Listen to this articlebā yīn kè xié 八音克谐
Harmonious Combination of Eight Sounds
八类乐器所演奏的声音能够协调配合，在整体上达到和谐。“八音”指由金、石、土、革、丝、木、匏、竹等八种材质制成的乐器所演奏出的不同声音。“八音克谐”的说法出自《尚书》。它强调发挥八音各自的长处，在整体协调、多样统一中臻于化境，体现了中国古典音乐及词曲创作中以“和”为美的审美追求。而音乐又与人的心灵相通，“八音”能够呈现或感动不同的心灵状态，故而它也成为古代教化的一种方式。其意在于使人心在不同乐声的影响下达到同样和谐的状态，以符合礼乐对于人的心灵与行为的要求；同时它也蕴含不同的人或群体都能发声，但须遵守共同规范、相互配合而能和谐共处之意。
Different sounds produced when eight musical instruments made of gold, stone, earth, leather, silk, wood, gourd and bamboo are played together create harmonious music. This term comes from The Book of History. The term, which stresses that different tunes produced by the eight musical instruments should be blended in a harmonious way to create beautiful melody, epitomizes the pursuit of harmony of ancient Chinese music. Music gives expression to people’s sentiments; the eight different sounds relate to people’s different frames of mind, and can become a way of enlightenment. The term means that people can achieve peace of mind by listening to different kinds of music and should think and act in keeping with what the rites and music require of them. The phrase also implies that different people and groups can all voice their views, but should abide by common rules so as to maintain harmonious ties among them.
引例 Citation：
◎诗言志，歌咏言，声依永，律和声。八音克谐，无相夺伦，神人以和。（《尚书·舜典》）
（诗是表达内心志向的，歌是用语言吟唱的，五音（宫、商、角、徴、羽）的高低变化要随吟唱而定，音律则要与五音谐和。八类乐器所演奏的音乐能够和谐配合，不要相互扰乱彼此的秩序，那么神与人都能依此进入和谐的状态。）
Poems give expression to sentiments; songs are words for chanting. Undulation of tunes of five notes depends on chanting, and meter and melody must be in harmony with the five notes. If the sounds from the eight different music instruments create harmonious music without interfering with each other, such music enables both gods and man to enter a state of harmony. (The Book of History)
