An Eastern Philosophy-Based Digital Music Database for Emotion Management

Integrating the Book of Changes with Music Therapy

Abstract

Emotional stress and psychological imbalance have become increasingly prevalent in
contemporary society, creating a growing need for culturally appropriate approaches
to emotional regulation and psychological well-being. Although music therapy has
been widely recognized as an effective intervention for emotion management, most
existing approaches are primarily grounded in Western psychological theories and seldom incorporate traditional Eastern philosophical perspectives. This study
proposes an innovative digital music database that integrates the philosophical
concepts of the Book of Changes (I-Ching) with music therapy to establish a
culturally adaptive framework for emotion management.
A qualitative design-based research approach was adopted to construct the proposed
database. An interdisciplinary expert panel consisting of specialists in the Book of
Changes and music was invited to systematically associate the sixty-four hexagrams
with representative musical compositions. The completed database was implemented
through an online platform, allowing users to engage in emotional reflection through
symbolic interpretation and music listening. User feedback was subsequently
collected to evaluate the feasibility and perceived effectiveness of the proposed
system.
The findings indicate that participants generally accepted the proposed framework and
considered it an innovative and meaningful approach to emotional regulation. The
integration of philosophical symbolism and musical experience promoted self
reflection, emotional comfort, and psychological adaptation. The study demonstrates
that combining Eastern philosophical wisdom with music therapy and digital
technology can provide a culturally sensitive and interdisciplinary approach to
emotional well-being.
This research contributes to the integration of Eastern philosophy, music therapy,
digital humanities, and counseling psychology by proposing an innovative emotion
management model with potential applications in counseling, education, and mental
health promotion.