and, moving to the right, he went round it thrice, crying out, 'That the bones and flesh should return again to the earth is what is appointed. But the soul in its energy can go everywhere; it can go everywhere.' And with this he went on his way." Confucius (also) said, "Was not Kî-𝖟ze of Yen-ling's observance of the rules of ceremony in accordance with (the idea of them)?"
14. At the mourning rites for the duke Khâo of Kû-lü[1], the ruler of Hsü sent Yung Kü with a message of condolence, and with the articles to fill the mouth of the deceased. "My unworthy ruler," said he, "hath sent me to kneel and put the jade for a marquis which he has presented into your (deceased) ruler's mouth. Please allow me to kneel and do so." The officers of Kü replied, "When any of the princes has deigned to send or come to our poor city, the observances have been kept according to their nature, whether simple and easy, or troublesome and more difficult; but such a blending of the easy and troublesome as in your case, we have not known." Yung Kü replied, "I have heard that in the service of his ruler one should not forget that ruler, nor be oblivious of his ancestral (rules). Formerly, our ruler, king Kü, in his warlike operations towards the west, in which he crossed the Ho, everywhere used this style of speech. I am a plain, blunt man, and do not
presume to forget his example[2]."
- ↑ Khâo should probably be Ting. Duke Khâo lived after the period of the Khun Khiû, during which the power of Hsü had been entirely broken.
- ↑ Here was Yung Kü, merely a Great officer, wishing to do what only a prince could do, according to the rules of propriety. He defends himself on the ground that the lords of Hsü claimed the title of King. The language of the officers of Kü shows that they were embarrassed by his mission.
