stylistic:style_transfer, structural:scholar_edition, structural:reformatting
Music – yue

Music is discussed throughout the Xunzi, particularly in chapter 20, the "Discourse on Music" (Yuelun; 樂論). Much of the Xunzi's sentiments on music are directed towards Mozi, who largely disparaged music. Mozi held that music provides no basic needs and is a waste of resources and money. Xunzi presents a comprehensive argument in opposition, stating that certain music provides joy, which is indeed essential to human wellbeing. Music and joy are respectively translated as yue and le, and their connection in Xunzi's time may explain why both words share the same Chinese character: 樂. Xunzi also points out the use of music for social harmony:

故樂在宗廟之中，君臣上下同聽之，則莫不和敬；閨門之內，父子兄弟同聽之，則莫不和親；鄉里族長之中，長少同聽之，則莫不和順。 Hence, when music is performed within the ancestral temple, lord and subject, high and low, listen to the music together and are united in feelings of reverence. When music is played in the private quarters of the home, father and son, elder and younger brother, listen to it together and are united in feelings of close kinship. When it is played in village meetings or clan halls, old and young listen to the music together and are joined in obedience.

Many commentators have noted the similarities between the reasons for Xunzi's promotion of music and those of ancient Greek philosophers.