Becoming Sages: Qin Song and Self-Cultivation in Late Imperial China
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The Ohio State University / OhioLINK
2020
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| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1587689622910344 |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-osu15876896229103442021-08-03T07:14:40Z Becoming Sages: Qin Song and Self-Cultivation in Late Imperial China Wu, Zeyuan Asian Literature Asian Studies History Music qin guqin qin song self-cultivation zhiyin This dissertation aims to understand the significance of qin songs (songs accompanied on the qin, the seven-stringed zither) to their practitioners in late imperial China. The qin was known as an instrument for self-cultivation throughout Chinese history. However, our current knowledge of how qin music was used for self-cultivation purposes in premodern China is largely limited to the ideological aspect, awaiting to be supported or modified by investigations of specific historical practices. Looking into different qin practitioners’ works, activities, social connections, and life experiences, this dissertation shows how they made various use of qin song—the musical form and activities related to it—to achieve their goals of becoming the ideal self. I argue that late imperial qin songs were often composed and edited for the purpose of communicating general moral principles and particular moral exemplarity to a larger community of the like-minded (zhiyin). As a result, activities related to these songs allowed the practitioners to extend their social influence on their way of pursuing sagehood. The social function of the songs challenges today’s widespread assumptions that both qin music and self-cultivation are primarily meditative and solitary.I further argue that many qin songs emerged and evolved as a result of qin practitioners’ emphasis on the communicative power of music compared to mere words, which responded to the new changes and concerns during the late imperial period. Their continuous quest for the most effective means of moral communication may also help explain the eventual decline of qin song—as opposed to the purely instrumental form of qin music—by the eighteenth century, which awaits further studies. 2020-10-01 English text The Ohio State University / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1587689622910344 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1587689622910344 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
| collection |
NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
Asian Literature Asian Studies History Music qin guqin qin song self-cultivation zhiyin |
| spellingShingle |
Asian Literature Asian Studies History Music qin guqin qin song self-cultivation zhiyin Wu, Zeyuan Becoming Sages: Qin Song and Self-Cultivation in Late Imperial China |
| author |
Wu, Zeyuan |
| author_facet |
Wu, Zeyuan |
| author_sort |
Wu, Zeyuan |
| title |
Becoming Sages: Qin Song and Self-Cultivation in Late Imperial China |
| title_short |
Becoming Sages: Qin Song and Self-Cultivation in Late Imperial China |
| title_full |
Becoming Sages: Qin Song and Self-Cultivation in Late Imperial China |
| title_fullStr |
Becoming Sages: Qin Song and Self-Cultivation in Late Imperial China |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Becoming Sages: Qin Song and Self-Cultivation in Late Imperial China |
| title_sort |
becoming sages: qin song and self-cultivation in late imperial china |
| publisher |
The Ohio State University / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2020 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1587689622910344 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT wuzeyuan becomingsagesqinsongandselfcultivationinlateimperialchina |
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1719457250790080512 |