How Virtuous Music Uplifts the Mind and Nurtures the Soul (Part 2)

(Minghui.org) Music has always been an essential element of traditional Chinese culture. As noted in Liji (The Book of Rites), “Virtue is the foundation of humanity; music is the outward radiance of virtue.”

Thus, music was not only created and passed down to harmonize heaven and earth, but also to cultivate character and nurture the soul toward a higher realm.

(Continued from Part 1)

Story of Shi Kuang

The Shi Ji (Records of the Grand Historian), one of the most respected books of Chinese history, recorded a story in its “Treatise on Music” about Shi Kuang, a renowned musician from the Jin State during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-481 BC).

Duke Ping of Jin State once hosted a banquet to welcome Duke Ling of Wei State. During the event, Duke Ling asked his musician Shi Juan to perform a new musical piece they had heard during the trip. Before the piece concluded, Shi Kuang waved his hand and said, “This is music of a dying nation. Please do not play it any longer.”

Duke Ping was puzzled and asked why. “This piece was composed by Shi Yan, the musician responsible for the decadent music for King Zhou of the Shang Dynasty (one of the most corrupt figures in Chinese history). When King Wu attacked King Zhou, Shi Yan fled eastward and threw himself into Puyang River,” Shi Kuang explained. “One could hear this music on the Puyang River. Any state that hears this music will suffer a decline.”

But Duke Ping was insistent on hearing the whole piece, so Shi Juan finished playing. “Is there any music more sorrowful than this?” Duke Ping asked. Shi Kuang replied, “Yes.”

When Duke Ping expressed interest in hearing it, Shi Kuang said, “Your Highness possesses limited virtue and righteousness. It would be best to forgo this music.” “What I love most is music. I would like to hear it,” Duke Ping replied.

So Shi Kuang picked up his zither and began to play. As the first section flowed, they saw cranes gathering. When the second section started, the cranes began to dance gracefully.

Pleased by the scene, Duke Ping stood up to make a toast to Shi Kuang. “Is there any music more solemn than this?” he asked. Shi Kuang replied,“Yes.”

“In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor played music when meeting with the divine and deities,” Shi Kuang explained. “Your Highness has limited virtue and righteousness. It would be better not to listen to it; otherwise, it may bring disaster.”
“I am an old man and what I love most is music. I wish to hear the melody,” said Duke Ping.

Shi Kuang had no choice but to play the piece. As he began the first section, white clouds arose from the northwest. With the second section, a violent storm swept in, tearing off the palace roof tiles. Everyone fled in panic. Duke Ping, terrified, hid between the palace pillars. Following these events, the State of Jin experienced a severe drought, leaving the land barren for three years.

As a founder of Chinese civilization, the Yellow Emperor possessed great virtue and worshiped the divine with music (refer to Part 1 of this series for more details). Duke Ping, on the other hand, treated music as a means of entertainment and even enjoyed decadent music, despite Shi Kuang’s warning. This lack of respect for virtuous music left him unworthy, and such disregard inevitably led to consequences.

Traditional Confucianism is said to have five classics: I Ching (Book of Changes), Shangshu (Book of Documents), Shijing (Book of Poetry), Liji (Book of Rites), and Chunqiu (Spring and Autumn Annals). It was said that these classics existed in ancient times before Confucius collected and compiled them. In fact, he also compiled a sixth book, called Yuejing (Book of Music), which has been lost over time.

One reason could be that music is a gift from the divine, connecting heaven, earth, and the soul. But when people treat music simply as something for enjoyment, and embrace degenerate moral values, they no longer have access to its essence.

Yu Boya and His Teacher

Cai Yong, a renowned scholar in the Han Dynasty, one wrote a story about Yu Boya, a musician in the Spring and Autumn period.

Yu studied under the musician Cheng Lian, who taught him everything about music. After three years however, Yu felt there was still something missing. One day, Cheng said to Yu, “I can teach you all the musical skills, but not the essence of music. My teacher Fang Zichun is good at music. He lives on Penglai Island in the Eastern Sea and he can teach you the essence of music. How about we go there together?”

After the two arrived on the island, Cheng said, “Please stay here and practice music. I will welcome my teacher.” With that, he departed.

Several days passed, yet Cheng did not return. Gazing around and finding himself alone, Yu could only hear the relentless rush and crash of the sea. Desolate mountains and forests surrounded him, pierced by the mournful cries of birds. With a heavy sigh, he murmured, “I understand music now.” He then began to play.

After the music began, Yu felt himself immersed in the vast heavens and boundless sea, and the notes flowed effortlessly. Everything seemed alive; the birds, the ocean, the mountains and the entire landscape. He felt completely in harmony with heaven and earth.

When Yu finished the melody, he noticed that Cheng was already back. “You have learned the essence of music now,” Cheng said to him.

Our connection with nature was deeply understood in traditional Chinese culture. According to Ching, “Fuxi looked up and saw the Tao in the heavens, looked down and saw the Tao on the earth, and looked around and saw the Tao in his surroundings. Drawing inspiration from himself and from manifestations both near and far, he created the Eight Trigrams. In this way, he was able to connect with the virtue of the divine and the characteristics of nature.”

Similarly, traditional music is a gift to us, enriching both our hearts and our lives. Alongside rites, it forms a harmonious system that governs our conduct here between heaven and earth. Aligned with the balance of yin and yang, it guides our hearts toward kindness and benefits the whole of society.

(To be continued)