“野合而生孔子”之“野”新解

On the "Wildness" in A Confucius is Born in the Wildness

"野合而生孔子"之"野",既非一般意义上的"野外",更非"不合礼仪"之义。而是古代,处于野外丘陵之中,祭祀地母的节日———社祭之地周围的丛林。

In this thesis, wildness does not mean either 'outside in the wildness', or even 'improper conduct', rather, the place where the Earth Mother is worshiped, an altar surrounded with bushes and trees.