The Historical Significance of "Sound without Sorrow"

The music thought that music should be divorced from feudal political utility and the official music thought that "ceremony, music and punishment should be paid equal attention" reflected in "On Music" constitute the source of two major musical aesthetic thoughts in China feudal society.

Ji Kang believes that people's emotional sorrows and joys are due to people's inner sorrows and joys, and music plays the role of induction and media, which makes it appear. Ji Kang boldly opposed equating music with politics since the Han Dynasty, completely ignored the artistry of music, and even asked it to play the role of divination, which is of progressive significance.

Extended data:

1, Ji Kang's "Sound without Sorrow and Music" not only discusses whether music has sorrow and music, whether music can change customs, but also involves a series of important issues in music aesthetics, namely, the ontology and essence of music, the relationship between sound and emotion in music appreciation, and the role of music. And put forward the view that "there is no sorrow and joy in sound".

2. Music is an objective voice, and funeral music is the feeling that people's spirit is touched. There is no causal relationship between the two. In Ji Kang's words, "harmony between heart and soul are two different things".

On the day of Ji Kang's execution, 3,000 imperial college students collectively wrote to the court to pardon him and asked Ji Kang to teach in the imperial college, but their request was not accepted. Before the execution, Ji Kang looked as usual. He looked at the shadow of the sun and knew that there was still a period of time before the execution, so he recorded his favorite piano to his brother and played a song "Guangling San" on the execution ground.

Baidu encyclopedia-Ji Kang