Music 23 Confucius example essay topic

... 's in the conduct of others, and finding pleasure in having many wise friends, these are advantageous. But finding pleasure in profligate enjoyments, finding pleasure in idle gadding about, and finding pleasure in feasting, these are injurious. 22 Ritual, was an important subject of study. It has been illustrate by the poetry and music from the study of Confucius. It is also the Way of teaching people to the Gentleman level. 'If a man is not humane, what has he to do with ritual?

If a man is not humane, what has he to do with music?' 23 Confucius had explain the relationship between ritual and Jen in greater details. Yen Hui asked about humaneness. The master said, To subdue oneself and return to ritual is humane. If for one day a ruler could subdue himself and return to ritual, then all under Heaven would respond to the humaneness in him. For does humaneness proceed from the man himself, or does it proceed from others... do not speak what is contrary to ritual, and make no movement, which is contrary to ritual.

24 Poetry had broader humanistic values for understanding oneself and other people, and even increased one's awareness of the natural world. My children, why do you not study the Book of Poetry? The Odes serve to stimulate the mind. They may be used for purposes of self-contemplation. They teach the art of sociability. They show how to regulate feelings of resentment.

From them you learn the more immediate duty of serving one's father, and the remoter one of serving one's prince. From them we become largely acquainted with the names of birds, beasts, and plants. ' 25 Confucius was also a great lover of music and played some himself. However, the teaching of this art was apparently handed over to the Grand music master to whom Confucius gave his ideas on how music should follow the ideal of the ancient pattern and then allow for some improvisation while still maintaining harmony.

'Their music in so far as one can find out about it began with a strict unison. Soon the musicians were given more liberty; but the tone remained harmonious, brilliant, consistent, right on till the close. ' 26 Ssu-ma Ch " ien quotes this exact passage, but then goes on to give more information in regard to Confucius' use of poetry and music. He once also said, 'After my return to Lu from Wei, I have been able to restore the musical tradition and classify the music of sung and ya and restore the songs to their respective original music. ' In the ancient times, there were over three thousand songs, but Confucius took out the duplicates and selected those that were suited to good form.

The collection began with the songs of Ch'i and Ho uchi, covered the great period of the Shang and Chou kings and carried it down to the times of the tyrants Yu and Li. It begins with song of marital love, and therefore it is said 'the song Kuan-ch " ih heads the collection of Feng; Luring heads the collection of the 'Little ya'; and Ch' heads the collection of the Sung. ' Confucius personally sang all the three hundred and five songs and played the music on a string instrument to make sure that it fitted in with the score of hsia o, wu, ya, and sung. Through his efforts, the tradition of ancient rites and music was therefore rescued from oblivion and handed down to posterity, that they might help in the carrying out of this ideal of a king's government and in the teaching of 'the Six Arts. ' 27 Lin Yutang tells us that 'the six Arts' could not only refer to the six classics mentioned above but also to the six branches of study practised during these times, namely propriety, music, archery, carriage-driving, reading, and mathematics. 28 Also in considering these later accounts, we must be aware of the tendency to glorify and expand on what Confucius did.

Although Ssu-ma Ch " ien often went against orthodox Confucian beliefs, he was susceptible to exaggeration, as can be seen from this: 'Confucius taught poetry, history, propriety, and music to 3,000 pupils of whom 72, like Yen Tuts ou, had mastered 'the Six Arts. ' 29 There is one more marvellous anecdote from Ssu-ma Ch " ien concerning Confucius' playing of music. Confucius was once learning to play on ch " in (a string instrument) from the music master Hsiang-t zu, and did not seem to make much progress for ten days. The music master said to him,' You may well learn something else now,' and Confucius replied, 'I have already learned the melody, but have not learned the beat and rhythm yet. ' After some time, the music master said,' You have now learned the beat and rhythm, you must take the next step.

' 'I have not learned the expression,' said Confucius. After a while, the music master again said, 'Now you have learned the expression, you must take the next step. ' And Confucius replied, 'I have not yet got an image in my mind of the personality of the composer. ' After some time the music master said, 'There's a man behind this music, who is occupied in deep reflection and who sometimes happily lifts his head and looks far away, fixing his mind upon the eternal.

' 'I've got it now,' said Confucius. 'Heis a tall, dark man and his mind seems to be that of an empire builder. Can it be any other person than King Wen himself?' The music master rose from his seat and bowed twice to Confucius and said, 'It is the composition of King Wen. ' 30 The term Gentleman, chan-t zu, is mean to be the member of the upper class by Confucius, the man of virtue and propriety.

'The Analects appears to be the earliest work in which chan-t zu was used to imply high moral standards in a person; here it denotes the ideal man whom all men should cultivate their characters to imitate... Such a man, noble in virtue, was not necessarily a noble in social status. ' 31 This is an indication of the tremendous influence Confucius must have had. Ssu-ma Niu once asked Confucius what the term " gentleman' meant. Confucius said that a gentleman has no distress or fear. Ssu-ma Niu then asked if this is meant by being a gentleman.

The master said, 'On looking within himself he discovers nothing wrong. What is there for him to anxious about of fear?' 32 A gentleman is not worried by what others think of him, only that he corrects himself. There are three things, which a gentleman must watch out for certain main inclination. 'There are three things which a gentleman guards against.

In his youth when his physical powers are not yet settled, he guards against lust. In his prime when his physical powers are full of vigour, he guards against strife. In old age when his physical powers are decaying, he guards against avarice. ' 33 Confucius gives his students an elaborate catalogue of the concerns of a gentleman as guidelines for their behaviour.

The gentleman has nine cares. In seeing he is careful to see clearly; in hearing he is careful to hear distinctly; in his looks he is careful to be kind, in his manner to be respectful, in his words to be sincere, in his work to be diligent. When in doubt he is careful to ask for information; when angry he has a care for the consequences; and when he sees a chance for gain, he thinks carefully whether the pursuits of it would be right. 34 The essential purpose of Confucius philosophy was to help people to become good. The propriety, ritual, and the Way to be a Gentleman are just the first step of the Confucius' theory. 'Self-improve, unionize family, rule the state, and conquer the world.

' 35 These are the levels a superior man must go through. In order to become the superior man, self-improvement is the fundamental part of the success. Although Confucius might be not a modern Master, but his sayings and his encouragement of personality development will never be forget. As the Chinese people and the world stepping into the next millennium, Confucius will be in the minds of many people, as they think of the greatest teacher in Chinese history.

Bibliography

Notes 1. Analects 7.24 Cf. A. Wales, The Analects of Confucius (London, 1938) 2.
Analects 8.83. Analects 6.25 4. Analects 7.6 5. Analects 1.6 6. Analects 1.12 7. Analects 8.2 8. Analects 3.49. Analects 6.16 10. Analects 3.18 11. Analects 13.5 12. Analects 13.13 13. Analects 15.32 14. Analects 8.13 15. Analects 12.19 16. Analects 14.8 17. Analects 1.5 18. Analects 17.23 19. Analects 2.15 20. Analects 9.24 21. Analects 16.4 22. Analects 16.5 23. Analects 3.3 Confucius, Raymond Dawson (Oxford University Press, 1981) 24.
Analects 12.1 Confucius, Raymond Dawson (Oxford University Press, 1981) 25.