13. The kâ with its eight sacrifices served to
record (the condition of the people) throughout all
the quarters (of the country). If in any quarter the
year had not been good, it did not contribute to
those services,—out of a careful regard to the
resources of the people. Where the labours of a good
year had been successfully completed, they took
part in them,—to give them pleasure and satisfaction.
All the harvest having by this time been gathered,
the people had nothing to do but to rest, and
therefore after the kâ wise (rulers) commenced no new
work[1].
14. The pickled contents of the ordinary dishes were water-plants produced by the harmonious powers (of nature); the brine used with them was from productions of the land. The additional dishes contained productions of the land with the brine from productions of the water.
The things in the dishes on stands were from both the water and land. They did not venture to use in them the flavours of ordinary domestic use, but variety was considered admirable. It was in this way that they sought to have communion with the spirits; it was not intended to imitate the flavours of food[2].
15. The things set before the ancient kings served as food, but did not minister to the pleasures of the
palate. The dragon-robe, the tasseled cap, and
- ↑ This paragraph treats of the kâ as celebrated in the states.
- ↑ The conclusion of this paragraph leads us to take all the dishes spoken of in it as containing sacrificial offerings. It would take too long to discuss all that is said about the "regular" and the "additional" dishes in the first part.
