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清神生心，心生規，規生矩，矩生方，方生正，正生曆，曆生四時，四時生萬物，聖人因而理之，道徧矣。 |
| | Clarity of spirit gives rise to the mind; the mind gives rise to standards; standards give rise to rules; rules give rise to squareness; squareness gives rise to correctness; correctness gives rise to calendars; calendars give rise to the four seasons; the four seasons give rise to all things. The sage thus governs and regulates them, and the Dao becomes universally pervasive.
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| | 輕重己: |
以冬日至始，數四十六日，冬盡而春始，天子東出其國四十六里而壇，服青而絻青，搢玉總，帶玉監，朝諸侯卿大夫列士，循於百姓，號曰祭日。犧牲以魚，發號出令曰：「生而勿殺，賞而勿罰，罪獄勿斷，以待期年，教民樵室鑽鐩，墐灶泄井，所以壽民也。耟耒耨懷，鉊鈶九獯，權渠繉紲，所以御春夏之事也。必具教民為酒食，所以為孝敬也。」民生而無父母，謂之孤子。無妻無子，謂之老鰥。無夫無子，謂之老寡，此三人者，皆就官而眾，可事者，不可事者，食如言而勿遺。多者為功，寡者為罪，是以路無行乞者也。路有行乞者，則相之罪也，天子之春令也。 |
| | Starting from the winter solstice, counting forty-six days marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. The Son of Heaven proceeds eastward for forty-six li beyond his capital to erect an altar. He wears blue robes and a blue headdress, carries a jade tablet in his sash, fastens a jade belt around himself, and receives chieftains, high ministers, senior officials, and distinguished men from the ranks of commoners. This ceremony is called the "Day Sacrifice." The sacrifice uses fish. He issues a proclamation, saying: "Let life flourish without killing; let rewards be given without punishment; do not decide cases of crime or imprisonment for the time being, but wait until next year. Teach the people to gather firewood, build shelters, drill torches, seal their stoves, and drain their wells—this is how we preserve the lives of the people." Preparing hoes, plows, and sickles; sharpening axes and chisels for nine times; adjusting the channels and weaving ropes—these are done to manage the affairs of spring and summer. It is essential to teach the people how to prepare wine and food, for this is a way to express filial piety and respect." A person born without parents is called an orphan. One who has neither wife nor children is called a lonely old man (laoguan). One who has neither husband nor children is called an old widow. These three categories of people—orphans, lonely old men, and widows—all should be registered with the government and given proper care. Those capable of working may do so; those incapable must still receive food as promised without omission. Those who contribute much are credited with merit, while those who contribute little are considered guilty; this is why there are no beggars on the roads. If there are beggars on the road, it is a failure of the magistrates; this is part of the Son of Heaven's spring decree.
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| | 輕重己: |
以冬日至始，數九十二日，謂之春至；天子東出其國，九十二里而壇，朝諸侯卿大夫列士，循於百姓，號曰祭星。十日之內，室無處女，路無行人，苟不樹藝者，謂之賊人。下作之地，上作之天，謂之不服之民，處里為下陳，處師為下通，謂之役夫。三不樹而主使之，天子之春令也。 |
| | Starting from the winter solstice and counting ninety-two days, it is called "the arrival of spring." The Son of Heaven proceeds eastward from his capital for ninety-two li to erect an altar, where he receives chieftains, ministers, senior officials, distinguished men, and extends courtesy to the common people. This ceremony is called "Star Sacrifice." Within ten days, there should be no unmarried young women in the homes and no pedestrians on the roads. Anyone who does not plant or cultivate during this time is called a thief of people. Those who act improperly on the land and defy the heavens are called disobedient people. If they reside in a neighborhood, they are considered lowly; if they serve in an army, they are regarded as inferior messengers—these individuals are known as laborers (yufu). If three people fail to plant crops and the ruler still orders them, it is part of the Son of heaven's spring decree.
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| | 輕重己: |
以春日至始，數四十六日，春盡而夏始，天子服黃而靜處，朝諸侯卿大夫列士，循於百姓，發號出令曰：「毋聚大眾，毋行大火，毋斷大木，誅大臣，毋斬大山，毋戮大衍，滅三大而國有害也。」天子之夏禁也。 |
| | Starting from the spring equinox, counting forty-six days marks when spring ends and summer begins. The Son of Heaven wears yellow robes and remains in quiet seclusion; he receives chieftains, senior ministers, high officials, and distinguished men, extends courtesy to commoners, and issues a proclamation: "Do not gather large crowds, do not set great fires, do not cut down large trees, punish no major ministers, do not destroy great mountains, do not slaughter the most fertile lands. To eliminate these three great things will bring harm to the state." This is the Son of Heaven's summer prohibition.
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| | 輕重己: |
以春日至始，數九十二日，謂之夏至，而麥熟，天子祀於太宗，其盛以麥；麥者，穀之始也。宗者，族之始也。同族者人，殊族者處。皆齊大材，出祭王母，天子之所以主始而忌諱也。 |
| | Starting from the spring equinox and counting ninety-two days is called the summer solstice, when wheat ripens. The Son of Heaven offers sacrifices at the Grand Ancestral Temple, presenting wheat as the main offering; Wheat is the beginning of grains. The ancestral temple is the origin of the clan. Those of the same clan are people; those of different clans reside separately. They all prepare fine materials and offer sacrifices to the Queen Mother, which is why the Son of Heaven presides over the beginning and observes taboos.
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| | 輕重己: |
以夏日至始，數四十六日，夏盡而秋始，而黍熟，天子祀於太祖，其盛以黍；黍者，穀之美者也。祖者，國之重者也。大功者太祖，小功者小祖，無功者無祖，無功者皆稱其位而立沃，有功者觀於外。祖者，所以功祭也，非所以戚祭也。天子之所以異貴賤而賞有功也。 |
| | Starting from the summer solstice and counting forty-six days, summer ends and autumn begins, when millet ripens. The Son of Heaven performs a sacrifice at the Grand Ancestral Shrine, presenting millet as the main offering; Millet is the most esteemed grain. The Ancestor is the one of greatest importance to the state. Those with great merit are enshrined at the Grand Ancestral shrine; those with lesser merit, at minor ancestral shrines. Those without any merit have no ancestral shrine and must all be named according to their rank and placed in fertile lands; those who have made contributions may be observed from outside. Ancestral shrines are for honoring merit through sacrifice, not for mourning sacrifices. This is how the Son of Heaven distinguishes between noble and humble ranks and rewards those with merit.
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| | 輕重己: |
以夏日至始，數九十二日謂之秋至，秋至而禾熟，天子祀於太惢，西出其國，百三十八里而壇，服白而絻白，搢玉總，帶錫監，吹塤箎之風，動金石之音，朝諸侯卿大夫列士，循於百姓，號曰祭月。犧牲以彘，發號出令曰：「罰而勿賞，奪而勿予，罪獄誅而勿生，終歲之罪，毋有所赦，作衍牛馬之實在野者王」，天子之秋計也。 |
| | Starting from the summer solstice, counting ninety-two days is known as "the arrival of autumn." When autumn arrives and millet ripens, the Son of Heaven performs a sacrifice to the Great Shou. Proceeding westward from his capital for 138 li, he erects an altar, wears white robes and a white headdress, carries a jade plaque in his sash, fastened with a tin belt, plays flutes and oboes to create wind-like sounds, and produces the tones of metal and stone. He receives chieftains, officials, senior ministers, distinguished men, extends courtesy to the people, and this ceremony is called "Moon Sacrifice." The sacrifice uses a pig. He issues an order, saying: "Punish without rewarding, take away without giving, execute criminals without sparing them; do not pardon any crimes committed throughout the year. Whoever owns productive cattle and horses in the fields shall be king." This is the Son of Heaven's autumn decree.
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| | 輕重己: |
以秋日至始，數四十六日，秋盡而冬始，天子服黑絻黑而靜處，朝諸侯卿大夫列士，循於百姓，發號出令曰：「毋行大火，毋斬大山，毋塞大水，毋犯天之隆」，天子之冬禁也。 |
| | Starting from the autumn equinox and counting forty-six days marks when autumn ends and winter begins. The Son of Heaven, wearing black robes and a black headdress, remains in quiet seclusion. He receives chieftains and officials, extends courtesy to common people, and issues an order: "Do not set great fires; do not cut down great mountains; do not block major waterways; do not defy the heavens' grandeur." This is the Son of Heaven's winter prohibition.
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| | 輕重己: |
以秋日至始，數九十二日，天子北出九十二里而壇，服黑而絻黑，朝諸侯卿大夫列士，號曰發繇，趣山人斷伐，具械器。趣菹人薪藋葦，足蓄積。三月之後，皆以其所有易其所無，謂之大通。三月之蓄。凡在趣耕而不耕，民以不令，不耕之害也。宜芸而不芸，百草皆存，民以僅存，不芸之害也。宜穫而不穫，風雨將作，五穀以削，士民零落，不穫之害也。宜藏而不藏，霧氣陽陽，宜死者生，宜蟄者鳴，不藏之害也。張耜當弩，銚耨當劍戟。穫渠當脅𩊆，蓑笠當𢫕櫓，故耕械具則戰械備矣。 |
| | Starting from the autumn equinox, and counting ninety-two days forward, the Son of Heaven proceeds northward for ninety-two li to establish an altar. Wearing black robes and a headdress of black color, he receives chieftains (zhu hou), senior ministers (qing da fu), distinguished men (lie shi), and this is called "Fa You." He urges mountain dwellers to cut down trees and prepare tools and equipment. He encourages marsh-dwellers to gather firewood, reeds, and grasses in sufficient quantities for storage. After three months, all people exchange what they have for what they lack; this is called "Great Communication." The accumulation over three months. Anyone who is urged to farm but does not do so disobeys the order, and this inaction brings harm to farming. Where weeding is appropriate but it does not occur, all weeds will remain; the people's crops survive only barely—this is the harm of neglecting to weed. Where harvesting should occur but does not, winds and rains will come; the five grains will be reduced, and people and officials alike will suffer losses—this is the harm of failing to harvest. Where storage should occur but does not, mists and vapors will rise; the dead who should remain so come back to life, and creatures that should hibernate instead make noise—this is the harm of not storing. Plows are as effective as crossbows; hoes and sickles are as potent as swords and halberds. Harvesting tools serve like shields; straw raincoats and bamboo hats are as useful as armor and helmets. Therefore, when farming implements are complete, weapons for war are also prepared.
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