儒敎的 관점에서 본 音樂의 道德敎育的 含意

Abstract

Music exposes people’s impulse and desire of expression hidden in their mind. Contemporary popular music reflects the characteristics of contemporary popular culture that emphasizes commerciality. Most of contemporary people are interested in discharging their stress and satisfying their desires to the full through music rather than in forming a consensus with others. Particularly because contemporary popular music appeals only to teenagers and pursues transient catharsis, music itself is becoming more sensual and stimulating. Riding on this trend, music production is also inclined to music more sensuous and stimulating peripheral senses, overlooking the functions of music for public interests and social integration. Good music relieves people suffering under competition from excessive mental tension, and gives them peace through calming down unpleasant emotions coming from stress. Confucianism, which emphasizes leading a life according to inborn nature, also believes that people’s inborn nature, which has been degenerated by difference in temperament and acquired environment, should be cultivated through training. In addition, one of the training methods is restoring the inborn nature by developing a pure heart and suppressing desires through music. The point of view Confucian music is natural and moderate music of harmony with inborn nature, and what are important in the music are the musician’s pure and truthful sentiment and the expression of the musician’s pious and peaceful and joyful heart in a natural way rather than the expression of music skills or techniques. If a peaceful and joyful heart is expressed naturally in music, the expression matches well with the atmosphere or situation. Such music restores the inborn nature in the listeners, and raises emotional responses of feeling what is beautiful and loving others. In this way, Confucian music can contribute to character building. Furthermore, when sound and good music is spread throughout the society, it can lead social customs and manners in a healthy direction, and ultimately, lead to harmony with the universe. What is more, if those who create such music restore their inborn nature and live a moderate harmonious life, naturally they can produce music that breathes together with basic human sentiments. If contemporary popular music, which is busy in pursuing commercial benefits, respects and learns the old traditions and admits the view of music of Confucianism, which is performing functions such as character building, social integration, and cosmic harmony, it may be able to play the original roles of music and to be a solution for many problems in contemporary popular music.