The Spiritual Core of Pre-Qin Confucian Thought on Rites and Music and Its Contemporary Value

Abstract

Against the backdrop of contemporary society confronting profound issues such as cultural identity, ethical foundations, and spiritual life, a return to the classical resources of Pre-Qin Confucian thought on rites and music carries significant theoretical importance. This study aims to systematically elucidate the composite structure, spiritual core, and enduring value of Pre-Qin Confucian thought on rites and music that transcends its historical context. The paper first examines the constitutive characteristics of the system of rites and music, revealing it as a product of the philosophical integration of previous civilizations. It demonstrates how the normative function of "rites" (li) and the emotionally moderating function of "music" (yue), through their interactive "mutual necessity," construct an ideal of order and harmony that integrates reason and emotion. Subsequently, the paper delves into its spiritual core, clarifying the unity of moral subjectivity and external norms embodied in the "oneness of ren and li," the path of emotional cultivation and character formation signified by the "beauty of the mean and harmony" (zhong he zhi mei), and the connection between the human and the cosmic achieved through "extending from the human to the cosmos." Finally, the research is dedicated to a modern revaluation of the spirit of rites and music, exploring its potential intellectual resources for reconstructing contemporary ethical identity, nurturing communal emotional bonds, and promoting the creative transformation of humanistic education. Through an approach informed by philosophical hermeneutics, this study attempts to offer a possibility for in-depth theoretical dialogue concerning the modern transformation of traditional thought.