China and the West

Brown, John. A dissertation on the rise, union, and power, the progressions, separations, and corruptions, of poetry and music [ID D27188].
Quellen :
Du Halde, Jean-Baptiste. Description géographique... de la Chine [ID D1819].
Goguet, Antoine-Yves ; Fugère, Alexandre-Conrad. De l'origine des loix, des arts, et des sciences, et de leurs progrès chez les anciens peuples [ID D27187].
The Chinese have ever been of a mild and peaceable Character : Their Music will be found analogous. Tis generally supposed, that Confucius established their Music and Rites : but it appears from some curious Fragments of ancient Chinese History, that Music and the Rites existed in Union, long before the Age of that Philosopher. 'Tcho-yong, the sixteenth Emperor of the ninth Period, hearing a Concert of Birds, invented a Species of Music, whose Harmony was irresistible. It touched the intelligent Soul, and calmed the Heart of Man ; so that the external Senses were found, th Humours in a just Poise, and the Life of Man lengthened'. Here we find the genuine Picture of a Chief, at once Legislator and Bard, civilizing a savage People.
The Dance was improved in the same Manner, by the twentieth King of the ninth Period, to the Ends of peaceful Life. And of such Importance has this Branch of the musical Art been always held in China, that it'is an established Maxim, 'that you may judge of any King's Reign, by the Dances that are then in Use.
These Evidences are traditionary, and relate to the fabulous Times : But even in a later Period, we find the kingly and musical Characters united, in the Person of Fou-Hi, their first great imperial Legislator. 'Fou-Hi delivered the Laws of Music : After he had invented the Art of Fishing, he composed a Song for those who exercised that Art. He made a Lyre, with Strings of Silk, bo banish all Impurity of Heart : And in his Time the Rites and Music were in great Perfection'. All this is evidently in the true Spirit of a peaceable Legislation. 'Chin-nong (a succeeding Emperor) composed Song on the Fertility of the Earth. He made a beautiful Lyre, and a Guitar adorned with precious Stones, which produced a noble Harmony, curbed the Passions, and elevated Man to Virtue and heavenly Truth'.
This is the same Character continued under a Period of higher Civilization. The last Emperor whom I find to have retained the poetic of Musical Character, was Chao-Hao ; who is said to have invented 'a new Species of Music, to unite Men with superior Beings'. After him, the complex Office seems to have separated : And the first great Bardlike Character we meet with is Confucius, who established Music and the Rites, according to that Form which they still maintain in China. For here, as in ancient Egypt, Crete, and Sparta, every thing is unalterably fixed by Law ; by which Means, Improvement and Corruption are alike prevented.
With Respect to the Extent of the Progression of Music in this vast Empire ; it appears, that they have no musical Notation ; that Composition in Parts is altogether unknown ; and that the whole Choir sings the same Melody : That their Music is altogether of the diatonic Kind, and even wretched to an European Ear : Yet they boast of its wonderful Powers in former Times : Whence some of the Historians seem to guess that it hath degenerated ; while in reality, no other Consequence can be justly drawn, but that either the People are less ignorant and barbarous ; or that Music is now less assiduously and powerfully applied ; or that certain Separations have ensued, similar to those which took Place in ancient Greece : Any of which Causes must naturally destroy its Force.
It appears, however, that the Progression had advanced so far in some former Period, prior to Confucius, as to produce dramatic Representation, mixed with Song : And in Conformity to the Principles given above, we find, that as they regard not the Unities of Action, Place, or Time, so neither is any continued Choir in use ; though there be manifest Remains of it in their Plays : For at the Conclusion of Scenes or Acts, as well as at other Times when a pathetic Circumstance occurs, the Persons of the Play, instead of declaiming, begin to sing. The Prologue resembles that uncouth one of Greece, that is, he tells you who he is, and what is his Errand. All their Plays have a moral or political Direction, suited to the Genius of the People and the State. They know not the Difference between Tragedy and Comedy ; another Circumstance which confirms the Principle given above, concerning the true Rise and Distinction of these two Kinds in Greece : For the Chinese, as they have ever been of a timid and peaceable Character, so neither are they given to Raillery or Sarcasm, but altogether to Civility and mutual Respect. Hence, neither the Tragic nor comic Drama could probably arise, so as to be marked as a distinct Species. Accordingly, their Plays are generally of an intermediate Cast, between Terror and Pity on the one Hand, Sarcasm or Ridicule on the other. The 'little Orphan of China' , indeed, which is given as a Specimen by Du Halde, borders on the tragic Species : But this Play is but one of a hundred, most of which are of a different Cast ; and was selected by him, because he thought it the best adapted in its Genius, to the Spirit and Taste of the Europeans : For he tells us expressly, that the general Character of their Plays are altogether different from this ; that they are commonly of a middle Kind, and neither Tragedy nor Comedy. Another Circumstance of the Progression must be marked ; which is, that their Actors are a separate Rank from their Poets ; that they are formed into Companies, and have lost their original Dignity of Office and Character.