The Joy of Beautiful Music
When the Master was in Qi and heard the Shao music, for three months he did not notice the taste of meat. He said, 'I did not imagine that the joy of music could reach such heights.'
Confucius recalls being so moved by an ancient piece of music (the Shao) that even physical pleasures faded into the background for a time. For him, refined music and ritual have profound power to harmonize the heart and order the emotions.