The Signicity of the Musical Pitches and an Interpretation of Essays in Idleness : Section 220

Abstract

In ancient China where people made much of the Five Elements Theory, there were meanings for musical pitches and it was thought that the correct musical pitches possessed "the power of the proper guidance". In this article, I call such a property "the signicity of the musical pitches". On the other hand, Essays in Idleness : section 220 was written about the musical pitch of bell of Shitenno-ji Temple, but there was not the person who translated it into living language from the viewpoint of the Five Elements Theory. However, Prince Shotoku who founded Shitenno-ji Temple established the official rank system called kani-jyunikai (冠位十二階) based on the Five Elements Theory. In addition, kangen-ongi (管絃音義) that showed the meaning of the pentatonic scale based on the Five Elements Theory was written in Shitenno-ji Temple in 1185, and it was copied afterwards there. In other words we should think that the court musicians of Shitenno-ji Temple learned kangen-ongi after 1185. And it shows that they regarded that the musical pitches have the meanings based on the Five Elements Theory as important. According to these, I interpreted Essays in Idleness: section 220 from the viewpoint of the Five Elements Theory in this article. For example, the reason that people called the pitch of kousho (黄鐘) "mutable pitch" is that it means the four seasons. In addition, humor the people who knew the Five Elements Theory understand is included in words called "the middle of kousho" so that kousho means the center.