Traditional Aesthetics and Philosophy of “New Music” of China

The present study analyses the correlation between traditional aesthetics and the philosophy of China's "new music". The author provides a brief characterisation of national ideas of philosophy and aesthetics, special attention among which is paid to the concepts of "philosophy", "wisdom", "knowledge", "heaven", "earth", "man" and "unity". Their manifestation was found in the compositions, musical techniques, and performances of Tian Jianping, Zhou Wenzhong, and Qiu Xiaosong, who drew not only on philosophical and aesthetic national ideas but also on the contents of the Book of Changes. As a result, it is found that philosophical and aesthetic thinking has a broad influence on national composers, as many of them are now adhering to the principle of "returning to the roots". These outstanding composers have demonstrated the contemporary transformation of national philosophy and aesthetics through their unique musical language and creative methods. Their works are not only a tribute to tradition, but also a glimpse into the future, reflecting the ways of modernising and internationalising folk music by absorbing the essence of world music through the heart. In doing so, the manifestation of certain themes of Chinese aesthetics is presented in an organisational form based on their relationship with central philosophical concepts. We must realise that these themes are not only a means of artistic expression, but also a bridge between past and future, East and West. In today's multicultural world, Chinese "new music" not only carries the mission of inheriting the cultural heritage of the millennium, but also meets the challenge of innovation and development in the new era. By analysing the relationship between traditional aesthetics and philosophy of Chinese "new music", this study reveals an important fact: folk music innovation is not a rootless tree, but rooted in deep cultural soil, drawing on the nourishing environment of history and philosophy.