| | 八月紀: |
一曰── |
| | Firstly──
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| | 八月紀: |
仲秋之月：日在角，昏牽牛中，旦觜嶲中。其日庚辛。其帝少皞。其神蓐收。其蟲毛。其音商。律中南呂。其數九。其味辛。其臭腥。其祀門。祭先肝。涼風生。候鳥來。玄鳥歸。群鳥養羞。天子居總章太廟，乘戎路，駕白駱，載白旂，衣白衣，服白玉，食麻與犬。其器廉以深。 |
| | In the eighth month of autumn: the sun is in Jiao, at dusk, Tianniu is central; at dawn, Zuiyi is central. Its days are Geng and Xin. Its emperor is Shaohao. Its deity is Rushou. Its creature is Mao. Its tone is Shang. The pitch pipe corresponds to Nanlv. Its number is nine. Its flavor is Xin (pungent). Its smell is Xing (fishy). Its offering is to the gate. The sacrifice is of the liver of ancestors. Cool winds arise. Migratory birds arrive. The xuan bird returns. Birds gather to fatten for the winter. The Son of Heaven resides in Zongzhang Taomiào, rides a military carriage, is drawn by white camels, carries a white banner, wears white robes, adorns himself with white jade, and eats hemp seeds and dog meat. Its vessels are sharp-edged and deep.
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| | 八月紀: |
是月也，養衰老，授几杖，行麋粥飲食。乃命司服，具飭衣裳，文繡有常，制有小大，度有短長，衣服有量，必循其故，冠帶有常。命有司，申嚴百刑，斬殺必當，無或枉橈，枉橈不當，反受其殃。 |
| | In this month, the elderly are cared for; they are given canes and stools, and are provided with porridge and food that is easy to digest. Then the emperor commands the officials in charge of attire to prepare and regulate clothing; embroidery and patterns follow established standards, sizes are regulated as small or large, lengths are measured as short or long, quantities of garments are determined, all must conform to precedent, and headdresses and sashes also have fixed regulations. The emperor commands the responsible officials to strictly enforce all punishments; executions and killings must be just, without any injustice or distortion. Those who act unjustly or distort justice will themselves suffer misfortune as a consequence.
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| | 八月紀: |
是月也，乃命宰祝，巡行犧牲：視全具；案芻豢；瞻肥瘠，察物色，必比類；量小大，視長短，皆中度。五者備當，上帝其享。天子乃儺，禦佐疾，以通秋氣。以犬嘗麻，先祭寢廟。 |
| | In this month, the emperor commands the chief priests to inspect the sacrificial animals: checking that they are complete and properly prepared; examining their fodder and care; observing their fatness or thinness, examining their appearance, and ensuring they are properly categorized by type; measuring their size, observing their length, all must conform to the proper standards. When these five aspects are properly prepared and meet the criteria, Heaven's Deity will accept the sacrifice. The Son of Heaven then performs the Nuo ritual to ward off illness and assist in healing, thereby harmonizing with the autumn qi (vital energy). He tastes hemp seeds using dog meat as an offering, first making sacrifices at the ancestral temple.
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| | 八月紀: |
是月也，可以築城郭，建都邑，穿竇窌，修囷倉。乃命有司，趣民收斂，務蓄菜，多積聚。乃勸種麥，無或失時，行罪無疑。 |
| | In this month, it is appropriate to build city walls and fortifications, establish capitals and towns, dig wells and cisterns, and repair granaries. The emperor then commands the responsible officials to urge the people to harvest and gather in their crops, to store vegetables, and to accumulate supplies in abundance. He encourages the sowing of wheat, warning that no one should miss the proper season; those who fail will be punished without hesitation.
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| | 八月紀: |
是月也，日夜分。雷乃始收聲。蟄蟲俯戶。殺氣浸盛，陽氣日衰。水始涸。日夜分，則一度量，平權衡，正鈞石，齊斗甬。 |
| | In this month, day and night are equal in length. Thunder begins to cease its sound. The hibernating insects retreat into their dwellings. Killing qi gradually becomes more intense, while yang qi diminishes daily. The water begins to dry up. When day and night are of equal length, the standard measures should be regulated, weights balanced, scales standardized, and measuring vessels made uniform.
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| | 八月紀: |
是月也，易關市，來商旅，入貨賄，以便民事。四方來雜，遠鄉皆至，則財物不匱，上無乏用，百事乃遂。凡舉事無逆天數，必順其時，乃因其類。 |
| | In this month, customs and market regulations are adjusted to attract merchants and travelers, allowing goods and valuables to flow in, thus facilitating the affairs of the people. When people from all directions come together and distant regions arrive, then wealth and goods will not be lacking; the ruler will have no shortage of resources, and all affairs will proceed smoothly. Whenever undertaking any endeavor, one must not go against the order of Heaven; it is essential to follow the proper time and act in accordance with its nature.
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| | 八月紀: |
行之是令，白露降三旬。仲秋行春令，則秋雨不降，草木生榮，國乃有大恐。行夏令，則其國旱，蟄蟲不藏，五穀復生。行冬令，則風災數起，收雷先行，草木早死。 |
| | This decree being carried out, white dew falls for thirty days. If in the eighth month of autumn one acts according to spring commands, then autumn rains will not fall, grass and trees will grow luxuriantly, and the state will be filled with great fear. If one acts according to summer commands during this time, then the country will suffer from drought, hibernating insects will not hide away, and five grains will sprout again. If one acts according to winter commands during this time, wind disasters will frequently arise, thunder will occur prematurely, and grass and trees will die early.
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