Confucius and music: eight passages from Analects Book 1–10
Confucius regarded music as the ultimate moral guidance system for humanity. Performed in the right tone, rhythm, and sequence, he was convinced of its ability to inspire people to “achieve perfection” (8.8). Even when it came to the potential minefield of romantic love, he believed that his favorite poem, the Cry of the Ospreys, could stir the purest emotions between a couple without leading them into wantonness and fake sentimentality.
Gravely concerned about the corrupting influences of more popular forms of music like the supposedly lewd melodies of Zheng, Confucius worked feverishly to put the ancient Zhou dynasty classics back into the “proper order” after returning to Lu from his fourteen years of exile. Given that none of these ancient documents have survived, it appears that not everyone shared his deep love of Shao music.
Here are eight passages on Confucius and music from Book 1 to Book 10 of the Analects.
Passages on Confucius and music
Book 3
3.3
“If someone has no goodness, what can they have to do with ritual? If someone has no goodness, what can they have to do with music?”
3.20
“The Cry of the Ospreys is joyful without being wanton and sad without being distressing.”
3.23
“We can know this much about music: It begins with everyone trying to play together; when it gets in full swing it flows in perfect harmony, melody, and purity of tone until it reaches the end.”
3.25
Confucius described Shao music as being perfectly beautiful and perfectly good and Wu music as being perfectly beautiful but not perfectly good.
Book 7
7.13
When Confucius was in Qi, he heard Shao music. For three months, he didn’t know the taste of meat. He said: “I never imagined that music could reach such heights as this.”
Book 8
8.8
“Find inspiration with the Book of Songs; build character with ritual; achieve perfection with music.”
8.15
“What rich and beautiful music fills my ears when Zhi, the music master, is conducting — right from the opening passage through to the finale of the Cry of the Ospreys!”
Book 9
9.15
“It was only after I returned to Lu from Wei that I revised the Book of Music and put the Court Songs and Sacrificial Hymns in the proper order.”
Links
Book 3, Chapter 3
Book 3, Chapter 20
Book 3, Chapter 23
Book 3, Chapter 25
Book 7, Chapter 13
Book 8, Chapter 8
Book 8, Chapter 15
Book 9, Chapter 15
