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

Section 4: Deep Dialogue Between Daoist and Confucian Music Theories

Comparing the Daoist and Confucian approaches to music reveals subtle complementarity rather than mere opposition:

In Purpose: Confucian music aims at "cultivating the people" ($\text{huà mín}$)—using sound and music to educate the masses toward social harmony. Daoist music aims at "returning to the Dao" ($\text{guī dào}$)—using music (or transcending music) to guide the individual back to the Great Dao. One is socially oriented, the other individually oriented.

In Method: Confucian music relies on "creation" ($\text{zhì zuò}$)—the former kings created the Ya and Song sounds, manufactured instruments, and trained dance. Daoist music relies on "nature" ($\text{zì rán}$)—letting things sound naturally, without artificial intervention.

In Attainment: The highest state of Confucian music is "dance combining the intent of the Dao of Heaven" ($\text{wǔ yì tiān dào jiān}$)—using human dance to express the entirety of the Dao’s meaning. The highest state of Daoist music is "Great Music is rare in sound" ($\text{dà yīn xī shēng}$)—transcending all human sound to reach the Dao’s stillness.

In Attitude toward "Imagery" ($\text{xiàng}$): Confucianism values "imagery" ($\text{xiàng}$)—"The Imagery of Sound and Music" uses precise language to describe sonic qualities. Daoism transcends "imagery" ($\text{xiàng}$)—"The Great Image is without form" ($\text{dà xiàng wú xíng}$), the greatest image transcends all describable forms.

Yet, there is a deep commonality:

First, both point to the "Dao of Heaven" as the ultimate reference point. Xunzi’s "dance combining the intent of the Dao of Heaven" and Laozi’s "Great Music is rare in sound" both converge on the Dao.

Second, both acknowledge the intrinsic connection between sound/music and nature. Xunzi maps instrument qualities to the structure of Heaven and Earth; Zhuangzi explains natural sounds through "Terrestrial Sound" ($\text{dì lài}$) and "Heavenly Sound" ($\text{tiān lài}$)—both confirm an intrinsic link between sound and the natural world.

Third, both value "Harmony" ($\text{hé}$). Xunzi’s "harmony" ($\text{hé}$) of the yú, shēng, and xiāo and the overall coordination of the ensemble mirrors Zhuangzi’s "equality of things" ($\text{qí wù}$), where all things are one horse—a state of ultimate harmony.

The richness of pre-Qin thought lies in this kind of "being harmonious but not identical" ($\text{hé ér bù tóng}$): Confucianism and Daoism approach the same goals—harmony in the universe and harmony in human affairs—through different paths, one through "creation" and the other through "naturalness." Xunzi’s "Imagery of Sound and Music," as the pinnacle of Confucian musical theory, gains deeper layers of meaning when reflected against the backdrop of Daoist thought.