A Demonstration Of Ritual And Musical Civilization Of The Early Years Of Western Zhou——A Research To Hymns Of Zhou

The Literaiy Chronology of Pre-Qin Dynasty is a research project being undertaken by my supervisor, professor Zhao Kuifu, which is funded by National Social Science Fund. Based on the researches completed by other outstanding researchers, the present project aims to give a thorough analysis of; and a further research into the literary archives of the Pre-Qin Dynasty, with a view to probing into the general characteristics as well as evolutional patterns of literary development of this period. The present author is a participant of this project who is responsible for the compiling the chapters of literary chronology during the Xia, Shang and West Zhou Dynasties, and its first draft has already been completed. Herein I would like to present the research outcome of Hymns of Thou in The Book of Songs as my doctoral dissertation. The primary motive is that, on the one hand, given the shortage of fund and other unfavorable restraints, it is impossible to print the whole draft out, and on the other hand, we would like to present part of the first draft in order to heed the opinions from all sources. The dissertation is composed of four chapters, which give a scrutinous research on the 31 poems in the Hymns of Zhou and the relevant issues in the light of the research tenets of The Literary chronology of Pre-Qin Dynasty. Some new viewpoints are presented in terms of the historical background, time of composing as well of the authors of these poems. In Chapter 1, we give a thorough discussion of the numbers, structures, relevant historical facts as well as the courtesy patterns of the musical dances. The author holds that, in composing the music and formulating the etiquette patterns dining the sixth year抯 regency of the Duke of Zhou, the composing of the martial dance Xiang and the cultural dance Zhuo, which respectively represents the military achievements of King Wu and cultural achievements respectively made by the Duke of Zbou and the Duke of Shao, were completed. Xiang is also composed to display King Wen抯 military achievements during the seventh year抯 regency of Duke of Zhou when Luoyi was successfully established as a sacrifice of King Wen. These three set of musical dances were either respectively or jointly played and three patterns of making rites and music came into shape. The ritual songs that were jointly played can be seen to have attained to the culminating point in the literary and artistic creation during the early period of Zhou Dynasty. In Chapter 2, based on the Book of Documents and relevant literary archives, a II ABSTRACT thorough examination is made into the sacrificing ceremony held after Luoyi was established. Meanwhile, a thorough survey is made into the criticisms of The Book of the Songs by interpreting the poetic texts of the relevant poems. The sources of the following poems are identified, i.e. the poems and songs played in sacrificing the Heaven in the southern suburbs after the establishment of Luoyi, the songs and the poems entitled with the deceased ancestors, the songs and poems played when sacrificing King Wen in the light hail of audience, and the poems and songs played at the sacrificing ceremonies in King Wen Temple and King Wu Temple. It can be learnt that the Duke of Zhou not onle made the rites and music but earnest practised what he had advocated as well. In Chapter 3, according to the literary archives and the bronze inscription,...