Analects · Chapter
IX explained
The philosopher Tsǎng emphasizes the importance of performing funeral rites for parents and continuing sacrificial ceremonies long after their passing, asserting that such practices will restore the people's virtue to its proper excellence.
What happens
The philosopher Tsǎng emphasizes the importance of performing funeral rites for parents and continuing sacrificial ceremonies long after their passing, asserting that such practices will restore the people's virtue to its proper excellence.
Themes in this chapter
Ritual and Propriety
Tsǎng emphasizes the careful performance of funeral rites and continued sacrifices as essential to virtue.
Filial Piety
The rites for parents reflect deep filial devotion that extends beyond death.
Characters to notice
- Tsǎng Shǎn
The philosopher Tsǎng speaks on the importance of funeral rites and sacrifices for parents.
Key passages
“Let there be a careful attention to perform the funeral rites to parents, and let them be followed when long gone with the ceremonies of sacrifice;—then the virtue of the people will resume its proper excellence.”
If people diligently carry out the mourning rituals for their parents and continue to honor them with sacrifices even after many years, the moral character of the community will be restored to its rightful state.
This paraphrase captures the essence of Tsǎng's teaching on the societal impact of proper ancestral rites.