The Beauty of the Three Dynasties Condensed into a Single Chapter: A Deep Interpretation of "Yan Yuan Asking about Governing the State" in the Analects of Confucius, Weilinggong
This article provides a rigorous analysis of the "Yan Yuan wen weibang" passage in the *Analects*, examining Confucius’s political pedagogy—centered on the calendar of the Xia, the carriage of the Shang, the ceremonial cap of the Zhou, and the music of Shao—as a synthesis of the essential wisdom of the Three Dynasties. By situating these practices within the broader framework of Confucian statecraft, the study elucidates the idealized civilizational paradigm of the tradition and the enduring philosophical significance of its transmission.
Chapter Three: Ride the Carriage of the Yin—The Virtue of Simplicity and the Way of Utilitarianism
1. What is a "Carriage" (Lu)$31
The Master's second answer was "Ride the carriage of the Yin." "Carriage" refers to a vehicle, specifically the large carriage used by the Son of Heaven or feudal lords.
In the pre-Qin era, the carriage was not just a means of transportation; it was a symbol of status, a carrier of rituals, and a weapon of war. From the legendary creation of the carriage by the Yellow Emperor to the car-and-horse systems of the Three Dynasties, the carriage held a vital place in ancient Chinese civilization.
The Zhouli: Chungan details the five-carriage system of the Zhou Dynasty:
The King has five carriages: one is the Jade Carriage... for sacrifice; the Gold Carriage... for receiving guests; the Ivory Carriage... for morning audiences; the Leather Carriage... for military purposes; the Wood Carriage... for hunting.
Zhou carriages were divided into five grades, used for different occasions. They were decorated with intricate carvings of jade, gold, ivory, and dragon patterns.
The carriages of the Yin Dynasty, by contrast, were much simpler and more rustic. Yin carriages focused on utility, with few decorations, embodying a cultural spirit of "valuing substance."
2. Why Choose the Carriage of the Yin Rather than the Zhou$32
This question concerns the Master's profound understanding of the cultural characteristics of the Three Dynasties.
The Master gave a classic summary of Three Dynasties culture in The Analects: Ba Yi:
The Master said: "Zhou looked back at the two previous dynasties; how rich and colorful it was in culture! I follow the Zhou."
The Master admired the "rich and colorful culture" of the Zhou and said he would "follow the Zhou." Yet, in his governing strategy, he chose the Yin carriage. Is this contradictory$33
No. The Master "followed the Zhou" regarding the overall ritual-music civilization, as the Zhou had the most complete system. However, in specific utilitarian items—such as carriages—the Master believed the rustic style of the Yin was more desirable.
Why$34
Because as utilitarian objects, excessive decoration is a waste and the beginning of unhealthy tendencies. The Master's other words in The Analects: Ba Yi help explain:
The Master said: "In rituals, rather than extravagance, I prefer thrift; in funerals, rather than excessive ease, I prefer deep sorrow."
If forced to choose between extravagance and thrift in rituals, the Master chose thrift. Similarly, for carriages, he chose simplicity. Because the primary function of a carriage is utility—transporting people and goods—not displaying status. The Yin carriage embodies this spirit of "valuing function over show."
3. The Dialectic of "Substance" and "Culture"
The Master’s understanding of the Three Dynasties’ culture followed a deep framework: the dialectic of "substance" (zhi) and "culture" (wen).
The Analects: Yong Ye records:
The Master said: "When substance outweighs culture, it is rustic; when culture outweighs substance, it is pedantic. Only when culture and substance are balanced is one a noble man."
"Substance" is the inner essence; "culture" is the outer refinement. Only "refined culture and substance" (the gentleman) is ideal.
The culture of the Three Dynasties reflects this progression:
The Analects: Wei Zheng says:
The Yin followed the rituals of the Xia; what they subtracted and added can be known. The Zhou followed the rituals of the Yin; what they subtracted and added can be known.
From Xia to Yin, and from Yin to Zhou, civilization kept accumulating and enriching the "culture" aspect. The Xia was simple; the Yin added to it but kept simplicity; the Zhou reached the pinnacle of "rich and colorful culture."
However, the pinnacle of culture hides the crisis of decline. When "culture" overly expands and outweighs "substance," rituals become hollow. The Master's era faced this crisis—ritual collapsed and music was corrupted. Thus, in choosing the Yin carriage, the Master was correcting the trend of "culture outweighing substance" by returning to rustic simplicity in utilitarian objects.
4. Ancient Perspective: Carriages and Cosmic Travel
In the cosmology of the pre-Qin period, the carriage had a more profound symbolic significance.
In the Heavenly concept, the movement of the sun, moon, and stars was understood as "riding a carriage." The Book of Changes phrase "rides the six dragons in time to manage Heaven" is an image of the Son of Heaven touring the world.
The carriage of the Son of Heaven, at a symbolic level, is the earthly correspondence of the "Sun Carriage"—the Son of Heaven tours the world like the sun tours the sky, representing the operation of the Way of Heaven on Earth.
Viewed this way, the Master's advocacy of "riding the carriage of the Yin" is not just a utilitarian choice; it is a symbolic expression: the carriage of the Son of Heaven should be simple and practical, because the Way of Heaven itself is simple and real—the sun rises and sets, seasons cycle, without extra decoration, only constant operation.