「知音」一詞一方面被理解為精通音律之人,一方面被視為包括音樂在內的各門藝術之最高明的批評者、鑑賞者。一般以為「知音」源於《呂氏春秋.本味》中所載伯牙和鐘子期的故事(亦見於《列子•湯問》);除此之外,「知音」一詞最早明文於典籍中但凡兩見:一於《呂氏春秋•仲冬記•長見》,一於《禮記•樂記》。此三例之「知音」,在內涵上略有不同。本文目的在於探索儒家音樂美學中的「知音」問題。儒家的「知音」對上述〈長見〉篇的專業性「知音」問題非常重視,對〈本味〉篇中具有個人主義色彩的「知音」也有深刻體會。但在這一切基礎之上,更重視對於「表現」和「反映」集體社會生活的音樂有深入的理解。對儒家而言,音樂不只是個人情志的表現,也是社會生活的反映。究竟先秦儒家如何論證音樂之可知,如何描述知音的過程和精髓,是探討儒家美學不可忽視的課題。
This paper attempts to investigate the implication of Ti-chih (embodied knowledge) in Confucian aesthetics of music. In Chinese tradition, the special mode of knowing in musical appreciation can be called Chih-yin which is the aesthetic type of Ti-chih. This article concerns: 1) Confucius' experience of musical appreciation; 2) the relationship between ”expression” and ”mimesis” in musical creation; 3) how to understand the concrete content implied in the artistic form of ”expression” or ”mimesis;” 4) the interaction between politics and music in Confucian concept of human cultivation.