澄百流以一源 发潜德之幽光——略论古代乐学研究的价值

Clarifying the Origin of Steams and Cultivating the Potential Virtues:On the Value of the Study of Yue Xue in Ancient China

乐在中国早期文化中既具本源性,又具统摄性。上古至殷末,巫乐一体,乐在礼先,礼统属于乐。西周时期,自周公"制礼作乐"之后,礼开始居于乐上,但乐正犹掌国学之政,总领《礼》《乐》《诗》《书》"四教",在学术文化上仍居于主导地位。春秋以降,乐学逐步从社会文化结构的中心走向边缘,其内容不断分化,功能减退,地位下坠。其艺术性、器物性、表演性、娱乐性的方面得到发展,而仪式性、制度性、观念性、价值性的方面则日见式微,因此在学术文化上,不得与"五经"之学比肩而立,或附经学之骥尾,或为礼学、诗学之附庸。今天提出"乐学"的概念,并将其作为一种专门之学来加以研究,对把握中国文化的独特性,还原中国传统学科的本来面目,探寻中国学术文化的源流本末,发掘古代家国天下治理的经验与智慧,有不可替代的价值与意义。

In the early Chinese culture,Yue had both original and dominant features. From the ancient times to the end of Shang Dynasty,witchcraft mingled with Yue and Yue preceded rites so the latter was part of the former. During the Western Zhou Dynasty,rites began to have the upper position above Yue since the Duke of Zhou had made"the system of rites and Yue. "However,Yue was still dominating the administration of the Chinese Classics and leading"Four Education Subjects","Li","Yue","Shi","Shu",remaining dominant in academic culture. In the Spring and Autumn Period,Yue gradually moved from the center of social and cultural structure to the edge. In addition,its content continued to differentiate,the function dropped and its status fell down.The artistic,instrumental,performance,entertainment aspects developed but the ritual,institutional,conceptual,and value aspects were declining. Therefore,in the respect of academic culture,Yue should not be compared with the study of"The Five Classics"but being attached to the study of"The Five Classics"or vassal of the rites and poetics. Nowadays,it is of irreplaceable value and significance to put forward the concept of"Yue Xue"and to treat it as a special discipline,which helps us to grasp the uniqueness of Chinese culture,restore the true nature of traditional Chinese disciplines,and explore the origin and source of Chinese academic culture as well as the experience and wisdom of ancient governance of the country and the world.