8. Tzu-hsia asked, ‘Her entrancing smile dimpling, Her beautiful eyes glancing, Patterns of colour upon plain silk.7 What is the meaning of these lines?’ The Master said, ‘The colours are put in after the white.’ ‘Does the practice of the rites likewise come afterwards?’ The Master said, ‘It is you, Shang, who have thrown light on the text for me. Only with a man like you can one discuss the Odes’
