The story occurred during the what-is-called Spring-and-Autumn period, which is about 700 B.C. One day, a musician Bo Ya played his music in a desolate place. His music was overheard by a woodman, ZiQi. Out of Bo Ya's expectation, the woodman could even tell that his music was describing a mighty mountain and a flowing river besides it. Bo Ya was very surprised, "Gee, you know my music!". Then they became good friends. After ZiQi's death, Bo Ya destroyed his Qin (the musical instrument) and no longer played his music.

This music was composed around 300 A.D. The musician was prosecuted and later killed by the King. Before his death, he said, "you can kill me, not you won't be able to kill my music". Then, calmly, he played this music in front of the killers...

This music describes the scenery of a flock of wild geese hovering in the sky, trying to land on a beach in an evening.

Mei is a kind of flower originated from China. It normally blooms in winter. People use it to metaphorically sing high praise for those graceful, brave heros.

202 B.C., Han and Chu (2 great powers ruling the land) came to a final campaign. Chu army was besieged. At night, Han army played Chu native music. All Chu soldiers lost their morale because they thought their home land had been conquered. The Chu commander Xiang Yu committed suicide after the battle. Instrument: PiPa--String musical instrument.

Conversation between a fisherman and a woodman (Yu Qiao Wen Da) This music is about the leisure lives in the countryside.

Around 200 B.C. A noble Chinese woman Cai Wenji was captured by the Mongolian invaders. After having been a wife of a Mongolian royal minister for 12 years, she was allowed to return to China at the cost of leaving her two children with their father. This music is about how she was tortured by choosing either her home lor her children. Instrument: Qin--String musical instrument.

Remember Han was one of the great powers governing the country? After conquering Chu, Han became one of the most mighty dynasty in Chinese history. Chinese people tent to call themselves as Han Ren, meaning Han people. This dynasty lasted about 400 years. This music is about the maid servants and their prisoned lives in the king's palace.

Yang Chun (Sunny Spring) and Bei xue (White snow) are in fact two separate songs. They are said to be composed in the Spring-and-Autumn period. As the name shows, it sings for the coming of the spring.