Tag Archives: Confucius on music

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Leadership lessons from Confucius: the power of music

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power of music

子在齊聞韶，三月不知肉味，曰：「不圖為樂之至於斯也。」
When Confucius was in Qi, he heard Shao music. For three months, he didn’t know the taste of meat. He said: “I never imagined that music could reach such heights as this.”

Never underestimate the power of music to stir your senses and fuel your emotions. When you are in your darkest moments, it can help you to forget your worries and cares and bring you calm and comfort. When you are searching for inspiration, it can help you to elevate your ideas and imagination to ever greater heights. And when you are looking for escape from the daily grind, it can help you to relax and restore your zest for life. Continue reading Leadership lessons from Confucius: the power of music →

Confucius

Leadership lessons from Confucius: considering the moral component

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moral component

子謂韶，「盡美矣，又盡善也。」謂武，「盡美矣，未盡善也。」
Confucius described Shao music as being perfectly beautiful and perfectly good and Wu music as being perfectly beautiful but not perfectly good.

Is there a moral component to deciding whether someone or something has attained perfection? Confucius certainly thought so. That’s why he gives Shao music the edge over Wu music in this passage. Continue reading Leadership lessons from Confucius: considering the moral component →

Confucius

Leadership lessons from Confucius: perfect harmony

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perfect harmony

子語魯大師樂，曰：「樂其可知也：始作，翕如也；從之，純如也，皦如也，繹如也，以成。
Confucius was talking about music with the music master of Lu. He said: “We can know this much about music: It begins with everyone trying to play together; when it gets in full swing it flows in perfect harmony, melody, and purity of tone until it reaches the end.”  (1) (2)

A leader is like the conductor of an orchestra. Your job is to make sure that no matter what their function is everyone comes together and works in perfect harmony to carry out a common mission. Continue reading Leadership lessons from Confucius: perfect harmony →

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Leadership lessons from Confucius: on tokenism

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tokenism

子曰：「人而不仁，如禮何？人而不仁，如樂何？」
Confucius said: “If someone has no goodness, what can they have to do with ritual? If someone has no goodness, what can they have to do with music?” (1) (2)

Going to church every Sunday morning doesn’t make you a good Christian unless you’re committed to learning and applying the values that are being taught at the service. Not even the most inspiring hymns will be able to stir your soul if your only reason for being there is to make yourself look good in front of the community. You might as well stay in bed at home for all the good it will do you.

Continue reading Leadership lessons from Confucius: on tokenism →

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Historical figures in the Analects of Confucius: Sage King Shun

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Shun (舜) was one of the five legendary sage kings of ancient China in the 23rd or 22nd century BCE. He reportedly ruled for nearly fifty years after the previous ruler Yao (堯) had abdicated in favor of him because of his higher virtue. Prior to his death, reputedly at the age of 100, he is said to have relinquished his throne to his successor, Yu (禹), who went on to establish the first recorded dynasty in China’s history, the Xia Dynasty (夏朝). Continue reading Historical figures in the Analects of Confucius: Sage King Shun →

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More than just jade and silk

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子曰：「禮云禮云，玉帛云乎哉？樂云樂云，鐘鼓云乎哉？」
Confucius said: “The rites, the rites, surely there is more to them than just jade and silk! Music, music, surely there is more to it than just bells and drums!”

Confucius regarded ritual ceremonies and music as the ultimate embodiment of civilization and tradition, and urged his contemporaries to treat them with due sincerity and respect. Continue reading More than just jade and silk →

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Best of breed

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顏淵問為邦。子曰：「行夏之時，乘殷之輅，服周之冕。樂則韶舞，放鄭聲，遠佞人。鄭聲淫，佞人殆。」
When Yan Hui asked how to govern a state, Confucius said: “Observe the calendar of the Xia Dynasty; ride in the chariot of Yin Dynasty; wear the ceremonial cap of the Zhou Dynasty. As for music, follow the Coronation Hymn of Shun and the Victory Hymn of Wu. Ban the music of Zheng. Stay away from smooth talkers. The music of Zheng corrupts. Smooth talkers are dangerous.”

Far from advising his favorite disciple Yan Hui to copy slavishly from the past, Confucius is telling him to adopt only the finest traditions and practices from previous dynasties. Continue reading Best of breed →

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Zilu rocks the house

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子曰：「由之瑟，奚為於丘之門？」門人不敬子路。子曰：「由也升堂矣！未入於室也！」
Confucius said: “What is Zilu doing playing that type of music in my house?” The disciples began showing disrespect to Zilu. Confucius said: “Zilu may not have entered the inner chamber yet, but he has at least reached the reception hall.”

Although Confucius is irritated at Zilu for playing loud military music rather than peaceful, calming tunes, he doesn’t expect his disciples to overreact by showing their disrespect for their colleague. Continue reading Zilu rocks the house →

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A win-win situation

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BSP13

子曰：「吾自衛反魯，然後樂正，雅頌，各得其所。」
Confucius said: “It was only after I returned to Lu from Wei that the music was reformed and the court songs and sacrificial hymns put in the proper order.”

Confucius is probably referring to the Book of Songs (詩經/shījīng), the oldest surviving collection of Chinese poetry and one of the “Five Classics” that became required reading for Chinese students for over 2,000 years. Continue reading A win-win situation →