Yayue
/ˈjɑː.juː.eɪ/noun
A form of formal ritual and court music used in ancient Chinese state ceremonies.
Did you know?In Confucian political thought, yayue was believed to cultivate moral order and harmonize society, not merely accompany ceremonies.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
雅樂
“Ritual or refined music associated with aristocratic ceremony”
Han Dynasty
Chinese
雅樂
“State-sanctioned ceremonial music used in imperial rites”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
ngæX ngak
“The reconstructed pronunciations of 雅樂, meaning refined or proper music”
Ming–Qing Periods
Late Imperial Chinese
yǎyuè
“Court and ritual music preserved within Confucian ceremonial traditions”
20th Century
Mandarin Chinese
yǎyuè
“The modern Mandarin pronunciation of 雅樂”
Modern English
English
yayue
“A scholarly loanword for ancient Chinese ritual and court music”