Title

The “Sheng wu aile lun” in the Context of Theories of Musical Symbolism

Author

Lin Kai

Genre

Article

Pages

679-706

DOI

10.6503/THJCS.202112_51(4).0002

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese

Key words

“Sheng wu aile lun 聲無哀樂論,” Ji Kan 嵇康, harmonic voice without symbols, musical symbols, Yueji 樂記

Abstract

Viewed from its focus, presuppositions and subsequent development, Ji Kang’s 嵇康 (c. 223-263) “Sheng wu aile lun 聲無哀樂論” should be interpreted in the context of musical symbolism. This article examines the capacity of music to convey non-musical content, such as the emotions of sadness and happiness as well as morality. Actually, Ji’s essay can be regarded as a debate between two different theories of musical symbolism. The opponent in the essay applauded the capacity of music to convey emotions, and in the context of reconstructing the traditional theory of musical symbolism found in the Yueji 樂記, he advocated a theory of vocal symbolism, which standardized the meaning of musical works and the way listeners understood them so as to realize a specific music-related educational function. Ji Kang, on the other hand, championed the harmonic voice without symbolism, which was based in his view that music possessed an independent nature. He furthermore denied that music could convey emotion excessively, and deconstructed the conventional rules for understanding it. Instead, he returned to the musical symbolism and conception of teaching found in the Yueji. In Ji Kang’s case, due to his contention that music could not bear too much responsibility for politics and education, musical aesthetics in the private field could be defended to some extent. However, in consideration of the development of desire within pure aesthetics, Ji Kang in the end chose to advocate a kind of traditional middle ground.