Advocating nature and opposing artificial carving is Zhuangzi’s musical aesthetic thought.

Zhuangzi advocated "quietness and inaction". He did not absolutely deny music, but only denied music that he considered artificial. It advocates nature, opposes artificial carving, and advocates the simple side of nature. However, it also rejects the perceptual experience in aesthetics, denies the subjective role of people, and regards music as mysterious and has a negative impact.

Zhuangzi’s music aesthetics:

Zhuangzi believes that the ultimate happiness lies in the absence of joy, and the ultimate music lies in the absence of joy, which means he opposes the instrumentalization of music. Zhuangzi criticized this kind of music that makes people happy and can be enjoyed by the senses as music. Zhuangzi went against the grain and denied the worldly pleasures of pure senses, believing that true happiness should be assimilated with the "Tao".

Therefore, the "happiness" under the cover of "rituals and music" is a confusion of true happiness. True happiness is happiness beyond the world. "Tao" is the origin of beauty. Follow the "Tao" and let nature take its course. Don't deliberately modify it. This kind of "simplicity" is the prerequisite for achieving natural perfection, so there is no need for indulgent music and ritual education.