On The Aesthetic Cultural Implications Of The Book Of Rites

China has long been known as the state of the reed. The tradition of propriety-music established the model of Chinese aesthetic culture, life, and accumulate to be a specific cultural psychological structure, rooting in the unconsciousness of national spirit which influenced generations of Chinese people. The life model of Chinese aesthetic culture can be summarized as the life of propriety-music. The life of propriety-music is not only the way of being, code of conduct, source of value of ancient Chinese, but also their living world. Book of Rites was compiled by Dai Sheng. It recorded the concepts of ritual before Qin Danasty from Confucius and his students and so on. The academic work was the basis of country’s political life and the value source of People’s Daily life. Book of Rites was a meaningful present about the life of propriety-music.The research about aesthetic cultural implications of Book of Rites would be committed to the integrity of research which was centered on the life of propriety-music, in order to grasp the aesthetic cultural structure and aesthetic spirit of the life of propriety-music from Confucius, and the beauty about personality and social customs. The concept of heaven from propriety-music with the integration between universe and human was the metaphysical basis of the life of propriety-music,. The concept of heaven implemented into humanity and human nature, and historically formed Confucius’thoughts about managing state affairs by ethics under the clan system. The propriety-music education was the core content and it required rulers good virtue, managing family and state successfully. And cultivate one’s morality in order to rule the world, and cultivate one’s morality while ruling the world at the same time. The integration between propriety-music derived from the concept of heaven and rooted human nature and human feelings. Propriety-music can be taught and learned, so they were the means of cultivating one’s morality and also the content of the enlightenment. It was the life of propriety-music that make people enlighten with propriety-music. In turn, the enlightenment with propriety-music need the life of propriety-music to reveal. The research about aesthetic cultural implications of Book of Rites would connect human and nature, man and society, man and themselves, and grasp the aesthetic cultural implications of Book of Rites integrally and systematically. And interpret the aesthetic cultural characteristics of the life of propriety-music so as to grasp the living world and existing way of ancient Chinese and to reveal the aesthetic cultural life of ancient Chinese.The first chapter explains the metaphysical basement for the life of propriety-music:The law of Heaven, as an universal rule and the original root of ontology and value standard, connecting with human being and organism closely, is united with the law of man. This view of integrity of heaven and man not only represents the characters of Pictographic thinking, but also shows a way towards wholeness of Heaven and earth. To the traditional Chinese, the law of heaven is the same as the law of man; the view of the world is the same as the view of life. the content of the law includes Honesty and Righteousness. By reaching to Honesty, man enters into an united world of heaven and earth and becomes righteous to people and things. This is the reason why they enjoy living and planting in a natural environment according to the rhythm of season and worship heaven by their labor and sweat. But this kind of love comes from the extending of relative love rather than directly from nature. They think it is the nature brings up them, so they are full of appreciation to it and regard it as the root of life and culture, as well as the root of cultural reflective and renewal thinking.The second chapter describes the content of the law of man in the life of propriety-music, discusses the inner inclusiveness among man, and points the way to inner sageliness and outer kingliness. Inner sageliness mainly bases on self-cultivated, emphasizing self restraining in privacy, sincerity in the heart, endurance in the place. In this process, the gentleman forms a firm and reasonable personality while keeping the personality opening. On one side, inner sageliness means reaching Sincerity, calling us live out ourselves and constructing a whole existence by experiencing different stages in our lives. On the other side, inner sageliness requires a harmony with nature.Chapter III introduces the esthetic meaning of Rites. Rites, as the cardinal rule for the gentleman to settle down and live on his pursuit, discipline behavior outside as the same as sculpt emotion inside. The tradition of rites and music both derives from primitive witchcraft rites. They are inseparable. A perfect rites asks for a perfect companion of body and mind. Performing rites, though with symbolism, always faces different living person, so it is necessary to consider the context. Connecting with daily practical life, rites and music, therefore, are not some pure arts for only sensible enjoyment. They often reveal people’s situation, which through this, guarantee a harmonious and reasonable society. This shows that, to Confucius, the purpose of art is not in art, but rather in practical life.Chapter the fourth discusses the esthetic theory of Music. China is an agricultural country, people arranged agricultural activity by rhythm of music and solar terms. After recognizing the harmony in music form, people utilize it to cultivate morality and control people’s mind, and this arises the connection between music and politics. Confucius convinced that if one man do not learn music, he could not reach the wholeness of personality to become a gentleman. Mengzi and Xunzi, though very different in the view of humanity, agreed on the importance of music education. Mengzi saw the inner connection between righteous music and righteous politics. Xunzi observed the power in music to change people in a uniformChapter Venters into the concrete world of rites and music. Important ceremonies in the life of propriety-music, reflecting the material level of a nation, are also necessary to show their wisdom. Ceremony helps people to overcome many difficulties together as a nation and cooperated society. It has symbolism, expressing a life that is common and sage, when constructs holy world in this profane world. In a world, the view of world in traditional Chinese is the harmony between heaven and man. If one want to reach this realm, he has to learn the way of inner sageliness and outer kingliness. Therefore, a life of propriety-music is a common life with holiness, a sensible and esthetic life after sculpted.As a model of life, the life of propriety-music can provide some ideas for ecological esthetics in its view of harmony of heaven and man; contribute to build a harmonious society in its stress on the relationship between family and social member. It is a way to settle down one’s spirit, sculpt one’s personality, cultivate one’s wholeness in the world. The study of Book of Rites means not only an academic research, but also a pursuit of grasping a harmonious personality and a better life.