3.1
Confucius said of the head of the Ji family when he had eight teams of dancers performing in his courtyard, “If this man can be endured, who cannot be endured!”
孔子謂季氏：「八佾舞於庭，是可忍也，孰不可忍也？」
Notes
Through the statement from the Analects, Confucius fiercely condemned Ji Sun, a minister of Lu, for violating ritual protocols: “When the Ji Family presumed to use eight rows of dancers in their courtyard, if this can be tolerated, what cannot?”
This rebuke reflects Confucius’ defense of ritual propriety and social hierarchy, his outrage stemming from profound anxiety over “the collapse of ritual order”.
Context:
Rows of ceremonial dancers; each row matches the number of dancers (e.g., “Eight Rows” = 8×8 = 64 dancers).
Zhou Ritual Hierarchy:
- King: Eight Rows (64 dancers)
- Feudal Lords: Six Rows (36 dancers)
- Ministers: Four Rows (16 dancers)
- Lower Nobility: Two Rows (4 dancers)
Confucius’ condemnation defends the “sacredness of rules” and “necessity of order.” Today, this teaches that every era needs non-negotiable principles — zero tolerance for acts that violate public norms, breach moral boundaries, or trample justice. For rules thrive only when inviolable, and society stabilizes only when boundaries are upheld.
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