High Mountains and Flowing Water

High Mountains and Flowing Water (gao shan liu shui)

One of the most historically famous Chinese musical compositions, High Mountains and Flowing Water , describes the virility, depth, decency and nobleness of the mountain, and the harmony between the flowing water and the high mountain. It evokes scenery of a fresh spring cheerfully flowing down the high mountain, while the surf is blowing up mischievously.

The tune was originally two separate compositions. Both of them were based on the legendary friendship between guqin master Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi. Yu was a distinguished musician during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). He and Zhong, a rustic woodsman, became soul mates through Zhong’s understanding of Yu’s musical intentions and details.

As the story goes, on their first meeting, Yu was playing the guqin on a moonlit night, when a woodsman stood by and appreciated it quietly. When Yu saw Zhong, he asked Zhong which tune he had just played and the woodsman answered with the exact name. Yu then asked Zhong several questions about music, and, again, he gave the proper answers quickly. Yu was surprised at Zhong’s knowledge,, and so he played a tune in which he wanted to capture the intense height of mountains. After his performance, Zhong said, “How magnificent are the mountains!” When Yu performed another one, Zhong responded, “It’s for flowing water.” And that was exactly what Yu was attempting to capture.

Yu then realized that the person standing in front of him was one of the rare people with whom he could share his thoughts. The two became the best of companions ever since. When Zhong died, Yu went to his tomb and cried. Then he performed the same tunes again. After the performance, he broke his guqin and vowed never to play the guqin again, because he believed no one could ever grasp the meaning of his music again.

High Mountain and Flowing Water represents cherished friendship in Chinese culture. Although the piece usually performed today is not the same one that Yu played almost 3,000 years ago, it conveys the same idea, the magnificence of high mountains and the power of moving water.

There is also a widespread zither melody named High Mountain and Flowing Water , which is based on the same legend, but the tune is totally different from the guqin one.