet their chief consideration[1]."
"What does that mean?" asked the other.
Confucius said, "When the son of Heaven or the prince of a state was about to go forth, he would, with gifts of silk, skins, and jade-tokens, announce his purpose at the shrines of his grandfather and father. He then took those gifts with him, conveying them on the march in the carriage of Reverence. At every stage (of the march), he would place offerings of food by them, and afterwards occupy the station. On returning, they would make announcement (at the same shrines), and when they had set forth (again) their offerings, they would collect the silk and jade, and bury them between the steps (leading) up to the fane of the high ancestor; after which they left the temple. This was how they made the instructions they received their chief consideration."
26. 𝖅ze-yû asked, "Is it the rule to mourn for a foster-mother[2] as for a mother?"
- ↑ Zottoli gives for this phrase simply "adhaerebant numini," subjoining no note on it. The parties spoken of put down their offerings before the shrines, announcing that they were about to undertake such an expedition; and taking it for granted that their progenitors approved of their object, proceeded to carry it out, as if they had received a charge from them to do so, carrying the offerings with them in token of that charge from the spirits in the tablets of the shrines. This view is distinctly set forth by Hwang Khan (end of early Sung dynasty) and others.
- ↑ This foster-mother was not what we call "a nurse;" but a lady
