Balanced harmony is an ideal state of human mind. When people’s emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness are expressed in an unbiased way in keeping with the rites, a state of mind featuring balanced harmony is achieved. If a ruler can reach such a state of mind and exercise governance accordingly, everything in heaven and earth will be in its proper place, be orderly and in harmony with each other. This will deliver common prosperity and development for all.
Make harmony a top priority. He (和) indicates congruity and appropriateness. It is a state of congenial co-existence on the basis of due respect for differences and diversity. At first, this phrase referred to the role of li (礼rites / social norms) which is to keep citizens of distinct social status co-existing in a harmonious way, with everybody having his or her own place and staying there contentedly for mutual benefits, resulting in a “harmonious yet diverse” society. It is an important moral concept of the Confucian school in managing inter-personal relations. The term later evolved to refer in general to harmonious, congenial, peaceful, and agreeable relationships among people, groups, and states. It epitomizes the “civil” nature of the Chinese people, who oppose violent conflicts and aspire for peace and harmony.
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.
The harmony of music comes from its appropriateness and its concordance with the soul. “Harmony” refers to how different sounds are combined and attuned to each other. “Appropriateness” refers to the pitch and timbre of the music itself, as well as to the degree to which the listener can accept the music. This term highlights the need for harmony and accord between the object—music—and the subject—the soul, in order for music to be appreciated. The beauty of music is generated by harmony between the subjective and the objective.
The term refers to the exercise of benevolent government by virtuous and wise rulers in ancient China to win the allegiance of all the vassals, so as to achieve an integration and acculturation of different tribes, nations or ethnic groups and create a harmonious and unified alliance of tribes or a multi-ethnic state. Harmonious coexistence of all is a key feature of the concept of social harmony in Chinese culture and one of the core values of the Chinese nation.
This refers to efficient governance and harmonious people. Efficient governance means that the policies and decrees of the government are followed in all respects, and political affairs are handled in a smooth and effective way. The term “harmonious people” means that people are happy about their affairs, and commoners and officials are united and of one mind. It is close in meaning to the concept of “stable country and peaceful people.” However, this term puts more emphasis on the role of human agency, and the reciprocal relation between efficient governance and harmonious people.
The term means achieving overall harmonious co-existence on the basis of respecting differences and diversity. Uniformity and harmony are two different attitudes to treating and accommodating social groups. Uniformity means obliterating differences in everything while harmony is to keep and respect the differences. Allowing different things to complement and supplement each other will create a harmonious whole full of vitality and creativity.