On The "He"of"Li"and"Yue"in"Yueji"

"YueJi"is regarded as a classic text of "the musical aesthetics and pre-Qin sociology"which is the summary and development of music theory in pre-Qin dynasty. Adhering to the important thought of Confucian aesthetics of music, it makes a thorough and specific elaboration on the roots, nature, and aesthetic features, the function of music, their relationship and so forth."Ritual music" is the core idea,"Yue" fundamentally services for "ceremony", emphasizing the social,political and ethical function in music.The confucian relationship is "He", as the basic clue which goes through the article, it not only reflected in the relationship between"Li"and"Yue", but also in the aesthetic function of music.Firstly, the origin of "Li" and "Yue" is closely related to sacrifice originally. The character "Li" first means to worship gods with two strands of jade in the utensils. Later it also means to worship gods with liquor. Gradually it means all the ceremony which worships gods. From Zhou dynasty,"Li" slowly develops into a set of caste from the ceremony which worships gods."Yue", its original meaning has something to do with the relationship between man and crops for harvest and joy. Later its extended meaning is the mental feeling of excite and joy. The primitives do the religious worship, witchcraft, hunting and other ceremonies, of which dance accompanied by music is the main part."Li" and "Yue" come from the same origin, which makes the two things integrate into the whole from the beginning to the end.Secondly, as for the relationship between "Li" and "Yue", harmony is their key theory. There are differences in the harmony which together point to "Morality" and realize the ultimate goal of the "Li" of the previous emperors. As is embodied in "The Records of'Yue'", there are "Li controlling Yue","Yue integrating Li" and "interaction between Li and Yue". We take "Yue" from "Li" and we could be calm and then happy. We get "Li" from "Yue" and we could be leisured and harmonious. The harmony of "Li" is "Yue", and the control of "Yue" is "Li", which is the integration of "Li" and "Yue". Lastly, in the roles of the society, the harmony of "Li" and "Yue" in "The Records of'Yue'" embodies "Yue advocating harmony","Yue connecting with politics" and "great Yue being harmonious with heaven and earth", from individual to society and then to the universe, the role of "Li" and "Yue" lies in coordinating individual and even the life of the universe which is to achieve the goal of harmony.As is seen that from the view of the Confucian point,"Yue" never only means arts, it refers to political and moral arts. Consequencelly, the esthetics in their education of "Yue" never only means the delight of sense, but contains the delight of politics, morality and other social intension.