An Inquiry into the Core of Xunzi's 'On Rites': The Origin of Rites, Textual-Structural Logic, and the Way of Elevation and Reduction

Chapter 6 Depth, Greatness, Height, Brightness: The Four Virtues of Rites

Section 1 "That which is deep (hou) is the accumulation of Rites": The Profundity of Rites

"Thus, that which is deep (hou) is the accumulation of Rites; that which is great (da) is the expanse of Rites; that which is high (gao) is the flourishing (long) of Rites; that which is bright (ming) is the perfection (jin) of Rites."

This sentence summarizes the highest qualities of Rites using four terms—"Depth, Greatness, Height, Brightness"—which can be called the "Four Virtues of Rites."

"That which is deep (hou) is the accumulation of Rites" (Hou zhe, Li zhi ji ye)—"Depth" (Hou) is the accumulation of Rites.

"Deep" (Hou)—Profound, mellow. "Accumulation" (Ji)—Accumulation, sedimentation. "Depth" is the profound foundation formed through long-term accumulation.

The cultivation of Rites cannot be achieved overnight; it requires long-term study, practice, and reflection. The term "accumulation" (ji) is entirely consistent with the concept of "accumulation" repeatedly emphasized by Master Xunzi in the Quan Xue chapter:

"Accumulate soil to form a mountain, and wind and rain will arise from it; accumulate water to form a deep pool, and dragons will emerge from it; accumulate goodness to form virtue, and divine perception will be spontaneously attained, and the Sage’s mind will be complete. Thus, without accumulating steps of one pace, one cannot travel a thousand li; without accumulating small streams, one cannot form rivers and seas."

Accumulating soil to form a mountain, accumulating water to form a pool, accumulating goodness to form virtue—all great achievements result from accumulation. The "depth" (hou) of Rites is also formed through the daily accumulation of cultivation. It is not superficial decoration but a quality ingrained in the bones—like the depth of the Earth, it bears all things without wavering.

The I Ching, Kun Gua (Receptive Hexagram) states:

"The status of Earth is Receptive; the superior man thereby strengthens his virtue and carries all things."

"Strengthening virtue and carrying all things" (Hou de zai wu)—The "depth" (hou) of Rites is the concrete manifestation of this profound virtue. A truly cultivated person, in practicing Rites, is as deep as the Earth—able to respond calmly to any situation without losing measure.

The Book of Songs, Da Ya, Yi states:

"The gentle and respectful man, this is the foundation of virtue."

The gentle and respectful person (wen wen gong ren)—gentle and profound—is a vivid portrayal of the "depth" (hou) of Rites.

Section 2 "That which is great (da) is the expanse of Rites": The Breadth of Rites

"That which is great (da) is the expanse of Rites" (Da zhe, Li zhi guang ye)—"Greatness" (Da) is the breadth of Rites.

"Great" (Da)—Vast, grand. "Expanse" (Guang)—Broad, extensive. "Greatness" is the breadth of Rites' scope of application—it is not confined to one aspect or one occasion, but encompasses every facet of human life and every corner of society.

Master Xunzi says in the Quan Xue chapter:

"Where does learning begin$2 Where does it end$3 It begins with reciting the Odes and ends with reading the Rites. In terms of meaning, it begins with being a scholar (shi) and ends with being a Sage."

The end of learning is "reading the Rites" (du Li)—studying and practicing Rites. This is because Rites are the most expansive area of learning—they cover politics, ethics, religion, aesthetics, social interaction, and all other fields.

The Zuo Zhuan, Zhao Gong Twenty-Fifth Year records Zhao Jianzi asking Master Zichan: "Dare I ask what Rites are$4" Master Zichan replied with an extremely broad explanation:

"Rites are the constant laws of Heaven, the righteousness of Earth, and the conduct of the people. ... They model the clarity of Heaven, adapt to the nature of Earth, giving rise to the Six Qi... employing the Five Elements. The Qi form the Five Flavors, manifest as the Five Colors, resonate as the Five Tones... They serve as the standard for superiors and inferiors in ruling and ministering by modeling the righteousness of Earth, delineate the inside and outside of husband and wife by connecting the Two Things, symbolize the clarity of Heaven through fathers, sons, brothers, aunts, nephews, in-laws, and marriage alliances, follow the Four Seasons through governance, labor, and practical affairs, emulate the killing and slaying of thunder through penalties and prisons, and resemble the reproduction and nurturing of Heaven through warmth, compassion, and gentleness."

All the norms of Rites—the relationships between ruler and minister, husband and wife, father and son—are concrete expressions of social hierarchy. "Modeling the righteousness of Earth" (ze di yi) indicates that this hierarchy is not arbitrary human creation but is based on the underlying principles of Heaven and Earth.

The Zhong Yong (Doctrine of the Mean) states:

"Confucius inherited the teachings of Yao and Shun and patterned himself after Wen and Wu. He modeled the seasons of Heaven above and adapted to the soil and water below. He is like Heaven and Earth in that he encompasses and carries all things, and covers and shades all things. He is like the Four Seasons in their regular succession, and like the sun and moon in their successive illumination. The myriad things grow together without harming one another; the Dao operates universally without contradicting itself."

Like Heaven and Earth encompassing all, like the Four Seasons in regular succession, like the sun and moon illuminating in turns—this is the ultimate expression of the "Greatness" (Da) of Rites. It is all-embracing like Heaven and Earth, and ceaseless in operation like the Four Seasons.

Section 3 "That which is high (gao) is the flourishing (long) of Rites": The Elevation of Rites

"That which is high (gao) is the flourishing (long) of Rites" (Gao zhe, Li zhi long ye)—"High" (Gao) is the flourishing and sublime nature of Rites.

"High" (Gao)—Sublime, lofty. "Flourishing" (Long)—Flourishing, esteemed. "High" is the spiritual character of Rites—it is not a common behavioral norm but the highest expression of human spirit.

The I Ching, Qian Gua (Creative Hexagram) states:

"The movement of Heaven is vigorous; the superior man thereby strengthens himself ceaselessly."

The vigorous, ceaseless movement of Heaven—the superior man emulates this and strives unceasingly. This spirit of vigorous ceaselessness is the source of the "Height" (Gao) of Rites. The highest character of Rites is not weak yielding but vigorous self-strengthening—striving for higher realms while observing norms.

The Book of Songs, Da Ya, Zheng Min states:

"Heaven produced the masses of people, giving them things and norms. The people hold fast to their innate nature, loving this excellent virtue."

Heaven produced the masses, giving them things and norms. People hold fast to their innate nature, loving excellent virtue (Hao shi yi De)—this innate tendency to love beautiful virtues is the human basis for the "Height" (Gao) of Rites.

Section 4 "That which is bright (ming) is the perfection (jin) of Rites": The Illumination of Rites

"That which is bright (ming) is the perfection (jin) of Rites" (Ming zhe, Li zhi jin ye)—"Brightness" (Ming) is the penetration and thoroughness of Rites.

"Bright" (Ming)—Clear, penetrating. "Perfection" (Jin)—Exhaustion, utmost perfection. "Brightness" is the state where one has achieved a penetrating understanding and perfect realization of all dimensions of Rites—from theory to practice, from spirit to form, from flourishing (long) to reduction (sha).

"Brightness" is the ultimate destination of "Depth," "Greatness," and "Height"—only with profound accumulation ("Depth"), broad scope ("Greatness"), and sublime character ("Height"), can one finally reach the state of penetrating clarity ("Brightness")—understanding everything about Rites thoroughly and implementing them flawlessly.

The I Ching, Xi Ci Zhuan states:

"The Yi is where the Sages exhaust depth and analyze subtlety. Only by being profound can one connect the will of all under Heaven; only by being subtle can one complete the affairs of all under Heaven; only by being spiritual can one reach quickly without haste, and arrive without moving."

"Exhaust depth and analyze subtlety" (Ji shen er yan ji)—reaching the deepest point and discerning the subtlest point—this state of "depth" and "subtlety" corresponds precisely to "Brightness is the perfection of Rites." The Sage, by exhaustively pursuing the limits of Rites, reaches the state of "connecting the will of all under Heaven" and "completing the affairs of all under Heaven"—everything is clear, and everything is just right.

Section 5 Unification of Depth, Greatness, Height, and Brightness

The four virtues—Depth, Greatness, Height, and Brightness—are not four independent qualities but an organic whole.

"Depth" (Hou) is the foundation—without profound accumulation, there can be no broad scope, sublime character, or penetrating understanding.

"Greatness" (Da) is the scope—if one is deep but not broad, one becomes confined to one aspect and cannot encompass the entirety of Rites.

"Height" (Gao) is the degree—if one is broad but not high, one remains mediocre and cannot reach the sublime realm of Rites.

"Brightness" (Ming) is the articulation—if one is high but not bright, one remains abstract and cannot be implemented in concrete practice.

The four aspects progress layer by layer, interlinked, constituting the full spectrum of the perfect character of Rites.

The structure of these four virtues reminds us of the five steps of learning described in the Zhong Yong: "Study broadly (bo xue), inquire accurately (shen wen), reflect carefully (shen si), distinguish clearly (ming bian), and practice earnestly (du xing)." "Study broadly" corresponds to "Greatness" (breadth); "inquire accurately" and "reflect carefully" correspond to "Depth" (thoroughness); "distinguish clearly" corresponds to "Brightness" (penetration); and "practice earnestly" corresponds to "Height" (sublime practical character). Although the correspondence is not one-to-one, the spirit is the same—both pursue a comprehensive, deep, and penetrating state of cultivation.