射禮 Rites of Archery
射箭之禮,是古代人倫生活中的一項重要禮儀?!吧洹敝干浼?,是古代學(xué)子需要掌握的六種基本技能之一?!吧涠Y”即是按照特定的儀程,安排賓主三番輪射。因射者的身份及禮儀場合不同,“射禮”又有大射、鄉(xiāng)射、燕射之別?!吧涠Y”中的射箭活動,除了追求中的(dì)的準度等實際射擊效果,也要求射者身體和心態(tài)的端正,射的不中則反省自己的身心狀態(tài)。這種射箭的要求和自省的態(tài)度,正符合道德修養(yǎng)的要求。因此,“射禮”除了比較射箭技藝,也具有輔助道德修養(yǎng)的意義。
The rites of archery were an important element in ancient Chinese etiquette. Archery was one of six basic skills that scholars in ancient China needed to master. For a host and his guests, rites of archery involved three rounds of shooting. Based on the status of the participants and the occasion, there were three kinds of contests: the great contest (dashe) hosted by the king and ducal lords to select those to take part in sacrificial ceremonies, local contests (xiangshe) between scholars invited by local governors and held on the campuses of state-owned schools, and banquet contests (yanshe) hosted by the king or ducal lords when entertaining their officials. In such arrow shooting contests, archers must not only try hard to hit the target, but they also needed to maintain the right stance and attitude. If one missed the target, he should think about whether he had maintained the right attitude. These requirements and the search for the cause of failure in oneself were in line with the requirements of moral cultivation. Therefore, in addition to being a contest of shooting skills, archery was important in fostering moral cultivation.
引例 Citations:
◎仁者如射,射者正己而后發(fā);發(fā)而不中,不怨勝己者,反求諸己而已矣。(《孟子·公孫丑上》)
仁者就好比射箭的人一樣,射箭的人要首先端正自己的姿勢然后發(fā)箭;發(fā)箭沒有射中目標,不埋怨成績超過自己的人,而是反躬自省而已。
A virtuous man is like an archer. The archer adjusts himself and then shoots. Should he miss, he is not jealous of those who defeat him. He simply examines himself to find out why he has not won. (Mencius)
◎故射者,進退周還(xuán)必中禮,內(nèi)志正,外體直,然后持弓矢審固,持弓矢審固,然后可以言中,此可以觀德行矣。(《禮記·射義》)
因此射箭之人,進退轉(zhuǎn)身必須符合禮儀的規(guī)范,內(nèi)在心志端正,身體挺直,然后手持弓箭穩(wěn)定瞄準,手持弓箭穩(wěn)定瞄準,然后才可以言及射中目標,由此可以觀察射者的德行。
The archer must move in a proper way when stepping forward and back and circling round. He should be focused, keep his body straight, hold the bow and arrow steadily and skillfully. Only then can he start shooting at the target. By observing his movement, one can learn about his moral character. (The Book of Rites)
推薦:教育部 國家語委
供稿:北京外國語大學(xué) 外語教學(xué)與研究出版社
責任編輯:錢耐安