| | 四月紀: |
一曰── |
| | Firstly──
|
| | 四月紀: |
孟夏之月：日在畢，昏翼中，旦婺女中。其日丙丁。其帝炎帝。其神祝融。其蟲羽。其音徵。律中仲呂。其數七。其性禮。其事視。其味苦。其臭焦。其祀灶。祭先肺。螻蟈鳴。丘蚓出。王菩生。苦菜秀。天子居明堂左個，乘朱輅，駕赤騮，載赤旂，衣赤衣，服赤玉，食菽與雞。其器高以觕。 |
| | In the first month of early summer: The sun is in Bi, at dusk Yizhong [is central], and at dawn Wuniu Zhong [is central]. The days are Bing and Ding. The emperor is Yandi. Its deity is Zhurong. Its creature is Yu. Its tone is Zheng. The pitch-pipe corresponds to Zhonglv. Its number is seven. Its nature is propriety (li). Its affair is observation (shi). Its flavor is bitter. Its smell is scorched. Its worship is directed to Zao. The sacrifice is made with the lungs of ancestors. Grasshoppers chirp. Earthworms emerge. Wangpu is born. Bitter herbs flourish. The Son of Heaven resides in the left pavilion of the Mingtang, rides in a red chariot (zhulu), is drawn by red horses (chilou), carries a red banner (chiqi), wears a red robe (chiyi), adorns himself with red jade (chiyu), and consumes beans and chicken. Its vessels are tall and coarse.
|
| | 四月紀: |
是月也，以立夏。先立夏三日，太史謁之天子曰：「某日立夏，盛德在火。」天子乃齋。立夏之日，天子親率三公九卿大夫以迎夏於南郊，還，乃行賞，封侯慶賜，無不欣說。乃命樂師習合禮樂。命太尉，贊傑俊，遂賢良，舉長大。行爵出祿，必當其位。 |
| | In this month, the Beginning of Summer is observed. Three days before the Beginning of Summer, the Grand Historian pays homage to the Son of Heaven and says: "On a certain day will be the Beginning of Summer; the supreme virtue resides in fire." The Son of Heaven then observes a period of purification. On the day of the Beginning of Summer, the Son of Heaven personally leads the Three Dukes, Nine Ministers, and officials to welcome summer at the southern suburbs. Upon returning, he proceeds to bestow rewards, enfeoff marquises, and grant celebrations; no one is without joy and delight. He then orders the music master to practice and harmonize rites and music. He commands the Taiwei to commend outstanding talents, promote virtuous and capable individuals, and recommend those of mature age and stature. Bestowing ranks and granting salaries must correspond appropriately to their positions.
|
| | 四月紀: |
是月也，繼長增高，無有壞隳。無起土功，無發大眾，無伐大樹。 |
| | In this month, growth continues with increasing height; nothing is ruined or destroyed. No earthworks should be initiated, no large crowds mobilized, and no great trees felled.
|
| | 四月紀: |
是月也，天子始絺。命野虞，出行田原，勞農勸民，無或失時。命司徒，循行縣鄙。命農勉作，無伏于都。 |
| | In this month, the Son of Heaven begins to wear thin summer clothing (chi). He commands Ye Yu to go out into the fields and countryside, to labor with the farmers and encourage the people, ensuring that no one misses the proper season. He commands Situ to inspect the counties and border regions. He commands the farmers to diligently work, not remaining idle in the capital.
|
| | 四月紀: |
是月也，驅獸無害五穀。無大田獵。農乃升麥。天子乃以彘嘗麥，先薦寢廟。 |
| | In this month, wild animals are driven away so as not to harm the five grains. No large-scale hunting is conducted in the fields. The farmers then harvest wheat. The Son of Heaven offers pork to taste the newly harvested wheat, first presenting it at the ancestral temple.
|
| | 四月紀: |
是月也，聚蓄百藥。糜草死。麥秋至。斷薄刑，決小皋，出輕繫。蠶事既畢，后妃獻繭。乃收繭稅，以桑為均，貴賤少長如一，以給郊廟之祭服。 |
| | In this month, all kinds of medicinal herbs are gathered and stored. Mildew-infested grasses die. The wheat harvest season arrives. Light punishments are commuted, minor legal cases are resolved, and those lightly imprisoned are released. After the silkworm season is completed, the empresses and consorts present their cocoons as offerings. Then the silk tax is collected, measured according to the mulberry trees; whether noble or humble, young or old, all are treated equally, in order to provide sacrificial robes for the ancestral temple and suburban altars.
|
| | 四月紀: |
是月也，天子飲酎，用禮樂。 |
| | In this month, the Son of Heaven drinks zhou wine, accompanied by rites and music.
|
| | 四月紀: |
行之是令，而甘雨至三旬。孟夏行秋令，則苦雨數來，五穀不滋，四鄙入保。行冬令，則草木早枯，後乃大水，敗其城郭。行春令，則蟲蝗為敗，暴風來格，秀草不實。 |
| | Implementing these decrees brings sweet rain within thirty days. If in the first month of early summer, autumn commands are carried out, then bitter rains will frequently come, the five grains will not thrive, and the four border regions will retreat into fortified defenses. If winter commands are carried out during this time, then grasses and trees will wither prematurely; afterward, great floods will occur, damaging city walls and fortifications. If spring commands are carried out during this time, locusts will cause destruction, violent winds will arrive, and the flourishing grasses will not bear fruit.
|
