1
後漢書志第四禮儀上合朔立春五供上陵冠夕牲耕高禖養老先蠶祓禊
Treatise 4 of the Book of Later Han: "Etiquette, Part One"—the new-moon observance, Beginning of Spring, the fivefold offering circuit, imperial visits to the mausoleum, the capping ceremony, evening inspection of sacrificial victims, ritual ploughing, the High Matchmaker rite, care for the elderly, the silkworm goddess cult, and the spring purification at the waterside.
2
夫威儀，所以與君臣，序六親也。 若君亡君之威，臣亡臣之儀，上替下陵，此謂大亂。 大亂作，則羣生受其殃，可不慎哉！ 故記施行威儀，以為禮儀志。 〈謝沈書曰：「太傅胡廣，博綜舊儀，立漢制度，蔡邕因以為志，譙周後改定以為禮儀志。」〉
Ceremonial dignity exists to harmonize sovereign and subject and to set the six degrees of kinship in their proper order. When the sovereign forfeits sovereign presence and ministers abandon ministerly deportment, high and low collapse into one another; that is what we call utter chaos. Once such chaos takes hold, every living thing pays the price; nothing demands greater care. Hence this treatise records how those ceremonial forms were carried out and takes them as its subject under the heading "Etiquette." 〈According to Xie Chen: "Grand Tutor Hu Guang mastered the legacy of ritual and framed the institutions of Han; Cai Yong drew on that work for his monograph; Qiao Zhou afterward revised it into the form known as the Treatise on Etiquette."〉
3
禮威儀，每月朔旦，太史上其月曆，有司、侍郎、尚書見讀其令，奉行其政。 朔前後各二日皆牽羊、酒至社下以祭日。 日有變，割羊以祠社，用救日。 日變，執事者冠長冠，衣皂單衣，絳領袖，綠中衣，絳袴襪，以行禮，如故事。 〈《公羊傳》曰：「日有食之，鼓，用牲於社，求乎陰之道也。 以朱絲縈社，或曰脅之，或曰為闇。 恐人犯之，故縈之也。」 何休曰：「脅之與責求同義。 社者，土地之主也。 月者，土地之精也。 上繫於天而犯日，故鳴鼓而攻之，脅其本也。 朱絲縈之，助陽抑陰也。 或曰為闇者，社者土地之主尊也，為日光盡，天闇冥，恐人犯歷之，故縈之。 然此說非也。 先言鼓，後言用牲者，明先以尊者命責之，後以臣子禮接之，所以為順也。」 《白虎通》曰：「日食必救之，陰侵陽也。 鼓攻之，以陽責陰也。 故春秋『日食，鼓，用牲於社』。 所以必用牲者，土地別神也，尊之，不敢虛責也。 日食、大水則鼓，用牲，大旱則雩祭求雨，非虛言也。 助陽責下，求陰之道也。」 決疑要注曰：「凡救日食，皆著赤幘，以助陽也。 日將食，天子素服避正殿，內外嚴。 日有變，伐鼓聞音，侍臣著赤幘，帶劒入侍，三臺令史已下皆持劒立其戶前，衛尉卿驅馳繞宮，察巡守備，週而復始。 日復常，乃皆罷之。」〉
Each new moon, as part of the monthly ritual calendar, the Grand Clerk submits the civil calendar; attending officials, Gentlemen of the Household, and Masters of Writing hear the month's ordinances read aloud and then enforce them. Two days before and after the conjunction everyone brings sheep and wine to the community altar of the soil god to offer sacrifice to the sun. When a solar portent appears, a sheep is killed and the soil god receives sacrifice at its altar—the established means of "rescuing" the sun. During a solar anomaly the officers wear the ritual long cap, a black unlined robe with crimson collar and sleeves, green underlayers, and crimson legwear, and observe the full procedure set by earlier usage. 〈The Gongyang Commentary records: "At a solar eclipse they sound the drums and offer a victim at the soil altar—appealing along the path associated with yin. Red silk is wound about the soil altar; one explanation is that it pressures the spirit, another that it responds to gloom. The idea is that people might otherwise transgress against the sacred center, and the silk cord marks it off." He Xiu glosses "coerce" as synonymous with sternly calling the spirit to account. The soil altar represents the presiding deity of the earth. The moon counts as the concentrated essence of the earth. Because the moon is suspended from heaven yet encroaches on the sun, drums are beaten to "attack" it—striking at the root of the imbalance. The crimson binding is meant to strengthen yang and check yin. Those who read the wrapping as a response to "darkness" argue that the soil deity is exalted; at totality the sky turns black, and the cord keeps people from rashly crossing the sacred boundary. That interpretation, however, does not hold up. The order—drums first, then the victim—shows that reproof is voiced in the name of what ranks highest, after which ministers and subjects answer in ritual humility; that is the correct gradation." The Comprehensive Discussions in the White Tiger Hall states: "A solar eclipse always calls for remedy, since yin is pressing against yang. The drum assault expresses yang censuring encroaching yin. Hence the classic formula: "On a solar eclipse they beat the drums and offered a victim at the soil altar." A sacrificial animal is required because the soil god stands apart as a numen; out of respect one does not rebuke it with words alone. The same principle covers eclipse and catastrophic flood—drums and a victim—and drought, when the yu rain sacrifice is held; these are not mere figures of speech. The whole procedure bolsters yang while calling the lower, yin realm to account—exactly the path of appealing to yin." The Key Notes for Resolving Doubts adds: "In every eclipse ritual participants don red turbans to strengthen the yang principle. As totality approaches, the emperor puts on undyed mourning dress, leaves the main audience hall, and the entire court goes on high alert. At the first sign of eclipse the drums roll; palace attendants appear in scarlet turbans with swords at the belt; every secretary from the Three Terraces downward stations sword in hand before his office; the Commandant of the Guards tears around the perimeter on horseback, checking posts again and again. Once daylight is restored, every emergency provision is lifted.〉"
4
立春之日，夜漏未盡五刻，京師百官皆衣青衣，郡國縣道官下至斗食令史皆服青幘，立青幡，施土牛耕人於門外，以示兆民至立夏，唯武官不。 立春之日，下寬大書曰：「制詔三公：方春東作，敬始慎微，動作從之。 罪非殊死，且勿案驗，皆須麥秋。 退貪殘，進柔良，下當用者，如故事。」 〈《月令》曰：「命相布德和令。」 蔡邕曰：「即此詔之謂也。」 《獻帝起居注》曰：「建安二十二年二月壬申，詔書絕，立春寬緩詔書不復行。」〉
At Beginning of Spring, with less than five night watches still to run before dawn, every civil officer in Luoyang dons green; magistrates and petty clerks in the provinces do the same, raise green pennants, and set out the clay ox and ploughman outside each yamen as a seasonal lesson for the people—an observance that continues until Beginning of Summer, martial officials alone excepted. That same morning the court promulgates its spring amnesty, opening: "The Three Dukes are hereby instructed: as eastern spring labor commences, honor the season's first stirrings and heed the smallest signs; let every official act accordingly. Noncapital cases are not to be reopened or pushed through the courts until after the wheat has ripened. Drive out rapacious officials, promote humane ones, and fill vacancies in the usual way." The formula ends there." 〈The "Monthly Ordinances" directs ministers to broadcast beneficence and harmonize the seasonal commands. Cai Yong says: "This is what that edict refers to." The Xian Emperor's Qiju zhu, or Daily Records, says: "In the twenty-second year of Jian'an, in the second month, on renshen, the edicts were cut off, and the edicts granting leniency at Beginning of Spring were no longer carried out."〉
5
正月上丁，祠南郊。 〈《白虎通》曰：「春秋傳曰：『以正月上辛』； 尚書曰：『丁巳，用牲於郊，牛二』。 先甲三日，辛也，後甲三日，丁也，皆可接事昊天之日。」〉 禮畢，次北郊，明堂，高廟，世祖廟，謂之五供。 五供畢，以次上陵。
The first ding day of the first month is reserved for the great suburban sacrifice south of the capital. 〈The White Tiger Hall discussions cite the Gongyang tradition: "Schedule the rite on the first xin of the first month. The Classic of Documents, by contrast, records victims offered at the suburban altar on a dingsi day with two oxen. The gloss reconciles the variants: three days before jia yields xin, three days after jia yields ding—either can serve as a legitimate day to attend upon High Heaven.〉" After the southern suburban service the court moves through the northern suburban altar, the Bright Hall, Emperor Gao's shrine, and Emperor Shi's shrine—five stations of offering known collectively as the "fivefold circuit." Only when that fivefold round is complete does the emperor proceed, in fixed order, to the mountaintomb ceremony.
6
西都舊有上陵。 東都之儀，百官、四姓親家婦女、公主、諸王大夫、[一]外國朝者侍子、郡國計吏會陵。 晝漏上水，大鴻臚設九賓，隨立寢殿前。 [二]鐘鳴，謁者治禮引客，腢臣就位如儀。 乘輿自東廂下，太常導出，西向拜，* (止) **[折]*旋升阼階，拜神坐。 退坐東廂，西向。 侍中、尚書、陛者皆神坐後。 公卿腢臣謁神坐，太官上食，太常樂奏食舉，*[舞]*文始、五行之舞。 [三]* (禮) *樂闋，* (君) **[腢]*臣受賜食畢，郡國上計吏以次前，當神軒佔其郡*[國]*谷價，民所疾苦，欲神知其動靜。 孝子事親盡禮，敬愛之心也。 周□如禮。 [四]最後親陵，遣計吏，賜之帶佩。 八月飲酎，上陵，禮亦如之。 [五]注[一]蔡邕獨斷曰：「凡與先後有瓜葛者。」
Western Han had long observed the custom of imperial visits to the imperial tombs. At Luoyang the full roster gathers at the tomb: every civil officer, women from the four great affinal clans, imperial princesses, senior retainers of the kings, tribute hostages from abroad, and the fiscal clerks sent up from the provinces—all must be present. As soon as the morning water clock is wound for the day, the Grand Herald marshals the nine ranks of guests in formation before the spirit hall. [2] At the stroke of the bell, masters of ceremony escort each party forward and the ministers file into their prescribed stations. The emperor's conveyance issues from the eastern gallery; the Chamberlain for Ceremonies conducts him out to bow toward the west— (Textual break: halt.) —then wheels about, mounts the eastern staircase, and prostrates himself before the spirit throne. He retires to a seat in the eastern gallery, still facing west. Attending secretaries, Masters of Writing, and the guards of the stairways line up behind the throne of the spirit. The highest ministers approach the spirit seat in order; the imperial kitchen serves the ritual meal; the court orchestra strikes up the "meal hymn," followed by the Dances of Originating Culture and of the Five Phases. [3]— (Rubric: ritual stage.) When the last note dies away— (Rubric: the sovereign.) After the ministers have eaten the emperor's gift, each provincial clerk steps to the spirit window in turn to announce grain prices, local distress, and popular grievances—so that the departed sovereign may hear how his lands fare. A dutiful child serves a parent with every observance out of reverent affection. The Zhou text [character missing] matches the prescribed form. [4] At the close of the rite the emperor tours the tomb in person, dismisses the clerks to their circuits, and presents each with belt and pendant insignia. During the eighth-month zhòu libation the court repeats the same mountaintomb ceremony. [Note five] Commentary [one]: Cai Yong's Solitary Decisions says: "All who have connection by marriage with the former empresses."
7
注[二]薛綜曰：「九賓謂王、侯、公、卿、二千石、六百石下及郎、吏、匈奴侍子，凡九等。」
Note 2—Xue Zong explains the "nine guests" as nine ranks from kings and marquises through ministers and salaried officials down to clerks and the Xiongnu princes held as hostages.
8
注[三]前書志曰：「文始舞者，本韶舞也，高祖六年更名文始，以示不相襲也。
Commentary [three]: The treatise of the former Han says: "The dancers of Originating Culture were originally the Shao dance; in the sixth year of Gaozu's reign the name was changed to Originating Culture, to show that it did not simply continue the old.
9
五行舞者，本周舞也，秦始皇二十六年更名五行之舞也。」
The Five Phases dance was the old Zhou choreography, rebranded under the First Emperor in 221 BCE.
10
注[四]謝承書曰：「建寧五年正月，車駕上原陵，蔡邕為司徒掾，從公行，到陵，見其儀，愾然謂同坐者曰：『聞古不墓祭。 朝廷有上陵之禮，始* (為) **[謂]*可損。 今見* (威) **[其]*儀，察其本意，乃知孝明皇帝至孝惻隱，不可易舊。』 或曰：『本意雲何？』 『昔京師在長安時，其禮不可盡得聞也。 光武即世，始葬於此。 明帝嗣位踰年，腢臣朝正，感先帝不復聞見此禮，乃帥公卿百僚，就園陵而創焉。
Commentary [4]: Xie Cheng's book says that in the first month of Jianning 5 the imperial carriage went up to Yuan Mausoleum. Cai Yong, then a retainer of the Minister over the Masses, accompanied his lord; seeing the ritual there, he sighed to those beside him, "I have heard that in antiquity sacrifices were not offered at tombs. The Eastern Han court's mountaintomb liturgy seemed at first— (as) —something one might wish to curtail. Yet now that I have witnessed— (awe) —the full ceremony and grasped its intent, I realize Emperor Ming's profound filial grief leaves no room to abolish what his father established. Someone asked what he meant by "original intent." Cai Yong answered: "When the seat of government still lay at Chang'an, outsiders never heard the whole story of those rites." Emperor Guangwu died and was first interred on this hill. A year after Mingdi's accession, during the New Year's court, the ministers grieved that Guangwu could no longer witness the ritual; the young emperor therefore led the entire bureaucracy out to the mausoleum park and founded the observance then and there.
11
尚書* (陛) **[階]*西* (陛為) **[祭設]*神坐，天子事亡如事存之意。 苟先帝有瓜葛之屬，男女畢會，王、侯、大夫、郡國計吏，各向神坐而言，庶幾先帝神魂聞之。 今者日月久遠，後生非時，人但見其禮，不知其哀。 以明帝聖孝之心，親服三年，久在園陵，初興此儀，仰察几筵，下顧腢臣，悲切之心，必不可堪。』 邕見太傅胡廣曰：『國家禮有煩而不可省者，不知先帝用心周密之至於此也。』 廣曰：『然。 子宜載之，以示學者。』 邕退而記焉。」 魚豢曰：「孝明以正月旦，百官及四方來朝者，上原陵朝禮，是謂甚違古不墓祭之義。」 臣昭以為邕之言然。
The Masters of Writing— (stair) —on the western steps— (compound reading: stair-platform) —set out the spirit seat so that the Son of Heaven may "serve the dead as he would the living." Every branch of the imperial in-laws attends; princes, nobles, senior ministers, and provincial clerks each declaim toward the throne so that Guangwu's spirit might overhear the state of the realm. Centuries on, later generations who were not there see only the choreography and miss the sorrow behind it. Remember Mingdi's saintly grief: he wore three years' mourning, lingered endlessly among the tombs, invented this liturgy, lifted his eyes to the spirit table, swept his glance over his ministers—no heart could bear such pain twice. Cai Yong later told Grand Tutor Hu Guang: "Some state rituals look cumbersome yet cannot be simplified; I never imagined the old emperors' care ran so deep." Hu Guang replied, "Exactly so." You should set this down for students of ritual. Cai Yong went home and wrote up the conversation. Yu Huan adds a dissent: "Mingdi's New Year's levee at Yuan Mausoleum flagrantly broke the classical taboo against grave worship." Commentator Liu Zhao sides with Cai Yong rather than Yu Huan.
12
注[五]丁孚漢儀曰：「酎金律，文帝所加，以正月旦作酒，八月成，名酎酒。 因* (合) **[令]*諸侯助祭貢金。」 漢律金布令曰：「皇帝齋宿，親帥腢臣承祠宗廟，腢臣宜分奉請。 諸侯、列侯各以民口數，率千口奉金四兩，奇不滿千口至五百口亦四兩，皆會酎，少府受。 又大鴻臚食邑九真、交址、日南者，用犀角長九寸以上若輂瑁甲一，郁林用象牙長三尺以上若翡翠各二十，准以當金。」 漢書儀曰：「皇帝惟八月酎，車駕夕牲，牛以絳衣之。 皇帝暮視牲，以鑒燧取水於月，以火燧取火於日，為明水火。 左袒，以水沃牛右肩，手執鸞刀，以切牛毛薦之，而即更衣，* (巾) *侍*[中]*上熟，乃祀* (之)*。」
Note 5—Ding Fu's handbook explains that Emperor Wen added the "zhòu gold" rule: brew begins New Year's Day and matures by the eighth month as "zhòu" ale. Accordingly— (combine) The edict requires nobles assisting at sacrifice to tender their gold quotas." The Han code, Ordinance on Gold and Cloth, says: "The emperor fasts overnight, personally leads the assembled ministers in receiving sacrifice at the ancestral temples; the assembled ministers ought separately to offer their petitions. Each noble forwards four ounces of gold per thousand registered subjects (with a four-ounce minimum down to five hundred), delivers it at the zhòu convocation, and the Privy Treasurer collects. Also, for nobles whose food-fiefs lay in Jiuzhen, Jiaozhi, or Rinan, the Chamberlain for Dependencies used rhinoceros horn longer than nine cun or one hawksbill shell; for Yulin, ivory longer than three chi or twenty kingfisher feathers each were used, assessed as substitutes for gold." Han Court Observances says: "The emperor only at the eighth-month zhòu, the imperial carriage performs the evening inspection of victims, and the ox is clothed in crimson. At dusk the sovereign examines the sacrificial beasts, draws "bright water" by sparking a bronze mirror under moonlight and "bright fire" from a solar fire-drill—ritually pure flame and water. He strips the left shoulder, laves the ox's right with pure water, trims a tuft of hair with the ritual luan-knife as first offering, then withdraws to change robes— (headcloth.) —when the Gentlemen-in-attendance have presented the boiled victim, the actual sacrifice proceeds— (Grammatical particle: to it.)
13
凡齋，天地七日，宗廟、山川五日，小祠三日。 齋日內有污染，解齋，副倅行禮。 先齋一日，有污穢災變，齋祀如儀。 大喪，唯天郊越紼而齋，地以下皆百日後乃齋，如故事。 [一]注[一]魏文帝詔曰：「漢氏不拜日於東郊，而旦夕常於殿下東面拜日，煩褻似家人之事，非事天交神之道也。」 於是朝日東門之外，將祭必先夕牲，其儀如郊。
Full abstention lasts seven days for cosmic rites, five for shrines to ancestors and landscape spirits, three for lesser cults. Any ritual impurity during the vigil cancels the fast; a substitute officer completes the service. If pollution or portents appear on the eve of the vigil, the court still observes the full fast and offering by the book. During state mourning only the heavenward suburban rite may cut through the funeral abstention; earth and lesser gods wait the hundred-day barrier, per standing rule. [One] Commentary [one]: Emperor Wen of Wei issued an edict: "The Han did not worship the sun at the eastern suburb but morning and evening routinely bowed to the sun eastward below the hall—fussy and intimate like a household affair, not the way to serve Heaven and commune with spirits." He therefore moved solar worship outside the east gate and paired it with the suburban-style vigil and victim inspection on the night before.
14
正月甲子若丙子為吉日，可加元服，儀從冠禮。 乘輿初*[加]*緇布進賢，次爵弁，次武弁，次通天。* (以據) **[冠訖]*，皆於高祖廟如禮謁。 [一]王公以下，初加進賢而已。 [二]注[一]冠禮曰：「成王冠，周公使祝雍*[祝王]*，曰：『辭達而勿多也。』 祝雍曰：『*[使王]*近於民，遠於年，遠於佞，近於義，嗇於*[時，惠於]*財，任賢使能。』」 博物記曰：「孝昭帝冠辭曰：『陛下摛顯先帝之光耀，以承皇天之嘉祿，欽奉仲春之吉辰，普尊大道之郊域，秉率百福之休靈，始加昭明之元服。 推遠沖孺之幼志，蘊積文武之就德，肅勤高祖之清廟，六合之內，靡不蒙德，永永與天無極。』」 獻帝傳曰「興平元年正月甲子，帝加元服，司徒淳於嘉為賓，加賜玄纁駟馬，*[賜]*貴人、* (公主) **[王、公]*、卿、司隸*[校尉]*、城門五校及侍中、尚書、給事黃門侍郎各一人為太子舍人」也。
The first jiazi or bingzi of the new year serves as the auspicious day for the yuan cap (coming of age), conducted by the standard capping protocol. The sequence of caps runs from plain black Exalted Scholar cloth, through the ze and martial caps, to the tall Tongtian crown. (according to.) After each investiture the new adult pays formal homage at Emperor Gao's shrine. [1] Nobles below royal rank receive only the first, scholar-style cap. [Two] Commentary [one]: The Capping Rite says: "When King Cheng was capped, the Duke of Zhou had the invocator Yong [invoke the king], saying: 'Let the words be clear and not numerous. Yong's prayer asks the boy-king to cleave to the people, shun flatterers, cherish righteousness, husband resources wisely, and employ worthies." The Bowu ji says: "Emperor Xiao Zhao's capping words said: 'Your Majesty displays the radiance of the Former Emperor, receives the fine blessings of August Heaven, reverently observes the auspicious hour of mid-spring, broadly honors the suburban precinct of the Great Way, gathers and leads the beneficent spirits of the hundred blessings, and first adds the bright and luminous primary cap. It vows that he will shed boyish ways, embody civil and martial excellence, labor in the high temple, and spread virtue to the ends of the earth." Xian's accession diary records Xingping 1 (194 CE): "the emperor took the full cap with Chunyu Jia presiding, received four dark bays, and largesse for the harem— (Reading: princesses.) Kings, dukes, ministers, the Colonel Director of Retainers, the five Colonels of the City Gates, and one person each from the Palace Attendants, Secretaries, and Gentlemen Attendants of the Yellow Gate were assigned to serve as retainers of the crown prince."
15
注[二]獻帝起居注曰：「建安十八年正月壬子，濟北王加冠戶外，以見父母。 給事黃門侍郎劉瞻兼侍中，假貂蟬加濟北王，給之。」
Commentary [two]: The Daily Records of Emperor Xian says: "On renzi of the first month in the eighteenth year of Jian'an the King of Jibei received the cap outdoors to see his parents. Liu Zhan, doubling as palace attendant, lent the sable-and-cicada cap insignia for the King of Jibei's capping and invested him with them."
16
正月，天郊，夕牲。 [一]晝漏未盡十八刻初納，夜漏未盡八刻初納，[二]進熟獻，太祝送，旋，皆就燎位，宰祝舉火燔柴，火然，天子再拜，興，有司告事畢也。 明堂、五郊、宗廟、太社稷、六宗夕牲，皆以晝漏*[未盡]*十四刻初納，夜漏未盡七刻初納，進熟獻，送神，還，有司告事畢。 六宗燔燎，火大然，有司告事畢。 注[一]周禮「展牲」，干寶曰「若今夕牲」。 又郊儀，先郊日未晡五刻夕牲，公卿京尹觿官悉至壇東就位，太祝吏牽牲入，到榜，廩犧令跪曰：「請省牲。」 舉手曰：「腯。」 太祝令繞牲，舉手曰：「充。」 太史令牽牲就庖，*[以二陶]*豆酌毛血，其一奠天神坐前，其一奠太祖坐前。 今之郊祀然也。
The first month's heavenward suburban rite begins with the evening victim inspection. [1] At fixed clepsydra marks before dawn and dusk [2] the court presents the boiled victim, the Grand Invocator dismisses the spirit, the party wheels to the liao burning mound, kindles the pyre, and the emperor bows twice as the officers declare the rite complete. Secondary shrines use slightly later clepsydra thresholds—fourteen day-marks and seven night-marks—then the same sequence of offering, dismissal, and bureaucratic closure. The Six Zong alone ends with a great blaze on the pyre before the final announcement. Note 1—Gan Bao equates the Zhou "exhibition of victims" with the Han practice of evening victim inspection (xi xing). In the suburban rite, the victims are inspected on the previous evening, five clepsydra marks before the bu hour. Dukes, ministers, the capital intendant, and the assembled officials take their places east of the mound; the Grand Invocator's clerks lead in the victim, and the Superintendent of Granary Victims kneels to request its inspection. The examiner signals approval: "Plump." The Grand Invocator walks the beast round and certifies it "sound." The Grand Clerk conducts the ox to the cookhouse, draws blood and hair into two earthen dou, and sets one before Heaven's throne and one before the First Ancestor. Modern suburban worship follows this pattern.
17
注[二]干寶周官注曰：「納，亨納。 牲將告殺，謂向祭之* (辰) **[晨]*也。」
Commentary [two]: Gan Bao's commentary on the Zhou offices says: "Na means presenting for cooking. The beast is "presented" when it stands ready for the killing stroke— (time.) —that is, the dawn watch before the main service."
18
正月始耕。 [一]晝漏上水初納，執事告祠先農，已享。 [二]耕時，有司請行事，就耕位，天子、三公、九卿、諸侯、百官以次耕。 [三]力田種各耰訖，有司告事畢。 [四]是月令曰：「郡國守相皆勸民始耕，如儀。 諸行出入皆鳴鐘，皆作樂。
The ritual first ploughing of the year falls in the first month. [1] At the first turn of the morning water clock the presiding officers report that the First Farmer has already received cult. [2] The master of ceremonies then opens the furrow line: sovereign, Three Excellencies, nine ministers, nobles, and full bureaucracy each take a ceremonial stroke in rank order. [3] After the "strong farmer" teams finish sowing and harrowing, the officers declare the field rite closed. [Four] The ordinance of this month says: "Commandery and kingdom shepherds and chancellors all urge the people to begin ploughing, according to the forms. Whenever the cortège moves, bells ring and the band plays.
19
其有災眚，有他故，若請雨、止雨，皆不鳴鐘，不作樂。」 [五]注[一]月令曰：「天子親載耒耜，措之參保介之御閒，帥三公、九卿，躬耕帝藉。」
Ill omens, rain prayers, or rain-stopping rites suspend both bells and music. [5] Note 1—the "Monthly Ordinance" describes the sovereign hauling the plough between armored escorts while the Three Excellencies and nine ministers follow onto the sacred acre.
20
盧植注曰：「帝，天也。 藉，耕也。」
Lu Zhi's commentary says: "Di means Heaven. Ji simply means to till the soil."
21
注[二]賀循藉田儀曰：「漢耕日，以太牢祭先農於田所。」 春秋傳曰：「耕藉之禮，唯齋三日。」 左傳曰：「鄅人藉稻。」 杜預注曰：「藉稻，履行之。」 薛綜注二京賦曰：「為天神借民力於此田，故名曰帝藉。 田在國之辰地。」 干寶周禮注曰：「古之王者，貴為天子，富有四海，而必私置藉田，蓋其義有三焉：一曰，以奉宗廟，親致其孝也； 二曰，以訓於百姓在勤，勤則不匱也； 三曰，聞之子孫，躬知稼穡之艱難無* (違) **[逸]*也。」
Commentary [two]: He Xun's Rite of the Ritual Field says: "On Han ploughing day they sacrifice to the First Farmer at the field with a single tai-lao." The Gongyang Commentary says: "The rite of ploughing the ritual field fasts only three days." Zuo cites the state of Yu "treading" its consecrated rice plot. Du Yu's commentary says: "Ji rice means treading it in person." Xue Zong reads the name as Heaven "borrowing" peasant labor on a dedicated plot—hence "imperial ritual field. The acre stands in the southeast (chen) sector of the capital precinct." Gan Bao lists three reasons for the sacred acre: "to fill the shrines and display piety; second, to teach commoners that industry banishes scarcity; third, to leave heirs who have felt how hard farming is and will not (stray.) —grow dissolute from the soil."
22
注[三]鄭玄注周禮曰：「天子三推，公五推，卿、諸侯九推，庶人終於千畝。 庶人謂徒三百人也。」 月令章句曰：「卑者殊勞，故三公五推。 禮，自上以下，降殺以兩，勞事反之。 諸侯上當有孤卿七推，大夫十二，士終畝，可知也。」 盧植注禮記曰：「天子耕藉，一發九推耒。 周禮，二耜為耦，一耜之伐，廣尺深尺。
Note 3—Zheng Xuan's furrow counts: "three for the emperor, five for the senior duke, nine for ministers and nobles, then the mass of farmers completes the thousand mu. "Commoners" here denotes the three hundred corvée laborers. The Monthly Ordinance with Divisions says: "The lowly have distinct labor, therefore the Three Dukes push five. Ritual gradation normally drops by two ranks; physical tasks invert that scale. Extrapolating the pattern yields seven furrows for solitary ministers, twelve for great officers, and gentlemen finishing the plot." Lu Zhi's commentary on the Record of Rites says: "When the Son of Heaven ploughs the ritual field, one stroke of the plough, nine pushes of the share. The Zhou reckoning pairs two plough blades; each cut measures one foot square.
23
伐，發也。 天子及三公，坐而論道，參五職事，故三公以五為數。 卿、諸侯當究成天子之職事，故以九為數。 伐皆三者，禮以三為文。」
Fa denotes a single plough-stroke or cut. Because the sovereign and Three Excellencies "sit and discuss the Dao" while overseeing fivefold portfolios, the duke's furrow count is five. Ministers and nobles "complete" the emperor's work in the field, hence nine furrows. Triple strokes reflect the ritual preference for the number three."
24
注[四]史記曰：漢文帝詔云：「農，天下之本。 其開藉田，朕躬耕，以給宗廟粢盛。」 應劭曰：「古者天子耕藉田千畝，為天下先。 藉者，帝王典籍之常也。」
Commentary [four]: The Records says: Emperor Wen of Han issued an edict: "Agriculture is the root of the world. The edict ordered the sacred acre opened and committed the emperor to break the soil himself for grain destined for the shrines." Ying Shao says: "In antiquity the Son of Heaven ploughed a thousand mu of ritual field to lead the world. He also glosses jie as the sovereign's canonical norm."
25
而應劭風俗通又曰：「古者使民如借，故曰藉田。」 鄭玄曰：「藉之言借也。 王一耕之，使庶人耘芓終之。」 盧植曰：「藉，耕也。 春秋傳曰『鄅人藉稻』，故知藉為耕也。」 韋昭曰：「借民力以治之，以奉宗廟； 且以勸率天下，使務農也。」
Elsewhere Ying Shao plays on "borrow": the field borrows peasant labor. Zheng Xuan says: "The word ji means borrow. The king opens one furrow; commoners weed and complete the harvest." Lu Zhi says: "Ji means plough. He cites the Yu passage again to prove the root sense is cultivation." Wei Zhao says: "Borrowing the people's strength to tend it, to supply the ancestral temples; and thereby to exhort the empire and fix every mind on the plough."
26
杜預注曰：「鄅人藉稻，其君自出藉稻，蓋履行之。」 瓚曰：「藉，蹈藉也。 本以躬親為義，不得以假借為稱也。」 漢書儀曰：「春始東耕於藉田，官祠先農。
Du Yu's commentary says: "The people of Yu treading their rice field—their ruler personally went out to tread the rice field, roughly treading it in person." Zan says: "Ji means treading under foot. He argues the core idea is personal presence, not metaphorical borrowing." Han Court Observances says: "In spring they first plough eastward on the ritual field; the officials sacrifice to the First Farmer.
27
先農即神農炎帝也。 祠以一太牢，百官皆從，大賜三輔二百里孝悌、力田、三老帛。 種百谷萬斛，為立藉田倉，置令、丞。 谷皆以給祭天地、宗廟、腢神之祀，以為粢盛。 皇帝躬秉耒耜而耕，古為甸師官。」 賀循曰：「所種之谷，黍、稷、穜、稑。 稑，早也。 穜，晚也。」 干寶周禮注曰：「穜，晚*[谷]*，嬉稻之屬。 珪，* (陵) **[早]*谷，黍稷之屬。」
The deity honored as First Farmer is Shennong, identified with the Flame Emperor. A single great victim is offered; the whole bureaucracy attends; the court scatters silk to exemplars of virtue and agriculture in the capital region. Seed grain—ten thousand hu of mixed staples—is distributed, a state granary for the ritual field is chartered, and magistrate and aide are named. That grain feeds suburban, temple, and collective spirit offerings as consecrated grain. The sovereign grips the plough himself, a duty anciently assigned to the Field Master (dianshi). He Xun lists the cereals: "panic and setaria, sticky and plain, early and late. Lu denotes the early-ripening strain. Zhong labels the late crop." Gan Bao's commentary on the Rites of Zhou says: "Chong is late [grain], belonging to late rice and the like. The manuscript reads gui at this point, followed by an asterisk. (mound.) —or early grain in the millet family, per the critical note."
28
注[五]春秋釋痾曰：「漢家郡守行大夫禮，鼎俎籩豆，工歌縣。」 何休曰：「漢家法陳師，置守相，故行其樂也。」
Commentary [five]: The Spring and Autumn Exegesis of Taboos says: "Han commandery shepherds performed great-officer rites, with tripods, stands, baskets, beans, craftsmen's songs, and suspended bells." He Xiu says: "Han law arrayed masters and set shepherds and chancellors, therefore they performed their music."
29
仲春之月，立高禖祠於城南，祀以特牲。 [一]注[一]月令：「玄鳥至之日，以太牢祠。」 詩曰：「克禋克祀，以弗無子。」 毛萇傳曰：「弗，去無子求有子。 古者必立郊禖焉。 玄鳥至之日，以太牢祀於郊禖，天子親往，后妃帥九嬪御，乃禮天子所御，帶以弓韣，授以弓矢，於郊禖之前。」
Mid-spring brings the founding of the High Matchmaker altar outside the south gate, offered a lone beast. [One] Commentary [one]: The Monthly Ordinance: "On the day the dark bird arrives, sacrifice with a tai-lao." The Odes say: "They purified, they sacrificed, to remove childlessness." Mao Chang's commentary says: "Fu means removing childlessness to seek having children. Antiquity always placed the matchmaker cult outside the walls. When swallows return, the emperor and harem process to the suburban High Matchmaker, equip favored consorts with bow and quiver, and petition for male heirs."
30
鄭玄注云：「弗之言祓也。 禋祀上帝於郊禖，以祓無子之疾而得福也。」 月令章句曰：「高，尊也。 禖，祀也。 吉事先見之象也。 蓋為人所以祈子孫之祀。 玄鳥感陽而至，其來主為孚乳蕃滋，故重其至日，因以用事。 契母簡狄，蓋以玄鳥至日有事高禖而生契焉。 故詩曰：『天命玄鳥，降而生商。』 韣，弓衣也。 祀以高禖之命，飲之以醴，帶以弓衣，尚使得男也。」 離騷曰：「簡狄在台嚳何宜？ 玄鳥致* (胎) **[貽]*女何嘉？」 王逸曰：「言簡狄侍帝嚳於台上，有飛燕墮其卵，嘉而吞之，因生契。」 鄭玄注禮記曰：「後王以為禖官嘉祥，而立其祠。」 盧植注云：「玄鳥至時，陰陽中，萬物生，故於是以三牲請子於高禖之神。
Zheng Xuan's commentary says: "The word fu means purification. The rite sends smoke heavenward at the mei altar to lift the curse of barrenness." The Monthly Ordinance with Divisions says: "Gao means honored. Mei denotes the cult act itself. The shrine embodies omens of good fortune appearing first. It exists so mankind may petition for posterity. The swallow embodies yang's return and fecundity, hence the state times its greatest fertility rite to that day. Legend makes Jian Di conceive the Shang ancestor Qi during the swallow-season mei rite. Hence the line on the swallow as harbinger of the Shang house. Du is the leather quiver for the bow. The consort drinks ritual ale and receives bow and case so the rite may grant a son." Encountering Sorrow says: "Jian Di on the tower—what fit for Ku? The swallow brings its gift— (Variant reading: fetus.) —what blessing for the maiden who receives it?" Wang Yi says: "It means Jian Di attended Emperor Ku on the tower; a flying swallow dropped its egg; she rejoiced and swallowed it, thereby bearing Qi." Zheng Xuan's commentary on the Record of Rites says: "Later kings took the mei officer as auspicious portent and established its shrine." Lu Zhi's commentary says: "When the dark bird arrives, yin and yang are balanced and the myriad things are born; therefore at this time with three victims they request children from the High Matchmaker spirit.
31
居明顯之處，故謂之高。 因其求子，故謂之禖。 以為古者有媒氏之官，因以為神。」 晉元康中，高禖壇上石破，詔問出何經典，朝士莫知。 博士束□荅曰：「漢武帝晚得太子，始為立高禖之祠。 高禖者，人之先也。 故立石為主，祀以太牢。」
The altar stands in an open, exalted site—hence "high." Because the petition is for children, it is called mei (matchmaker). Antiquity's human matchmakers were elevated into a tutelary deity. During Western Jin a lightning-struck stone on the mei platform stumped the academicians until someone dredged up Han precedent. Erudite Shu [lacuna] answered: "Emperor Wu of Han, late in life obtaining the heir apparent, first for that reason established the High Matchmaker shrine. The deity represents primordial human ancestry. Hence the standing stone as impersonator and a great triple victim."
32
明帝永平二年三月，上始帥腢臣躬養三老、五更於辟雍。 [一]行大射大禮。 [二]郡、縣、道行鄉飲酒於學校，皆祀聖師周公、孔子，牲以犬。 [三]於是七郊禮樂三雍之義備矣。 注[一]孝經援神契曰：「尊三老者，父象也。 謁者奉幾，安車剁輪，供綏執*[授，兄]*事五更，寵以度，接禮交容，謙恭順貌。」 宋均曰：「三老，老人知天、地、人事者。 奉幾，授三老也。 安車，坐乘之車。 剁輪，蒲裡輪。 供綏，三老就車，天子親執綏授之。 五更，老人知五行更代之事者。 度，法也。 度以寵異之也。」
In 59 CE Mingdi inaugurated imperial veneration of the Three Elders and Five Renewers within the circular moat academy. [1] The day included the grand archery ritual and major court observances. [2] Local authorities staged village drinking in county schools with dog sacrifice to Zhou Gong and the Master. [3] With that, suburban liturgy, music theory, and the three-yong complex stood fully articulated. Commentary [one]: The Classic of Filial Piety, Assorted Proofs of the Spirits, says: "To honor the Three Elders is to image the father. The text prescribes vehicles, armrests, and cordial reception matching fraternal deference toward the Five Renewers." Song Jun says: "The Three Elders are old men who know Heaven, Earth, and human affairs. The armrest is handed specifically to the Three Elders. An "easy carriage" meant for seated travel. Padded wheels cushioned the ride. The emperor himself passes the carriage strap as the elders board. The Five Renewers specialize in the cycling of the five agents. Du here means standard or pattern. Imperial favor marks them as a special class."
33
鄭玄注禮記曰：「皆年老更事致仕者也。 名三五者，取像三辰五星，天所因以照明天下者。」 玄又一註：「皆老人更知三德五事者也。」 應劭漢官儀曰：「三老、五更，三代所尊也。 安車剁輪，送迎至家，天子獨拜於屏。 三者，道成於天、地、人。 老者，久也，舊也。 五者，訓於五品。 更者，五世長子，更更相代，言其能以善道改更己也。 三老、五更皆取有首妻，男女完具。」 臣昭案：桓榮五更，後除兄子二人補四百石，則榮非長子矣。 蔡邕曰：「五更，長老之稱也。」
Zheng Xuan's commentary on the Record of Rites says: "They are all aged men who have managed affairs and retired. The numerals mirror three celestial markers and five wandering stars." An alternate gloss ties the titles to classical "three virtues" and "five affairs." Ying Shao's Han Officialdom Observances says: "The Three Elders and Five Renewers are what the Three Dynasties honored. Courtiers wheel the elders home while the emperor bows from behind the screen. Threefold completion maps heaven, earth, and humanity. Lao connotes duration and seniority. Five instructs the five human relationships. Geng (renewer) implies successive generations of primogeniture renewing the lineage's virtue. Candidates must have intact nuclear families with principal spouses." Liu Zhao catches a contradiction: Huan Rong violated the eldest-son rule yet held the title. Cai Yong treats "Fifth Renewer" simply as an honorific for venerable men.
34
注[二]袁山松書曰：「天子皮弁素積，親射大侯。」
Commentary [two]: Yuan Song's book says: "The Son of Heaven in leather cap and plain pleated skirt personally shoots the great target."
35
注[三]鄭玄注儀禮曰「狗取擇人」，孟冬亦如之。 石渠論曰：「鄉射合樂，而大射不，何也？ 韋玄成曰：『鄉人本無樂，故於歲時合樂以同其意。 諸侯故自有樂，故不復合樂。』」 鄭玄注鄉飲酒禮曰：「今郡國十月行鄉飲酒禮，黨正每歲邦索鬼神而祭祀，則以禮屬民而飲酒於序，以正齒位之禮。 凡鄉黨飲酒，必於民聚之時，欲其見化知尚賢尊長也。 玄冠衣皮弁服，與禮異。」 服虔、應昭曰，漢家郡縣饗射祭祀，皆假士禮而行之。 樂縣笙磬籩俎，皆如士制。
Commentary [three]: Zheng Xuan's commentary on the Ceremonial and Rites says "the dog is chosen to pick out the man"; the tenth month is likewise." The Stone Canal Discourse says: "Community archery combines music, but great archery does not—why? Wei argues commoners need music to harmonize village feasts. Nobles already maintain bands, so grand archery omits communal song." Zheng Xuan, commenting on the Village Drinking Rite, says that commanderies and kingdoms now perform the rite in the tenth month. Each year, after the village head conducts the seasonal sacrifice to ghosts and spirits, he gathers the people by ritual to drink in the school and set age order straight. The timing ensures maximum moral edification. Han dress (dark cap, pi cap) diverged from classical prescription." Han locals modeled county ceremonies on the "shi" (knight) tier of the canon. Instruments and vessels matched the lower aristocratic standard.
36
養三老、五更之儀，先吉日，司徒上太傅若講師故三公人名，用其德行年耆高者一人為老，次一人為更也。 [一]皆服都紵大袍單衣，皁緣領袖中衣，冠進賢，扶* (玉) **[王]*杖。 五更亦如之，不杖。 皆齋於太學講堂。 [二]其日，乘輿先到辟雍禮殿，御坐東廂，遣使者安車迎三老、五更。 天子迎於門屏，交禮，道自阼階，三老升自賓階。 至階，天子揖如禮。 三老升，東面，三公設幾，九卿正履，天子親袒割牲，執醬而饋，執爵而酳，祝鯁在前，祝饐在後。 [三]五更南面，公進供禮，亦如之。 [四]明日皆詣闕謝恩，以見禮遇大尊顯故也。 [五]注[一]盧植禮記注曰：「選三公老者為三老，卿大夫中之老者為五更，亦參五之也。」
For the rite of nourishing the Three Elders and Five Experienced, before the auspicious day the Minister over the Masses submitted the name of one former Grand Tutor, lecturer, or former Three Duke whose virtue, conduct, and advanced age made him suitable to serve as Elder, and the next such person served as Experienced. [1] Both wear state-issue ramie gowns, black trim, scholar caps, and lean on— (Variant: jade.) —the jade-headed king staff granted to aged worthies." The Five Renewers dress the same but carry no staff. They keep vigil in the imperial university hall. [2] Dawn sees the emperor seated east in the moat hall while carriages fetch the honorees. The sovereign meets them at the inner screen, yields the host's stair to himself, and gives the elders the guest ascent. At each landing he bows by the book. The Three Elders ascended and faced east. The Three Dukes set out his armrest, and the Nine Ministers adjusted his shoes. The Son of Heaven personally bared his arm, cut the sacrificial animal, held the sauce and fed him, held the cup and rinsed his mouth with wine; the invocator against choking on bones stood in front, and the invocator against choking on soft food stood behind. [3] The Renewers sit south while a duke waits on them in parallel form. [4] On the morrow they return thanks at the gate for such conspicuous favor. [Five] Commentary [one]: Lu Zhi's commentary on the Record of Rites says: "Choose the aged among the Three Dukes as Three Elders, aged among ministers and great officers as Five Renewers—again matching three and five."
37
注[二]月令章句曰：「三公，國老也。 五更，庶老也。」
Note 2 calls the Three Excellencies "national elders. The Five Renewers represent the broader elder class."
38
注[三]禮記曰：「天子適饌省醴，養老之珍具，遂發詠焉。 退，修之以孝養； 反，升歌清廟。」 孝養之詩也。
Commentary [three]: The Record of Rites says: "The Son of Heaven goes to inspect the sweet wine for the feast, the treasures for nurturing the aged, then sends up the song. He retires to perfect filial care in the meal service; then re-enters to lead "Bright Temple." That ode is the anthem of nurturing parents.
39
注[四]譙週五經然否曰：「漢初或雲三老荅天子拜，遭王莽之亂，法度殘缺。 漢中興，定禮儀，腢臣欲令三老荅拜。 城門校尉董鈞駁曰：『養三老，所以教事父之道也。 若荅拜，是使天下荅子拜也。』 詔從鈞議。」 譙周論之曰：「禮，屍服上服，猶以非親之故荅子拜，士見異國君亦荅拜，是皆不得視猶子也。」 虞喜曰：「且據漢儀，於門屏交禮，交禮即荅拜。 中興謬從鈞議，後革之，深得其意。」
Commentary [four]: Qiao Zhou's Five Classics Yes and No says: "At the beginning of Han some said the Three Elders returned the Son of Heaven's bow; encountering Wang Mang's chaos, statutes were broken. Eastern Han ministers wanted reciprocal bows from the elders. Dong Jun argued that return bows would equate the emperor with a son. Mutual bowing would invert the father-son metaphor. The court adopted Dong Jun's view." Qiao Zhou discussed it: "By rite the impersonator wears upper garments yet, because he is not kin, returns the son's bow; a knight visiting another state's ruler also returns the bow—both may not be viewed as sons." Yu Xi notes that Han "exchange" at the screen already implied return obeisance. Eastern Han first erred with Dong Jun, then corrected course."
40
注[五]前書禮樂志曰：「顯宗* (因) **[宗]*祀光武皇帝於明堂，養三老、五更於辟雍，威儀既盛矣； 德化未流洽者，以其禮樂未具，腢下無所誦說，而庠序尚未設之故也。 孔子曰：『譬如為山，未成一簣，止，吾止也。』」 是月，皇后帥公卿諸侯夫人蠶。 [一]祠先蠶，禮以少牢。 [二]注[一]丁孚漢儀曰：「皇后出，乘鸞輅，青羽蓋，駕駟馬，龍旗九旒，大將軍妻參乘，太僕妻御，前鸞旗車，皮軒闟戟，雒陽令奉引，亦千乘萬騎。 車府令設鹵簿駕，公、卿、五營校尉、司隸校尉、河南尹妻皆乘其官車，帶夫本官綬，從其官屬導從皇后。 置虎賁、羽林騎，戎頭、黃門鼓吹，五帝車，女騎夾轂，執法御史在前後，亦有金鉦黃鉞，五將導。 桑於蠶宮，手三盆於繭館，畢，還宮。」 月令曰：「禁婦人無觀。」 案谷永對稱「四月壬子，皇后蠶桑之日也」，則漢桑亦用四月。
Commentary [five]: The former Han Treatise on Ritual and Music says: "Emperor Xianzong (Variant: thereupon.) —Mingdi sacrificed to Guangwu in the Bright Hall and feasted the elders at Biyong with full pomp; yet moral transformation lagged because music, liturgy, and local schools remained unfinished. The Master compares moral effort to heaping a mound: stopping one basket shy of the summit is one’s own choice. That same month the empress heads the consorts of the nobility in the spring silkworm ceremony. [1] The First Silkworm receives a joint sheep-and-pig victim. [2] Commentary [1]: Ding Fu's Han Observances says: "When the empress goes out, she rides a luan carriage with a green-feather canopy, four horses, and a dragon banner of nine streamers. The Grand General's wife rides beside her; the Grand Coachman's wife drives. Luan-banner chariots, leather-screen carriages, and uncovered halberds go before her, with the Luoyang magistrate leading a procession of thousands of chariots and riders. Each high official's wife rides her spouse's state equipage and staff in the empress's train. Tiger Ben and Yulin cavalry were stationed there, along with Rongtou and Yellow Gate musicians, the carriages of the Five Emperors, female cavalry flanking the hubs, and law-enforcing censors in front and behind; there were also golden gongs, yellow axes, and five generals leading the way. At the silkworm palace she picks mulberry and fills three ritual basins at the cocoon hall, then withdraws to the inner palace." The Monthly Ordinance says: "Forbid women from watching as spectators." Examining Gu Yong's reply, which states "on rensi of the fourth month is the empress's silkworm-mulberry day," then Han mulberry likewise used the fourth month.
41
注[二]漢舊儀曰：「春桑生而皇后* (視) **[親]*桑於菀中。 蠶室養蠶千薄以上。
Commentary [two]: Han Old Observances says: "In spring when mulberry sprouts the empress (Variant reading: inspects.) —personally harvests mulberry in the enclosed park. Over a thousand trays of worms are kept in the palace silkworm house.
42
祠以中牢羊豕，* (今) **[祭]*蠶神曰菀窳婦人、寓氏公主，凡二神。 腢臣妾從桑還，獻於繭觀，皆賜從桑者* (樂) **[絲]*。 皇后自行。 凡蠶絲絮，織室以作祭服。 祭服者，冕服也。 天地宗廟腢* (臣) **[神]*五時之服。 其皇帝得以作縷縫衣，*[皇后]*得以作巾絮而已。 置蠶官令、丞，諸天下官*[下法]*皆詣蠶室，* (亦) **[與]*婦人從事，故舊有東西織室作* (法) **[治]*。」 晉後祠先蠶。 先蠶壇高一丈，方二丈，為四出陛，陛廣五尺，在採桑壇之東南。
The cult uses a middle offering of sheep and swine— (Text note: now.) —directed to two silkworm goddesses named in the liturgy." Palace women offer cocoons at the viewing hall and reward every attendant— (Variant: with music or joy.) —with lengths of silk." The empress makes the circuit herself. Floss feeds the imperial looms that weave vestments for the altars. Those vestments are the full crown-and-robe sets for sacrifice. Heaven, Earth, the shrines, and the full assembly of— (ministers.) —court ministers receive the five seasons' prescribed ritual dress." The emperor may sew personal linen from the yield; the empress limits hers to headcloths and padding. Magistrates and aides visit the silkworm house on the model of the capital— (Variant: also.) —working beside the women, which is why the court maintained paired eastern and western weaving shops for— (Reading: regulations.) —state textile production." Western Jin continued the First Silkworm cult. Jin built a square stepped altar a zhang high southeast of the mulberry platform.
43
是月上巳，官民皆絜於東流水上，曰洗濯祓除去宿垢疢為大絜。 絜者，言陽氣布暢，萬物訖出，始絜之矣。 [一]注[一]謂之禊也。 風俗通曰：「周禮『女巫掌歲時以祓除疾病』。 禊者，絜也。
The third si day sends everyone to running water east of the city for the great spring ablution that scours away winter's ill vapors. The rite marks yang's full diffusion and the first thorough cleansing of the new season. [1] That spring lustration is the xi. Comprehensive Meaning of Customs and Mores says: "The Rites of Zhou: 'The female shamans manage the seasons to purify and remove disease.' Xi is simply purification by water.
44
春者，蠢也，蠢*[蠢]*搖動也。 尚書『以殷仲春，厥民析』，言人解析也。」 蔡邕曰：「論語『暮春者，春服既成，冠者五六人，童子六七人，浴乎沂，風乎舞雩，詠而歸』。 自上及下，古有此禮。 今三月上巳，祓禊於水濱，蓋出於此。」
The word for spring puns on quivering, stirring life. The Shangshu line on mid-spring describes folk scattering outdoors. Cai Yong says: "The Analects: 'In late spring, spring clothes already made, five or six capped men and six or seven boys bathe in the Yi, wind on the rain altar, chant returning. High and low alike once observed the custom. The third-month water festival descends from that antiquity."
45
社篤祓禊賦曰「巫咸之徒，秉火祈福」，則巫祝也。 一說雲，後漢有郭虞者，三月上巳產二女，二日中並不育，俗以為大忌，至此月日諱止家，皆於東流水上為祈禳自絜濯，謂之禊祠。 引流行觴，遂成曲水。 韓詩曰：「鄭國之俗，三月上巳，之溱、洧兩水之上，招魂續魄，秉蘭草，祓除不祥。」 漢書「八月祓灞水」，亦斯義也。 後之良史，亦據為正。 臣昭曰：郭虞之說，良為虛誕。 假有庶民旬內夭其二女，何足驚彼風俗，稱為世忌乎？ 杜篤乃稱「王、侯、公主暨於富商，用事伊、雒，帷幔玄黃」。 本傳大將軍梁商，亦歌泣於雒禊也。 自魏不復用三日水宴者焉。
She Du's Rhapsody on Riverbank Purification says "disciples of Wu Xian, bearing torches seeking blessing"—thus shamans and invocators. A folk tale blamed Guo Yu's double stillbirth for taboos that drove families to the stream—Liu Zhao will reject it. Floating goblets on a winding channel grew from those river gatherings. Han Odes says: "In Zheng custom, on the third si of the third month, on the Zhen and Wei rivers, they summon souls and continue spirits, hold orchids, purify and remove ill omens." The Han Documents "eighth-month purification on Ba River" is the same meaning. Later compilers accepted that gloss. Liu Zhao dismisses the Guo Yu legend as nonsense. A private tragedy could hardly reset an empire's calendar. Du Du then wrote of "kings, marquises, princesses down to rich merchants, holding affairs on the Yi and Luo, curtains dark and yellow." Liang Shang himself staged a lyrical outing at the Luo purification. Wei and after dropped the Han-style shangsi river feast.
46
校勘記
Editorial collation for this treatise.
47
三一０一頁六行蔡邕依以為志按：汲本、殿本「依」作「因」。
Collation: "at 3101.6 the graphs yi and yin are variant manuscript readings."
48
三一０一頁八行用救日* (日) *變據盧文弨腢書拾補下簡稱「盧校」刪。 按：晉志不重「日」字。
Collation marker at 3101.8 on the eclipse-rescue line. (Inserted character: sun.) Lu's collation deletes a redundant graph after "sun." Note: the Jin treatise does not repeat the graph "sun."
49
三一０一頁九行絳領袖* (綠) **[緣]*中衣據盧校改。
Collation note at 3101.9 on garment wording. (Variant character: green.) Lu emends the inner-garment line to read green-bordered.
50
三一０一頁一０行或曰為闇按：「闇」原斗「閭」，逕改正。
Editor corrects a character confusion between "dark" and "lane gate."
51
三一０一頁一一行脅之與責求同義按：「責」原斗「賣」，逕改正。
Page 3101, line 11, "coerce" and "demand in reproof" same meaning: note—"demand" was miswritten "sell" in the original; corrected directly.
52
三一０一頁一一行上繫於天而犯日按：「而」原斗「陌」，逕改正。
Page 3101, line 11, "above tied to heaven and offending the sun": note—"and" was miswritten "stranger" in the original; corrected directly.
53
三一０二頁二行日食必救之陰侵陽也按：盧雲此下本書云「鼓，用牲於社。 社者觿陰之主，以朱絲縈之，鳴鼓攻之，以陽責陰也」。 今刪去十七字，欠分析。
Page 3102, line 2, "solar eclipse must be rescued, yin encroaches on yang": note—Lu states that below this our book reads "beat drums, use victim at the soil altar. Quoted continuation of the Baihu tong passage on eclipse rites." The editor marks an excision that obscures the argument.
54
三一０二頁三行* (土) **[社]*地別神也據盧校改。 按：今白虎通作「社」。
Collation break at 3102.3. (Reading: soil.) Lu restores "soil god" in the victim gloss. Modern editions agree on "soil god."
55
三一０二頁五行三台令史已* (下) **[上]*據盧校改。 按：晉志引決疑作「上」。
Collation at 3102.5 on Three Terraces clerks. (Variant: below.) Lu reads "above" rather than "below" for rank. Note: the Jin treatise cites Resolving Doubts with "above."
56
三一０二頁六行日復常乃皆罷* (之) *據盧校刪。 按：晉志引決疑無「之」字。
Collation on the eclipse-closing sentence. (Object pronoun: them.) Lu removes a spurious pronoun. Note: the Jin treatise's citation of Resolving Doubts lacks the graph "them."
57
三一０三頁五行太常導出西向拜* (止) **[折]*旋升阼階據盧校改。 按：通典「止」作「折」，無「阼」字。
Collation on the mountaintomb bow sequence. (Rubric: halt.) Lu reads "turn" then mount the eastern stairs. Note: Comprehensive Institutions writes "halt" as "turn" and lacks the graph "eastern steps."
58
三一０三頁六行*[舞]*文始五行之舞據盧校補。 按：通典有「舞」字。
Lu inserts the missing "dance" before the dance names. Note: Comprehensive Institutions has the graph "dance."
59
三一０三頁七行* (禮) *樂闋* (君) **[腢]*臣受賜食畢據盧校改，與通典合。
Collation lacuna at 3103.7. (Rubric: rite.) Stage direction: end of music. (Rubric: lord.) Lu restores "assembled" before ministers.
60
三一０三頁七行當神軒佔其郡*[國]*谷價據盧校補。 按：通典有「國」字，「占」作「告」。
Lu adds "kingdom" parallel to commandery in the clerk's report. Tong dian uses "report" instead of "prognosticate."
61
三一０三頁一五行始* (為) **[謂]*可損據盧校改。 按：通典亦作「為」，謂為古通。
Collation at 3103.15 on Cai Yong quotation. (Variant: as.) Lu fixes the phrase on curtailing the rite. Note: Comprehensive Institutions likewise has "as"; wei and wei were interchangeable.
62
三一０三頁一五行今見* (威) **[其]*儀據盧校改。 按：通典作「其」。
Collation on "now I have seen" clause. (Variant: awe.) Lu restores the graph qi (their) in the ritual description. Note: Comprehensive Institutions writes "their."
63
三一０三頁一五行或曰本意雲何盧雲此下應有一「曰」字，古或可省。 今按：袁紀有「曰」字。
Page 3103, line 15, "someone said, what is the original intent": Lu states below this there ought to be a graph "said"; in antiquity it could be omitted. Editorial note: the Yuan-era chronicle has the graph "said."
64
三一０四頁二行就園陵而創焉集解引惠棟說，謂「創」宋本作「朝」。 今按：袁紀作「朝」。
Page 3104, line 2, "went to the park mausoleum and founded it": collected commentary cites Hui Dong, saying the Song edition reads "court" instead of "found." Editorial note: the Yuan chronicle writes "court."
65
三一０四頁二行尚書* (陛) **[階]*西* (陛為) **[祭設]*神坐據盧校改。 按：盧以通典校，通志無「祭」字。
Collation on the Masters of Writing passage— (Variant graph: stairs.) —stairs to the west— (Compound gloss.) Lu emends the phrase on installing the spirit throne. Note: Lu checked Comprehensive Institutions; Comprehensive Records lacks the graph "sacrifice."
66
三一０四頁四行久在園陵集解引惠棟說，謂「久」宋本作「又」。 今按：通典作「久」。
Song editions swap long stay for "again." Editorial note: Comprehensive Institutions writes "long."
67
三一０四頁八行因* (合) **[令]*諸侯助祭貢金據盧校改。 按：通典作「令」。
Collation on the zhòu-gold edict— (Reading: order.) Lu restores ling (order) in the phrase. Note: Comprehensive Institutions writes "order."
68
三一０四頁一一行牛以絳衣之按：御覽二十五引「絳」作「繡」。
Page 3104, line 11, "ox clothed in crimson": note—Imperial Readings 25 quotes "crimson" as "embroidered."
69
三一０四頁一一行以鑒燧取水於月以火燧取火於日按：御覽引「鑒燧」作「陰燧」，「火燧」作「陽燧」。
Page 3104, line 11, "take water from the moon with mirror-flint, fire from the sun with fire-drill": note—Imperial Readings quotes "mirror-flint" as "yin flint," "fire-drill" as "yang drill."
70
三一０四頁一二行以切牛毛薦之按：「以切牛毛」殿本作「以切牛尾」，通志同。 御覽引及孫輯漢舊儀並作「以切牛毛血」，通典引作「以切牛尾之毛」。
Page 3104, line 12, "cut ox hair and present it": note—"cut ox hair" in the Dian edition reads "cut ox tail," Comprehensive Records agreeing. Imperial Readings and Sun's compilation of Han Old Observances both read "cut ox hair and blood"; Comprehensive Institutions quotes "cut hair of the ox tail."
71
三一０四頁一二行而即更衣* (巾) *侍*[中]*上熟乃祀* (之) *據盧校補刪。 按：盧雲從通典、通志。
Collation on the garment change before sacrifice. (Variant: headcloth.) Bracketed restoration of Gentlemen-in-attendance and sacrifice sequence. (Particle.) Lu adds and drops marks per Tong dian and Tong zhi. Lu's authority is dual Tong texts.
72
三一０四頁一六行漢氏不拜日於東郊按：汲本「氏」作「時」。
One edition reads "Han times" for "Han house."
73
三一０五頁一行乘輿初*[加]*緇布進賢據盧校補。 按：通典、通志並有「加」字。
Lu inserts jia (add) before the first cap. Note: Comprehensive Institutions and Comprehensive Records both have the graph "add."
74
三一０五頁二行次通天* (以據) **[冠訖]*據盧校改。 按：通典、通志並作「冠訖」，惠棟亦謂當從五禮新儀作「冠訖」。
Collation after the Tongtian cap. (Gloss: according to.) Lu reads guan qi (when capping ends). Note: Comprehensive Institutions and Comprehensive Records both write "when capping is finished"; Hui Dong too says one should follow New Compendium of the Five Rites with "when capping is finished."
75
三一０五頁三行周公使祝雍*[祝王]*據盧校補。 按：盧以大戴禮、家語校。
Lu adds zhu wang (invoke the king) after Yong. Lu's witnesses are Da Dai li and Kongzi jiayu.
76
三一０五頁三行*[使王]*近於民遠於年據盧校補。 按：盧以大戴禮、家語校。
Lu restores shi wang (make the king) opening the prayer. Note: Lu collates this against the Da Dai li and Kongzi jiayu.
77
三一０五頁三行遠於佞近於義按：盧雲文不類，又韻不諧，大戴禮及家語皆無，疑妄增也。
For the phrase "far from flattery, close to righteousness," Lu says the wording does not match the surrounding text, the rhyme is off, and neither the Da Dai li nor Kongzi jiayu has it, so he suspects a spurious addition.
78
三一０五頁四行嗇於*[時惠於]*財據盧校補。 按：盧以大戴禮、家語校。
Lu restores the binome on time and wealth. Again Da Dai and Jiayu.
79
三一０五頁五行普尊大道之郊域汲本「尊」作「遵」。 按：遵尊同。
Page 3105, line 5, "universally honor the great Dao within the suburban precincts": note—the Ji edition writes "follow" instead of "honor." The editor equates the variant graphs.
80
三一０五頁六行靡不蒙德按：盧雲通典「德」作「福」。
Page 3105, line 6, "none fail to receive virtue": note—Lu states Comprehensive Institutions writes "blessing" for "virtue."
81
三一０五頁六行永永與天無極按：盧雲通典作「承天無極」。
Page 3105, line 6, "forever without limit together with Heaven": note—Lu states Comprehensive Institutions reads "receive Heaven without limit."
82
三一０五頁七行*[賜]*貴人* (公主) **[王公]*卿司隸*[校尉]*城門五校據盧校補改。 按：盧以通典、通志校。
Collation on largesse to the harem. (Reading: princesses.) Lu fills out the list of offices after the grant. Tong dian / Tong zhi basis for the list.
83
三一０五頁一三行皆以晝漏*[未盡]*十四刻初納據盧校補。 按：盧雲依文義當有「未盡」二字。
Lu inserts wei jin (not yet exhausted) before fourteen marks. Note: Lu says according to sense there must be the two graphs "not yet exhausted."
84
三一０六頁一行周禮展牲干寶曰若今夕牲按：盧雲此乃鄭康成注周禮之言，曰今，正指漢時，取以證漢制極合。 干寶乃晉人，夕牲不始於晉，何雲今邪？ 此援引之失。
Lu reattributes the gloss from Jin-era Gan Bao to Han-era Zheng Xuan. Anachronism if attributed to Gan Bao. The editor faults the misattribution.
85
三一０六頁一行太祝吏牽牲入到榜按：盧雲宋志「吏」作「史」。
Page 3106, line 1, Grand Invocator's clerk leads victim in to the placard: note—Lu says the Song treatise writes "scribe" instead of "clerk."
86
三一０六頁二行太史令牽牲就庖*[以二陶]*豆酌毛血據盧校補。 按：盧雲宋志有「以二陶」三字，「史」作「祝」。
Lu adds yi er tao (two earthen dou). Note: Lu says the Song treatise has the three graphs "with two pottery," and writes "invocator" for "clerk."
87
三一０六頁四行謂向祭之* (辰) **[晨]*也據盧校改。 按：盧雲亦康成注。
Collation on na timing— (Variant: hour graph.) Lu reads chen (morning) for the hour graph. Again attributed to Zheng Xuan.
88
三一０六頁一三行躬知稼穡之艱難無* (違) **[逸]*也據盧校改。 按：黃山謂此本尚書無逸為說也。 在勤以訓百姓，無逸以示子孫，義各有當。
Collation on the sacred-field gloss— (Variant: stray.) Lu reads yi (dissipation) for the damaged graph. Huang Shan ties the phrase to Shangshu Wu yi. The editor distinguishes public diligence gloss from princely "no ease" lesson.
89
三一０七頁一０行穜晚*[谷]*嬉稻之屬稑* (陵) **[早]*谷黍稷之屬據盧校補改。
Collation on grain names in Gan Bao note. (Emendation: mound graph.) Lu fixes the early-grain line.
90
三一０七頁一一行漢家法陳師按：盧雲疑有脫鬥。
Lu flags possible corruption in the He Xiu line.
91
三一０七頁一三行弗去無子求有子按：應作「弗，去也。 去無子求有子」。 「去」下脫「也去」二字。
Page 3107, line 13, "fu, remove childlessness, seek having children": note—should read "fu means remove; remove childlessness to seek children. The corrected gloss segment." Below "remove" two graphs "also remove" are missing.
92
三一０七頁一六行其來主為孚乳蕃滋按：汲本「孚」作「字」。
Page 3107, line 16, "its coming presides over trust, nursing, prolific increase": note—the Ji edition writes "nurture" for "trust."
93
三一０八頁二行玄鳥致* (胎) **[貽]*女何嘉據盧校改。 按：今本楚辭天問「嘉」一作「喜」。
Collation on Encountering Sorrow line— (Reading: fetus.) Lu reads yi (gift) for the verb. Note: today's Chu ci Tian wen has "fine" in one variant as "joy."
94
三一０八頁九行供綏執*[授兄]*事五更據盧校補。
Lu restores shou xiong (hand as elder brother) in the reception formula.
95
三一０九頁六行扶* (玉) **[王]*杖集解引惠棟說，謂「玉杖」當作「王杖」，惠說是，今據改。 以下徑改。
Collation on the king staff— (Variant: jade.) [king] staff: collected commentary cites Hui Dong, saying "jade staff" should be "king staff"—Hui is correct; now emended accordingly. Editor applies the wang staff reading throughout.
96
三一０九頁八行至階按：集解引惠棟說，謂「至」下應有「裨」字。
Hui Dong supplies a missing graph before "steps" (likely bi for side stair).
97
三一０九頁一０行公進供禮按：校補引錢大昭說，謂「公」本又作「三公」。
Page 3109, line 10, "duke advances and supplies the rite": note—collation supplement cites Qian Dazhao, saying "duke" in some manuscripts reads "Three Dukes."
98
三一一０頁二行顯宗* (因) **[宗]*祀光武皇帝於明堂據盧校改，與前志合。
Collation on Mingdi citation— (Variant: thereupon.) Lu reads zong si (performed sacrifice) parallel to earlier annals.
99
三一一０頁二行威儀既盛矣按：前志「盛」下有「美」字。
Page 3110, line 2, "awe-inspiring forms were already grand": note—the former treatise has the graph "fine" below "grand."
100
三一一０頁五行丁孚漢儀按：「儀」原斗「義」，逕改正。
Page 3110, line 5, Ding Fu Han Observances: note—"observances" was miswritten "meaning" in the original; corrected directly.
101
三一一０頁一０行春桑生而皇后* (視) **[親]*桑於菀中據汲本改。 按：「菀」各本作「苑」，苑與菀同。
Collation on silkworm palace line— (Variant: inspects.) Ji edition reads qin (in person) for shi. Note: "park" in all editions is written yuan; yuan and wan (enclosed park) are the same.
102
三一一０頁一０行* (今) **[祭]*蠶神曰菀窳婦人寓氏公主據盧校改，與孫星衍校漢舊儀合。
Collation marker mid-line. (Gloss: now.) Lu and Sun align on the silkworm deity names.
103
三一一０頁一一行皆賜從桑者* (樂) **[絲]*據盧校改，與孫校舊漢儀合。
Collation on reward to attendants— (Variant graph for silk/joy.) Lu reads si (silk) for the reward graph, in agreement with Sun Xingyan's Han Old Observances.
104
三一一０頁一二行天地宗廟腢* (臣) **[神]*五時之服據盧校改，與孫校漢舊儀合。
Collation on the ritual-garment line after silkworm tribute— (ministers.) Lu emends to spirits receiving the five seasons' vestments, following Sun's Han Old Observances.
105
三一一０頁一二行*[皇后]*得以作巾絮而已孫校漢舊儀及御覽布帛部、服用部引並有「皇后」二字，今據補。 按：御覽服用部引作「皇后得以作絮巾」，布帛部作「皇后閒以作巾絮而已」。
Collation adds "empress" before the privilege to use silk for headcloths and padding. Yulan variants differ slightly in word order and the adverb "occasionally."
106
三一一０頁一三行諸天下官*[下法]*皆詣蠶室* (亦) **[與]*婦人從事故舊有東西織室作* (法) **[治]*據盧校補改，與孫校漢舊儀合。
Collation on magistrates visiting the silkworm house— (Variant: also.) —join the women in labor, hence the old eastern and western weaving shops that produced— (Reading: regulations.) Lu completes the phrase as zhi (finished work), matching Sun's text.
107
三一一一頁二行蠢*[蠢]*搖動也據今本風俗通補。
The reduplication chunchun is restored from the modern Fengsu tongyi.
108
三一一一頁五行後漢有郭虞者按：盧雲案晉書束□傳雲武帝嘗問摯虞三日曲水之義，虞對曰：「漢章帝時，平原徐肇以三月初生三女，至三日俱亡」云云，□以為起自周公。 今此雲郭虞，得無因摯虞致誤邪？
Page 3111, line 5, "in Later Han there was a Guo Yu": Lu notes that the Jin History biography of Shu [lacuna] says Emperor Wu once asked Zhi Yu about the third-day winding-water rite. Zhi Yu answered that, in Emperor Zhang's time, Xu Zhao of Pingyuan had three daughters born on the third day of the third month, all of whom died on the third day; the account then traces the rite back to the Duke of Zhou. The editor suggests Guo is a corruption of Zhi Yu's surname.
109
三一一一頁五行三月上巳產二女按：通典作「三月三日上辰產二女，上巳日產一女」。 通志同。
Page 3111, line 5, "on the third si of the third month bore two daughters": note—Comprehensive Institutions reads "on the third day of the third month, upper chen bore two daughters; on shangsi bore one daughter." Tong zhi matches Tong dian.
110
三一一一頁七行八月祓灞水按：通典、通志「水」作「上」。
Page 3111, line 7, "eighth-month purification on Ba waters": note—Comprehensive Institutions and Comprehensive Records write "bank" instead of "waters."
111
三一一一頁八行旬內夭其二女按：通典、通志「二」作「三」。
Page 3111, line 8, "within ten days both his two daughters died young": note—Comprehensive Institutions and Comprehensive Records write "three" instead of "two."