论礼数与礼意的统一

在具体的礼典仪式中,无论是礼器,还是礼的仪节,都有一定数的规定,它是构成践礼活动必不可少的要素。任何单方面强调礼数的优先性,或礼意的重要性的观点,都是片面的。践礼主体的人,作为礼仪规则的表现者,他与礼的数度之间是相辅相成的,礼数是否得当,直接关系到礼的完成。只有行礼者的礼数与其名位相符、与其表现的礼意相符,才能恰当地揭示礼的形式及其内容之间的显现与被显现关系。

On the Unification of Surface Structure and Deep Meaning of Rite

In the concrete ceremony, there should always be the provision of the certain quantity of implements or the rules of the rite, because this is an essential factor to the practice of rite.It is a one-sided point of view to hold the quantitative priority of rite or to keep the importance of the idea of rite. The person who practices the rite as a performer of the regularities of rite should take certain quantity of rite in a proper way so as to end the rite successfully. Only when the quantity of rite of the person who practices the rite agrees with his rank and idea of rite can he be considered to properly reveal the relationship between the form and contents of rite.