The Analects – Chapter 10.4

When Confucius entered the ducal gate, he bowed deeply as if there were no room for him. He never stood in the center of the doorway, nor did he step on the threshold. Passing by the ruler’s seat, his expression instantly became solemn, his steps quickened, and his speech grew hushed, as though he dared not speak freely. As he lifted the hem of his robe to ascend the hall, he remained deeply bowed and held his breath as if ceasing to breathe. Upon exiting, after descending just one step, his countenance relaxed, appearing calm and cheerful. Once he had passed all the steps, he walked briskly forward with a graceful, wing-like posture. Returning to his place, he again assumed a reverent and cautious demeanor.

Note

This passage from the Analects of Confucius offers an exquisitely detailed portrait of Confucius’s conduct within the solemn space of the court – a paradigm of Confucian ritual propriety in action. Every gesture, facial expression, and even breath reflects profound reverence for the ruler’s dignity, the court’s solemnity, and the gravity of official duty. Descriptions like “as if there were no room,” “speech as though insufficient,” and “holding breath as if not breathing” are not theatrical exaggerations but natural outward manifestations of inner sincerity and caution. True ritual propriety, for Confucius, arises from genuine respect, not performative compliance. His adherence to spatial rules – avoiding the center of the door, not stepping on thresholds – also shows deep respect for institutional order and hierarchical decorum. Notably, Confucius is not perpetually tense: upon leaving the hall, he becomes “calm and cheerful,” revealing that his reverence stems from authentic moral disposition, not psychological repression. This embodies the cultivated state of “following one’s heart’s desire without overstepping boundaries.” The passage thus illustrates the Confucian ideal person: one who rigorously observes ritual norms in public life while retaining inner ease and humanity – precisely what is meant by “restraining oneself and returning to ritual is humaneness” (Analects 12.1).

Further Reading

When the ruler summoned him to receive guests… he advanced briskly, like a bird with wings spread. After the guest left, he always reported: “The guest did not look back.” (Analects 10.3)

Both emphasize meticulous ceremonial conduct, bodily discipline, and graceful reverence.

入公門，鞠躬如也，如不容。立不中門，行不履閾。過位，色勃如也，足躩如也，其言似不足者。攝齊升堂，鞠躬如也，屏氣似不息者。出，降一等，逞顏色，怡怡如也。沒階趨進，翼如也。復其位，踧踖如也。