Follow us on Facebook to receive important updates Follow us on Twitter to receive important updates Follow us on sina.com's microblogging site to receive important updates Follow us on Douban to receive important updates
Chinese Text Project
Simplified Chinese version
Back Forward
Confucianism -> Liji -> Ming Tang Wei -> 1

昔者周公朝诸侯于明堂之位：天子负斧依南乡而立；三公，中阶之前，北面东上。诸侯之位，阼阶之东，西面北上。诸伯之国，西阶之西，东面北上。诸子之国，门东，北面东上。诸男之国，门西，北面东上。九夷之国，东门之外，西面北上。八蛮之国，南门之外，北面东上。六戎之国，西门之外，东面南上。五狄之国，北门之外，南面东上。九采之国，应门之外，北面东上。四塞，世告至。此周公明堂之位也。明堂也者，明诸侯之尊卑也。Formerly, when the duke of Zhou gave audience to the feudal princes in their several places in the Hall of Distinction, the son of Heaven stood with his back to the axe-embroidered screen, and his face towards the south. The three dukes were in front of the steps, in the middle, with their faces to the north, inclining to the east as the most honourable position. The places of the marquises were at the east of the eastern steps, with their faces to the west, inclining to the north as the most honourable position. The lords of the earldoms were at the west of the western steps, with their faces to the east, inclining also and for the same reason to the north. The counts were on the east of the gate, with their faces to the north, inclining to the east as the more honourable position. The barons were on the west of the gate, with their faces to the north, inclining also and for the same reason to the east. The chiefs of the nine Yi were outside the eastern door, with their faces to the west, inclining to the north as the position of honour; those of the eight Rong were outside the door on the south, with their faces to the north, inclining for the same reason to the cast; those of the six Zung were outside the door on the west, with their faces to the east, inclining for the same reason to the south; and those of the five Di were outside the door on the north, with their faces to the south, inclining for the same reason to the east. The chiefs of the nine Cai were outside the Ying gate, with their faces to the north, inclining to the east as the position of honour for them; those of the four Sai (also) came, who had only once in their time to announce their arrival (at the court). These were the places of the lords in the Hall of Distinction (when they appeared before) the duke of Zhou. The Hall of Distinction was so called, because in it the rank of the princes was clearly shown as high or low.

Enjoy this site? Please help.Site design and content copyright 2006-2024. When quoting or citing information from this site, please link to the corresponding page or to https://ctext.org/ens. Please note that the use of automatic download software on this site is strictly prohibited, and that users of such software are automatically banned without warning to save bandwidth. 沪ICP备09015720号-3Comments? Suggestions? Please raise them here.