During the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC), there was a man called Yu Boya, who was a famous music master at that time, having a good command of the temperament and superb skills in playing the musical instrument.

Once, on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, Boya was boating for sightseeing. The moon was bright and a cool breeze was blowing gently. With myriads of thoughts welling up in his mind, he began to play the musical instrument. The melodious music became more and more beautiful when a man on the bank shouted "bravo!" Hearing the shouting, Boya came out of the boat, and saw a woodcutter standing on the bank. He knew that this man was keenly appreciative of his talents, because he understood his music. He immediately invited the woodcutter to his boat and, full of zest, he played the musical instrument for him. When Boya played a piece of music eulogizing the high mountains, the woodcutter said, "Wonderful! The melody is as magnificent and dignified as Mount Tai which reaches the sky!" When he played a piece of music depicting the turbulent waves, the woodcutter said, "Wonderful! The melody is as vast and mighty as the great rivers!" Boya was excited, and said, "Bosom friend! You are really my bosom friend!" That woodcutter was Zhong Ziqi. Since then, they had been very good friends.

High Mount Flowing Water played by Boya was divided into two parts later, one is High Mountains, and the other is Flowing Water.

America sent out two spacecraft on August 20 in 1977. Expecting to meet humankind in other planets, the spacecraft carried a gold-painted bronze record consisting of 27 pieces of world famous music. Flowing Water was chosen to represent Chinese music in that record.