Re-reading PJ Ivanhoes _Confucian Reflections: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times_, and this jumps out >> Kongzi believed that music was both an accurate indicator and powerful inculcator of values. Because of the latter belief, he not only advocated the performance and appreciation of certain kinds of music but also argued that bad or harmful music should be banned and eliminated. In Analects 15.10 he says, Banish the songs of Zheng and keep your distance from glib talkers. The songs of Zheng are licentious. Glib talkers are dangerous. It is important to understand the object and the nature of Kongzis denunciation of the songs of Zheng and to make clear that his willingness to ban such music was highly restricted; it did not apply to most forms of music. His call to censor the songs of Zheng expressed his opposition to new forms of *official court music*; he showed no interest at all in criticizing many other new kinds of music that were around in his day (51-2).
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:19:36 +0000
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