Comparative Study Of Mozi’s And Xunzi’s Thoughts Of Ritual And Music

Rituals and music are the fundamental characteristics of traditional Chinese art.Traditional Chinese rituals and music are rich in connotations,including poetry,music,and dance.On the basis of inheriting the civilization of Tang,Yu,Xia,and Shang,Zhou Gong made ritual music.Facing destruction of rite system of Zhou,Mozi insisted Non-music.After him,Xunzi spread and promoted the Confucian ritual and music artistic thought widely and he wrote an article which called "Yue Lun" to refute Mozi’s "Non-music" thought.Mozi’s and Xunzi’s thoughts on ritual and music have their own characteristics.They were formed under the background of the common era of ritual collapse,music decay and Confucianism and Mohism had contrasting views of "love" "fate" "ghost",etc.Mozi’s and Xunzi’s respective origins,life experiences and academic backgrounds are also very different.Their ritual and music artistic thoughts have different basic connotations and theoretical foundations.Mozi’s Non-music thoughts are based on "profit",which is consistent with his proposition of universal love.Both Non-music and funeral-controlling theory are extensions of the economic viewpoint of frugality.Xunzi’s ritual and music art view was deeply influenced by his view of the relationship between nature and humanity and view of human nature.Xunzi developed the Confucian view of funeral,which made it have aesthetic significance.The Zou Lu culture,which emphasizes agriculture,patriarchal relations,and attaches importance to rituals and music,is the soil that nourishes the Confucian thoughts of rituals and music,including Xunzi’s,and at the same time it determines that the radical Mozi’s Non-music thoughts are destined to be short-lived.Mozi and Xunzi represented the interests of different classes,which also led to the failure of Mozi’s Non-music thoughts,who represented the interests of the lower class.Xunzi’s thoughts of rituals and music,who defended the interests of the ruling class,have been influential to this day.The pragmatic Jin culture and the spirit of encouraging active participation in politics in Jixia Academy enabled the formation of Xunzi’s realistic thoughts of ritual and music.Mozi’s and Xunzi’s attitude towards Confucian rituals and music is completely opposite.Mozi claimed Non-music strongly.Xunzi learned from hundreds of philosophers,but his thoughts were mainly based on Confucianism.he made a distinction between heaven and people,and he made a systematic discussion on the relationship between ritual and music.he made positive contributions to Confucian ritual and music theory.The historical status and role of Mozi’s and Xunzi’s artistic conception of ritual and music are also quite different.Mozi’s Non-music thought is unrealistic,and his utilitarian art view has inspired the development of contemporary industrial design.Xunzi’s ritual and music thoughts also had a great influence on the "Yue Ji" which was written in the Han Dynasty.Xunzi’s understanding of the function of art,especially the educational function of art,is very comprehensive.The Confucian art thoughts of ritual and music of beauty and kindness make the traditional Chinese art closely linked with ethics and morality.The study of Mozi’s and Xunzi’s artistic thoughts must be carried out in conjunction with the social background,class,life experience,and regional culture of the two people.Also,the comparative study of Mozi and Xunzi’s artistic thoughts should consider the generational factors between them and the inherent limitations of the era.Mozi’s and Xunzi’s ritual and music artistic thoughts are rich in connotations,including the relationship between art production and material production,the relationship between art and society,the relationship between art and morality,the relationship between ritual and music,the relationship between form and content,and the function of art.The discussions among these have inspired a lot of the development of today’s art theory.Mozi’s and Xunzi’s ritual and music artistic thoughts are a valuable asset of Chinese art theory.