These principles may seem contradictory, but Confucius explained them thus in the Book of Rites: When in ritual larger numbers of things signify greater respect, it is external and for show. When outward display is the goal, it is only natural that more things would signify higher rank.
對這些看似矛盾的制禮原則，《禮記》中孔子詮釋說：禮以多為貴的，屬於「外在的排場」，排場需要符合祭祀者的崇高身分，怎能不以多為貴？