The Book of Rites 禮記
《冠義》 The Meaning of the Ceremony of Capping
Click on any word to see more details.
《冠義》 The Meaning of the Ceremony of Capping凡人之所以為人者，禮義也。禮義之始，在於正容體、齊顏色、順辭令。容體正，顏色齊，辭令順，而後禮義備。以正君臣、親父子、和長幼。君臣正，父子親，長幼和，而後禮義立。故冠而後服備，服備而後容體正、顏色齊、辭令順。故曰：冠者，禮之始也。是故古者聖王重冠。
Generally speaking, that which makes man man is the meaning of his ceremonial usages. The first indications of that meaning appear in the correct arrangement of the bodily carriage, the harmonious adjustment of the countenance, and in the natural ordering of the speech. When the bodily carriage is well arranged, the countenance harmoniously adjusted, and speech naturally ordered, the meaning of the ceremonial usages becomes complete, and serves to render correct the relation between ruler and subject, to give expression to the affection between father and son, and to establish harmony between seniors and juniors. When the relation between ruler and subject is made correct, affection secured between father and son, and harmony shown between seniors and juniors, then the meaning of those usages is established. Hence after the capping has taken place, provision is made for every other article of dress. With the complete provision of the dress, the bodily carriage becomes (fully) correct, the harmonious expression of the countenance is made perfect, and the speech is all conformed to its purposes. Hence it is said that in capping we have the first indications of (the meaning of the) ceremonial usages. It was on this account that the sage kings of antiquity made so much as they did of the capping.
古者冠禮筮日筮賓，所以敬冠事，敬冠事所以重禮；重禮所以為國本也。故冠於阼，以著代也；醮於客位，三加彌尊，加有成也；已冠而字之，成人之道也。見於母，母拜之；見於兄弟，兄弟拜之；成人而與為禮也。玄冠、玄端奠摯於君，遂以摯見於鄉大夫、鄉先生；以成人見也。
Anciently, when about to proceed to the ceremony of capping, they divined for the day by the stalks, and also for the guests (who should be present). In this way did they manifest the value which they attached to capping. Attaching such a value to it, they made the ceremony very important. They made the ceremony so important, showing how they considered it to lie at the foundation of the state's (prosperity). Hence (also) the capping took place at the top of the eastern steps, (appropriate to the use of the Master) - to show that the son would (in due time) take his place. (The father) handed him a (special) cup in the guests' place. Three caps were used in the ceremony, each successive one more honourable, and giving the more importance to his coming of age. When the capping was over, he received the name of his maturity. So was it shown that he was now a full-grown man. He presented himself before his mother, and his mother bowed to him; he did the same before his brothers and cousins, and they bowed to him - he was a man grown, and so they exchanged courtesies with him. In the dark-coloured cap, and the dark-coloured square-cut robes, he put down his gift of introduction before the ruler, and then proceeded with the proper gifts to present himself to the high ministers and Great officers, and to the old gentlemen of the country - appearing before them as a man grown.
成人之者，將責成人禮焉也。責成人禮焉者，將責為人子、為人弟、為人臣、為人少者之禮行焉。將責四者之行於人，其禮可不重與？
Treating him (now) as a grown-up man, they would require from him all the observances of a full-grown man. Doing so, they would require from him the performance of all the duties of a son, a younger brother, a subject, and a junior. But when these four duties or services were required from him, was it not right that the ceremony by which he was placed in such a position should be considered important?
故孝弟忠順之行立，而後可以為人；可以為人，而後可以治人也。故聖王重禮。故曰：冠者，禮之始也，嘉事之重者也。是故古者重冠；重冠故行之於廟；行之於廟者，所以尊重事；尊重事而不敢擅重事；不敢擅重事，所以自卑而尊先祖也。
Thus when the discharge of filial and fraternal duties, of loyal service, and of deferential submission was established, he could indeed be regarded as a (full-grown) man. When he could be regarded as such, he could be employed to govern other men. It was on this account that the sage kings attached such an importance to the ceremony, and therefore it was said, that in capping we have the introduction to all the ceremonial usages, and that it is the most important of the festive services.
Source: Chinese Text Project http://ctext.org/liji. English translation "Sacred Books of the East, volume 28, part 4: The Li Ki", James Legge, 1885
Dictionary cache status: not loaded