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The Prince of Zheng stated: Among the Eight Tones (the eight categories of ancient Chinese musical instruments classified by material: metal, stone, silk, bamboo, gourd, clay, leather, and wood), the bamboo category should be regarded as primary; among the bamboo instruments, the Lü Guan (Lü tube) should be considered paramount. As an instrument, the Lü Guan is blown to observe the Qi (vital energy/atmospheric conditions) of the seasons and played to harmonize the sounds. The phrases "Lü harmonizes the sounds" in the *Book of Documents* (*Shangshu*) and "Lü corresponds to [a certain month]" in the *Monthly Ordinances* (*Yueling*) all refer to the Lü Guan. Thus, it is known that the Guan is the Lü, and the Lü is the Guan; they are two names for a single object. That which is above form is called Dao (the Way); that which is below form is called Qi (vessel/instrument). The Lü belongs to the realm of Dao, while the Guan belongs to the realm of Qi. The *Book of Documents* states "Guan plays below, accompanied by large drums," the *Classic of Poetry* (*Shijing*) says "The qing and guan sound resonant," and the *Book of Rites* (*Liji*) mentions "Guan plays below, Xin Gong," "Guan plays below, Xiang," as well as tubes made from Gu Zhu (single-stalk bamboo), Sun Zhu (branch bamboo), and Yin Zhu (shade bamboo). All these are such objects. Then why did the ancient kings' elegant music ever fail to use the Guan? Why was it abandoned in recent times? This is likely because earlier scholars did not recognize the true Guan, believing it to be similar to a Chi (a bamboo flute with a membrane hole) but smaller, and consisting of two tubes joined together for blowing. Commentaries cite the *Guangya*, stating: "The Guan is one chi long, one cun in circumference, has eight holes and no bottom, or some say six holes." This refers to the double Guan used by the Da Yu Music Officials of the Han Dynasty, not the Guan referred to in antiquity. Upon examination, the eight-holed double Guan sounds like a Tou Guan (head pipe, a folk instrument) and exists in folk traditions, but does not belong to elegant music; thus, the old theory is incorrect. Later scholars also failed to recognize the true Guan, claiming that apart from the reed section, the Guan is only slightly over six cun long. This pertains to the Tou Guan used in Jiao Fang (Imperial Academy) folk music, which is also not the so-called Guan. The true Guan has no holes; anything with holes is not it. Only the end of the Guan is open, resembling a Dong Xiao (hole flute) in shape, looking like a cave entrance; this is why it is commonly named Dong Xiao. The *Book of Rites* records Confucius's words: "Five tones, six Lü, twelve Guan, return to each other to establish the Gong tone." This explicitly states there are twelve Guan, yet contemporary scholars only know of the double Guan and the Tou Guan. Why is this? (Note: 'Chi' is pronounced Tao; 'Gao' is pronounced Hui; 'Huang' is pronounced Jiao.)

According to the *Lü Lü Jing Yi* (Essence and Meaning of Pitch-Pipes and Tone-Standards), there are three systems of Guan construction, referring to the previously mentioned Zong Shu (vertical millet grain), Xie Shu (slanted millet grain), and Heng Shu (horizontal millet grain) standards. Based on the Zong Shu Chi standard, the Huang Zhong Guan is 8.1 cun long, with an outer diameter of 4.05 hao, an inner diameter of 2.86 li, and a blowing mouth width of 1.43 li. The Xie Shu Chi length is 9 cun. The Heng Shu Chi length is 1 chi. The circumferences and diameters of these three systems, along with the detailed measurements of the twelve Guan, are fully recorded in this book and are not listed here in full.