《礼记·经解》
所以制定了朝觑之礼，是用来表明君臣之间的名分；制定了聘问之礼，是用来让诸侯互相尊敬；制定了丧祭之礼，是用来表明臣子不应忘记君亲之恩；制定了乡饮酒之礼，是用来表明尊老敬长的道理；制定了男婚女嫁之礼，是用来表明男女的有所区别。
故朝觐之礼，所以明君臣之义也。聘问之礼，所以使诸侯相尊敬也。丧祭之礼，所以明臣子之恩也。乡饮酒之礼，所以明长幼之序也。昏姻之礼，所以明男女之别也。
Therefore, the rules of propriety for early audience were made to show the relations between the ruler and his ministers; the rules of propriety for inquiries were made to ask the lords to respect each other; the rules of propriety for mourning and sacrificing were made to show that the ministers should not forget the kindness of the ruler and relatives; the rules of propriety for drinking in the village were made to show the principle of respecting the elderly and loving the younger; the rules of propriety for marriage were made to show the difference between men and women.