Harmonizing Love Virtues in Music Education in Mainland China

This paper explores the harmonious integration of Confucian moral values and officially sanctioned love-themed lyrics in music education across Mainland China. It addresses the main research question: What role do officially approved school songs, which embody themes of love related to three key rel...

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Main Author: Wai-Chung Ho
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Education Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/4/471
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author Wai-Chung Ho
author_facet Wai-Chung Ho
author_sort Wai-Chung Ho
collection DOAJ
description This paper explores the harmonious integration of Confucian moral values and officially sanctioned love-themed lyrics in music education across Mainland China. It addresses the main research question: What role do officially approved school songs, which embody themes of love related to three key relationships—(1) family and home, (2) teachers and friends, and (3) the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) and the Chinese nation—play in promoting the virtue of love through singing within Mainland China’s music education? By analyzing two sets of officially approved music textbooks for primary school students, consisting of a total of 24 volumes, this study reveals how love-themed lyrics serve as a medium for propagating political ideology while reinforcing traditional Confucian values among the younger generation. The research illustrates how love, as a fundamental virtue, is expressed and reinforced through these songs, highlighting their significance in fostering emotional and ethical development. The findings underscore the role of music education in cultivating a sense of community and national identity, as well as the interconnectedness of personal and collective values in shaping students’ moral frameworks.
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spelling doaj-art-321a9155baa44b1a90f87e054db06f702025-08-20T02:28:28ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022025-04-0115447110.3390/educsci15040471Harmonizing Love Virtues in Music Education in Mainland ChinaWai-Chung Ho0Academy of Music, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, ChinaThis paper explores the harmonious integration of Confucian moral values and officially sanctioned love-themed lyrics in music education across Mainland China. It addresses the main research question: What role do officially approved school songs, which embody themes of love related to three key relationships—(1) family and home, (2) teachers and friends, and (3) the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) and the Chinese nation—play in promoting the virtue of love through singing within Mainland China’s music education? By analyzing two sets of officially approved music textbooks for primary school students, consisting of a total of 24 volumes, this study reveals how love-themed lyrics serve as a medium for propagating political ideology while reinforcing traditional Confucian values among the younger generation. The research illustrates how love, as a fundamental virtue, is expressed and reinforced through these songs, highlighting their significance in fostering emotional and ethical development. The findings underscore the role of music education in cultivating a sense of community and national identity, as well as the interconnectedness of personal and collective values in shaping students’ moral frameworks.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/4/471Confucian moral valueslove-infused lyricsmusic educationmusic textbooksMainland China
spellingShingle Wai-Chung Ho
Harmonizing Love Virtues in Music Education in Mainland China
Education Sciences
Confucian moral values
love-infused lyrics
music education
music textbooks
Mainland China
title Harmonizing Love Virtues in Music Education in Mainland China
title_full Harmonizing Love Virtues in Music Education in Mainland China
title_fullStr Harmonizing Love Virtues in Music Education in Mainland China
title_full_unstemmed Harmonizing Love Virtues in Music Education in Mainland China
title_short Harmonizing Love Virtues in Music Education in Mainland China
title_sort harmonizing love virtues in music education in mainland china
topic Confucian moral values
love-infused lyrics
music education
music textbooks
Mainland China
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/4/471
work_keys_str_mv AT waichungho harmonizinglovevirtuesinmusiceducationinmainlandchina