ABSTRACT
We have seen that the origin of the Chinese concept of harmony is linked to sound and music. This chapter focuses on the special linkage between music and harmony in Confucianism. I present a Confucian understanding of music as the archetype of harmony, and formulate reasons for this connection. Through a comparison with Daoist and Mohist views of music in a good society, I also show that music plays an important role in the Confucian ideal of harmonious society. For the most part, the word “music” used in this chapter refers to a specific understanding of the term used by classic Confucians, as will be explained.
