乐统同，礼辨异 Ceremony Distinguishes the Things in Which Men Differ

古代中国社会被称为‘礼仪之邦’，因为以仪以礼为基石，就如西方社会以法治国。

中文‘礼’或‘礼仪’在古代有祭祀的意思。儒家的意思中有礼貌、礼节以至个人在社会中地位的意思。在形式上，礼仪用来辨别众人，它的应用使人任何时候都认清谁是长幼、主客等等。从内涵来说，礼仪指示各人各司其职、各安其份。

礼仪可当作把人分类的方法，它以协议及礼节来建筑阶层关系，把人分配在不同社会地位而应遵照适当的言行举止。

在孔子生活中扮演重要角色的音乐则成为例外，它超越礼仪的界线，统一内心。

荀子在《乐记》就详述礼与乐的不同。

乐也者，情之不可变也，礼也者，理之不可易者也。

乐统同，礼辨异，礼乐之说，管乎人情矣。…

天尊地卑，君臣定矣。卑高已陈，贵贱位矣。动静有常，小大殊矣。方以类聚，物以群分，则性命不同矣。在天成象，在地成形；如此，则礼者天地之别也。

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Chinese call their ancient Chinese societies ‘societies of ceremonies’, because they were based on ceremonies or rituals, just as the Western societies are based on laws.

The Chinese term ‘li’ or ‘liyi’ (ceremony, rites or ritual) previously had the meaning of ‘sacrifice’. Its Confucian meaning ranges from politeness and propriety to the understanding of each person's correct place in society. Externally, ritual is used to distinguish between people; their usage allows people to know at all times who is the younger and who the elder, who is the guest and who is the host and so forth. Internally, rites indicate to people their duty amongst others and what to expect from them.

Ritual can be seen as a means to divide people into categories, and builds hierarchical relationships through protocols and ceremonies, assigning everyone a place in society and a proper form of behaviour.

Music, which seems to have played a significant role in Confucius' life, is given as an exception, as it transcends such boundaries and ‘unifies the hearts’.

Xunzi had said in essay ‘Yueji’ (Record of Music):

In music we have the expression of feelings which do not admit of any change; in ceremonies that of principles which do not admit of any alteration.

Music embraces what all equally share; ceremony distinguishes the things in which men differ. Hence the theory of music and ceremonies embraces the whole nature of man …

(The relation) between ruler and minister was determined from a consideration of heaven (conceived of as) honourable, and earth (conceived of as) mean. The positions of noble and mean were fixed with a reference to the heights and depths displayed by the surface (of the earth). The regularity with which movement and repose follow each other (in the course of nature) led to the consideration of affairs as small and great. The different quarters (of the heavens) are grouped together, and the things (of the earth) are distinguished by their separate characteristics; and this gave rise to (the conception of) natures and their attributes and functions. In heaven there are formed its visible signs, and earth produces its (endless variety of) things; and thus it was that ceremonies were framed after the distinction, between heaven and earth.