Capping Rites of a Common Officer

仪礼Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) · ChinaJun 2024

4.3

Word count: 2.6K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

The Capping Rite of the Elite. Divination is performed at the gate of the ancestral temple. The host, wearing a dark cap and court attire, with a black sash and plain knee cover, takes his position east of the gate, facing west. The officials, dressed like the host, take their positions to the west, facing east, with the highest-ranking to the north. The divination stalks, the mat, and the diviner are all arranged in the western side hall. A mat is spread in the middle of the gate, west of the threshold and outside it, facing west.

Editor's review

The Capping Rite of the Elite opens the Yili (Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial) and records the complete ceremony by which a young man was capped at twenty in ancient times. From the divination of the day and of the guest, through the three cap and garment changes, to the toasts and the conferral of the courtesy name, the ritual steps are meticulously detailed, with garments, positions, and speeches all fully set down. It is a core text for understanding pre-Qin ritual institutions and the education of the nobility in coming of age. This facsimile is based on the edition printed by Shanghai Jinzhang Book Company; the main text is terse and archaic, preserving the old woodblock layout, and is suitable as an introductory base text for studying ritual learning. Its value lies not in argument but in the procedure itself: through the capping rite, readers can understand the ritualized confirmation of "adulthood" in traditional society and how ritual shapes the order of status through space, dress, and speech. There is no need to read it straight through; it is best compared section by section alongside commentaries. Suitable for close reading by scholars of ritual studies, ancient history, and folklore, as well as enthusiasts of traditional culture, and it can also provide firsthand detail for ritual reconstruction and scriptwriting.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Scholars of ritual studies and classical studies who need to study the original ritual steps in the Yili
Students of pre-Qin history and ancient social history, focusing on status and coming-of-age rites
Enthusiasts of traditional culture who want to learn the specific procedures of the ancient capping rite
Those reconstructing rituals or writing historical works who need firsthand ceremonial detail

Not a good fit for

General readers seeking light, accessible overviews and lacking a foundation in classical Chinese
Those hoping for guidance on modern etiquette or practical advice
Those who only need a vernacular summary of the Yili and do not wish to read the original text closely

Reading tips

First read a modern introduction to the Yili to build an overall framework of the capping rite, then return to the original text and compare it section by section.
Prepare paper and pen to sketch the temple gate, the hall and rooms, and the positions of the people, using spatial relations to understand how the ritual steps proceed.
Read alongside the "Meaning of the Capping Rite" chapter of the Liji: first grasp the meaning of the rite, then check the ritual steps, so as not to merely memorize procedures.
For names of objects and garments, consult annotations or reference works; do not insist on reading the whole text through in one go.

About the publisher

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) China · Founded in 1901

Jinzhang Book Company (Jinzhang Shuju) was a private publishing and distribution house in Shanghai during the late Qing and early Republican periods, issuing traditional works by lithographic printing. Judging from the 1,194 titles in the collection, its publishing focused on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, historical reading, traditional Chinese medical texts, and canonical works, along with books on literary appreciation. Representative titles include the poetry and prose collections of Du Fu and Ouyang Xiu; historical works such as the Book of Han and Zizhi Tongjian; classical texts such as the Book of Documents and Mencius; and specialized and literary classics such as Treatise on Cold Damage and Li Sao. Its author resources cover major figures across the ages, including Du Fu, Ban Gu, Sima Guang, Zhang Zhongjing, Qu Yuan, Ouyang Xiu, and Tang Shenwei, reflecting the house's characteristic reliance on traditional scholarship and medical literature while serving general readers. Public information on its early history and operational details is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.

版权信息
士冠礼第一

FAQ

Can I read this book without a foundation in classical Chinese?

You can try, but it will be difficult. The original text has dense ritual steps and numerous names of objects. It is best to first use a modern annotated translation or introduction to build a framework, then return to the facsimile original for comparison; otherwise it is easy to remain at the literal level and fail to understand the ritual process.

Is the capping rite of the elite related to coming-of-age ceremonies for ordinary people?

The capping rite of the elite was the coming-of-age ceremony for ancient noble men, whose core was confirming status and responsibility through the cap. Modern coming-of-age ceremonies differ greatly in form, but the idea of "declaring adulthood through ritual" is akin; it can serve as a reference for cultural origins, but should not be applied directly.

What tools should I prepare for reading this book?

It is advisable to have an annotated translation of the Yili, a dictionary of ancient garments and names of objects, and paper and pen for drawing positional diagrams. If studying ritual institutions, you may also compare relevant chapters of the Liji to help understand the ritual meaning behind the steps.

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About the author

仪礼 Author

Yi Li, whose name is also commonly associated with the book Yi Li (The Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial), has limited publicly available information; his birth and death years, nationality, and English name are unknown. The library holds six of his works, including Shaolao Kuishi Li, Shisang Li, Shiguan Li, Shihun Li, Shirong Lun, and Shiyu Li. Most of these center on specific ceremonial procedures in ancient ritual institutions, covering the norms and sequences for capping, marriage, mourning, and sacrificial occasions in life and worship. Such texts consist mainly of clearly organized accounts of ritual steps, with attention to names, objects, order, and details of conduct; the style is plain and concise, with little expansive discussion. The works are commonly classified under Eastern philosophy and documentary literature, suggesting that their content is regarded both as a resource for ritual studies and thought and, because it records actual ceremonial practice, as having the nature of documentary record. No existing introduction is available; readers may consult the individual texts to understand the basic character of his ritual records.