操舍存亡《乐道——中国古典音乐哲学论稿》之六

To Do or Not to Do, To Be or Not to Be Studies of Ancient Chinese Philosophy of Music (Part Six)

中国古典哲学所谓“操则存,舍则亡”的命题,深刻揭示了包括音乐在内之一切人类文明事象存在的前提与基础在于在时间中展开的人类行为实践。在人类历史的全部进程中,正是由于一系列个体不断模仿、重复的行为实践,才使文明信息的体外存贮得以实现,而形成古今不绝如缕的文脉、乐脉;此正所谓“继则续,拒则绝”。就此意义而言,“我文(纹)故我在”正是在“我为故我在”的基础上,成就了有古有今的人类历史传统。

The propositions of 'To do, then to be' and 'Not to do, then not to be' in the ancient Chinese philosophy bring to light that everything that is called human civilization, including music, cannot exist without a prerequisite or basis of human actions and practice, which are unfolding with time. In the whole process of human history, it is just because of the continuous actions and practice of imitation and repetition of each individual generation after generation that the non - biological out - of - human - body accumulation of civilization information is realized. Consequently the ever - lasting gene of culture and gene of music are formed. This is exactly what is called 'To inherit, then to last' and 'To exclude, then to sever'. In this sense, with the foundation elaborated as 'I do, therefore I am', the human history and its perpetual tradition, lasting from primitive time to present, are achieved through what is elucidated as ' I create, therefore I am.