‘Zhēng shēng’ (正声) literally combines 正 (zhēng), meaning ‘orthodox’, ‘proper’, or ‘ritually correct’, and 声 (shēng), meaning ‘tone’, ‘sound’, or ‘musical note’. Historically, it refers to the principal, ritually sanctioned musical tone associated with the first lunar month—known as the zhēngyuè—and was considered essential for maintaining cosmic and social harmony in ancient Chinese court and ancestral rituals. This tone was believed to embody moral uprightness and cosmological order.

In classical texts like the Yue Ji (Record of Music), 正声 contrasts with ‘yin sheng’ (lewd or decadent tones) and symbolizes cultural authenticity and ethical purity in music. Though rarely used in modern spoken Chinese, it appears in scholarly discussions of traditional music theory, ritual studies, and classical literature. Its usage is highly formal and archaic, evoking Confucian ideals of music as moral education rather than mere entertainment.