Yayue
Yayue (Chinese: 雅樂; literally: "elegant music") was originally a form of classical music and dance performed at the royal court in ancient China. The basic conventions of yayue were established in the Western Zhou. Together with law and rites, it formed the formal representation of political power.
The word ya (雅) was used during the Zhou dynasty to refer to a form of song-texts used in court collected in Shijing. The term yayue itself first appeared in the Analects, where yayue was considered by Confucius to be the kind of music that is good and beneficial, in contrast to the popular music originated from the state of Zheng which he judged to be decadent and corrupting.Yayue is therefore regarded in the Confucian system as the proper form of music that is refined, improving, and essential for self-cultivation, and one that can symbolize good and stable governance. It means the kind of solemn ceremonial music used in court, as well as ritual music used in temples including those used for Confucian rites. In a broader sense, yayue can mean a form of Chinese music that is distinguishable from the popular form of music termed suyue (俗樂) or "uncultivated music", and can therefore also include music of the literati such as qin music.
The court yayue has largely disappeared from China, although there are modern attempts at its reconstruction. In Taiwan yayue is performed as part of a Confucian ceremony, and in China in a revived form as entertainment for tourists. Other forms of yayue are still found in parts of East Asia, notably the gagaku in Japan, aak in Korea, and nhã nhạc in Vietnam. Although the same word is used (but pronounced differently), the music does not necessarily correspond to Chinese yayue. The Korean aak however preserved elements of Song dynasty yayue long lost in China.
According to tradition, yayue was created by the Duke of Zhou under commission from King Wu of Zhou, shortly after the latter's conquest of Shang. Incorporated within yayue were elements of shamanistic or religious traditions, as well as early Chinese folk music. Dance was also closely associated with yayue music, each yayue pieces may have a ceremonial or ritual dance associated with it. The most important yayue piece of the Zhou dynasty were the Six Great Dances, each associated with a legendary or historical figure - Yunmen Dajuan (雲門大卷), Daxian (, Daqing (大磬, or Dashao ), Daxia (), and Dahu (大濩), Dawu ().
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