| | 禮儀上: |
耕高禖養老先蠶祓禊 |
| | Plow, offer sacrifices at Gaimei, honor the elderly, raise silkworms first, and perform purification rites.
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| | 禮儀上: |
夫威儀，所以與君臣，序六親也。若君亡君之威，臣亡臣之儀，上替下陵，此謂大亂。大亂作，則群生受其殃，可不慎哉！故記施行威儀，以為禮儀志。 |
| | Etiquette and decorum are what establish relations between ruler and subject, and order among the six kinds of relatives. If a ruler lacks the authority of a ruler, and subjects lack the decorum of subjects, then superiors will be neglected and inferiors will become arrogant; this is called great disorder. When great disorder arises, all living beings suffer its consequences; how can one not be cautious! Therefore, records of the implementation of etiquette and decorum are kept as a guide for rites and ceremonies.
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| | 禮儀上: |
禮威儀，每月朔旦，太史上其月曆，有司、侍郎、尚書見讀其令，奉行其政。朔前後各二日，皆牽羊酒至社下以祭日。日有變，割羊以祠社，用救日日變。執事者冠長冠，衣皁單衣，絳領袖綠中衣，絳蔥远，以行禮，如故事。 |
| | Rites of etiquette and decorum: on the first day of each month, the Grand Historian presents the calendar for that month; officials in charge, Attending Secretaries, and Secretaries read its decrees and carry out their duties accordingly. Two days before and after the first day of the month, people bring tethered sheep and wine to the altar below the communal shrine for a solar sacrifice. If there is an anomaly in the sun's appearance, they slaughter a sheep to worship at the communal shrine, using this ritual to rescue and correct the solar abnormality. Those in charge wear long caps, black single robes with crimson collars and green inner garments, red chongyuan (a type of ceremonial garment), to perform the rites as per established custom.
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| | 禮儀上: |
立春之日，夜漏未盡五刻，京師百官皆衣青衣，郡國縣道官下至斗食令史皆服青幘，立青幡，施土牛耕人于門外，以示兆民，至立夏。唯武官不。立春之日，下寬大書曰：「制詔三公：方春東作，敬始慎微，動作從之。罪非殊死，且勿案驗，皆須麥秋。退貪殘，進柔良，下當用者，如故事。」 |
| | On the day of Lichun (the Beginning of Spring), before five drum beats remain in the night, all officials in the capital wear blue robes; local and county officials down to those with a stipend equivalent to one dou of grain wear blue head coverings. Blue banners are raised, and clay oxen and plowmen are placed outside the gates to show the common people until Lixia (the Beginning of Summer). Only military officials do not. lø On the day of Lichun, a decree is issued stating: "Imperial edict to the Three Dukes: As spring begins and agricultural activities commence in the east, you must show reverence at the outset and be cautious with small matters; all actions should follow accordingly. For crimes that are not capital, investigations should be postponed and no examination is to take place until the wheat harvest season. Remove greedy and cruel officials; promote gentle and virtuous ones. Appoint those who are suitable as per established precedent."
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| | 禮儀上: |
正月上丁，祠南郊。禮畢，次北郊，明堂，高廟，世祖廟，謂之五供。五供畢，以次上陵。 |
| | On the first Ding day of the first month, a sacrifice is held at the southern suburbs. After the ceremony concludes, sacrifices are next conducted at the northern suburbs, the Mingtang (Hall of Illumination), the Gao Temple, and the Shizu Temple; these five rites together are called the "Five Offerings." After completing the Five Offerings, the emperor proceeds in order to visit the ancestral tombs.
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| | 禮儀上: |
西都舊有上陵。東都之儀，百官、四姓親家婦女、公主、諸王大夫、外國朝者侍子、郡國計吏會陵。晝漏上水，大鴻臚設九賓，隨立寢殿前。鍾鳴，謁者治禮引客，群臣就位如儀。乘輿自東廂下，太常導出，西向拜，止旋升阼階，拜神坐。退坐東廂，西向。侍中、尚書、陛者皆神坐後。公卿群臣謁神坐，太官上食，太常樂奏食舉，文始、五行之舞。禮樂闋，君臣受賜食畢，郡國上計吏以次前，當神軒占其郡穀價，民所疾苦，欲神知其動靜。孝子事親盡禮，敬愛之心也。周遍如禮。最後親陵，遣計吏，賜之帶佩。八月飲酎，上陵，禮亦如之。 |
| | The western capital had previously established rites for visiting ancestral tombs. The ceremonies in the eastern capital included officials of all ranks, women from the four noble families and their relatives, princesses, ministers of various kings, foreign envoys and their attendants, as well as local officials reporting on state affairs who gathered at the tombs. During the day when water is poured into the clepsydra, the Grand Director of Ceremonies arranges nine attendants and stands in front of the sleeping hall. The bells ring; the Etsa (attendants) responsible for rites lead the guests, and all ministers take their positions according to ceremony. The imperial carriage descends from the eastern corridor; the Taichang leads it out, faces west to bow, stops and turns upward onto the main steps of the hall, then bows before the spirit tablet. Then he withdraws and sits in the eastern corridor facing west. The Attending Ministers, Secretaries, and attendants all stand behind the spirit tablet. Dukes, ministers, and officials pay homage to the spirit tablet; the Grand Steward presents food, and the Taichang's musicians perform the "Shiju" (food offering) music along with the Wen Shi and Wu Xing dances. After the rites and music conclude, the ruler and ministers finish receiving their food gifts; local officials responsible for reporting on state affairs proceed in order to stand before the spirit pavilion, where they report the grain prices of their respective regions and the hardships suffered by the people, so that the spirits may be made aware of these conditions. A filial son serving his parents with utmost propriety is an expression of reverence and love in the heart. Comprehensive and in accordance with rites. Finally, at the tomb of a close relative, officials responsible for reporting local affairs are sent off and bestowed sashes and ornaments as gifts. In August, when strong wine is consumed, ancestral tombs are visited; the rites follow the same procedures.
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| | 禮儀上: |
凡齋，天地七日，宗廟、山川五日，小祠三日。齋日內有汙染，解齋，副倅行禮。先齋一日，有汙穢災變，齋祀如儀。大喪，唯天郊越紼而齋，地以下皆百日後乃齋，如故事。 |
| | Generally, for purification before rituals: seven days for heaven and earth, five days for ancestral temples and mountains and rivers, and three days for minor shrines. If there is contamination during the purification period, the fast is broken, and a deputy official performs the rites instead. One day before beginning the fast, if there are signs of pollution or calamity, the purification and sacrificial rites proceed as usual. In case of a major mourning period, only for sacrifices to heaven at the suburbs is the fast begun before the mourning sash is removed; for earth and lower-level rites, fasting begins after one hundred days, as per established custom.
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| | 禮儀上: |
正月甲子若丙子為吉日，可加元服，儀從冠禮。乘輿初緇布進賢，次爵弁，次武弁，次通天。以據，皆於高祖廟如禮謁。王公以下，初加進賢而已。 |
| | The first day of the first month on Jiazi or Bingzi is considered an auspicious day, suitable for the rite of capping (marking adulthood), with ceremonies following those of the guanli (capping ritual). The imperial carriage first wears black cloth caps for promoting virtue, then juebian (a type of cap), followed by wubian (military cap), and finally the Tongtian hat. According to these regulations, all rites are conducted at the Gaozu Temple in accordance with proper ceremonies. For princes and officials of lower ranks, only the initial capping with jinxiann (a cap symbolizing virtue) is performed.
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| | 禮儀上: |
正月，天郊，夕牲。晝漏未盡十八刻初納，夜漏未盡八刻初納，進熟獻，太祝送，旋，皆就燎位，宰祝舉火燔柴，火然，天子再拜，興，有司告事畢也。明堂、五郊、宗廟、太社稷、六宗夕牲，皆以晝漏十四刻初納，夜漏未盡七刻初納，進熟獻，送神，還，有司告事畢。六宗燔燎，火大然，有司告事畢。 |
| | In the first month at the heavenly altar in the suburbs, sacrificial animals are prepared on the evening before the ceremony. When the clepsydra indicates that eighteen drum beats remain during the day, and eight drum beats remain at night, the sacrificial offerings are first presented. The fully prepared sacrifices are then brought in by the Grand Priest, who delivers them; they proceed to the designated location for burning. The slaughterer and priest raise firewood and burn it; when the fire ignites, the Son of Heaven bows twice, rises, and an official announces that the ceremony is complete. For the Mingtang, the five suburban altars, ancestral temples, the Grand Altar of Land and Grain (Taishaji), and the Six Ancestral Sites, sacrificial animals are also prepared in the evening. The offerings begin when fourteen drum beats remain during the day and seven drum beats remain at night; fully prepared sacrifices are presented, deities are sent off, and officials return to announce that the rites have concluded. For the Six Ancestral Sites' fire offerings, when the flames burn brightly, an official announces the completion of the ceremony.
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| | 禮儀上: |
正月始耕。晝漏上水初納，執事告祠先農，已享。耕時，有司請行事，就耕位，天子、三公、九卿、諸侯、百官以次耕。力田種各耰訖，有司告事畢。是月令曰：「郡國守相皆勸民始耕，如儀。諸行出入皆鳴鍾，皆作樂。其有災眚，有他故，若請雨、止雨，皆不鳴鍾，不作樂。」 |
| | Plowing begins in the first month. At the beginning of water pouring into the clepsydra during the day, officials in charge announce that a sacrifice has been made to Xianong (the god of farming), and it has already been offered. At the time for plowing, officials request permission to proceed; they go to their designated positions. The Son of Heaven, the Three Dukes, the Nine Ministers, marquises and dukes, and all other officials take turns plowing in order. After tilling and sowing are completed for each plot of farmland, an official announces that the rite has concluded. The calendar instructions state: "Governors and magistrates in all commanderies and states should encourage their people to begin plowing, following the established rites." All departures and arrivals are accompanied by the ringing of bells and music. However, in cases of disasters or other special circumstances, such as requesting rain or stopping rain, bells are not rung and music is not played."
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| | 禮儀上: |
仲春之月，立高禖祠于城南，祀以特牲。 |
| | In the second month of spring, a high mei shrine is established in the southern part of the city, and it is worshipped with a single sacrificial animal.
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| | 禮儀上: |
明帝永平二年三月，上始帥群臣躬養三老、五更于辟雍。行大射大禮。郡、縣、道行鄉飲酒于學校，皆祀聖師周公、孔子，牲以犬。於是七郊禮樂三雍之義備矣。 |
| | In the third month of Yongping 2 (AD 59) of Emperor Ming, the emperor first led his ministers in personally honoring three elders and five senior officials at the Biyong. The grand archery ceremony was performed. In commanderies, counties, and dao (administrative regions), the local drinking ceremony for the community was held at schools; they all worshipped the sage teachers Zhou Gong and Confucius, offering dogs as sacrifices. Thus, the rites and music of the seven suburban altars and the three yong (educational institutions) were fully established.
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| | 禮儀上: |
養三老、五更之儀，先吉日，司徒上太傅若講師故三公人名，用其德行年耆高者一人為老，次一人為更也。皆服都紵大袍單衣，皁緣領袖中衣，冠進賢，扶玉杖。五更亦如之，不杖。皆齋于太學講堂。其日，乘輿先到辟雍禮殿，御坐東廂，遣使者安車迎三老、五更。天子迎于門屏，交禮，道自阼階，三老升自賓階。至階，天子揖如禮。三老升，東面，三公設几，九卿正履，天子親袒割牲，執醬而饋，執爵而酳，祝鯁在前，祝饐在後。五更南面，公進供禮，亦如之。明日皆詣闕謝恩，以見禮遇大尊顯故也。 |
| | The ceremony for honoring the three elders and five senior officials begins with selecting an auspicious day. The Minister of Instruction (Situ) submits to the Grand Tutor or former Three Dukes a list of names, choosing one person who is virtuous, morally exemplary, and advanced in age as the elder, and another as the senior official. They all wear plain silk long robes with black-trimmed collars and sleeves on the inner garment, caps symbolizing virtue (jinxiann), and hold jade canes. The five senior officials also dress similarly but do not use canes. They all fast in the lecture hall of the Taixue (national university). On that day, the imperial carriage arrives first at the Li Dian hall of Biyong; the Son of Heaven sits in the eastern corridor and sends envoys with specially prepared carriages to welcome the three elders and five senior officials. The Son of Heaven greets them at the gate screen, exchanges courtesies, leads them along the main steps (zuojie), while the three elders ascend from the guest steps. Upon reaching the steps, the Son of Heaven bows as per ritual. The three elders ascend and face east; the Three Dukes set up a mat, while the Nine Ministers adjust their shoes. The Son of Heaven personally uncovers to slaughter the sacrificial animal, holds sauce to offer food, raises a cup for a toast, with priests chanting blessings in front and prayers against illness behind. The five senior officials face south; the dukes present offerings according to ritual, following the same procedures. The next day, they all visit the palace gate to express gratitude for their favor, as this is a sign of great respect and honor.
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| | 禮儀上: |
是月，皇后帥公卿諸侯夫人蠶。祠先蠶，禮以少牢。 |
| | In this month, the Empress leads dukes, ministers, marquises, and duchesses in raising silkworms. A sacrifice is made to Xiancan (the deity of sericulture), with rites conducted using a lesser sacrificial offering (shaonao).
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| | 禮儀上: |
是月上巳，官民皆絜於東流水上，曰洗濯祓除去宿垢疢為大絜。絜者，言陽氣布暢，萬物訖出，始絜之矣。 |
| | On the first Si day of this month, officials and commoners all purify themselves in the flowing eastern water; it is called washing away impurities to remove accumulated ailments and achieve great cleanliness. This purification signifies that yang energy has spread widely, all things have fully emerged, and thus the cleansing begins.
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