Meaning: To have etiquette and justice. Where does etiquette begin? It should start with proper behavior and attitude. The reason why a person becomes a person is dignified and respectful in speech.
From: Han Dynasty Dai Sheng's "Book of Rites·Guanyi"
Excerpt:
The reason why mortals are human is etiquette and righteousness. The beginning of etiquette and righteousness lies in correct appearance, correct color, and correct diction. The appearance and body are correct, the color is uniform, the speech is smooth, and the etiquette and justice are prepared. To upright the king and his ministers, to care for fathers and sons, and to care for elders and young ones. The ruler and ministers are upright, father and son are close, the elders and the young are harmonious, and then etiquette and righteousness are established. Therefore, the crown should be followed by the service and preparation, and the service and preparation should be followed by the correct appearance, uniform color, and smooth speech. Therefore, it is said: The crown is the beginning of etiquette. This is why the ancient sage kings were crowned with heavy crowns.
Translation:
On the basis of etiquette and justice. Where does etiquette begin? It should start with proper behavior and attitude. The reason why a person becomes a person is dignified and respectful in speech. Behave appropriately, have a dignified attitude, and speak respectfully. Only then will etiquette and justice be complete. In this way, the king and his ministers can be in their respective positions, father and son can love each other, and the elder and the younger can live in harmony. When the king and his ministers are in their respective positions, father and son love each other, and the elder and the younger are in harmony, then etiquette and justice can be established.
So, only after the crowning ceremony is carried out can the costumes be considered complete. Only after the costumes are complete can one behave appropriately, have a dignified attitude and speak respectfully. Therefore, the crowning ceremony is the beginning of etiquette. Therefore, the holy kings in ancient times attached great importance to the crown ceremony. Extended information
The Book of Rites was written in the Han Dynasty and compiled by Dai Shengsuo, a ritual scholar in the Western Han Dynasty. It is an important anthology of laws and regulations in ancient China. The content of the book mainly describes the etiquette system of the Pre-Qin Dynasty. It embodies the philosophical thoughts, educational thoughts, political thoughts, and aesthetic thoughts of the Pre-Qin Confucians. It is an important material for studying the pre-Qin society and is a Confucian book. A compilation of ideas.
The "Book of Rites" originally had forty-six chapters, beginning with "Qu Li" and ending with "Four Systems of Mourning Clothes". However, due to the content of the three chapters of "Qu Li", "Tan Gong" and "Miscellaneous Notes", it was It is long, so most editions divide it into upper and lower chapters, so there are forty-nine chapters. The excerpt of "Guanyi" is a special chapter explaining "Yili", explaining the role of Guanyi on adults and its importance in influencing social politics and religion.
"Book of Rites" relatively completely reflects the social, political and cultural background and family structure conditions from the Pre-Qin to the Han Dynasties, and interprets the relationships and behavioral norms between family members in detail, forming a unique The unique family ethics guides contemporary ethics and morality. The ancient cultural history knowledge and ideological doctrines recorded in the article have an important impact on the inheritance of Confucian culture, contemporary cultural education and moral cultivation, and the construction of a harmonious socialist society.