陶淵明의 傳記에 나타난 ‘無絃琴’과 그 전개의 양상

Abstract

This paper reviewed the historicity of Tao Yuanming(陶淵明)’s anecdote about the ‘stringless zither(無絃琴)’ in the biography of Tao Yuanming in historical books and examined the aspect of its development. The anecdote about the ‘stringless zither’ is not told by Tao Yuanming, but is in a biography recorded by another person, and academia has raised objections against the contents about Tao Yuanming and music in the anecdote. This paper reviewed whether there are any problems in the interpretation of the biography based on Tao Yuanming’s narration and other related data. After the anecdote about the ‘stringless zither’ was established, it continued to develop through a combination with metaphysics(玄學) and the doctrine of the Zen sect(禪學). The ‘stringless zither’ came to be recognized as profound content under the influence of ‘YouWuZhiBian(有無之辨)’ and ‘YanYiZhiBian(言意之辨)’ in the metaphysics of the Wei and Jin Dynasties of China. The mood of ‘DeYiWangYan(得意忘言)’ of Tao Yuanming and the ‘stringless zither’, the core of which is ‘none(無)’, naturally came to have a link with metaphysics. In addition, Tao Yuanming’s unworldly image and metaphysics, ‘YanBuJinYi(言不盡意)’ etc. facilitated the transition to Zen meditation and ‘BuLiWenZi(不立文字)’ of the doctrine of the Zen sect, so that the ‘stringless zither’ rose to the level of a Zen language for ‘enlightenment(妙悟)’. Because the anecdote that Tao Yuanming heard silent sounds with the heart through the ‘stringless zither’ shared a context with the notion that Zen is essentially inexpressible in language. The ‘stringless zither’ was extended to related Zen languages such as ‘flutes without holes(無孔笛)’ and ‘books without letters(無字書)’ under the influence of Zen. Therefore, the ‘stringless zither’ developed into a philosophical concept and literature language against the backdrop of metaphysics and the doctrine of the Zen sect, and greatly affected the literary circles and worlds of thought in ancient Korea as well as in China.