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XXVIII. The Three Instructions

183---The Meaning of the Three Instructions Introduced by the Sage-Kings (III B. 4a-b).

a.Why does the King institute the Three Instructions? ¹ In order, at the inheritance of a decadent [world], to rescue what has been lost, with the purpose of bringing the people back to the right Way. b.The Three Kings ² having [each] failed [in their own way], the Three Instructions were set up to correct each other. The Kings of the Hsia people instructed by loyalty ³, and failed by [falling into] vulgarity ⁴; for the correction of vulgarity there is nothing better than reverence ⁵. The Kings of the Yin people instructed by reverence, and failed by [falling into] superstition ⁶; for the correction of superstition there is nothing better than culture ⁷. The Kings of the Chou people instructed by culture, and failed by [falling into] profligacy ⁸; for the correction of profligacy there is nothing better than loyalty. The successors of the Chou honoured [the colour] black, and established institutions the same as the Hsia. The Three [Instructions] follow upon each other like an endless circle; when the cycle has run out it commences again, when it has reached its end it returns to its beginning ⁹.

184---The Three Instructions Began with the Hsia (III B. 4b).

a.The Yüeh chi yao chia¹⁰ says: "Yen Hui asked ¹¹ about the Three Instructions: had they been changed by [Shun of] Yü and [Yü of the] Hsia [Dynasty]? [Confucius] said: The Instructions were to retrieve [the effects of] bad government, depravity, and impurity: they are to be called [the ways of] governing. Shun, continuing [the way of] Yao, did so without alteration". b.Another opinion is: The Three Instructions, correcting [each other in succession], began with the Hsia Dynasty. c.Why is it that though Kao-tsung [,Sovereign of the Yin Dynasty,] inherited a decadent [world] he did not change the Instruction [of Yin] ¹²? To show that a son has no right to change the way of his father. How ¹³ do we know that Kao-tsung did not change it? Because it was [only] with the Chou that the Instruction became that by culture. d.Of the Three Instructions loyalty comes first because it is the basis of conduct. The Three Instructions, though divided, [came from] one body, and they cannot be applied as if they were things apart; therefore the Kings applied them according to their sequence. Why is it said that the Three Instructions were applied together and not separately? Because neither loyalty nor reverence nor culture can be spared.

185---What the Three Instructions Model Themselves On (III B. 5a).

a.Why are there three Instructions? They model themselves on Heaven, Earth, and Man. Inwardly loyal, outwardly reverent, embellished by culture, [by these] three [things] perfection [is reached]. Modelling themselves on Heaven, Earth, and Man, how does each [Instruction] manifest itself? Loyalty models itself on Man, reverence on Earth, culture on Heaven. b.The way of Man has loyalty as its lead. Man, to make his way perfect, instructs man by utmost loyalty, therefore loyalty is Man's Instruction. c.The way of Earth is modest and lowly. What Heaven begets is reverently nourished by Earth, therefore reverence is Earth's Instruction ¹⁴.

186---The Meaning of Instruction (III B. 5a).

What does chiao 'instruction' mean? Chiao means hsiao 'to imitate' ¹⁵; what the superior does the inferior imitates. The people [represent] ¹⁶ crude material which, left uninstructed, will not be- come accomplished. Therefore the Hsiao ching says: "The Ancient Kings saw how their instruction could transform the people" ¹⁷. The Lun yü says: "To lead an uninstructed people to war is to throw them away" ¹⁸. The Shang shu says: "Instructing [the Hundred Clans] in the reverence of spiritual power" ¹⁹. The Shih says: "Thou shouldst instruct them, that the people may imitate thee" ²⁰.

187---How the Three Instructions Could Fail (III B. 5a-b).

Loyalty shows itself in severe straightforwardness, therefore it [can] degenerate into vulgarity. Reverance shows itself in sacrificial worship, therefore it [can] degenerate into superstitition. Culture shows itself in graceful deportment, therefore it [can] degenerate into profligacy.

188---The Vessels in the Three Dynasties (III B. 5b).

a.Why is it that [at the sacrifice for the dead] the Hsia people used the Spiritual Vessels, the Yin people the Sacrificial Vessels, and the Chou people combined both uses? It is said: The Hsia instructed by loyalty, therefore they preferred the Spiritual Vessels, so as to ensure the heart of the filial son. The Yin instructed by reverence, therefore they preferred the Sacrificial Vessels, so as to express the utmost of reverence. The Chou instructed by culture, therefore they combined both uses, so as to express their idea of the climax of culture ²¹. b.Confucius said: "To approach the dead and treat them as dead is against consideration for others, and should not be done. To approach the dead and treat them as living is a want of wisdom, and should not be done" ²². Therefore there should be the way of the dead in order to ensure the heart of the filial son, and there should [at the same time] be the way of the living in order that men be not ungrateful. c.Therefore [at the sacrifice] the vessels of bamboo are not fit for actual use, the vessels of wood are not well carved, the vessels of earthenware cannot be used to wash in, the ch'in and the sê [lutes] are strung but not evenly, the pan-pipes are complete but out of tune, the bells and chiming-stones are there but they have no stands ²³. It means that the things are [all] complete but not for [ordinary] use. d.Confucius said: "The invention of Spiritual Vessels is good, but the invention of human figures [to accompany the dead] is against consideration for others. The carriages of clay and the figures of straw, they have been since antiquity" ²⁴. It means that they obtain for the present as well as for antiquity.

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Published by The Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, © Copyright 2003 by Anne Kinney and the University of Virginia