Learning Chinese Through Stories

According to Qin Shi, Liezi said: "Bo Ya was good at playing the qin. Zhong Ziqi was good at listening to the qin. When Bo Ya's will was towards high mountains in his playing, Zhong Ziqi would say, 'How towering like Mount Tai!' When Bo Ya's will was towards flowing water in his playing, Zhong Ziqi would say, 'How vast are the rivers and oceans!' Whatever Bo Ya thought of Ziqi would never fail to understand. Bo Ya said, 'Amazing! Your heart and mine are the same!' When Ziqi died, Bo Ya broke the strings [of his qin] and vowed never to play [the qin] again. Thus, there was the melody of High Mountains Flowing Water." This Chengyu story demonstrates the Chinese ideal of friendship. 高山流水 春秋时期，有个叫俞伯牙的人，琴弹得非常好。可惜没人了解他的琴声，这让他觉得很郁闷。 有一次，俞伯牙奉晋国国君的命令，到南方的楚国办事。一天晚上，他来到汉阳江口，船夫把船停在了江边，俞伯牙见明月当空，就弹起了琴。琴声引来了一位叫钟子期的樵夫，他对俞伯牙的演奏十分欣赏。于是，两人谈起了音乐，这一谈非常投机，大有相见恨晚之意。俞伯牙弹了一曲，钟子期称赞道：“大人志在高山。”俞伯牙又弹了一曲，钟子期又说：“大人志在流水。”俞伯牙见他精通乐理，知音难得，便与他结为兄弟。临别时约定明年中秋再聚会。 第二年，伯牙如约来访子期。一路上，伯牙兴奋不已，总觉得船走得太慢。谁知上岸一打听，子期竟在数月前病逝了。伯牙伤心万分，跌跌撞撞地来到钟子期的墓前，哀伤地弹完一曲，双手