Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms, Volume 73

Because the South Wind original: "Nan Feng" (南風); a legendary song attributed to the sage-king Shun, expressing a ruler's care for his people is sung, the Great Harmony of Music is performed, using the Great Shao dance original: "Da Shao" (大韶); the ritual music and dance associated with the peaceful reign of Emperor Shun as its primary element. The musical transformation begins with the Jue toneThe third note of the five-tone scale, associated with Wood and the East., while the Yu toneThe fifth note of the scale, associated with Water and the North. follows the Gong toneThe first and fundamental "Palace" note, associated with Earth and the Center..

As Yu corresponds to Water and ZhiThe fourth note of the scale, associated with Fire and the South. corresponds to Fire, the "Six Offices" The management of Water, Fire, Wood, Metal, Earth, and Grain and the "Three Affairs" Standardizing the people's livelihood, virtue, and rectitude are together called the Song of the Nine Virtues. Through nine transformations of the music, the Jue-Shao and Zhi-Shao Specific modal variations of the Shao music are completed. This is simply a matter of aligning the physical form of the dance with the harmony of the sounds to capture the symbolic images of the cosmos.

Consequently, in the final month of Autumn, during the Great Feast for the Emperor, the musical pitch corresponds to the Wuyi The 11th of the twelve standard pitches, which occupies the Xu position The 11th branch of the zodiac, associated with the dog; this is the Jue tone of the Ruibin pitch The 7th pitch, associated with the summer solstice. It is also said to be in the Dahuo the "Great Fire" or Antares constellation position of Mao The 4th zodiac branch, associated with the rabbit, which is the Yu tone of Ruibin. When the Wuyi pitch is played and the Jiazhong pitch is sung, the performance must center on the Great Wu dance original: "Da Wu" (大武); the ritual dance celebrating the military victory of King Wu of Zhou.

The Grand Minister of Music original: "Dasi Yue" (大司樂) oversees this to instruct the sons of the nobility, and specific officials are appointed to divide the various responsibilities:

• The Music Master teaches the dance.
• The Flute Master original: "Yueshi" (籥師) performs the dance with feathers.
• The Master of Shields original: "Sigan" (司干) provides the ritual weapons.
• The Grand Assistant original: "Daxu" (大胥) manages the registration tablets of the scholars to await the arrival of the students.

In the Spring, students enter the school, perform the "offering of vegetables" ritual, and harmonize the dance; this is intended to "nourish the elderly" at the Biyong The Imperial Academy, traditionally surrounded by a moat. In the Autumn, the curriculum is distributed and the sounds are harmonized; this is intended to feast the Emperor at the Mingtang The "Hall of Distinction," a central ritual site for imperial ceremonies. When the text says "harmonizing the dance," it refers to the grand assembly of the Six Pieces of Ritual Music in dance. When it says "harmonizing the sounds," it refers to the gathering of the Great Music in song and instrumental performance. This must be understood as the "Assembly of the Six Pieces of Music."