3.21
Duke Ai asked Zai Yu about the Holy Ground. Zai Yu replied, “The Xia sovereigns marked theirs with a pine, the men of Yin used a cypress, the men of Zhou used a chestnut-tree, saying, this will cause the common people to be in fear and trembling.”
Confucius hearing of it said. “What is over and done with, one does not discuss; what has already taken its course, one does not criticize; what already belongs to the past, one does not censure.”
哀公問社於宰我。宰我對曰：「夏后氏以松，殷人以柏，周人以栗，曰使民戰栗。」子聞之曰：「成事不說，遂事不諫，既往不咎。」
Notes
Duke Ai of Lu inquired about the wood used for the Altar of the Earth God. Zai Wo (a disciple of Confucius) replied: “The Xia dynasty used pine; the Shang used cypress; the Zhou used chestnut — allegedly to make the people tremble.”
This dialogue from the Analects exposes Zai Wo’s distorted interpretation of Zhou ritual (claiming chestnut wood symbolized terror), while revealing Confucius’ prudent stance toward history: ritual’s essence transcends literal symbolism.
The core lies in contrasting perspectives:
- Zai Wo’s utilitarian misreading of ritual as political control;
- Confucius’ focus on ritual’s moral spirit over historical details, urging “let the past rest”.
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