Grand Music Reflects Harmony Between Heaven and Earth

盛大的音乐与天地万物一样和谐。儒家强调“天人合一”观念，认为人世间所有活动都依从天地运行的规律。天地间的阴阳和气创生、养育万物，圣人依据这种情形，创作出至为盛大的音乐，所以盛大的音乐具有与天地万物一样和谐的特质。另外，“大乐与天地同和”，需要与“大礼与天地同节”配合。后者指圣人依据天地万物的秩序和规范，制定至为中正的礼仪。音乐与礼仪相辅相成，对于谐和人心、安定秩序功效甚大。在儒家的认知体系中，人间、神鬼、万物，虽有变化但不离中道，彼此各得其所。

According to the Confucian belief of unity of heaven and humanity, all human activities conform with the laws governing celestial and terrestrial movement. The creation of qi (vital energy), the product of the convergence of all the natural elements between heaven and earth, generates and nurtures all living things. With this in mind, sages composed grand pieces of music, thereby giving rise to the idea that grand music reflects harmony between heaven, earth, and all things. This concept and the concept that grand rites reflect the movement of heaven and earth complement each other. The latter one means sages formulate grand rites in accordance with the order of heaven, earth, and all things and the norms governing them. The complementary functions of music and rites play a major role in pacifying and unifying the minds of the people and safeguarding and maintaining public order. According to Confucianism, human beings, deities and ghosts as well as all other living things may undergo changes but will never deviate from the fundamental norms governing their movement, thus everything is in its proper place.

引例 Citations：

◎大乐与天地同和，大礼与天地同节。和，故百物不失；节，故祀天祭地。明则有礼乐，幽则有鬼神。如此，则四海之内，合敬同爱矣。（《礼记·乐记》）

盛大的音乐与天地万物一样和谐，至善的礼仪与天地万物一样有序。有和谐，所以万物生长而不会失去本性；有秩序，所以要按时节祭祀天地。在人世用礼乐教导民众，在幽冥则有鬼神相助。像这样大家各得其所，天下的民众就会互敬互爱了。

Grand music reflects harmony between heaven and earth; grand rites reflect order of heaven, earth and all living things. With such harmony, all things grow without losing their nature. Under such an order, people offer sacrifices to heaven and earth at designated times. In the human world, rites and music cultivate the people. In the underworld, ghosts and deities provide assistance. When all these things are in their proper places, there will be mutual respect and love among all the people across the land. (The Book of Rites)

◎乐者，天地之和也；礼者，天地之序也。和，故百物皆化；序，故群物皆别。乐由天作，礼以地制。（《礼记·乐记》）

音乐，体现天地的和谐；礼仪，体现天地的秩序。有和谐，所以万物都能化育；有秩序，所以万物都能分别。音乐是根据上天创生万物的原理创作的，礼仪是根据大地成就万物的原理制定的。

Music reflects harmony between heaven and earth; rites reflect the order of heaven and earth. With such harmony, all things are generated and nurtured. Under such an order, all things are differentiated. Music is created in accordance with the law that creates all living things; and rites are formulated in accordance with the law that fosters all living things. (The Book of Rites)