A disciple asked what constituted the fundamental principle of art. "That is a very great question," replied Confucius, "but in the art used in social usages it is better to be simple than to be expensive; in rituals for the dead, it is better that there should be heartfelt grief than minute attention to observances."

中文：林放問禮之本。子曰：“大哉問！禮，與其奢也，寧儉；喪，與其易也，寧戚。”

注釋：孔子的學生林放問孔子，什么才是藝術(shù)的根本原則。

? ? ? ?“這是一個非常重大的問題” 孔子回答說，“用于各種社會習俗的藝術(shù)，簡譜要好于奢華；在為逝者舉辦的儀式中，發(fā)自內(nèi)心的悲痛要好于對禮儀的密切關(guān)注?！?/p>