The collapse of the ritual and music system in the Spring and Autumn period

1. The time of collapse was the late Spring and Autumn period.

To the Spring and Autumn period, the rites and music system completely disintegrated, and then the slave system began to decline, "rites and music" became a symbol of the Zhou dynasty social superstructure of the total collapse and disintegration. The supremacy of the Son of Heaven was challenged by the vassals. It used to be: "Under Pu Tian, there is no one who is not the king's land, and on the shores of the land, there is no one who is not the king's subject" (Poetry. Xiao Ya. The status of the Zhou Emperor fell into a state of disrepair. Not only did he lose the ability to control his vassals, but he became the "king of a small country" and was often taken advantage of. This is reflected in the music culture, the Zhou royal family monopoly and dominate the cultural situation of a song never return, the music of the vassal states but the rapid expansion of the development of the so-called "cultural downstream" new music popular in the countryside, the people's aesthetic concepts have undergone great changes.

2. Introduction

Ritual and music system:

1) Purpose: In order to maintain the feudal and patriarchal system, the Western Zhou formulated a variety of ritual and music system.

2)Meaning:Ritual and music system is to make some rules and ceremonies for the daily political and social activities of the ruling class . And with specific music. Nobles of different ranks had to perform different rituals.

3) Role: Zhou rituals became a tool to maintain the hierarchy, to prevent the Zanzai transgressions, which is conducive to the stability of the ruling order.