Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.1, 2024

From “Yinhe” and “Yuehe” to “Banghe”—“Harmony” and the Theory of Community in Traditional Chinese Thought on Literature and Art

(Abstract)

Tao Guoshan

“He,” which means harmony, is an important keyword in traditional Chinese thought on literature and art, and various interpretations of “he” are rich in Eastern wisdom. Since the pre-Qin period, Chinese people have realized that all things in the universe are a “harmony” community with different components and factors that exist in a “unity of human and universe.” The “he” derived from taste and sound can be sublimated into the “he” of music and a higher state of the “he” of a country. The explanations of “seeking harmony and coexistence” and “harmony in diversity” share theoretical implications with the positive concept of community.