音乐生成问题是中国先秦音乐美学中的一个基础性、根本性问题，它具有逻辑和历史的双重属性，也包含了对音乐本体和本源的双重认知。比如大音希声、大象无形的“道”，既是音乐之本体也是音乐得以产生的本源，这正是先秦音乐生成思想的文化特殊性所在。研究这一问题，将有助于厘清中西音乐美学体系的差异，同时为中国音乐美学史的建构提供一个原发性的阐明。 中国先秦音乐生成思想奠基于远古、夏、商、西周时期高度发达的音乐艺术实践，通过春秋战国时期诸子百家的学术争鸣而得以深化和发展，后经《吕氏春秋》和《乐记》的系统总结而得以完善和定型。其中，远古、夏、商、西周时期，音乐艺术的产生主要受到社会、自然和审美三方面因素的影响：首先，具备音乐才能的原始部落首领基于社群管理和文化传承的需要创制音乐，这代表了音乐生成中的社会因素；其次，音乐组织原则中的“五音”、“十二律”来自于反映自然规律的“五行”“六气”观念，这代表了音乐生成中的自然因素；再次，音乐评论中的“声一无听”“以和为美”等观念来自于主体的审美感知，代表了音乐生成中的审美因素。这三种因素的交互作用促成了古乐的产生和西周礼乐的繁荣。 春秋战国时代礼崩乐坏，儒墨道法各家的音乐生成理论呈现多元发展趋势，其中儒家将西周时期外在的礼乐制度内化为个体的心性学说，从人心和人性的角度阐述了音乐生成问题，以孔子的仁爱说、孟子性善论和荀子性恶论为代表；道家在上古时期“五行”“六气”观念的基础上提出了更具哲理深度的“道”“气”等范畴，以《老子》的“大音希声”和《庄子》的“道—气—风—声”音乐生成模型为代表；墨家和法家则在批评儒道两家的基础上探讨了音乐生成的功利性动机。由于儒墨道法各家音乐生成思想不尽相同，甚至存在相互抵牾之处，因此《吕氏春秋》和《乐记》的出现，就体现出了重要的理论整合价值。 战国晚期，《吕氏春秋》通过“以适听适”的方式调和了儒、道两家音乐生成学说中的矛盾，并用“三分损益法”弥补了先秦诸子音乐生成思想的不足。此外，《吕氏春秋》中五音配五行、十二律配十二月的气化世界观也成为先秦音乐生成思想的理论背景和世界观基础。《乐记》的音乐生成思想也脱离不了这一理论背景。《乐记》作为中国先秦音乐美学的集大成者，以儒家礼乐为基础，对先秦诸子学说进行了批判性吸收和理论整合，其音乐生成理论可用“心性生成论”、“天地生成论”和“审美生成论”进行概括。其中，“心性生成论”是对音乐萌芽时期音乐生成中的社会因素、先秦儒家人性论和道家“道”论的整合，该学说认为，人性的本然样态是与“道”合而不分的虚静状态，由于受到外物的刺激而产生出思想情感，当内在的思想情感用声音表现出来时音乐艺术也就产生了。“天地生成论”是对萌芽时期音乐生成中的自然因素、阴阳五行思想和气化世界观的整合，该学说认为，音乐艺术的创作原则来自于对天地规律（也即阴阳五行规律）的观察和总结，当人用音律和音阶等方式对这种规律进行表达时，音乐创作中的算律方法、调式调性、曲式结构等基本要素随之产生。“审美生成论”是对萌芽时期音乐生成中的审美因素、儒家心性论和道家“道”、“气”观念的整合，该学说认为，既然音乐艺术源自自然天道，那么音乐的创作和审美就不是纯粹的娱乐过程，而是借助审声、审音、审乐的层层递进，使人性回归到与“道”合而不分的本然状态中。《乐记》提出的这三种音乐生成方式具有一体性。因为“心性生成论”阐述从本性到音乐的产生过程，“审美生成论”阐述从音乐审美向本性的回归，两者次序相反但本质一致，而“天地生成论”则是前两者的数字化、形式化表达，所以上述三种音乐生成方式实际上是三位一体的理论整体。 “心性生成论”、“天地生成论”和“审美生成论”作为先秦音乐生成思想的集中代表，对中国传统音乐艺术产生了深远的影响。其中“心性生成论”影响了中国传统音乐以“性静”为旨归的写意传统和以动写静、以虚写实的艺术表现手法；“天地生成论”影响了中国传统音乐中的律学计算、五声音阶、旋宫转调、曲式结构等形式结构原则；“审美生成论”影响了中国传统音乐创演一体、以气化神的音乐创作和表演方式。总之，先秦音乐生成思想是三位一体的有机整体，它使中国传统音乐形成了不同于西方的独特艺术体系。

“The theory of music origin” is a fundamental musical aesthetics’ topic in Pre-Qin periods, which has the dual nature of logic and history, also contains the music ontology and double cognitive origin. The study on this question will help to clarify the differences between Chinese and western music aesthetics system and provide a primary explanation for the construction of music aesthetics in China. “The theory of music origin” is based on the practice of music in ancient, summer, shang and western zhou dynasty, deepened and developed through the academic contention of hundreds of scholars in the spring and autumn and the warring states period, perfected and finalized through the systematic summary of "Lushi Spring and Autumn" and "Yue Ji". In ancient, Summer, Shang and Western Zhou dynasties, music art was mainly influenced by social, natural and aesthetic factors. First of all, the original tribal leaders with music ability created music in need of community management and cultural inheritance, which represented the social factors in music generation. Secondly, music's creation principles come from the "five elements" and "six qi" concepts that reflect the natural law, which represents the natural factors in music generation. Third, the aesthetic standard in music comments comes from the aesthetic perception of the subject, which represents the aesthetic factors in music generation. The interaction of these three factors contributed to the emergence of the old music and the prosperity of western zhou LiYue. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring states period, the music generation theory of Confucian, mohist, Taoist and legalist schools presented multiple development trends. From the perspective of the soul and human nature, Confucianism elaborates music generation problem, which is represented by Confucius' benevolence, Mencius theory and Xunzi evil theory. From the perspective of Tao, Lao zi and Zhuangzi proposed their own music generation theory. Mohists and legalists discussed the utilitarian motives of music on the basis of criticizing Confucianism and Taoism. As a result of Confucianism, Mohism, Taoism, legalism theory of each school is not the same, or even have discount on each other, so the "spring and autumn annals" and "YueJi", it reflects the important theory value of integration. In the later period of the warring states period, The contradiction between the two music generation theories of Confucianism and Taoism was harmonized by the way of "listening to the appropriate". As an integrator of music aesthetics in Chinese pre-qin period, "Yue Ji" criticized and summarized the academic thoughts of the Pre-Qin scholars and presented its Music generation theory. Which can be summed up in three aspects: “Music comes from human nature”, “Music comes from cosmic laws” and “Music comes from esthetic ideal”. “Music comes from human nature” means that: the human nature’s original state that combining with Tao into one is calm and clean, and it is stimulated by external objects to produce thoughts and emotions. When these thoughts and emotions are presented in the form of sound, the music comes out. “Music comes from cosmic laws” means that: The principle of composition comes from the observation of cosmic laws which are the outward manifestation of Tao and Qi. “Music comes from esthetic ideal” means that: we should regain the human nature’s original state with the help of music's creation and performance, which is the esthetic ideal in Chinese music esthetics. This trinity structure of “the theory of music origin” in Pre-Qin periods has a great influence on Chinese traditional music and make it forms an unique art system which is different from other culture.