Singing in the Zhuangzi

Speaker: Ms YUAN Ai 袁艾(Oxford): oi19870727@gmail.com

Traditionally, the study of music in the Zhuangzi was focusing on the concepts of yue 樂(Music), sheng 聲(sound) and yin 音（music）. This paper changes perspective and focus on the concept of ge 歌(singing). Through analysing this concept, this paper argues that the singing and expressing through music in the Zhuangzi does not limit itself to simply being a means of cultivating ethical emotions, but treated as a unique language for the expressivity of ethical ideals.

To be more specific, this paper argues that first, singing is used in association with stories not only sharing a similar theme but also the same three-fold argumentative structure. Second the reason why ethical ideals were expressed through singing is because it not only reflects an audience-neutral and non-subjective expression, but also treated as the best way for the apprehension of the real listeners. More importantly, such a usage of singing as a special language to express ethical ideals can not only be seen through the Zhuangzi , but also through other texts in early China. This paper’s significance lies in the fact that it not only demonstrates the special usage of music in the so-called Daoist tradition in early China. Moreover, it broadens the understanding how singing is used as a language for ethical cultivation in early China.