Lipsey, Eleanor Laura (2018) Music motifs in Six Dynasties texts. PhD thesis. SOAS University of London. http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/32199 Copyright © and Moral Rights for this thesis are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non‐commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder/s. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. When referring to this thesis, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given e.g. AUTHOR (year of submission) "Full thesis title", name of the School or Department, PhD Thesis, pagination. Music motifs in Six Dynasties texts Eleanor Laura Lipsey Thesis submitted for the degree of PhD 2018 Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures China & Inner Asia Section SOAS, University of London 1 Abstract This is a study of the music culture of the Six Dynasties era (220–589 CE), as represented in certain texts of the period, to uncover clues to the music culture that can be found in textual references to music. This study diverges from most scholarship on Six Dynasties music culture in four major ways. The first concerns the type of text examined: since the standard histories have been extensively researched, I work with other types of literature. The second is the casual and indirect nature of the references to music that I analyze: particularly when the focus of research is on ideas, most scholarship is directed at formal essays that explicitly address questions about the nature of music. My approach, in contrast, is to look at stories about behavior or casual remarks made in passing that are more indirect indications of ideas about music. The third difference is the nature of the theory applied: while much of the scholarship focuses on how to put our knowledge of Six Dynasties music practices and ideas into historical and cultural perspective, I apply theory from a number of disciplines to try to add some perspective from other regions and eras. The final point of methodological divergence builds on this theory to suggest perspectives that expand beyond an existing emphasis by scholars on the development of aesthetics; this study shows that the texts indicate a richer view of music than is implied by a narrow focus on aesthetics. Most of the material underlying the analysis in this study comes from Shishuo xinyu, Yanshi jiaxun, and Jinlouzi. These texts were produced roughly within the two-hundred-year period from the late fourth century to the late sixth century CE, subsequent to the fall of the Western Jin dynasty, and within the latter half of the Six Dynasties period. 3 Acknowledgements Thanks are due to a number of people from whom I received valuable support during the course of this project. My primary supervisor, Professor Bernhard Fuehrer, patiently guided me back into the world of sinology after a multi-year detour, and encouraged my negotiation of what at first seemed like an unbridgeable divide between musicology and sinology. The other members of my supervisory committee, Professor Tan Tian Yuan and Professor Richard Widdess, provided helpful comments on draft chapters along the way. Professor Regina Llamas, as the discussant for an early version of chapter 4 that I presented at a conference, gave me extensive comments that resulted in a revised, stronger chapter. Professor Andrew Lo introduced me to musical instrument rhapsodies, and Professor Lukas Nickel offered suggestions for what to look for in musical instrument archeology. Invaluable guidance on readings germane to my project came from Professor Mark Csikszentmihalyi, Professor Richard King, Ulrike Middendorf, Professor Michael Nylan, Professor Mathias Obert, and the late Professor Alan Berkowitz. Special thanks go to Professor Enno Giele, who was exceptionally generous with his time; through his methodical questioning, he helped me to crystallize how I wanted to approach my analysis. In addition, I am grateful to my examiners, Professor Thomas Jansen and Professor Nicholas Cook, for their detailed comments on my thesis; their questions, criticism, and suggestions resulted in a much improved final version. I would also like to thank the members of the SOAS Pre-modern Reading Group, whose comments on my draft translations resulted in an improvement in the quality of my translations. My classmate Liu Yangruxin was especially helpful over the entire course of the project. Thanks are also due to my piano teacher, 4 Jonathan Shinar; in addition to guiding me through many of the mysterious layers of musicianship, he patiently entertained my mid-lesson diversions into cross-cultural music philosophy. Most importantly, I deeply appreciate the support I received from family members. My sister, Marion Greenlee, assisted with the reading of difficult passages in secondary French sources. My daughters, Anna and Lisa, helped push me through difficult stretches with their interest and encouragement, and Lisa took time from a packed schedule to come to the rescue when technology failed me just as I was about to submit my thesis. My greatest thanks go to my husband, William Ho, for his companionship and moral support through the ups and downs of the project. 5 Table of contents Music motifs in Six Dynasties texts Table of contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................. 10 1.1 What is music? ....................................................................................... 12 1.2 Methodology .......................................................................................... 14 1.3 The texts .................................................................................................. 16 1.4 Theoretical layers ................................................................................... 18 1.4.1 Musicology for a 1500-year-old music culture? ....................... 18 1.4.2 Applying theory across cultures ................................................ 25 1.4.3 Which context? .............................................................................. 27 1.4.4 The relevance of aesthetics .......................................................... 30 1.5 Organization of the study .................................................................... 31 1.6 Notes on translations, numbering of textual passages, and referencing .............................................................................................. 33 2. Historical and cultural backdrop ............................................................... 35 2.1 Music in the Six Dynasties ................................................................... 44 2.1.1 Texts on music ............................................................................. 52 2.1.1.1 Texts predating the early medieval era .......................... 52 2.1.1.2 Early medieval texts .......................................................... 54 2.1.1.2.1 Texts explicitly focused on music ................................ 54 2.1.1.2.2 Texts with passing references to music ....................... 60 2.1.1.2.2.1 Texts included in the study................................. 62 Shishuo xinyu .................................................................... 64 Yanshi jiaxun .................................................................... 65 Jinlouzi .............................................................................. 66 3. Review of secondary literature .................................................................. 68 3.1 Music history .......................................................................................... 68 3.2 Description of instruments ................................................................... 70 3.2.1 Archaeological evidence ............................................................. 71 3.3 Music Rhapsodies .................................................................................. 73 3.4 Ideas about music .................................................................................. 74 3.5 Biography ............................................................................................... 76 3.6 Conclusion .............................................................................................. 77 6 Table of contents Music motifs in Six Dynasties texts 4. Stirring and stilling ...................................................................................... 79 4.1 What are music and emotion? ............................................................. 80 4.2 Methodology .......................................................................................... 81 4.3 Literature review ................................................................................... 82 4.3.1 Modern musicologists and philosophers .................................. 84 4.4 Cultural backdrop ................................................................................. 91 4.5 Illustrations from texts .......................................................................... 91 4.5.1 Dispelling emotion ....................................................................... 92 4.5.1.1 Wang Xizhi’s route to tranquility ................................... 92 4.5.1.2 Tao Yuanming’s musical escape