≪論語·八佾≫“繪事後素”辨析

Abstract

In the Analects of Confucius, Confucius discussed with his pupil Zi-xia(子夏) about one verse of the Shih Ching, and Confucius concluded the means of that verse with 'Hui shi hou su(繪事後素)', furthermore Zi-xia enlightened with the concept of courtesy. The conclusion 'Hui shi hou su(繪事後素)' was expressed so metaphorically that has brought about many translations. The most convinced translations were suggested by Zheng-xuan(鄭玄) in Han dynasty and Zhu-xi(朱熹) in Song dynasty, this explained the 素 is white board and that the 素 is white color. The two renowned scholars explained the relations of the 繪事 and the 素 differently and resulted in different translations. In this report the translations of Zheng-xuan and Zhu-xi are considered to more likely implicate the concept of courtesy in base than the painting itself. Because the concept of courtesy of an epoch often express the ideas of courtesy regulated to the standards of the epoch. So Zheng-xuan in Han dynasty stressed the class system, insisting white color to separate the mass of colors, and Zhu-xi in Song dynasty focused on the one's inner life, insisting the one's inner life be like white board. Discriminating the true translation itself, this report is on behalf of Zheng-xuan, because the art pattern and the uses of vocabularies in Confucius' epoch are more similar to Zheng-xuan's translation.