Book 3: 《八佾》 Ba Yi (Eight Rows)
《八佾》 Passage 3.8
子夏問曰：「『巧笑倩兮，美目盼兮，素以為絢兮。』何謂也？」子曰：「繪事後素。」曰：「禮後乎？」子曰：「起予者商也！始可與言詩已矣。」
Legge Translation (1861)
Zixia asked, saying: "What is the meaning of the passage — 'The pretty dimples of her artful smile! The well-defined black and white of her eye! The plain ground for the colors?'"The Master said: "The business of laying on the colors follows the preparation of the plain ground."
"Ceremonies then are a subsequent thing?"
The Master said: "It is Shang who can bring out my meaning. Now I can begin to talk about the odes with him."
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