大道之行也，天下為公；選賢與能講信修睦。故人不獨親其親，不獨子其子；使老有所終，壯有所用，幼有所長，矜、寡、孤、獨、廢疾者皆有所養。男有分，女有歸。貨惡其棄於地也，不必藏於己；力惡其不出於身也，不必為己。是故謀閉而不興，盜竊亂賊而不作；故外戶而不閉，是謂大同。

THE CHAPTER OF GREAT HARMONY
"When the Great Principle prevails, the world is a Commonwealth in which rulers are selected according to their wisdom and ability. Mutual confidence is promoted and good neighborliness cultivated. Hence, men do not regard as parents only their own parents, nor do they treat as children only their own children. Provision is secured for the aged till death, employment for the able-bodied, and the mean of growing up for the young. Helpless widows and widowers, orphans and the lonely, as well as the sick and the disable, are well cared for. Men have their respective occupations and women their homes. They do not like to see wealth lying idle, yet they do not keep it for their own gratification. They despise indolence, yet they do not use their energies for energies for their own benefit. In this way, selfish scheming are repressed, and robbers, thieves and other lawless men no longer exist, and there is no need for people to shut their outers. This is called the Great Harmony (TA TUNG)."

  

釋奠佾舞簡稱佾舞，又稱丁祭佾舞、祭孔佾舞，依不同編制又分有六佾舞和八佾舞，是祭孔大典的祭禮中所表演的舞蹈。

西元485年(中國古代南朝齊武帝永明3年)，對於釋奠已有這樣的記載：「元嘉立學、裴松之儀、應舞六佾，以郊樂未具，故從權奏登歌，今金石已備，宜設軒縣之樂，六佾之舞，牲牢器用，悉依上公」，六佾即六佾舞，是中國古代諸侯用舞的編輯，有六行六列，共36人。軒縣就是軒懸，是中國古代諸侯樂隊的編制。這是歷史上樂舞並用祭孔儀式的開始，之後各朝代祭孔的規模和樂舞均有不同。

西元492年（北魏孝文帝太和16年），孝文帝時六佾舞中增加了「三獻禮」的項目，三獻禮即初獻、亞獻、終獻。740年（唐朝唐玄宗開元28年）的祭孔大祀，是採用64人的八佾舞。

佾舞的來自宗廟宮庭雅樂舞，舞者稱為「佾生」，佾是隊伍的行列，分祭天子、公侯、大夫、士又有八佾、六佾、四佾、二佾之分。與宮庭樂舞相同，釋奠佾舞也有文舞和武舞。跳文舞時右手執羽，常用雉尾，左手執籥，即短笛形的竹管，分別有立容、立聲之意。每個動作皆代表一個字，一節樂曲一組動作。武舞又稱干舞。

唐朝貞觀年間的祭孔佾舞為文舞、武舞並用，唐玄宗開元年間曾用八佾。宋朝僅用文舞，表示謙遜禮讓之義。明朝文舞武舞並用，採六佾，文舞佾生右手執三羽。