Questions on Mourning Garments

The "Tradition" says: "There are cases where one follows a lighter mourning garment but adds weight to it," for example, the wife of a ruler's secondary son mourning for her husband's legal mother. "There are cases where one follows a heavier mourning garment but reduces it," for example, mourning for the wife's parents. "There are cases where there is originally no mourning relationship yet one still mourns," for example, the wife of a ruler's secondary son mourning for her husband's paternal aunt's son. "There are cases where there is originally a mourning relationship yet one does not mourn," for example, a ruler's secondary son mourning for his wife's parents. The "Tradition" says: "If the mother is divorced, one mourns for the stepmother's maternal relatives; if the mother has died, one mourns for the birth mother's maternal relatives." When mourning for the birth mother's maternal relatives, one does not mourn for the stepmother's maternal relatives.

When observing the three-year mourning period, after the small auspicious sacrifice (Lian Ji), if one encounters a one-year mourning period (Qi Sang) and the burial has already taken place, then the waist sash remains the original kudzu sash, the head wears the one-year mourning's hemp sash (die), and one wears the Great Merit (Da Gong) mourning garment. If one encounters a Great Merit mourning, it is handled similarly. If it is a Small Merit (Xiao Gong) mourning, one does not change the original mourning garments.

A hemp sash with roots can replace the kudzu sash used in three-year mourning. After the Lian Ji, when encountering a hemp sash with cut roots, at the time when one needs to bare the hair bun, one puts on this hemp sash; after the removal of mourning (Mian), one removes the hemp sash. Whenever a hemp sash is to be used, it must be used; after use, it is removed.

Small Merit mourning does not require changing the mourning cap used in the Lian Ji. If one encounters a situation requiring Mian, one puts on the hemp sash of Si Ma or Xiao Gong, while still wearing the original kudzu waist sash. The hemp sash of Si Ma does not alter the kudzu sash of Xiao Gong; the hemp sash of Xiao Gong does not alter the kudzu sash of Da Gong. This is because mourning garments with root-based hemp sashes change the mourning period.

For Shang Sang (premature deaths) involving long Shang or middle Shang, they alter the kudzu sash of three-year mourning. When the number of months for Shang mourning is completed, one returns to using the kudzu sash of three-year mourning. This is not that the hemp sash is valued, but because Shang mourning has no change of garments after the Zu Ku (weeping cessation). Lower Shang does not follow this.

A ruler mourns for the Son of Heaven for three years; the ruler's wife mourns as the outer clan (Wai Zong) mourns for the ruler. The heir apparent does not mourn for the Son of Heaven. Those for whom the ruler presides over mourning are: the wife, the legal wife, the heir apparent, and the heir apparent's wife. The heir of a Great Officer (Da Fu) mourns for the ruler, the ruler's wife, and the heir apparent, just as a scholar (Shi) does.

If the ruler's mother is not the legal wife, then the assembled ministers do not mourn for her. Only the ruler's close retainers, together with the charioteer and the attendant, follow the ruler in mourning; whatever mourning garment the ruler wears, they wear. When the ruler mourns for a Great Officer or a Minister (Qing), he wears Xi Cui (a fine hempen garment) while staying at home, and also when going out. When encountering mourning, he wears Bian Die (a cap with hemp sash). The mutual mourning among Great Officers is also like this. When a Great Officer mourns for his wife, he wears mourning garments when going to her home, but not when going out.

Whenever meeting people, one cannot remove the hemp sash; even when appearing before the ruler, one cannot remove the hemp sash. Only when entering the public gate (Gong Men) does one remove the Qi Cui (hempen mourning garment). The "Tradition" says: "The junzi does not deprive others of their mourning rites, nor can he be deprived of his mourning rites." The "Tradition" says: "Although crimes are many, the punishments are only five; although mourning affairs are many, the mourning garments are only five—these are arranged by attaching upward and downward."