Chapter 576: Kong Qiu Asks About Ritual

The sixth day.

Li Er sat down in front of a stall.

The stall was not large, with a few low tables, a few mats, and an old woman was boiling water.

Seeing Li Er sit down, she brought over a bowl of hot water and placed it before him:

"Are you thirsty? No charge."

"Thank you." Li Er expressed his thanks, picked up the bowl, and drank slowly.

On the nearby low tables, a few people were also seated, talking in low voices.

"Have you heard? Over on the west side of the city, people are fighting again."

"They're fighting? Why?"

"It's over that piece of land. They say it was handed down from their ancestors, each side claims it as their own, and neither will yield."

"Then go ask the village head to mediate."

"They've tried, but no result could be reached. The land is too old; nobody can produce evidence."

"Then let's follow the rule: each side gets half."

"One side's son refuses, saying he wants it all or else they'll fight. The other side also won't yield, so they started fighting."

"Sigh, nowadays even the rules can't keep people in line."

Li Er listened, saying nothing.

He lowered his head to look at the water in the bowl, clear, reflecting his face.

He recalled the classics of LuGuo, those rules, those 'rituals'.

Can ritual control people?

Yes.

When everyone is willing to observe ritual, ritual can control people.

But what if someone is unwilling to observe it?

What can ritual do then?

Ritual can do nothing.

Ritual is merely a rule.

Rules are dead; people are alive.

If people do not wish to follow the rules, the rules become a dead letter.

Then what can control people?

He thought for a long time, but could not figure it out.

The seventh day.

Li Er prepared to leave.

He rode his green ox, slowly walking toward the city gate.

The sunshine was fine, warm upon his body.

At the city gate, people came and went, some entering, some leaving, each busy with their own affairs.

Li Er did not hurry away.

He let the green ox slow its pace, wanting to take one more look at the city.

Just then——

A voice came from beside him.

"May I ask, are you Mr. Li Er?"

Li Er turned his head.

A young man stood at the roadside, bowing toward him.

That young man looked to be in his early twenties, dressed in plain dark robes, his hair bound with a cloth band, his face slender but his eyes extremely bright.

He bowed, his attitude respectful yet neither humble nor arrogant.

Li Er looked at him, slightly startled.

"Do you know me?"

The young man straightened up and shook his head.

"I don't know you, but just now I heard people say there is an outsider riding a green ox who has stayed in the city for seven days, looking and listening everywhere, yet saying nothing."

"I thought, such a person must be Mr. Li Er."

Li Er looked at him, a flash of something unusual passing through his eyes.

"Why?"

The young man raised his head, gazing directly into his eyes.

"Because I have heard that in Cheng Zhou's Shou Cang Shi there is a Mr. Li Er, versed in ancient and modern knowledge, yet he does not like to argue with people."

"I have long wished to see him, but never had the chance."

"Today, hearing people mention that outsider, I came seeking him."

Li Er fell silent for a moment.

Then he nodded.

"It is me. What business do you have?"

The young man stepped forward and bowed again.

"I am Kong Qiu, and I wish to ask you a question."

Li Er looked at him.

Kong Qiu.

He had heard that name in the city.

A man from a remote town of LuGuo, of humble origin, yet tirelessly studious, especially fond of the Zhou rites.

It is said that as a child playing games, he liked to set out sacrificial vessels and imitate adults performing rites.

"Speak." Li Er said.

Kong Qiu raised his head, looked at him, and asked seriously:

"I have studied rites since childhood; I have read every ritual text countless times, memorizing every detail."

"But I have a question I have never been able to understand."

He paused.

"What, exactly, is rites?"

Li Er did not answer.

He merely looked at this young man.

Kong Qiu continued:

"I have seen many people perform rites, correctly and standardly, every motion right, yet I always feel that when they perform rites, their hearts lack rites."

"Some do not perform rites, even violate them, yet I feel that in their hearts there is something truer than rites."

"I do not understand."

"What, exactly, is rites? Where do they come from? Where do they go? Why should people observe rites? And what is the end of observing rites?"

He asked many questions in one breath, then stopped, looked at Li Er, and waited for his reply.

At the city gate, people came and went, the bustle continued as before.

But at this moment, it seemed everything had grown quiet.

Li Er sat on the green ox's back, lowered his head and looked at this young man.

The light in those eyes reminded him of many things.

He thought of the villagers of Qu Ren Li, of their natural expression when they helped each other.

He thought of the texts in the Shou Cang Shi, of the bamboo slips that recorded a thousand years of wisdom.

He thought of the teachings Shang Rong had given him, of those clear and profound explanations.

He thought of the questions he had been unable to understand all these years.

What are rites?

He did not know either.

Or rather, he had no definite answer.

But he had some thoughts.

He remained silent for a long time.

Then he spoke.

"Rites," he said, "are not something that comes from outside."

Kong Qiu was startled.

Li Er continued:

"Rites do not come from outside; they are not rules set by anyone, not statutes written on bamboo slips, not the motions of performing rites—those are merely the 'form' of rites, not the 'substance'."

"The substance of rites lies in the human heart."

"When the heart feels, it responds; the response is measured; measured, it becomes orderly—this is called rites."

He looked at Kong Qiu, his gaze calm.

"You just said some people perform rites but their hearts lack rites—that is because they have only form, no substance."

"The form of rites can be learned; the substance can only be apprehended."

"Some people do not perform rites yet have rites in their hearts, because they feel something and naturally respond; though they lack the form, they possess the reality of rites."

Kong Qiu listened, entranced, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.

Li Er paused, then said:

"But although the substance exists, form is still needed; form without substance is false; substance without form is hard to endure."

"Take planting a tree: the substance is the root, the form the branches and leaves; without roots, branches and leaves cannot grow; without branches and leaves, the root cannot thrive."

"Thus the Holy person establishes rites not to bind people, but to nurture them."

"So that in practicing rites, day after day, one feels and comprehends, comprehends and acts, acts and is transformed."

"Over time, rites cease to be external objects and become part of oneself."

"At that point, people observe rites not because rites demand it, but because they inherently wish to do so."

"This is the end of rites."

He finished speaking.

The city gate remained noisy, people coming and going, carriages and horses bustling.

But Kong Qiu stood still, unmoving.

He lowered his head, his lips moving slightly, as if repeatedly chewing over each sentence Li Er had just spoken.

After a long while, he raised his head and bowed deeply to Li Er.

That bow was extremely deep and solemn.

"Thank you, sir, for your guidance."

Li Er looked at him and smiled faintly.

"You have great insight; keep studying, keep thinking."

In the future, you will have your own answer.

I'm going to visit an old friend, so I won't stay longer.

He gently patted the green ox's head; the green ox stepped forward and walked out of the city.

Having taken just a few steps, hurried footsteps sounded behind him.

Sir!

Kong Qiu caught up, stood beside the green ox, and bowed respectfully.

Sir, I have a presumptuous request.

Li Er lowered his head and looked at him.

Speak.

Kong Qiu lifted his head, his eyes full of earnestness:

I wish to follow you for a while, even just a few days, even just to trail behind and see how you conduct yourself and treat others; I would be content.

Li Er fell silent for a moment.

He looked at this young man, at those eyes burning with thirst for knowledge, and suddenly recalled many years ago, when he himself had followed Yao Xian thus, traveling all under heaven.

He nodded.

If you can keep up, then follow.

Kong Qiu was overjoyed, repeatedly bowing.

Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!

The green ox continued forward.

Kong Qiu hurriedly caught up, falling half a step behind, step for step.

Outside the city gate, the sunlight was just right.

One ox, two people, gradually receding into the distance.