Shi Kuang, courtesy name Ziye, from today's Dongshi Village, Shanxi Province, was a musician in the Jin State during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 – 476 BC). He was very accomplished at many different types of Chinese musical instruments. He was one of the most celebrated musicians in Chinese history and was revered as "a saint of music." There are many stories illustrating Shi Kuang's respect for Heaven, his compassion for the people, and his divinely beautiful music.
 
Shi Kuang adopted Confucianism's principle of music, which maintains that music must be created to encourage people to use proper etiquette and to cultivate their hearts. He believed in the traditional rites, the music and culture established by the King of Zhou in the West Zhou Dynasty (1046 – 771 BC), and advocated the theory that music must adhere to the way of Heaven, follow the course of nature, and steer its audience toward morality through its content. This is what's known as "the harmony between heaven and people through music." Music with rhythm and tempo does not ensure it will resonate in the listeners' hearts. Only music that comes from a harmonious heart will reach Heaven, speak to the heart of the listeners, and attain a higher realm where the musician's and the listeners' hearts will be purified and enlightened as to the way of Heaven.
 
According to Shi Kuang, there are three categories of ancient Chinese music: “Qing Shang”, “Qing Zheng”, and “Qing Jiao”. “Qing Shang” is the music of doom, “Qing Zheng” is the music of auspiciousness, and Qing Jiao is the music of prosperity. It was said that horses would stop grazing and raise their heads to listen to Shi Kuang when he played. Foraging birds would land and drop the food in their mouth to sing with Shi Kuang.
 
One day King Ping of the Jin Kingdom (? – 532 BC) and the king of the Wei Kingdom were listening to a musical performance by Shi Juan, the court musician of the Wei State. Shortly after the performance began, Shi Kuang hurried to the scene and stopped Shi Juan. "Please stop! This is the music of doom created by corrupt court officials for the tyrannous King Zhou of the Shang Dynasty (1105 – 1046 BC)," exclaimed Shi Kuang. "The Shang Dynasty was terminated by King Wu of the Zhou Kingdom because King Zhou of the Shang Dynasty was immoral. Good, compassionate music will benefit its audience and steer them toward morality. Bad music will cause its audience to lose self-control and steer them toward degeneration. Music must be created to spread morality. One must never perform bad music that will ruin people's morality!"
 
King Ping asked Shi Kuang, "What do you call the music Shi Juan has played?" Shi Kuang replied, "This is ‘Qing Shang’, the music of doom." The king then said, "Play an auspicious piece of music." Shi Kuang played “Qing Zheng” music for the two kings, a music of harmony.
 
Shi Kuang displayed the most marvelous technique when he played the Chinese zither. After the first chord, 16 red-crowned cranes slowly appeared from the southern sky. At the second chord, the cranes lined up in a row. At the third chord, the cranes sang and flapped their wings in dance. As Shi Kuang continued, auspicious clouds appeared in the sky and the singing of the cranes harmonized with the music of the zither. The music echoed in the sky for a long time. The audience members felt the music of Heaven inspired by nature and felt their hearts expand and become peaceful. Everyone marveled at the music and congratulated Shi Kuang for his musical achievement. The story spawned the Chinese idiom, "Red-crowned cranes and auspicious clouds," which is used to describe delightful, heavenly music.
 
Shi Kuang pointed out that music must be created to steer people toward kindness and to spread morality far and wide. Shi Kuang created White Snow, Sunny Spring and many elevated and harmonious musical pieces. In Sunny Spring, Shi Kuang vividly portrayed the growing, reviving nature of springtime. He also portrayed the image of a lofty gentleman who guards his morality and aspires toward a beautiful future. Ancient Chinese people believed that elevated music can reach Heaven and deliver truth, profundity, and eternity to its audience. Steering people toward kindness and spreading goodness far and wide is a way to show one's affinity and concern for mankind. It is also a way to show one's appreciation for the grace of Heaven.
 
自然、隽永的天籁之音
 
师旷，字子野，春秋晋国杨邑（今山西洪洞师村）人，精通音律，善演奏各种乐器，是我国历史上杰出的音乐家，被后人尊称为“乐圣”。他的敬天爱民思想及琴艺传神的故事流传至今。
 
师旷吸收了儒家乐论“礼节民心，乐和民声”的精华，并继承了西周周公创制的礼乐文化传统，提出作乐要顺乎天道与自然，要通过音乐的道德内涵去善化民心，以得到感人至深、移风易俗的教化效果，从而体现出天人合一的和谐。如果仅仅只是旋律节拍一致的齐奏并不就是交响乐，只有大家心声的协和才能有真正的天籁之音，使人与人之间心灵沟通而产生共鸣，达到净化身心、感悟天道的更高境界。
 
师旷提出古乐有《清商》、《清征》、《清角》三种。《清商》属不祥之音，而《清征》是吉祥之音，《清角》是盛世之音。据说当师旷弹琴时，马儿会停止吃草，仰起头侧耳倾听；觅食的鸟儿会停止飞翔，丢去口中的食物，翘首和鸣。
 
有一次，晋平公与卫国国君一起听卫国乐师师涓演奏乐曲，刚演了一会儿，师旷就急忙走上来按住师涓的手说：“快停住！你弹的这是商末乱臣为暴君商纣王制作的滥曲，是亡国之音。纣王无道，后被周武王所灭。善乐听之使人受益、向善，恶乐听之会使人丧志、堕落。音乐是来传播德行的，有害德行的溺音千万弹不得呀！”
 
晋平公问师旷：“这叫甚么曲子？”师旷回答：“这就是所谓的《清商》，是不祥之音。”晋平公说：“那你演奏一个吉祥的曲子。”师旷于是为两位国君演奏了《清征》之曲，这是一种瑞祥之声。
 
师旷展开琴，用奇妙的指法拨出第一串音响时，便见有十六只玄鹤从南方冉冉飞来。拨出第二串音响时，玄鹤便前后排成了一列。拨出第三串音响时，玄鹤一边鸣叫，一边排著整齐的队列展翅起舞。当他继续弹奏时，但见祥云缥缈，瑞霭纷纷，玄鹤的鸣叫声和琴声融为一体，在天际久久回荡。使人感受到自然、隽永的天籁之音，心胸开阔而祥和，大家惊奇不已，都高兴的向师旷祝贺。从此以后，人们用“玄鹤降云”来形容音乐的美妙动听。
 
师旷指出音乐的善化功能对民风有著潜移默化的引导涵养作用，使德行的光辉照耀到更广阔遥远的地方。他创作了《白雪》、《阳春》等曲弥高、和弥寡的雅乐。生动的表现了冬去春来，大地复苏，万物向荣，生机勃勃的春天景象。表达了君子洁身自好、纤尘不染，对美好未来的追求和向往。人们说高层次的音乐通乎神明，使人感受到真实、博大和永恒。善化他人，感化四方，是对生命的珍视和关爱，是对上天造就并赐予生命一切的感恩。