The difference between human beings and animals is that human beings follow propriety.

Scroll 33: Yan Zi

The influence of propriety works very subtly. It prevents immoral conducts from developing and enables people to automatically stay away from malice and move toward virtuousness day by day without being aware of it. Hence, the kings from ancient times venerated the transforming influence that propriety can bring. The book of Yi Jing said: “A superior person always pays attention to the beginning of any development. If there is a slight deviation or error in the beginning, the end result will differ greatly.” Such is the implication of the influence of propriety.

Scroll 7: Li Ji

Without propriety, acts of benevolence, righteousness, and virtues cannot be realized. Using teachings that contain no propriety to impart sagely values to the society will inevitably create discrepancies. Without propriety, quarrels and debates about what is right or wrong cannot be resolved fairly. Further, the roles and relationship played by leaders and subordinates, parents and children, as well as among siblings cannot be determined without the stipulation of propriety. In learning how to run a good administration or other areas of study, failing to observe propriety will make teachers slack in their teachings and students inattentive toward their studies. It will be difficult to foster a close bond between teachers and students. Be it the drawing of tables of government ranks or the organization of the army, the appointment of officials to task or the execution of laws: if they are not done according to the proper protocol, they will lose their dignity and the confidence of the people. Whether it is a regular or special memorial service for the deceased, or a ceremony for making offerings to the gods and spirits, if these were not done in accordance to proper rites and rituals, the results will only reveal our insincerity as the ceremony will fail to be solemn and respectful.

Scroll 7: Li Ji

The functions of propriety include: Defining close and distant relationships, clarifying doubts, categorizing subject-matters, and vindicating right and wrong.

Scroll 7: Li Ji

A superior person whose daily life conforms to the standards of propriety will be able to coexist harmoniously with all people and matters. His mind and heart is always serene without resentment.

Scroll 7: Li Ji

A rich and noble man who understands propriety is neither arrogant nor licentious. A poor and lowly person who understands propriety is neither fearful nor skeptical about his aspirations.

Scroll 7: Li Ji

The propriety of marriage unites two families with different surnames, to commemorate the ancestors with respects and offerings, and produce offspring to carry on the family name and the teachings of the forefathers. Therefore, a superior person would value marriage as an important event. With a man and a woman playing different roles comes a righteous commitment between a husband and a wife. With a righteous commitment between a husband and a wife comes a filial closeness between parents and children. With parents and children displaying a filial closeness comes a rightful relationship between a superior and his subordinates. Hence, the propriety of marriage is the foundation of all proprieties.

Scroll 7: Li Ji

232. The protocol of a court audience before the ruler serves to exemplify the rightful relationship between the ruler and his subordinates. The protocol of diplomatic envoys serves to foster mutual respect among the dukes of neighboring states. The rites and rituals of funeral and memorial services serve to convey gratitude toward one’s superior or parents.
The propriety of wine-drinking serves as a folk custom to let one understand the order between the older and the younger generations. The propriety of marriage serves to show the different roles played by husband and wife. Propriety, thus, prevent chaos just as embankments prevent floods. If we destroy an old embankment that we deemed useless, the inevitable outcome will be a flood. Similarly, if we abolish traditional propriety that we deemed outdated, disasters and chaos will eventually follow. Likewise, if we abolish the propriety of marriage, people will stop taking marital duties seriously and marital life will suffer as a result. This will lead to an increase in crimes related to sexual perversions. If we abolish the propriety of wine-drinking as a folk custom, the order and status of the young and old will be lost. This will lead to an increase in crimes related to disputes and fightings. If we abolish the rites and rituals of funeral and memorial services, government officials and children will become ungrateful toward their superiors and parents. This will lead to more people to rebel against the teachings of their ancestors and a lack of gratefulness and loyalty toward the living. If we abolish the protocol of diplomatic envoys, or the protocol of court audiences before the ruler, the orderly relationship between the ruler and his officials will be lost. This will lead to chaos in the wake of treason, and the invasion of neighboring states.

Scroll 7: Li Ji

Paying respect and making offerings to our ancestors cannot be done too frequently since we will get tired of the rituals and end up becoming disrespectful toward them. However, it should not be performed too infrequently either since this will cause us to become too slack and we may gradually forget our ancestors.

Scroll 7: Li Ji

Music originates from the heart. When the inner emotion is stirred and then displayed, a sound is produced. Sounds combine to form melodies and this is what we call “music”. During times of peace and prosperity, the music played is serene and joyful because the political situation has been tolerant and harmonious. On the other hand, music played in tumultuous times is filled with anger because the government has violated the law of nature and the common aspiration of the people. When a country perishes, the music played is sorrowful and melancholic because people have been left in desolation.

Scroll 7: Li Ji

The inner spirit of music is interconnected with politics. In the Chinese pentatonic scale, gong (宮) symbolizes the ruler; shang (商) symbolizes government officials; jue (角) symbolizes the people, zhi (徵) symbolizes incidents; yu (羽) symbolizes material things. If the five modes are harmonious, discordant sounds will not be heard. However, if the gong mode is disorderly, the music will appear scattered without any central theme. This reflects the arrogance of the ruler and the departure of wise government officials. If the shang mode is disorderly, music will sound askew. This reflects the moral decadence of government officials. If the jue mode is disorderly, the music will be filled with worries reflecting a tyrannical government and the resentment of the people. If the zhi mode is disorderly, music will sound extremely sad. This reflects the never-ending exploitation of farm labor and the suffering of the people. If the yu mode is disorderly, music will sound of danger and oppression reflecting poverty and the lack of material wealth among the people. If all five musical modes are disorderly, crashing onto each other, this music is termed as “conceited music”—music without any regularity. Once music has reached this point, a country will be destroyed in no time.

Scroll 7: Li Ji

During tumultuous times, music played on wooden and leather instruments produces sounds that are like roaring thunder; music played on copper and stone instruments produces sounds that are furious and shocking; light dance music played on bamboo or silk instruments produces sounds that are like cawing outcries. These types of loud music can trouble people’s mind, deafen ears and sway people to become licentious but they cannot bring happiness to people. Therefore, as music becomes more and more insolent, it will precipitate a greater incidence of depression, more chaos, and more
disrespect for the ruler. Subsequently, music loses its original meaning and purpose.

Scroll 39: Lu Shi Chun Qiu

Music comes from the heart, and propriety set a standard for a person’s outward behavior. Grand music must be amiable and grand ceremonies must be simple and modest.

Scroll 7: Li Ji