Li (Rites / Social Norms)

Li (礼) is a general term for social norms which regulate an individual’s relationship with other people, everything else in nature, and even ghosts and spirits. By setting various regulations about ceremonial vessels, rituals, and systems, rites define an individual’s specific status and corresponding duty and power, thereby differentiating between people in a community in terms of age, kinship, and social status. With such differentiations, the rites determine the proper position of each individual, thus achieving harmony among human beings, and between humanity and everything else in nature.

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Rites are the rules governing the movement of heaven and earth as well as code of conduct for the people. (Zuo’s Commentary on The Spring and Autumn Annals) Rites are the basis for determining proper human relations, clarifying ambiguities, differentiating between things, and telling right from wrong. (The Book of Rites) Rites are observed to achieve harmony. Former kings followed this principle in handling matters both great and small, and were praised for doing so. But sometimes acting in such a way alone is not adequate. If one pursues harmony simply because it is so precious as to forgo the constraints of rites, the result will not be desirable. (The Analects)

礼(lǐ)

社会秩序的总称，用以规范个人与他人、与天地万物乃至鬼神之间的关系。“礼”通过各种有关器物、仪式、制度的规定，明确了个人特定的身份及相应的责任、权力，从而区别了个人在社会群体中长幼、亲疏、尊卑的差等。“礼”以这样的区别来实现对个体的安顿，并由此达成人与人、人与天地万物之间的和谐。

【引例】

夫礼，天之经也，地之义也，民之行也。（《左传•昭公二十五年》） 夫礼者，所以定亲疏、决嫌疑、别同异、明是非也。（《礼记•曲礼上》） 礼之用，和为贵。先王之道斯为美，小大由之。有所不行，知和而和，不以礼节之，亦不可行也。（《论语•学而》）