Resources
Sound of China
Guzheng Music Promotion Center
High Mountain and Flowing Water
The term “High Mountain and Flowing Water” has its history way back in the
Spring and Autumn period. During the Spring and Autumn Period of 770 B.C. to
476 B.C., the famous musician Boya played the guqin to Zhong Ziqi, who was a
humble woodcutter but a great listener. As Boya focused his music upon Mount
Tai, Ziqi would say, "wonderful, as grand as Mount Tai." When Boya began to
play a passage denoting swift streams, Ziqi would exclaim, "Vast and swelling,
just like flowing streams." Simply put, whatever Boya devised, Ziqi described.
This is a popular legendary story about the guqin. The term “High Mountain and
Flowing Water” was later used to describe as meeting a great listener. Although
it’s a story about guqin music, guzheng players also adopt the concept. They
play the “High Mountain and Flowing Water” when they meet each other as a way
to say “hello, how are you” with guzheng music.
There are 4 most played versions of “High Mountain and Flowing Water”
nowadays. One is from the Henan School, one is from the Shangdong School,
and two are from the Zhejiang School.
Listen to “High Moutain and Flowing Water”:
Zhejiang 1
Zhejiang 2
Henan
Shangdong
