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Analects (Legge) · Book III

Analects (Legge) · Book III

Book III 8

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26

1 Tsze-hsia asked, saying, ‘What is the meaning of the passage— “The pretty dimples of her artful smile! The well- defined black and white of her eye! The plain ground for the colours?”’

2 The Master said, ‘The business of laying on the colours follows (the preparation of) the plain ground.’

3 ‘Ceremonies then are a subsequent thing?’ The Master said, ‘It is Shang who can bring out my meaning. Now I can begin to talk about the odes with him.’