Ritual and Music System in Western Zhou Dynasty

I would like to share something about the first reading article this week, R. Murray Schafer, “The Soundscape” In Sterne, The Sound Studies Reader (pgs. 95-103)

In Music, the Soundscape and Social Welfare part, he mentioned a theory of the relationship between music and the state from ancient China. 

“Therefore the music of a well-ordered age is calm and cheerful, and so is its government. The music of a restive age is excited and fierce, and its government is perverted. The music of a decaying state is sentimental and sad, and its government is imperiled.”

When I was reading this part, I realized what it is in Chinese immediately. This theory came up in a unique historical period. I would like to introduce the background to help you understand it better.

 

In 1058 BC, the Western Zhou Dynasty formulated the ritual and music system as the basic rule of the whole society. The ritual and music system divides the people of the upper class into many levels (such as emperor, princes, officials, and scholars), and then strictly regulates various specific ritual and music activities according to different levels of status.


For example, the emperor could enjoy ensemble performed by 64 people, while 36 people for princes, 8 people for officials and 4 people for scholars. Also, the instruments they used were made by different material. Common people do not have the right to enjoy music performance at that time.

 

The implementation of the ritual music system consolidated the social status of the slave-owner class, it also made music a vassal of politics, making music a ritual-centered model music. Therefore, in ancient China, music is connected tightly to politics.

 

In terms of the theory, it’s actually not only the content of music, but also the ritual music system. When social contradictions are intensified, the authority of the ritual system is seriously challenged. The high class, such as the emperor, has no authority and cannot restrict the behavior of the princes; the princes began to enjoy music performance by 64 people, which would be seen as the ethical and moral culture was collapsed.


The ritual and music system in ancient China is also a great example for Murray Schafer's opinion in this part, "music is an indicator of the age, revealing, for those who know how to read its symptomatic messages, a means of fixing social and even political events". 



Comments

  1. Alanna MacDonaldOctober 5, 2021 at 2:44 PM

    This is a fascinating example Yike!

    I have never considered how sound can be attached to class distinction, hierarchy, and power. Typically when we think of sound (music) from a contemporary Western perspective, we see music and concerts as a media type that is generally accessible by all classes and groups. Perhaps being able to attend a concert based on ticket price is one way that certain groups are either included or excluded, but even then, the ticket availability is not strictly available for certain demographics and class rankings. In general, whether it be online platforms like Spotify, or live events, I have always assumed that music was an open-access experience, however this is not the case in both a historical and contemporary context depending on the world region/country. Even in the West's history, certain music was associated with different class rankings (eg. 18th/19th century classical symphonies and fine instruments associated with the bourgeoisie versus folk tunes associated with the working class).

    I also found your point about the amount of instruments each person could listen to in the ensemble based on their class ranking to be very interesting. I understand that your example is set in 1058BC ancient China; are there any contemporary music/sound rituals that China still uses that are connected to this historical listening system? Or, are there other ways that contemporary China ties in music with politics and social standing?

    Great post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yike ShiOctober 24, 2021 at 8:41 PM

      Thank you so much for your kind words.
      I apologise for responding so late; it appears that I missed the notification regarding your comment.
      The music ritual is for the feudal system of ancient China, and it varies greatly between dynasties. In China now, there is no such music ritual. And, with the exception of the concert tickets you described, music is also practically universally accessible in China now.
      However, West Zhou music is still a fantastic tool for studying history. And some historians and musicologists worked hard to revive it. It would assist scholars in learning more about the dynasty. Furthermore, as a modern person, the restored music astounded me when I first heard it; it was the first time I felt the ancient with my ears.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrLjz7D8jwQ

      This link is a little piece of West Zhou music, I hope you could enjoy it!

      Delete

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