ABSTRACT

From the viewpoint of Confucianism, the origin of musical composition lies in the heart of a human being. However, they say music does not directly come from the heart, but the heart must pass through the steps of sounds and tones before getting to music. Sound comes into being after the heart is moved in response to external things and emotions are expressed. Tones are the artistic form by which the characteristics of sound can be expressed in harmonious manner, and this artistic form combined with ethical contents is the music in Confucianism. That music originates from expressions of emotions caused by movement of the heart explains the inevitability of the existence of music for human beings. As long as humans have hearts and emotions, the existence of music is inevitable. However, even if music exists inevitably, there are the music that can give beneficial influence to human emotions and the music that cannot. Herein lies the necessity of musical education as a means to teach and spread the music that can give good influence to human emotions. The music that gives beneficial influence to human emotions plays the role of harmonizing and uniting the people who were moved by the music. In Confucianism, this kind of music that harmonizes and unites all things is called Ye-Ahk. They believe that human perfection can be actualized through the education of Ye-Ahk. In conclusion, the ultimate objective of musical education in Confucianism is the actualization of harmonious world through human perfection.