The Confucian philosophy of music in the cultural space of globalism

Chzhu Junxi PhD in Art History Postgraduate student; Faculty of Arts; Lomonosov Moscow State University 119234, Russia, Moscow, Lenin Mountains, 1 junxi19940620@mail.ru

1. Basic concepts and key ideas of Confucian music philosophy

The Confucian philosophy of music has its origins in traditional Chinese Confucian culture. Her main ideas are to emphasize the role of music in matters of moral education, in the social aspect of musical art, and in the formation of human ethical integrity. The musical concepts of Confucianism are set forth in such treatises as "Lun Yu" ("Conversations and Judgments"), "Da Xue" ("The Great Doctrine"), "Li ji" ("Book of Rituals"), ("Yue ji") "Notes on Music", etc. All these classical treatises containing philosophical ideas about music had a profound impact on the development and evolution of ancient Chinese music. The basis of the philosophy of music in Confucianism is the concept of "harmony" ("he"). The treatise "Li ji - Yue ji" ("The Book of Rituals-Notes on Music") states that "music is the command of Heaven and Earth, the principle of central harmony." Confucianism considers the essence of music through the prism of moral principles, aspirations of the people, harmony between heaven and earth: "Gong (宫) represents the ruler, Shang (商) — ministers, jiao (角) — people, zhi (徵) — deeds, and yu (羽) — objects of nature. If these five elements are in harmony, then there will be no disorder in the sound. When the gong is violated, desolation sets in, and the ruler becomes arrogant. When the shang is violated, the state deviates from the path, and power is destroyed. When jiao (角) is violated, anxiety arises, and the people begin to murmur. When zhi (徵) is violated, business falls into disrepair, and work becomes hard. When the yu (羽) is violated, danger arises, and resources run out. When all five elements are in disarray and suppress each other, the demise of the state will not be long in coming." Confucianism associates the five tones of the musical scale with the roles of the ruler, ministers, and people, which indicates the connection of harmony in music with harmony between the ruler, officials, and people. If this connection is disrupted, disharmony appears in the music. This understanding not only gives music an educational role, but also reflects its essential importance as a means of moral education ^{[6, pp.160-164]}. In the treatise "Yue ji" there is an entry: "Music arises from the human heart, and the movement of the human heart is caused by external things." As a concrete manifestation of the voice of the soul, music deeply reflects the richness of human emotions. Confucian teaching gives music a high artistic status, believing that music is the most important means of expressing feelings. But music not only subtly expresses personal emotions, but also imperceptibly, as a harmonizing and organizing moment, penetrates into the structure of society, fulfilling the function of its formation and maintenance of order.

"When music is played in the ancestral temple, the ruler and the ministers are imbued with harmony and respect. When music is played in the village, both the old and the young become submissive. When music is played in the home circle, and family members listen to it, everyone is imbued with harmony and family ties" ^{[13, pp.1-35]}. Harmonious music unites society, not only reflects harmony in society, but also on a deeper level nourishes and promotes the spiritual formation and strengthening of a person.

In Confucian thought, when discussing social order, the connection between "li" ("ritual") and "yue" ("music") plays a key role. "Yue" implies the melody of the soul, inner emotions and spiritual aspirations of a person, and "li" — the external behavior of a person, the framework of the social order. Music, with its spirit of "harmony" ("he"), brings the world to unity and harmony, resonating with the human soul. At the same time, "Lee" maintains a sense of hierarchy and order in society. At first glance, it may seem that these two concepts are opposite, but they are inherently interdependent. Music is the beauty of harmony, which needs support and regulation from "lee". Music also needs harmony to create a harmonious Confucian society. In other words, "yue" and "li" in Confucian society act as "yin" and "yang": they are both opposite and united. Music, thanks to its inner harmony, makes people strive for goodness, awakening a sense of belonging to society. Ritual, in turn, due to its external structure and normality, ensures the rationality and orderliness of society. These two concepts complement each other, influencing the external and internal world of a person, creating a dynamic balance that promotes the development of social order in the direction of harmony and stability. Harmony and unity of the inner spirit and the outer form is the central aspect of the Confucian ideal of society.

"Music controls the inner, ritual regulates the outer. Music attains the highest harmony, ritual the highest order. When the inside is harmonious and the outside is orderly, the people notice this from the ruler and express respect. So, virtue is visible from the inside, and the people listen, and the ritual norm is manifested externally, and the people follow it." Thus, music focuses on channeling inner feelings and crystallizing spiritual effort: through beautiful melodies and harmonious rhythms, it imperceptibly affects the human soul, evoking an inner response and achieving the goal of moral education. The power of music lies in its ability to imperceptibly guide the soul towards virtue, promoting inner harmony and balance. At the same time, the ritual is more focused on regulating external behavior and maintaining social order. Ritual, through certain rules and ceremonies, helps people to master the norms of behavior in society, showing how to show respect and respect decency in different conditions. The ritual is aimed at maintaining order and harmony in society, ensuring respect and unity between members of society through norms and rules.

The fusion of music and ritual tends to create inner peace and outer order. These two elements complement each other, forming a harmonious and orderly society. Music guides people to virtue through emotional impact, while ritual sets norms and rules governing their behavior. When music and ritual combine, people are in a state of inner peace and outer harmony, which creates a harmonious atmosphere both inside and outside. This phenomenon is called "governance through ritual and music," which illustrates a thriving society. This approach to management demonstrates a double focus on personal feelings and reason, and also emphasizes the desire for social harmony and order. Therefore, Confucianism emphasizes the importance of the role of music in the education of morality. The followers of Confucius believed that music could influence feelings and ideas about morality and morality, so they especially focused on musical education and the values that music carries. They believed that music has the ability to harmonize human emotions and spirit, to form a higher culture and morality. Confucian music philosophy also highlights the role of music in "fostering virtue," which implies its ability to cultivate modesty and honor. Moreover, Confucianism focuses on the educational function of music, believing that it can imperceptibly influence a person's character and behavior.

The Confucian philosophy of music includes the following key approaches:

1) Harmony and balance: According to Confucian musical philosophy, music promotes social harmony and inner balance of personality. Music should be harmonious and beautiful, it can evoke emotions and joy in people, which, in turn, contributes to the formation of a civilized and harmonious society. In the treatise "Lun Yu" ("Conversations and Judgments") Confucius put forward the concept of "governing the state through ritual and music," believing that music can regulate human behavior, increasing the degree of civilization of the state. Music, being a powerful means of conveying emotions and ideas, is able to evoke a response in the depths of the human soul, contributing to the inner assimilation of moral values and the spread of social ideals. By participating in musical events, people in a harmonious atmosphere can deepen mutual understanding and respect, which plays a key role in forming positive social relationships and contributing to the overall development of society. Music not only reflects and shapes personal moral feelings, but also helps to mitigate conflicts and strengthen collective identity, thereby contributing to the harmony and progress of society.

2) Education and improvement: Confucian musical philosophy considers music as a means of education and self-improvement. According to Confucian thought, music can guide people on the path of self-improvement, develop their emotional sensitivity and form virtue and high feelings. In the treatise "Lun Yu-Tai Bo," Confucius argued that "the basis of poetry is inspiration, ritual is the basis of order, and music is the highest form of personal self—improvement." Confucius believed that music is the highest level of self—improvement. With the help of music education, students can enjoy and create musical compositions on their own, develop aesthetic taste and artistic perception skills. At the same time, Confucius focused on music as a way of moral improvement, believing that music develops such personal qualities as humanity (ren), justice (yi), ritual (li), wisdom (zhi). In addition, in the treatise "Lun Yu" he put forward the idea of "musical education", arguing that music is capable of educating people and transmitting moral values. Music achieves "harmony" on an individual level, which, in turn, contributes to achieving the "golden mean" in society ^{[17, pp.77-79]}. Thus, the Confucian philosophy of music education seeks to influence people's thinking and behavior through the dissemination and teaching of music in order to promote the formation of positive moral qualities and habits in them. In political practice, leaders can use music to convey their political ideas and values, influencing people's thoughts and behavior through the emotional power of music, which contributes to the unity and stability of society.

Thus, the philosophy of music of Confucianism emphasizes the importance of the social function and moral value of music. According to Confucian thought, music should be harmonious and aesthetic, carry an educational and educational function, promote social harmony and inner balance of a person. The philosophy of music of Confucianism focuses on the important role of music in shaping moral qualities and enhancing personal cultural well-being, reflecting the basic values and moral norms of traditional culture.

2. Musical philosophy within the framework of Western and Confucian cultures

2.1. The Origins of Music

In the "Yue Ji" part of the treatise "Li Ji", when describing the history of the origin of music, the connection of music with harmony between heaven and earth, with moral values, as well as its role in social harmony and political order is emphasized. All musical compositions originate from the human soul, "all music arises from the human soul." Music is considered as the personification of harmony between heaven and earth, "music is the harmony of heaven and earth." This concept emphasizes the harmonious relationship of music with nature. According to this concept, the essence of music is to promote harmony between man and nature.

In the "Yue Ji" part of the treatise "Li Ji", it is argued that the origin of music is closely related to human emotions and ethical norms. According to this concept, music arises from people's feelings towards nature and society, allowing them to express and regulate human feelings and desires in order to achieve ethical standards: "Rituals direct the will, music harmonizes sounds, politics unites actions, and punishments prevent atrocities. Rituals, music, punishments, and politics have the same purpose, so they unite people's souls and ensure the governance of society." Thus, with the help of the educational function that music carries, it is possible to unite people's thoughts and direct them to observe social order, thereby achieving harmony and stability in society. The political and psychological value of music is also an important aspect of its origin. Confucian thinkers, explaining the value of music, emphasized its importance in maintaining social hierarchy and achieving political goals. With the help of the educational influence of music, it is possible to strengthen ideas about social hierarchy, maintaining social stability and harmony.

In the history of Western music, the word "music" has its roots in the ancient Greek term "mousike", which translates as "the art of the muses". The etymology of the term emphasizes the deep connection of music with the myths about the muses, who patronized art and science. Music, invariably accompanied by text, as an art form has been regarded since ancient times as a sacred source of inspiration and creativity. The Western musical tradition dates back to ancient Greece, where music was given an important educational value. Music as a set of rhythms, frets and meters (poetic) was considered as an energy capable of purifying the soul, reproducing the right ethos. The most important sources on this issue are the texts of the great philosophers of the fifth and fourth centuries BC, Plato and Aristotle, as well as later texts of the Pythagorean school, for example, Iamblichus' treatise On Pythagorean Life (III century).

Plato emphasized the social and educational function of music, believing that it, along with gymnastics, is one of the most important tools for educating the personality of a citizen of an ideal polis. The entertainment side of music as an art was not recognized by them and referred not only to excesses, but even to morally harmful practices. Plato's disciple Aristotle was no less interested in describing and reflecting on the nature of a proper state and a decent citizen. He also attached great importance to moral education through music, arguing that its role in improving personality is much more important than the pleasure it brings to the senses.

These ideas overlap in many ways with the text from the treatise "Zhou Li", which says: "If you teach people through music and rituals, they will not be far from each other." Li ji—Yue ji also notes: "Music unites, rituals distinguish; unity creates intimacy, difference creates respect. By teaching through rituals, one can achieve order, and by teaching through music, one can create harmony," which confirms that Western and Chinese concepts differ only in methods or form with the same essence.

2.2. Understanding "harmony"

Western philosophers also consider the concept of "harmony", but this harmony is understood by them as universal harmony, harmony of the cosmos and the entire universe ^{[8, pp.78-79]}. It is in accordance with this universal character that musical harmony, as a special case of world harmony, is able to have a beneficial effect on the human body and soul. Plato argued that music is not just entertainment, its main value lies in its educational and social role. Plato argued that music should have a purifying power that can elevate the human soul and guide it towards virtue. He believed that the beauty, purity and truth of music are closely related: only "pure" music can support the truth and thus lead to beauty. Therefore, the "universal harmony" of music has an important regulating effect on society and its citizens. In the Confucian tradition of China, the purifying function of music has been used in politics and economics since ancient times, which became the basis for the concept of ritual and music as a source of social harmony.

In Confucian philosophy, "harmony" also encompasses the concepts of "mediocrity" and "peacefulness." The idea that "when the middle harmony is achieved, the world becomes stable, and all beings flourish" expresses the highest ideal of Confucianism — the creation of a harmonious society and the maintenance of harmony between people ^{[15, pp.33-34]}. "It is important to observe harmony in etiquette. The path of the previous rulers consisted in this, which is true beauty. Small and great things depend on it. Knowing about harmony and striving for it is also impossible without observing rituals." This phrase directly indicates that the way to achieve a harmonious society is the observance of ritual and the development of musical education. The golden mean — "moderate fun, sadness that does not break the heart" — involves maintaining peace and balance among all contradictions, rather than focusing on extremes, which ultimately leads to new harmony and unity.

However, such a musical philosophy may limit innovation in music. The Western concept implies that it is necessary to develop contradictions in the context of harmony and find new unity in the process of change. According to Heraclitus, everything is subject to constant changes, and only the combination of various musical elements can achieve the highest harmony. Harmony is considered as a combination of heterogeneous, in a certain sense dissimilar and even opposite elements. There can be no agreement between the similar (harmony from ancient Greek can be translated as agreement). This highlights that the concept of musical aesthetics in Western culture differs significantly from the musical aesthetics in Confucianism.

2.3. Musical thinking and aesthetic guidelines

In Confucian music teaching, music theory focuses on moral values and expressive expression, emphasizing the resonance of music and human emotions, as well as the transmission of emotional moods. The musical philosophy of Confucianism combines rational and emotional elements, emphasizing the aesthetics of musical design. At the same time, Western musical culture focuses on the technical aspects and forms of performance, emphasizing the structure and aesthetics of music. The aesthetic perception of music in the West, shaped by the influence of Western philosophy, focuses on "rationality" ^{[14, p. 101]}, based on an objective and rational understanding and following a logical approach. For example, both Confucian and Western musical philosophy recognize that music significantly affects human feelings, psyche, and emotions, emphasizing its healing, soothing, and healing qualities. In addition, in such aspects as forms of musical expression, performance techniques and creative concepts, there is a synthesis and mutual influence between cultures.

In this regard, Confucian musical philosophy can be considered as aesthetically more "vital" oriented. So, she attaches special importance to the human voice and natural sounds. In "Li Ji" it says: "The singer's voice is more important than Shen's sound. The voice of a noble person is important." In addition, Confucian musical philosophy focuses on the system of rituals and music, which reflects the collectivism of thinking of ancient Chinese society in musical aesthetics ^{[16, pp.71-73]}.

The musical philosophy of Confucianism focuses on harmony in society and the collective, emphasizing the importance of traditions and moral values. This social and cultural continuity serves society and the collective. On the contrary, in Western musical culture there is a predominant emphasis on the expression of individuality, personal emotional aspirations and logically structured relationships between the private (individual) and the general (cosmos, universe). The Western musical tradition, influenced by ancient Greek and Renaissance philosophy, focuses on the psychological drama of works and the desire for self-expression, which contrasts with the Confucian understanding of harmony between man and nature, where man is completely dissolved in the world around him, forming one with him, but not opposing himself to the world.

3. The concept of Confucianism in modern Chinese musical and philosophical thought: theoretical reconstruction and practical contradictions

3.1. Philosophical Renaissance and modern interpretation of the Li-yue tradition

The key concept of Confucian musical philosophy, "harmony of ritual and music", demonstrates a dual path of interpretation in modern academic discourse. As Li Zehou notes in The Aesthetics of Chinese Civilization: "Confucianism considers music as the materialization of cosmic harmony, which in modern musical philosophy is transformed into a reinterpretation of the "aesthetics of harmony"" ^{[4, p. 87]}. Wang Defeng, in the modern interpretation of Yue ji ("Records of Music"), puts forward the concept of "musical metaphysics", arguing that the Confucian principle "great music harmonizes with Heaven and Earth" constructs a cognitive framework for the unity of nature and man, which in modern musical creativity is transformed into a digital reconstruction of natural soundscapes ^{[1, pp.45-52]}.

Du Weiming, in his work "A New Interpretation of Confucian Thought", emphasizes the reactivation of the three—component structure "sound—emotion—virtue" in modern musical philosophy, which is especially evident in creativity for traditional instruments. For example, Zhao Jiping's cycle of works "Odes and Hymns" (风雅颂) recreates the aesthetic principle of "joy without promiscuity, sadness without suffering" through modern compositional techniques, forming the paradigm of "new ritualism" ^{[2, p.132]}. This practice confirms Liu Chenghua's theory of the "modernization transformation of Confucian musical aesthetics," where ethical values are transferred through innovations in form.

3.2. Theoretical contradictions in the process of critical inheritance

In the process of modernization, Confucian musical philosophy faces three challenges: the destruction of the experience of "emotional resonance" by technocratic rationalism, the individualistic rejection of the ethics of "collectivity", and the undermining of the aesthetics of "middle harmony" by consumer culture. Fan Dongmei's prophecy about the "suppression of the artistic spirit by a mechanistic worldview" ^{[9, p.215]} in the era of digital music evolves into the erosion of algorithmic recommendations of aesthetic autonomy. In this context, Cai Zhongde's thesis about "overcoming the Li-yue tradition" acquires a new meaning, requiring a rethinking of the hierarchical order of the Confucian musical concept through the prism of modern values of equality ^{[11, p.77]}.

Huang Xiangpeng's research in the field of "morphology of traditional music" reveals a deeper contradiction: the "12 lui-lui" system in the ancient theory of musical modes reflected a political and ethical order, whose "sound-political homology" is currently experiencing a crisis of legitimacy ^{[10, p.49]}. In response, Luo Yifeng suggests a "phenomenological turn" in Confucian musical philosophy, calling for a return to the pure experience of "musicality as such" ^{[3, p.168]}.

3.3. Functional reconstruction in the context of social transformation

At the level of cultural management, there is an institutional revival of Confucian musical philosophy through the "movement of new ritual music." The "Guide to Integrating Excellent Traditional Culture into Curricula" (2021) by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China includes musical education in the aesthetic education system, which encourages a rethink of modern functions of "musical education". Xiang Yang's research in the field of ritual music shows that the digital distribution of ceremonial dances in honor of Confucius is constructing a "technologized Li-yue community"^{[7, pp.52-71]}, while maintaining the traditional function of "music as the embodiment of virtue" while adapting to media realities.

In the sphere of cultural consumption, elements of Confucian music demonstrate the characteristics of "symbolic survival." Data from the Bilibili national style music section shows that the number of clicks on original works with Confucian imagery (such as "the harmonious sound of the zither and harp" and "the ringing of bells and drums") is 2.3 times higher than the number of clicks on conventional folk music (White Paper on National Style Music 2022). This landscape supports Baudrillard's theory of symbolic consumption. But as Zhou Xian noted, "The consumption of traditional cultural symbols, like carnival, can lead to a dilution of meaning" ^{[12, p.155]}, which represents a potential crisis for the modern development of Confucian musical philosophy.

Confucian musical philosophy in modern China is a two-way movement of "deconstruction-reconstruction": critical transcendence at the theoretical level and creative transformation at the practical level. This dynamic process not only reflects the general patterns of modernization of traditional culture, but also emphasizes the special intensity of musical art in the transformation of civilization ^{[5, pp.89-96]}. Future research needs to pay more attention to the interactive links between the philosophy of technology and Confucian views on music, as well as the issue of the subjective construction of Chinese musical philosophy in the context of globalization.

4. Conclusion

Following the development of globalization trends, the development of human society requires people to be careful when choosing ways to modernize. In the context of a global perspective, the philosophy of Confucian music, which appeared in the "axial age", can vividly manifest itself in the process of cultural self-awareness of all mankind. The diversity of cultures creates multiple forms of harmony and promotes progress. In the context of globalization, one should not thoughtlessly copy ancient traditions; on the contrary, it is important to borrow the wisdom of Confucian musical philosophy, taking into account its heritage and development. This philosophy should serve humanity as a resource and guide for creating a harmonious society and educating future generations, extracting wisdom and knowledge from traditional educational culture.

Confucian musical philosophy emphasizes the educational value of music, considering it not only as a way of artistic expression, but also as a key tool for moral education and cultural transmission. Confucius and his followers put forward a number of theories and ideas in the field of music education that have a significant impact on modern approaches to music education, especially in the context of quality education. Confucian ideas such as "cultivation begins with one's self and continues in the family, bringing the country to peace" and "getting along with the environment, but not identifying with it" provide valuable conceptual resources for music education in modern educational institutions. Moreover, according to Confucianism, untimely musical education can have a negative impact on society, which focuses on the educational function of music in moral education, the formation of the spirit and the change of social norms. Confucius himself was an outstanding musician who used music as a means of influencing people, emphasizing the relationship between music and politics and realizing its importance in government. Thus, Confucian musical philosophy not only served as a guideline for music education in Ancient China, but also offers valuable ideas and influences for the modern development of world musical culture, especially in the field of moral education, cultural values transmission and intercultural communication.