The Study On Wang Yangming’s Aesthetics Of Rites And Music

As a multifaceted entity with rich connotations,rites and music encompasses various aesthetic elements such as ceremonial beauty,emotional beauty,moral education beauty,institutional beauty,and musical beauty.The aesthetics of rites and music involves the exploration of aesthetic theories in relation to rites and music that possess aesthetic elements.At present,research on aesthetics of rites and music mainly focuses on the relationship between rites and music and the origin of Chinese aesthetics,the relationship between rites and music,and their functions in aesthetic education,particularly during the pre-Qin era.In terms of depth and breadth,Aesthetics of rites and music is an area waiting to be expanded.Wang Yangming,the great synthesizer of Confucianism’s idealism,had his thoughts born in the tumultuous times of the Hongwu and Jiajing reigns during the Ming Dynasty.Although Wang Yangming did not have any dedicated writings on ritual studies,his quotations,scholarly correspondence,and miscellaneous writings often discuss rites and music issues,making it a suitable entry point to examine his aesthetics.This paper studies Wang Yangming’s Aesthetics of rites and music within the context of Song and Ming Neo-Confucianism and traces back to the Confucian tradition of the study of human nature and mind,establishing two foundations for his Aesthetics of rites and music:"All Things as One" and "Transformation of Temperament",clarifying that the beauty of rites and music according to Wang Yangming is rooted in human nature’s beauty.Considering the close relationship between Wang Yangming’s aesthetic thoughts and his philosophical thoughts,this paper chooses to discuss his Aesthetics of rites and music from the perspectives of ontology,effort theory,and moral education theory.In terms of ontology,Wang Yangming incorporates rites(including music)into the scope of his ontological heart theory,believing that the origin of rites and music lies in the heart.He distinguishes two dimensions of rites and music:the metaphysical "essence of rites and music" and the phenomenal "degrees and objects",further proposing that "rites are grand in time" and should be close to human feelings.Wang Yangming’s Aesthetics of rites and music reveals a "heart-based interpretation of rites" at the ontological level.Regarding effort theory,rites and music as a personal cultivation skill also falls within the scope of Wang Yangming’s "Extention of Innate Knowledge" effort theory,showing an aesthetic structure of unity of essence and function,an aesthetic realm of "Deep Enjoyment"and "Ease and Elegance",a "Void and Spiritual" aesthetic attitude,and two aesthetic approaches of "Awakening" and "Realization".In terms of moral education theory,Wang Yangming’s Aesthetics of rites and music is reflected in music education,enlightenment education,and village covenants.In music education,Wang Yangming understands music’s power to influence people’s hearts and change customs,viewing it as a powerful means of moral education.He uses the "virtue of moderation" as a criterion for composing rites and music,emphasizing the moral content of music rather than its external form,and pointing out that moral education through rites and music should focus on cultivating people’s virtues.In enlightenment education,Wang Yangming emphasizes the Confucian educational purpose of "educating through ethics" and proposes principles of adapting education to suit individual nature,including gradual progress and teaching according to each student’s abilities.He uses "singing poetry" "practicing rites"and "reading" as specific educational methods.In village covenants,the "Nangan Village Covenant" is a concentrated reflection of Wang Yangming’s village covenant thoughts.He emphasizes improving folk customs with rites and music not only in the specific regulations of the covenant but also in the rites of the village assembly ceremony,which have strong aesthetic elements.This paper extracts two dimensions of Wang Yangming’s Aesthetics of rites and music from the above research conclusions:From the perspectives of ontology and effort theory,Wang Yangming’s Aesthetics of rites and music is a heart-based aesthetics,and the beauty of rites and music is reflected through the innate goodness of the human heart.From the perspective of moral education through rites and music,Wang Yangming’s Aesthetics of rites and music is a method of aesthetic education,and the beauty of rites and music is more about what it emanates from within itself.This study broadens the research horizons of Aesthetics of rites and music,providing a new dimension for Wang Yangming’s aesthetic research and enriching the connotations and extensions of Wang Yangming’s aesthetic theories.It is conducive to promoting the exploration,presentation,and modern transformation of China’s traditional aesthetic essence of ritual and music.