The Image of Music and Sound in Xunzi's 'On Music': A Study of Character, Cosmos, and the Cultivation of Rites and Music
This paper offers an in-depth interpretation of the 'Image of Music and Sound' (Sheng Yue zhi Xiang) discussed in Xunzi's 'On Music,' clarifying the Pre-Qin meaning of 'Xiang' (image/analogy) and elucidating how the qualities of sound correspond to the myriad things in the cosmos. It further situates this correspondence within Xunzi's Confucian framework of 'transforming human nature through rites and music' to explore the cosmological significance and pedagogical function of music.
Section 1: "Imagery of Sound and Music" as Musical Aesthetics
From the perspective of musical aesthetics, the "Imagery of Sound and Music" is the earliest and most systematic description of pre-Qin musical qualities.
Its aesthetic value lies in:
First, pioneering the tradition of judging music by its character. Before this, commentary on music was limited to vague terms like "good" or "bad," "beautiful" or "licentious." Xunzi used precise quality terms—dà lì, tǒng shí, lián zhì, hé, fā měng, wēng bó, yì liáng, fù hǎo, qīng jìn, yì tiān dào jiān—to describe the unique character of each instrument, initiating the tradition of "appreciating quality" ($\text{pǐn yuè}$) in Chinese musical aesthetics.
Second, establishing a systematic classification of instrumental qualities. The qualities of the twelve instruments/activities form a complete spectrum moving from hard to soft, large to small, external to internal, and part to whole—the most systematic classification of instrumental qualities in the pre-Qin period.
Third, revealing the deep connection between music and nature. The correspondence between instrumental qualities and the cosmos is not arbitrary; it reveals a fundamental principle of musical aesthetics: musical beauty is rooted in natural beauty—the material of the instrument comes from nature, and the sonic quality is determined by the material; hence, musical beauty is rooted in the beauty of nature.