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

Section 1: "Is Not the Drum the Sovereign of Music$6" ($\text{gǔ qí yuè zhī jūn xié}$) — The Drum as Musical Sovereign

The second passage opens with the assertion: "Is not the drum the sovereign of music$7" ($\text{gǔ qí yuè zhī jūn xié}$).

This sentence, phrased as a rhetorical question, puts forth a crucial judgment: the drum is the "sovereign" ($\text{jūn}$) of sound and music. The structure "Is it not...$8" ($\text{qí...xié}$) is a pre-Qin rhetorical device, meaning "Is it not the case that...$9", delivered with firm and slightly passionate emphasis.

Why is the drum the "sovereign" ($\text{jūn}$) of music$10

The character "sovereign" ($\text{jūn}$) has a dual meaning in pre-Qin usage: first, a ruler or leader; second, the highest or most venerable entity. The drum being the "sovereign" of music means it holds a dominating position in the ensemble—it governs the entirety, determines the rhythm, controls the tempo, and all other instruments must obey the drum's beat.

This is not unique to Xunzi. The Book of Rites: Record of Music ($\text{Lǐ Jì: Yuè Jì}$) also states:

"The sound of the drum ($\text{gǔ pǐ}$) is clamorous ($\text{huān}$). Clamor establishes movement ($\text{lì dòng}$); movement advances the multitude ($\text{jìn zhòng}$)."

The drum’s sound is "clamorous" (grand and stirring), used to "establish movement" (set the dynamic rhythm) and "advance the multitude" (guide the group forward). The drum sound is the rallying signal for the ensemble, the unified beat for the collective.

In pre-Qin ritual practice, the drum’s status was indeed supreme. In sacrifices, banquets, military expeditions, or hunts, the drum provided the command. In ensemble playing, the drummer strikes the drum to set the tempo, and all instruments enter according to this beat. Just as a state has a sovereign, the drum is the sovereign of music.

We must ask a deeper question here: Why the drum, and not the bell, the chime stone, or the qín, as the "sovereign"$11

From a physical perspective, the drum’s acoustic characteristics naturally suit it for the role of "Musical Sovereign." The drum’s low frequency and high amplitude provide strong penetration, making its sound the most easily perceived among all instruments. The drum’s rhythm is clear and unambiguous (a distinct "Dong—Dong—Dong—"), unlike string or wind instruments which have melodic fluctuations, making it most suitable as the unified rhythmic baseline. The drum’s decay is rapid (the leather vibrates and ceases quickly), ensuring clear rhythmic punctuation, unlike the long resonance of the bell which can muddy the tempo. All these physical qualities make the drum naturally the rhythmic leader of the ensemble.

From a symbolic perspective, the drum’s status as "sovereign" ($\text{jūn}$) is closely related to its resemblance to Heaven (discussed below). Heaven is the sovereign of all things; the drum is the sovereign of instruments. This correspondence is the core of the entire "Imagery of Sound and Music" cosmology.

Furthermore, the drum as "sovereign" carries a political philosophical implication. Xunzi’s political thought centers on the concept of the "Ruler" ($\text{jūn}$). Xunzi: The Way of the Ruler ($\text{Jūn Dào}$) 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. Similarly, the drum is the source of music: if the drum sets the rhythm, all instruments follow; if the drum sound is pure, the music is pure; if the drum sound is chaotic, the music is chaotic. The phrase "Is not the drum the sovereign of music$12" connects the principle of music with the principle of politics, using music to illustrate governance—a consistent feature of Xunzi’s thought.