《禮記．樂記》云：「王者功成作樂，治定制禮」，這是儒家對於「作樂」的理論，認為作樂是在「功成」的一定條件下方可創建。作有創造、創新之意，它代表著政權更迭之後，各種制度也必須改弦更張，而禮樂由於兼具政治與文化的意涵，便成為其中最富有象徵意義的項目。由於「作樂」被提到象徵政權建立的高度，就產生了「五帝殊時，不相沿樂」的論點。自從這個說法提出後，作樂成為各朝創建時的重要舉措之一，即使在干戈四起、戎馬倥傯的南北朝——雖然國祚甚短，諸事未定，卻也留下許多作樂的記載，其所受之重視，可見一斑。但由於作樂有其相當的難度，於是沿用前代音樂成了無可避免之事，又為了迴避沿樂之議，換填歌辭、改易曲名遂為不得不爾之舉。音樂抽象的內涵、記錄媒介的不明確為這種舉措提供適當的條件。 另一方面，我們考察歷代作樂的資料，發現三代以上所謂的「王者功成作樂」如舜之〈韶〉、湯之〈濩〉、周之〈武〉等，大約只有〈武〉樂是合乎這一論述的，至於後代包括秦、漢、魏、晉、南北朝的作樂，大多因襲歷代音樂，不過另作歌詞、改易曲名罷了，而整套樂舞的規模、形制等，又明顯的受到〈武〉樂的影響，以致「功成作樂」在實踐上不過徒託空言而已。

According to Book of Rites, one of the Confucian classics, the theory of "musical creating" in Confucianism is defined as follows, "While a new dynasty is established, the rites and music must be renewed and enhanced." The Confucianism consider that the "music" must be created with the establishment of a new dynasty for that all institutions have to be changed with the alternation of political authority. Combining meaning of politics and culture, rites and music become the most symbolical items among all institutions. "Musical creating" is promoted as a symbol of the establishment to new political authority, and it becomes a significant act while a new dynasty is set up since this formulation is proposed, even if in the era of the Southern and Northern—— era in chaos of war——, so many events of it's "musical creating" still have been recorded, thus it is seen that "musical creating" is given great value. Nevertheless, "musical creating" is certain difficult so that following the music of last dynasty is inevitable; furthermore, changing lyrics and titles of old ones is also avoidable. The abstract connotation of music and ambiguity of the record medium have provided proper factors for such an act. However, when we investigate the information of "musical creating" in successive dynasties, as to the Shau〈韶〉 of Shun, Huo〈濩〉 of Tang, and Wu〈武〉of Zho, Wu is the only one which conforms with this standpoint, and as to later periods, including Chin, Han, Wei, Jin, and era of Southern and Northern, most of their "musical creating" follow successive dynasties but lyrics and title. Moreover, the forms of the whole music are obviously influenced by Wu music, so that "the music created after the dynasty established" actually is vain in the way of practice.