鐔津文集 15.26

15.26

In his 'Stele for the Temple of Confucius in Chuzhou', Master Han compared and evaluated the abundance and frugality of sacrificial rituals between Confucius and the Gods of the Soil and Grain, Goulong, and Qi. He claimed that Confucius, through his virtue, received the sacrifice of grand rituals, surpassing the Gods of the Soil and Grain, Goulong, and Qi. His words read: 'Their positions are altars without roofs; how could they compare to Confucius employing the rites of a king? Majestically facing the seat, accompanied by his disciples; from the Son of Heaven on down, all face north, bowing, kneeling, and presenting offerings, advancing and retreating with sincere reverence, observing the rites as though they were his own disciples,' and so forth. Now, the Gods of the Soil and Grain are honored precisely because they convey the proper qi of heaven and earth by having an altar without a roof. Only the altar of a ruined state is given a roof, as a warning signifying the severing of yang and the opening of yin. Therefore, for the Gods of the Soil and Grain to be roofed is actually their disgrace. That Master Han wished to use the lack of a roof for the Gods of the Soil and Grain to compare honors with Confucius—how could he be so ignorant of the classics like this? As for Confucius, through his teaching he became the former sage of Confucians, and certainly ought to enjoy the rites of vegetable offerings and animal sacrifices; how could his merit and virtue ever be compared to the likes of Goulong and Qi? This is yet another of Master Han's extreme blunders in criticism.