| Chinese Text Project |
| 天高地下， | There are heaven above and earth below, |
| 萬物散殊， | and between them are distributed all the (various) beings with their different (natures and qualities) |
| 而禮制行矣。 | - in accordance with this proceeded the framing of ceremonies. |
| 流而不息， | (The influences of) heaven and earth flow forth and never cease; |
| 合同而化， | and by their united action (the phenomena of) production and change ensue |
| 而樂興焉。 | - in accordance with this music arose. |
| 春作夏長，仁也； | The processes of growth in spring, and of maturing in summer (suggest the idea of) benevolence; |
| 秋斂冬藏，義也。 | those of in-gathering in autumn and of storing in winter, suggest righteousness. |
| 仁近於樂， | Benevolence is akin to music, |
| 義近於禮。 | and righteousness to ceremonies. |
| 樂者敦和， | Harmony is the thing principally sought in music |
| 率神而從天， | - it therein follows heaven, and manifests the spirit-like expansive influence characteristic of it. |
| 禮者別宜， | Normal distinction is the thing aimed at in ceremonies |
| 居鬼而從地。 | - they therein follow earth, and exhibit the spirit-like retractive influence characteristic of it. |
| 故聖人作樂以應天， | Hence the sages made music in response to heaven, |
| 制禮以配地。 | and framed ceremonies in correspondence with earth. |
| 禮樂明備， | In the wisdom and-completeness of their ceremonies and music |
| 天地官矣。 | we see the directing power of heaven and earth. |
| Character | Composition | Variants | Reading | Meaning | Hanyu | Kangxi | Cihai |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 天 | 大+1 | 𠀡 𠀘 𦴞 兲 靝 𠕹 | tiān ㄊㄧㄢ | sky, heaven; god, celestial | v1,p0522#01 | p.248#04 | p.358r4c01 |
| 高 | 高+0 | 髙 | gāo gào ㄍㄠ ㄍㄠˋ | high, tall; lofty, elevated | v7,p4593#01 | p.1451#26 | p.1514r4c03 |
| 地 | 土+3 | 埊 𨻐 埅 𠏂 嶳 | dì de ㄉㄧˋ ㄉㄜ· | earth; soil, ground; region | v1,p0420#12 | p.224#06 | p.312r6c01 |
| 下 | 一+2 | 丅 厥 𠄟 | xià ㄒㄧㄚˋ | under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down | v1,p0007#01 | p.76#10 | p.28r1c01 |
| 萬 | 禸+8 | 万 卍 㸘 𤍚 𢁭 | wàn ㄨㄢˋ | ten thousand; innumerable | v5,p3247#08 | p.1042#33 | p.1149r4c02 |
| 物 | 牛+4 | wù ㄨˋ | thing, substance, creature | v3,p1805#03 | p.699#09 | p.869r5c01 | |
| 散 | 攴+8 | 枚 | sàn sǎn ㄙㄢˋ ㄙㄢˇ | scatter, disperse, break up | v2,p1465#15 | p.472#34 | p.605r4c03 |
| 殊 | 歹+6 | shū ㄕㄨ | different, special, unusual | v2,p1385#13 | p.580#25 | p.741r5c02 | |
| 而 | 而+0 | ér ㄦˊ | Whiskers. / Like, similar to. / Pronoun: you. / Pronoun: this, like this. / Connective: and, with. / Connective: and, then. / Connective: if, supposing. / Connective: yet, however. / Connective: therefore, hence. / Connective: expresses method or state. / Particle: of. / Expressive particle. | v4,p2810#01 | p.961#18 | p.1080r2c03 | |
| néng ㄋㄥˊ | Same as 「能(3)」 néng ㄋㄥˊ: Able to, competent. / Same as 「能(2.1)」 néng ㄋㄥˊ: Ability, talent. | ||||||
| 禮 | 示+13 | 禮 礼 𠃞 𤔑 礼 | lǐ ㄌㄧˇ | social custom; manners; courtesy; rites | v4,p2409#14 | p.847#07 | p.985r2c04 |
| 制 | 刀+6 | 𠜔 𠝦 𠝁 𠛐 製 | zhì ㄓˋ | system; establish; overpower | v1,p0335#01 | p.139#02 | p.181r6c04 |
| 行 | 行+0 | 行 | xíng ㄒㄧㄥˊ | Walk, move (on foot). / Advance, move forward. / Leave, exit. / Patrol, go on inspection. / Inspection of the realm by the Son of Heaven. / Be married off. / Flow, circulate. / Channel, guide. / Revolution, circular motion. / Experience. / Luggage, belongings taken on a journey. / Do, carry out. / Actions. / Accomplishments. / Use, utilize. / Take over (an official duty). / Offer, present. / Moral conduct, behaviour. / A type of classical poem. / A piece of music. / Semi-cursive script. / Adverb: will, about to. / Adverb: again, once more. / Adverb: by chance, luckily. / Ambassador (official title). / Measure word for number of pourings of drinks. | v2,p0811#06 | p.1108#31 | p.1203r5c05 |
| háng ㄏㄤˊ | Road. / Track, pattern. / Row, line. / Row of soldiers in battle. / Unit of 25 soldiers. / Shaft of a feather (and by extension, wings). / Measure word for things which form rows. / Rank, position. | ||||||
| 矣 | 矢+2 | 𠤘 | yǐ ㄧˇ | Modal particle used to express declaration. / Modal particle used to express exclamation. / Modal particle used to express an order or request. | v4,p2580#04 | p.823#37 | p.955r5c01 |
| 流 | 水+6 | 流 㳅 | liú ㄌㄧㄡˊ | flow, circulate, drift; class | v3,p1631#12 | p.623#04 | p.791r1c02 |
| 不 | 一+3 | 不 𠀚 𠙐 | bù ㄅㄨˋ | Not have. / To not be. / Negational adverb, used before verbs, adjectives, etc. to indicate negation. / Negational adverb expressing prohibition: do not. / Negational adverb expressing rhetorical question: is not...? | v1,p0011#06 | p.76#15 | p.30r1c01 |
| fǒu ㄈㄡˇ | Same as 「否(1.2)」 fǒu ㄈㄡˇ: Adverb used together with an affirmative word, expressing its negative or opposite. / Same as 「否(1.3)」 fǒu ㄈㄡˇ: Adverb used at the end of a question to form a yes-no question. | ||||||
| fū ㄈㄨ | Sepal of a flower. | ||||||
| pī ㄆㄧ | Same as 「丕(1)」 pī ㄆㄧ: Large. | ||||||
| bǐ ㄅㄧˇ | Show disdain for. | ||||||
| 息 | 心+6 | 𧪩 | xī ㄒㄧ | rest, put stop to, end, cease | v4,p2291#04 | p.385#20 | p.530r5c01 |
| 合 | 口+3 | 閤 | hé gě ㄏㄜˊ ㄍㄜˇ | combine, unite, join; gather | v1,p0581#01 | p.174#24 | p.249r1c02 |
| 同 | 口+3 | 仝 衕 | tóng tòng ㄊㄨㄥˊ ㄊㄨㄥˋ | same, similar; together with | v1,p0578#01 | p.175#06 | p.252r1c01 |
| 化 | 匕+2 | 𠤎 𠯒 𠏁 | huà huā ㄏㄨㄚˋ ㄏㄨㄚ | change, convert, reform; -ize | v1,p0109#04 | p.152#20 | p.201r6c02 |
| 樂 | 木+11 | 樂 乐 | yuè ㄩㄝˋ | Music. / Perform, play music. / Musical instrument. / The (now lost) classic of music. / Musician. / Yue, a surname. | v2,p1280#16 | p.548#20 | p.715r4c03 |
| lè ㄌㄜˋ | Happiness. / Make happy. / Fondness for, liking of. / Happy to, willing to. / Tranquil, contented. / Music and debauchery. / Le, a surname. | ||||||
| 興 | 臼+9 | 㒷 兴 | xīng ㄒㄧㄥ | Get up, arise. / Rise up, appear. / Create. / Establish, set up. / Advocate. / Move, start moving, raise (an army). / Do. / Select, pick out. / Collect. / Flourish, prosper. | v1,p0253#09 | p.1005#05 | p.1113r4c01 |
| xìng ㄒㄧㄥˋ | Like, appreciate. / Metaphor. / One of the six literary styles in the Book of Poetry. | ||||||
| 焉 | 火+7 | yān ㄧㄢ | Same as 「之(2)」 zhī ㄓ: Demonstrative pronoun: this, these. / Same as 「之(3)」 zhī ㄓ: Third person pronoun: him, her, it. / Demonstrative pronoun and modal particle: than this. / Interrogative pronoun: how, where. / Interrogative pronoun: what. / Connective: and, then. / Preposition: in. / Modal particle. / Adjectival or adverbal suffix. | v3,p2206#14 | p.672#21 | p.847r5c01 | |
| 春 | 日+5 | 萅 𦸬 旾 𣈤 | chūn chǔn ㄔㄨㄣ ㄔㄨㄣˇ | spring; wanton | v2,p1496#10 | p.493#06 | p.636r3c02 |
| 作 | 人+5 | 胙 𢓓 | zuò ㄗㄨㄛˋ | Arise, stand up. / Grow, flourish. / Begin. / Create, make. / Work, effort. / Serve as, work as. / When, at such time as. | v1,p0134#06 | p.99#07 | p.99r3c01 |
| 夏 | 夊+7 | 𡔰 𠍺 昰 𡕾 | xià jiǎ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄐㄧㄚˇ | summer; great, grand, big | v2,p0869#10 | p.245#12 | p.335r1c08 |
| 長 | 長+0 | 镸 𨱗 𠤐 𠑷 𠔊 𠑻 𠑿 𡕣 长 | cháng zhǎng zhàng ㄔㄤˊ ㄓㄤˇ ㄓㄤˋ | long; length; excel in; leader | v6,p4050#01 | p.1328#07 | p.1399r3c04 |
| 仁 | 人+2 | 忈 忎 𡰥 | rén ㄖㄣˊ | humaneness, benevolence, kindness | v1,p0107#01 | p.91#07 | |
| 也 | 乙+2 | 𠃟 匜 | yě ㄧㄝˇ | Modal particle used at the end of a sentence, expressing assertion and affirmation. / Modal particle used at the end of a question for emphasis. / Modal particle used at the end of a cause-effect sentence to express explanation. / Modal particle used in the middle of a sentence to express a pause. | v1,p0050#05 | p.84#04 | p.55r1c01 |
| 秋 | 禾+4 | 𪚼 龝 𪔁 䆋 秌 𥤛 | qiū ㄑㄧㄡ | autumn, fall; year | v4,p2595#05 | p.850#06 | p.988r2c06 |
| 斂 | 攴+13 | 敛 | liǎn lián liàn ㄌㄧㄢˇ ㄌㄧㄢˊ ㄌㄧㄢˋ | draw back, fold back; collect | v2,p1478#07 | p.476#02 | p.608r2c02 |
| 冬 | 冫+3 | 鼕 𣆼 𣅈 𠘀 𠔙 𠘗 | dōng ㄉㄨㄥ | winter, 11th lunar month | v2,p0867#19 | p.131#17 | p.167r2c01 |
| 藏 | 艸+14 | 蔵 匨 | cáng zàng zāng ㄘㄤˊ ㄗㄤˋ ㄗㄤ | hide, conceal; hoard, store up | v5,p3311#11 | p.1064#22 | p.1173r5c01 |
| 義 | 羊+7 | 义 | yì ㄧˋ | right conduct, righteousness | v5,p3133#02 | p.952#32 | p.1071r3c01 |
| 近 | 辵+4 | 𣥍 | jìn jì ㄐㄧㄣˋ ㄐㄧˋ | near, close; approach; intimate | v6,p3819#12 | p.1254#07 | p.1312r1c07 |
| 於 | 方+4 | 烏 𣱏 𤕘 于 亏 扵 | yú ㄩˊ | Be (copula). / Be, exist. / Preposition: in. / Preposition: from or to. / Preposition: compared to. / Preposition: to, for, towards. / Preposition: by (indicating passive tense). / Preposition: with, using. / Preposition: due to, because of. / Preposition: by, according to. / Connective: just as. / Auxiliary word, no meaning. | v3,p2175#02 | p.481#11 | p.622r2c03 |
| 者 | 老+4 | zhě ㄓㄜˇ | Pronoun used after verbs, adjectives, etc. in place of a person or thing. / Pronoun used after numbers in place of a thing. / Pronoun used after time or negation to express "when" or "if". / Expressive particle used in a declarative sentence after the subject. / Expressive particle used in a sentence after the subject to express cause or explanation. | v4,p2780#05 | p.961#01 | p.1080r1c01 | |
| zhuó ㄓㄨㄛˊ | In, located in. | ||||||
| 敦 | 攴+8 | 𢼪 𠧉 惇 | dūn duì diāo duī tuán tún ㄉㄨㄣ ㄉㄨㄟˋ ㄉㄧㄠ ㄉㄨㄟ ㄊㄨㄢˊ ㄊㄨㄣˊ | esteem; honest, candid, sincere | v2,p1468#01 | p.473#08 | p.606r2c02 |
| 和 | 口+5 | 龢 咊 惒 | hé huò huó hè ㄏㄜˊ ㄏㄨㄛˋ ㄏㄨㄛˊ ㄏㄜˋ | harmony, peace; peaceful, calm | v1,p0602#01 | p.185#01 | p.267r3c01 |
| 率 | 玄+6 | 率 卛 | shuài ㄕㄨㄞˋ | Net for catching birds. / Along, in the same direction as. / Follow, go along with. / Command, lead. / Model. / Create a model for something. / Do, engage in. / Fast, quickly. / Frank, direct. / Because of, due to. / Similar. / Similar things. / Adverb: in general, mostly. / Adverb: all. / Same as 「帥(2.1)」 shuài ㄕㄨㄞˋ: Commander of an army. / Same as 「帥(2.2)」 shuài ㄕㄨㄞˋ: Thing which plays a leading role. | v1,p0289#03 | p.725#05 | p.884r3c03 |
| lǜ ㄌㄩˋ | A fixed standard or ratio. / Same as 「鋝」 lüè ㄌㄩㄝˋ: Unit of weight, approximately 6 liang. | ||||||
| 神 | 示+5 | 神 𥛠 | shén shēn ㄕㄣˊ ㄕㄣ | spirit, god, supernatural being | v4,p2392#01 | p.842#03 | |
| 從 | 彳+8 | 従 从 | cóng ㄘㄨㄥˊ | Follow, accompany. / Cause to follow, make go along with. / Pursue, chase after. / Die with, bury along with the dead. / Listen to, do as required. / Eloquent. / Obedient, submissive. / Route to peaceful society, correct order. / Perform, participate in. / Blood relation through the male line. / Secondary, sub- (of official titles). / Preposition: from. / Preposition: towards. / Preposition: because of, due to. / Addition, also. | v2,p0829#12 | p.368#18 | p.514r5c01 |
| zòng ㄗㄨㄥˋ | North-south. / Alliance of states opposed to the Qin alliance. / Straight, upright. / Indulge, allow to. / Connective: even if. | ||||||
| zōng ㄗㄨㄥ | Trace, vestige. | ||||||
| sǒng ㄙㄨㄥˇ | See 從容。 | ||||||
| 別 | 刀+5 | 𠔁 别 | bié ㄅㄧㄝˊ | separate, other; do not | v1,p0328#13 | p.138#12 | p.179r4c01 |
| 宜 | 宀+5 | 冝 𡪀 𡨆 𠣨 宐 | yí ㄧˊ | suitable, right, fitting, proper | v2,p0920#06 | p.284#03 | p.416r1c01 |
| 居 | 尸+5 | 㞐 㝒 | jū ㄐㄩ | Sit down. / Wait. / Live, dwell. / Dwelling, residence. / Tomb. / Rank, position occupied. / Person occupying the rank of ruler. / Live peacefully. / Usually, normally. / Located in. / Defend (a post), guard (a region). / Remain behind to handle matters. / Have, possess. / Employ, implement. / Stop, rest, remain. / Store, stockpile. / Raise, rear (livestock). / Used before times expressing time elapsed: after. | v2,p0968#04 | p.300#30 | p.448r1c02 |
| jǔ ㄐㄩˇ | Movement, action. | ||||||
| jù ㄐㄩˋ | Arrogant. / Straight. / Saw. | ||||||
| jī ㄐㄧ | Modal particle expressing exclamation or questioning. | ||||||
| 鬼 | 鬼+0 | 𩲡 𢇼 𣆠 | guǐ ㄍㄨㄟˇ | ghost; spirit of dead; devil | v7,p4427#01 | p.1460#30 | p.1521r5c03 |
| 故 | 攴+5 | gù ㄍㄨˋ | Cause. / State of affairs. / Event, incident. / Plot. / Old. / Past, original. / Death. / On purpose. / Originally. / Hence, thus. | v2,p1453#05 | p.469#25 | p.601r5c01 | |
| 聖人 | 耳+7 人+0 | 堊 𦕡 𠄵 圣 𠔽 亻 | shèng rén ㄕㄥˋ ㄖㄣˊ | 出類拔萃的人。 Sage, outstanding person. | v4,p2789#06 v1,p0101#10 | p.967#22 p.91#01 | p.1082r6c06 p.80r2c01 |
| 以 | 人+3 | 㠯 | yǐ ㄧˇ | Use. / Believe. / Command. / Lead. / Connect, implicate. / Have. / Cause, reason. / Preposition: because. / Preposition: from, in. / Preposition: at [some time]. / Preposition: using. / Preposition: in accordance with. / Preposition: relying upon. / Preposition: in the capacity of. / Preposition: with, together with. / Connective: indicates the following action is the objective of the preceding one. / Connective: used between adverbial clause and verb to express modification. / Connective: and. / Connective: but. / Connective: and so, thus. / Particle: used together with some words expressing direction and time. / Modal particle. / Same as 「已(1)」 yǐ ㄧˇ: Stop, discontinue. / Same as 「已(7.2)」 yǐ ㄧˇ: Adverb: already. / Same as 「已(7.3)」 yǐ ㄧˇ: Adverb: extremely. | v1,p0105#07 | p.94#01 | p.87r6c01 |
| 應 | 心+13 | 応 硬 应 | yīng yìng ㄧㄥ ㄧㄥˋ | should, ought to, must | v4,p2359#03 | p.405#21 | p.546r1c02 |
| 配 | 酉+3 | pèi ㄆㄟˋ | match, pair; equal; blend | v6,p3574#03 | p.1280#09 | p.1349r3c01 | |
| 明 | 日+4 | 朙 | míng ㄇㄧㄥˊ | Bright, brilliant. / Daytime. / Clear, obvious. / Clarify, make clear. / Understand. / Straightforwardly, clearly. / Clear, clean. / Wise. / Make wise. / Spirit, god. / Respect. / Eyesight. / Good eyesight. / See clearly. / The following (day, month, year, etc.). | v2,p1491#08 | p.491#12 | p.631r3c01 |
| 備 | 人+10 | 𠈍 俻 备 | bèi ㄅㄟˋ | prepare, ready, perfect | v1,p0200#08 | p.113#21 | p.121r3c02 |
| 官 | 宀+5 | 𠕍 | guān ㄍㄨㄢ | official, public servant | v2,p0921#04 | p.283#15 | p.413r2c01 |
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