Li Bai and Du Fu are the two most dazzling "new stars" in the literary world of the Tang Dynasty, which was full of literati and scholars. For thousands of years, people have been talking about the research on these two people. Li Bai and Du Fu's Poetry and the close friendship between two people are often mentioned. However, few people have mentioned their musical thoughts.

As two great talents during the prosperous Tang Dynasty, their musical thoughts must have the same value as poetry, and they are an undiscovered "cultural treasure". Because of the subtle differences in the times they live in and their own personalities, their musical ideas also have many differences.

Li Bai and Du Fu

1. The soil and social stability from which Li Bai and Du Fu’s musical ideas arose

China entered a peak period of development during the Tang Dynasty. From the "Reign of Zhenguan" by Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty to the "Reign of Kaiyuan" by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, it has always been a glorious and prosperous era when the seas, rivers and rivers were clear and all nations came to the dynasty.

In the early days of his accession to the throne, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty focused on the development of people's livelihood. He not only built water conservancy projects and encouraged agricultural production, but also built a large number of commercial districts, which promoted Chang'an to become an international metropolis at that time, with constant exchanges of merchants. , the economy is prosperous. In addition, cultural exchanges with countries in Central Asia, West Asia, South Asia and other countries are also increasing day by day, so the culture of the Tang Dynasty is also constantly updated, creating a generous cultural atmosphere.

The prosperous age of Kaiyuan

Li Bai and Du Fu were both born in the prosperous age of Kaiyuan. Although Du Fu is more than ten years younger than Li Bai, they can be regarded as people of the same era. They are both young. When they were young, they liked to travel around the world, and they also did a lot of research on various folk arts. The open social environment and diverse folk arts influenced the musical thoughts of Li Bai and Du Fu. The whole people admired singing and dancing music

The culture of the Tang Dynasty was developed, and the music and dance introduced from foreign lands inspired the artistic cells of the Tang people, so the Tang people were more or less good at some music and dance, which also made the music and art of the Tang Dynasty reach reached an unprecedented peak. Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty was a loyal lover of music and dance. He loved music, singing and dancing, and was proficient in music. He founded the "Liyuan" and even personally guided the palace people to dance. He also composed the famous "Nancy Dress and Feather Dress Song".

Feather Clothes Song

Emperors were so fond of singing and dancing music, not to mention literary young people like Li Bai and Du Fu. Judging from the poems handed down by Li Bai and Du Fu, some of them contain love for music, such as Li Bai's "I have Wu Qi's music, no one knows the sound" and Du Fu's "Bi Jiao Yu Yang Gender Resentment, Yuan Ting" "Shun Ri Jiu Xiao Shao", although they express different meanings, they are all an attitude towards music.

2. Li Bai’s musical thoughts Li Bai’s immortal style: the basis of musical thoughts

What Li Bai pursued throughout his life was freedom, and he liked to cultivate immortality and talk about Taoism. As an idol in life, all his actions and behaviors reveal a "fairy spirit", and he is also unique. He wishes he could "go up to the nine heavens and embrace the moon" like a god, so people call him "Poetic Immortal", which is also related to him. These have a lot to do with it.

Du Fu was once Li Bai's "little fanboy". He knew that Li Bai liked to cultivate immortals, and even gave up his family for him and went up the mountain with Li Bai to "pick fairy grass and find immortals." Because of Li Bai's character and his belief in the philosophy of Lao and Zhuang, Li Bai's musical thoughts are based on Taoist thought, and he pursues freedom and unrestrainedness.

Famous mountains and rivers are Li Bai’s favorite

Many of Li Bai’s poems have the shadow of Taoist thought. For example, in his poems, he imagined himself as an immortal flying in the clouds and mist. He wanted to read them all Traveling all over the world, he summarized his life's pursuit of immortality in his later years: "The Five Mountains will never travel far to seek immortality, and I will spend my life traveling to famous mountains." Li Bai's Taoist ideological spirit is reflected everywhere. Li Bai's views on the role of music

Li Bai believed in Taoist thought and hoped to live an unrestrained life. This was also true in terms of musical thoughts. Li Bai attached great importance to the entertainment function of music.

"Wu Ge Moves the King's Heart at Midnight" writes about Li Bai's love for Wu Ge and his state of being intoxicated with Wu Ge.

When Li Bai was depressed, he "played the strings and wrote endless hatred"; when he was happy, he "danced for glory in the setting sun"; when he was having fun, he "put thousands of dendrobiums in the bottles of fine wine, and carried prostitutes to and from the waves", no matter what they were. He can express his mood through music and enjoy the happiness brought by music. The value of music reflected in his emotions is its entertainment function.

Because he believed in Taoist thought, Li Bai also attached great importance to the self-cultivation function of music. Taoist believers often use "Xiao" to practice Taoism. This is a unique musical instrument with a unique sound that can make people feel It satisfies the body and soul at the same time and has the effect of cultivating one's moral character. It has always been widely loved by Taoists. Li Bai's poems also often mention "whistle", such as "Following the Sword and Howling at Night" and "The Heavenly Gate Howls in a Day".

Playing strings and writing about endless hatred, Li Bai’s musical aesthetics

Li Bai lived a very casual life, so he also pursued freedom in his musical aesthetics. From many of Li Bai’s poems It is not difficult to see his free and easy heroism in his poems, such as "I am full of joy and hope, I want to go to the blue sky to embrace the bright moon", "There will be long winds and waves, and I will hang my sails directly across the sea". Li Bai did not hide his emotions. , creating a free and unrestrained poetry characteristic.

In terms of music aesthetics, Li Bai would also choose the more emotional and energetic Yuefu form for creation, as well as the passionate and unrestrained Western music, which was also Li Bai's favorite music when he created.

Music of the Tang Dynasty

3. Du Fu’s Musical Thoughts The foundation of Du Fu’s musical thoughts: Confucianism

Du Fu was born into a family of officials, and his ancestor Du Yu was During the Three Kingdoms period, a high-ranking official with both civil and military skills, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, he was associated with Confucius as a Confucian sage. Therefore, the Du family was a Confucian master, which also determined that Du Fu received orthodox Confucian education since he was a child. Du Fu believed in Confucianism throughout his life and yearned for the "kings of Yao and Shun" and the simple folk customs of ancient times. Confucianism is reflected in Du Fu's musical thoughts. Du Fu's views on the function of music

Du Fu is a Confucian scholar, which also determines that his views on the function of music are related to his family, country and world, rather than Li Bai's casual and free-spirited view. Du Fu believed that music is closely related to politics, and music is a mirror that reflects political gains and losses. Therefore, when he was an official in the Tang Xuanzong Dynasty, he wrote many political poems, rituals, and music, all related to sacrifices, people's livelihood, and morality.

Du Fu once wrote three ritual poems: "Ode to the Taiqing Palace", "Ode to the Imperial Ancestral Temple", and "Ode to the Southern Suburbs", which praised Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty in offering sacrifices to the Taiqing Palace in the form of rituals and music. Grand ceremonies in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the Ancestral Temple, and the southern suburbs, many of which link music and dance with politics, and have a strong etiquette color.

Du Fu described his ideal Datong society in "A Journey to Silkworm Valley". He hoped that men would farm with peace of mind and women would weave at home, singing harmonious songs, creating a peace where "men farm and women weave". prosperous times. Du Fu believed that "government can guide people and people" and "the sound of governing the world can bring peace of mind". Music can be used to guide a better life and create a prosperous and clear life. It is an important tool to achieve the happy life of the people and the stability of the country.

Men farm and women weave

Du Fu also believed that music can cultivate one’s moral character because the Confucian sage Confucius taught his disciples the "Six Arts", the first of which is to attach importance to ritual and music. Tao comes to cultivate one's moral character and be a humble gentleman. Du Fu recognized the function of music throughout his life. No matter where he was, he always sat upright and neatly dressed, and strictly implemented the etiquette and music ideas to the end.

Du Fu was in the prosperous age of Kaiyuan in his early years. He often traveled with friends, attended various entertainment venues, and enjoyed singing and dancing music. When he was in Shu, he wrote: "The sun moves the singer's sleeves, and the sky clears." "Near the Flute Bed", and wrote in "City West Pier Rafting": "The green moth's white teeth are on the boat, the transverse flute and the short flute are sad for the distant sky". These poems integrated with music reflect Du Fu's happiness in his youth and his concern for social stability. , Haiyan Heqing’s approval. But it is worth mentioning that no matter how much Du Fu enjoyed singing and dancing, he was able to maintain restraint and asked his friends not to indulge in singing and dancing too much. This shows that Du Fu's musical accomplishment is very high. Du Fu's music aesthetics

Du Fu's music aesthetics are relatively sad, which is related to the music style of the Tang Dynasty court.

The court music of the Tang Dynasty was Qing Shang music. This kind of music first originated in the Chu State. Its style is sad and lingering, and its silk and bamboo singing can make people cry. It was one of the favorite music of Qu Yuan, the great poet of the Chu State, because later Han Dynasty The great ancestor Liu Bang was a native of Chu, so he loved this kind of music. After hundreds of years of development, Qing Shang music became the main body of court music. Du Fu was originally a literati, with the sentimentality of a literati. For many years, he was influenced by the sad style of Qing Dynasty music, so Du Fu's music aesthetics naturally became sad.

Du Fu spent the rest of his life in exile. In his later years, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty favored the traitors An Lushan and Yang Guozhong. Even the prime minister Li Linfu was a villain who talked sweetly and was a swordsman, so that the government was in chaos and broke out. The "Anshi Rebellion" that lasted for several years. Du Fu suffered from the war, and saw a lot of bullying during the war. Later, he witnessed the tragic death of his youngest son, which further accentuated his "sad" music aesthetic. As long as he saw the existence of tragic people, Du Fu's music The "sadness" in your thoughts will also be stimulated.

The Autumn of Thousands of Miles

IV. The Roots of the Differences in Musical Thoughts between Li and Du

Li Bai believed in Taoism and pursued the idea of ??the unity of heaven, earth and all things. , Li Bai believed that he was just a drop in the ocean between heaven and earth, and so did everyone else. Based on this idea of ??"all things are equal", Li Bai regarded all living beings in the world as equal. His character is also very free and easy, and he likes eclectic, simple and natural music, which determines that his musical thoughts are also equal and free and easy. Therefore, Wu Ge, Western music, folk music, and Western singing and dancing are all Li Bai's favorites. In his eyes, there is no difference in musical grade.

Du Fu was a Confucian scholar who read poetry and books. He had a special liking for ritual music that represented politics and people's livelihood. He hoped that music would carry the glorious chapter of "To Jun, Yao and Shun", and believed that such music can is meaningful. However, Confucianism inherently has differences in advocating elegance and devaluing folk customs. This has led to the fact that Du Fu did not treat everyone equally in terms of music aesthetics and recognition of music functions like Li Bai. Therefore, Du Fu's music thought is actually about appreciating elegance. While abandoning folk customs, he did not focus on enjoying the happiness brought by music, but always maintained a restrained attitude. Although this was in line with the requirements of Confucianism for music, it also weakened the value of the music itself in a sense.

Li Bai and Du Fu

Conclusion:

Looking at the musical thoughts of Li Bai and Du Fu, it is actually the opposition between Taoism and Confucianism: Taoism pursues the ideal of music. The sense of freedom and equality requires that people treat music equally and express all their true feelings. Confucianism emphasizes the political and educational role of music, and pursues the value of ritual and music in creating social and people's livelihood. Although the musical thoughts represented by Li Bai and Du Fu are different, they both convey the essence of musical thoughts in their own unique ways, allowing us to see the freedom and ease of Taoist music and the solemnity of Confucian music, and it does not matter which is right or wrong.