本集課程重點包括：

一、杞國與宋國是夏商二朝王族的後代

      武王伐紂之後，夏朝的後代封於杞國，商朝的後代封於宋國，藉此讓他們可以保留對先祖的祭祀，這是繼絕嗣的仁政。

二、孔子是博學的君子

      孔子說他懂得夏朝的禮，也懂得商朝的禮，只要文獻足夠，就可以證明他所說是對的，可惜杞國與宋國，已經沒有足夠的文獻來做考證。

三、文獻的重要

      文就是指典籍，獻就是講人才。古代都是貴族教育，要靠賢大夫、賢士，把禮的內涵說明清楚，才能往下傳承，如果只有典籍沒有人才，也無法延續其中的精神。文獻是後代民族延續的根據，即使朝代更迭，文獻充足，民族就會不斷延續，《中庸》也說：「無徵不信，不信民弗從。」所以本章告訴我們培養文化人才十分重要，道統的學習才能保留民族的文化、保留民族的氣節，這才是對國家民族真正的愛護。

八佾篇第九章白話翻譯

【經文】

子曰：夏禮吾能言之，杞不足徵也；殷禮吾能言之，宋不足徵也。文獻不足故也。足，則吾能徵之矣。

【字詞解釋】

杞：ㄑㄧˇ，杞國，是夏朝後代的封國。

宋：宋國，是殷代後人的封國。

徵：證也。

文獻：文指典冊，獻指賢人。

【白話解釋】

      孔子說：夏朝的禮制，我能夠說得出來，但須取得證明。然而，夏朝後代的杞國，不足以為證。殷朝的禮，我自認能說，然而，為殷商後代的宋國，不足以為證。杞宋不足以為證的原因是，夏殷二代早已滅亡，能知夏代文化的賢人，應在杞國。能知殷代文化的賢人，應在宋國。但杞宋兩國已經難覓這樣的賢人了，所以說文獻不足。文獻若足，亦即如有那樣的賢人，則我能將所說的夏殷之禮與他們對證。

【章旨】

      此章是孔子慨歎夏、殷兩朝禮制失傳。因文獻不足，而無所取證，雖然孔子能知能言，尚須尋求文獻，必為徵信，足見孔子言必有證。

《論語講要》原文

      杞宋，包注：「二國名。」杞國是夏代之後。宋國是殷代之後。徵，包注：「成也。」朱子集注：「證也。」文獻，鄭注：「獻猶賢也。」劉氏正義：「文，謂典策。獻，謂秉禮之賢士大夫。」

      「夏禮，吾能言之。杞不足徵也。」夏朝的禮，孔子能說。但須取得證明。然而，為夏朝後代的杞國，不足以為證。

      「殷禮，吾能言之。宋不足徵也。」殷朝的禮，孔子能說。然而，為殷朝後代的宋國，不足以為證。

      「文獻不足故也。」此句是說杞宋不足徵的原因。夏殷二代早已滅亡。能知夏代文化的賢人，應在杞國。能知殷代文化的賢人，應在宋國。但杞宋兩國已經難覓這樣的賢人了。故說：「文獻不足故也。」

      「足則吾能徵之矣。」足，文獻若足。此即，如有那樣的賢人。則孔子能將所說的夏殷之禮與他們對證。故說：「吾能徵之矣。」

      夏殷之禮，孔子能言，必然能知。雖然能知能言，尚須尋求文獻，以為徵信。足見孔子言必有所據。

English

Teacher Tang Yuling will accompany you to read The Analects    

50.Book 3 Ba Yi (The Eight-row Dance), Chapter 9

The Master said, “I could describe the ceremonies of the Xia dynasty, but Qi cannot sufficiently attest my words. I could describe the ceremonies of the Yin dynasty, but Song cannot sufficiently attest my words. (They cannot do so) because of the insufficiency of their records and wise men. If those were sufficient, I could adduce them in support of my words.”

Highlights of this lecture include:

1. The states of Qi and Song were governed by descendants of the dynasties of Xia and Shang

  After King Wu of Zhou dynasty overthrew the tyranny of King Zhou (Xia dynasty), Xia dynasty’s descendants were enfeoffed to the land of Qi, and the Shang peoples to the land Song. It was a benevolent policy the Zhou dynasty adopted to preserve the royal lines of the previous dynastic rule. Their lineal descendants were allowed to pass down and continue to worship their ancestors at their familial temples.

2. Confucius was an erudite junzi

  Confucius said he could explain the rituals of Xia and Shang dynasties. His explanations could be attested, had the states of Qi and Song had enough supportive archives remained and the elites with expertise in the ancient dynasties’ rituals. It’s a pity that Confucius’s explanations could not be proofed because of the lack of literature and experts on the subject.

3. The importance of literature (wen文) and expertise (xian獻)

  Wen文refers to the literature or archives and xian獻refers to the virtuous talented intellects who had the expertise in rituals of the two previous dynasties. In ancient times, the meaning of the rituals had to be passed on by educated elites and intellectuals through aristocratic education. Literature or archives were considered remains of rituals, without the talents to tell the meanings behind, the significant spirit relevant to the rituals gone. Culture relied on literature and expertise to pass on. Though dynasty may alternate, the nation and culture will go on and on when literature and expertise survive. As the book of Zhong Yong says, “However excellent… can’t be attested, the superior cannot command credence, and not being credited, the people would not follow them.”

  This chapter tells us that it is crucial to cultivate cultural talents. Only by learning the tradition through the proper ways, as a true protection for a nation and its people, can we preserve our culture and national integrity.