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Yue 樂, Books on Music

Feb 17, 2011 © Ulrich Theobald

The type of books on music (yue lei 樂類) is a sub-category to the literary category of Confucian Classics (jingbu 經部) in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書.

This categorization follows the traditional assumption that either there was once a classic on music (the putative Yuejing 樂經) or that at least, the Confucians as ritual experts had a great interest in music as the base for cosmic and social harmony. It might also have been that the term yue designated the musical notes for the songs in the Confucian Classic Shijing 詩經 "Book of Songs".

The imperial bibliography Yiwenzhi 藝文志 in the official dynastic history Hanshu 漢書 lists a 23 juan long book with the title Yueji 樂記. The ritual classic Liji 禮記 has a chapter with that title.

In fact, there are quite a few books on music included in other literary categories, like books on the zither, or various songs and arias in the belles-lettres category.

The section on musicological books in the Siku quanshu includes 22 books, many of which focus on the tuning of pitch pipes (lülü 律呂) and ritual dance.

Books on Music
See also treatises on art (yishu lei 藝術類: books on the zither).
Part of Siku quanshu 四庫全書
Part of Xuxiu siku quanshu 續修四庫全書
樂經 Yuejing (Zhou) NN
樂記 Yueji (part of Liji 禮記) (Zhou) NN
非樂 Feiyue (part of Mozi 墨子) (Zhou) 墨翟 Mo Di
樂論 Yuelun (part of Xunzi 荀子) (Zhou) 荀況 Xun Kuang
樂書 Yue shu (part of Shiji 史記) (Han) 司馬遷 Sima Qian
律書 Lü shu (part of Shiji 史記) (Han) 司馬遷 Sima Qian
樂論 Yuelun (Wei) 阮籍 Ruan Ji
聲無哀樂論 * Sheng wu ai yue lun (Wei) 嵇康 Ji Kang
古今樂錄 * Gujin yuelu (Chen) 釋智匠 Monk Zhijiang
樂書要錄 殘三卷 (續修) Yueshu yaolu (Tang) imp. ord.
皇祐新樂圖記 三卷 Huangyou xin yue tuji (Song) 阮逸 Ruan Yi, 胡瑗 Hu Yuan
琴史 QinshiTreatises on art (Song) 朱長文 Zhu Changwen
樂書 二百卷 Yueshu (Song) 陳暘 Chen Chang
律呂新書 二卷 Lülü xinshu (Song) 蔡元定 Cai Yuanding
琴律說 Qinlüshuo (part of Wengong wenji 朱文公文集) (Song) 朱熹 Zhu Xi
瑟譜 六卷 Sepu (Yuan) 熊朋來 Xiong Penglai
韶舞九成樂補 一卷 Shaowu jiucheng yue bu (Yuan) 余載 Yu Zai
律呂成書 二卷 Lülü chengshu (Yuan) 劉瑾 Liu Jin
苑洛志樂 二十卷 Yuanluo zhilüe (Ming) 韓邦奇 Han Bangqi
鐘律通考 六卷 Zhonglü tongkao (Ming) 倪複 Ni Fu
樂律全書 四十二卷 Yuelü quanshu (Ming) 朱載堉 Zhu Zaiyu
(御定) 律呂正義 五卷 (Yuding) Lülü zhengyi (Qing) imp. ord.
(御製) 律呂正義後編 百二十八卷 (Yuzhi) Lülü zhengyi houbian (Qing) imp. ord.
(欽定) 詩經樂譜全書 三十卷 (Qinding) Shijing yuepu quanshu (Qing) imp. ord.
古樂經傳 五卷 Guyue jingzhuan (Qing) 李光地 Li Guangdi
古樂書 二卷 Gu yueshu (Qing) 應撝謙 Ying Huiqian
(聖諭)樂本解說 二卷 (Shengyu) Yueben jieshuo (Qing) 毛奇齡 Mao Qiling
皇言定聲錄 八卷 Huangyan dingsheng lu (Qing) 毛奇齡 Mao Qiling
竟山樂錄 四卷 Jingshan yuelu (Qing) 毛奇齡 Mao Qiling
李氏學樂錄 二卷 Lishi xueyue lu (Qing) 李塨 Li Gong
樂律表微 八卷 Yuelü biaowei (Qing) 胡彥昇 Hu Yansheng
律呂新論 二卷 Lülü xinlun (Qing) 江永 Jiang Yong
律呂闡微 十卷 Lülü chanwei (Qing) 江永 Jiang Yong
琴旨 二卷 Qinzhi (Qing) 王坦 Wang Tan
聲律通考 十卷 Shenglü tongkao (Qing) 陳澧 Chen Li
文廟丁祭譜 * Wenmiao dingji pu (Qing) NN