卷二十四·乐书第二
卷二十四·乐书第二
司马迁
太史公曰：余每读虞书，至于君臣相敕，维是几安，而股肱不良，万事堕坏，未尝不流涕也。成王作颂，推己惩艾，悲彼家难，可不谓战战恐惧，善守善终哉？君子不为约则修德，满则弃礼，佚能思初，安能惟始，沐浴膏泽而歌咏勤苦，非大德谁能如斯！传曰“治定功成，礼乐乃兴”。海内人道益深，其德益至，所乐者益异。满而不损则溢，盈而不持则倾。凡作乐者，所以节乐。君子以谦退为礼，以损减为乐，乐其如此也。以为州异国殊，情习不同，故博采风俗，协比声律，以补短移化，助流政教。天子躬于明堂临观，而万民咸荡涤邪秽，斟酌饱满，以饰厥性。故云雅颂之音理而民正，嘄噭之声兴而士奋，郑卫之曲动而心淫。及其调和谐合，鸟兽尽感，而况怀五常，含好恶，自然之势也？
治道亏缺而郑音兴起，封君世辟，名显邻州，争以相高。自仲尼不能与齐优遂容于鲁，虽退正乐以诱世，作五章以刺时，犹莫之化。陵迟以至六国，流沔沈佚，遂往不返，卒于丧身灭宗，并国于秦。
秦二世尤以为娱。丞相李斯进谏曰：“放弃诗书，极意声色，祖伊所以惧也；轻积细过，恣心长夜，纣所以亡也。”赵高曰：“五帝、三王乐各殊名，示不相袭。上自朝廷，下至人民，得以接欢喜，合殷勤，非此和说不通，解泽不流，亦各一世之化，度时之乐，何必华山之騄耳而后行远乎？”二世然之。
高祖过沛诗三侯之章，令小儿歌之。高祖崩，令沛得以四时歌舞宗庙。孝惠、孝文、孝景无所增更，于乐府习常肄旧而已。
至今上即位，作十九章，令侍中李延年次序其声，拜为协律都尉。通一经之士不能独知其辞，皆集会五经家，相与共讲习读之，乃能通知其意，多尔雅之文。
汉家常以正月上辛祠太一甘泉，以昏时夜祠，到明而终。常有流星经于祠坛上。使僮男僮女七十人俱歌。春歌青阳，夏歌朱明，秋歌西皞，冬歌玄冥。世多有，故不论。
又尝得神马渥洼水中，复次以为太一之歌。歌曲曰：“太一贡兮天马下，霑赤汗兮沫流赭。骋容与兮跇万里，今安匹兮龙为友。”后伐大宛得千里马，马名蒲梢，次作以为歌。歌诗曰：“天马来兮从西极，经万里兮归有德。承灵威兮降外国，涉流沙兮四夷服。”中尉汲黯进曰：“凡王者作乐，上以承祖宗，下以化兆民。今陛下得马，诗以为歌，协于宗庙，先帝百姓岂能知其音邪？”上默然不说。丞相公孙弘曰：“黯诽谤圣制，当族。”
凡音之起，由人心生也。人心之动，物使之然也。感于物而动，故形于声；声相应，故生变；变成方，谓之音；比音而乐之，及干戚羽旄，谓之乐也。乐者，音之所由生也，其本在人心感于物也。是故其哀心感者，其声噍以杀；其乐心感者，其声啴以缓；其喜心感者，其声发以散；其怒心感者，其声粗以厉；其敬心感者，其声直以廉；其爱心感者，其声和以柔。六者非性也，感于物而后动，是故先王慎所以感之。故礼以导其志，乐以和其声，政以壹其行，刑以防其奸。礼乐刑政，其极一也，所以同民心而出治道也。
凡音者，生人心者也。情动于中，故形于声，声成文谓之音。是故治世之音安以乐，其正和；乱世之音怨以怒，其正乖；亡国之音哀以思，其民困。声音之道，与正通矣。宫为君，商为臣，角为民，徵为事，羽为物。五者不乱，则无惉懘之音矣。宫乱则荒，其君骄；商乱则搥，其臣坏；角乱则忧，其民怨；徵乱则哀，其事勤；羽乱则危，其财匮。五者皆乱，迭相陵，谓之慢。如此则国之灭亡无日矣。郑卫之音，乱世之音也，比于慢矣。桑间濮上之音，亡国之音也，其政散，其民流，诬上行私而不可止。
凡音者，生于人心者也；乐者，通于伦理者也。是故知声而不知音者，禽兽是也；知音而不知乐者，众庶是也。唯君子为能知乐。是故审声以知音，审音以知乐，审乐以知政，而治道备矣。是故不知声者不可与言音，不知音者不可与言乐。知乐则几于礼矣。礼乐皆得，谓之有德。德者得也。是故乐之隆，非极音也；食飨之礼，非极味也。清庙之瑟，朱弦而疏越，一倡而三叹，有遗音者矣。大飨之礼，尚玄酒而俎腥鱼，大羹不和，有遗味者矣。是故先王之制礼乐也，非以极口腹耳目之欲也，将以教民平好恶而反人道之正也。
人生而静，天之性也；感于物而动，性之颂也。物至知知，然后好恶形焉。好恶无节于内，知诱于外，不能反己，天理灭矣。夫物之感人无穷，而人之好恶无节，则是物至而人化物也。人化物也者，灭天理而穷人欲者也。于是有悖逆诈伪之心，有淫佚作乱之事。是故强者胁弱，众者暴寡，知者诈愚，勇者苦怯，疾病不养，老幼孤寡不得其所，此大乱之道也。是故先王制礼乐，人为之节：衰麻哭泣，所以节丧纪也；钟鼓干戚，所以和安乐也；婚姻冠笄，所以别男女也；射乡食飨，所以正交接也。礼节民心，乐和民声，政以行之，刑以防之。礼乐刑政四达而不悖，则王道备矣。
乐者为同，礼者为异。同则相亲，异则相敬。乐胜则流，礼胜则离。合情饰貌者，礼乐之事也。礼义立，则贵贱等矣；乐文同，则上下和矣；好恶著，则贤不肖别矣；刑禁暴，爵举贤，则政均矣。仁以爱之，义以正之，如此则民治行矣。
乐由中出，礼自外作。乐由中出，故静；礼自外作，故文。大乐必易，大礼必简。乐至则无怨，礼至则不争。揖让而治天下者，礼乐之谓也。暴民不作，诸侯宾服，兵革不试，五刑不用，百姓无患，天子不怒，如此则乐达矣。合父子之亲，明长幼之序，以敬四海之内。天子如此，则礼行矣。
大乐与天地同和，大礼与天地同节。和，故百物不失；节，故祀天祭地。明则有礼乐，幽则有鬼神，如此则四海之内合敬同爱矣。礼者，殊事合敬者也；乐者，异文合爱者也。礼乐之情同，故明王以相沿也。故事与时并，名与功偕。故钟鼓管磬羽籥干戚，乐之器也；诎信俯仰级兆舒疾，乐之文也。簠簋俎豆制度文章，礼之器也；升降上下周旋裼袭，礼之文也。故知礼乐之情者能作，识礼乐之文者能术。作者之谓圣，术者之谓明。明圣者，术作之谓也。
乐者，天地之和也；礼者，天地之序也。和，故百物皆化；序，故群物皆别。乐由天作，礼以地制。过制则乱，过作则暴。明于天地，然后能兴礼乐也。论伦无患，乐之情也；欣喜驩爱，乐之官也。中正无邪，礼之质也；庄敬恭顺，礼之制也。若夫礼乐之施于金石，越于声音，用于宗庙社稷，事于山川鬼神，则此所以与民同也。
王者功成作乐，治定制礼。其功大者其乐备，其治辨者其礼具。干戚之舞，非备乐也；亨孰而祀，非达礼也。五帝殊时，不相沿乐；三王异世，不相袭礼。乐极则忧，礼粗则偏矣。及夫敦乐而无忧，礼备而不偏者，其唯大圣乎？天高地下，万物散殊，而礼制行也；流而不息，合同而化，而乐兴也。春作夏长，仁也；秋敛冬藏，义也。仁近于乐，义近于礼。乐者敦和，率神而从天；礼者辨宜，居鬼而从地。故圣人作乐以应天，作礼以配地。礼乐明备，天地官矣。
天尊地卑，君臣定矣。高卑已陈，贵贱位矣。动静有常，小大殊矣。方以类聚，物以群分，则性命不同矣。在天成象，在地成形，如此则礼者天地之别也。地气上隮，天气下降，阴阳相摩，天地相荡，鼓之以雷霆，奋之以风雨，动之以四时，煖之以日月，而百化兴焉，如此则乐者天地之和也。
化不时则不生，男女无别则乱登，此天地之情也。及夫礼乐之极乎天而蟠乎地，行乎阴阳而通乎鬼神，穷高极远而测深厚，乐著太始而礼居成物。著不息者天也，著不动者地也。一动一静者，天地之间也。故圣人曰“礼云乐云”。
昔者舜作五弦之琴，以歌南风；夔始作乐，以赏诸侯。故天子之为乐也，以赏诸侯之有德者也。德盛而教尊，五谷时孰，然后赏之以乐。故其治民劳者，其舞行级远；其治民佚者，其舞行级短。故观其舞而知其德，闻其谥而知其行。大章，章之也；咸池，备也；韶，继也；夏，大也；殷周之乐尽也
天地之道，寒暑不时则疾，风雨不节则饥。教者，民之寒暑也，教不时则伤世。事者，民之风雨也，事不节则无功。然则先王之为乐也，以法治也，善则行象德矣。夫豢豕为酒，非以为祸也；而狱讼益烦，则酒之流生祸也。是故先王因为酒礼，一献之礼，宾主百拜，终日饮酒而不得醉焉，此先王之所以备酒祸也。故酒食者，所以合欢也。
乐者，所以象德也；礼者，所以闭淫也。是故先王有大事，必有礼以哀之；有大福，必有礼以乐之：哀乐之分，皆以礼终。
乐也者，施也；礼也者，报也。乐，乐其所自生；而礼，反其所自始。乐章德，礼报情反始也。所谓大路者，天子之舆也；龙旂九旒，天子之旌也；青黑缘者，天子之葆龟也；从之以牛羊之群，则所以赠诸侯也。
乐也者，情之不可变者也；礼也者，理之不可易者也。乐统同，礼别异，礼乐之说贯乎人情矣。穷本知变，乐之情也；著诚去伪，礼之经也。礼乐顺天地之诚，达神明之德，降兴上下之神，而凝是精粗之体，领父子君臣之节。
是故大人举礼乐，则天地将为昭焉。天地欣合，阴阳相得，煦妪覆育万物，然后草木茂，区萌达，羽翮奋，角觡生，蛰虫昭稣，羽者妪伏，毛者孕鬻，胎生者不殰而卵生者不殈，则乐之道归焉耳。
乐者，非谓黄钟大吕弦歌干扬也，乐之末节也，故童者舞之；布筵席，陈樽俎，列笾豆，以升降为礼者，礼之末节也，故有司掌之。乐师辩乎声诗，故北面而弦；宗祝辩乎宗庙之礼，故后尸；商祝辩乎丧礼，故后主人。是故德成而上，蓺成而下；行成而先，事成而后。是故先王有上有下，有先有后，然后可以有制于天下也。
乐者，圣人之所乐也，而可以善民心。其感人深，其风移俗易，故先王著其教焉。
夫人有血气心知之性，而无哀乐喜怒之常，应感起物而动，然后心术形焉。是故志微焦衰之音作，而民思忧；啴缓慢易繁文简节之音作，而民康乐；粗厉猛起奋末广贲之音作，而民刚毅；廉直经正庄诚之音作，而民肃敬；宽裕肉好顺成和动之音作，而民慈爱；流辟邪散狄成涤滥之音作，而民淫乱。
是故先王本之情性，稽之度数，制之礼义，合生气之和，道五常之行，使之阳而不散，阴而不密，刚气不怒，柔气不慑，四畅交于中而发作于外，皆安其位而不相夺也。然后立之学等，广其节奏，省其文采，以绳德厚也。类小大之称，比终始之序，以象事行，使亲疏贵贱长幼男女之理皆形见于乐：故曰“乐观其深矣”。
土敝则草木不长，水烦则鱼鳖不大，气衰则生物不育，世乱则礼废而乐淫。是故其声哀而不庄，乐而不安，慢易以犯节，流湎以忘本。广则容奸。狭则思欲，感涤荡之气而灭平和之德，是以君子贱之也。
凡奸声感人而逆气应之，逆气成象而淫乐兴焉。正声感人而顺气应之，顺气成象而和乐兴焉。倡和有应，回邪曲直各归其分，而万物之理以类相动也。
是故君子反情以和其志，比类以成其行。奸声乱色不留聪明，淫乐废礼不接于心术，惰慢邪辟之气不设于身体，使耳目鼻口心知百体皆由顺正，以行其义。然后发以声音，文以琴瑟，动以干戚，饰以羽旄，从以箫管，奋至德之光，动四气之和，以著万物之理。是故清明象天，广大象地，终始象四时，周旋象风雨；五色成文而不乱，八风从律而不奸，百度得数而有常；小大相成，终始相生，倡和清浊，代相为经。故乐行而伦清，耳目聪明，血气和平，移风易俗，天下皆宁。故曰“乐者乐也”。君子乐得其道，小人乐得其欲。以道制欲，则乐而不乱；以欲忘道，则惑而不乐。是故君子反情以和其志，广乐以成其教，乐行而民乡方，可以观德矣。
德者，性之端也；乐者，德之华也；金石丝竹，乐之器也。诗，言其志也；歌，咏其声也；舞，动其容也：三者本乎心，然后乐气从之。是故情深而文明，气盛而化神，和顺积中而英华发外，唯乐不可以为伪。
乐者，心之动也；声者，乐之象也；文采节奏，声之饰也。君子动其本，乐其象，然后治其饰。是故先鼓以警戒，三步以见方，再始以著往，复乱以饬归，奋疾而不拔，极幽而不隐。独乐其志，不厌其道；备举其道，不私其欲。是以情见而义立，乐终而德尊；君子以好善，小人以息过：故曰“生民之道，乐为大焉”。
君子曰：礼乐不可以斯须去身。致乐以治心，则易直子谅之心油然生矣。易直子谅之心生则乐，乐则安，安则久，久则天，天则神。天则不言而信，神则不怒而威。致乐，以治心者也；致礼，以治躬者也。治躬则庄敬，庄敬则严威。心中斯须不和不乐，而鄙诈之心入之矣；外貌斯须不庄不敬，而慢易之心入之矣。故乐也者，动于内者也；礼也者，动于外者也。乐极和，礼极顺。内和而外顺，则民瞻其颜色而弗与争也，望其容貌而民不生易慢焉。德煇动乎内而民莫不承听，理发乎外而民莫不承顺，故曰“知礼乐之道，举而错之天下无难矣”。
乐也者，动于内者也；礼也者，动于外者也。故礼主其谦，乐主其盈。礼谦而进，以进为文；乐盈而反，以反为文。礼谦而不进，则销；乐盈而不反，则放。故礼有报而乐有反。礼得其报则乐，乐得其反则安。礼之报，乐之反，其义一也。
夫乐者乐也，人情之所不能免也。乐必发诸声音，形于动静，人道也。声音动静，性术之变，尽于此矣。故人不能无乐，乐不能无形。形而不为道，不能无乱。先王恶其乱，故制雅颂之声以道之，使其声足以乐而不流，使其文足以纶而不息，使其曲直繁省廉肉节奏，足以感动人之善心而已矣，不使放心邪气得接焉，是先王立乐之方也。是故乐在宗庙之中，君臣上下同听之，则莫不和敬；在族长乡里之中，长幼同听之，则莫不和顺；在闺门之内，父子兄弟同听之，则莫不和亲。故乐者，审一以定和，比物以饰节，节奏合以成文，所以合和父子君臣，附亲万民也，是先王立乐之方也。故听其雅颂之声，志意得广焉；执其干戚，习其俯仰诎信，容貌得庄焉；行其缀兆，要其节奏，行列得正焉，进退得齐焉。故乐者天地之齐，中和之纪，人情之所不能免也。
夫乐者，先王之所以饰喜也；军旅鈇钺者，先王之所以饰怒也。故先王之喜怒皆得其齐矣。喜则天下和之，怒则暴乱者畏之。先王之道礼乐可谓盛矣。
魏文侯问于子夏曰：“吾端冕而听古乐则唯恐卧，听郑卫之音则不知倦。敢问古乐之如彼，何也？新乐之如此，何也？”
子夏答曰：“今夫古乐，进旅而退旅，和正以广，弦匏笙簧合守拊鼓，始奏以文，止乱以武，治乱以相，讯疾以雅。君子于是语，于是道古，修身及家，平均天下：此古乐之发也。今夫新乐，进俯退俯，奸声以淫，溺而不止，及优侏儒，獶杂子女，不知父子。乐终不可以语，不可以道古：此新乐之发也。今君之所问者乐也，所好者音也。夫乐之与音，相近而不同。”
文侯曰：“敢问如何？”
子夏答曰：“夫古者天地顺而四时当，民有德而五谷昌，疾疢不作而无祅祥，此之谓大当。然后圣人作为父子君臣以为之纪纲，纪纲既正，天下大定，天下大定，然后正六律，和五声，弦歌诗颂，此之谓德音，德音之谓乐。诗曰：‘莫其德音，其德克明，克明克类，克长克君。王此大邦，克顺克俾。俾于文王，其德靡悔。既受帝祉，施于孙子。’此之谓也。今君之所好者，其溺音与？”
文侯曰：“敢问溺音者何从出也？”
子夏答曰：“郑音好滥淫志，宋音燕女溺志，卫音趣数烦志，齐音骜辟骄志，四者皆淫于色而害于德，是以祭祀不用也。诗曰：‘肃雍和鸣，先祖是听。’夫肃肃，敬也；雍雍，和也。夫敬以和，何事不行？为人君者，谨其所好恶而已矣。君好之则臣为之，上行之则民从之。诗曰：‘诱民孔易’，此之谓也。然后圣人作为鞉鼓椌楬埙篪，此六者，德音之音也。然后钟磬竽瑟以和之，干戚旄狄以舞之。此所以祭先王之庙也，所以献酬酳酢也，所以官序贵贱各得其宜也，此所以示后世有尊卑长幼序也。钟声铿，铿以立号，号以立横，横以立武。君子听钟声则思武臣。石声硁，硁以立别，别以致死。君子听磬声则思死封疆之臣。丝声哀，哀以立廉，廉以立志。君子听琴瑟之声则思志义之臣。竹声滥，滥以立会，会以聚众。君子听竽笙箫管之声则思畜聚之臣。鼓鼙之声讙，讙以立动，动以进众。君子听鼓鼙之声则思将帅之臣。君子之听音，非听其铿鎗而已也，彼亦有所合之也。”
宾牟贾侍坐于孔子，孔子与之言，及乐，曰：“夫武之备戒之已久，何也？”
答曰：“病不得其众也。”
“永叹之，淫液之，何也？”
答曰：“恐不逮事也。”
“发扬蹈厉之已蚤，何也？”
答曰：“及时事也。”
“武坐致右宪左，何也？”
答曰：“非武坐也。”
“声淫及商，何也？”
答曰：“非武音也。”
子曰：“若非武音，则何音也？”
答曰：“有司失其传也。如非有司失其传，则武王之志荒矣。”
子曰：“唯丘之闻诸苌弘，亦若吾子之言是也。”
宾牟贾起，免席而请曰：“夫武之备戒之已久，则既闻命矣。敢问迟之迟而又久，何也？”
子曰：“居，吾语汝。夫乐者，象成者也。总干而山立，武王之事也；发扬蹈厉，太公之志也；武乱皆坐，周召之治也。且夫武，始而北出，再成而灭商，三成而南，四成而南国是疆，五成而分陕，周公左，召公右，六成复缀，以崇天子，夹振之而四伐，盛威于中国也。分夹而进，事蚤济也。久立于缀，以待诸侯之至也。且夫女独未闻牧野之语乎？武王克殷反商，未及下车，而封黄帝之后于蓟，封帝尧之后于祝，封帝舜之后于陈；下车而封夏后氏之后于杞，封殷之后于宋，封王子比干之墓，释箕子之囚，使之行商容而复其位。庶民弛政，庶士倍禄。济河而西，马散华山之阳而弗复乘；牛散桃林之野而不复服；车甲弢而藏之府库而弗复用；倒载干戈，苞之以虎皮；将率之士，使为诸侯，名之曰‘建櫜’：然后天下知武王之不复用兵也。散军而郊射，左射貍首，右射驺虞，而贯革之射息也；裨冕搢笏，而虎贲之士税剑也；祀乎明堂，而民知孝；朝觐，然后诸侯知所以臣；耕藉，然后诸侯知所以敬：五者天下之大教也。食三老五更于太学，天子袒而割牲，执酱而馈，执爵而酳，冕而总干，所以教诸侯之悌也。若此，则周道四达，礼乐交通，则夫武之迟久，不亦宜乎？”
子贡见师乙而问焉，曰：“赐闻声歌各有宜也，如赐者宜何歌也？”
师乙曰：“乙，贱工也，何足以问所宜。请诵其所闻，而吾子自执焉。宽而静，柔而正者宜歌颂；广大而静，疏达而信者宜歌大雅；恭俭而好礼者宜歌小雅；正直清廉而谦者宜歌风；肆直而慈爱者宜歌商；温良而能断者宜歌齐。夫歌者，直己而陈德；动己而天地应焉，四时和焉，星辰理焉，万物育焉。故商者，五帝之遗声也，商人志之，故谓之商；齐者，三代之遗声也，齐人志之，故谓之齐。明乎商之诗者，临事而屡断；明乎齐之诗者，见利而让也。临事而屡断，勇也；见利而让，义也。有勇有义，非歌孰能保此？故歌者，上如抗，下如队，曲如折，止如稾木，居中矩，句中钩，累累乎殷如贯珠。故歌之为言也，长言之也。说之，故言之；言之不足，故长言之；长言之不足，故嗟叹之；嗟叹之不足，故不知手之舞之足之蹈之。”子贡问乐。
凡音由于人心，天之与人有以相通，如景之象形，响之应声。故为善者天报之以福，为恶者天与之以殃，其自然者也。
故舜弹五弦之琴，歌南风之诗而天下治；纣为朝歌北鄙之音，身死国亡。舜之道何弘也？纣之道何隘也？夫南风之诗者生长之音也，舜乐好之，乐与天地同意，得万国之驩心，故天下治也。夫朝歌者不时也，北者败也，鄙者陋也，纣乐好之，与万国殊心，诸侯不附，百姓不亲，天下畔之，故身死国亡。
而卫灵公之时，将之晋，至于濮水之上舍。夜半时闻鼓琴声，问左右，皆对曰“不闻”。乃召师涓曰：“吾闻鼓琴音，问左右，皆不闻。其状似鬼神，为我听而写之。”师涓曰：“诺。”因端坐援琴，听而写之。明日，曰：“臣得之矣，然未习也，请宿习之。”灵公曰：“可。”因复宿。明日，报曰：“习矣。”即去之晋，见晋平公。平公置酒于施惠之台。酒酣，灵公曰：“今者来，闻新声，请奏之。”平公曰：“可。”即令师涓坐师旷旁，援琴鼓之。未终，师旷抚而止之曰：“此亡国之声也，不可遂。”平公曰：“何道出？”师旷曰：“师延所作也。与纣为靡靡之乐，武王伐纣，师延东走，自投濮水之中，故闻此声必于濮水之上，先闻此声者国削。”平公曰：“寡人所好者音也，愿遂闻之。”师涓鼓而终之。
平公曰：“音无此最悲乎？”师旷曰：“有。”平公曰：“可得闻乎？”师旷曰：“君德义薄，不可以听之。”平公曰：“寡人所好者音也，愿闻之。”师旷不得已，援琴而鼓之。一奏之，有玄鹤二八集乎廊门；再奏之，延颈而鸣，舒翼而舞。
平公大喜，起而为师旷寿。反坐，问曰：“音无此最悲乎？”师旷曰：“有。昔者黄帝以大合鬼神，今君德义薄，不足以听之，听之将败。”平公曰：“寡人老矣，所好者音也，愿遂闻之。”师旷不得已，援琴而鼓之。一奏之，有白云从西北起；再奏之，大风至而雨随之，飞廊瓦，左右皆奔走。平公恐惧，伏于廊屋之间。晋国大旱，赤地三年。
听者或吉或凶。夫乐不可妄兴也。
太史公曰：夫上古明王举乐者，非以娱心自乐，快意恣欲，将欲为治也。正教者皆始于音，音正而行正。故音乐者，所以动荡血脉，通流精神而和正心也。故宫动脾而和正圣，商动肺而和正义，角动肝而和正仁，徵动心而和正礼，羽动肾而和正智。故乐所以内辅正心而外异贵贱也；上以事宗庙，下以变化黎庶也。琴长八尺一寸，正度也。弦大者为宫，而居中央，君也。商张右傍，其余大小相次，不失其次序，则君臣之位正矣。故闻宫音，使人温舒而广大；闻商音，使人方正而好义；闻角音，使人恻隐而爱人；闻徵音，使人乐善而好施；闻羽音，使人整齐而好礼。夫礼由外入，乐自内出。故君子不可须臾离礼，须臾离礼则暴慢之行穷外；不可须臾离乐，须臾离乐则奸邪之行穷内。故乐音者，君子之所养义也。夫古者，天子诸侯听钟磬未尝离于庭，卿大夫听琴瑟之音未尝离于前，所以养行义而防淫佚也。夫淫佚生于无礼，故圣王使人耳闻雅颂之音，目视威仪之礼，足行恭敬之容，口言仁义之道。故君子终日言而邪辟无由入也。
Fascicle Twenty-four · Treatise on Music, Second
司马迁
The Lord Grand Astrologer says: Whenever I read the Documents of Yu and come to where ruler and ministers admonish one another — that it is in this that safety lies, and that when legs and arms are not good all affairs fall to ruin — I have never failed to shed tears. King Cheng made a hymn, drawing on his own case as a warning and grieving over the troubles of his house: may this not be called trembling and fearful, guarding well and ending well? The gentleman, when in straits, cultivates virtue; when full, he casts aside rites. To be at ease and still be able to think of the beginning, to be secure and still consider the start, to bathe in rich favour and yet sing of toil and hardship — who but one of great virtue could do so! A tradition says, "When order is settled and merit accomplished, rites and music then arise." The deeper the way of man within the seas, the more perfect the virtue and the more different what men take pleasure in. What is full and not diminished overflows; what is brimming and not held up topples over. In general, making music is the means of measuring pleasure. The gentleman takes modesty and withdrawal for rites and reduction and lessening for music; music is like this. Since regions differ and states are distinct, feelings and habits are not the same; and so customs were widely gathered and the notes and pitch-pipes harmonised with them, to supply what was lacking and shift men's ways and aid the flow of government and teaching. The Son of Heaven looks on in person in the Hall of Light, and the myriad people are all washed clean of depravity and filth and take their fill in measure, so as to adorn their natures. Hence it is said that when the sounds of the Ya and Song are in order the people are upright; when shrill and screaming sounds arise the men are roused; when the tunes of Zheng and Wei are set going the heart grows licentious. And when they are brought into harmony and accord, even birds and beasts are wholly moved — how much more those who bear the five constants and hold likes and dislikes within them? It is the natural force of things.
When the way of government was flawed and defective the sounds of Zheng arose, and enfeoffed lords and hereditary rulers made their names known in neighbouring regions and vied to outdo one another. Since Zhongni could not make his way in Lu against the entertainers of Qi, though he withdrew and corrected the music in order to draw the age on, and made five pieces to reprove the times, still none were transformed. Sinking lower, it came to the six states, which drifted and were drowned in indulgence and went on and did not return, and ended by losing their persons and destroying their lines, their states annexed by Qin.
The Second Emperor of Qin took it especially for amusement. The chancellor Li Si came forward and remonstrated: "To cast aside the Odes and the Documents and give one's mind wholly to sounds and colours is what Zu Yi feared; to make light of piling up small faults and give the heart free rein through the long night is how Zhou perished." Zhao Gao said: "The music of the Five Emperors and the Three Kings each had a different name, showing that they did not copy one another. From the court above to the people below, it is the means of joining in gladness and drawing close in earnestness; without this, harmony and pleasure do not pass through and favour does not flow. Each is likewise the transformation of an age and the music suited to its time. Why must one have the Lü'er of Mount Hua before going far?" The Second Emperor agreed with him.
The High Ancestor, passing Pei, made the song of the three marquises and had boys sing it. When the High Ancestor died, he ordered that Pei be allowed to sing and dance at the ancestral temple in the four seasons. Xiaohui, Xiaowen and Xiaojing added and changed nothing, only practising what was customary and rehearsing the old in the Music Bureau.
When the present Emperor came to the throne he made nineteen pieces and had the Palace Attendant Li Yannian set their sounds in order, and appointed him Commandant for Harmonising the Pitch-pipes. Scholars versed in a single classic could not by themselves understand the words, and all the specialists in the Five Classics had to gather and expound and read them together before they could understand their meaning, for there was much in them from the Erya.
The house of Han has always sacrificed to the Grand Unity at Ganquan on the first xin day of the first month, sacrificing at dusk and through the night, ending at daybreak. There have often been shooting stars passing over the sacrificial altar. Seventy boys and girls sing together. In spring they sing Green Yang, in summer Vermilion Brightness, in autumn Western Brightness, in winter Dark Obscurity. These are widely current and so are not set out here.
Also, having once got a divine horse in the waters of Wowa, he made another piece as a song of the Grand Unity. The song went: "The Grand Unity makes his offering and the heavenly horse comes down, soaked in red sweat, its foam running ochre. Galloping free and easy, it strides ten thousand li; who now is its match? The dragon is its friend." Later, campaigning against Dayuan, he got a thousand-li horse named Pushao and made another piece as a song. The song said: "The heavenly horse comes from the western limit, crossing ten thousand li to go to the virtuous. Bearing the spirits' awe it brings down the outer states; crossing the Flowing Sands, the four barbarian peoples submit." The Commandant of the Capital Ji An came forward and said: "Whenever a king makes music, above it is to carry on his ancestors and below to transform the myriad people. Now Your Majesty has got a horse and makes a poem into a song for it and harmonises it for the ancestral temple; can the former emperors and the hundred clans understand such music?" The Emperor was silent and displeased. The chancellor Gongsun Hong said, "An has slandered the sage's institution; his clan should be put to death."
In general the rise of sound is born from the human heart. The stirring of the human heart is made so by things. Moved by things it stirs, and so takes form in sound; sounds answer one another, and so changes arise; changes take shape, and this is called tone; tones are set side by side and made a pleasure, and with shield, axe, plume and yak-tail it is called music. Music is that from which tone is born, and its root is the human heart being moved by things. Therefore when the heart is moved with grief, the sound is hurried and cut off; when moved with joy, the sound is easy and slow; when moved with delight, the sound is open and scattered; when moved with anger, the sound is coarse and harsh; when moved with reverence, the sound is straight and clean; when moved with love, the sound is harmonious and soft. These six are not nature; they stir after being moved by things, and therefore the former kings were careful about what moved them. So rites were used to lead their intent, music to harmonise their sounds, government to unify their conduct, and punishment to guard against wickedness. Rites, music, punishment and government come at last to one thing: they are the means of making the people's hearts the same and bringing forth the way of order.
In general tone is what is born in the human heart. Feeling stirs within, and so takes form in sound, and sound made into pattern is called tone. Therefore the tone of an ordered age is at ease and joyful, its government harmonious; the tone of a disordered age is resentful and angry, its government perverse; the tone of a perishing state is grieving and brooding, its people in straits. The way of sound and tone runs through to government. Gong is the ruler, shang the ministers, jue the people, zhi affairs, yu things. When these five are not disordered there is no jarring tone. When gong is disordered it is wild, and the ruler is arrogant; when shang is disordered it is awry, and the ministers are ruined; when jue is disordered it is sorrowful, and the people are resentful; when zhi is disordered it is mournful, and affairs are toilsome; when yu is disordered it is perilous, and resources are wanting. When all five are disordered and encroach on one another in turn, it is called insolence. In this case the state's destruction is not many days off. The tones of Zheng and Wei are the tones of a disordered age and come near to insolence. The tones of Sangjian and Puyang are the tones of a perishing state; their government is scattered, their people wander, they deceive their superiors and act for themselves, and it cannot be stopped.
In general tone is what is born in the human heart; music is what runs through to the principles of human relations. Therefore those who know sound but not tone are the birds and beasts; those who know tone but not music are the common crowd. Only the gentleman can know music. Therefore one examines sound to know tone, examines tone to know music, examines music to know government, and the way of order is complete. So with one who does not know sound one cannot speak of tone, and with one who does not know tone one cannot speak of music. To know music is to be near to rites. When rites and music are both attained, it is called having virtue. Virtue is attainment. Therefore the exaltation of music is not the utmost of tone, and the rite of the food offering is not the utmost of taste. The zither of the pure temple, with vermilion strings and open sounding-holes, one singing and three sighs, has a residue of sound left over. In the rite of the great offering, dark water is honoured and raw fish is on the stand and the great broth is unseasoned, and there is a residue of taste left over. Therefore in the former kings' making of rites and music, it was not to carry to the utmost the desires of mouth, belly, ear and eye, but to teach the people to level their likes and dislikes and turn back to the correctness of the human way.
Man is born still: this is Heaven's nature. Moved by things he stirs: this is the expression of nature. Things arrive and knowledge knows them, and then likes and dislikes take form. When likes and dislikes have no measure within and knowledge is drawn outward, and one cannot turn back to oneself, then Heaven's principle is destroyed. The moving of men by things is without limit; and if men's likes and dislikes have no measure, then when things arrive men are made into things. To be made into things is to destroy Heaven's principle and exhaust human desire. Thereupon there are hearts of perversity, rebellion, deceit and falsehood, and affairs of licence and disorder. And so the strong coerce the weak, the many oppress the few, the knowing cheat the foolish, the bold harass the timid; the sick are not cared for, and the old, the young, the orphaned and the widowed do not get their place: this is the way of great disorder. Therefore the former kings made rites and music and set measures for men: mourning garments, weeping and wailing are the means of measuring funerals; bells, drums, shields and axes are the means of harmonising ease and joy; marriage and the capping and pinning are the means of distinguishing men and women; archery meetings, district gatherings and feasts are the means of setting right their intercourse. Rites measure the people's hearts, music harmonises the people's sounds, government carries it out and punishment guards it. When rites, music, punishment and government all reach through without contradiction, the kingly way is complete.
Music makes for sameness, rites for difference. Sameness makes men close, difference makes them respectful. If music prevails, there is drift; if rites prevail, there is separation. To join feelings and adorn appearance is the business of rites and music. When rites and righteousness are established, noble and base have their grades; when the pattern of music is shared, high and low are in harmony; when likes and dislikes are made plain, the worthy and unworthy are distinguished; when punishment restrains violence and rank raises the worthy, government is even. To love them with humaneness and set them right with righteousness — thus the governing of the people is carried out.
Music comes out from within; rites are made from without. Music comes from within, and so is still; rites are made from without, and so are patterned. Great music must be easy, great rites must be simple. When music is perfect there is no resentment; when rites are perfect there is no contention. To govern the world by bowing and yielding — this is what rites and music mean. When violent men do not rise, the lords submit as guests, arms and armour are not put to the test, the five punishments are not used, the hundred clans have no troubles and the Son of Heaven is not angry — thus music is achieved. To join the closeness of father and son, make clear the order of old and young, and so bring reverence to all within the four seas — when the Son of Heaven is like this, rites are carried out.
Great music shares the harmony of heaven and earth, great rites share their measure. Harmony, and so the hundred things are not lost; measure, and so Heaven and Earth are sacrificed to. In the bright world there are rites and music; in the dark there are ghosts and spirits; thus within the four seas there is joint reverence and shared love. Rites make affairs different and join reverence; music makes patterns differ and joins love. The feeling of rites and music is the same, and so enlightened kings have followed one upon another in them. Thus affairs go with the times and names go with achievements. So bells, drums, pipes, chimes, plumes, flutes, shields and axes are the instruments of music; bending and stretching, bowing and raising, ranks and positions, slow and quick, are the pattern of music. Bowls, baskets, stands and dishes, institutions and figured emblems are the instruments of rites; ascending and descending, up and down, turning about, baring and covering the robe, are the pattern of rites. Therefore he who knows the feeling of rites and music can make them, and he who understands their pattern can transmit them. The maker is called a sage, the transmitter is called enlightened. To be enlightened and sagely is to transmit and to make.
Music is the harmony of heaven and earth; rites are the order of heaven and earth. Harmony, and so the hundred things are all transformed; order, and so the host of things are all distinguished. Music is made from Heaven, rites are patterned on Earth. To overdo the patterning is disorder; to overdo the making is violence. Only when one is clear about heaven and earth can one raise up rites and music. To discuss the relations without harm is the feeling of music; gladness, delight, joy and love are the office of music. Uprightness and centrality without depravity is the substance of rites; gravity, reverence, respect and compliance are the ordering of rites. As for rites and music being set upon metal and stone, passing into sound and tone, used in the ancestral temple and at the altars of state, and applied to mountains, rivers, ghosts and spirits — this is what is shared in common with the people.
The king accomplishes his merit and makes music, settles his government and makes rites. Where the merit is great the music is complete; where the government is well distinguished the rites are full. The dance of shield and axe is not complete music; boiling and roasting for sacrifice is not perfect rites. The Five Emperors were of different times and did not follow one another's music; the Three Kings were of different ages and did not copy one another's rites. When music is carried to excess there is grief; when rites are coarse there is partiality. To have music in full and yet no grief, and rites complete and yet no partiality — is this not only the great sage? Heaven is high and earth low and the myriad things are scattered and distinct, and so the ordering of rites is carried out; flowing without cease, joining and transforming, and so music arises. Spring makes things grow and summer makes them tall: this is humaneness. Autumn gathers them and winter stores them: this is righteousness. Humaneness is near to music, righteousness near to rites. Music makes harmony full, leading the spirits and following Heaven; rites distinguish what is fitting, dwelling with the ghosts and following Earth. Therefore the sage makes music to answer Heaven and makes rites to match Earth. When rites and music are clear and complete, heaven and earth do their offices.
Heaven is honoured and earth humble, and ruler and minister are fixed. High and low being set out, noble and base have their places. Motion and stillness having their constancy, small and great are distinguished. Kinds gather by their categories and things divide by their groups, and so natures and destinies differ. In heaven it makes images and on earth it makes forms; thus rites are the distinctions of heaven and earth. The earth's vapour rises and the heaven's vapour comes down, yin and yang rub against each other, heaven and earth shake together, drummed by thunder and lightning, roused by wind and rain, stirred by the four seasons, warmed by sun and moon, and the hundred transformations arise; thus music is the harmony of heaven and earth.
If transformation is not in season, there is no birth; if men and women are not distinguished, disorder mounts up: this is the nature of heaven and earth. And when rites and music reach to heaven and coil about the earth, move in yin and yang and pass through to the ghosts and spirits, exhaust the high and the far and fathom the deep and thick — music is fixed in the Great Beginning and rites dwell in the completing of things. What is manifest and unceasing is Heaven; what is manifest and unmoving is Earth. One moving and one still is what lies between heaven and earth. Therefore the sage said, "Rites, they say; music, they say."
Of old Shun made a five-stringed zither to sing the South Wind, and Kui first made music to reward the lords. Therefore the Son of Heaven's making of music is to reward those of the lords who have virtue. When virtue is abundant and teaching honoured and the five grains ripen in season, then he rewards them with music. Therefore where he governs the people with toil, the ranks of his dance are far apart; where he governs the people at ease, the ranks of his dance are short. Therefore one watches his dance and knows his virtue, hears his posthumous title and knows his conduct. The Great Emblem is making manifest; the Xianchi is completeness; the Shao is carrying on; the Xia is greatness; the music of Yin and Zhou is fullness.
In the way of heaven and earth, when cold and heat are out of season there is sickness; when wind and rain are without measure there is famine. Teaching is the people's cold and heat, and if teaching is out of season it injures the age. Affairs are the people's wind and rain, and if affairs are without measure there is no accomplishment. This being so, the former kings' making of music was to take order as their model, and where it was good, conduct was the image of virtue. Now to fatten pigs and make wine is not to make disaster; yet when lawsuits and pleadings grow more numerous, it is the flow of wine that gives rise to disaster. Therefore the former kings accordingly made the rites of wine: in the rite of a single offering, guest and host bow a hundred times, and one may drink wine all day and not get drunk. This is how the former kings guarded against the disasters of wine. Therefore wine and food are the means of joining in gladness.
Music is the means of imaging virtue; rites are the means of shutting out licence. Therefore when the former kings had a great affair, they must have rites to grieve over it; when they had great good fortune, they must have rites to rejoice in it: the measure of grief and joy alike is completed by rites.
Music is giving; rites are requital. Music takes joy in that from which it arose; rites turn back to that from which they began. Music makes virtue manifest; rites requite feeling and turn back to the beginning. What is called the great carriage is the Son of Heaven's carriage; the dragon banner with nine streamers is the Son of Heaven's standard; the one edged with black and green is the Son of Heaven's sacred tortoise; and following it with herds of oxen and sheep is the means of presenting gifts to the lords.
Music is that in feeling which cannot be changed; rites are that in principle which cannot be altered. Music unites sameness, rites distinguish difference, and the teaching of rites and music runs through human feeling. To exhaust the root and know its changes is the feeling of music; to make sincerity manifest and put away falsehood is the constant of rites. Rites and music follow the sincerity of heaven and earth, reach to the virtue of the bright spirits, bring down and raise up the spirits above and below, and give solid shape to the fine and the coarse, and govern the measures of father and son, ruler and minister.
Therefore when the great man raises up rites and music, heaven and earth will shine for him. Heaven and earth join gladly, yin and yang attain each other, warming and brooding they cover and nourish the myriad things; and then grass and trees flourish, sprouts break through, feathered wings beat, horns and antlers grow, hibernating insects come back to life, the feathered brood and hatch, the furred conceive and bear, the womb-born do not miscarry and the egg-born do not crack: then the way of music comes home.
Music is not the yellow bell and the great tube, the strings, the singing, the shield and the raised axe; these are the last details of music, and so boys dance them. To spread mats, set out the wine vessels and stands and range the dishes, and make ascending and descending the rite, is the last detail of rites, and so officers take charge of it. The music master is versed in sound and poem, and so faces north and plays the strings; the temple invocator is versed in the rites of the ancestral temple, and so comes after the impersonator; the mourning invocator is versed in the rites of mourning, and so comes after the chief mourner. Therefore he whose virtue is complete is above and he whose art is complete is below; he whose conduct is complete comes first and he whose business is complete comes after. Therefore the former kings had an above and a below, a first and an after, and only then could they set up institutions for the world.
Music is what the sage takes pleasure in, and it can make the people's hearts good. It moves men deeply, and its manners shift and its customs change; and so the former kings made its teaching manifest.
Men have the nature of blood, breath, heart and knowledge, but have no constancy of grief, joy, delight and anger; they answer what moves them and stir at things, and then the workings of the heart take form. Therefore when tones that are minute, anxious and withered arise, the people brood and grieve; when tones that are easy, slow, gentle and simple, richly patterned and sparing in measure arise, the people are content and glad; when tones that are coarse, harsh, fiercely rising, forceful at the close and broadly swelling arise, the people are firm and resolute; when tones that are clean, straight, upright and grave and sincere arise, the people are solemn and reverent; when tones that are generous, ample, rounded, smooth-flowing and harmoniously moving arise, the people are kind and loving; when tones that are drifting, deviant, depraved and scattered, hurried and overflowing arise, the people are licentious and disordered.
Therefore the former kings rooted it in feeling and nature, checked it by measure and number, ordered it by rites and righteousness, joined the harmony of the breath of life, led the course of the five constants, and made the yang not scatter and the yin not be shut in, the firm breath not angry and the yielding breath not cowed; and the four flowing freely within and coming forth without, all rested in their places and did not usurp one another. Then they set up grades of study, broadened its measures and rhythms, and examined its patterned colours, to gauge thickness of virtue. They matched the proportions of small and great and ordered the sequence of end and beginning, to image conduct, so that the principles of near and distant kin, noble and base, old and young, man and woman were all made manifest in the music. Hence it is said, "In music the gazing is deep."
When the soil is worn out, grass and trees do not grow; when the water is disturbed, fish and turtles do not grow large; when the breath declines, living things are not nourished; when the age is disordered, rites are abandoned and music grows licentious. Therefore its sound is grieving and not grave, joyful and not settled; insolent and easy, it violates the measures; drifting and drowned, it forgets the root. Broad, it makes room for wickedness; narrow, it broods on desire. It stirs a washing, shaking breath and destroys the virtue of peace and harmony; and so the gentleman holds it base.
In general, when wicked sounds move men a contrary breath answers them, and when the contrary breath takes shape licentious music arises. When upright sounds move men a compliant breath answers them, and when the compliant breath takes shape harmonious music arises. Singer and answerer have their response, and the crooked and depraved, the bent and the straight, each returns to its own portion, and the principles of the myriad things move one another by kind.
Therefore the gentleman turns back to his feelings in order to harmonise his intent, and compares kinds in order to complete his conduct. Wicked sounds and disordered colours do not linger in his hearing and sight; licentious music and abandoned rites do not touch the workings of his heart; the breath of idleness, insolence, depravity and deviation is not set in his body; and he makes ear, eye, nose, mouth, heart, knowledge and all the members follow compliance and uprightness in carrying out what is right. Then it is brought forth in sound and tone, patterned with zither and lute, moved with shield and axe, adorned with plume and yak-tail, and followed with flute and pipe, to rouse the light of perfect virtue and stir the harmony of the four breaths, so as to make manifest the principles of the myriad things. Therefore its clear brightness images Heaven, its breadth and greatness image Earth, its ending and beginning image the four seasons, its turning about images wind and rain; the five colours make a pattern and are not disordered, the eight winds follow the pitch-pipes and are not awry, the hundred measures get their numbers and have constancy; small and great complete each other, end and beginning give birth to each other, singing and answering, clear and muddy, take turns as the constant rule. Therefore when music is carried out the relations are clear, ear and eye are keen and bright, blood and breath are harmonious and level, manners shift and customs change, and the world is all at peace. Hence it is said, "Music is joy." The gentleman takes joy in getting his way; the small man takes joy in getting his desires. When desires are ordered by the way, there is joy and no disorder; when the way is forgotten for desires, there is delusion and no joy. Therefore the gentleman turns back to his feelings in order to harmonise his intent, and broadens music in order to complete his teaching; and when music is carried out and the people turn toward the right direction, one may thereby observe virtue.
Virtue is the beginning of nature; music is the flower of virtue; metal, stone, silk and bamboo are the instruments of music. Poetry speaks its intent; song chants its sound; dance moves its form. These three are rooted in the heart, and then the breath of music follows them. Therefore when feeling is deep the pattern is clear, when breath is abundant the transformation is spirit-like, and when harmony and compliance accumulate within, splendour comes forth without. Only music cannot be feigned.
Music is the stirring of the heart; sound is the image of music; pattern, colour and measure are the adornment of sound. The gentleman stirs its root, takes joy in its image, and afterwards orders its adornment. Therefore the drum sounds first to give warning; three steps show the direction; beginning again makes the going forth manifest; returning in the finale marks the coming home. It is swift and stirring without being uprooted; it goes to the utmost of obscurity without being hidden. He alone takes joy in his intent and does not weary of his way; he sets out its way in full and does not make its desires his own. Thus feeling appears and rightness is established; the music ends and virtue is honoured. The gentleman by it loves good; the small man by it ceases from fault. Hence it is said, "Of the ways of the living people, music is the greatest."
The gentleman says: Rites and music may not be put away from one's person for a moment. To perfect music in order to govern the heart, and the heart of ease, straightness, kindness and sincerity grows of itself. When the heart of ease, straightness, kindness and sincerity is born there is joy; joy brings peace; peace brings long continuance; long continuance brings Heaven; Heaven brings spirit. Heaven does not speak and yet is trusted; spirit is not angry and yet is awesome. To perfect music is to govern the heart; to perfect rites is to govern the body. Governing the body brings gravity and reverence; gravity and reverence bring dignity and awe. If for a moment the heart within is not harmonious and glad, then a mean and deceitful heart enters it; if for a moment the outward appearance is not grave and reverent, then an insolent and easy heart enters it. Therefore music stirs within and rites stir without. Music perfects harmony, rites perfect compliance. When there is harmony within and compliance without, then the people look upon his countenance and do not contend with him, and gaze on his bearing and do not grow easy and insolent. The gleam of virtue stirs within and there is none of the people who does not receive and listen; order comes forth without and there is none who does not receive and comply. Hence it is said, "Know the way of rites and music, and to take it up and set it before the world is no hard thing."
Music stirs within, rites stir without. Therefore rites make modesty their chief and music fullness. Rites are modest and yet press forward, taking pressing forward as their pattern; music is full and yet turns back, taking turning back as its pattern. If rites are modest and do not press forward, they waste away; if music is full and does not turn back, it runs wild. Therefore rites have requital and music has turning back. When rites get their requital there is joy; when music gets its turning back there is peace. The requital of rites and the turning back of music are one in meaning.
Music is joy, which human feeling cannot do without. Joy must come forth in sound and tone and take form in motion and stillness: this is the way of man. Sound and tone, motion and stillness, the changes of nature's workings, are exhausted in this. Therefore men cannot be without joy, and joy cannot be without form. Form that is not made into a way cannot be without disorder. The former kings hated this disorder, and so made the sounds of the Ya and Song to guide it, making their sound enough for joy and not for drift, making their pattern enough to hold together and not to break off, making their bending and straightness, fullness and sparseness, cleanness and roundness, and measure and rhythm, enough to move the good hearts of men and no more, and not letting wanton hearts and depraved breath come near them. This was the former kings' way of setting up music. Therefore when music is in the ancestral temple and ruler and minister, high and low, listen to it together, there are none who are not harmonious and reverent; when it is among the clan elders in the villages and old and young listen to it together, there are none who are not harmonious and compliant; when it is within the family gate and father and son, elder and younger brother listen to it together, there are none who are not harmonious and close. Therefore music examines a single note to settle its harmony, matches instruments to adorn its measures, and joins measures and rhythms into a pattern, and so joins in harmony fathers and sons, rulers and ministers, and draws close the myriad people: this was the former kings' way of setting up music. Therefore by listening to the sounds of the Ya and Song the will and thoughts are broadened; by grasping the shield and axe and practising the bowing and raising, the bending and stretching, the bearing becomes grave; by moving in the ranks and positions and keeping to the measures, the lines become correct and advance and retreat become even. Therefore music is the evenness of heaven and earth, the guiding cord of centrality and harmony, and what human feeling cannot do without.
Music is what the former kings used to adorn gladness; armies and axes are what the former kings used to adorn anger. Therefore the former kings' gladness and anger both got their evenness. When they were glad the world was in harmony with them; when they were angry the violent and disorderly feared them. Of the former kings' way, rites and music may be called abundant indeed.
Marquis Wen of Wei asked Zixia: "When I sit in formal cap and robe and listen to ancient music, I fear only that I shall fall asleep; when I listen to the tones of Zheng and Wei, I do not know weariness. May I ask why ancient music is like that, and why new music is like this?"
Zixia answered: "Now in ancient music, they advance together and withdraw together; it is harmonious, upright and broad; strings, gourd, reed-organ and mouth-organ wait together on the hand-drum and drum; it begins its playing with the civil drum and stops the finale with the martial gong; the ordering of the finale is by the xiang drum and the quickening by the ya. The gentleman then speaks, then discourses on antiquity, cultivates himself and reaches to his house, and levels the world: this is the issuing of ancient music. Now in new music, they advance bowed and withdraw bowed; wicked sounds make it licentious; it drowns men and does not stop; and with actors and dwarfs, men and women mingle like monkeys and fathers and sons are not known. When the music ends one cannot speak of it, cannot discourse on antiquity: this is the issuing of new music. Now what my lord asked about is music; what he loves is tone. Music and tone are near to each other and yet not the same."
Marquis Wen said, "May I ask how?"
Zixia answered: "In antiquity heaven and earth were compliant and the four seasons fitting, the people had virtue and the five grains flourished, sickness did not arise and there were no prodigies: this is called great fitness. Then the sages made the relations of father and son, ruler and minister as the guiding cords; the guiding cords being set right, the world was greatly settled; the world being greatly settled, then they corrected the six pitch-pipes and harmonised the five notes, and sang the Odes and Hymns to the strings: this is called the tone of virtue, and the tone of virtue is called music. The Odes say: 'Still was his virtuous fame; his virtue was able to be bright; able to be bright, able to judge; able to be chief, able to be ruler. King over this great state, able to comply, able to cleave. Cleaving to King Wen, his virtue was without regret. Having received the Lord's blessing, he extended it to sons and grandsons.' This is what is meant. Now what my lord loves — is it the drowning tones?"
Marquis Wen said, "May I ask whence the drowning tones come?"
Zixia answered: "The tone of Zheng loves excess and makes the will licentious; the tone of Song is soft and womanish and drowns the will; the tone of Wei is hurried and pressing and vexes the will; the tone of Qi is haughty and deviant and makes the will arrogant. These four are all excessive in beauty and harmful to virtue, and so are not used in sacrifice. The Odes say: 'Solemn and harmonious the sound; the forebears hearken to it.' Now solemnity is reverence; harmony is concord. With reverence and concord, what affair is not carried out? He who is ruler of men need only be careful in what he loves and hates. If the ruler loves it the ministers do it; if those above practise it the people follow it. The Odes say, 'To lead the people is most easy' — this is what is meant. Then the sages made the hand-drum and drum, the trough and scraper, the ocarina and the flute; these six are the tones of the tone of virtue. Then bells, chimes, reed-organs and zithers harmonise them, and shields, axes, yak-tails and plumes dance to them. This is how the temples of the former kings are sacrificed to; this is how offerings, pledges, rinsings and returns are made; this is how offices are ordered and noble and base each get what befits them; this is how later ages are shown that there is an order of honoured and humble, old and young. The sound of the bell clangs; clanging, it sets up a call; the call sets up fullness; fullness sets up martial spirit. The gentleman, hearing the bell's sound, thinks of his martial ministers. The sound of stone is hard; hardness sets up distinction; distinction brings men to die. The gentleman, hearing the chime's sound, thinks of ministers who die at the frontier. The sound of strings is mournful; mourning sets up cleanness; cleanness sets up the will. The gentleman, hearing the sound of zithers, thinks of ministers of will and righteousness. The sound of bamboo overflows; overflowing sets up gathering; gathering assembles the multitude. The gentleman, hearing the sound of reed-organs, mouth-organs, panpipes and flutes, thinks of ministers who gather and store. The sound of drums is clamorous; clamour sets up movement; movement advances the multitude. The gentleman, hearing the sound of drums, thinks of his ministers who are generals and commanders. The gentleman's listening to tone is not listening to its clang and clatter merely; there is something in it that answers to him."
Binmou Jia sat in attendance on Confucius, and Confucius talked with him, and coming to music said, "In the Wu, why is the warning made ready so long beforehand?"
He answered, "He was troubled at not having his multitude with him."
"The long sighing and the drawn-out flowing — why?"
He answered, "He feared he would not be in time for the affair."
"The rousing and stamping so early — why?"
He answered, "It was to meet the business of the moment."
"In the Wu, the kneeling with the right knee down and the left raised — why?"
He answered, "That is not the kneeling of the Wu."
"The sound running over into shang — why?"
He answered, "That is not the tone of the Wu."
The Master said, "If it is not the tone of the Wu, then what tone is it?"
He answered, "The officers have lost the transmission of it. If it is not that the officers lost the transmission, then King Wu's purpose was wild."
The Master said, "What I, Qiu, heard from Chang Hong was likewise as you, sir, have said."
Binmou Jia rose, left his mat and asked: "As to the Wu's warning being made ready so long beforehand, I have now heard your instruction. May I ask why it is slow and slow again and long drawn out?"
The Master said: "Sit, and I will tell you. Music is the imaging of what is accomplished. To hold the shield and stand like a mountain is the affair of King Wu; the rousing and stamping is the purpose of Taigong; the kneeling of all in the Wu's finale is the governing of the Dukes of Zhou and Shao. Moreover the Wu begins with going out to the north; in the second movement Shang is destroyed; in the third it goes south; in the fourth the southern states are made its border; in the fifth there is the division at Shan, the Duke of Zhou on the left and the Duke of Shao on the right; in the sixth they return to their ranks to honour the Son of Heaven; and the shaking of bells on both sides with four strikes is the abundance of his awe in the central states. Advancing divided on both sides is that the affair was early accomplished. Standing long in the ranks is to await the coming of the lords. And have you alone not heard the talk of Muye? When King Wu overcame Yin and turned to Shang, before he had got down from his carriage he enfeoffed the descendants of the Yellow Emperor at Ji, the descendants of the Emperor Yao at Zhu and the descendants of the Emperor Shun at Chen; getting down from his carriage he enfeoffed the descendants of the house of Xiahou at Qi and the descendants of Yin at Song, raised a mound over the grave of the prince Bigan, released Jizi from prison, sent him to Shang Rong and restored him to his place. For the common people he loosened the government, and for the many officers he doubled their salaries. Crossing the He and going west, he turned the horses loose on the south of Mount Hua and did not ride them again; he turned the oxen loose in the waste of Taolin and did not yoke them again; carriages and armour were smeared and stored in the arsenals and not used again; shields and dagger-axes were carried upside down and wrapped in tiger skins; the leaders and commanders were made lords, and it was named 'putting the bows in the case': and then the world knew that King Wu would not use arms again. He disbanded the army and held archery in the suburbs; at the archery of the left they shot to the Fox's Head and at the right to the Zouyu, and the shooting that pierced hide ceased; in ceremonial cap and robe with the tablet in the girdle, the tiger-brave officers laid aside their swords; he sacrificed at the Hall of Light and the people knew filial piety; he received the court visits, and then the lords knew how to be subjects; he ploughed the sacred field, and then the lords knew how to be reverent: these five are the great teachings of the world. He feasted the Three Elders and Five Experienced Ones in the Grand Academy, the Son of Heaven baring his arm and carving the victim, holding the sauce and serving it, holding the cup and offering the rinsing, in cap and holding the shield — this was to teach the lords brotherly respect. When it was like this, the way of Zhou reached the four quarters and rites and music passed through to one another; then that the Wu is slow and long — is it not fitting?"
Zigong saw the music master Yi and asked him: "I have heard that sound and song each have what befits them; for one like me, what song is fitting?"
Music master Yi said: "I, Yi, am a lowly craftsman; how am I fit to be asked what befits? Let me recite what I have heard, and you, sir, judge for yourself. He who is generous and still, soft and upright, should sing the Hymns; he who is broad and great and still, open and trustworthy, should sing the Greater Ya; he who is respectful and thrifty and loves rites should sing the Lesser Ya; he who is upright, straight, pure and modest should sing the Airs; he who is unbending, straight and kindly should sing the Shang; he who is mild and good and able to decide should sing the Qi. Now singing is to make oneself straight and set forth virtue; stir oneself and heaven and earth answer, the four seasons are in harmony, the stars are ordered and the myriad things are nourished. Therefore the Shang are the surviving sounds of the Five Emperors, and the men of Shang kept them in mind, and so they are called the Shang; the Qi are the surviving sounds of the Three Dynasties, and the men of Qi kept them in mind, and so they are called the Qi. He who is clear about the poems of Shang, facing an affair decides repeatedly; he who is clear about the poems of Qi, seeing profit yields it. To face an affair and decide repeatedly is courage; to see profit and yield it is righteousness. To have courage and righteousness — but for singing, who could preserve this? Therefore in singing, rising it is as if lifted up, falling it is as if dropped down, turning it is as if broken off, stopping it is like a withered tree; the level notes fit the square and the bent notes fit the hook, and on and on it strings together like pearls threaded. So singing as speech is prolonged speech. One is pleased and therefore speaks; speech not being enough, one prolongs it; prolonging not being enough, one sighs it out; sighing it out not being enough, one does not know that the hands are dancing it and the feet stamping it." Zigong asked about music.
In general tone comes from the human heart, and Heaven and man have that by which they pass through to each other, as a shadow images a form and an echo answers a sound. Therefore Heaven repays the doer of good with blessing and gives the doer of evil calamity; this is natural.
Therefore Shun played the five-stringed zither and sang the poem of the South Wind, and the world was ordered; Zhou made the tones of Zhaoge and of the northern outskirts, and his person died and his state perished. How broad was Shun's way! How narrow was Zhou's! The poem of the South Wind is a tone of birth and growth, and Shun's music loved it; his music shared the intent of heaven and earth and won the glad hearts of the myriad states, and so the world was ordered. Zhaoge is out of season; north means defeat and outskirts means meanness; and Zhou's music loved it. He differed in heart from the myriad states, the lords did not attach themselves and the hundred clans were not close, and the world turned against him, and so his person died and his state perished.
And in the time of Duke Ling of Wei, as he was going to Jin he stopped for the night on the bank of the Pu River. At midnight he heard the sound of someone playing the zither; he asked those about him, and all answered, "We heard nothing." So he summoned the music master Juan and said: "I heard the tone of a zither; I asked those about me and none heard it. Its manner is like a ghost or spirit; listen for me and write it down." Music master Juan said, "Very well," and accordingly sat upright, took up the zither, listened and wrote it down. The next day he said, "I have got it, but I have not practised it; I beg to spend the night practising it." Duke Ling said, "Very well," and so they stayed another night. The next day he reported, "I have practised it." Then they went on to Jin and saw Duke Ping of Jin. Duke Ping set out wine on the Terrace of Bestowed Kindness. When the drinking was at its height, Duke Ling said, "Coming here just now I heard a new sound; let it be played." Duke Ping said, "Very well." So he had music master Juan sit beside music master Kuang, take up the zither and play it. Before it was finished, music master Kuang laid his hand on it and stopped him, saying, "This is the sound of a perishing state; it may not be gone on with." Duke Ping said, "How did it come about?" Music master Kuang said: "It was made by music master Yan. With Zhou he made enervating music; when King Wu attacked Zhou, music master Yan fled east and threw himself into the Pu River, and so this sound must be heard on the bank of the Pu, and the state that first hears this sound is diminished." Duke Ping said, "What I love is tone; I wish to hear it out." Music master Juan played it to the end.
Duke Ping said, "Is there no tone more mournful than this?" Music master Kuang said, "There is." Duke Ping said, "May I hear it?" Music master Kuang said, "My lord's virtue and righteousness are thin; you may not listen to it." Duke Ping said, "What I love is tone; I wish to hear it." Music master Kuang, having no choice, took up the zither and played it. At the first playing there were sixteen dark cranes that gathered at the gate of the gallery; at the second they stretched their necks and cried and spread their wings and danced.
Duke Ping was greatly delighted and rose and drank music master Kuang's health. Returning to his seat he asked, "Is there no tone more mournful than this?" Music master Kuang said: "There is. Of old the Yellow Emperor used it to assemble the ghosts and spirits; now my lord's virtue and righteousness are thin and not enough to listen to it, and listening will bring ruin." Duke Ping said, "I am old; what I love is tone; I wish to hear it out." Music master Kuang, having no choice, took up the zither and played it. At the first playing white clouds rose from the northwest; at the second a great wind came and rain followed it, tearing the tiles from the gallery, and those about all ran away. Duke Ping was afraid and lay prostrate between the gallery and the chamber. The state of Jin had a great drought and the land was scorched bare for three years.
For those who listen, it may be auspicious or ill-omened. Music may not be raised up recklessly.
The Lord Grand Astrologer says: The enlightened kings of high antiquity raised up music not to please the heart and take their own pleasure, to gratify the will and give rein to desire, but because they wished to bring about order. Correct teaching all begins in tone; when tone is correct, conduct is correct. Therefore music is the means of stirring the blood and the veins, making the spirit flow through and harmonising and rectifying the heart. Therefore gong stirs the spleen and harmonises and rectifies sageness; shang stirs the lungs and harmonises and rectifies righteousness; jue stirs the liver and harmonises and rectifies humaneness; zhi stirs the heart and harmonises and rectifies rites; yu stirs the kidneys and harmonises and rectifies wisdom. Therefore music within assists the rectifying of the heart and without distinguishes noble and base; above it serves the ancestral temple and below it transforms the common people. The zither is eight chi one cun long, the correct measure. The great string is gong and lies in the centre: it is the ruler. Shang is stretched on its right, and the rest follow in order of size; when the order is not lost, then the positions of ruler and minister are correct. Therefore hearing the gong tone makes men mild and easy and broad and great; hearing the shang tone makes men square and upright and fond of righteousness; hearing the jue tone makes men compassionate and loving of men; hearing the zhi tone makes men delight in good and love giving; hearing the yu tone makes men orderly and fond of rites. Rites enter from without, music comes out from within. Therefore the gentleman may not depart from rites for a moment; depart from rites for a moment and violent and insolent conduct is rife without. He may not depart from music for a moment; depart from music for a moment and wicked and depraved conduct is rife within. Therefore the tones of music are what the gentleman nourishes righteousness with. In antiquity the Son of Heaven and the lords, in listening to bells and chimes, never left the courtyard, and the ministers and grandees, in listening to the tones of zithers, never left their presence, and so they nourished the practice of righteousness and guarded against licence and indulgence. Licence and indulgence arise from want of rites, and so the sage kings made men's ears hear the sounds of the Ya and Song, their eyes see the rites of dignified bearing, their feet walk in the bearing of respect and reverence, and their mouths speak the way of humaneness and righteousness. Therefore the gentleman may speak all day and depravity and deviation have no way to enter.