Governance of a country is like playing music, which pursues harmony. This concept is first found in Discourses on Governance of the States. It is an important part of music theory from the pre-Qin period and highlights the similarity between the two. Traditional Chinese music contains five musical notes. Musical instruments, varying in volume, will not be deemed perfect unless they sound concordant and poised, complementing and echoing each other. In governing a country, the ruler should also strike an equilibrium between different voices and forces. So far as music itself is concerned, “harmony” does not mean homogeneity; rather, it refers to a diversity of melodies integrated into a harmonious whole. A uniform voice is unpleasant and dull. A harmonious voice, on the other hand, not only provides a delightful aesthetic experience but also enhances people’s moral well-being. This will make them mild in temperament, thus creating an ideal situation of social and political stability.

To achieve harmony, a musician maintains an equilibrium between different parts of a composition. Variation in levels of sound makes the melody harmonious, and alternation in pitch creates an overall effect of proportionality. A ruler governs his country in much the same way. (Discourses on Governance of the State)

Maintaining a balance between voices allows a musical performance to run its own natural course. This, in turn, makes that performance sound pure. Purity and clarity help the progress of the music until the whole piece is completed. A ruler who understands this will run his country well. Therefore the ancient kings placed great value on musical harmony. (Discourses on Governance of the States)