Analects 10.3
The Analects (論語), BOOK X. HEANG TANG 鄉黨第十
君召使擯、色勃如也、足躩如也。揖所與立、左右手、衣前後、檐如也。趨進、翼如也。賓退、必復命曰、賓不顧矣。
1. When the prince called him to employ him in the reception of a visitor, his countenance appeared to change, and his legs to move forward with difficulty.
2. He inclined himself to the other officers among whom he stood, moving his left or right arm, as their position required, but keeping the skirts of his robe before and behind evenly adjusted.
3. He hastened forward, with his arms like the wings of a bird.
4. When the guest had retired, he would report to the prince, "The visitor is not turning round any more."
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 召zhàoimperial decree; to summon, to call, to
- 使shǐcause, mission, orders; envoy, messenger
- 擯bìnto exclude, to expel, to reject; to ushe
- 色sècolor, tint, hue, shade; beauty, form; s
- 勃bóthriving, prosperous; sudden, quick
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 也yěalso, too
- 足zúfoot; to attain, to satisfy; enough
- 躩juétake quick, short steps
- 揖yīto bow, to salute; to defer, to yield
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 立lìto stand; to establish, to set up
- 左zuǒleft; unorthodox, improper
- 右yòuright; right-wing
- 手shǒuhand
- 衣yīcloth; clothes, apparel; dress, coat
- 前qiánin front, forward; former, preceding
- 後hòuafter; behind, rear; descendants
- 檐yánthe eaves of a house; edge, brim
- 趨qūto hurry, to hasten; to approach, to be
- 進jìnto advance, to make progress; to come in
- 翼yìwings, fins; shelter
- 賓bīnguest, visitor; surname; submit
- 退tuìto retreat, to step back, to withdraw
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
- 復fùagain, repeatedly; copy, duplicate; to r
- 命mìnglife; destiny, fate, luck; an order, ins
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 顧gùto look back; to look at; to look after
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 10.4
- Tao Te Ching Chapter 16
- Analects 10.5
- Mencius 4B.33
- Zhuangzi The Empire
- Zhuangzi The Old Fisherman
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.