Qi Brings Music from Heaven

The Nine Songs

Xia ruler Qi visited heaven and brought down the Nine Arguments and Nine Songs, beginning earthly music.

The Shanhaijing records that Xia Hou Qi, grandson of Yu the Great, ascended three times to heaven as a guest of the gods and brought back the Nine Arguments and the Nine Songs. From these descended the music and dance of the human world — ceremonial song traced to a royal visit to the sky. The tale makes the palace the source of ritual, and ritual the echo of heaven’s own court.