Analects 3.4
The Analects (論語), BOOK III. PA YIH 八佾第三
林放問禮之本。子曰、大哉問。禮、與其奢也、寧儉、喪、與其易也、寧戚。
1. Lin Fang asked what was the first thing to be attended to in ceremonies.
2. The Master said, "A great question indeed!
3. "In festive ceremonies, it is better to be sparing than extravagant.
In the ceremonies of mourning, it is better that there be deep sorrow than a minute attention to observances."
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 林línforest, grove; surname
- 放fàngto release, to liberate, to free
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 禮lǐcourtesy, manners, social customs
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 本běnroot, origin, source; basis
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 哉zāifinal exclamatory particle
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 奢shēexaggerated; extravagant, wasteful
- 也yěalso, too
- 寧níngcalm, peaceful; healthy; rather; to pref
- 儉jiǎntemperate, frugal, economical
- 喪sàngmourning; mourn; funeral
- 易yìto change; to exchange, to trade; simple
- 戚qīashamed, grieving; related to; relative
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 7.35
- Analects 3.6
- Zhuangzi Knowledge travels North
- Zhuangzi Autumn Floods
- Zhuangzi Man Among Men
- Mencius 6B.1
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.