(of a carriage), but (the king) rides in a plain one,—doing honour to its plainness. In all these things it is simply the idea of the simplicity that is the occasion of the preference and honour. In maintaining intercourse with spiritual and intelligent Beings, there should be nothing like an extreme desire for rest and ease in our personal gratification. It is this which makes the above usages suitable for their purpose.
17. The number of the tripods and meat-stands was odd, but that of the tall dishes of wood and bamboo was even,—having regard to the numbers belonging to the developing and receding influences of nature[1]. The vase with the yellow eyes[2] was the most valued of all, and contained the spirit with the fragrant herbs. Yellow is the colour (of earth) which occupies the central place [3]. In the eye the energy (of nature) appears most purely and brilliantly. Thus the spirit to be poured out is in that cup, the (emblem of the) centre, and (the symbol of) what is
most pure and bright appears outside[4].
- ↑ See the fifth paragraph of Section i, and the note. It may be added here, after Khung Ying-tâ, that "the tripod and stand contained the body of the victim, which, as belonging to an animal that moved, was of the category of Yang, but the dishes contained the products of trees and vegetables, which were of the category of Yin."
- ↑ In pictures, this vase was figured with two eyes. They were carved on the substance of the vessel and then gilt, so as to appear yellow.
- ↑ On the central place assigned to the element of earth and its yellow colour, see the supplementary section appended to Book IV, Section ii. Part iii.
- ↑ P. Callery characterises the reasoning of this paragraph as "puéril et grotesque;" and concludes a long note on it with the
