本集課程重點包括：

一、子貢是一位有能力、有事功的人物

      子貢對魯國有很大的貢獻，魯哀公十一年，齊國出兵攻打魯國，是子貢解救了魯國存亡之危。此外在《史記》裡面也說，使孔子之名揚名於天下，是子貢的功勞。所以從本章可以看出，子貢有能力去改變告朔殺羊的禮儀。

二、「告朔」的重要性？

      每月頒布月令書，老百姓就能夠依照天時耕作，這在科技不發達、以農立國的時代裡特別重要。此外，周天子以身作則行禮，下至諸侯百姓，對於政令都可以有所依循，不至於各自為政，這是上下一同很重要的禮儀，每個月的祭祀，也表達對於先祖的傳承，非常有意義。

三、子貢為何要去除告朔之餼羊

      魯國到魯文公時期，國君也漸漸地不參加告朔之禮，每個月太廟都空蕩蕩，卻仍照例殺一隻羊，因此子貢認為，不必為了徒具形式的禮節去殺羊。

四、孔子與子貢不同的看法

      孔子對子貢說，你是愛這隻羊，因為殺這隻羊已經沒有意義；可是我愛其禮，只要保留餼羊，百姓見到了可能會去了解原因，找到此禮的意義與價值，若遇有明君，還有恢復此禮的可能。一旦連羊都取消不供，整個告朔之禮就消失，聽聞告朔之禮的機會也就沒有了，上述關於此禮的各種好處與功能，就再也找不回來。

八佾篇第十七章白話翻譯

【經文】

子貢欲去告朔之餼羊。子曰：賜也，爾愛其羊，我愛其禮。

【字詞解釋】

告朔：古代天子在季冬時，以來年每月的政事，定成政令書，稱為朔政，亦稱月令書，頒告諸侯。諸侯受之以後，藏於太廟，自新年一月起，每月朔日，也就是每月初一，供一隻餼羊，也就是殺而未煮熟的腥羊，祭告於太廟，然後上朝奉行。此外，天子自己也在每月朔日舉行朔禮。春秋記載，魯文公六年，閨月不告朔，十六年後，文公又因疾病，而有四次不視朔。文公以後，魯君告朔之禮，逐漸由曠達而廢弛。後來魯君雖不告朔，但每月初一，仍由有司送一隻餼羊供奉祖廟。

【白話解釋】

      子貢認為，告朔之禮既不舉行，何必仍供一羊，子貢不忍見其死，所以想要去除告朔之餼羊。孔子呼子貢的名說，賜，你愛的是一隻羊，我愛的則是告朔之禮。孔子認為，繼續每月供奉餼羊，一般人民尚可由此而知時令。後世之人尚可見此餼羊而知有告朔之禮，得以考據而有所取。是以不去餼羊，其禮尚未全廢，餼羊一旦除去，其禮也就完全廢棄了，所以孔子說我愛的是告朔之禮。

【章旨】

      此章言孔子不欲廢告朔之禮也，保存此禮能防權臣以下犯上。

《論語講要》原文

      「告朔」

      邢疏引周禮春官太史：「頒告朔于邦國。」古時天子在季冬時，以來年每月的政事，定成政令書，古注稱為朔政，亦稱月令書，頒告諸侯。諸侯受之以後，藏於太廟，自新年一月起，每月朔日，也就是每月初一，供一隻餼羊，祭告於太廟，然後上朝奉行。諸侯告朔於太廟之禮，如春秋文公六年公羊傳何休注說：「禮，諸侯受十二月朔政於天子，藏於太祖廟，每月朔，朝廟，使大夫南面奉天子命，君北面而受之。」

      此外，天子自己也在每月朔日舉行告朔禮。皇疏說：「禮，天子每月之旦，居於明堂，告其時帝布政，讀月令之書畢，又還太廟，告於太祖。諸侯無明堂，但告於太廟。並用牲。天子用牛，諸侯用羊。」

      先儒通校諸經，以為告朔之禮本有兩種。一是天子以朔政頒告諸侯。一是天子告朔於明堂，諸侯告朔於廟。而論語及公羊傳所說就是後一種。

      「子貢欲去告朔之餼羊。」

      史記歷書說，周幽王、厲王時，「君不告朔。」

      春秋記載，魯文公六年，閏月不告朔，十六年，文公又因疾病，而有四次不視朔。文公以後，魯君告朔之禮，逐漸由曠而廢。後來魯君雖不告朔，但每月初一，仍由有司送一隻餼羊供奉祖廟。

      子貢認為，告朔之禮既不舉行，何必仍供一羊。故欲除去告朔之餼羊。

      餼羊，鄭注為生羊。皇疏以為，生是未熟之義，生腥通用。因此，餼羊就是殺而未煮熟的腥羊。如果將生羊解釋為活的羊，猶可以生養，則子貢何以愛之。愛，是如孟子所說的「不忍見其死」之義。

      「子曰，賜也，爾愛其羊，我愛其禮。」

      孔子呼子貢之名說：「賜，你愛的是一隻羊，我愛的則是告朔之禮。」不行告朔禮，只供一餼羊，非為行禮而殺羊，應當去之。這是子貢愛羊之意。孔子則有另一種看法。繼續每月供奉餼羊，一般人民尚可由此而知時令。後世之人尚可見此餼羊而知有告朔之禮，得以考據而有所取。是以不去餼羊，其禮尚未全廢，餼羊一旦除去，其禮也就完全廢棄了，所以孔子說：「我愛其禮。」

English

Teacher Tang Yuling will accompany you to read The Analects

]58.Book 3 Ba Yi (The Eight-row Dance), Chapter 17

Zi Gong wished to do away with the offering of a sheep connected with the inauguration of the first day of each month. The Master said, “Ci, you love the sheep; I love the ceremony.”

Highlights of this lecture include:

1. Zi-Gong was a very capable person of remarkable achievements

  Zi-Gong made a lot of noteworthy contributions to Lu state. In the 11th year of Duke Ai of Lu, the state of Qi attacked Lu and it was Zi-Gong who saved Lu State from the brim of perishment. The Shiji史記or Records of the Grand Historian stated that it was Zi-Gong’s efforts who made Confucius famous at that time. As we could see from this chapter, Zi-Gong had the capacity to dispense with the offering of live sacrificial sheep at the announcing ceremony at the beginning of each lunar month.

2. The importance of “Gao Shou告朔” or announcement at the first day of the lunar month.

  At that time, a Monthly Order月令書 would be promulgated on the first day of a lunar month by the head of empire or state by way of prayer at the ancestral temple. Through the publicizing process, the commoners in general knew when to grow their crops. The mechanism was particularly important in an era of underdeveloped technology and a country based on agriculture. Emperor of the Zhou dynasty set himself as the example, so that the vassal lords and commoners could comply with government policies and orders announced. The announcement of Monthly Order was essential rituals in order to prevent inconsistence in governance of the entire nation. As a top-down accorded announcement system, the sacrificial offering was very meaningful; it was a way to recognize the significance of ancestral worship and its heritage.

3. Why did Zi-Gong want to do away the sheep as sacrifice on the inauguration day at ducal temple?

  In Lu, since the days of Duke Wen the full ceremony had fallen into desuetude. Rulers of Lu stopped to partake in the said rituals gradually. Without the host worshipper, the ducal temple was empty without performing the announcement ceremonies on the due day. Nevertheless, an officer of the rituals continued to sacrifice and present a sheep on that very day. Realized that the ritual had been discontinued and the offering of a live sheep was merely a formality, Zi-Gong wanted to dispense with the sheep.

4. Confucius looked from a different point of view

  Confucius told Zi-Gong that he regretted the loss of a sheep since the ceremony was just a formality, whereas Confucius would regret about the loss of the rituals. It was better formality than nothing at all. Confucius begrudged the loss of the ritual service. If the sacrifice of.  a sheep at the first day of the lunar month was to preserve, the rituals would remain recognizable by people. And there was the hope of restoring the service and its meaning possibly by a sageous ruler. If the formality of sacrificial sheep were dispensed, the rituals related to the Monthly Order announcement would eventually perish. At that time, people would have no way to know about the rituals of “Gao Shou”; and its merits and functions could never be recovered.