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HISTORY OF CHINESE MUSIC. 135
is remarkable that his researches into the proportions of tones, led him to the same results that were afterwards discovered by the best acousticians pf Europe.
Kang-Hi, in the year 1678-9, worked for the art in an extraordinary manner; he founded an academy of music, and made his third son president of the institution; he wrote a work, " The true method of the Ly-lu," in four books, and had a fifth added " concerning European music."* In a proclamation concerning the diminution of the number of court-musicians, Kang-hi says, " Music has power to quiet the heart, and therefore was beloved by our sages. They also could while enjoying themselves at its practice, benefit themselves, because the fundamental principles of government are contained in the art of music. But such a comparison scarcely is suitable to virtuosity. "Why, therefore, expend noney on it? I approve of the action of Ngai-Ti, 'a former emperor) in discharging them."
The knowledge of European music, which this imperor attained, in opposition to all previous custom in China, came through the Jesuit missionary Pereira, a Portuguese by birth; and Grimaldi, i missionary of the Propaganda. He found it [contrary to the custom of the Chinese) quite to hia :aste.t He was particularly astounded by the bility of Father Pereira to set down in r otes, and |
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* Ambroe, Gesch, der Musik, p. 27, r. 1. Ambros, Gesch. d Mas. p. 32. |
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