| 樂記: |
夫樂者樂也,人情之所不能免也。樂必發於聲音,形於動靜,人之道也。聲音動靜,性術之變,盡於此矣。故人不耐無樂,樂不耐無形。形而不為道,不耐無亂。先王恥其亂,故制雅、頌之聲以道之,使其聲足樂而不流,使其文足論而不息,使其曲直繁瘠、廉肉節奏足以感動人之善心而已矣。不使放心邪氣得接焉,是先王立樂之方也。 |
| Yue Ji: |
Now music produces pleasure - what the nature of man cannot be without. That pleasure must arise from the modulation of the sounds, and have its embodiment in the movements (of the body) - such is the rule of humanity. These modulations and movements are the changes required by the nature, and they are found complete in music. Thus men will not be without the ministration of pleasure, and pleasure will not be without its embodiment, but if that embodiment be not suitably conducted, it is impossible that disorder should not arise. The ancient kings, feeling that they would feel ashamed (in the event of such disorder arising), appointed the tunes and words of the Ya and the Sung to guide (in the music), so that its notes should give sufficient pleasure, without any intermixture of what was bad, while the words should afford sufficient material for consideration without causing weariness; and the bends and straight courses, the swell and diminution, the sharp angles, and soft melody throughout all its parts, should be sufficient to stir up in the minds of the hearers what was good in them, without inducing any looseness of thought or depraved air to be suggested. Such was the plan of the ancient kings when they framed their music. |
| 樂記: |
故聽其雅、頌之聲,志意得廣焉;執其干戚,習其俯仰詘伸,容貌得莊焉;行其綴兆,要其節奏,行列得正焉,進退得齊焉。故樂者天地之命,中和之紀,人情之所不能免也。夫樂者,先王之所以飾喜也,軍旅鈇鉞者,先王之所以飾怒也。故先王之喜怒,皆得其儕焉。喜則天下和之,怒則暴亂者畏之。先王之道,禮樂可謂盛矣。 |
| Yue Ji: |
In listening to the singing of the Ya and the Song, the aims and thoughts receive an expansion. From the manner in which the shields and axes are held and brandished, and from the movements of the body in the practice with them, now turned up, now bent down, now retiring, now stretching forward, the carriage of the person receives gravity. From the way in which (the pantomimes) move to their several places, and adapt themselves to the several parts (of the performance), the arrangement of their ranks is made correct, and their order in advancing and re tiring is secured. In this way music becomes the lesson of Heaven and Earth, the regulator of true harmony, and what the nature of man cannot dispense with. It was by music that the ancient kings gave elegant expression to their joy; by their armies and axes that they gave the same to their anger. Hence their joy and anger always received their appropriate response. When they were joyful, all under heaven were joyful with them; when they were angry, the oppressive and disorderly feared them. In the ways of the ancient kings, ceremonies and music may be said to have attained perfection. |