A Study Of Zhang Zai’s Thoughts Of Rites And Music

Zhang Zai is a scholar of Neo-Confucianism in the early Northern Song Dynasty. He is one of representatives of Qi School in Song Ming Neo-Confucianism. He proposes the thought of ontology of Qi, and constructs his own principle of “the harmony between man and nature”. The social rites and music were in disorder in the early Northern Song Dynasty. The scholar-bureaucrat realized that they should take the responsibility of recovering the rites and music of Confucianist. In this thesis, Zhang Zai devoted himself to reestablishing social order. He proposes the thought of rites and music. Zhang Zai’s thought of rites and music is on the basis of Qi School and the principle of “the harmony between man and nature”. It includes the thoughts of Tian Dao and Ren Yi, knowing the ceremony contributes to the transformation of human nature, the thought of harmony, and so on. At the same time, Zhang Zai applied his thought of rites and music into his political views and practice. Such as, he proposes the view of well farmland system, feudalism and Patriarchal Clan’s system and so on. All of his thoughts go thought his thought of rites and music.Firstly, this thesis starts with the connotation of rites and music, explores the meaning of the words “rites” and “music”, then combs the developing venation of the Confucian rites and music. This thesis analyzes the background, searches the internal cause that Zhang Zai proposes his thought of rites and music. Secondly, this thesis analyzes the contents of Zhang Zai’s thought of rites and music, the relationship of his thought of rites and music and his Neo-Confucianism. This thesis explores the internal relation of his ontological gist and his philosophical system based on his thought of rites and music. Thirdly, this article combs Zhang Zai’s three political views, which is well farmland system and feudalism and Patriarchal Clan’s system. Then this thesis exploits the usage of the thought of rites and music, discusses the purpose and result of Zhang Zai’s political views. At last, this thesis summarizes the influence of Zhang Zai’s rites and music on Song Dynasty, analyzes the position of Zhang Zai’s thought of rites and music in the history of development the Confucian rites and music and the enlightenment for the contemporary world. This thesis also proposes the unsolved questions and probable development of its direction.