乡饮酒之礼

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Clik here to view.                       与敬才兄、弟子晓峰和罗宾博士

  中国民航大学的朱敬才教授来古城西安开会，一同前来的还有几年前毕业，现在也在中国民航大学任教的弟子晓峰。敬才兄与我同级，也是陕西人；而晓峰则在西大学习七年，5月24日晚大家一聚，甚是高兴。

录《礼记·乡饮酒义》中的一段，是为记。

   乡饮酒之礼：六十者坐，五十者立侍，以听政役，所以明尊长也。六十者三豆，七十者四豆，八十者五豆，九十者六豆，所以明养老也。民知尊长养老，而后乃能入孝弟。民入孝弟，出尊长养老，而后成教，成教而后国可安也。君子之所谓孝者，非家至而日见之也；合诸乡射，教之乡饮酒之礼，而孝弟之行立矣。

                                                     ——《礼记·乡饮酒义》

At the ceremony of drinking in the country districts, those who were sixty years old sat, and those who were (only fifty) stood, and were in waiting to receive any orders and perform any services - thus illustrating the honour which should be paid to elders. Before those who were sixty, three dishes were placed; before those of seventy, four; before those of eighty, five; before those of ninety, six - thus illustrating how the aged should be cherished and nourished. When the people knew to honour their elders and nourish their aged, then at home they could practice filial piety and fraternal duty. Filial and fraternal at home and abroad, honoring elders and nourishing the aged, then their education was complete, and this led to the peace and tranquility of the state. What the superior man calls filial piety, does not require that (every) family should be visited and as members daily taught; if (the people) be assembled at the archery meetings in the districts, and taught the usages at the district-drinkings, their conduct is brought to be filial and fraternal.

                          English translation: James Legge