3.15 The son enters the great temple (1) and asks for everything. Or: "Who is the son of the man (2) who knows the etiquette?" Enter the great temple and ask everything. The son smelled it and said, "It is Reiya." ”
【Notes】
(1) Great Temple: That is, the Great Temple. Yang Bojun: The founding prince of ancient times was called Taizu, and the temple of Taizu was called Taimiao. Zhou Gongdan was the first crowned prince of the State of Lu, so this temple was the temple of the Duke of Zhou.
(2) Son of the Man of Yan: 鄹, Yin Zou, zou, also known as 郰, place name. "History of Confucius's Family": "Confucius was born in Luchangping Township. "Some people say that this place is the Xizou Collection, ten miles southeast of Qufu County in today's Shandong Province." 鄹人" refers to Confucius's father, Shu Liang (梁纥). Shu Liang Qi used to be a doctor, and in ancient times, he often referred to a doctor in a certain place as someone, so here he also referred to Uncle Liang Hui as a "Man of Yan".
【Translation】
Yang Bojun translation: Confucius went to the Zhou Gong Temple and asked questions about everything. Someone then said, "Who said that this son of Uncle Liang Hui knows how to be polite?" When he arrived at the Taimiao Temple, he had to ask others for advice on everything. When Confucius heard this, he said, "This is exactly the ritual." ”
Mr. Qian Mu tried to translate: Mr. First entered the Taimiao Temple, he asked questions when things happened. Or does the man say, "Did the man say that this young man of the wicked knows the etiquette?" He ran into the temple and asked everything. The gentleman heard this and said, "Are those rituals?" ”
Chen Xiaofen Translation: Confucius entered the Zhou Gong Temple and asked questions about everything. Someone said, "Who said that the son of this man of the curse knows manners?" He entered the Temple of Taimiao and asked everything. When Confucius heard this, he said, "This is exactly the ritual." ”
【Curiosity】
By reading Mr. Yang's translation, we can get the opinion that Confucius entered the Taimiao Temple and asked every question, which was a manifestation of his understanding of etiquette and courtesy. However, according to Mr. Qian's translation, the so-called ceremonies held at the Taimiao Temple are not in line with the Zhou gong system. Mr. Qian believes that the word "also" in the sentence "is etiquette" is "evil" and is a question word. It is not that Confucius was unaware of the various ceremonial vessels and rituals in the Lutai Temple, but most of these were ceremonies and were improperly displayed at the Temple of houguo. Confucius's entry into the Temple of Taimiao was a very euphemistic and profound irony and protest. Shallow people do not know, suspect confucius does not know etiquette, Confucius does not discern, only ask this etiquette evil? Confucius was not unaware of this kind of ritual, but it should not be in the Lu Zhitai Temple. Every question is to hope that people will have some understanding. The same text, understood from different angles, will gain completely different meanings.
【Reference】
Yang Bojun's Commentary on the Analects
Qian Mu, "New Interpretation of the Analects"
Chen Xiaofen's Commentary on the Analects