1.6 [6] 景公夜听新乐而不朝晏子谏

齐景公夜里听新作之乐而不上朝，晏子进谏

【原文】

晏子朝，杜扃望羊待子朝。晏子曰：“君奚故不朝？”对曰：“君夜发不可以〔朝〕。”晏子曰：“何故？”对曰：“梁丘据扃入歌人虞，变齐音。”晏子退，命宗祝修礼而拘虞，公闻之而怒曰：“何故而拘虞？”晏子曰：“以新乐淫君。”公曰：“诸侯之事，百官之政，寡人愿以请子。酒醴之味，金石之声，愿夫子无与焉。夫乐，何（夫必）〔必夫〕（攻）〔故〕哉？”对曰：“夫乐亡而礼从之，礼亡而政从之，政亡而国从之。国衰，臣惧君之逆政之行。有歌，纣作北里，幽厉之声，顾夫淫以鄙而偕亡。君奚轻变夫故哉？”公曰：“不幸有社稷之业，不择言而出之，请受命矣。”

【今译】

晏子上朝，杜扃走来走去在朝堂前等待。晏子问：“国君为什么不上朝？”杜扃说：“国君昨夜兴致很高，彻夜未眠，因此不能上朝。”晏子问道：“国君为何兴致很高？”回答说：“梁丘据进献了一个叫虞的歌者，他更改了齐国的古音。”晏子离开，命令宗祝根据礼法规定拘捕了虞，齐景公听说后大怒道：“为什么要拘捕虞？”晏子说：“因为他用新乐迷惑国君。”景公说：“诸侯国之间的事务，各级官员的政务，我愿意向您请教。（但我）品味美酒，欣赏音乐这些事，希望您就不要干涉了。音乐，为什么一定要听古音呢？”晏子说：“音乐失传了，礼法也就废弃了，礼法废弃了，政事也就荒怠了，政事荒怠了，国家也就离灭亡不远了。国家衰败，我害怕您有违逆政教的行为。过去曾有这样的歌，（夏桀作东歌南音），商纣作北里之曲，周幽王、厉王作的乐曲，都是淫靡鄙陋之音，他们也和这些乐曲一起灭亡了。您怎么能轻易更改古乐呢？”景公说：“我侥幸拥有国家的基业，口不择言说出了那些话，我愿意接受您的教诲了。”

When Yanzi went to the court for an audience,Du Jiong^[1] was already there waiting for his own audience,gazing into the distance.

Yanzi said: “Why does the Duke not hold court?”

Du Jiong answered: “The Duke was awake all night and therefore he cannot hold court.”

Yanzi said: “How did this come about?”

Du Jiong answered: “Liangqiu Ju^[2] has brought in the singer Yu,who altered the sound of a traditional Qi melody.”

Yanzi retired from the audience hall and ordered the M aster of Sacrifices and the Invocator to implement the rules of the rites and to seize Yu.

When the Duke heard this,he was furious and said: “Why did you have Yu arrested?”

Yanzi replied: “Because the new music led you into debauchery,my Lord.”

The Duke said: “I w ish to consult w ith you concerning affairs of the regional princes and the affairs of the various governmental offices. However,Master,I do not w ish you to meddle w ith my taste in w ine and sweet liquor and the sound of bronze and stone instruments. Why does music always have to be played in accordance with the old fashion?”

Yanzi answered: “When music perishes,the rites follow suit; when the rites perish,the government follows suit; when the government perishes, the state follows suit and declines.^[3] I am fearful that you,my Lord,have carried out a perverse policy.^[4] The debauched and vulgar character of the composition of the Northern-District Dances,commissioned by Zhou,^[5] as well as the music of You and Li,^[6] makes it clear why they all perished. How then can you,my Lord,change the music of antiquity so frivolously?”^[7]

The Duke said: “It is my m isfortune to be responsible for the grand enterprise of the altars of soil and grain. I uttered my words w ithout choosing them correctly. I request to receive your instructions.”^[8]

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注释

[1]An unidentified figure.

[2]Liangqiu Ju 梁丘据 (fl. 530–510 BCE) w as a high officer in Qi w ho exercised corrupt influence on Duke Jing. He appears in eighteen items of the YZCQ in which he always plays the role of Yanzi’s main adversary.

[3]Read: 政亡而国从之衰,om itting 国 before 衰 (JS,25/9).

[4]Om it 有歌 (JS,25/10).

[5]For the licentious nature of the music composed by Master Juan 师涓 for Zhou,the last tyrant of Shang dynasty,see Shiji,105.

[6]Kings Li and You of the Zhou dynasty reigned between the years 893–864 BCE and 781–771 BCE,respectively.

[7]The conservative attitude expressed here regarding music sharply contrasts the attitude expressed in Mencius,2.1/7.

[8]Notably,Mencius (Mencius,2.1/7/3-32.),during his audience w ith the King of Qi,expressed his opinion that popular music and the music of antiquity were alike,and that the King’s emotional involvement w ith this “modern” music potentially offers hope to the state of Qi.