Later generations of Confucians overemphasized the external form of etiquette, overemphasized the role of etiquette in reflecting the difference between the hierarchy of dignity, inferiority, nobility, and inferiority, and almost threw away the beautiful connotation of etiquette, which is no wonder that it aroused strong resentment among people, the key is that it distorted the original face of etiquette and ruined the reputation of etiquette. In fact, Xun Zi had already clearly explained the essence of the ritual.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="2" >01 Ren Yi Li Le, which is also one</h1>
Xun Zi believed that benevolence and righteousness were intrinsically unified, and that the realization of this unity was in line with the way of the Holy King. Benevolence is the premise of etiquette, that is, liturgy must love people, or benevolence is the goal to be achieved; righteousness is the measure of etiquette, in other words, righteousness is the bottom line of etiquette, and etiquette cannot violate morality; and pleasure is the result of etiquette, and the result of etiquette must be beautiful.
The lord of man is benevolent, knows his service, and does his best, so the king is benevolent first and then the courtesy, and the heavens are also benevolent.
The monarch should first have a benevolent heart, learning should be subject to benevolence, and etiquette should be the perfect embodiment of benevolence. Therefore, the monarch of the king's world should be benevolent first and then polite, and the arrangement of the natural heavenly path is like this.
Kinship, old age, mediocrity, labor, benevolence and killing; noble, honorable, virtuous, old, long, righteous. The order of the ceremony is also good. Benevolence, love also, so kinship; righteousness, reason, so deeds; etiquette, festivals, so it is accomplished. Benevolence has a door; benevolence, not in it, is not benevolent; righteousness, not from its door, not righteousness. Pushing grace without ignoring it is not benevolent; reasoning without daring, not righteousness; judging festivals without harmony, not being polite; harmony without hair, not being happy. Therefore, it is known that benevolence and righteousness are also the same. A gentleman treats kindness with righteousness, then benevolence, and righteousness with courtesy, and then righteousness. The ritual is reversed to the end, and then the ceremony is also. All three are connected, and then the Tao is also.
Loving one's parents, not forgetting one's old friends, rewarding those who have meritorious service and consoling those who have worked hard is a difference in the degree to which benevolence manifests itself in different aspects; attaching importance to noble people, respecting people of high status, respecting the wise, loving the elderly, and respecting the elderly are the social order required by righteousness. The proper manners must be the social order required by the etiquette.
Kindness is love, so closeness; righteousness is truth, so it is practiced; etiquette is measured, so success.
Where benevolence is applied, righteousness is the way of righteousness. Ren is not benevolent if it does not function where it should apply; righteousness, if it is not obeyed in the way in which it should function, is not righteousness. If a favor is not done righteously, it will not be benevolent; if a righteous deed is not dared to do it, it will not be righteous; if strict observance of etiquette cannot make people harmonious, it will not be a courtesy; if everyone is harmonious and harmonious but cannot be expressed, it will not be happy.
Therefore, benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, and pleasure should have the same goals. A gentleman handles benevolence according to righteousness, and then there is benevolence; a gentleman acts righteously according to etiquette, and then there is righteousness; when formulating a ritual, it is necessary to grasp the root of benevolence, and then refine the specific details of the ritual, and then there is a ceremony. All three are connected, and this is the way of the Holy King.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="11" >02 Etiquette is based on pleasing the heart</h1>
Xunzi also emphasized that etiquette is based on the people's hearts, and that etiquette serves people, not simply to restrain and restrict people's behavior. In addition, the ritual needs to use the external property as a carrier to reflect its connotation, but the property is only the form, not the ritual itself. If we only see the norms and forms of etiquette, then this understanding is too superficial. Etiquette also manifests itself as the unity of form and within, and in this sense, etiquette is virtue.
He who does the deeds is also said to be a courtesy. The one who is polite, the noble one is respectful, the old man is filial piety, the elderly are brotherly, the young are kind, and the unworthy are benevolent.
The so-called virtue refers to the worship of rituals. The so-called etiquette means to respect those who are honored, to be filial to the elders, to love the brothers, to be kind to the younger generations, and to be kind to those who are low in their own status.
Etiquette is based on conformity to people's hearts, so those who die in the scriptures and conform to people's hearts are also rituals.
Etiquette is based on conformity to people's hearts. Therefore, even if there is no explicit provision in the Book of Rites, the code of conduct formulated by later generations is in accordance with etiquette as long as it is in accordance with people's hearts.
The appearance is emotional, and the appearance is inside and outside. In the midst of etiquette, being able to think is said to be able to worry.
Because of the appearance displayed by the ceremony and the feelings used in the heart, the inside and outside are consistent, and such a ceremony is just right. Being able to think according to the requirements of etiquette is called being good at thinking.
The liturgy, the end is in harmony, and the end is corresponding.
Etiquette should not conflict with principles and details, and the end and beginning should echo each other.
The liturgy is used for property, the noble is the text, and the number is different.
Etiquette reflects its role through property, adopts different property according to the difference between the noble and the lowly, and reflects the difference through the number of goods.
The bride price zhi said: "If the coin is thick, it hurts morality, and the rich man is the funeral gift." Li Yun Li Yun, Yu Shu Yun Hu Ya! The poem says, "The thing is its finger, but its companionship." From time to time, it is not respectful, it is not happy, although it refers to it, it is also indecent.
The "Rites of Dowry" records: "If the coin is thick, it hurts morality, and the rich and luxurious are martyred." "Rich tribute hurts virtue, and extravagance and waste corrupt etiquette. Li Yi Li, is it just a reference to these valuable items such as jade?
The Book of Verses says, "Things are meant to be, but they are the only ones." "The items are nice because they fit. If it is not appropriate, it cannot show respect and courtesy, it cannot bring joy, even if it is beautiful, it is not polite.
In short, although the ceremony is artificially formulated, the benevolence and righteousness of the liturgy are intrinsically unified, and the real ceremony must meet the needs of reality and conform to the interests of the people.