by An Liu
If during the last month of summer the ordinances of spring were carried out, the kernels of grain would scatter and fall; [the people would suffer] many colds and coughs; and people would depart the country. If the ordinances of autumn were carried out, hills and lowlands alike would be flooded; the grain that had been sown would not ripen; and there would be many women’s calamities [= miscarriages]. If the ordinances of winter were carried out, then winds and cold would arrive out of season; falcons and hawks would snatch their prey [unseasonably] early; and along the four borders of the country, people would withdraw to places of safety. [5/42/18–19]
The sixth month governs the Lesser Ingathering. Its tree is the catalpa. [5/42/21]
5.7
In the first month of autumn, Zhaoyao points to shen [WSW]. [The lunar lodge] Dipper culminates at dusk; [the lodge] Net culminates at dawn. [Autumn] occupies the west. Its days are geng and xin. The fullness of Potency is in Metal. Its beasts are [those of the] hairy [class]. Its [pentatonic] note is shang. The pitch pipe [of the seventh month] is Tranquil Pattern. The number [of autumn] is nine. Its flavor is pungent. Its smell is rancid. Its sacrifices are made to the door god. From the body of the sacrificial victim, the liver is offered first.
Cool winds arrive, [and] the hoarfrost descends. Cold-weather cicadas sing. Hawks sacrifice birds. [This is] used [as a signal to] begin executing criminals. The Son of Heaven wears white clothing. He mounts [a carriage drawn by] black-maned white horses. He wears white jade [pendants] and flies a white banner. He eats hemp seed with dog meat. He drinks water gathered from the eight winds and cooks with fire [kindled from] cudrania branches. The imperial ladies of the Western Palace wear white clothing with white trim. They play music on white[-metal] bells. The weapon [of autumn] is the halberd.20 The domestic animal [of autumn] is the dog. [The Son of Heaven] holds the dawn session of court in the corner [chamber of the Mingtang] to the left of the Comprehensive Template [chamber], in order to promulgate the autumn ordinances. [He commands his officials to] search out the unfilial and unfraternal and those who are oppressive, cruel, tyrannical, and ruthless, in order to punish them, thus encouraging the waxing of baleful qi. [5/42/23–5/43/3]
On the first day of autumn, the Son of Heaven personally leads the Three Sires, the Nine Lords, and the great nobles to welcome the autumn at [the altar of] the western suburbs. Returning [from this ceremony], at court he bestows rewards on the leaders of his armies and on his soldiers. [He] orders the generals and commanders to select soldiers and sharpen weapons, seeking out and selecting men who are heroic and valiant, placing trust in those of proven accomplishments. [This is done] so that he might chastise the unrighteous and investigate and punish the overbearing and those who are derelict in their duties. [The execution of these orders] must extend to the farthest reaches of the realm.
[He] orders those in authority to set in order the laws and regulations and to repair the prisons, to prohibit licentiousness and bring an end to depravity, [and] to judge criminal cases and adjudicate disputes at law. Heaven and Earth now begin to be severe; it therefore is not permissible to act with mildness.
In this month the farmers begin to present their [newly harvested] grain to the throne. The Son of Heaven [ritually] tastes the new grain and then offers it as the first sacrificial offering in the inner shrine of the [ancestral] temple. [He] orders all the officials to begin to gather [the tax grain], to complete [the building of] barriers and embankments, to pay careful attention to embankments and dikes in order to prepare for floods, to repair city walls and boundary walls, and to refurbish palaces and mansions. There must be no enfeoffment of nobles or raising high officials to office; there must be no bestowals of costly gifts or any sending forth of important embassies. [5/43/5–9]
If the ordinances for this month are observed, the cool winds will arrive in thirty days. [5/43/9–10] If during the first month of autumn the ordinances of winter were observed, the yin qi would be excessive; land snails21 would devour the grain; and Rong [“barbarian”] warriors would invade. If the ordinances of spring were observed, the country would suffer drought; the yang qi would return [out of season]; and the five kinds of grain would not yield any harvest. If the ordinances of summer were observed, there would be many disastrous fires; cold and heat would not conform to their seasonal order; and the people would suffer fevers. [5/43/12–13]
The seventh month governs the armory. Its tree is the Chinaberry. [5/43/15]
5.8
In the second month of autumn, Zhaoyao points to you [W]. [The lunar lodge] Ox Leader culminates at dusk; [the lodge] Turtle Beak culminates at dawn. [Autumn] occupies the west. Its days are geng and xin. Its beasts are [those of the] hairy [class]. Its [pentatonic] note is shang. The pitch pipe [of the eighth month] is Southern Regulator. The number [of autumn] is nine. Its flavor is pungent. Its smell is rancid. Its sacrifices are made to the door god. From the body of the sacrificial victim, the liver is offered first.
The cool winds arrive. Look for the wild geese to arrive. Swallows return [to their wintering grounds], [and] flocks of birds fly to and fro. The Son of Heaven wears white clothing. He mounts [a carriage drawn by] black-maned white horses. He wears white jade [pendants] and flies a white banner. He eats hemp seed with dog meat. He drinks water gathered from the eight winds and cooks with fire [kindled from] cudrania branches. The imperial ladies of the Western Palace wear white clothing with white trim. They play music on white[-metal] bells. The weapon [of autumn] is the halberd. The domestic animal [of autumn] is the dog. [The Son of Heaven] holds the dawn session of court in the Comprehensive Template [chamber of the Mingtang]. He orders those in authority to increase the strictness of all punishments. Beheadings and other capital punishments must be applied appropriately, with neither excess nor leniency.
If the application of punishments is not appropriate,
the penalty will revert to [those in authority].22 [5/43/17–21]
In this month the elderly must be carefully attended to; they are given stools and walking sticks, congee and gruel, drink and food. [He] commands those in charge of sacrifices and prayer to go to the sacrificial beasts and see to their fodder and grain, examine their fatness or leanness, and see that they are of uniform color. [The officials] check the sacrificial beasts for suitability and color, examine their quality and type, measure whether they are small or large, and see whether they are immature or fully grown. When [they are sure that] none fail to meet the required standard, the Son of Heaven [sacrifices them] in an exorcism to lead in the autumn qi. [He] takes a dog and [ritually] tastes [its flesh, along with] hemp seed, and then offers them as the first sacrificial offerings in the inner chamber of the [ancestral] temple.
In this month, it is permitted to build city walls and outer fortifications, to establish metropolises and walled towns, to dig underground irrigation channels and storage pits, and to repair granaries and storehouses. [He] also commands those in authority more urgently to collect the taxes [due from] the people, to store vegetables, and to accumulate large stores [of all sorts of things]. [The officials] exhort the people to plant the [winter] wheat,23 without missing the time [for doing so]. If any should miss the time [for planting], they will be punished without fail.
In this month the thunder begins to recede. Hibernating creatures shut the doors [of their burrows]. The deadly [yin] qi gradually becomes abundant, [and] the yang qi daily declines. Water begins to dry up. Day and night are equally divided. [The Son of Heaven orders the Master of Markets to] calibrate correctly the weights and measures, equalize the balance beam and its weights; correct the weight of the jun, the dan, and the catty [and the volume] of the peck and the pail. [He orders his officials to] regulate barrier gates and markets and to bring in [to the capital] merchants and travelers [to] import goods and wealth so as to promote the affairs of the people. Coming from the four quarters and assembling from distant places, they arrive with wealth and goods. There is no deficiency in what is offered [in the market
s], no exhaustion of what is [made available for] use; thus affairs of all sorts are facilitated. [5/43/23–5/44/6]
If during the second month of autumn the ordinances of spring were carried out, the autumn rains would not fall; plants and trees would blossom [out of season]; and the country would be in fear. If the ordinances of summer were carried out, the country would suffer drought; creatures that hibernate would not retire to their burrows; and the five kinds of grain would all [unseasonably] sprout again. If the ordinances of winter were carried out, calamities caused by wind would arise over and over again, the thunder that had abated would break out again prematurely, and plants and trees would die too soon. [5/44/8–9]
The eighth month governs military officers. Its tree is the cudrania. [5/44/11]
5.9
In the last month of autumn, Zhaoyao points to xu [WNW]. [The lunar lodge] Emptiness culminates at dusk; [the lodge] Willow culminates at dawn. [Autumn] occupies the west. Its days are geng and xin. Its beasts are [those of the] hairy [class]. Its [pentatonic] note is shang. The pitch pipe [of the ninth month] is Tireless. The number [of autumn] is nine. Its flavor is pungent. Its smell is rancid. Its sacrifices are made to the door god. From the body of the sacrificial victim, the liver is offered first.
Wild geese arrive as guests. Sparrows enter the ocean and turn into clams. Chrysanthemums bear yellow flowers. Dholes sacrifice small animals and kill birds.24 The Son of Heaven wears white clothing. He mounts [a carriage drawn by] black-maned white horses. He wears white jade [pendants] and flies a white banner. He eats hemp seed with dog meat. He drinks water gathered from the eight winds and cooks with fire [kindled from] cudrania branches. The imperial ladies of the Western Palace wear white clothing with white trim. They play music on white[-metal] bells. The weapon [of autumn] is the halberd. The domestic animal [of autumn] is the dog. [The Son of Heaven] holds the dawn session of court in the corner [chamber of the Mingtang] to the right of the Comprehensive Template [chamber]. [He] commands those in authority to further increase the severity of their proclamations. [He] orders all officials [to see to it that] among nobles and commoners [alike], there is none who does not fulfill his duty to bring in [the harvest] in accordance with the going-into-storage [= quiescence] of Heaven and Earth. Nothing must be taken out [of storehouses]. [He] also issues orders to the chief minister that when all agricultural affairs are settled and [the grain tax has been] received, [he should] present an accounting of receipts of the five kinds of grain. The grain harvested from the sacred fields is stored in the spirit granary. [5/44/13–18]
In this month the hoarfrost begins to descend, [and] the various artisans rest from their work. [He] therefore commands those in authority to make [a public announcement] saying, “The cold qi has definitely set in. The people’s strength cannot withstand it. All should [now] stay inside their dwellings.” On the first ding day of the month, [the musicians] enter the Hall of Study to practice playing wind instruments. A great sacrificial feast is held for the thearch.25 The beasts offered in sacrifice are sampled. [The Son of Heaven] assembles the Lords of the Land and those who govern all of the districts so that they may receive [the almanac, which sets] the first days of the months of the coming year. [He] gives the Lords of the Land the light and heavy standard [weights] for the taxation of the people. The annual schedule for presenting tribute is set according to the distance [of the fief from the royal domain] and the quality of the land.
[He] also instructs them in hunting so that they may practice the use of the five weapons. [He] orders the grand charioteer and the seven [grades of] grooms to yoke up the chariots and set out banners. Chariots are assigned [to the nobles] on the basis of rank and [are] arrayed in correct order before the screen-of-state [of the ruler]. The minister-overseer, with his baton of office stuck into his sash, stands facing north and gives [the hunters] their instructions. Then the Son of Heaven, wearing martial garb and wide-spreading ornaments, grasps his bow and holds his arrows, and [goes forth] to hunt. [At the conclusion of the hunt,] he orders the Master of Sacrificial Rites to sacrifice [some of] the game to the [gods of] the four directions.
In this month [the leaves of] the plants and trees turn yellow and fall; then their branches are cut and made into charcoal. Hibernating creatures all go [farther] into concealment. Thereupon [those in authority] hasten [the process of] judgment and punishment and do not delay in executing the guilty. [The Son of Heaven] receives [the petitions of] those whose emoluments and rank do not correspond [to their due] and [of] those who [have] not [received] care and nurture according to right principles. [He orders the Master of Works] to go along the highways and open up the roads from the frontiers to the capital. In this month, the Son of Heaven takes a dog and [ritually] tastes [its flesh, along with] hemp seed, and then presents them as the first sacrificial offering in the inner chamber of the [ancestral] temple. [5/44/20–5/45/2]
If the ordinances of summer were observed in the final month of autumn,, then the country would suffer floods, and the winter stores would be destroyed. The people would suffer respiratory diseases. If the ordinances of winter were observed, there would be many robbers and bandits in the country; the frontiers would be unquiet, and the territory [of the state] would be divided and split up [by others]. If the ordinances of spring were observed, warm winds would arrive [out of season]; the people’s energies [qi] would be dissipated accordingly; and battalions and companies [of troops] would thereupon rise up [in rebellion]. [5/45/4–5]
The ninth month governs the Lords of the Land.26 Its tree is the sophora. [5/45/7]
5.10
In the first month of winter, Zhaoyao points to hai [NNW]. [The lunar lodge] Rooftop culminates at dusk; [the lodge] Seven Stars culminates at dawn. [Winter] occupies the north. Its days are ren and gui. The fullness of Potency is in Water. Its beasts are [those of the] armored [class]. Its [pentatonic] note is yu. The pitch pipe [of the tenth month] is Responsive Bell. The number [of winter] is six. Its flavor is salty. Its smell is putrid. Its sacrifices are made to the well god. From the body of the sacrificial victim, the kidneys are offered first.
Water begins to freeze. The earth begins to harden with cold. Pheasants enter the ocean and turn into large clams. The rainbow [dragon] remains hidden and is not seen. The Son of Heaven wears black clothing. He mounts [a carriage drawn by] black horses. He wears black jade [pendants] and flies a black banner. He eats millet with suckling pig. He drinks water gathered from the eight winds and cooks with fire [kindled from] pine branches. The imperial ladies of the Northern Palace wear black clothing with black trim. They play music on chimestones. The weapon [of winter] is the partisan.27 The domestic animal [of winter] is the pig.28 [The Son of Heaven] holds the dawn session of court in the corner [chamber of the Mingtang] to the left of the Dark Hall [chamber], in order to promulgate the winter ordinances. He commands those in authority to reinstitute the general prohibitions. It is prohibited to walk around [outside the city walls]. Gates of cities and outer fortifications are closed, [and] strangers are placed under detention. Punishments are speedily carried out, [and] those under sentence of death are killed. Those who have corruptly abused their positions to confound the law are punished. [5/45/9–14]
On the first day of winter the Son of Heaven personally leads the Three Sires, the Nine Lords, and the great nobles to welcome the year at [the altar of] the northern suburbs. Returning [from this ceremony], he bestows rewards on [the descendants of] those who were killed [while carrying on the ruler’s] affairs, and he puts widows and orphans under his protection. In this month he commands the Master of Prayers to pray and sacrifice to the spirits that they might establish [as true and correct] the oracles of the tortoise and the milfoil stalks, inquiring by means of the trigrams and the bone crackings to foretell good fortune and ill fortune. [In this month] the Son of Heaven begins to wear fur garments. [He] commands all the officials to carefully cover up and store away [all articles for which they are responsible]. [He] commands the ministe
r-overseer to carry out the collecting and gathering. City walls and outer fortifications are repaired, and their doors and gates [are] inspected. Door bolts and fastenings are repaired, [and] keys and locks [are] carefully attended to. Earthen mounds and boundary walls are strengthened, [and] frontier and border fortifications are repaired. [The defenses of] important passes are strengthened, and narrow defiles and byways are blocked up. Regulations are issued with regard to terms of mourning, and inquiries are made [regarding] the quality of inner and outer coffins, burial clothes, and shrouds. The designs of grave mounds and tumuli are regulated with regard to size and height, so that for nobles and commoners, the humble or the honorable, each has its proper gradation. In this month, the Master of Artisans verifies the results [of the year’s] labors, displaying the ritual vessels and examining their conformity to the [prescribed] patterns; those that are of fine quality are offered to the throne. In the carrying out of the work of the artisans, if there is [anyone who,] through hateful and dilatory [conduct,] produces [things that are] meretricious or shoddy, the [appropriate] criminal sentence must be carried out. In this month there is a great feast.29 The Son of Heaven prays [for blessings] for the coming year. A grand rite of prayer and sacrifice is conducted at the shrine of the founder of the lineage, and a general feast is given for the royal ancestors. [The Son of Heaven] rewards the farmers so that they may rest from their labors. [He] commands the generals and [other] military officers to give lectures on war craft [to the troops and to have them] practice archery and chariot driving [and to engage in] trials of strength. [He] also orders the Superintendent of Waters and the Master of Fisheries to collect the taxes [due on the products of] the rivers, springs, ponds, and marshes. There must be no embezzlement or overcollection [of these taxes]. [5/45/16–23]