Franz Liszt created the concept of the "symphonic poem". This is a composition for orchestra that uses music to describe nonmusical content. This could include, for example, people, legendary figures, landscapes, or paintings.
To me, the Japanese concept of "tatemae to honne" is just about lying to each other. Isn't it overly superficial? What about sincerity? I know it's about being considerate of others' feelings, but I still don't really like it.