本集課程重點包括：

一、什麼是夷狄與諸夏？

      夷狄是周朝統治範圍外的民族，當時屬於化外之民，諸夏就是指周天子所分封的諸侯國。

二、諸夏不如夷狄

      夷狄雖然是外族，但是還有長幼尊卑之分，諸夏在當時有許多臣弒君或子弒父的情形，僭越禮制者比比皆是，可見是一個亂世，還不如夷狄。

三、夷狄不如諸夏

      另一個講法，夷狄之有君，反而還不如諸夏，因為諸夏這些諸侯，維持了一些禮樂的教化，國君雖然沒有辦法控制朝政，可是整個國家還維持著一定的秩序，那是以前風氣的延續。無論哪一種講法，都是孔子的感慨。

四、本章的啟發

      從這一章裡可以知道禮樂教化的重要，風氣要延續、人才要培養、國君跟臣子要以身作則，那才是真正的盛世，才會帶來國家人民的快樂。

八佾篇第五章白話翻譯

【經文】

子曰：夷狄之有君，不如諸夏之亡也。

【白話解釋】

      夷狄，指古代的東夷、西戎、南蠻、北狄的合稱，皆是沒有受教化的外族。諸夏，指中國，泛指中原一帶文化較高的各國。

      孔子說：夷狄是外國，雖然沒有禮樂教化，猶有其君，不同於春秋時候的諸國這樣目無君主。中國自古有禮樂倫常之道，但到了春秋時代，諸侯不聽命於周天子，導致大夫專權，無父無君，弒父弒君者有之，雖有禮樂而無所用，孔子遂有感而發。

【章旨】

      此章為下僭上者發也。且是夫子傷時之亂而嘆之也。

《論語講要》原文

      包咸注：「諸夏，中國也。亡，無也。」

      夷狄，通稱外族，不必指定為東夷、西戎、南蠻、北狄。諸夏是中國，通指春秋諸國。中國自古有禮樂倫常之道，但至春秋時代，諸侯不聽命於周天子，大夫專權，無父無君，弒父弒君皆有之。雖有禮樂而無所用。孔子有感而發此論。此意是說，夷狄是外國，雖無禮樂教化，猶有其君，不同於諸夏這樣目無君主。故云：「諸夏之亡。」

      皇疏：「夷狄雖有君主，而不及中國無君也。」邢疏亦同此說。今不采。

      陳天祥四書辨疑說：「夷狄尊奉君命，而有上下之分，是為有其君矣。諸夏蔑棄君命，而無上下之分，是為亡其君矣。此夫子傷時亂而歎之也。」程氏集釋以為此說較皇邢二疏之義為長，可從。

English

Teacher Tang Yuling will accompany you to read The Analects     

46.Book 3 Ba Yi (The Eight-row Dance), Chapter 5

The Master said, “The rude tribes of the east and north have their princes, and are not like the States of our great land which are without them.”

Highlights of this lecture include:

1. Who were the Yi 夷 Di 狄 and Zhu-Xia諸夏?

  Yi and Di were uncultivated tribal peoples lived in the wild east and north. Zhu-Xia were “the many en-feoffees” under the rule of the Zhou sovereign.

2. The tribal peoples (Yi & Di) were better than the many en-feoffees (Zhu-Xia)

  Although Yi & Di were foreigners, they respected the system of seniority and social hierarchical order very closely. In Confucius’s times, people violated the practice of proprieties very often, while serious crime such as regicides and patricides were not rare too. The commonplace usurpation marked a chaotic era that the Zhu-Xia were inferior to the tribal peoples.   

3. The tribal peoples (Yi & Di) were inferior to the many en-feoffees (Zhu-Xia)

  An alternate interpretation said that the many en-feoffees were still better than the uncultivated peoples who respected their tribe leaders. As the former still preserved some traces of the teachings of propriety and music. Even though, the sovereign or the heads of these enfeoffments were usurped of their right to rule, in some sense, law and order were maintained as a continuation of the past.

  Speaking of the disorder of the times, no matter what Confucius meant to comment, he was sad about the then anarchical situation.

4. The illuminating chapter

  This chapter reveals how crucial are education and continuation of the teaching related to the practices of propriety and music. Talents engage in the principles have to be cultivated. Leaders and officials of the nation and enfeoff states should become the good examples set for the people to follow. By doing so, an era of true prosperity could then be attained to enhance the happiness of their nationals.