During the Spring and Autumn
Period（770-476B.C.）.there was a man whose name was Yu Boya.Yu boya
famous music master at that time, having a good command of the
temperament and superb skills in playing the musical instrument.He
was bright and eager to learn when he was young.He had formally
acknowledged several experts as his teachers,and his skills in
playing the musical instrument had already reached a fairly high
level.But he still felt that he could not superbly express the
various things which had deeply impressed him.Knowing what was in
his mind,his teacher took him to the penglai Island,a fabled abode
of immortals,on the East China Sea by boat.On the island,his
teacher let him enjoy the natural scenarios and listen to the
roaring of the great waves.looking into the distance,Boya saw that
the waves were turbulent and that the white breakers leapt
skywards.Sea birds were circling in the air,and their crying was
very pleasant to the ear.Trees were green and intriguing feeling
welled up in his mind,as if he had heard the harmonious and
charming music of nature.He couldn't help taking his musical
instrument and playing it .He followed his inclinations while he
was playing,and incorporated the beautiful nature with his
music,thus reaching a realm of thought he had never experienced
before.Seeing this,the teacher said to hime,''You have mastered the
art of playing."
Once,on the 15th day of
the 8th lunar month,he was boating for sight-seeing.The moon was
bright and a cool breeze was blowing gently.With myriads of
thoughts welling up in his mind,he began to play the musical
instrument.The melodious music became more and more beautiful when
a man on the bank shouted "bravo!"Hearing the shouting,Boya came
out of the boat,and saw a woodcutter standing on the bank.He knew
that this man was keenly appreciative of his talents,because he
understood his music.He immediately invited the woodcutter to his
boat and ,full of zest,he played the musical instrument for
him.When Boya played a piece of music eulogizing the high
mountains,the woodcutter said,"wonderful!The melody is as
magnificent and dignified as Mount Tai which reaches to the
sky!"When he played a piece of music depicting the turbulent
waves,the woodcutter said,"Wonderful!The melody is as vast and
mighty as the great rivers!"Boya was excited,and siad,"Bosom
friend!You are really my bosom friend!"That woodcutter was Zhong
Ziqi.Since then,they had been very good friends.
This story appears in
The Works of Lie Zi.From this story,people havederived the set
phrase"high mountain and running water" to refer to understanding
and appreciative friends.This set phrase is also used to refer to
melodious music.
