4月10日

《禮記》選 ─ 禮運篇
春秋 孔子 ( 553~479 B.C.E. )

大道之行也，天下為公。
選賢與能，講信修睦。
故人不獨親其親，不獨子其子；
使老有所終，壯有所用，幼有所長，
鰥寡孤獨廢疾者，皆有所養，
男有分，女有歸。
貨惡其棄於地也，不必藏於己；
力惡其不出於身也，不必為己。
是故謀閉而不興，盜竊亂賊而不作，
故外戶而不閉，是謂「大同」(1)。

──選自《禮記》

【註】

(1)貨惡其棄...是謂「大同」：各種財富都不會被
浪費糟蹋，而加以充分利用，人們創造財富並珍惜財
富，但不一定為了私藏己用；所有人們的才華都不會被
忽視而能盡情地發揮，奉獻己力但不一定為了謀求私
利。因此，陰謀狡詐消失了，偷盜、侵犯、作亂、害人
之事絕跡了，人們也不用關上門來彼此防範。這就叫做
「大同」世界。

April 10th

Selections from the Book of Rites - The Conveyance of Rites
Confucius (553 BCE - 479 BCE, Spring and Autumn Period)
English translation: James Legge

When the Grand course was pursued, a public and
common spirit ruled all under the sky; they chose men of
talents, virtue, and ability; their words were sincere, and
what they cultivated was harmony. Thus men did not love
their parents only, nor treat as children only their own sons.

A competent provision was secured for the aged till
their death, employment for the able-bodied, and the
means of growing up to the young. They showed kindness
and compassion to widows, orphans, childless men, and
those who were disabled by disease, so that they were all
sufficiently maintained.

Men had their proper work, and women had their
homes. They accumulated articles of value, disliking that
they should be thrown away upon the ground, but not
wishing to keep them for their own gratification. They
labored with their strength, disliking that it should not be
exerted, but not exerting it only with a view to their own
advantage. In this way, selfish schemings were repressed
and found no development.

Robbers, filchers, and rebellious traitors did not show
themselves, and hence the outer doors remained open,
and were not shut. This was the period of what we call the
Grand Union.

── from Liji (Book of Rites)