The article attempts to explore the amazing similarities between Ito Jinsai's and Xu Fuguan's interpretations of the music theory of the Analects. Xu Fuguan's interpretations of the relationship between ren 仁 (humanity) and yue 樂 (music) have deep affinities with Jinsai's interpretations. For them ren 仁 is not principal or substance but heart / mind and doings from this heart / mind. Human emotion in these doings is happiness. In their understanding of the Analects, music brings profound happiness to people and serves to cultivate human emotions. Both share the same anti-metaphysical inclination and call for a return to the original texts in the Confucian studies. This article hopes to clarify the genealogical linkage between Ito Jinsai and Xu Fuguan from the East Asian perspective.