Master You said, “In the usages of ritual it is harmony that is prized. In the ways prescribed by the ancient kings, this is the excellent quality, and in things small and great people follow them. But there are times when it does not work: if harmony is blindly pursued without regulation by the rituals, that would not do.”
有子曰：「禮之用，和為貴。先王之道斯為美，小大由之。有所不行，知和而和，不以禮節之，亦不可行也。」
Notes
Confucianism emphasizes that the ultimate purpose of ritual is harmony and order, yet also notes that harmony must be tempered by ritual to avoid unprincipled compromise. This passage by Youzi (You Ruo, a disciple of Confucius) masterfully captures the dialectical relationship between ritual and harmony. It transcends rigid interpretations of ritual while preventing the absolutization of harmony, embodying the Confucian wisdom of ‘holding two extremes and applying the mean’.
Youzi’s words teach us: Harmony is the goal; ritual is the path. Harmony without ritual is a mirage; ritual without harmony is a cold shackle. This principle remains vital for navigating personal and societal relationships today.
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