The Image of Music and Sound in Xunzi's 'On Music': A Study of Character, Cosmos, and the Cultivation of Rites and Music

Section 3: Why the Drum is the "Sovereign" ($\text{jūn}$) and Not the "First" ($\text{shǒu}$) or "Master" ($\text{zhǔ}$)$15

Third Question: Why does Xunzi use the term "sovereign" ($\text{jūn}$) instead of "first" ($\text{shǒu}$) or "master" ($\text{zhǔ}$) to denote the drum's position in the ensemble$16

This question, seemingly minor, is deeply significant.

"First" ($\text{shǒu}$) means head, foremost, or number one—using "Is not the drum the first of music$17" ($\text{gǔ qí yuè zhī shǒu xié}$$18) would only imply the drum is first in sequence.

"Master" ($\text{zhǔ}$) means host, director, or principal—using "Is not the drum the master of music$19" ($\text{gǔ qí yuè zhī zhǔ xié}$$20) would imply the drum is the controlling agent.

But "Sovereign" ($\text{jūn}$) in pre-Qin usage carries rich political and ethical connotations. A "sovereign" is not just a ruler but a moral exemplar, the core of order, and the source of group cohesion. Xunzi: The Way of the Ruler states:

"The ruler is the source ($\text{yuán}$) of the people. If the source is pure, the stream is pure; if the source is turbid, the stream is turbid."

The ruler is the source of the people. It also states:

"The ruler is the model ($\text{yí}$). The people are the shadow ($\text{yǐng}$). If the model is correct, the shadow is correct."

The ruler is the standard model; the people are its shadow. If the model is correct, the shadow follows. By calling the drum the "sovereign" ($\text{jūn}$), Xunzi implies that the drum is not only first in rank ($\text{shǒu}$) and possesses control power ($\text{zhǔ}$), but also functions as a moral exemplar for the entire ensemble—the quality of the drum sound determines the quality of the whole ensemble ("if the model is correct, the shadow is correct"), and the rhythm of the drum determines the rhythm of the whole ("if the source is pure, the stream is pure").

This precise terminology reflects Xunzi’s consistent tendency to deeply connect music with politics—the harmony of the ensemble mirrors the political order of the state. An orderly ensemble is like a well-governed state; chaos in music is like chaos in governance.