| | 三年问: |
三年之丧何也？曰：称情而立文，因以饰群，别亲疏贵践之节，而不可损益也。故曰：无易之道也。 |
| San Nian Wen: |
What purposes do the mourning rites for three years serve? The different rules for the mourning rites were established in harmony with (men's) feelings. By means of them the differences in the social relations are set forth, and the distinctions shown of kindred as nearer or more distant, and of ranks as more noble or less. They do not admit of being diminished or added to; and are therefore called 'The unchanging rules.' |
| | 三年问: |
创钜者其日久，痛甚者其愈迟，三年者，称情而立文，所以为至痛极也。斩衰苴杖，居倚庐，食粥，寝苫枕块，所以为至痛饰也。三年之丧，二十五月而毕；哀痛未尽，思慕未忘，然而服以是断之者，岂不送死者有已，复生有节哉？ |
| San Nian Wen: |
The greater a wound is, the longer it remains; and the more pain it gives, the more slowly is it healed. The mourning of three years, being appointed with its various forms in harmony with the feelings (produced by the occasion of it), was intended to mark the greatest degree of grief. The sackcloth with jagged edges, the dark colour of the sackcloth and the staff, the shed reared against the wall, the gruel, the sleeping on straw, and the clod of earth for a pillow - these all were intended to set forth the extremity of the grief. The mourning of the three years came really to an end with (the close of) the twenty-fifth month. The sorrow and pain were not yet ended, and the longing loving thoughts were not yet forgotten; but in the termination of the mourning dress in this way, was it not shown that there should be an end to the duties rendered to the dead, and that the time was come for the resumption of their duties to the living? |
| | 三年问: |
凡生天地之间者，有血气之属必有知，有知之属莫不知爱其类；今是大鸟兽，则失丧其群匹，越月逾时焉，则必反巡，过其故乡，翔回焉，鸣号焉，蹢躅焉，踟蹰焉，然后乃能去之；小者至于燕雀，犹有啁噍之顷焉，然后乃能去之；故有血气之属者，莫知于人，故人于其亲也，至死不穷。 |
| San Nian Wen: |
All living creatures between heaven and earth, being endowed with blood and breath, have a certain amount of knowledge. Possessing that amount of knowledge, there is not one of them but knows to love its species. Take the larger birds and beasts - when one of them has lost its mate, after a month or a season, it is sure to return and go about their old haunts. It turns round and round, utters its cries, now moves, now stops, and looks quite embarrassed and uncertain in its movements, before it can leave the place. Even the smaller birds, such as swallows and sparrows, chatter and cry for a little before they can leave the place. But among all creatures that have blood and breath, there is none which has intelligence equal to man; and hence the feeling of man on the death of his kindred remains unexhausted even till death. |
| | 三年问: |
将由夫患邪淫之人与，则彼朝死而夕忘之，然而从之，则是曾鸟兽之不若也，夫焉能相与群居而不乱乎？将由夫修饰之君子与，则三年之丧，二十五月而毕，若驷之过隙，然而遂之，则是无穷也。故先王焉为之立中制节，壹使足以成文理，则释之矣。 |
| San Nian Wen: |
Will any one follow the example of those men who are under the influence of their depraved lusts? In that case, when a kinsman dies in the morning, he will forget him by the evening. But if we follow the course of such men, we shall find that they are not equal to the birds and beasts. How can they live with their kindred, and not fall into all disorders? Will he rather follow the example of the superior man who attends to all the methods by which the feeling of grief is set forth? In that case, the twenty-five months, after which the mourning of three years comes to an end, will seem to pass as quickly as a carriage drawn by four horses is whirled past a crevice. And if we continue to indulge the feeling, it will prove to be inexhaustible. Therefore the ancient kings determined the proper medium for mourning, and appointed its definite terms. As soon as it was sufficient for the elegant expression of the varied feeling, it was to be laid aside. |
| | 三年问: |
然则何以至期也？曰：至亲以期断。是何也？曰：天地则已易矣，四时则已变矣，其在天地之中者，莫不更始焉，以是象之也。然则何以三年也？曰：加隆焉尔也，焉使倍之，故再期也。由九月以下何也？曰：焉使弗及也。 |
| San Nian Wen: |
This being the case, how is it that (in certain cases the mourning lasts) only for a year? The answer is, that in the case of the nearest kindred, there is a break in it at the end of a year. How is that? The answer is - The interaction of heaven and earth has run its round; and the four seasons have gone through their changes. All things between heaven and earth begin their processes anew. The rules of mourning are intended to resemble this. Then how is it that there are three years' mourning (for a parent)? The answer is - From the wish to make it greater and more impressive, the time is doubled, and so embraces two round years. What about the mourning for nine months' and the shorter periods? The answer is - It is to prevent such mourning from reaching (the longer periods). |
| | 三年问: |
故三年以为隆，缌小功以为杀，期九月以为间。上取象于天，下取法于地，中取则于人，人之所以群居和壹之理尽矣。故三年之丧，人道之至文者也，夫是之谓至隆。是百王之所同，古今之所壹也，未有知其所由来者也。孔子曰：“子生三年，然后免于父母之怀；夫三年之丧，天下之达丧也。” |
| San Nian Wen: |
Therefore the three years should be considered as the highest expression of grief in mourning; the three months, and five months, as the lowest; while the year and the nine months are between them. Heaven above gives an example; earth beneath, a law; and man between, a pattern. The harmony and unity that should characterise men living in their kinships are hereby completely shown. Thus it is that in the mourning of three years the highest forms that vary and adorn the ways of men are displayed. Yes, this is what is called the richest exhibition (of human feelings). In this the hundred kings (of all the dynasties) agree, and ancient and modern customs are one and the same. But whence it came is not known. Confucius said, "A son, three years after his birth, ceases to be carried in the arms of his parents. The mourning of three years is the universal rule of all under heaven." |
