Zhou Yi Shang Shi Xue (周易尚氏學)

易卦起源於原始宗教中巫術占驗方法之一的八索之占。古也稱繩為索，八索即八條繩子。金川彝族所保持的原始式八索之占，繫用牛毛繩八條，擲諸地上以占吉凶。《易·繫辭》稱庖犧氏（即伏義氏）始作八卦，乃指八索之占言之。八索這一名稱，最早見於《左傳》、《國語》。八索之占是八卦的前身，八卦是八索之占的繼續和發展。近年來的學者們，都說八卦與伏義氏完全無涉，這就未免「數典忘祖」，截斷了易卦的來源。（詳拙著《伏羲氏與八卦的關係》）

The hexagrams in The Zhou Yi originated from a primitive religious divination method called "eight cords divination." In ancient times, ropes were called "suo," so "eight cords" referred to eight ropes. The Yi people in Jinchuan area of Sichuan still preserve this primitive form of divination: eight cow hair ropes are thrown onto the ground, and the shape they form is used to judge fortune and misfortune. The Great Treatise of The Zhou Yi says that Paoxi (i.e., Fuxi) first created the eight trigrams, referring precisely to this method of throwing ropes. The term "eight cords" first appears in the Zuo Zhuan and Guoyu. This shows that eight cords divination was the precursor to the eight trigrams, and the eight trigrams developed from the continuous evolution of eight cords divination. Recent scholars have universally concluded that the eight trigrams have no relation to Fuxi, which is surely "forgetting one's roots"—using old references but forgetting one's own origin, equivalent to cutting the source of the hexagrams in half. (For detailed arguments, see my article "The Relationship Between Fuxi and the Eight Trigrams.")

原始宗教的八索之占，到了階級社會的西周就發展為八卦；到了戰國時人所作的《易傳》，又以卦爻辭為基礎，進一步作哲學理論的推闡。《易·繫辭傳》說：「剛柔相摩，八卦相蕩」；「日新之謂盛德，生生之謂易」；「易之為書也不可遠，為道也屢遷，變動不居，周流六虛，上下無常，剛柔相易，不可為典要，唯變所適」；「易窮則變，變則通，通則久」。由此可見，作者認為宇宙間的萬事萬物都處於不斷運動、變化和矛盾交互的過程中，誠然具有辯證法的因素。但是，總的說來，還脫離不了否泰、剝復和消息盈虛之說。例如《蠱·彖傳》所說的「終則有始」，《繫辭傳》所說的「原始反終」，仍然是循環論者的論調。

The divination practice of the eight cords in primitive religion developed into the eight trigrams during the Western Zhou period, when society became class-based. By the Warring States period, the "Commentaries on the Changes" written by scholars gave the "Hexagram Statements" and "Line Statements" a philosophical theoretical foundation. The "Great Treatise" in the "Book of Changes" says: hard lines and soft lines rub against each other, and the eight trigrams interact with each other; the constant emergence of new phenomena is called "abundant virtue," and the continuous generation and renewal is called "Change." The "Book of Changes" is indispensable; its principles are always shifting and changing, flowing through the six line positions, moving up and down without fixed place, with hard and soft lines alternating, thus unable to establish fixed rules. Instead, it must adapt to changes. When the way of the "Book of Changes" reaches its limit, it changes, and when it changes, it becomes unblocked and can last long. From this, we can see that the author believed that all things in the universe are constantly moving, changing, and in mutual contradiction, which indeed contains elements of dialectics. However, overall, it still cannot escape the framework of "否" (Obstruction) and "泰" (Prosperity) being opposites, "剥" (Decline) and "复" (Restoration) being successive, and the mutual transformation of yin and yang. "否," "泰," "剥," and "复" are all names of the sixty-four hexagrams; ancient people used them to indicate the blockage and smoothness of the vital energy, the decline and restoration. For example, the "Commentary on the Judgment" of the "Gǔ" hexagram talks about "the end leads to the beginning," and the "Great Treatise" talks about "returning to the origin and concluding," ultimately still expressing the idea of cyclical change.

左昭二年傳敘韓宣子適魯，「見《易象》與《魯春秋》」。其稱《易》為《易象》，足徵《易》之為書是以象為主的。《易·繫辭傳》也說：「是故易者象也，象也者像也。」因為辭由象生，故《易》無象外之辭。《周易》的每一卦辭和每一爻辭，往往在幾句話裡有幾種不同的內容，假若不依象以釋辭，則奇奇怪怪，迷離惝恍，既不知其辭之所本，更不知其義之所由生。但是，《說卦傳》所敘的象頗為簡略，遠遠概括不了易卦中各種各樣的象。於是主漢易以說象者，對於不解之象，則以「卦變」、「爻變」為釋，故尚先生敘清儒解《易》說：「……而以漢人為依歸是矣。乃於漢人之曲說，亦靡不依據以為護符。至求象不得，亦使卦再三變以成其象，奉虞氏為不刊法則，而易學遂故步自封矣。」（見《焦氏易詁凡例》）

In the second year of Duke Zhao of the Zuo Zhuan, Han Xuanzi was sent to Lu and saw the "Yi Xiang" and the "Lu Spring and Autumn." He referred to the Yi directly as the "Yi Xiang," which shows that the book of Yi is mainly based on "Xiang." The "Great Treatise" of the Yi also says: therefore, the Yi is Xiang, and Xiang means taking images and making comparisons. Because the hexagram and line statements come from the hexagram images, there is no sentence in the Zhou Yi that is spoken without reference to Xiang. Every hexagram statement and every line statement in the Zhou Yi often contain several different layers of meaning within a few sentences. If one does not explain the words according to the hexagram images, it will seem strange and unclear, and one will not know where the sentence comes from or how its meaning arises. However, the "Sayings on the Hexagrams" records the hexagram images very briefly, which is far from sufficient to cover the various images in the Yi hexagrams. Therefore, those who advocate for explaining the Yi according to Han dynasty interpretations, when they encounter difficult images, resort to "hexagram transformation" and "line transformation" to explain them. Therefore, Shang先生 commented on the Qing dynasty scholars' interpretation of the Yi, saying: "They take the Han scholars as their model, which is correct; but they take even the Han scholars' misunderstandings as a shield. When they cannot find the image, they let a hexagram transform again and again until they produce the desired image. They regard Yu Fan's method as an unchangeable rule, and thus the study of the Yi becomes stagnant." (See "General Preface" of Jiao's Glosses on the Changes.)

魏晉以前之說《易》者都主象，自王輔嗣掃象不談，專以承乘比應為解，歷唐至宋，便極盛一時。尚先生說：「王輔嗣深知其謬，而不能求得其象，乃倡為得意忘象之說，以掩其短，此端一開，程伊川遂謂得其義則象數在其中，本未顛倒。」（見《焦氏易詁凡例》）這是說程氏不能依象數以解卦爻辭，全憑主觀臆想以為之說，反而說象數在臆想之中，這樣倒末為本，是極其荒謬的。

Before the Wei and Jin dynasties, those who interpreted the Book of Changes focused mainly on "xiang" (images). Since Wang Bi (styled Fusi) discarded all discussion of "xiang", and instead used the relationships between yao positions, such as "cheng", "cheng", "bi", and "ying", to explain the text, this approach became very popular from the Tang to the Song dynasties. Master Shang said: "Wang Bi understood that the Han scholars' interpretations were wrong, but he himself could not find the true meaning of the hexagrams. Therefore, he proposed the slogan 'getting the meaning while forgetting the image' to cover up his shortcomings. Once this idea was introduced, Cheng Yi (Yichuan) claimed that as long as one grasped the principles, the images and numbers would naturally be included, completely reversing the fundamental and the superficial." (See "General Preface" of Jiao's Glosses on the Changes.) This means that Cheng Yi was unable to interpret the yao statements based on images and numbers, and instead relied entirely on his own subjective speculation. He then claimed that the images and numbers were contained within his speculation, which is equivalent to taking the superficial as the fundamental, and is extremely absurd.

先生鑽研《焦氏易林》十餘年，著《焦氏易林注》十六卷，參考各家詁訓，反覆推勘，積疑生悟，因而在《易林》中發現了久已失傳而與《周易》有關的內外卦象、互象、對象、正反象、半象、大象等凡百二十餘象的應用規律。驗之於《左傳》、《國語》的占象而合，驗之於《逸周書·時訓》的準象而合，驗之於《周易》卦象也都基本上相合。先生以《易林》逸象與《周易》交融互證，分條加以闡發，著《焦氏易詁》十一卷。今就此書節錄三條於下：

Master Shang devoted more than ten years to studying Jiao Yanshou's "Jiao's Forest of Changes" and composed sixteen volumes of commentary, "Commentary on Jiao's Forest of Changes." He referred to the interpretations of various scholars throughout history, repeatedly examined and verified them, and when doubts accumulated, he suddenly gained insight. Thus, he discovered a number of long-lost but directly related to the "Zhou Changes" (I Ching) principles of taking symbolic images: the "inner and outer trigrams" formed by the upper and lower parts, the "intermediate images" formed by the second, third, and fourth lines and the third, fourth, and fifth lines, the "opposite images" formed by the complete reversal of the six lines' yin and yang, the "positive and negative images" taking both the original and reversed views, the "half images" taking only half of the trigram, and the "great image" considering the six lines as a single trigram. In total, there are over a hundred and twenty types of such image usage. When these images are compared with divination examples in the "Zuo Zhuan" and "Guoyu," they match; when compared with the symbolic images based on seasonal phenomena in the "Yizhou Shu · Shi Xun," they also match; and when compared with the trigrams themselves in the "Zhou Changes," they are basically consistent. Master Shang compared these preserved "lost images" in "Jiao's Forest of Changes" with the "Zhou Changes," analyzed them in detail, and wrote "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes" in eleven volumes. The following three entries are excerpted from this work.

一、乾日：《易林》「乾之泰云，白日皎皎，泰下乾，乾為日，互震為白，故曰皎皎。又泰之恆云，踰日歷月，恆互兌為月，乾為日，故曰踰日歷月，是《易林》顯以乾為日也。後思易乾九三云，君子終日乾乾，乾為日，三居卦末，故日終日。大畜九三云，日閒輿衛，日亦指乾。」（卷一）

The first point, "Qian represents the sun" (in the text, "Gan" refers to "Qian"). In the "Yilin," the line "Qian to Tai" says "the bright sun shines brightly": the lower trigram of Tai is Qian, which takes the image of "sun"; the trigrams formed by the second, third, and fourth lines include Zhen, which takes the image of "white," hence the phrase "brightly." In the line "Tai to Heng" it says "exceeding days and passing months": the mutual trigrams of Heng include Dui, which takes the image of "moon," and Qian takes the image of "sun," hence the phrase "exceeding days and passing months." Clearly, the "Yilin" explicitly treats Qian as the sun. Later, when reconsidering the "Zhouyi," the line Nine in the Third of Qian says "the gentleman remains diligent all day," where Qian is the sun; Nine in the Third is at the last line of the lower trigram, hence "all day." In the line Nine in the Third of Da Xu it says "the sun between the chariot and the guards," where "sun" also refers to Qian—the upper trigram of Da Xu is Gen and the lower trigram is Qian, with Qian at the lower trigram. The image of Qian as the sun is not recorded in "Shuogua," but is an obscure image recovered from the "Yilin." (See "Jiaoshi Yigu" Volume 1)

二、兌月：「《易林》復之臨云，月出平地，坤為地，兌為月，在下故曰平地。又晉之小過云，月出阜東，小過民為阜，互兌為月，震為東，故月出阜東。……後思易小畜之月幾望，中孚、歸妹之月幾望，恆彖之日月得天久照，蓋皆以兌為月，故《易林》用之，邵子亦用之也。」（卷一）

Rule two, "Dui Represents the Moon." In the "Yi Lin," the line "the moon rises on level ground" comes from the hexagram Ling (Approach), which has Dui below and Kun above. Kun represents "earth," and Dui represents "moon," with Dui in the lower position, hence "level ground." Another line, "the moon rises east of the hill," comes from the hexagram Xiaoguo (Small Crossing), where the lower trigram is Gen (Mountain, originally miswritten as "min"), representing "hill" or "mountain," and trigrams three, four, and five together form Dui, representing "moon." The upper trigram Zhen represents "east," so it is said "the moon rises east of the hill." Later, thinking again about the "Zhou Yi," the line "the moon is almost full" in the upper ninth line of Xiaoxu (Small Accumulation), and in the fourth line of Zhongfu (Sincere Trust) and the fifth line of Guimei (Marriage by Capture), as well as the phrase "the sun and moon receive the heavens and can shine for a long time" in the "Tuan Zhuan" of Heng (Permanence), all seem to take Dui as the moon. The "Shuo Gua" only says Kan represents the moon, but Dui representing the moon is an ancient Han dynasty image preserved in the "Yi Lin." Therefore, the entire "Yi Lin" uses this image, and Shao Yong of the Song dynasty also followed it. (See "Jiao Shi Yi Gu" Volume 1)

三、坤水：《易林》「乾之觀云，江河淮海，天之奧府。按觀下重坤，故曰江河淮海，又坤之升云，憑河登山，升上坤，坤水，故曰憑河。又訟之泰，弱水之西，坤水、坤柔，故曰弱水。」（卷一）「凡易言利往、利涉者，義無不通。特坤水象至東漢失傳，必以坎為大川，遂爾歧誤，而解益之大川尤扞格難通。」（卷五「益、利有攸往利涉大川解」。按「川」字原本誤作「利」）

Third clause, "Kun represents water." In the "Forest of Divination" (Yilin), the line "River, river, Huai, and sea, the hidden treasury of heaven" from the line of Guan (Observation) is given: the lower trigram of Guan is Kun, and the second, third, and fourth lines also form an intercalated trigram of Kun, thus forming two Kuns. Since Kun represents the image of water, the four great rivers, namely the River, the River, the Huai River, and the Sea, are cited. Another line, "Resting by the river and climbing the mountain," from the line of Sheng (Ascent), says: the upper trigram of Sheng is Kun, and since Kun represents water, it says "resting by the river," meaning crossing the river on foot. Another line, "West of the weak river," from the line of Song (Contention) to Tai (Peace), says: since Kun represents both water and the image of "softness," water which is soft and weak is called "weak river." (See Jiao's Glosses on the Changes, Volume 1.) Master Shang also said: "Whenever the Book of Changes speaks of 'favorable to go' or 'favorable to cross a great river,' interpreting it with the image of Kun as water makes sense. However, since the image of Kun as water was lost during the Eastern Han dynasty, later people uniformly took Kan as the great river, leading to many misunderstandings. The interpretation of 'favorable to cross a great river' in the Yi (Benefit) hexagram is especially contradictory and difficult to understand." (See Volume 5, "Explanation of the Yi Hexagram's 'favorable to cross a great river' and 'favorable to go'." Note: the original printed version mistakenly wrote "li" instead of "chuan.")

以上所引三條，用《易林》乾日、兌月、坤水之象，與《周易》相證發，六通四辟，若合符契。學者只知離為日，坎為月為水，則多與卦象不相應。先生以《焦氏易詁》為基礎（讀本書者，須參閱《焦氏易林注》、《焦氏易詁》、《左傳國語易象釋》三書），對於歷來的易象和易解，廣搜博採，評判其得失，取長舍短；同時，又結合其師吳摯甫《易說》的「陽遇陰則通、遇陽則阻」的原理（見本書「說例」）而加以發展，謂「易之道如電然，同性則相違，異性則相感」（見《易詁》「同人、利涉大川解」），著《周易尚氏學》二十卷。

The three quotations cited above use the three lost images of the trigram Qian representing the sun, Dui representing the moon, and Kun representing water, preserved in the Forest of Changes, to cross-reference and elaborate with the Zhou Changes, making all directions fully accessible, like a seal and its counterpart fitting perfectly. The term "lost images" refers to trigram images not recorded in the Sayings on the Trigrams, but actually in circulation among Han dynasty scholars of the Changes. Scholars who only know the images of Li representing the sun, Kan representing the moon and water from the Sayings on the Trigrams often fail to match them with the images in the text. Master Shang based his studies on Jiao's Glosses on the Changes (readers must refer to the Commentary on Jiao's Forest of Changes, Jiao's Glosses on the Changes, and Interpretations of the Images in the Changes from the Zuo Zhuan and Guoyu), widely collecting and evaluating past interpretations and various commentaries on the Changes, taking their strengths and discarding their weaknesses. At the same time, he absorbed the principle from his teacher Wu Rulun (Zhipu) in his book "Sayings on the Changes" that "a yang line moving forward meets a yin line and thus proceeds smoothly, but meets a yang line and thus is blocked" (see the "Sayings on Examples" section of this book), and developed it, proposing that "the way of the Changes is like electricity, with like charges repelling each other and opposite charges attracting each other" (see "Explanations of the Trigrams TONGLI and LI SHEXI DACHUAN" in the Glosses on the Changes), and thus wrote the twenty-volume "Shang's Studies on the Zhou Changes."

於是久已晦盲的易象，始昭然若揭，可謂發幽闡微，集象學之大成。《焦氏易林注》仵墉敘引王晉卿說：「此書將二千年易家之盲詞囈說，一一駁倒，使西漢易學復明於世，孟子所謂其功不在禹下。」又引陳散原說：「讀尚氏《焦氏易詁》，嘆為千古絕作。以今世竟有此人著此絕無僅有之書，本朝諸儒見之當有愧色。」

Thus, the obscure and unclear images of the Book of Changes became clearly visible again, which can be said to have unearthed hidden meanings and explained subtle nuances, achieving the culmination of image studies. In the preface to Jiao's Forest of Changes, Wu Yong cited Wang Jinqing's words: "This book refutes the nonsense of diviners and dreamers over two thousand years, restoring the study of the Book of Changes from the Western Han dynasty to clarity in the world. This is exactly what Mencius said: 'Its merit is no less than that of Great Yu.'" The preface also quotes Chen Sanli (Sanyuan), who said: "Reading Shang's Jiao's Glosses on the Changes, I exclaimed that it is an unparalleled masterpiece of all time. In this age, there is someone who has written such an unprecedented book; those scholars of our dynasty should feel ashamed upon seeing it."

以上所述，主要是說明先生對易象的卓越發明。但是，本書也還存在著某些缺點和錯誤，例如：一、關《周易》作者的問題，先生對於書卦者以及卦爻辭、《易傳》的作者，多因襲舊說。在本書「總論」中「第三論古易之類別」說：「伏義既畫卦，必更有書以申明其義。……後人謂黃帝始造字，伏義祇畫卦無文字者，謬也」；「第四論周易誰作」說：「……故夫《周易》卦爻辭，純為文王一人所作，其欲加入周公者，毫無根據，不可信也」；「第六論十翼誰作」說：「…… 故《十翼》非孔子不能為，不敢為，而紀錄《十翼》者，則孔子之門人也」。像以上各種肯定的說法，都脫離不了舊有圈套。先生對於近年來學者們的若干新說，一概置之不理。縱然他們對於舊解有著一筆抹殺的過分主張，未可盡信，可是，伏羲氏既畫卦又重卦，以及文王作卦爻辭，孔子作《十翼》等傳統說法，畢竟是靠不住的。

The above mainly praises Mr. Shang's outstanding contributions to the study of the symbolic images in the Zhou Yi. However, this book also has some shortcomings and errors, as illustrated below. First, regarding the authorship of the Zhou Yi. Mr. Shang mostly follows traditional views concerning the person who drew the hexagrams, the authors of the hexagram lines and the Yi Zhuan. In the section "General Discussion" titled "Third Discussion on the Classification of Ancient Yi," it states: "Since Fuxi had already drawn the hexagrams, there must have been written texts to explain the meanings of the hexagrams. ... Later people said that the Yellow Emperor was the one who first created writing, and Fuxi only drew hexagrams without writing, which is wrong." In the section "Fourth Discussion on Who Composed the Zhou Yi," it says: "Therefore, the hexagram lines and statements of the Zhou Yi were entirely composed by King Wen alone; the idea of including the Duke of Zhou is entirely baseless and cannot be trusted." In the section "Sixth Discussion on Who Composed the Ten Wings," it states: "Therefore, the Ten Wings could not have been composed by Confucius, nor would he have dared to compose them; instead, they were recorded by Confucius's disciples." (The Ten Wings refer to the Upper and Lower Commentary on the Hexagrams, the Upper and Lower Commentary on the Images, the Great Treatise, the Discourse on the Hexagrams, the Explanation of the Changes, the Sequence of the Hexagrams, and the Miscellaneous Hexagrams, which are ten explanatory texts.) Such definitive statements all fall into the old framework—what is called the old view, which is the "three sages of successive generations and three ancient ages" theory in the "Book of Han: Catalogue of Arts and Literature." Mr. Shang ignores entirely the various new views proposed by scholars in recent years. Indeed, those new views have overly dismissive attitudes toward traditional interpretations and cannot be entirely trusted; however, the traditional views that Fuxi both drew the hexagrams and redrew them, King Wen composed the hexagram lines, and Confucius composed the Ten Wings are also unreliable—these all come from Han dynasty accounts, and there is no solid evidence from the pre-Qin period's texts.

二、震象為丘 《說文》謂「四方高中央下為丘」，《淮南子·墜形》的「和丘」，高注謂「四方而高曰丘」。按震作◇，象四方高中央下之形。丘字卜辭作◇，金文作◇，以卦畫有橫無豎驗之，則古文字的丘字正與震象相符洽。《易林》革之頤說：「尼父孔丘」；（尚先生謂反震為孔），頤下震為丘，故曰「尼父孔丘」；又屯之噬嗑說：「營邱（同丘）是適」，噬嗑下震為丘（尚先生謂「震往故日適」），故曰「營邱是適」。這都是《易林》以震為丘之證。

Second, the issue of the Zhen trigram taking the image of "qiu" (hill). The "Shuowen Jiezi" says that "a hill is where four sides are high and the center is low." The "Huainanzi · Zui Xing" mentions "he qiu," and the commentary by Gao You says that "a hill is where four sides are high." According to the diagram of the Zhen trigram (the original text has the diagram here, and the electronic version uses ◇ to represent it), it exactly resembles the shape of four sides high and the center low. The ancient character "qiu" as written in oracle bone inscriptions and bronze inscriptions, when compared to the diagram of the trigram which has only horizontal strokes and no vertical ones, matches exactly with the shape of the Zhen trigram. The "Yi Lin" in the section "Ge to Yi" says "Ni Fu Kong Qiu" (Master Kong Qiu). Mr. Shang believes that the inverted Zhen trigram takes the image of "Kong." Since the lower part of the Yi trigram is Zhen, and Zhen represents a hill, it is said "Ni Fu Kong Qiu." In another section "Tun to Shihe," it says "Ying Qiu is Shi" ("Qiu" is the same as "Qiu"). The lower part of the Shihe trigram is Zhen, and Zhen represents a hill. Mr. Shang says that Zhen indicates movement forward, so it is said "Shi," leading to the phrase "Ying Qiu is Shi." These are all evidence from the "Yi Lin" that Zhen represents a hill.

以震為丘，於《周易》中之言丘者無一不合。賁卦作◇，六五：「賁于丘園」，丘園指「上互」為震言之；頤卦作◇，六二：「拂經於丘」，丘指內卦為震言之；渙卦作◇，六四：「渙有丘」，丘指渙「下互」為震言之。丘與◆古通用。古人多居丘。《說文》謂「◆、大丘也」，又謂「四邑為丘，丘謂之◆」。升卦作◇，九三：「升◆邑」，馬注謂「◆、丘也」。丘邑指「上互」為震言之。總之，《周易》中言丘者三見，言◆者一見，都取象於震。而先生有的謂艮為山以當丘，有的訓丘為空，又以巽為◆，既不能一以貫之，又均背於易象。此外，鼎卦作◇，《乾鑿度》謂「鼎象以器」。毛奇齡《仲氏易》說：「鼎有足有腹有耳有鉉，而卦文俱象之。下畫偶似足，二三四畫奇皆中實，似腹，五畫偶似耳，上畫奇似鉉。」按毛解甚確，而先生於本書從端木國瑚之說，謂「鼎之象不在鼎，而在伏象屯」，舍鼎形之實象而信伏象，未免疏失。

Using the trigram Zhen (Thunder) to explain "qiu" (hill), there is no inconsistency in the Zhou Changes where "qiu" is mentioned. In the line "Beren yu qiu yuan" (Benevolence in the hill and garden) of the hexagram "Beren" (Brightness), "qiu" refers to the trigram Zhen formed by the interaction of lines three, four, and five. In the line "Fu jing yu qiu" (To brush against the path in the hill) of the hexagram "Yi" (Nourishment), "qiu" refers to the lower trigram Zhen. In the line "Huan you qiu" (Dispersal with a hill) of the hexagram "Huan" (Dispersal), "qiu" refers again to the trigram Zhen formed by the interaction of lines two, three, and four. The characters "qiu" and "xu" (which is the ancient form of "xu", meaning "empty", with the character "hu" minus the lower "er" and replaced by "qiu", represented here by ◆) were commonly used interchangeably in ancient times, as people often lived on hills. The Shuowen Jiezi says "xu is a big hill" and also says "four cities make up a hill, and a hill is also called xu." In the line "Sheng xu yi" (Rising to the empty city) of the hexagram "Sheng" (Progress), Ma Rong's commentary says "xu is the same as qiu," and this qiu yi (hill city) refers again to the trigram Zhen formed by the interaction of lines three, four, and five. In summary, the three instances where "qiu" is mentioned and one instance where "xu" is mentioned in the Zhou Changes all refer to the image of Zhen. However, Shang Sheng sometimes interprets Gen (Mountain) as mountain and uses mountain to represent qiu, and sometimes interprets qiu as empty and uses Xun (Wind) to represent xu. This is inconsistent and does not conform to the imagery of the Zhou Changes. In addition, the "Gan Zao Du" says "the cauldron takes the image of objects." Mao Qilin's "Zhong Shi Yi" says: "The cauldron has a foot, a belly, ears, and a handle, and each line of the hexagram corresponds to these parts: the very first line is an even line, resembling the foot of the cauldron; the second, third, and fourth lines are all odd lines with a solid center, resembling the belly of the cauldron; the fifth line is an even line, resembling the ear of the cauldron; and the top line is an odd line, resembling the handle of the cauldron." Mao's explanation is accurate, but the author of this book adopts the view of Du Mu Guo Hu, saying "the image of the cauldron is not in the cauldron itself, but in its hidden image of Zhun," abandoning the actual image of the cauldron and relying on the hidden image, which is a serious oversight.

三、訓詁和史實 《說卦傳》以坎為月，先生據《易林》逸象以兌為月，用以解易，無一不通。但是，為什麼以兌為月，則未加說明。按《說文》：「月、闕也」，《釋名·釋天》：「月、闕也，滿則闕也」，是月、闕迭韻，以音為訓。再就形言之，古文字月作◇或◇，正像月闕形。兌上偶畫中闕，故以兌為月（其它卦象，與文字形或音有關係者，在此不加詳論）。

Third, problems concerning etymology and historical facts. The "Say Guà Zhuan" takes Kan as representing the moon, but Master Shang, based on the extraordinary imagery in the "Yi Lin," takes Dui as representing the moon, using it to explain the Yi Jing, and there is no place that does not make sense. However, he did not explain why Dui can represent the moon. According to the "Shi Wen Jie Zi," "yue" means "qu" (defect or deficiency). The "Shi Ming · Xi Tian" says, "yue is 'qu,' because when it is full, it must become deficient." This shows that "yue" and "qu" are words with alternating rhymes, which is a phonetic explanation. Furthermore, from the shape of the character, the ancient form of "yue" resembles the shape of the moon when it is deficient. The Dui hexagram has an even line at the top, which is broken and has a notch, so it is taken as representing the moon (other hexagrams that are related to the shape of the characters or their sounds are not discussed in detail here).

小過六二：「過其祖，遇其妣」，先生誤從《爾雅·釋親》「母曰妣」以為之解。按妣為祖母，《詩·斯干》的「似續妣祖」，《豐年》的「烝畀祖妣」，均以祖與妣對稱。《周禮·大司樂》「以享先妣」與「以享先祖」，相偶為文。卜辭和金文均稱祖母為妣，從無以妣為母者。以妣為母，始見於戰國末期的典籍，與易辭不符。否九五：「其亡其亡，繫于苞桑」，陸續訓苞桑為叢桑，甚是。不言繫於桑而言繫於叢桑，自繫就鞏固為言。而先生謂「桑而叢生，其柔可知，繫於柔木，其危可知」，未能允當。

The hexagram Xiao Guo, line six in the second, says "passing by his ancestor, meeting his maternal grandmother." The teacher incorrectly followed the Shī Jīn · Xī Shēn, which says "mother is called bǐ," to interpret the term. Actually, "bǐ" refers to the maternal grandmother. The Shī Jīn · Sī Gān says "like continuing the line of ancestors and maternal grandmothers," and the Fēng Nián says "offering to ancestors and maternal grandmothers," both using "zǔ" and "bǐ" in parallel. The Zhōu Lì · Dà Sī Yuè says "offering to the maternal grandmothers" and "offering to the ancestors," also in parallel. Oracle bone inscriptions and bronze inscriptions always refer to the maternal grandmother as "bǐ," never using "bǐ" for mother. The use of "bǐ" for mother appears only in late Warring States period texts, which is inconsistent with the time of the Yi Jing. The hexagram Pǐ, line nine in the fifth, says "its loss, its loss, tied to a bundle of mulberry trees." Lu Ji of the Three Kingdoms (originally "Lù Xù") interpreted "bāo sāng" as a cluster of mulberry trees, which is correct. Saying it is tied to a cluster of mulberry trees rather than a single tree is naturally referring to its firmness. However, the teacher's interpretation that "mulberry trees growing in clusters show their weakness, and being tied to a weak tree shows danger" is not appropriate. Moreover, the line "passing by his ancestor, meeting his maternal grandmother" in Xiao Guo, line six in the second, uses "zǔ" and "bǐ" in parallel, which further proves that "bǐ" should be interpreted as maternal grandmother.

坎六四：「樽酒簋貳用缶，納約自牖」，約為勺的借字，即酌酒之斗。《考工記》鄭注謂「勺、故書或作約」，是其證。《詩·采蘋》：「於以奠之，宗室牖下」，是古奠祭於牖下之證。「納勺自牖」，是說祭時自牖納勺於樽以挹酒。而先生引《周禮·司約》的「治神之約」以為之解，乖於本義。《晉卦辭》：「康侯用錫馬蕃庶」，康侯即《書·康誥》的康叔封，金文作「康侯豐」。而先生誤謂「康侯略如大侯，為諸侯之美稱」。益六四：「利用為依遷國」，依應讀作殷，即《書序》所說的「成周既成，遷殷頑民」。而先生誤據《說文》訓依為倚。升六四：「王用享于歧山」，先生謂「紂能囚文王，何不可到岐山」。其實，紂何曾到過岐山？歸妹六五：「帝乙歸妹」，先生謂「帝乙、湯也」。其實，帝乙謂紂父，太乙何曾有帝乙之稱？

The hexagram Kan, line six in the fourth, says, "A cup of wine, two bowls, and a jar are used, and the covenant is brought in from the window." The term "yue" is a variant character for "shao," which refers to a vessel used for measuring or pouring wine. The commentary by Zheng Xuan on the "Record of Craftsman" states, "Shao was sometimes written as yue in old texts," which serves as evidence. The "Poetry · Collecting Water Plants" says, "Where is it placed? In the hall beneath the window," showing that ancient people performed sacrifices beneath the window. "Bringing the shao in from the window" means that during the sacrifice, the wine vessel was brought in through the window to pour wine into the wine jar. However, the scholar's interpretation of "yue" as referring to the "Zhou Li · Officer of Covenants" "treatments for the gods" contradicts the original meaning. The hexagram Jin says, "The virtuous lord uses bronze horses and numerous offspring." "Kanghou" refers to Kang叔封, a vassal lord who was first granted the territory of Kang, the brother of King Wu, and is written as "Kanghou Feng" in bronze inscriptions. However, the scholar mistakenly says "Kanghou is roughly equivalent to Da Hou, a respectful term for a vassal lord." The hexagram Yi, line six in the fourth, says, "It is advantageous to rely on and move the state." "Yi" should be read as "Yin," as the two characters had the same ancient pronunciation and were used interchangeably. This is what the "Book of Documents · Book Order" mentions, "After the completion of the capital of Chengzhou, the migration of the stubborn remnants of the Yin dynasty took place." However, the scholar incorrectly interprets "yi" as meaning "to lean on" based on the "Shuowen Jiezi." The hexagram Sheng, line six in the fourth, says, "The king uses a sacrifice at Mount Qi." The scholar says, "Since King Zhou could imprison King Wen, why couldn't he go to Mount Qi?" This is equivalent to interpreting the sentence as King Zhou personally attending the sacrifice at Mount Qi. In reality, King Zhou never went to Mount Qi. The hexagram Gui Mei, line six in the fifth, says, "Di Yi marries off his daughter." The scholar says, "Di Yi is the same as Cheng Tang." In fact, Di Yi was the father of King Zhou, while Cheng Tang was called Tai Yi, and there was never a title called "Di Yi."

總起來說，先生的主要成就是通過對《焦氏易林》的多年鑽研，在極為錯綜複雜的情況下，用歸納方法，分析和總結了各種逸象的應用規律，進一步以之詮釋《周易》，基本上都是吻合無間的。因此，《左傳》、《國語》、《易林》和《易卦》的用象，才由前此的對立得到統一。由於《周易》無象外之辭。而先生的絕大發明則在乎象，解決了舊所不解的不可勝數的易象問題，可以說，先生對易象的貢獻是空前的。

In summary, Mr. Shang's main achievement lies in his years of study on the Jiao's Forest of Changes, where he used归纳 methods to analyze and summarize the usage patterns of various '逸象'—that is, hexagram images not recorded in the Shuo Gua Zhuan but actually in circulation during the Han dynasty. He further used these to interpret the Zhou Changes. His findings are largely consistent. Because of this, the use of images in the Zuo Zhuan, Guoyu, Yi Lin, and the hexagram line statements of the Zhou Changes, which were previously contradictory, have now been unified. Scholars used to think that the divination examples in the Zuo Zhuan and the imagery used in the Yi Lin did not match the classical text, but now it is clear that they belong to the same system. Since the Zhou Changes have no statements that are independent of hexagram images, and Mr. Shang's greatest contribution was precisely in the realm of imagery, solving countless previously incoherent issues in the study of Yi Xiang, his contribution to Yi Xiang is unprecedented.

但是，也無可諱言，先生對《周易》的作者，只沿襲傳統舊說；並且，對某些卦象，以及文字、聲韻、訓詁和史實方面，仍有許多可議之處。不過，前者的若干發明是主要的，後者的某些缺點和錯誤是次要的。由於是非得失繫客觀存在，不以個人愛憎為轉移，有關本書的某些缺點和錯誤，與其使讀者勞神筆墨，一一加以指責，不如先事擇要說明之為愈。因此，本文不敢阿其所好，為先生回短護非，遂不自量地舉出一些事例，評論其得失（當然限於篇幅，很不全面）。庶幾瑕不掩瑜，晶光赫露，而先生的苦心孤詣和一繫列的發明，也可以信今而傳後了。一九六三年四月於長春。

But it should not be concealed that the author of this work follows the traditional view regarding the authorship of the Zhou Changes. Moreover, in certain hexagrams, as well as in aspects of text, phonology, etymology, and historical facts, there are still many points that can be discussed. The examples mentioned above, such as the reasoning for taking the image of a hill for Zhen, the image of the moon for Dui, and the terms bi, bao sang, na yue, kang hou, yi, qi mountain, and di yi, illustrate these points, which belong to the categories of imagery, etymology, and historical facts respectively. However, the previous discoveries are the main points, while these shortcomings and errors are secondary. Right and wrong, gains and losses are objective realities, not affected by personal likes or dislikes. Rather than letting readers later spend time and effort to point out these shortcomings one by one, it is better to first summarize them. Therefore, this article dares not一味 follow the author's views to cover up his shortcomings or defend right and wrong. Instead, I have, without measuring my own ability, cited some examples to comment on the merits and demerits (of course, limited by the scope of this article, it is by no means comprehensive). I hope this can help to highlight the book's merits, making its brilliance more evident, and allowing the author's painstaking efforts and series of discoveries to be trusted by later generations. Written in Changchun in April 1963.

易理至明也，而說者多誤。說何以誤？厥有二因。一因易理之失傳。太史公曰：易以道陰陽。陰陽之理，同性相敵，異性相感。《艮》傳云「上下敵應，不相與也」，謂陽應陽、陰應陰為敵也；《中孚》六三云「得敵」，《同人》九三曰「敵剛」，謂陰比陰、陽比陽為敵也。陰遇陰，陽遇陽，既為敵而不相與，則不能為朋友為類明矣。《咸》傳曰「二氣感應以相與」，《恆》曰「剛柔皆應」。夫陰陽相與相應，則必相求而為朋友為類明矣。《復》曰「朋來無咎」，謂陽來也，陰以陽為朋也；《損》曰「一人行則得其友」，謂陽行至上而據二陰也，陽以陰為友也；《頤》六二曰「行失類也」，謂陰不遇陽也。至明白也。

The principles of the Zhou Yi are originally very clear, but those who explain them often make mistakes. Why is this so? There are two reasons. The first is the loss of the transmission of the 'principles of the Book of Changes'. Sima Qian said that the Yi is used to explain the principles of yin and yang. The principle of yin and yang is that like elements are enemies to each other, while opposite elements respond to each other. The Commentary on the Judgment of the Gen hexagram says, "the upper and lower are enemies and do not interact," referring to the positions of the first and fourth, second and fifth, and third and top lines, where yang meets yang and yin meets yin, thus becoming "enemies." The line six in the third position of Zhongfou says, "meeting an enemy," and the line nine in the third position of Tongren says, "opposing a strong line," referring to adjacent lines where yin meets yin and yang meets yang, also becoming "enemies." When yin meets yin and yang meets yang, since they are enemies and do not relate to each other, they cannot be considered "friends" or "like," which is clear. The Commentary on the Judgment of the Xian hexagram says, "two energies respond to each other and interact," and the Commentary on the Judgment of the Heng hexagram says, "the strong and the weak both respond to each other." When yin and yang respond to each other and interact, they must seek each other and become friends and like, which is also clear. The hexagram statement of Fu says, "friends come without blame," referring to yang lines returning, and yin treating yang as "friends." The line six in the second position of Yi says, "moving away from the class," referring to a yin line moving forward and not meeting yang. The principle is clear to the extreme.

乃說者於《坤》上六，謂陰陽相戰爭，相傷而出血矣；於《文言》謂陰陽相忌相疑矣；以陽遇陽為朋，陰遇陰為友為類矣。同性相敵、異性相感之理一失，於是初四、二五、三上陽應陽、陰應陰者謂之失應，人尚知之；至於陽比陽、陰比陰，如夬、垢之三四，如《頤》之六二，說者則茫然。於是全部《易》，如「征凶」、「往吝」、「往不勝」、「壯于趾」、「其行次且」，及「慎所之」等辭，全不知其故矣。又如陽遇重陰、陰遇重陽而當位者，所謂「往吉」、「征吉」、「利涉」、「利往」、「上合志也」，此其義宋蔡淵曾創言之，而未大行。於是全部易爻象若是者，自漢迄清，說者亦莫明其故，而用爻變矣。

But those who explain the Yi say that in the upper sixth line of the Kun hexagram, "The dragon fights in the fields, its blood is black and yellow," they interpret it as yin and yang fighting each other, injuring one another and bleeding. In the Wenyan, they interpret it as yin and yang being suspicious of each other. Conversely, they regard yang meeting yang as "friends" and yin meeting yin as "companions" or "like-minded ones." Once the fundamental principle of "like elements are hostile, unlike elements are responsive" is discarded, then when yang meets yang or yin meets yin in corresponding positions such as the first and fourth lines, the second and fifth lines, and the third and upper lines, they still call it "losing the response." But when adjacent lines have yang meeting yang or yin meeting yin, such as the third and fourth lines of the Guai and Gou hexagrams, or the sixth line of the Yi hexagram, the interpreters are completely confused. As a result, all the statements in the Zhouyi such as "traveling is dangerous," "going leads to regret," "going is not victorious," "strength is in the toes," "movement is hesitant," and "be cautious about where you go" are all unclear in their reasons. For example, when a yang line meets two yin lines or a yin line meets two yang lines and the positions are appropriate, the line statements often say "going is auspicious," "traveling is auspicious," "favorable to cross," "favorable to go," and "the upper line agrees with the will." This meaning was first proposed by the Song dynasty scholar Cai Yuan, but it did not spread widely. Thus, all such line images in the Yi from the Han dynasty to the Qing dynasty have been misunderstood by interpreters, and they have only resorted to "line change" to explain them.

又如陽爻，下乘重陰者亦多吉，與前臨重陰同也。《蹇》九三日「內喜之也」，說甚明也，乃亦失傳。於是《頤》上九之「利涉」，《蒙》上九、《漸》九三之「利禦寇」，皆不知所謂矣。有此一因，於是易解之誤者，十而四五。其次則象學失傳。《說卦》乃自古相傳之卦象，祗說其綱領，以為萬象之引伸，並示其推廣之義。如干為馬，坤、震、坎亦可為馬；乾為龍，震亦可為龍；巽為木，艮、坎亦可為木。非謂甲卦象此物，乙卦即不許再象也，視其義何如耳。

For example, when a yang line is covered by two yin lines below it, it is often auspicious, and the reasoning is the same as when a yang line is preceded by a heavy yin line. The "Small Image" of "Guan" (Obstruction) at "Nine in the Third" says, "The yin lines below are pleased with it" (the yin lines in the lower trigram welcome it). The explanation is clear, but this meaning has been lost. Therefore, phrases like "favorable for crossing great rivers" in "Yi" (Nourishment) at "Nine at the Top," and "favorable for repelling bandits" in "Meng" (Youth) at "Nine at the Top" and "Jian" (Gradual Progress) at "Nine in the Third" are no longer understood. With this first reason, out of ten explanations of the "Book of Changes," five or six are wrong. The second reason is the loss of the "Image Learning." The "Discourse on the Hexagrams" contains the traditional hexagram images passed down from ancient times. It only outlines the main points as the basis for extending to all phenomena and also indicates the way to expand further. For example, the hexagram "Qian" (Heaven) is associated with a horse, and "Kun," "Zhen," and "Kan" can also be associated with a horse. The hexagram "Qian" is associated with a dragon, and "Zhen" can also be associated with a dragon. The hexagram "Xun" (Wind) is associated with wood, and "Gen" (Mountain) and "Kan" can also be associated with wood. It is not that once a hexagram has symbolized an object, another hexagram cannot symbolize it; it depends on the specific meaning.

至文王時，又曆數千年，其所演易象，必益廣益精，故《周易》所用象，往往與《說卦》不同。《說卦》以坎為月，經則多以兌為月，月生西，坎、兌皆位西也；《說卦》以離為龜，經則以艮為龜，離為龜取其外堅，艮亦外堅也。此推而益廣也。且有與《說卦》相反者：《說卦》以兌為少女，以艮為少男，而經則以兌為老婦，以艮為祖、為丈夫；《說卦》以震為長男，巽為長女，經則以震為小子，巽為少女（女妻即少女）。蓋以甲乙言，先生者長，後生者少；而以一人言，則初生者少，行至上而老也。此演而益精也。自東漢迄清，於此等義例，都未能明，見經所用象為《說卦》所無，則用卦變、爻變或爻辰以求之，謬法流傳，二千年如一日。加此一因，於是易解之誤者，十而七八矣。

When King Wen compiled the Yi, several thousand years had passed since Fuxi created the trigrams. Therefore, the images he developed must have been broader and more precise. Hence, the images used in the classic text of the Zhou Yi often differ from those recorded in the Shu Guan Zhuan. The Shu Guan Zhuan takes Kan as the moon, but the classic text mostly uses Dui as the moon—since the moon rises in the west, and both Kan and Dui are located in the west. The Shu Guan Zhuan takes Li as the turtle, but the classic text uses Gen as the turtle—Li is taken as the turtle because of its hard shell, and Gen is also taken as the turtle because its outer line is yang and thus hard. This is extending the principles of the Shu Guan Zhuan outward. There are also cases that are exactly opposite to the Shu Guan Zhuan: the Shu Guan Zhuan takes Dui as the young girl and Gen as the young boy, but the classic text takes Dui as the old woman and Gen as the grandfather or husband. The Shu Guan Zhuan takes Zhen as the elder son and Xun as the elder daughter, but the classic text takes Zhen as the young boy and Xun as the young girl (the term "female wife" in the line statements refers to the young girl). This is because when comparing two people, the elder is the long and the younger is the short; but when considering a single person, the first line is the youngest and the top line is the oldest. This is refining the principles of the Shu Guan Zhuan into finer details. From the Eastern Han dynasty to the Qing dynasty, scholars failed to understand these principles. Whenever they saw an image used in the classic text that was not found in the Shu Guan Zhuan, they resorted to concepts like "changing trigrams," "changing lines," or Zheng Xuan's "changing lines of yao." These incorrect methods were passed down through the centuries, making two thousand years seem like one day. Adding this second reason, out of ten interpretations of the Yi, seven or eight are wrong.

以二千年相承之易說，今忽謂其誤；以一人之是，謂千百人皆非，毋乃駭眾。然而易象固在也，易理固存也。本易理以詁易辭，如磁鐵之吸引；由易辭以準易象，如規鑿之相投，固不誣也。以為之者少，旁無師友之助；以違之者眾，更無聲氣之同。然而我見固如斯也，我說無一創也。以我之說，仍以《周易》所言之理，推而正說者之誤，俾卦爻辭復其本有之易理也。其先儒舊說與易理合者，如許慎、荀爽、九家之詁「龍戰」，如《子夏傳》、荀爽之詁「得敵」，靡不因也；其與易理盩者，雖千百人皆如此言，而必反之，如虞翻以陽遇陽為朋、陰遇陰為類等是也。

For two thousand years, the interpretations of the Changes have been passed down from one generation to another. Now, I suddenly say they are wrong; relying on my own opinion to declare that hundreds of others are incorrect seems shocking and unconventional. However, the hexagrams are there, and the principles of the Changes exist. If we explain the line statements according to the principles of the Changes, it is as natural as a magnet attracting iron. If we go back from the line statements to verify the hexagrams, it is as precise as a compass fitting a circle or a榫 fitting a卯, and this is no empty talk. Few people agree with this path, and I have no friends or teachers to help me. Many oppose it, and there are no companions who share my views. However, my understanding is like this, and none of my statements are made up. What I do is still to deduce from the principles of the Zhou Changes itself, correct the errors of interpreters, and restore the line statements to their original principles of the Changes. All previous scholars' old interpretations that agree with the principles of the Changes, such as Xu Shen, Xun Shuang, and the "Nine Schools of the Changes" explanation of the line "dragon struggles" in the upper sixth line of the Kun hexagram, as well as Zixia's Commentary on the Changes and Xun Shuang's explanation of the line "meeting an enemy" in the Zhongfou hexagram, I have all adopted. Any interpretations that contradict the principles of the Changes, even if hundreds of people say so, I must definitely refute. For example, Yu Fan's explanation of "companions" as yang meeting yang and "kindred" as yin meeting yin belongs to this category.

至於卦象之誤者，非我能創造新象，仍《周易》原有之象，說者失之。今證以《左傳》《國語》、周公《時訓》與卦氣圖，證以《焦氏易林》、郭璞《洞林》，迴環互證而得其象也。及其既得而求其本，仍在《周易》，如坤之為水為魚，震之為輹等象是也。然而我之說，不敢必謂其是也，更不敢自匿其非也，故名曰《周易尚氏學》，以質世之治易者。經者天下之公物，非一人所得私；理者天地之自然，非偏執所能改。倘學易之君子，見是編而揚搉其是非，糾正其疏漏，則日夜所祈禱者也。

As for the errors in the interpretation of hexagram images, I am not inventing new images out of nowhere, but still using the original images from the Zhou Changes. The problem is that the interpreters have lost them. Now, by using the divination examples from the Zuo Zhuan and Guoyu, the "Shi Xun" attributed to the Duke of Zhou and the hexagram climate diagram, as well as the "Jiao Shi Yi Lin" and the actual divination records of Guo Pu from the Eastern Jin Dynasty called "Dong Lin," I have been able to recover these images. After finding them, I trace their origin, and the origin is still in the Zhou Changes itself. For example, the hexagram Kun takes the image of water and the image of fish, and the hexagram Zhen takes the image of "fu" (a part of the axle of a chariot). The "Shu Guan Zhuan" only says that Kun represents earth and mother, but does not mention the images of water or fish. However, the line six in the fifth of the hexagram "Bao" says "to pass through fish," and the lower trigram of this hexagram is Kun, which shows that the image of fish originally comes from the Zhou Changes itself, and the "Jiao Shi Yi Lin" merely preserved it. However, my interpretation does not claim to be definitely correct, and I do not dare to cover up its mistakes. Therefore, I call it "Shang's Studies on the Zhou Changes," to seek the opinions of those who study the Zhou Changes. The classics are the public property of the world, not something that can be claimed by an individual. The principles are the natural order of heaven and earth, not something that can be altered by personal prejudice. If scholars who study the Zhou Changes see this book and can evaluate its correctness and correct its shortcomings, that would be exactly what I have been praying for day and night.

乾坤二卦為六十四卦之根本。其六爻爻辭，祇以明上下、別貴賤，及卦運之興衰、初終之時位，樹六十四卦之準則。至於有無應與當位不當位之恆例，皆未之及。而六爻之後，復贅以用九、用六數語，皆所以明筮例及用九用六之故。學者須於此先知之。

The hexagrams Qian and Kun are the fundamental ones among the sixty-four hexagrams. The six line statements of these two hexagrams are only used to indicate the position of the lines, distinguish the status of superiority and inferiority, and show the prosperity and decline of the hexagram's energy, as well as the change of time positions from the first line to the top line. These serve as a general principle for the other hexagrams. As for the common conventions found in other hexagrams, such as "having a response or not having a response" (whether the first and fourth lines, second and fifth lines, or third and top lines are yin and yang corresponding to each other), and "being in the right position or not being in the right position" (a yang line in an odd position or a yin line in an even position is considered being in the right position), these conventions are not mentioned in the hexagrams Qian and Kun. After the six lines, there are additional statements called "use of all nines" and "use of all sixes," which are used to explain the principles of divination and to indicate under what circumstances one should use the statements "use of all nines" or "use of all sixes." Those who study the Book of Changes must first understand this.

易辭本為占辭，故其語在可解不可解之間。惟其在可解不可解之間，故能隨所感而曲中肆應不窮，所謂仁者見仁、智者見智也。此易理也。易理與義理不同。例如程傳說「黃裳元吉」，雲五尊位，臣居之則羿、莽，女居之則女媧、武氏，故聖人著為大戒。陳義可謂正大矣，而於易理則大背，以易辭並無著戒之意也。此編只明易理，至其用則任人感觸之。

The words of the Book of Changes were originally statements for divination, so they are always between being interpretable and not. It is precisely because they are between being interpretable and not that they can adapt to the presentsympathetic response of the person asking the question, and be relevant to infinite situations. This is called "the principle of the Changes." The principle of the Changes is not the same as the "meaning and reason" discussed by the Song dynasty scholars. For example, Cheng Yi in his Yichuan Commentary on the Changes explains the line statement "Yellow Robes and Original Goodness" in the sixth line of the hexagram坤, saying that the fifth line is the supreme position, and if a minister occupies this position, he becomes someone like Houyi or Wang Mang; if a woman occupies it, she becomes Nuwa or Wu Zetian. Therefore, the sage established a great warning here. This argument cannot be called unjust, but it is greatly contrary to the principle of the Changes — because the line statement itself does not contain a warning. This book only discusses the principle of the Changes; as for how to apply it to human affairs, let each person feel it for themselves.

卦名皆因卦象而生。卦名不解，因之卦爻辭亦不解。如睽為反目，謂兩目不相聽，故一目見為此，一目見為彼，三、上爻辭是也。此義不知，遂多誤解。又如節為符節，合以取信，《說文》所謂竹約也，乃說者概釋為樽節、制節，卦義既誤，故卦爻辭甘苦之義均不知。六十四卦如此者甚多。茲編所釋，先及諸卦得名之義，其名有沿革者，亦並考其異同，如睽《歸藏》作瞿，夬《歸藏》作規等是也。

The names of the sixty-four hexagrams are derived from their symbolic images. If the meaning of the hexagram name is not clear, then the statements of its lines will also be difficult to understand. For example, the hexagram "Kui" originally means "looking away" or "turning back," referring to the situation where each eye looks in a different direction, and each sees something different. Thus, the line statement of the third line, "Seeing a cart dragged by oxen, the ox is stuck," and the line statement of the top line, "Seeing a pig carrying mud, a ghost in a cart," vividly illustrate this phenomenon of differing perspectives. Without understanding this meaning, many misunderstandings arise. Another example is the hexagram "Jie," which originally refers to a symbol or token, specifically a bamboo joint used as a seal, as described in the "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" as "zhu jie," meaning a bamboo joint or bamboo token. However, interpreters often interpret it as meaning "frugality" or "restraint," leading to a misunderstanding of the hexagram's meaning and the distinction between "sweet restraint" and "bitter restraint" in the line statements. There are many such cases among the sixty-four hexagrams. In this book, when interpreting the hexagrams, I first explain the reasons for their names. If a hexagram's name has undergone changes over time, I also examine and compare its different forms, such as "Kui" being written as "Qu" in the "Guicang" and "Gua" being written as "Gui" in the "Guicang."

說易之書，莫古於《左傳》《國語》，其所取象，當然無訛，乃清儒信漢儒而遺左、國。坎變巽，左氏曰「夫從風」，以坎為夫也；曰「震，車也」，曰「車有震武」，以震為車、為武也。震變離，曰「車說其輹」，以震為輹也。尤要者，明夷之謙，即離變艮，左氏曰「當鳥」，是以艮為鳥也，鳥，黔喙也，於是小過飛鳥之象有著。乃後人於此象均不識，依漢儒以震為夫，以乾為武。夫易師莫先於左氏，其可信較漢儒為何如。故茲編所取象，除以易證易外，首本之《左傳》《國語》，以明此最古最確之易象。

There are no books explaining the Yi Jing more ancient than the Zuo Zhuan and Guoyu, and the hexagrams they use certainly cannot be wrong. However, Qing dynasty scholars only trusted Han dynasty scholars and discarded the Zuo Zhuan and Guoyu. The Zuo Zhuan contains a passage about the transformation of Kan into Xun, saying "a man follows the wind," which takes Kan as "man." It also says "Zhen is a chariot" and "the chariot has Zhen Wu," taking Zhen as "chariot" and "Wu." Another passage about the transformation of Zhen into Li says "the chariot's fangtu falls off," taking Zhen as "fangtu." Most important of all is the passage from Mingyi to Qian, which is the transformation of the lower trigram Li into Gen. The Zuo Zhuan says "a bird," indicating that Gen is taken as "bird" — in Shuogua, Gen is indeed "qianhui zhi zu," meaning birds with sharp beaks. With the image of Gen as bird, the bird image in Xiaoguo "a flying bird leaves its sound" becomes clear. Later scholars did not recognize these images, instead following Han dynasty scholars to take Zhen as "man" and Qian as "Wu." One must know that there are no teachers of the Yi Jing more ancient than the Zuo Zhuan, and how can its reliability be compared with that of Han dynasty scholars? Therefore, in this book, in addition to using the Yi Jing to verify the Yi Jing, the first reference is made to the Zuo Zhuan and Guoyu, to explain these most ancient and definite images of the Yi.

《時訓》為《逸周書》之專篇，書云周公所作，其氣候皆以卦象為準，故卦氣圖與《時訓》不能相離，其所準易象與《易經》所關最巨。如於屯曰「雁北鄉」，以屯上互艮為雁；於巽曰「鴻雁來」，亦以巽為鴻雁，而漸之六鴻象得解。以艮為蛤、為蜃，艮外堅故與離同象，而易之貝象、龜象得解。以兌為斧，以艮為巢、為鷹，皆賴以解。易而用覆象、半象尤精，如於復曰「麋角解」，震為鹿，艮為角，角覆在地，故日解；於鼎下曰「半夏生」，離為夏，巽為艹，初二半離，故曰半夏，而昔儒無知者（除《易林》外）。茲編所取象，除左、國外，多以《時訓》為本。

"The Shixun" is a chapter in the "Yizhou Shu," said to have been written by the Duke of Zhou. It records the seventy-two "hou" or seasonal signs, all based on hexagram images, so the hexagram qi diagram and "Shixun" are closely connected. The yijing images it relies on are most closely related to the "Zhouyi." For example, in the first "hou" of the Tun hexagram, it says "geese fly north," because the third, fourth, and fifth lines of Tun produce Gen, which takes the image of "geese." Similarly, in the first "hou" of the Xun hexagram, it says "wild geese arrive," using Xun as the image of "wild geese." With this image, the image of "geese" in the Zhen hexagram, which mentions six "ge" characters in its six lines, makes sense. Also, using Gen as the image of clam and shellfish, since the top line of Gen is yang and the shell is hard, it can take the image of a shell like Li, thus explaining the "shell" and "turtle" images in the "Zhouyi." Using Dui as an axe, and Gen as a nest and an eagle, also makes sense only with the help of "Shixun." "Shixun" uses "fu xiang" (inverted hexagram) and "ban xiang" (half hexagram) especially skillfully. For example, in the first "hou" of the Fu hexagram, it says "deer shed their horns," because Zhen represents deer, and when inverted it becomes Gen, which represents horns, and the horns hang down and fall off, hence "shed." In the first "hou" of the Ding hexagram, it says "Banxia grows," because Li represents summer, Xun represents grass, and the first and second lines form half of Li, hence "Banxia." None of the previous scholars understood this (except for the "Jiaoshi Yilin"). In this book, when taking images, besides the "Zuo Zhuan" and "Guoyu," we mostly rely on "Shixun."

《焦氏易林》，後儒皆知其言易象，然以象學失傳之故，莫有通其義者。如以坤為水，以兌為月，以艮為火，以巽為少妻，以兌為老婦，以正反兌、正反震為爭訟（爭訟即有言），為《說卦》所無，而皆為經中所有。說者因誤解經而失其象，故於《易林》亦不能解。愚求之多年，亦無所入。後讀蒙之節云：「三夫共妻，莫適為雌，子無名氏，翁不可知。」因節中爻震、艮，上坎三男俱備，故曰三夫；祇下兌為女象，故曰三夫共妻。震為子，艮為名、為翁，上坎為隱伏，故曰無，曰不可知，字字皆從易象生。由此以推，凡林詞皆豁然而解。故茲編取象，除《左傳》《國語》卦氣圖外，多本《易林》。

Jiao's Forest of Changes is well known among later scholars for its discussion of the images of the I Ching, but because the study of images has been lost, no one can fully understand its meaning. For example, it takes the earth (Kun) as water, the lake (Dui) as the moon, the mountain (Gen) as fire, the wind (Xun) as a young wife, the lake (Dui) as an old woman, and the reverse of the lake (Dui) and the reverse of the thunder (Zhen) as opposing each other, which is regarded as a dispute ("zhengsong"), which corresponds to the "yiyan" in the line statements. These images are not found in the "Shuogua Zhuan," but they are all actually present in the texts of the Zhou Changes. Those who explain the texts have misunderstood the original meanings, thus losing these images, and consequently cannot understand the Forest of Changes. I have searched for a long time, but have never found a way in. Later, when I read the line statement "Meng zhi Jie": "Three husbands share one wife, none can be the female. The son has no name, the father is unknown," I suddenly understood. The Jie hexagram has the middle lines producing Zhen and Gen, and the upper trigram is Kan. Thus, the three male trigrams Zhen, Kan, and Gen are all present, so it is called "three husbands." The entire hexagram has only the lower trigram Dui, which represents a female, so it is called "three husbands share one wife." Zhen represents a son, Gen represents a name and an old man, and Kan represents concealment. Concealment means that it is impossible to identify, hence "no name" and "unknown." Every word comes from the images of the I Ching. Following this approach, all the line statements in the Forest of Changes become clear. Therefore, in this book, besides the "Zuo Zhuan," "Guoyu," and the hexagram diagram, the images are mainly based on the Forest of Changes.

易中古文甚多，如場作易，趑趄作次且，趾作止，佚作失等，不可勝數。先儒除晁說之外，知為古文者甚少，於是竟讀易為難易，失為得失。茲編非好異，凡易之古文，必仍其舊例，如「需于血」，即「需於洫」是也。

In the Zhou Changes there are many ancient characters preserved. For example, the character 场 (field) is written as 易 (easy) in the line "sacrificing a sheep at 易" from the sixth line of the Great Strength hexagram. Similarly, 趑趄 (hesitate) is written as 次且, the character 趾 (toe) is written as 止 (stop), and the character 佚 (lose) is written as 失 (lose). There are countless such examples. Except for scholars like Zhao Yuezi of the Song dynasty, few previous scholars recognized these as ancient characters. Therefore, they mistakenly read the 易 in "sacrificing a sheep at 易" as the easy-hard 易, and the 佚 as the lose-gain 失. This book is not intended to promote controversial views. Whenever ancient characters appear in the Book of Changes, they will be explained according to their original usage. For example, in the line "waiting by blood" from the ninth line of the Need hexagram, it should actually be "waiting by 池" (a ditch), where 血 is an ancient form of 池 (ditch).

古書多音同通用，而易尤甚。如盤，作盤，作盤，作般；邅如，作驙如；甲坼，作甲宅；冶容，作野容；刑剭，作形渥，作刑屋；經綸，作經論，作經倫；羸，作虆，作累，作縲，作累之類，皆音同通借，無是非之可言。而世儒必以習見者為非，罕見者為是，似未觀其通。茲編反是。

In ancient texts, many characters were used interchangeably because they sounded the same. This was especially common in the Zhou Changes (I Ching). For example, the character "盘" in "盘桓" was sometimes written as "盘" or "般"; "邅如" was written as "驙如"; "甲坼" was written as "甲宅"; "冶容" as "野容"; "刑剭" as "形渥" or "刑屋"; "经纶" as "经论" or "经伦"; "羸" as "虆", "累", or "缧", and so on. The term "tongjia" refers to characters that are read the same and were interchangeably used in ancient writing, with no difference in meaning. There was no right or wrong in their usage. However, later scholars insisted on labeling the common form as incorrect and the rare form as correct, failing to understand the general principle of character substitution. This book takes the opposite approach.

易用覆象，如大過九五之枯楊用覆巽，豐上六用覆艮，「重門擊柝」以豫上震為覆艮，荀爽及虞翻皆知之，而不能推行。於是困之「有言不信」、蒙之「再三瀆」用覆象者，遂永不得解。豈知左氏明夷之謙曰：「於人為言，敗言為讒。」謙上震，震為言，下艮震覆，故曰敗言；言相反，故曰讒。《易林》本之，凡正反震、正反兌相背者，不曰爭訟，即曰有言。於是困、震之有言皆得解。此似我創言之，然仍左氏及《易林》所已言，我拾其說以證易耳，仍非我說也。

The Zhou Changes use "reversed images" by turning a three-line trigram upside down to take its meaning. For example, in the line "Withered elm produces flowers" from the Nine in the Fifth of the Great Overturn, the image comes from the reversed image of Xun; in the line "Six at the Top" of the Brightness, the image comes from the reversed image of Gen. The Great Treatise mentions "heavy doors and beating of sticks" taken from the Yu hexagram, which is the reversed image of Zhen in the upper trigram of Yu. Xun Shuang and Yu Fan both knew about reversed images, but they did not expand their use, so places in the Zhou Changes like "There is speech but it is not believed" in the困 hexagram and "Repeated disrespect" in the蒙 hexagram, which cannot be explained without reversed images, remained unresolved. Who would have thought that the Zuo Zhuan already recorded in the line "In human terms, it is speech; broken speech is slander" from the Mingyi hexagram's connection to the Qian hexagram? The upper trigram of Qian is Zhen, which represents "speech"; the lower trigram is Gen, which is exactly the reversed image of Zhen. Therefore, it is said "broken speech"; the two "speeches" are in opposite directions, hence "slander." The Jiao's Forest of Changes follows exactly this line of thought: whenever a correct Zhen and its reversed Zhen, or a correct Dui and its reversed Dui are opposite to each other, it is either "contention" or "speech." With this principle, the "speech" in the困 hexagram and the震 hexagram can now be clearly explained. This seems like a new interpretation, but in fact it has already been mentioned in the Zuo Zhuan and the Jiao's Forest of Changes. I merely picked up their views to verify the Zhou Changes, and it is not my own invention.

卦有卦情。中孚之鶴嗚子和，以中爻正反震相對也，故下之震鶴一鳴，三至五即如聲而反，故曰子和（舊解不知子指反震，皆自鳴自和）。又如兌「朋友講習」，以初至五正覆兌相對，若對語然，故曰講習，早商兌。夬四之「聞言不信」，兌為耳，故曰聞；兌為言，乾亦為言，乃兌言向外，與乾言相背，故曰不信。此似我創解，然《左傳》歸妹之睽曰「西鄰責言，不可償也」，歸妹兌為西，震為鄰，故曰西鄰；而震為言，震言外向，與兌言相背，故曰責言，與夬之聞言不信義同也，仍非我說也。

Each hexagram has its own "hexagram situation." In the hexagram Zhongfū (Middle Trust), line nine in the second position says "A crane calls in the shade, its young respond in harmony." This is because the middle lines produce both the original Zhen (Thunder) and its opposite, the reversed Zhen, which are in opposition. The lower Zhen represents the crane, which calls, and the Zhen from the third to fifth lines, being the reversed one, responds in harmony, hence "its young respond" (old annotations misunderstood "young" to refer to the reversed Zhen, but in fact it is the same crane calling and responding to itself). Another example is the hexagram Dui (Lake), whose "Great Image" says "friends discuss and study together." This is because the lines from the first to the fifth produce both the original Dui and its reversed form, which are opposite, like two people facing each other speaking, hence "discuss and study." The line nine in the fourth position, "debating the Lake but not yet at peace," the word "debate" (shang) comes from this same source. In the hexagram Guai (Breaking Up), line nine in the fourth position says "hearing but not believing." Dui represents the ear, so it refers to "hearing"; Dui also represents speech, and Qian also represents speech, but Dui's mouth faces outward, while Qian's speech faces the opposite direction, hence "not believing." This seems like my own new interpretation, but the "Zuo Zhuan" records an entry about the hexagram Guimei (Return of the Maiden) and the hexagram Kui (Strife): "the western neighbor demands speech, which cannot be repaid." Here, the lower part of Guimei is Dui, representing the west, and Zhen represents the neighbor, hence "the western neighbor"; Zhen represents speech, and since Zhen's speech faces outward, it conflicts with Dui's speech facing the opposite direction, hence "demanding speech," which is the same reasoning as the "hearing but not believing" in the hexagram Guai. This shows that this interpretation is not my own.

同此一爻，而爻辭吉凶不同。如頤六五曰「居貞吉」，下又曰「不可涉大川」；家人九三曰「嗃嗃悔厲吉」，下又曰「婦子嘻嘻終吝」。先儒無詳其故者。豈知爻有上下，由此爻上取而象吉者，下取或凶；下取而象吉者，上取或凶。如漸九三「婦孕不育凶」，下又曰「利禦寇」是也。易詞如此者不可枚舉，此三爻特其例耳。治易者如明此例，則事半功倍。

The same line statement may contain conflicting judgments of good or bad fortune. For example, in the hexagram "Yi" (Nourishment), line six in the fifth position says "Stay firm and be auspicious," but then continues with "Do not attempt to cross a great river." In the hexagram "Jiaoren" (Family), line nine in the third position states "The family is quarrelsome, regret and danger bring auspiciousness," but then adds "The wife and children laugh and joke, ultimately leading to regret." Previous scholars have not clearly explained the reason. How could one know that the imagery taken from a line can be either upward or downward looking: looking upward from this line, the image may be auspicious, but looking downward it may be ominous; looking downward, it may be auspicious, but looking upward it may be ominous. For instance, in the hexagram "Jian" (Gradual Progress), line nine in the third position says "The wife is pregnant but does not give birth, ominous," but then continues with "It is advantageous to defend against bandits," exactly like this. There are countless such instances in the "Yi" (Book of Changes), and the examples mentioned above are merely a few. Those who study the "Yi" will find that understanding this general principle can greatly enhance their comprehension.

易辭與他經不同。他經上下文多相屬，易則不然，因易辭皆由象生，觀某爻而得甲象，又觀某爻而得乙象，故易辭各有所指，上下句義不必相聯。如損彖曰「利有攸往」，指上九也；下又曰「曷之用，二簋，可用享」，震為簋，坤數二，故曰二簋，則指上下互卦也。又如困「貞大人吉」，以二五皆陽也；「有言不信」，以三至上正反兌相背也。舊解無知者，故於上下旬常強為聯屬，致杈枒不合。茲編遇此，先指明易辭之說何爻何象；至其意義之不相屬者，亦必指明。此自為一義。

The wording of the Zhou Changes differs from other classic texts. In other classics, the text usually flows in a connected way, but the Zhou Changes is not like this. Because the statements of the Zhou Changes are all derived from the hexagram images: looking at one line to find the image of Jia, looking at another line to find the image of Yi, so each sentence refers to something specific, and the meaning of the upper and lower sentences does not necessarily connect. For example, the statement of the "Loss" hexagram says "It is advantageous to go somewhere," which refers to the top line, the ninth line. Then it says "What is the use of it? Two bowls can be used for sacrifice," where the line Zhen (Thunder) takes the image of the bowl, and the number of the line Kun (Earth) is two, so it says "two bowls," referring to the two interacting hexagrams above and below. Another example is the statement of the "Obstruction" hexagram, "The upright person is auspicious," because the second and fifth lines are both yang; "There is no trust in words" is because the third line to the top line forms the image of Dui (Lake) in reverse, facing opposite directions. Old commentaries did not understand this principle, often forcing the upper and lower sentences together, leading to confusion and inconsistency. In this book, when encountering such cases, I first clarify which line each sentence refers to and which image it takes. For those sentences whose meanings are not connected, I also clearly state this. This forms a distinct principle of interpretation.

卦爻辭往往相反。如履彖曰「不咥人」，爻曰「咥人凶」；無妄彖曰「不利有攸往」，爻曰「往吉」是也。又大象每相反以見義，如同人曰「辨物」，無妄曰「時育萬物」是也。先儒無知其故者。豈知卦有卦義，爻有爻義，象有象義，絕不同也。

The hexagram statement and the line statement often contradict each other. For example, the hexagram statement of the "Foot" hexagram says "To tread on a tiger's tail, but the tiger does not bite," while the third line statement says "To tread on a tiger's tail, being bitten is ominous." The hexagram statement of the "No Delusion" hexagram says "If not upright, there will be misfortune; it is not advantageous to go somewhere," but the line statement says that going is auspicious. Another example is the "Great Image" commentary, which often presents a contrary meaning. The hexagram statement of the "Union with Others" hexagram speaks of harmony with people, but the "Great Image" says "The gentleman uses classification to distinguish things," meaning to distinguish the categories of things. The hexagram statement of the "No Delusion" hexagram warns against reckless action, but the "Great Image" says "The former kings cultivated all things in accordance with the seasons," meaning to follow the timing of heaven and nurture all things. No previous scholars understood the reason for this. Who would know that each hexagram has its own meaning, each line has its own meaning, and the "Great Image" commentary has its own meaning, and that the three are entirely different.

漢儒以象數解易，與春秋士大夫合，最為正軌。乃鄭玄於象之不知者則用爻辰，取象於星宿；虞翻則用爻變，使變出某卦以當其象。若此者亦不敢從也。

Han dynasty scholars used the method of images and numbers to interpret the Yi Jing, which was consistent with the divination methods of the Spring and Autumn period scholars, and was originally the most proper approach. However, Zheng Xuan, when encountering images he did not recognize, resorted to "yao chen" - pairing the six lines with the twelve earthly branches, and then taking images from the twenty-eight constellations. Yu Fan, on the other hand, used "yao bian" - allowing a particular line to change, forcing it to transform into another hexagram to match the required image. Such approaches are not followed in this book.

易義有絕不能解者，先儒雖強說之，實皆無當。如同人九四之吉，自象傳不能詳其故，小畜九二同。易義如此者多有。茲編遇之，必詳言其難解之故，偶有揣測，亦不敢自信也。

The principles of the Book of Changes have some explanations that are difficult to understand. Previous scholars tried to make sense of them, but their interpretations were not accurate. For example, in the line "Mounting the wall, unable to attack, auspicious" from the second line of the Hexagram of Fellowship, the reason why it is considered auspicious is unclear even from the Image Commentary. Similarly, the line "Pulling back and returning, auspicious" from the second line of the Hexagram of Small Accumulation is also difficult to understand. There are many such unclear passages in the Book of Changes. In this book, when encountering such difficult parts, I will clearly explain where the difficulty lies; occasionally making some guesses, I do not claim them to be reliable.

吳摯父先生《易說》，於大畜云：凡陽之行，遇陰則通，遇陽則阻，故初、二皆不進，而三利往。於節云：易以陽在前為塞，陰在前為通，初之不出，以九二在前；二則可出而不出，故有失時之凶。此實全易之精髓，為二千年所未發。愚於易理粗有所入，實以此數語為之階，故特揭出，以尊師說。

My teacher Wu Rulun (style name Zhi Fu) in his "Commentary on the Book of Changes" discusses the hexagram "Great Accumulation" saying: Whenever a yang line moves forward, it meets smoothness if it encounters a yin line, but meets obstruction if it encounters another yang line; therefore, the lines "Initial Nine" and "Nine in the Second" of "Great Accumulation" do not advance, while "Nine in the Third" says "It is advantageous to go somewhere." He also discusses the hexagram "Restraint," saying: The Book of Changes takes a yang line in front as obstruction and a yin line in front as smoothness; "Initial Nine" says "Not going out of the gate or courtyard" because "Nine in the Second" is blocking the way. "Nine in the Second" could have gone out but does not, hence the misfortune of "losing the right time." These few sentences truly capture the essence of the entire Book of Changes, and no one has revealed them in two thousand years. I have slightly understood the principles of the Book of Changes, and these sentences have been my entrance to the study, so I specially highlight them to honor my teacher's teachings.

眼前事物皆為易理，俯取即是。例如雄雞與雄雞見則死鬥，驢馬尤甚，若有宿仇者，是何也？陽遇陽也。大畜初九曰「有厲利已」，厲，危；已，止也。初有應，但為二三所隔，遇敵故曰有厲，止而不動則災免矣，象曰「不犯災」，正釋厲義也。乃舊解謂厲指四爻。厲若在四，尚何貴此應與乎。不識災即厲，命二變成坎以取災象。豈知大壯初九「壯于趾征凶」，夬初九「壯于前趾往不勝」，壯，傷也，其故皆在陽遇陽。傷之與災，有何別乎。故夫目前易理，望之似淺，推之實深。昧厥目前，易雖一再言之，總不能知。

Common things in front of our eyes are all governed by the principles of the Book of Changes. For example, when two roosters meet, they fight to the death, and don't horses and donkeys have especially fierce conflicts, as if they have a long-standing grudge. Why is this? It is because two yangs meet. The line "Initial Nine" in "Great Accumulation" says, "There is danger, it is advantageous to stop." "Danger" means danger, and "stop" means to stop. Initially, the line "Initial Nine" was in correspondence with "Six Four," but it was blocked by "Nine Two" and "Nine Three," which are yang lines. Thus, it encountered only similar yang lines, hence "there is danger." If it stops, the danger is avoided. The "Small Commentary" says, "It does not cause disaster," which explains the meaning of "danger." Old interpretations, however, say that "danger" refers to the line "Six Four." If danger is in "Six Four," then what is special about the corresponding line? They did not understand that "disaster" is the same as "danger," so they made "Nine Two" into Kan, using Kan to represent the image of "disaster." But they did not realize that in "Great Strength" "Initial Nine" says, "Strong at the toes, going forward brings misfortune," and in "Gua" "Initial Nine" says, "Strong at the front toes, going forward is not victorious." "Strong" means "injury," and the reason is that a yang line meets another yang line ahead. What is the difference between "injury" and "disaster"? This shows that the principles of the Book of Changes, although appearing simple and close at hand, are actually profound when examined closely. If one is unaware of the ordinary things around them, even if the Book of Changes clearly explains them, one will never truly understand.

吳先生日：易者，占卜之名。《祭義》：「易抱龜南面，天子卷冕北面。」是易者占卜之名，因以名其官。《史記·大宛傳》：「天子發書易。」謂發書卜也。又武帝《輪臺詔》云：「易之，卦得大過。」易之，卜之也。說者以簡易、不易、變易釋之，皆非。愚案：《史記·禮書》云「能慮勿易」，亦以易為占。簡易、不易、變易，皆易之用，非易字本詁，本詁固占卜也。

My teacher, Mr. Wu Rulun, said: The character "Yi" originally refers to divination. The "Rites of Sacrifice: Ritual Propriety" says: "Yi embraced the turtle and faced south, while the Son of Heaven rolled up his ceremonial cap and faced north." Here, "Yi" refers to the name of divination, and thus it was also used to denote the official in charge of divination. The "Records of the Grand Historian: Biography of the Western Regions" says "the Son of Heaven opened the divination book and cast the hexagram," which means he consulted the oracle by casting the hexagram. The "Luntai Zhao" (Edict of Luntai) by Emperor Wu of Han says "cast the divination, and the hexagram obtained was Great Excess," where "cast the divination" means "consult the oracle." Later people used the three meanings of "simplicity," "unchanging," and "change" to explain the character "Yi," but these are incorrect. I suggest that the "Records of the Grand Historian: Book of Rites" says "be able to consider without being easily changed," which also uses "Yi" in the sense of divination. The meanings of "simplicity," "unchanging," and "change" refer to the function of the "Yi" classic, not the original meaning of the character "Yi." The original meaning of "Yi" is indeed divination.

至於周字，鄭康成注《周禮》三易，於連山、歸藏皆詳釋其義，於周易則缺而不釋。然康成《易論》云：「周易者，言易道周普，無所不備。」賈公彥云：「連山、歸藏皆不言地號，以義名易，則周非地號。周易純乾為首，乾為天，天能周匝於四時，故名易為周也。」孔穎達則據《世譜》等書，謂連山為神農，歸藏為黃帝，連山、歸藏既皆是代號，周易亦然，謂鄭說無據。按三易之名，皆緣首卦。連山以艮為首，上艮下艮，故曰連山；歸藏以坤為首，萬物皆歸藏於地，故曰歸藏；周易以乾為首，乾元亨利貞，即春夏秋冬周而復始，無有窮期，故曰周易。鄭論及賈疏所言是也，孔疏所據非也。

As for the term 「周」, Zheng Xuan (styled Kangcheng) explained in his commentary on the "Rites of Zhou" that the "Three Yis" referred to, including the names of "Lianshan" and "Guicang," were elaborately interpreted, but he left the meaning of "Zhouyi" unexplained. However, in his "Yilun," he said: "The term 'Zhouyi' means that the principles of change are comprehensive and pervasive, covering everything." Tang dynasty scholar Jia Gongyan elaborated: "Both 'Lianshan' and 'Guicang' do not use place names as their titles, but rather derive their names from their meanings. Therefore, 'Zhou' is not a place name. The 'Zhouyi' begins with the pure Qian hexagram, and since Qian represents Heaven, which can circulate through the four seasons, this is why it is called 'Zhouyi'." Kong Yingda, however, based his argument on books like the "Shi Pu," stating that "Lianshan" belonged to the Yellow Emperor and "Guicang" belonged to Shennong. Since "Lianshan" and "Guicang" were names of dynasties, he concluded that "Zhouyi" must also be a dynasty name, thus arguing that Zheng Xuan's explanation lacked foundation. I believe that the names of the three Yis are all derived from their first hexagrams. "Lianshan" begins with the Gen hexagram, with both upper and lower trigrams being Gen, symbolizing two mountains connected, hence the name "Lianshan." "Guicang" begins with the Kun hexagram, as all things ultimately return to the earth, hence the name "Guicang." "Zhouyi" begins with the Qian hexagram, and the virtue of Qian, "Yuan, Heng, Li, Zhen," represents the cyclical nature of the four seasons, which never ends, hence the name "Zhouyi." Zheng Xuan's "Yilun" and Jia Gongyan's commentary are correct, while Kong Yingda's argument is not.

神農之兼號連山，黃帝之兼號歸藏，乃因其所演之易名，後人偉其功，即以為號，非其易原無名，連山氏所演者即名連山，歸藏氏所演者即名歸藏也。何言之？連山、歸藏皆因卦首之艮、坤而得名，顯而易見。二帝之所以有此兼號者，亦猶神農創建農功，即以神農為號耳。且連山、歸藏，先儒亦謂為夏商易，益可證連山、歸藏之名乃因易而起，非以連山、歸藏標代號。如為代號，胡能又謂為夏商？孔氏之觀察誤也。

The Heavenly Stems are Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, and Gui. The Earthly Branches are Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai. The Trigrams are Qian (Heaven), Dui (Lake), Li (Fire), Zhen (Thunder), Xun (Wind), Kan (Water), Gen (Mountain), and Kun (Earth). Kong Yingda was a scholar of the Sui dynasty. The Yellow Emperor is a legendary figure in Chinese history.

周者，易之理。十二消息卦，周也；元亨利貞，周也；「大明終始，六位時成」，周也。彖傳分釋元亨利貞既畢，又曰「首出庶物」，即貞下啟元也，周也。古聖人之卦氣圖，起中孚，終頤，周也。此其理惟揚子雲識之最深。《太玄》以「中」擬中孚，以「周」擬復，終以「養」擬頤，其次序與卦氣圖絲毫不紊。

The concept of "zhou" refers to the principles of the Book of Changes. The twelve message hexagrams (辟卦), which illustrate the waxing and waning of yin and yang in a cycle, represent "zhou"; the four virtues of yuan, heng, li, and zhen, which cycle repeatedly, also represent "zhou"; the Commentary on the Judgment of the Hexagram Qian states, "Great brightness begins and ends, the six positions are formed in due time" (the sun and moon illuminate from beginning to end, and the six lines are formed in accordance with the time), which is also "zhou." The Commentary on the Judgment explains each of the four virtues in sequence, and at the end it says, "the first to emerge is the common people," which signifies that "zhen" has been completed and "yuan" begins again, thus continuing the cycle of "zhou." The ancient sages' hexagram qi diagram, starting from Zhongfu and ending at Yi, with the beginning and end connected, is also "zhou." This principle was most deeply understood by Yang Xiong (styled Ziyun) of the Han dynasty. His work, The Tai Xuan, uses "zhong" to correspond to Zhongfu, "zhou" to correspond to Fu, and finally "yang" to correspond to Yi, with the order perfectly matching the hexagram qi diagram.

而於玄首則釋其所以然。其罔、直、蒙、酋、冥，即元亨利貞，故以中、羨、從為始，更、睟、廓為中，減、沉、成為終，循環往來，無一非周之理。而於三易終西北、始西北之義，尤推闡無遺。西北者，戍亥。《乾鑿度》以戍亥為天門，莊子云：「有乎生，有乎死，有乎出，有乎入，入出而無見其形，是謂天門。天門者，無有也，萬物出乎無有。」蓋一歲之事，至乾而終，復自乾而始，有無出入，皆以戍亥為樞紐。故先天艮居戍亥，連山以為首；月卦坤居戍亥，歸藏以為首；後天乾居戍亥，周易以為首。明乎此，而周字之解詁，不待煩言矣。

In the "Xuan Shou" section of the "Tai Xuan," Yang Xiong explains the reason for this arrangement. The five stages he established, "Wang, Zhi, Meng, Chou, Ming," correspond to the four principles "Yuan, Heng, Li, Zhen." Therefore, he uses the three groups of "Zhong, Xuan, Cong" as the beginning, "Geng, Cui, Kuo" in the middle, and "Jian, Chen, Cheng" as the conclusion, forming a cycle with no place not embodying the concept of "Zhou." Regarding the fact that all three systems of the Book of Changes begin and end in the northwest, he elaborates thoroughly. In the twelve earthly branches, the northwest corresponds to Xu and Hai. The "Qian Zao Du" refers to Xu and Hai as "Tian Men"; the "Zhuangzi" says, "There is birth, death, emergence, and entry; emergence and entry without visible traces is called Tian Men. Tian Men is 'wu you,' from which all things emerge." Basically, the events of a year reach the position of Qian and then conclude, beginning again from Qian, with the interplay of existence and non-existence, emergence and entry, all centered on Xu and Hai. Therefore, in the Earlier Heaven Trigrams, Gen occupies Xu and Hai, and "Lian Shan" begins with Gen; in the twelve-month trigrams, Kun occupies Hai, and "Gui Cang" begins with Kun; in the Later Heaven Trigrams, Qian occupies Xu and Hai, and "Zhou Yi" begins with Qian. Once this is understood, there is no need for further explanation of the meaning of the character "Zhou."

《左傳》韓宣子適魯，觀易象與魯春秋，曰：「吾乃知周公之德，與周之所以王也。」周公之德，由魯春秋知之；周之所以王，則由易象知之。蓋文王演易，其憂勤惕厲之精神備見於易辭，故一觀易辭（凡易辭皆易象）即知文王之所以王，是春秋人以文王演易。《繫辭》云：「易之興也，其當殷之末世、周之盛德邪？當文王與紂之事邪？」是孔氏以文王演易。後太史公、揚子雲之屬，亦以文王演易於羑里。既曰演易，則卦爻辭皆文王所作，自西漢以前無異議也。

The Zuo Zhuan records that Han Xuanzi went to Lu state and saw the Yi Xiang and the Lu Chunqiu. He said, "Now I understand the virtue of the Duke of Zhou and the reason why the Zhou dynasty was able to achieve the Mandate of Heaven." The virtue of the Duke of Zhou was known from the Lu Chunqiu, while the reason for the Zhou dynasty's ability to rule the world was known from the Yi Xiang. Because King Wen composed the Zhou Yi, his spirit of diligence, caution, and vigilance was fully reflected in the hexagram statements and line statements. Therefore, by looking at the Yi statements, which are all derived from the Yi Xiang, one could understand why King Wen was able to achieve the Mandate of Heaven. This shows that people of the Spring and Autumn period already regarded the Yi as composed by King Wen. The Xici Zhuan says, "The emergence of the Yi probably occurred during the late Shang dynasty and the rise of the Zhou dynasty, probably during the time of King Wen and King Zhou." This shows that Confucius also believed the Yi was composed by King Wen. Later scholars such as Sima Qian and Yang Xiong also said that King Wen composed the Zhou Yi while he was imprisoned in Youli. Since it is said that "King Wen composed the Yi," then both the hexagram statements and line statements must have been composed by King Wen. Before the Western Han dynasty, there was no disagreement on this point.

祇京氏《積算法》云：「西伯父子，推爻考象，加乎星宿，局於六十四所，二十四氣。」夫以五星二十八宿及二十四氣入卦，乃占筮之事，京舉此以明其術之所本，正言周公作卦氣圖與時訓也，非謂周公作易。至東漢王充、馬融、陸績之儔，忽謂文王演卦辭，周公演爻辭，孔穎達、朱子等皆信之，而究其根據，則記載皆無。孔穎達以升六四言王，明夷六五言箕子，既濟九五言西鄰受福，及韓宣子見易象知周公之德為解。豈知升六四言王，以震為王，震為陵，形兩歧，故曰「王用亨於歧山」，岐、歧通也。即使有所指，亦指殷王。文王終身服事殷，故盼王來享，情見乎辭。今謂不合自稱為王，以文王追諡為說，故疑為周公，其謬一也。

Jing Fang's "Ji Suan Fa" says: "The Son of Zhou studied the positions of the lines and examined the images of the hexagrams, combining them with the star mansions, limiting them within the sixty-four positions and the twenty-four solar terms." Matching the five planets, the twenty-eight star mansions, and the twenty-four solar terms into the hexagrams is a matter of divination; Jing Fang cited this statement to indicate the source of his system of numerology, referring to King Zhou's hexagram atmosphere diagram and "Shi Xun," not saying that King Zhou composed the Book of Changes. By the Eastern Han dynasty, people like Wang Chong, Ma Rong, and Lu Ji suddenly proposed that the hexagram statements were composed by King Wen and the line statements by the Duke of Zhou. Kong Yingda and Zhu Xi all accepted this view; however, when tracing its source, there is no record in the classics. Kong Yingda's reasoning is that the line "Wang" in the hexagram "Sheng" Six in the Fourth, the line "Jizi" in the hexagram "Mingyi" Six in the Fifth, and the line "Xi Lin Shou Fu" in the hexagram "Ji Ji" Nine in the Fifth, plus Han Xuanzi's knowledge of the "Yi Xiang" indicating the virtue of the Duke of Zhou. But actually, the line "Wang" in "Sheng" Six in the Fourth refers to the image of "Wang" in Zhen; Zhen also takes the image of "Ling," and since Zhen's hexagram shape has two branches at the top, it says "Wang uses the ritual to offer sacrifices at Qishan" — "Qi" and "Qi" are homophones. Even if this line refers to something specific, it refers to the King of Yin: King Wen spent his whole life serving the Yin dynasty, so he hoped the King of Yin would come to receive sacrifices, and this sentiment is clearly expressed in the text. Now, however, it is said that King Wen should not call himself "Wang," and the argument is based on the fact that "Wen Wang" was a posthumous title, thus doubting that the line statements were composed by the Duke of Zhou. This is the first error.

至明夷六五之箕子，與彖傳之箕子絕對不同。彖傳之箕子，紂臣也；六五之箕子，則趙賓讀為荄茲，劉向、荀爽讀為荄滋，王弼讀為其茲，蜀才讀為其子，而焦氏易林則讀為孩子，孩子指紂，與《論衡》讀微子之刻子為孩子同也（古亥音皆音喜，皆與箕音通）。且以六五之君位，而使紂臣居之可乎？馬融知其不可，以箕子演疇、有帝王之德為解，然何以解於「箕子之明夷」？彖傳謂箕子晦其明，今謂箕子明夷，則竟不明矣，其謬二也。

Now regarding the "Jizi" in the line "Six in the Fifth" of the hexagram "Mingyi," it is definitely not the same as the "Jizi" mentioned in the Commentary on the Judgment. The "Jizi" in the Commentary on the Judgment refers to a minister of King Zhou. However, the "Jizi" in the line "Six in the Fifth" was interpreted by Han dynasty scholar Zhao Bin as "gai zi" (meaning grass roots growing), Liu Xiang and Xun Shuang as "gai zhi," Wang Bi as "qi zi," Shu Cai as "qi zi," and the Jiao Forest of Changes as "huzi" (child). "Huzi" here refers to King Zhou, following the same approach as the Discourses on Weights and Measures, which interpreted Wei Zi's "ke zi" (carved child) as "huzi" (child). (In ancient pronunciation, "Hai" was pronounced like "xi," and both are phonetically related to "Ji.") Moreover, the line "Six in the Fifth" represents the position of the ruler, so how can a minister of King Zhou occupy the position of the ruler? Ma Rong realized this was illogical, so he changed his interpretation, saying that Jizi interpreted the Nine Categories of the Hongfan and possessed the virtue of a ruler. But if that is the case, how can we interpret "Jizi's Mingyi"? The Commentary on the Judgment says that Jizi concealed his brightness, but if we now say that Jizi was in "Mingyi" (dimming brightness), then it would mean that he himself was not bright. This is the second error.

至既濟九五之東鄰西鄰，原以離坎為東西，以離為牛，以互震為祭，純是觀象繫辭。乃漢人忽有東鄰指紂、西鄰自謂之曲說，在文王固不合，在周公尤不合，周公時何來紂與為鄰？且語意之膚淺，聖人有若是者乎？其謬三也。至韓宣子觀易象之語，解已見前。且杜注云：「易象春秋，文王周公之制。」謂文王制易象，周公制春秋，解甚分明。今忽因「吾乃知周公之德」一語（述孔舊說），謂周公遭流言，亦得為憂患，必亦演易，尤為虛妄不實，其謬四矣。故夫周易卦爻辭，純為文王一人所作，其欲加入周公者，毫無根據，不可信也。（西溪易說云：文王囚中演易，周公未必生，即生亦子云家之童鳥也，豈能演易？駁孔說至詳。）

As for the "east neighbor" and "west neighbor" in the "Nine in the Fifth" of the "Already Completed" hexagram, originally, the "Li" trigram represents the east and the "Kan" trigram represents the west. Taking "Li" to represent the image of an ox and the interacting trigram "Zhen" to represent the image of a sacrifice, this is purely observing the images and then attaching the statements. However, the Han dynasty scholars suddenly introduced a misunderstanding, claiming that "the east neighbor refers to King Zhou and the west neighbor is King Wen referring to himself." This interpretation is inappropriate for King Wen, and even more so for the Duke of Zhou, since there was no King Zhou living as a neighbor during the Duke of Zhou's time. Moreover, such an interpretation is very shallow, and would not be something a sage would say. This is the third error. As for Yang Xiong's comment on the "Images" of the "Zhou Changes," it has already been explained earlier. Furthermore, Du Yu's annotation says, "The 'Images' and the 'Spring and Autumn Annals' were both composed by King Wen and the Duke of Zhou." This clearly indicates that King Wen composed the "Images" and the Duke of Zhou composed the "Spring and Autumn Annals." Now, however, people rely solely on the phrase "I now know the virtue of the Duke of Zhou" (which is a quotation from Kong Yingda's old interpretation) to claim that the Duke of Zhou experienced slander and was in a state of hardship, and therefore must have also composed the "Zhou Changes." This is even more baseless and untrue. This is the fourth error. Therefore, the hexagram statements and line statements of the "Zhou Changes" were purely composed by King Wen alone. The idea of including the Duke of Zhou has no basis and should not be believed. ("The Western Stream Commentary on the Changes" says: When King Wen was imprisoned and composed the "Zhou Changes," the Duke of Zhou had not yet been born; even if he had been born, he would have been no more than a precocious child like the early-bird bird in Yang Xiong's family. How could such a child be able to compose the "Zhou Changes"? It thoroughly refutes Kong Yingda's view.)

孔穎達云：王輔嗣以為伏羲重卦，鄭玄以為神農重卦，孫盛以為夏禹重卦，史遷以為文王重卦。今以諸文驗之，說卦云：「昔者聖人之作易也，幽贊於神明而生蓍。」凡言作者，創造之謂，非伏羲不足以當之。故乾鑿度云「垂皇策者羲」，明蓍在六爻之後，非三畫之時。伏羲既用蓍，即伏羲巳重卦矣，今依王輔嗣為得其實。按孔說是也。鄭以為神農重卦者，蓋以周禮太卜有「三易經卦皆八，其別皆六十有四」之文，鄭彼注云「別即重卦」，而世譜等書謂神農兼號連山，故鄭謂其始重卦。惟杜子春謂連山為宓戲易，賈公彥云：「連山以艮為首，上艮下艮，故曰連山。」若然，宓戲畫卦即重為六十四卦，愈無疑也。

Kong Yingda said: Wang Bi (Fuxi) believed that Fuxi was the one who created the hexagrams, Zheng Xuan believed it was Shen Nong, Sun Sheng believed it was the Xia Yu, and Sima Qian believed it was King Wen. Now, verifying with the words of various scholars: The "Shu Guan Zhuan" says, "In the past, the sage created the Book of Changes, deeply assisting the divine to create the divination with yarrow stalks." Whenever the word "zu" (create) is used, it refers to creation, and no one other than Fuxi is worthy of it. Therefore, the "Qian Zao Du" says, "Fuxi demonstrated the method of divination with yarrow stalks." This shows that the method of divination with yarrow stalks came after the six lines were complete, not during the stage of the trigrams. Since Fuxi already used yarrow stalks to create the hexagrams, it indicates that Fuxi had already created the hexagrams, so Wang Bi's view is most accurate. I comment: Kong Yingda's statement is correct. Zheng Xuan's belief that Shen Nong created the hexagrams probably comes from the statement in the "Zhou Li · Tai Bu" that "the trigrams of the Three Yis are all eight, and their differentiated hexagrams are sixty-four." Zheng Xuan annotated there that "differentiated" means "repeating the trigrams." Also, books like the "Shi Pu" say that Shen Nong had the title "Lianshan" (Continuous Mountains), so Zheng Xuan believed that the hexagrams began with Shen Nong. However, Du Zichun said that "Lianshan" was the Book of Changes of Fuxi (Miyi), and Jia Gongyan also said, "Lianshan starts with the trigram Gen, with Gen above and Gen below, so it is called Lianshan." If this is the case, then Fuxi had already created the sixty-four hexagrams when he drew the trigrams, which is even more certain.

薈萃夫子之說者。夫子之說，如彖傳言「時乘六龍以御天」，言「雲行雨施」，文言亦言之，而上下繫辭意重複者尤多，蓋皆夫子所說，前後不一時，而記錄者亦未必為一人，故辭重意復如是，而非夫子自為也。蓋周易得夫子之十翼，門戶始開，而十翼幽奧之辭，其難解過於周易。朱子云有文王之易，有孔子之易，孔子之易即十翼，故十翼非孔子不能為、不敢為，而紀錄十翼者，則孔子之門人也。（疑雜卦或夫子自為之。其敘次卦位，上經先一陽卦，次二陽三陽，次四陽，而損益則次於上經之第十卦，否泰則次於下經之第十卦，其位次與經同，其義蓋與經大異。此等改作，七十子不敢也。惜其大義失傳久，無有能說者。）

The Ten Wings were compiled from the words of Confucius. For example, Confucius' statements such as "At the right time, the six dragons ride to govern heaven" and "Clouds move and rain spreads" in the Commentary on the Judgment of the Qian hexagram, and similar expressions in the Wenyan section, all show that the ideas are repeated. This is because Confucius' words were spoken at different times, and the people who recorded them were not necessarily the same person, so the expressions and meanings overlap and repeat. This is not because Confucius himself wrote them. The Zhou Changes gained access to the meaning through the Ten Wings; however, the language of the Ten Wings is obscure and even more difficult to understand than the original text of the Zhou Changes. Zhu Xi said that there is the Yi of King Wen and the Yi of Confucius; the Yi of Confucius is the Ten Wings. Therefore, the Ten Wings could not have been written by anyone other than Confucius, and he would not have dared to write them. The ones who recorded the Ten Wings were his disciples. (I suspect that the Zage Commentary may have been written by Confucius himself. It arranges the order of the hexagrams, first listing the hexagrams with one yang line, then those with two yang lines, three yang lines, and finally four yang lines. It places the hexagrams of Xun and Yi in the tenth position of the Upper Canon, and the hexagrams of Bo and Tai in the tenth position of the Lower Canon, with the same positions as the original text, but with meanings that are quite different. Such changes would not have been dared by the seventy disciples. Unfortunately, its great meaning has been lost for a long time, and no one can explain it clearly.)

十翼篇名，史漢皆未詳說。依楊子云所擬，則象傳、文言、說卦、序卦、雜卦共五篇，而玄攡、玄瑩、玄掜、玄圖、玄告，皆擬繫辭，似繫辭原為五篇，足成十翼之數。而孔穎達謂經有上下，則以上彖一，下彖二，上象三，下象四，上繫五，下繫六，文言七，說卦八，序卦九，雜卦十。後儒又各有分配，然無關宏旨，故略而不詳。

The titles of the ten appendices of the I Ching are not elaborately recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian and the Book of Han. According to the model presented in Yang Xiong's Tai Xuan, they include five works: the Image Commentary, the Wenyan, the Shu Gu, the Xu Gu, and the Za Gu. Another five works, the Xuan Zhan, Xuan Ying, Xuan Zhan, Xuan Tu, and Xuan Gao, are all modeled after the Great Treatise, suggesting that the Great Treatise originally consisted of five sections, making a total of ten appendices. Kong Yingda, however, divided them according to the two parts of the main text: the upper part of the Tu (彖) as the first, the lower part of the Tu as the second, the upper part of the Xiang (象) as the third, the lower part of the Xiang as the fourth, the upper part of the Xi (系) as the fifth, the lower part of the Xi as the sixth, the Wenyan as the seventh, the Shu Gu as the eighth, the Xu Gu as the ninth, and the Za Gu as the tenth. Later scholars have their own divisions, but they do not differ significantly from this, so they are not discussed in detail.

彖象原各自為篇，而今本皆附於經文之下。後儒謂費直專以十翼解易，彖象連經始於費直，此無稽之言。史但言直以十翼說易耳，安見其以彖象連經，不合一。史言費直無章句，以彖象連經，是有章句也，不合二。劉向校諸家易，獨費直與中古文合，設以彖象連經，向早言之矣，尚能與中古文合乎，不合三也。考三國志高貴鄉公傳云：「彖象本不連經，今鄭玄注連經何也？」是以彖象附於經文下者，實始於康成也。

The Commentary on the Judgment and the Image Commentary originally existed as separate texts, but in the present version they are both attached below the main text. Later scholars claimed that Fei Zhi used the Ten Wings to explain the Book of Changes, and that he was the first to incorporate the Commentary on the Judgment and the Image Commentary into the main text. This claim has no basis. Historical records only mention that Fei Zhi used the Ten Wings to explain the Book of Changes, but there is no indication that he combined the Commentary on the Judgment and the Image Commentary with the main text. This is the first inconsistency. The historical records state that Fei Zhi "had no punctuation or paragraphing." If he had combined the Commentary on the Judgment and the Image Commentary with the main text, then he would have had punctuation and paragraphing. This is the second inconsistency. Liu Xiang examined various versions of the Book of Changes, and only Fei Zhi's version matched the "middle ancient text" version kept in the royal secret library. If Fei Zhi had combined the Commentary on the Judgment and the Image Commentary with the main text, Liu Xiang would have certainly pointed it out, and it could not have matched the middle ancient text version. This is the third inconsistency. According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, in the biography of Gaoxianggong, it is recorded: "The Commentary on the Judgment and the Image Commentary originally did not follow the main text, but now Zheng Xuan made annotations and connected them together, why is that?" This shows that attaching the Commentary on the Judgment and the Image Commentary below the main text actually began with Zheng Xuan (Kangcheng).

漢書儒林傳云：商瞿子木受易於孔子，以授魯橋庇子庸，子庸授江東馯臂子弓，子弓授燕周丑子家，子家授東武孫虞子乘，子乘授齊田何。漢興，因何授雒陽周王孫、梁人丁寬，丁寬授田王孫，田王孫授施讎、梁丘賀、孟喜。由是得孔氏嫡傳者，有施、孟、梁丘三家之學。三家中以孟喜能兼明陰陽，畢田生之業。孟喜授焦延壽，延壽授京房，由是又有京氏之學。此外有高相，專明陰陽災變，自言出於丁將軍。費直專以十翼解易，其傳授不明。此西漢傳易之大略也。

The "Records of the Literati" in the "Book of Han" states: Shang Qu (given name Zi Mu) learned the "Book of Changes" from Confucius, and passed it on to Qiao Bi (given name Zi Yong) of Lu State; Qiao Bi passed it on to Han Bi (given name Zi Gong) of Jiangdong; Han Bi passed it on to Zhou Chou (given name Zi Jia) of Yan State; Zhou Chou passed it on to Sun Yu (given name Zi Cheng) of Dongwu; Sun Yu passed it on to Tian He of Qi State. After the establishment of the Han dynasty, the lineage of Tian He was followed: Tian He passed it on to Zhou Wangsun of Luoyang and Ding Kuan of Liang State; Ding Kuan passed it on to Tian Wangsun; Tian Wangsun passed it on to Shi Chou, Liang Qiu He, and Meng Xi. Thus, there were three schools of thought that inherited the direct lineage from Confucius: the schools of Shi, Meng, and Liang Qiu. Among these three, Meng Xi was able to combine the doctrines of yin and yang and calamities and portents, and fully mastered all the teachings of Tian Wangsun. Meng Xi passed it on to Jiao Yanshou, who passed it on to Jing Fang, thus giving rise to the Jing school of the "Book of Changes." In addition, there was Gao Xiang, who specialized in the doctrines of yin and yang and calamities, claiming to have descended from Ding Kuan (Ding General). Fei Zhi, on the other hand, exclusively used the "Ten Wings" to explain the "Book of Changes," and his lineage of transmission is unclear. This is a general account of the transmission of the "Book of Changes" during the Western Han dynasty.

亦曰月卦，曰候卦，曰十二闢卦，為全易之本根，大玄之綱領。清儒毛西河等動以月卦屬之漢人，此大誤也。干寶周禮注引歸藏云：復子、臨丑、泰寅、大壯卯、夬辰、乾巳、姤午、遯未、否申、觀酉、剝戌、坤亥，是月卦已見於二易。故坤彖及上六交辭，非用月卦不能解，明以坤居亥也。左傳得復卦，曰「南國蹙，射其元王，中厥目」，以復居子，尤為顯著。後漢人注易，往往用月卦而不明言，以月卦人人皆知，不必揭出，其重要可知巳。

The "Message卦" is also called the "Month卦," "Season卦," and "Twelve Dividing卦." It is the fundamental concept of the entire Book of Changes, and also the main idea of Yang Xiong's "Ta Xuan." Qing dynasty scholars such as Mao Qiling (Xihé) often claimed that the Month卦 was invented by the Han dynasty, which is a great mistake. Gan Bao's commentary on the "Rites of Zhou" cites the "Guicang" saying: The "Fu" hexagram corresponds to the first lunar month, "Lin" to the second, "Tai" to the third, "Da Zhuang" to the fourth, "Gua" to the fifth, "Qian" to the sixth, "Gou" to the seventh, "Dun" to the eighth, "Pí" to the ninth, "Guan" to the tenth, "Bo" to the eleventh, and "Kun" to the twelfth. This shows that the Month卦 was already present in the "Lianshan" and "Guicang" schools of the Book of Changes. Therefore, the Commentary on the Judgment of the "Kun" hexagram and the line statement of the sixth line at the top of the "Kun" hexagram cannot be properly explained without the Month卦—since "Kun" clearly corresponds to the twelfth lunar month, which is the direction of the north, and the north is the direction of "Qian," hence the sixth line says "a dragon fights in the wild." The "Zuo Zhuan" records that when the "Fu" hexagram was divined, it said, "The southern state is in distress, they shoot their king, hitting his eye." This is because the "Fu" hexagram corresponds to the first lunar month and is located in the north, with yang energy moving from north to south. This is especially clear. Later Han dynasty commentators on the Book of Changes often used the Month卦 without explicitly mentioning it, because the Month卦 was well known and did not need to be specially mentioned. Its importance can be seen from this.

八卦圓布四方，各有其位，而先後不同。蓋易之道一動一靜，互為其根。先天方位，乾南坤北，離東坎西，一陰一陽，相偶相對，乃天地自然之法象，靜而無為。惟陰陽相對必相交，坤南交乾，則南方成離；乾北交坤，則北方成坎。先天方位遂變為後天，由靜而動矣，周易所用者是也。然周易雖用後天，後天實由先天禪代而來，不能相離，故說卦首以「天地定位，山澤通氣」演先天卦位之義，再明指後天。誠以經中如坤卦、蹇卦，以坤為西南，從後天位；而既濟九五，則以離為東，坎為西，從先天位，說卦不得不兼釋也。

The eight trigrams are arranged around the four directions, each occupying a specific direction, but the arrangement differs between the Earlier Heaven and Later Heaven. Generally, the Way of the Book of Changes involves movement and stillness, which are fundamental to each other. In the Earlier Heaven arrangement,乾 is in the south, 坤 in the north, 离 in the east, and 坎 in the west. Yin and Yang are paired and opposite, reflecting the natural pattern of heaven and earth, which is still and non-active. However, since yin and yang are opposite, they must interact. When 坤 from the north meets 乾 in the south, the south becomes 离; when 乾 from the south meets 坤 in the north, the north becomes 坎. Thus, the Earlier Heaven arrangement transforms into the Later Heaven arrangement, moving from stillness to activity. The Book of Changes uses the Later Heaven arrangement. However, although the Book of Changes uses the Later Heaven, the Later Heaven actually comes from the Earlier Heaven, and the two cannot be separated. Therefore, the "Say of the Trigrams" first explains the meaning of the Earlier Heaven arrangement with phrases like "Heaven and Earth are positioned, mountains and marshes communicate," and then clearly points out the Later Heaven. This is because the classic text contains both arrangements: for example, the "Hexagram Statement" of the 坤 hexagram and the 蹇 hexagram mention "southwest," placing 坤 in the southwest, which uses the Later Heaven arrangement; while the "Nine in the Fifth" of the 既济 hexagram refers to eastern and western neighbors, placing 离 in the east and 坎 in the west, which uses the Earlier Heaven arrangement. Therefore, the "Say of the Trigrams" must explain both arrangements together.

及後天方位，以說卦明指，人知之；先天方位，至魏晉而失傳。以餘所考得，西漢焦延壽於先天方位無不知，易林皆用之（詳焦氏易詁）。九家注同人曰「乾舍於離，同日而居」，夫曰乾舍於離，是以乾居南也。後荀爽亦曰「乾舍於離，相與同居」，夫曰干與離同居，是亦以乾居南。荀爽又注「陰陽之義配日月」云：「乾舍於離，配日而居；坤舍於坎，配月而居。」是不惟以乾居南，並以坤居北。又注家人云「離巽之中有乾坤」，是以離與乾同位，巽與坤同位，故曰離巽之中有乾坤。

As for the Later Heaven directions, the "Commentary on the Diagrams" clearly states them, and everyone is aware of them; the Earlier Heaven directions, however, were lost by the Wei and Jin dynasties. According to my research, Jiao Yanshou of the Western Han dynasty knew all about the Earlier Heaven directions, and the entire "Forest of Changes" by Jiao's school is based on them (see "Glosses on the Changes" by Jiao). The "Nine Schools of the Changes" commentary on "The Family" says, "The Heaven trigram resides in the Fire trigram, sharing the same day." This means that Heaven is located in the south. Later, Xun Shuang also said, "The Heaven trigram resides in the Fire trigram, sharing the same position," meaning that Heaven and Fire are in the same position, again placing Heaven in the south. Xun Shuang also commented on the "Great Treatise" saying, "The meaning of yin and yang corresponds to the sun and moon." He explained, "Heaven resides in the Fire trigram, corresponding to the sun; Earth resides in the Water trigram, corresponding to the moon." This not only places Heaven in the south but also Earth in the north. In his commentary on "The Family," he also said, "Within the Fire and Wind trigrams lie Heaven and Earth," meaning that Fire and Heaven are in the same position, Wind and Earth are in the same position, so Fire and Wind contain Heaven and Earth. These are the Earlier Heaven directions: Heaven is in the south, Fire is also in the south, Earth is in the southwest, and Wind is also in the southwest.

又鄭玄注月令「季夏，國多風欬」，云「辰之氣乘之也，未屬巽辰，又在冀位」。按季夏為未月，巽初主丑未，故未屬巽辰；又在巽位者，言未在西南，巽亦在西南，故云未在巽位。孔氏不知先天卦位，故此句不能釋。是先天方位在兩漢皆未失傳。至魏管輅，謂乾必宜在南生，以乾位西北為不合，而疑聖人矣，則以先天位已失傳，輅但見其尾，不見其首也。歷魏晉迄唐，無有知者。至宋邵子揭出，易本始大明，而黃梨洲、毛西河等以邵氏所傳本於道士，肆力掊擊，若非是不足以衛道者；而耳食者流不加詳察，懵然從之，成為風氣。

Zheng Xuan annotated the "Monthly Order" in the "Rites" saying, "In the month of the third summer, the country is often afflicted by wind and coughing," and explained, "This is caused by the qi of the Chen position invading, but Chen does not belong to the Xun position, yet it is in the Xun position." (The original text "Ji position" should be a mistake for "Xun position.") According to the season of the third summer being the Wei month, the first line of the Xun trigram governs the Chou and Wei years, so it is said "Wei belongs to Xun." It is also said "it is in the Xun position" because Wei is in the southwest, and the Xun trigram in the Earlier Heaven is also in the southwest, so Wei is in the Xun position. Kong Yingda did not understand the Earlier Heaven trigram positions, so he could not explain this. This shows that the Earlier Heaven positions had not been lost during the Han dynasty. By the time of Guan Lu in the Wei dynasty, he claimed that Qian should definitely be in the south, thinking it unreasonable to place Qian in the northwest, and thus doubted the sages. This was because the Earlier Heaven positions had already been lost by then, and Guan Lu only saw the tail of the Later Heaven, not the head of the Earlier Heaven. From the Wei and Jin dynasties until the Tang dynasty, no one understood the Earlier Heaven positions. It was not until Shao Yong in the Song dynasty that the Earlier Heaven positions were revealed again, and the origin of the Book of Changes was once more clearly understood. However, Huang Zongxi (Lizhou) and Mao Qilin (Xihé) and others, because Shao Yong's transmission came from a Daoist, strongly criticized it, as if not doing so would be insufficient to protect the sacred teachings. Those who spread rumors without careful examination followed blindly, and this became a trend.

實左傳閔二年，大有之幹曰「同復於父，敬如君所」，所者位也，復者復其位也。離變乾，乾為父，故同復於父；乾為君，乾之所在南，離亦在南，故人之敬離位如干位也。又成十六年卦遇復，曰「南國蹙，射其元，王中厥目」，夫乾為王為首，凡學易者皆知之，陽氣自北射南，故離目受咎；乾亦在南，故乾首亦受咎而被射也。杜注但知離在南，故能釋目象；不知乾南，故王象元象不能釋也。又萬裕澐云：左傳「如山嶽則配天」、「風行而著於土」、「川壅為澤」、「震之離亦離之震」，是艮與乾同位西北，巽與坤同位西南，坎兌同位西，震離同位東，左氏已備言之，故荀爽、鄭玄資以注經。他若干鑿度，言先天義尤多也。

In fact, the *Zuo Zhuan* records in the second year of Min Gong that a divination resulted in the hexagram *Da You* changing into *Qian*. It says, "Returning to the father's position, respecting as the king's position." Here, "so" refers to position, and "returning" means returning to its original position. The lower trigram of *Da You* is *Li*, which changes into *Qian*, representing the father. Therefore, it says "returning to the father." *Qian* represents the king, and since *Qian* is located in the south, *Li* is also located in the south, so people respect the position of *Li* as they do the position of *Qian*. In another instance, in the sixteenth year of Cheng Gong, a divination encountered the hexagram *Fu*. It says, "The southern state is squeezed, shooting its head, the king is hit in the eye." *Qian* represents the king and the head, which is well known to those who study the *Yi Jing*. Yang energy moves from north to south, so the eye, represented by *Li*, is harmed. *Qian* is also located in the south, so the head, represented by *Qian*, is also harmed and shot. Du Yu's commentary only knew that *Li* is located in the south, so he could explain "eye"; but since he did not know that *Qian* is located in the south, he could not explain the "king" and "head" images. Wan Yu Dun also said: The phrases in the *Zuo Zhuan* such as "like mountains and hills, matching heaven," "wind moves and settles on the earth," "a river blocked becomes a marsh," and "the shock of *Zhen* is also the shock of *Li*" clearly indicate that *Gen* and *Qian* are both in the northwest, *Xun* and *Kun* are both in the southwest, *Kan* and *Dui* are both in the west, and *Zhen* and *Li* are both in the east. Left丘 Ming had already fully explained these, so Xun Shuang and Zheng Xuan could base their commentaries on them. Other texts like the *Qian Zao Du*, which discuss the earlier heaven meaning, contain even more such explanations. All these clearly show that the earlier heaven directions were not a new idea borrowed by Shao Yong from Daoist sources.

凡春秋人說易，無一字不根於象，漢人亦然。惟古書皆竹簡，本易散亡，王莽亂起，中原經兵燹者十數年，至漢末，西京易說皆亡，獨存孟、京二家，以無師莫能傳習，於是韓宣子所謂易象者頗多失傳。東漢儒者知說易不能離象也，於象之知者說之，其不知者則當敬闕其疑，乃虞翻浪用卦變，鄭玄雜以交辰，虛偽支離，使人難信。王輔嗣遂乘時而起，解縛去澀，掃象不談，唐李鼎祚所謂野文也。自是易遂分為二派。其以輔嗣為宗者，喜其無師可通，顯於晉，大於唐，而莫盛於宋，所謂義理之學也，實所謂義理者於易理無涉。朱子晚年深悟野文之非，低訾程傳先辭後象之顛倒，然卒不敢改其本義，以違忤時尚。易學之衰落，蓋莫甚於此時。

All those who interpreted the Book of Changes during the Spring and Autumn period based their explanations on the trigrams. The same was true of the Han dynasty. However, since ancient texts were written on bamboo slips, they were naturally prone to loss and disappearance. When Wang Mang's rebellion broke out, the Central Plains suffered from warfare for over ten years, and by the end of the Han dynasty, all the interpretations of the Book of Changes from the Western Han had been lost, leaving only those of Meng Xi and Jing Fang. Moreover, because there were no teachers to pass on their teachings, these interpretations could not be transmitted. Thus, the "trigrams" mentioned by Han Xuanzi long ago were largely lost. Scholars of the Eastern Han clearly understood that interpreting the Book of Changes could not be separated from the trigrams. They would explain the trigrams they knew and, for those they did not know, would respectfully hold doubts and refrain from speculation. However, Yu Fan abused the concept of "changing trigrams," while Zheng Xuan introduced "yao chen," creating false and fragmented interpretations that made people lose faith. Wang Bi then took advantage of the situation, freeing himself from these constraints, and stopped discussing the trigrams altogether. This is what Li Dingzuo criticized in his commentary as "wild texts." From then on, the study of the Book of Changes split into two schools. One school, following Wang Bi, preferred interpretations that could be understood without a teacher, and it became prominent in the Jin dynasty, flourished in the Tang dynasty, and reached its peak in the Song dynasty. This is called "learning through meaning and reason." In reality, the "meaning and reason" they discussed had nothing to do with the true principles of the Book of Changes. Zhu Xi, in his later years, deeply realized the errors in the "wild texts" approach and criticized Cheng Yi's commentary on the Book of Changes for reversing the order by first discussing the text and then the trigrams. However, he was ultimately too afraid to change his own "Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes," fearing he would go against the prevailing trend. The decline of the study of the Book of Changes was never more severe than during this period.

其以荀虞為宗者，號為漢易，以別於野文家，極力復古。惟其所宗，適當易象失傳之後，於象之不知者仍用卦變爻變，奉虞氏遺法為天經地義。於是焦循變本加厲，於象之不知、義之不能通者，以一卦變為六十四以求其解，其弊遂與談空者等。然漢學家於訓詁必求其真，無空滑之病，少越軌之談，一洗元明以來講章之霾霧，於初學較便也。

The school that took Xu Shuang and Yu Fan as its main representatives is known as "Han Yi," distinguishing itself from the "wild texts" school, and it strongly advocated a return to antiquity. However, the era they revered had already come after the loss of the Yi images; when encountering unfamiliar images, they still resorted to "changes of the hexagrams" and "changes of the lines," treating Yu Fan's methods as absolute. By the Qing dynasty, Jiao Xun took this even further, allowing any hexagram to generate all sixty-four hexagrams whenever the image was not recognized or the meaning was unclear. The consequences of this approach were even comparable to those of the school that engaged in empty discussions of principles. However, Han scholars always required accuracy in philological study, avoiding superficial and careless interpretations, and rarely made wild conjectures. Thus, they cleared away the confusion of the commentaries from the Yuan and Ming dynasties, making their approach more convenient for beginners.

乾。元亨利貞。

The Hexagram Statement of the Qian Hexagram is the four characters "Yuan, Heng, Li, Zhen." Qian is the first of the sixty-four hexagrams, with all six lines being yang. "Yuan" represents the beginning of all things, "Heng" signifies smoothness and passage, "Li" denotes harmony and benefit, and "Zhen" means uprightness and firmness. According to Shang's interpretation, these four virtues are respectively associated with spring, summer, autumn, winter and east, south, west, north, cycling continuously without end.

說卦「乾，健也」。於夏傳「元，始也；亨，通也；利，和也；貞，正也」。蓋天之體以健為用，而天之德莫大於四時。元亨利貞即春夏秋冬，即東南西北，震元、離亨、兌利、坎貞，往來循環，不忒不窮，周易之名即以此也。後儒釋此者莫過於太玄。玄文云：「罔、直、蒙、酋、冥。罔，北方也，冬也，未有形也。直，東方也，春也，直而未有文也。蒙，南方也，夏出，物之修長也。酋，西方也，秋也，物皆成象而就也。有形則復於無形，故曰冥。故萬物罔乎北，直乎東，蒙乎南，酋乎西，冥乎北。罔舍其氣，直觸其類，蒙極其修，酋考其就，冥反其奧。罔蒙相極，直酋相敕，出冥入冥，新故代更，將來者進，成功者退，已用則賤，當時則貴。」按大玄闡發此四字之理，至矣盡矣，除彖傳外，無此深奧明晰之解釋也。

The "Commentary on the Hexagrams" says: "Qian represents strength and vigor." Zixia's Commentary on the Changes says: "Yuan is the beginning, Heng is the通畅, Li is harmony, and Zhen is uprightness." Basically, the nature of Heaven is characterized by strength and vigor, and its virtues have none greater than the four seasons. Yuan, Heng, Li, and Zhen correspond to spring, summer, autumn, and winter, which in turn correspond to east, south, west, and north: Zhen governs spring and is paired with Yuan, Li governs summer and is paired with Heng, Dui governs autumn and is paired with Li, and Kan governs winter and is paired with Zhen. These cycles proceed in a continuous and complete manner; the name "Zhou Changes" (I Ching) originates from this. Among later interpretations of these four terms, Yang Xiong's "Tai Xuan" is the most profound. The "Xuan Wen" describes five stages: "Wang," "Zhi," "Meng," "Chou," and "Ming." "Wang" belongs to the north, representing winter, when all things have not yet taken form; "Zhi" belongs to the east, representing spring, when things sprout upward without yet displaying color; "Meng" belongs to the south, representing summer, when all things emerge in a state of confusion and gradually grow longer; "Chou" belongs to the west, representing autumn, when all things have taken form and reach their completion; after taking form, they return to an invisible state, hence called "Ming." Therefore, all things are "Wang" in the north, "Zhi" in the east, "Meng" in the south, "Chou" in the west, and "Ming" in the north again: during "Wang," the original qi is stored; during "Zhi," the kind is triggered; during "Meng," growth reaches its peak; during "Chou," achievement is assessed; and during "Ming," it returns to its profound essence. "Wang" and "Meng" are opposite extremes, while "Zhi" and "Chou" complement each other; from "Ming" it returns to "Ming," with old and new alternating, the future advancing, success retreating, the used becoming lowly, and the present becoming esteemed. Note: The "Tai Xuan" thoroughly explains the meaning of these four terms, reaching the ultimate level; apart from the "Commentary on the Judgment," there is no other interpretation as profound and clear.

其所謂直、蒙、酋，即震春、離夏、兌秋，即元亨利也；所謂罔、冥，即坎冬，即貞也。必以二字擬貞者，蓋以子復為界。子復者，冬至也，故由亥坤至子復為冥，由子復至泰寅為罔。罔，不直也。冬至以後，萬物雖枉屈，不能見形於外，然陽氣已生，與冬至前之冥然罔覺者異矣，故曰「罔舍其氣」。舍者，蓄也，養也，即彖傳所謂保合太和也。或曰：彖傳釋此純指天道，然彖不曰春夏秋冬，必曰元亨利貞者何也？曰：乾之德無所不統，無所不包，言元亨利貞，則天時人事盡括於其中。

Yang Xiong's terms "zhi, meng, qiu" refer to Zhen in spring, Li in summer, and Dui in autumn, which correspond to yuan, heng, li. The terms "wang, ming" refer to Kan in winter, which corresponds to zhen. Why does Yang Xiong use two characters to represent "zhen"? Because he uses the hexagram "Fu" in the month of Zi as a dividing point. The hexagram "Fu" in the month of Zi corresponds to the winter solstice. Therefore, the period from the hexagram "Kun" in the month of Hai to the hexagram "Fu" in the month of Zi is called "ming," and the period from the hexagram "Fu" in the month of Zi to the hexagram "Tai" in the month of Yin is called "wang." "Wang" means not yet straight: after the winter solstice, although all things are still coiled and cannot show their forms externally, yang energy has already begun to sprout, and this is different from the state of being completely unaware before the winter solstice. Therefore, it is said "wang she qi qi," where "she" means to nurture and to cultivate, which is exactly what the "Commentary on the Judgment" of the hexagram "Qian" refers to as "bao he tai he." Someone might ask: the "Commentary on the Judgment" explains these four characters purely in terms of the heavenly way, so why does it not directly refer to spring, summer, autumn, and winter, but instead use yuan, heng, li, and zhen? The answer is: the virtue of Qian encompasses everything and includes all things. By using "yuan, heng, li, zhen," it includes both the heavenly time and human affairs.

惟此四字，義蘊宏深，非一解所能盡。彖傳、象傳皆釋貞為正，而大貞、小貞、不可貞、貞吝、貞凶、不利君子貞，義皆不通。而彖象傳遇此皆不釋，似委為不知而闕疑者。文言曰，貞固足以乾事，又釋貞為固，然於貞凶、貞吝等辭，仍不能通。此彖象傳與文言不同也。

The four characters "yuan, heng, li, zhen" have broad and profound meanings that cannot be fully explained by a single interpretation. Both the "彖传" and "象传" interpret "zhen" as "zheng" (correctness), but in the "卦爻辞" there are expressions such as "da zhen," "xiao zhen," "bu ke zhen," "zhen lin," "zhen xiong," and "bu li junzi zhen," which cannot all be explained by taking "zhen" as "zheng." Moreover, when encountering these expressions, the "彖传" and "象传" do not provide explanations, as if they themselves do not understand and choose to remain silent. The "文言" says "zhen gu zuo yi qian shi," interpreting "zhen" as "gu" (firmness), but even using "gu" to explain terms like "zhen xiong" and "zhen lin" still does not make sense. This is where the interpretations in the "彖传," "象传," and "文言" are inconsistent with each other.

至於貞吝、貞凶、不利君子貞，其義與乾元亨利貞之貞，絕不相同。案《周禮·春官》，天府季冬陳玉，貞來歲之媺惡，注：貞謂問於龜卜。鄭司農曰：貞，問也。《易》曰：師貞丈人吉。又《左傳》哀十七年，衛侯貞卜；《國語》貞於陽卜，皆以貞為卜問。而師貞丈人吉，前鄭引以解《周禮》，是以貞為卜問，已有先例。愚以為大貞、小貞、貞吝、貞凶、不利君子貞，皆宜詁作卜問，與乾元亨利貞之貞，判然為二義，不得混同。五經字同而義異者多矣，不獨此也。蓋貞有正義，又有貞固、貞定二義，朱子兼採之，曰貞正而固也。豈知兼二義，仍不能盡通。近儒王陶廬先生又以全易貞字皆釋作卜問，於文理可通矣。然若乾之利貞，亦釋作卜問，則乾德不全矣，似不盡協也。

As for the term 「贞」 in expressions like 「贞吝」, 「贞凶」, and 「不利君子贞」, it is entirely different from the 「贞」 in the乾卦's 「元亨利贞」. According to the record in the 「Zhou Li · Chun Guan」, the duties of the天府 (Treasury Office) include, in the last month of winter, displaying jade objects and 「贞来岁之媺恶」 (divining the good or bad of the coming year). Zheng Xuan's commentary says that 「贞」 refers to asking questions by divination with a turtle shell. Zheng Zhong (an earlier commentator, also known as Zheng Si Nong) also says that 「贞」 means 「asking」, and cites the line 「师贞丈人吉」 from the 「Book of Changes」 (Yijing) as evidence. In the 「Zuo Zhuan」, the 17th year of Duke Ai's reign, there is 「卫侯贞卜」, and in the 「Guoyu」, there is 「贞于阳卜」, both of which treat 「贞」 as divination. The line 「师贞丈人吉」 was also used by Zheng Zhong to explain the 「Zhou Li」, indicating that interpreting the 「贞」 in the 「Yijing」 as divination had precedent. I believe that 「大贞」, 「小贞」, 「贞吝」, 「贞凶」, and 「不利君子贞」 should all be interpreted as divination, and this is entirely different from the 「贞」 in the乾卦's 「元亨利贞」. They cannot be confused. There are many instances in the Five Classics where the same character has different meanings, not only in this case. Originally, 「贞」 had the meaning of 「correctness」, and also the meanings of 「firmness」 and 「stability」. Zhu Xi combined these meanings, saying that 「贞 is correct and firm」. However, even if we take both meanings into account, it is still not always coherent. Modern scholar Wang TaoLu further interprets all instances of 「贞」 in the entire 「Yijing」 as divination, which is consistent with the textual logic. However, if we also interpret the 「利贞」 in the乾卦 as divination, then the virtue of the乾卦 would be incomplete, and this seems rather inappropriate.

蓋元亨利貞，合之為乾德，分之為八卦之德，故即為六十四卦之根本。象或曰亨，或曰元亨，或曰貞，或曰利貞，或曰亨利貞，或曰利貞亨，或曰元亨利貞，似以此四德為衡量卦德之準的者。然如無妄凶卦也，亦曰元亨利貞，則似別有標識，而非論卦德。

"The four virtues 'yuan, heng, li, zhen' together represent the complete virtue of the Qian trigram, but when separated, they correspond to the virtues of each of the eight trigrams. Therefore, they serve as the foundation for the sixty-four hexagrams. The hexagram statements may mention only 'heng,' or 'yuan heng,' or only 'zhen,' or 'li zhen,' or 'heng li zhen,' or 'li zhen heng,' or 'yuan heng li zhen.' It appears that these four virtues are used as a standard to measure the virtue of a hexagram. However, for example, the hexagram 'Wu Wang' is inherently a凶 (凶 means 'auspicious' or 'unfavorable' in this context, but it's better translated as 'unfavorable' here) hexagram, yet its hexagram statement also says 'yuan heng li zhen.' This suggests another kind of symbolic function, not necessarily indicating the level of virtue of the hexagram."

端木國瑚曰：易遇東南方春夏之卦，則曰元亨；遇西北方秋冬之卦，則曰利貞。由其言推之，屯下震春也，故曰元亨，上坎冬也，故曰利貞；隨下震春也，故曰元亨，上兌秋也，故曰利貞；臨下互震故曰元亨，上坤下兌，故曰利貞；無妄下震故曰元亨，上乾為冬，故曰利貞；革下離互巽，故曰元亨，上兌為秋，互乾為冬，故曰利貞。其餘雖不盡當，然大概如是也。

Duanmu Guohu said: In the Book of Changes, whenever a hexagram belongs to the qi of the East or the South, or the seasons of spring and summer, it is said to be "Yuan Heng"; whenever it belongs to the qi of the West or the North, or the seasons of autumn and winter, it is said to be "Li Zhen". Following his reasoning: the Zun hexagram has its lower trigram Zhen, which represents spring, so it is said to be "Yuan Heng"; its upper trigram Kan represents winter, so it is said to be "Li Zhen". The Suo hexagram has its lower trigram Zhen, representing spring, so it is said to be "Yuan Heng"; its upper trigram Dui represents autumn, so it is said to be "Li Zhen". The Lin hexagram has its lower trigram Zhen, so it is said to be "Yuan Heng"; its upper trigram Kun and the presence of Dui in the interacting trigrams represent autumn, so it is said to be "Li Zhen". The Wuwang hexagram has its lower trigram Zhen, so it is said to be "Yuan Heng"; its upper trigram Qian is located at the亥 position, which belongs to winter, so it is said to be "Li Zhen". The Ge hexagram has its lower trigram Li and the presence of Xun in the interacting trigrams, so it is said to be "Yuan Heng"; its upper trigram Dui belongs to autumn and the presence of Qian in the interacting trigrams belongs to winter, so it is said to be "Li Zhen". Other hexagrams may not all conform perfectly, but they generally follow this pattern.

總之元亨利貞，春夏秋冬，東南西北，仁義禮智，一二三四，茲數者，合之一之，混之同之，融會貫通，遺貌御神，天人不分，陶冶既久，然後知此四字，已括盡易理，非言詮所能盡。而能申其義者，前惟彖傳，後惟楊子云。

In summary, groups such as yuan, heng, li, zhen; spring, summer, autumn, winter; southeast, northwest; ren, yi, li, zhi; and one, two, three, four, should be merged into one, made into a single whole, and integrated thoroughly. We should discard external forms and directly grasp their essence, so that the way of heaven and human affairs are no longer divided. Only after long immersion and cultivation can one realize that the four characters yuan, heng, li, zhen fully encompass the principles of the Book of Changes, beyond the reach of verbal explanation. And among those who could clarify this meaning, there was Yang Xiong (Zi Yun) before and none after.

初九：潛龍勿用。九者，老陽之數，動之所占。潛，隱也。陽息初復，一陽伏群陰之下，故曰潛。物莫神於龍，故借龍以喻陽氣。復子時當冬至，一陽初生，伏藏地下，故曰勿用。又卦位初為士，未出世之君子，德亦如是也。

The first line statement says: "A dragon is hidden and should not be used." The term "nine" is used because nine represents the number of an old yang line, and in divination, when a nine appears, it indicates a moving line, which is the line that is changing. "Hidden" means concealed. Yang energy begins to grow from the bottom, and in the first of the twelve hexagrams of the changing cycle, called the hexagram of return, there is one yang line hidden among many yin lines, so it is called "hidden." Among all things, there is nothing more mysterious and unpredictable than a dragon, so a dragon is used as a metaphor for yang energy. The hexagram of return corresponds to the month of Zi, which is the time of winter solstice, when the first yang energy has just begun to emerge and is still hidden underground, hence the statement "should not be used." In terms of the position of the line, the first line corresponds to the status of a scholar who has not yet entered official service, and his virtue is similar to this hidden yang energy.

九二：見龍在田，利見大人。初二於三才為地，二在地上，故稱田。乾為大人。二雖不當位而居中，利見者，言大人宜於此時出見也。鄭康成謂利見九五之大人，非，五無應也。陽息至二臨，陽出地上，由潛而顯，大人亦如此也。

The Line Statement for the Second Line (Nine in the Second): Seeing the dragon in the field, it is advantageous to see the great man. The six lines correspond to the three realms, with the first and second lines belonging to the earth. The Second Line is above the earth, hence called 'field.' The trigram Qian has the image of the great man. Although the Nine in the Second is a yang line in a yin position and thus not properly positioned, it is in the center of the lower trigram and thus has the right position. The term 'advantageous to see' means that the great man should emerge at this time. Zheng Xuan (Kangcheng) said this refers to seeing the Nine in the Fifth, the great man, but this is incorrect: both the Nine in the Second and the Nine in the Fifth are yang lines, and two yang lines do not correspond, so they cannot be said to meet. When the yang energy reaches the Second Line, it is the message trigram Lin, where yang has risen above the earth, changing from concealment to manifestation. The emergence of the great man is also like this.

九三：君子終日乾乾，夕惕若，厲無咎。乾為君子，為大明，故為日。晉順而麗乎大明，大明謂離日也，故乾亦為日。《易林》困之泰云：陰雲四方，日在中央。以泰上坤為雲，下乾為日也。又蹇之咸云：日月並居。以咸上兌為月，互乾為日。餘證尚多，皆詳《焦氏易詁》中。三居下卦之終，故曰終日、曰夕。惕，憂思也；厲，危也。憂危故無咎。陽息至三泰，萬物思奮，人事亦如是。三四於三才為人爻，人居天地之中，宜乾惕有為也。厲，許慎作夤，後易家多從之，而文言作厲，並以危釋厲義。注莫古於十翼，似當從也。

The line statement for the third line says: A gentleman is diligent and tireless all day, still cautious and alert at dusk, though in a dangerous situation, there is no fault. The trigram Qian has the image of a gentleman and also that of great brightness, thus also representing the sun. The Commentary on the Judgment of the hexagram Jin says, "smooth and bright in the great brightness," where "great brightness" refers to Li representing the sun, thus indicating that Qian can also represent the sun. In Jiao's Forest of Changes, the hexagram Kuan leading to Tai says, "dark clouds in all directions, the sun in the center," which takes the upper trigram of Tai as Kun representing clouds and the lower trigram as Qian representing the sun; and in the hexagram Jian leading to Xian, it says, "sun and moon together," which takes the upper trigram of Xian as Dui representing the moon and the interacting trigram as Qian representing the sun. There are many such supporting evidences, all thoroughly recorded in my work Jiao's Glosses on the Changes. The third line is at the end of the lower trigram, hence it says "all day" and "dusk." "Tì" means worry and alertness, "lì" means danger; because one is alert to danger, there is no fault. Yang energy grows to the third line, which is the hexagram Tai, the hexagram of mutual increase, at which time all things are vigorous, and human affairs should be like this. The third and fourth lines belong to the human line in the three realms, and since humans are in the center of heaven and earth, they should be diligent, cautious, and active. The character "lì" is cited by Xu Shen in Shuowen as "yín," and later commentators on the Changes mostly followed Xu's interpretation; but the Wenyan uses "lì" and explains it with "danger." There is no commentary older than the Ten Wings, so it seems appropriate to follow the Wenyan.

九四：或躍在淵，無咎。《易林》、九家、荀爽皆以乾為江河，故乾亦為淵。躍，起也。四居上卦之下，故曰躍淵。或者，言事不一定，可則為之，慎審而行，故無咎也。陽息至四大壯，百果草木甲坼之時也。

The fourth line statement says: "Perhaps leap from the abyss, no blame." In Jiao's Forest of Changes, the Nine Schools of Commentaries on the Book of Changes, and Xun Shuang, the trigram Qian is interpreted as a river or river. The deep part of a river is called an abyss, so Qian also has the extraordinary image of an abyss. "Leap" means to rise up. The ninth line at the fourth position is in the lowest position of the upper trigram, which is just rising from the lower trigram, so it is said to "leap" and "abyss." "Perhaps" indicates that the matter is not certain, so one should act only when the time is right, be cautious before advancing, hence there is no blame. The yang energy grows to the fourth line, which is the great strength hexagram, exactly the time when all fruits and grasses begin to crack open their shells and sprout.

九五：飛龍在天，利見大人。五於三才為天位，又為天子位，貴而得中，故曰飛龍在天。大人於此，居極尊之位，履萬物之上，嚮明而治，聖人作而萬物睹，故亦曰利見大人。九五陽息至五夬，萬物繁榮，相見之時也。

The Line Statement of the Fifth Line: A dragon soars in the heavens, advantageous to see a great person. The Fifth Line belongs to the heavenly position among the three realms, and it is also the position of the Son of Heaven. It is both noble and located in the center of the Upper Trigram, hence it is said, "A dragon soars in the heavens." A great person in this position holds the highest authority, surpassing all things, facing the light and governing, as stated in the Wenyan, "The sage arises and all things become visible," hence it is also said, "Advantageous to see a great person." The yang energy reaches its peak at the Fifth Line, corresponding to the message hexagram Guai. At this time, all things flourish abundantly, and it is precisely the time for mutual meeting.

上九：亢龍有悔。王肅曰：窮高曰亢。上九居卦之極，故曰窮；在六爻之上，故曰高，高則易危，窮則事盡，故有悔。按乾盈於巳，盈則虧，滿則損，乃天道之自然。《太玄》云：成功者退。又中首次六云：月闕其搏，不如開明於西。是其理也。

The line statement for the topmost line (Upper Nine) is: "A dragon soaring high brings regret." Wang Su said: When something reaches its extreme and rises to a high position, it is called "excess" (亢). The Upper Nine is at the top of a hexagram, so it is called "extreme" (穷); it is at the top of the six lines, so it is called "high" (高). Being high is prone to danger, and reaching an extreme means the matter has reached its end, hence there is regret. According to the trigram Qian, the yang energy is full in the fourth lunar month (巳月). When full, it must decline; when complete, it must diminish. This is the natural law of heaven. Yang Xiong's "Tai Xuan" says "those who achieve success should retreat"; also, in the first of the six sections in "Tai Xuan," it says "the moon lacks its fullness, and is not as bright as when it first appears in the west"—when the moon is fully round, it begins to wane, which is not as good as when it first shines in the west. This is exactly the same principle.

用九：見群龍無首，吉。此文王以筮例示人也。易之本為六七八九，七九陽，八六陰。今遇陽胡以只言九，不言七，則以周易以九為用，與二易殊也。用者，動也變也。用九者，言遇九則動，遇七則不動。若作用舍詁，則周易竟不用七八矣。不用七八，則揲蓍時常不遇九六，將何以為占。蓋九六占爻，七八占彖之義，治易者十六七皆忽之，故其義常晦。見群龍無首吉者，申遇九則變之義也。九何以必變，陽之數九為極多，故曰群。陽極反陰，乃天地自然之理。乾為首，以陽剛居物首，易招物忌，變坤則無首，無首則能以柔濟剛，故吉。無，《說文》云奇字，王育謂天屈西北為無。

Use nine: seeing a multitude of dragons without a leader, it is auspicious. This is how King Wen used the method of divination to instruct later generations. The numbers obtained through divination are originally six, seven, eight, and nine. Seven and nine are yang numbers, while six and eight are yin numbers. Now, when encountering a yang line, why is it only said to be nine and not seven? Because the Zhou Changes use nine as the active number, which is different from the Lianshan and Guicang. "Use" means movement and change. So "use nine" means that when nine is encountered in divination, it changes, but when seven is encountered, it does not. If "use" is interpreted as taking or discarding, then would the Zhou Changes not use seven and eight at all? If they do not use seven and eight, yet often encounter nine and six when divining, then what would be used for divination? In reality, nine and six are used for the line statements, while seven and eight are used for the hexagram statements (the彖辞). Sixty percent of those who study the Zhou Changes have overlooked this meaning, so its principles have always been obscure. The phrase "seeing a multitude of dragons without a leader, it is auspicious" clearly explains the principle that when nine is encountered, it changes. Why must nine change? Nine is the largest of the yang numbers, and because it is large, it is called "multitude." When yang reaches its extreme, it turns into yin, which is a natural principle of heaven and earth. The Qian trigram has the image of a leader, with yang strength at the head of all things, which easily invites the resentment of external things; when it changes into the Kun trigram, it becomes "without a leader," and without a leader allows for the harmonization of softness and strength, hence it is auspicious. The character "wu" (no), according to Shuowen Jiezi, is a strange character. Wang Yu explains it as the heavens bending in the northwest, where the place is empty, hence it is called "wu."

此節自古說者常有數蔽：見說吉即疑為占辭，不知其申用九之義，一蔽也；見說群龍，即疑群龍指上六爻，不知其言九，二蔽也；見說群龍無首，即疑六爻全變，不知其指揲蓍之三變成一爻言，三蔽也；甚至以此為爻辭，四蔽也；籠統浮泛，銓釋乾健大義，五蔽也。豈知六十四卦六爻之後，獨乾坤二卦有此贅語者，誠以乾坤者陰陽，六十四卦皆乾爻坤爻所積而成。乃乾卦只言九不言七，坤只言六不言八，不申明其故，揲蓍者胡所遵循。故於乾坤六爻之後，申曰用九用六。復恐人不解用九用六之義，又曰見群龍無首吉、利永貞也。其詳說皆在《周易古筮考》中。

This passage has been subject to many misunderstandings throughout history. First, people often doubt that it is a divination statement because it says "auspicious," not realizing that it is explaining the meaning of "use of all nines." Second, when it mentions "a group of dragons," people often think it refers to the six lines of the hexagram, not realizing it refers to the number nine. Third, when it says "a group of dragons without a leader," people often think it refers to all six lines changing, not realizing it refers to the process of divination by casting yarrow stalks three times to form one line. Fourth, some even treat it as a single line statement. Fifth, people generally use it to explain the qualities of the乾 hexagram, such as its strength and firmness, without understanding its deeper meaning. How could it be that among the sixty-four hexagrams, only the乾 and坤 hexagrams have such a seemingly redundant statement? It is because乾 and坤 represent yin and yang, and all sixty-four hexagrams are formed by the accumulation of lines from these two. However, the乾 hexagram only mentions the number nine and not seven, and the坤 hexagram only mentions six and not eight. If the reason for this is not explained, how could those casting yarrow stalks know how to proceed? Therefore, after the six lines of the乾 and坤 hexagrams, the text specifically explains "use of all nines" and "use of all sixes." To prevent misunderstanding, it further states "a group of dragons without a leader is auspicious" and "favorable for maintaining constancy." A detailed discussion of these points can be found in my work, The Ancient Divination of the Zhou Yi.

彖曰：大哉乾元，萬物資始，乃統天。《繫辭》云：彖者材也。材、財通，《孟子》有達財者；而財與裁通，泰傳后以財成天地之道，漢人上書伏惟裁察，每作財察。然則材即斷也，即裁度也。元亨利貞者，彖辭也，此則釋彖者，先儒名曰彖傳，十翼之一也。自太史公、楊子云、班固，皆以為孔子作。乾元者，乾之元氣也，於時配春，故曰資始。統，《說文》紀也；《史記·樂書》樂統同，注統領也。統天者，言乾元之德統領萬物，總治一切。九家釋統為繼，謂乾德統繼天道，後諸家又有訓統為始為本為合者，皆非也。按此釋元義。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: How great is the Primordial Power of Heaven! All things depend on it to begin. It governs the Way of Heaven. The Great Treatise says, "The term 'tu' means 'material'." "Material" is synonymous with "wealth," as mentioned in the Mencius with the phrase "those who reach wealth." "Wealth" is also synonymous with "to cut," as seen in the Great Commentary of the Tai hexagram, which says, "the ruler uses it to regulate the Way of Heaven and Earth," and in Han dynasty documents, the phrase "I humbly beg you to cut and examine" is often written as "I humbly beg you to wealth and examine." Thus, "material" means decision and regulation. "Yuan, Heng, Li, Zhen" are the statements of the hexagram (the hexagram statement), and here it is the explanation of the hexagram statement. Previously, this was called the Commentary on the Judgment, one of the Ten Wings. From Sima Qian, Yang Xiong to Ban Gu, they all believed it was composed by Confucius. "Qian Yuan" refers to the primordial energy of Heaven, which corresponds to the four seasons and belongs to spring, thus saying that all things "draw their beginning" from it. The character "tong" is explained in the Shuowen as "to govern." In the Records of the Grand Historian, "music tongs together" is annotated as "to govern." "Tong Tian" means that the virtue of Qian Yuan governs all things and oversees everything. The Nine Schools of the Book of Changes interpret "tong" as "to follow," saying that the virtue of Qian follows the Way of Heaven. Later interpretations have also explained "tong" as beginning, as the root, or as unity, but these are all incorrect. According to this sentence, it is explaining the meaning of "Yuan."

雲行雨施，品物流形。此釋亨義，於時配夏。乾交坤成坎，坎為雲為雨，故曰云行而施。坤為品物，乾入坤，故曰流形。乾施坤受，和而為雨，品物潤澤，萬物潔齊，相見乎離，亨之義也。

Clouds and mist circulate, rain descends, and various phenomena flow and take shape. This explains the meaning of "hen," which corresponds to the season of summer. When Qian (Heaven) interacts with Kun (Earth), the trigram Kan (Water) is formed. Kan represents clouds and rain, so it is said "clouds move and spread." Kun represents the diversity of things, and when Qian enters Kun, it is said "forms flow." Qian gives and Kun receives; the two energies interact and descend as rain, benefiting all creatures. This aligns with the "Say on the Trigrams" which mentions "all things are clean and orderly" and "meeting at Li (Fire)" which describes the summer scene. This is the meaning of "hen."

大明終始，六位時成，時乘六龍以御天。此釋利義，於時配秋。乾為日，故曰大明。日始於離，終於坎，以成晝夜；積晝夜以成四時。六位者六爻，爻各有時，時而至秋，萬物成熟，故曰時成。《太玄》擬之曰：酋，西方也，秋也，萬物皆成象而就。釋時成之義也。文言曰：利，義之和也。兌正秋，兌悅故和，秋成故利也。然乾之六時，果何屬乎。六龍者六陽，乾陽卦，故其所乘之時皆陽時，即子寅辰午申戌，《乾鑿度》所謂乾貞十一月子，左行陽時六是也。言乾而乾三子可知。若坤之所乘，則六陰時，《乾鑿度》所謂坤貞六月未，右行陰時六是也。時乘六龍以御天，即言乾乘六陽時以統御天道。自漢以來，不知時乘六龍，即乾乘六陽時，籠統解說，與上句六位時成無以異，而傳義愈晦矣。

The movement of the sun continues throughout the cycle, with the six lines of the hexagram following the order of time, and the six dragons governing the heavenly way according to the time. This explains the meaning of "beneficial," which corresponds to the season of autumn. The trigram Qian has the image of the sun, so it is called "great brightness." The sun rises in Li (east) and sets in Kan (north), one rising and one setting forming day and night, and the accumulation of day and night forming the four seasons. The "six positions" refer to the six lines, each line corresponding to a particular time. When the time reaches autumn, all things mature, so it is said "time is completed." Yang Xiong's "Ta Xuan" follows this by establishing "chou" as the beginning, saying "chou is the west, autumn, and the image of all things being completed and achieved," which is precisely explaining the meaning of "time is completed." The "Wenyan" says "beneficial means the harmony of righteousness": Dui corresponds to the proper autumn, and since Dui represents joy, it is called "harmony," and since autumn is the season of harvest, it is called "beneficial." So what season does the six lines of Qian belong to? The "six dragons" refer to the six yang lines. Qian is a pure yang trigram, so the times it governs are all yang times, namely Zi, Yin, Chen, Wu, Shen, and Xu. The "Qian Zao Du" says "Qian's pure time is the eleventh month of Zi, moving left through the six yang times," referring to this. If we say this about Qian, then its three son trigrams (Zhen, Kan, Gen) can be similarly inferred. As for the times governed by Kun, they are the six yin times. The "Qian Zao Du" says "Kun's pure time is the sixth month of Wei, moving right through the six yin times," referring to this. "Time riding the six dragons to govern the heavens" means that Qian governs these six yang times to rule the heavenly way. Since the Han dynasty people did not understand "time riding the six dragons" as referring to Qian governing the six yang times, they gave a general explanation, making no distinction from the previous sentence "six positions and time completed," thus making the original meaning of the "Tuan Zhuan" even more obscure.

乾道變化，各正性命，保合太和，乃利貞。此釋貞義，於時為冬。萬物自有而入無，由動而之靜，故曰變化。《太玄》擬貞為冥，曰：有形則復於無形，故曰冥。又曰：冥者明之藏也。出冥入冥，新故代更，人冥者變，出冥者變後而化也。變化者天道必然之理也。性命者精神，太和者元氣，正者定也。《周禮·天官》，宰夫令群吏正歲會、正月要，注正定也。各正性命者，言萬物入冬而形氣定也。保合者固也，保合太和，言萬物靜定而無為，正所以養育其生命也。各正性命，保合太和，略如人人夜寢息，休養神明。《繫辭》云：尺蠖之屈，以求信也；龍蛇之蟄，以存身也；精義入神，以致用也。正謂此也。貞者元之本，元者貞之著，下文曰首出庶物，即貞下啟元之義也。後儒舍冬義，以既濟定說貞者，皆未當也。

Heaven's way brings about change, each thing establishes its nature and destiny, preserves and unites the great harmony, thus benefiting and being correct. This explains the meaning of 'Zhen'. It corresponds to the four seasons and winter. All things move from 'having' to 'non-having', from activity to stillness, hence it is called 'change'. Yang Xiong in his work 'Tai Xuan' uses 'ming' to compare with 'Zhen', saying 'when there is form, it returns to formless, thus it is called ming'. He also says 'ming is the hidden aspect of brightness'. Going out from ming and returning to ming, the new and the old alternate; entering ming is called 'change', while exiting ming is the transformation after change. Change is an inherent principle of heaven's way. 'Xingming' refers to spirit, 'Taihe' refers to original qi, and 'zheng' means stability. In the 'Zhou Li · Tian Gao', the official 'Zai Fu' is responsible for 'commanding all officials to establish the annual meeting and the monthly requirements', and Zheng's annotation says 'zheng means to establish'. 'Each thing establishes its nature and destiny' means that after all things enter winter, their forms and qi become stable. 'Baohe' means to guard and unite; 'Baohe Taihe' means that all things are still and inactive, which is precisely how life is cultivated. 'Each thing establishes its nature and destiny, Baohe Taihe' is roughly like a person resting at night and cultivating his spirit. The 'Great Treatise' says 'the inchworm bends to seek extension; the dragon and snake hibernate to preserve itself; the refined meaning enters the divine, thus achieving utility', which explains exactly this principle. 'Zhen' is the fundamental of 'Yuan', and 'Yuan' is the manifestation of 'Zhen'; the following text says 'first emerging among all things', which means 'Zhen' initiating 'Yuan'. Later scholars abandoned the original meaning of 'Zhen' corresponding to winter, and instead explained 'Zhen' as the 'Ji Ji' (completion) of the six lines each being correct, which is inappropriate.

首出庶物，萬國咸寧。元亨利貞，相循環者也。貞非寂滅無為也，乃所以植元亨之基。故夫冬盡春來，貞久元至。首出庶物者，元也，言又復始也。春生震仁，故曰咸寧。萬國咸寧者，言如聖君當陽首出，萬邦有慶也。

The first to emerge is the origin of all things, and all the nations are at peace. The four virtues of Yuan, Heng, Li, and Zhen are cyclical and recurring. "Zhen" is not about being inactive or extinguished, but rather about cultivating the foundation for "Yuan" and "Heng." Therefore, after winter comes spring, and when "Zhen" is maintained for a long time, "Yuan" arrives. "The first to emerge among all things" refers to "Yuan," meaning the heavenly way begins anew. In spring, all things flourish, corresponding to the Zhen trigram and benevolence, hence "all nations are at peace." "All nations are at peace" means that just as a sage ruler occupies the yang position and is the first among all things, all the nations under heaven thus receive blessings.

乾彖傳簡括宏深，自非聖於易者，不能為也。自漢以來，除《太玄》外，無有明其義者，而詁六龍為六位、利貞為既濟定，尤謬誤之大者。首出庶物二語，解者皆不誤矣，而皆不知於元亨利貞之後，再綴此語者，乃所以示四德循環之義。朱子云：不貞則無以為元。又曰：四德循環無端。知此義矣，乃訖未明指再綴此語之故。豈知六龍與六位無別，則六龍句為贅語；首出庶物與萬物資始理同，而不疏其循環之義，則首出句又為贅語，烏乎可哉。揆厥原因，皆由不確知元亨利貞，即春夏秋冬，即東南西北。彖傳與文言雖未明言，固皆本此為義，特義奧語文，後儒遂歧於索解。及楊子云揭出春夏秋冬、東南西北二義，然後知彖傳所言者，皆元亨利貞之原理，及其所以然，義遂明徹。然罔直蒙酋冥之演元亨利貞，除范望、司馬溫公外，他儒無言者，於以知《太玄》之難讀，等於易也。

The Commentary on the Judgment of the Qian Hexagram is concise in wording but profound in meaning, something that can only be written by someone deeply versed in the principles of the Book of Changes. Since the Han dynasty, apart from Yang Xiong's Tai Xuan, no one has been able to explain its meaning. As for interpreting "six dragons" as the six lines of the hexagram and "li zhen" as the six lines each being in proper position, achieving a state of completion, this is a major mistake. The two lines "leading all creatures and bringing peace to all states" have not been incorrectly interpreted, but people do not understand why these two lines are added after "yuan heng li zhen." This is precisely to show the continuous cycle of the four virtues. Zhu Xi said, "Without zhen, there can be no yuan," and also said, "the four virtues cycle endlessly without beginning or end." This shows that he understood this meaning, but he never clearly pointed out the reason for adding these two lines. One must know that if "six dragons" and "six positions" are not distinguished, then the line "riding the six dragons at the right time" becomes meaningless. If "leading all creatures" is interpreted in the same way as "all things receive their beginning," yet the idea of cyclical continuity is not explained, then the line "leading all creatures" also becomes meaningless—how could such a thing be possible? The reason for this lies in the failure to clearly understand that "yuan heng li zhen" corresponds to the four seasons and the four cardinal directions. Although the Commentary on the Judgment and the Wenyan do not explicitly state this, they actually base their meaning on this concept. Because the meaning is profound and the language is concise and ancient, later scholars have diverged in their interpretations. It was only when Yang Xiong revealed the meanings of the four seasons and the four cardinal directions that people began to understand that the Commentary on the Judgment discusses the principles of yuan heng li zhen and the reasons for them. Only then did the meaning become clear. However, those who use the five stages of "wang, zhi, meng, qiu, meng" to explain yuan heng li zhen have only been mentioned by Fan Wang and Sima Guang (Wen Gong), and no other scholars have discussed this. This also shows how difficult the Tai Xuan is to read, comparable to the Book of Changes.

象日：天行健，君子以自強不息。《繫辭》云：象者像也，像此者也。先儒以其推闡一卦之義謂為大象，亦十翼之一。王引之云：《爾雅》行，道也；天行健，謂天道健也，與地勢順為對文。按《左傳》襄九年，晉伐鄭，杞人從趙武斬行栗，注行道也。由是以推，蠱剝復彖傳皆曰天行，皆天道也。凡大象專以人事言，言天道強健不息，君子法之也。

The Great Image Commentary says: The heavenly way is strong and vigorous, and the gentleman takes it as a model and strives ceaselessly. The Great Treatise says, "Xiang means image, meaning to resemble this." Earlier scholars used it to elaborate on the general meaning of a single hexagram, hence calling it the "Great Image," which is also one of the ten appendices. Wang Yinzhi said: The Er Ya explains "hang" as "dao," so "the heavenly way is strong and vigorous" means the heavenly way is strong and vigorous, matching exactly with the phrase "the earth's terrain is smooth" in the坤 hexagram. According to the Zuo Zhuan, part nine of the Xianggong period, when the state of Jin attacked Zheng, the people of Qi followed Zhao Wu in cutting down "hang li" (chestnuts by the roadside), and the annotation also says "hang means dao." From this we can infer that the three hexagrams Gǔ, Bō, and Fù in the Commentary on the Judgment all mention "tian xing," referring to the heavenly way. All the Great Image Commentaries speak specifically about human affairs. Here it refers to the heavenly way being strong and vigorous without ceasing, and the gentleman takes it as a model.

潛龍勿用，陽在下也。見龍在田，德施普也。初陽伏在下。德施普，言陽和之德，普及萬物也。下音戶。詩邶風凱風：爰有寒泉，在浚之下，有子七人，母氏勞苦。下音戶，與苦韻，此亦同也。終日乾乾，反復道也。乾盈則反巽，坤盈則復震。乾坤者震巽之終，震巽者乾坤之始。

The Small Image Commentary says: "A hidden dragon should not be used," because the yang energy is still below; "A dragon appears in the field," refers to the spread of virtue and benevolence. Initially, the single yang is hidden beneath, so it is said "yang is below." "Virtue is widespread" means the harmonious yang energy has spread to all things. Here, the character "下" is read as "hu" sound -- The Book of Songs, Wind of Bei, "Kai Feng" says: "There is cold spring water, beneath the well; there are seven sons, and the mother toils and suffers," where "下" is also read as "hu," rhyming with "苦," as in this case. "All day long, diligent and persevering, returning and reversing the way": When the yang of Qian is full, it returns to Xun (the beginning of yin), and when the yin of Kun is full, it returns to Zhen (the beginning of yang). Qian and Kun are the ends of Zhen and Xun, while Zhen and Xun are the beginnings of Qian and Kun. Thus, going and returning, it is called "returning and reversing."

或躍在淵，進無咎也。飛龍在天，大人聚也。躍，釋文云上也。初與四相上下，初潛淵底，故曰或躍在淵，言由初躍四也。時可進故無咎。五天位，故曰在天。聚原作造，釋文云，劉歆父子皆作聚。聚與文言云從龍、風從虎義合，且向歆所據皆中秘古文，必無誤，故從之。亢龍有悔，盈不可久也。用九，天德不可為首也。陽在上乾盈，盈則必虧，故日不可久。陽極則變，不變則剛柔不能相濟，凶之道也，故無首吉。

"Or leaps in the abyss, advancing without blame; the dragon soars in the heavens, the great man gathers." The character "跃" is explained in the "Classic Interpretation" as "up." The first line and the fourth line are opposite (corresponding lines), and the initial nine is hidden at the bottom of the abyss, so it is said "or leaps in the abyss," meaning moving from the first position to the fourth. The timing allows for advancement, so there is no fault. The fifth position is the heavenly position, so it is said "in the heavens." The character "聚" originally was "造." The "Classic Interpretation" says that Liu Xiang and Liu Xin both used "聚." Using "聚" is consistent with the meaning in the "Commentary" of "cloud follows the dragon, wind follows the tiger," where similar things gather together. Moreover, Liu Xiang and Liu Xin relied on ancient texts from the palace archives, which would not be wrong, so we follow "聚." "The dragon in excess has regret, fullness cannot be sustained; using nine, heavenly virtue cannot be first." Yang rises to the highest point, the乾 is full, fullness inevitably leads to loss, so it cannot be sustained. Yang reaches its extreme and must change; if it does not change, the strong and the flexible cannot harmonize, which is a way to invite misfortune. Therefore, changing to "without a head" is auspicious.

此卦爻辭全為文王作之證也。彖傳申彖意，故曰彖曰；大象申卦義，小象申爻義，故曰象曰；此則合卦爻辭總述之，而制此乾坤之卦爻辭者，文王也，故曰文言，繹文王所言耳，仍彖曰象曰之例，並無其它深奧。乃劉獻曰：依文而言其理，故曰文言。姚信曰：乾坤為門戶，文說乾坤，六十二卦皆放焉。訖不得解。揆其因皆由王充馬融等，謂文王制卦辭，周公制爻辭，後儒惑其說，疑但言文王，或遺周公故也。

This is clear evidence that both the hexagram statements and line statements originated from King Wen. The Commentary on the Judgment explains the meaning of the hexagram statements, hence it is called "Tuan Yu"; the Great Images explain the meaning of each hexagram, and the Small Images explain the meaning of each line, hence they are called "Xiang Yu"; this passage combines the hexagram and line statements for a general summary. The author of the hexagram and line statements for the Qian and Kun hexagrams was indeed King Wen, hence it is called "Wenyan"—it is merely an elaboration of what King Wen said, following the same format as "Tuan Yu" and "Xiang Yu," without any deeper meaning. However, Liu Xian said, "It explains the principles based on the words, hence it is called Wenyan"; Yao Xin said, "Qian and Kun are the gateways of the Book of Changes, and this text focuses solely on Qian and Kun, while the other sixty-two hexagrams follow its pattern"—these interpretations do not make sense. Investigating the cause, it is because Wang Chong and Ma Rong and others claimed that the hexagram statements came from King Wen and the line statements from the Duke of Zhou. Later scholars were confused by this view, fearing that mentioning only King Wen would omit the Duke of Zhou, so they sought alternative interpretations.

曰：元者善之長也，亨者嘉之會也，利者義之和也，貞者事之乾也。君子體仁足以長人，嘉會足以合禮，利物足以和義，貞固足以乾事。君子行此四德者，故曰乾元亨利貞。李鼎祚云：元為善長，故能體仁，仁主春生，東方木也；亨為嘉會，足以合禮，禮主夏養，南方火也；利為物宜，足以和義，義主秋成，西方金也；貞為事乾，以配於智，智主冬藏，北方水也。李氏此詁，最為透徹，與《太玄》罔直蒙酋冥理合，識周易真諦。

The Wenyan says: "Yuan" is the beginning of all good qualities, "Heng" is the convergence of all beauty, "Li" is the harmony of principles, and "Zhen" is the backbone of doing things. A gentleman who understands benevolence can become a leader of people, who gathers all beauty can conform to propriety, who allows all things to obtain their proper benefits can harmonize righteousness, and who remains steadfast can accomplish affairs. A gentleman practicing these four virtues is thus said to have "Qian: Yuan Heng Li Zhen." Li Dingzuo explains that "Yuan" is the leader of all good qualities, thus able to embody benevolence, which is associated with spring's growth and is located in the east, representing wood; "Heng" is the gathering of fine beauty, sufficient to conform to propriety, which is associated with summer's growth and is located in the south, representing fire; "Li" is allowing things to obtain their proper suitability, sufficient to harmonize righteousness, which is associated with autumn's maturity and is located in the west, representing metal; "Zhen" is the doing of affairs, used to match wisdom, which is associated with winter's storage and is located in the north, representing water. Li's explanation is most thorough, aligning with the meaning of "Wang, Zhi, Meng, Chou, Ming" in the Tai Xuan, and can be said to have grasped the true essence of the Zhou Changes.

蓋此八句，為最古之易說。梁武帝、任釣臺謂為文王所言，固無根據，然穆姜即述之，可見其為舊說，故孔氏複述之。而歐陽公謂左氏著書，亦欲信今傳後，若本孔子之言，而以為穆姜，其誰傳信之，謂文言非孔子作。按左氏所紀古人言行，皆古人實有是言，有是行，而後紀之，非並無是事是言，盡左氏所造作也。觀穆姜述是語已曰：然，因不可誣也。即謂古易說之可信，而不我欺也。且周易之興，至春秋已數百年，所傳古訓，必已多矣。然則穆姜述之，孔氏複述之，事之常耳，必謂甲述之為真，乙再述之即偽，似不然也。左氏非傳易者，其是否見十翼，未可知也。蓋文言皆雜採古易說，薈萃而成之，故此處以四德釋元亨利貞，下又曰元亨者，始而亨者也，利貞者性情也，又為二德，與前不同，顯為採集古說之證。不過古人質，不似後人之必曰某某云耳。

These eight lines are the oldest interpretation of the Yi. Liang Wudi and Ren DiaoTai claimed they were spoken by King Wen, but there is no basis for this claim. However, Mu Jiang from the Zuo Zhuan had already quoted them earlier, showing that this interpretation had been passed down for a long time. Therefore, Confucius repeated it. Ouyang Xiu believed that Zuo Qiuming wrote his book to gain credibility in his time and to be passed down to future generations. If this was actually Confucius' words but attributed to Mu Jiang, who would believe it? Therefore, he concluded that the Wenyan was not written by Confucius. According to Zuo Qiuming's records of ancient people's words and deeds, he only recorded them if they actually existed. He did not fabricate them out of nowhere. After Mu Jiang quoted these words, she said, "Yes, because it cannot be false," meaning that the ancient interpretation of the Yi is indeed credible and will not deceive me. Moreover, the Yi emerged and by the time of the Spring and Autumn period, it had existed for several hundred years. Therefore, there must have been many ancient teachings passed down. So it was normal for Mu Jiang to quote them and for Confucius to repeat them. To say that if A quoted it, it was true, but if B quoted it, it was false, seems unreasonable. Zuo Qiuming was not a transmitter of the Yi, and we do not know whether he had seen the Ten Wings or not. The Wenyan was originally a compilation of ancient interpretations of the Yi. Therefore, here it uses the four virtues to explain the four words of Yuan, Heng, Li, and Zhen, and later it says, "Yuan and Heng mean the beginning and then being harmonious; Li and Zhen mean the nature and disposition," combining the four virtues into two, which is different from the previous part. This clearly shows evidence of collecting ancient interpretations. However, ancient people were simple and did not need to specify "said by so and so" as later people did.

初九曰：潛龍勿用，何謂也。子曰：龍德而隱者也，不易乎世，不成乎名，遁世無悶，不見是而無悶，樂則行之，憂則違之，確乎其不可拔，潛龍也。吳先生曰：易，當讀如論語丘不與易之易。按孟子易其田疇，趙歧云：易，治也。初潛在下，與世無涉，故曰不易世、不成名。遁世無悶者，言甘於隱遁；不見是而無悶者，言人不知亦不慍也。樂則行，憂則否，緊決自守，利祿不能移，威武不能屈，故曰確乎其不可拔。莊子應帝王確乎能其事，注確堅也。

The line statement for the initial line, "Initial Nine," says, "The dragon is hidden and should not be used." Confucius said: This refers to a person who possesses the virtue of a dragon but remains in seclusion. He does not change with the world, does not seek fame, hides from the world without being troubled, and is not distressed even when not understood by others. When the time is right, he acts; when it is not, he refrains. He is firm and unshakable. This is what is meant by "the hidden dragon." Mr. Wu (Wu Rulun) said: The "easy" in "not changing with the world" should be read as the "easy" in the "Confucius does not participate in governance," meaning governance or transformation. According to the "Mencius," "changing the fields," Zhao Qi's commentary says, "easy means to manage." The initial line is hidden at the bottom, not involved in worldly affairs, so it does not engage in governance or seek fame. "Retreating from the world without distress" means being content with seclusion; "not being recognized but without distress" means not being angry even when not understood. When the time is right, he acts; when it is not, he refrains. He remains firm and unswayed, not moved by wealth and honor, nor bent by force and authority. Therefore, it is said, "firmly and unshakably unmovable." The "Zhuangzi · Should the King Rule" mentions "firmly able to do his task," with a commentary saying, "firm means solid."

九二曰：見龍在田，利見大人，何謂也。子曰：龍德而正中者也。庸言之信，庸行之謹，閒邪存其誠，善世而不伐，德博而化。易曰：見龍在田，利見大人，君德也。二居下卦之中，故曰正中。庸言庸行中也，中則言必信，行必謹矣。閒邪使不入，則中不亂；存誠使不出，則中可守。善世中也，善世而伐，則偏而不中；不伐若己無所與者，則時中矣。人能如是，其德必博，而化必廣。二雖未升五為君乎，然君德已具，必升五也。

The line statement of the second line says, "Seeing a dragon in the field, it is advantageous to see a great man." Confucius said: This refers to someone who possesses the virtue of the dragon and resides in the center. In ordinary speech, he keeps his word; in ordinary actions, he is cautious. He guards against evil thoughts and preserves his sincerity. He does good deeds for the world without boasting. His virtue is broad and can influence others. The Book of Changes says, "Seeing a dragon in the field, it is advantageous to see a great man," meaning he already possesses the virtue of a ruler. The second line is in the center of the lower trigram, so it is called "centered in the middle." Daily words and deeds conform to the middle path. When conforming to the middle path, speech must be trustworthy and actions must be cautious. Guarding against evil thoughts prevents them from entering, so the middle remains orderly. Preserving sincerity prevents it from leaking out, so the middle is maintained. Doing good for the world is also being in the middle. If one does good for the world and boasts about it, it becomes biased and not in the middle. If one does good without boasting, as if it had nothing to do with oneself, then one is always in the middle. When a person can do this, his virtue will certainly be broad and his influence will certainly be far-reaching. Although the second line has not yet ascended to the fifth position to become a ruler, the virtue of a ruler is already present, and ultimately it will ascend to the fifth position.

九三曰：君子終日乾乾，夕惕若厲無咎，何謂也。子曰：君子進德修業，忠信所以進德也，修辭立其誠，所以居業也。知至至之，可與言幾也；知終終之，可與存義也。是故居上位而不驕，在下位而不憂，故乾乾因其時而惕，雖危無咎矣。修辭者立言也，誠者法則也，居者蓄也、積也，業以積而高大也。爻至三而極，其境至高，識其高而必達其境，故曰可與言幾。《說文》幾微也。繫云：幾者動之微，吉之先見者也。爻至三而終，其道已窮，識其窮而必赴之，故曰可與存義。義者宜也。

The line statement of the third line says, "The superior man remains diligent all day, and remains cautious at night as if facing a dangerous situation, thus having no blame." Confucius said: The superior man should cultivate virtue and carry out his undertakings. Loyalty and trustworthiness are used to cultivate virtue; refining speech and establishing sincerity are used to accumulate achievements. Knowing the proper limit and truly reaching it, one can discuss the subtle principles of things; knowing the proper time to stop and truly stopping, one can together uphold proper conduct. Therefore, being in a high position without arrogance, and in a low position without fear, one can remain diligent and always alert, thus having no fault even in a dangerous situation. "Refining speech" is establishing words; "sincerity" is the principle; "residing" means accumulating, and achievements can only become great through accumulation. The line position reaches the third, which is the extreme of the lower trigram, the highest level. Recognizing this height and truly reaching it, it is said, "He can be spoken to about the subtle." The "Shuo Wen" says, "Ji means slightness"; the "Great Treatise" says, "Ji is the subtle movement, the initial sign of good fortune." The line position reaching the third is also the end of the lower trigram, its path has reached its limit; recognizing its limit yet still advancing courageously, it is said, "He can be joined in upholding righteousness." "Righteousness" means appropriateness.

九四曰：或躍在淵，無咎，何謂也。子曰：上下無常，非為邪也；進退無恆，非離群也。君子進德修業，欲及時也，故無咎。欲及時用其學，以濟天下，故不避其嫌。四與初相上下，初潛四躍，初退四進。

The fourth line statement says, "Perhaps leap from the depths, no blame." Confucius said: going up or down has no fixed pattern, and this is not for perverse purposes; advancing or retreating has no fixed rule, and this is not to abandon one's kind. A gentleman enhances his virtue and cultivates his achievements in order to seize the right opportunity, so there is no blame. Because he wishes to apply his learning in time to relieve the world, he does not avoid the suspicion of "no fixed pattern in ascending or descending, no fixed rule in advancing or retreating." The fourth and the first lines are originally a pair of lines that are above and below each other: the first line is hidden, while the fourth line leaps; the first line retreats, while the fourth line advances.

九五日：飛龍在天，利見大人，何謂也。子曰：同聲相應，同氣相求。水流溼，火就燥。雲從龍，風從虎。聖人作而萬物睹。本乎天者親上，本乎地者親下，則各從其類也。此與象辭之大人聚義同也。乾坤初爻交震巽，故曰同聲相應；上爻交艮兌，故曰同氣相求；中爻交坎離，故曰水流溼、火就燥。溼燥以方位言，荀爽謂坤溼乾燥者是也。坤原居北方，北方涸陰冱寒，故曰溼；乃乾自南往交坤成坎，故曰流溼。乾原居南方，南方炎熇焦灼，故曰燥；乃坤自北往交乾成離，故曰就燥。此於先天南北之乾坤，變為後天之離坎，至明白矣。乾若不在南，如何流北；坤若不在北，如何就南。故夫方位不明，易本立失，所關至巨。

The line statement of the ninth line in the fifth position says, "A dragon soars in the sky, advantageous to see a great man." Confucius said: Like sounds respond to like sounds, and like breaths seek like breaths; water flows to the moist, fire burns toward the dry; clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger; when a sage arises, all things look up to him; based on the closeness of heaven above and the closeness of earth below, all things follow their own kind. This passage is the same as the "Xiao Xiang" statement "A dragon soars in the sky, great men gather." In terms of the Earlier Heaven arrangement: the first lines of the Qian and Kun trigrams intersect to form Zhen and Xun, which both relate to sound, so it is said "like sounds respond to like sounds"; the top lines of the Qian and Kun trigrams intersect to form Gen and Dui, which are connected by a single breath, so it is said "like breaths seek like breaths"; the middle lines intersect to form Kan and Li, so it is said "water flows to the moist, fire burns toward the dry." "Moist" and "dry" refer to directions. Xun Shuang said that Kun is moist and Qian is dry, which is correct. Originally, Kun is in the north, where the cold and damp air gathers and freezes, so it is called "moist"; Qian moves from the south to meet Kun and forms Kan, so it is called "flowing to the moist." Originally, Qian is in the south, where it is hot and dry, so it is called "dry"; Kun moves from the north to meet Qian and forms Li, so it is called "moving toward the dry." Thus, the Qian and Kun trigrams originally located in the north and south become the Li and Kan trigrams in the Later Heaven arrangement. The reasoning is clear. If Qian is not in the south, how can it flow toward the north? If Kun is not in the north, how can it move toward the south? Therefore, if the directions are not clear, the fundamental principles of the Book of Changes cannot be established, and this is of great importance.

坤為雲，《易林》困之泰云：陰雲四方。又未濟之升云：雲興蔽日。皆以泰升上坤為雲。乾為龍，故曰云從龍。坤為風，《易林》訟之剝云：烈風雨雪。大壯之剝云：乘風駕雨。皆以剝下坤為風。陸績云：風土氣也，巽坤之所生，故為風。按陸說是坤本為風也。乾為虎，故曰風從虎。風雲者陰，龍虎者陽，言陰必從陽也。乾虎之象，《易林》師之乾云：三奸成虎。小畜之乾云：東遇虎蛇。皆以乾為虎。此象昔儒無知者，後會稽茹敦和始發之，近師俞樾襲其說，謂虎陽物，君象。京虞以坤為虎，馬以兌為虎，皆不如九家以艮為虎之義長。艮何以為虎，以得乾之上爻，猶震得乾初亦為龍也。是乾本為虎也，故履革皆以乾為虎，說與《易林》闇合。

The trigram坤 has the image of "cloud": In "Jiao's Forest of Changes," the hexagram困 changes to 泰 says "dark clouds in all directions," and 未济 changes to 升 says "clouds rise and cover the sun." Both take the upper trigram of 泰 and 升 as坤, thus using坤 as cloud. The trigram乾 has the image of "dragon," hence the saying "cloud follows the dragon." Since cloud belongs to坤 and dragon belongs to乾, this shows that the yin follows the yang. The trigram坤 also has the image of "wind": In "Jiao's Forest of Changes,"讼 changes to 剥 says "violent wind, rain, snow," and 大壮 changes to 剥 says "riding the wind and driving the rain." Both take the lower trigram of 剥 as坤, thus using坤 as wind. Lu Ji says, "wind is the earth's qi, produced by Xun and坤, hence it is wind." According to Lu Ji's statement, it is clear that坤 originally has the image of wind. The trigram乾 also has the image of "tiger," hence the saying "wind follows the tiger." Cloud and wind are yin, while dragon and tiger are yang, indicating that yin must follow yang. The image of tiger in乾 appears in "Jiao's Forest of Changes," 师 changes to 乾 says "three villains become a tiger," and 小畜 changes to 乾 says "meeting a tiger and snake in the east." Both use乾 as tiger. This image was unknown to previous scholars, but was first discovered by Ru Dunhe of Huizhou. Later, the scholar Yu Yue followed this view, considering the tiger as a yang creature and a symbol of the ruler. Jing Fang and Yu Fan took坤 as tiger, Ma Rong took Dui as tiger, but none of these are as convincing as the Nine Schools' interpretation that Gen is tiger. Why can Gen be tiger? Because Gen receives the upper line of乾; just as Zhen receives the first line of乾 and can be dragon. This shows that乾 originally has the image of tiger. Hence, the hexagrams 履 and 革 also take乾 as tiger, which aligns with the interpretation in "Jiao's Forest of Changes."

聖人作者，乾為聖人，坤為萬物，聖人作而萬物睹，即比象也，仍陰從陽也。天地者陰陽，本乎天者親上，謂陽性上升順行，故乾二必上升坤五，以與陰類；本乎地者親下，謂陰性下降逆行，故坤五必下降乾二，以與陽類，故曰各從其類。陰陽相遇方為類，與朋友同。若陰遇陰陽通陽，則為敵矣，不朋不類也。頤六二曰：行失類也。以所遇皆陰，至明白也。乃由漢迄今，無有察覺者。

The phrase "The sage arose" refers to the image of the Qian trigram representing the sage and the Kun trigram representing all things. "The sage arose and all things looked upon him" is precisely the image taken by the Bi hexagram, which still speaks of yin following yang. "Heaven and earth" represent yin and yang. "Those originating from heaven are close to above" means that yang rises and moves upward, so the Nine in the Second of Qian must rise to the Fifth position of Kun to pair with yin and form a category. "Those originating from earth are close to below" means that yin descends and moves downward, so the Six in the Fifth of Kun must descend to the Second position of Qian to pair with yang and form a category. Therefore, it is said "each follows its kind." Only when yin and yang meet can they be called "kind," which is the same principle as "companions." If yin meets yin or yang meets yang, they become opposing forces, neither companions nor kinds. The line six two of Yi hexagram says "moving away from its kind," because it encounters only yin lines, which is clear. However, from the Han dynasty to the present, no one has noticed this point.

按此節舊解所以不明徹者：一由於類字義失，二由於乾虎、坤雲、坤風象失，三由於不知此說陰陽相感之理，以著大人聚及利見之義，四由於不知此言先天象，故兩兩對舉。震巽對故相應，陰陽相應也；艮兌對故相求，陰陽相求也；水流溼，陽求陰，火就燥，陰求陽也，水火對也；雲從龍，風從虎，言陰陽不相離，乾坤對也。皆所以著陰陽類之理也。二千年以來，惟一茹敦和識虎為陰象之非，其功過荀虞遠矣。又親上親下二語，使人識陰陽交之所以然也。親上者居上，親下者居下，則陰陽氣不交而為否矣；親上者居下，親下者居上，則陰陽氣接而為泰矣。各從其類，統相應相求各語而言之也。

The old annotations fail to explain this passage clearly for four reasons: first, the meaning of the character "类" has been lost; second, several rare images such as "Qian represents a tiger, Kun represents clouds and wind" have been lost; third, they do not understand that this passage discusses the principle of mutual interaction between yin and yang, which is used to clarify the meaning of the "Xiao Xiang" statement "great person gathers" and the line statement "favorable to see"; fourth, they do not realize that this passage refers to the Earlier Heaven hexagrams, hence the pairing of two elements. Zhen and Xun are opposite, so it is said "corresponding," which refers to the correspondence of yin and yang; Gen and Dui are opposite, so it is said "seeking each other," which refers to the mutual seeking of yin and yang. "Water flows to wet places" is yang seeking yin, "fire approaches dryness" is yin seeking yang, which is the opposition of water and fire; "clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger" indicates that yin and yang do not separate, which is the opposition of Qian and Kun. All of these are used to clarify the principle of yin and yang of the same kind following each other. For two thousand years, only Ru Dunhe realized that taking the tiger as a yin image was wrong, and his contribution far surpasses that of Xun Shuang and Yu Fan. Furthermore, the two sentences "those originating from heaven are close to above, those originating from earth are close to below" are meant to explain why yin and yang can interact. If the ones close to above really stay above and the ones close to below really stay below, then the two energies of yin and yang would not interact and would form the hexagram "Bo" (否). Conversely, if the ones close to above stay below and the ones close to below stay above, then the two energies of yin and yang would connect and form the hexagram "Tai" (泰). The last sentence "each follows its kind" is a summary of the previous statements "corresponding" and "seeking each other."

上九曰：亢龍有悔，何謂也。子曰：貴而無位，高而無民，賢人在下位而無輔，是以動而有悔也。在上故貴，失正故無位，失位故無民。乾為賢人，既非九五之位則臣下也。三無應，故曰無輔。有此三因，故動而有侮。

The line statement of the top nine says, "A dragon soaring high brings regret." Confucius said: When one holds a high position but lacks a real position, resides in a lofty place but has no subjects, and although virtuous people are in the lower position, they cannot assist him, thus any action will bring regret. The top nine is at the top of a hexagram, so it is called "high position." It is a yang line in a yin position, losing its proper alignment, so it is called "without a position." Since it has lost its position, it also has no subjects. The trigram Qian has the image of "virtuous people," but since the top nine is not in the position of nine five, it is considered a minister. The nine three and the top nine are both yang lines and do not correspond, so it is called "without assistance." With these three reasons, any movement brings regret.

潛龍勿用，下也。見龍在田，時舍也。終日乾乾，行事也。或躍在淵，自試也。飛龍在天，上治也。亢龍有悔，窮之災也。乾元用九，天下治也。舍發也，詩舍失如破，《易林》家人之大有云：仲春孟夏，和氣所含。皆以舍為發。作舍棄者固非，以舍舒之葭（無草）字者亦非也。自試者試其可否，上治者居上治民，天下治申用九之故也。用九者剛變柔，言天下未治，治之以剛；若天下已治，則當濟以柔。明用九之故，因天下已治也。此治字與上治治字相呼應。後人因不識用九真諦，故籠統解說，多誤者。○王弼曰：此一章全以人事明之。

The Xiao Xiang says: "The hidden dragon is not yet in use" because it is in a low position; "The dragon appears in the field" indicates that the opportunity has already begun; "The dragon toils day and night" means diligence in action; "The dragon may leap from the abyss" means self-testing; "The dragon soars in the heavens" means ruling the people from a high position; "The exalted dragon brings regret" means calamity brought by reaching the extreme; "The virtue of the Heaven's origin using all nines" means the world is properly governed. Here, the character "she" means "to emit" or "to launch": in the "Book of Poetry" the phrase "she shi ru po" (originally "she shi ru po") uses "she" to mean shooting an arrow; in "Jiao's Forest of Changes" under the hexagram Family and Great Possession, it says "In the middle of spring and the beginning of summer, the harmonious qi is contained," where "she" also means "to emit." Interpreting "she" as "to abandon" is clearly wrong, and taking it as a variant of "shu" (meaning "to stretch" or "to relax") is also incorrect. "Self-testing" refers to testing whether one's actions are feasible; "upper governance" means ruling the people from a high position; "the world is governed" explains the reason for using the nine lines. Using the nine lines refers to the transformation from yang to yin: when the world is not yet properly governed, one should use yang to govern; but when the world is already well-governed, one should use yin to regulate. Here, the reason for using the nine lines is clearly stated, because the world has already been properly governed. The character "zhi" (govern) here corresponds with the "zhi" in "upper governance" above. Later scholars, not understanding the true meaning of using the nine lines, gave general interpretations, leading to many errors. Wang Bi said: this chapter fully explains the meaning through human affairs.

潛龍勿用，陽氣潛藏。見龍在田，天下文明。終日乾乾，與時偕行。或躍在淵，乾道乃革。飛龍在天，乃位乎天德。亢龍有悔，與時偕極。乾元用九，乃見天則。王弼云：此一章全以天氣明之。彖傳曰：時乘六龍以御天。即乾乘六陽時也。初乘子，陽氣雖生而未出，故曰潛藏。二乘寅，陽出地上，百物思奮，故曰文明。三乘辰，百果草木，長養興起，故曰與時偕行。四乘午，陽盈於巳，消於午，陰起用事，代有終，故曰乾道乃革。其以二上變成革為說者，非也。五乘申，百果草木，至秋成熟，乾德乃見，故曰位乎天德。《廣雅》位正也，言正當天德之時也。上乘戌，陽氣將盡矣，故曰與時偕極。陽極反陰，陰極反陽，乃天道之自然，故曰乾元用九，乃見天則。則者法也，一定之理也。

"The line 'A hidden dragon does not act' refers to the concealment of yang energy; 'A dragon appears in the field' signifies the radiance and brilliance of the world; 'All day long the dragon toils' means following the sequence of time; 'Leaping in the abyss' indicates a transformation of the principle of heaven at this point; 'A dragon in the heavens' means being in the position of heavenly virtue; 'An exalted dragon brings regret' means reaching the extreme of the sequence of time; 'The principle of heaven uses all nines' shows the rule of the heavenly way. Wang Bi said: This chapter fully explains through the timing of heavenly energy. The 'Commentary on the Judgment' says 'At the right time, six dragons ride to govern the heavens,' meaning the principle of heaven rides on six yang times. The first line corresponds to the time of Zi, where yang energy has begun to sprout but has not yet emerged above the ground, hence 'hidden'; the second line corresponds to the time of Yin, where yang energy rises above the ground and all things flourish, hence 'civilization'; the third line corresponds to the time of Chen, where all fruits and plants grow and arise, hence 'following the sequence of time'; the fourth line corresponds to the time of Wu, where yang energy is full at Si and begins to wane at Wu, and yin energy arises to take over, thus marking the end of yang, hence 'the principle of heaven undergoes change'—those who interpret this by transforming the lines nine two and nine at the top into the trigram of change are wrong; the fifth line corresponds to the time of Shen, where all fruits and plants mature in autumn, and the virtue of heaven is thus revealed, hence 'standing in the position of heavenly virtue.' The 'Guangya' explains 'position' as 'correct,' meaning the correct time for heavenly virtue; the top line corresponds to the time of Xu, where yang energy is about to end, hence 'following the sequence to the extreme.' When yang reaches its peak, it returns to yin, and when yin reaches its peak, it returns to yang, which is the natural way of heaven, hence 'the principle of heaven uses all nines, thus revealing the heavenly rule.' 'Rule' means the law, the unchanging principle."

乾元者始而亨者也，利貞者性情也。乾始能以美利利天下，不言所利，大矣哉。大哉乾乎，剛健中正，純粹精也。六爻發揮，旁通情也。時乘六龍，以御天也。雲行雨施，天下平也。性之與情，清惠棟阮元姚配中洪震烜胡縉諸儒說之，可謂詳盡矣，而利貞何以謂之性情，只以六爻正成既濟為說，無能瞭解者，則以自東漢以來，於利貞之真諦不明也。《易林》中孚之坤云：符左契右，相與合齒，乾坤利貞，乳生六子。合齒者交也，即乾坤利貞也。蓋貞之為義屬冬，消息卦坤起午，至亥而為純坤，與原居亥之純乾相遇，陰牝陽，天地合德，陰陽和姤，萬物本以出生，故曰乾坤利貞，乳生六子。然則利貞之為和合明矣。故六十四卦言利貞者，二五無不交，否則卦體自相交，如中孚小過者也。彖傳曰：各正性命，保合太和。正《易林》所本也。

"The乾 yuan" refers to the way all things begin and flow through; "li zhen" speaks of nature and emotion. The principle of乾 starts by benefiting the world with good things, yet it does not specify what it benefits, which is truly great! Great indeed is乾! It is strong and vigorous, upright and just, pure and unified, refined and concentrated. The movement and change of the six lines extend to all things and their emotions. Riding the six dragons in accordance with time, it governs the heavenly way; clouds flow and rain falls, bringing peace to the world. Regarding "nature" and "emotion," scholars such as Hui Dong, Ruan Yuan, Yao Peizhong, Hong Zhenxuan, and Hu Jin of the Qing dynasty discussed them extensively; yet they only explained "li zhen" as "six lines each being correct and thus forming the completed hexagram," without truly understanding why "li zhen" is called "nature and emotion." The reason is that since the Eastern Han dynasty, the true meaning of "li zhen" has been misunderstood. In "The Forest of Changes" by Jiao Shi, the hexagram Zhong Fu's坤 says, "The symbol on the left and the symbol on the right meet, they join together,乾 and坤 benefit and be true, giving birth to six sons." "Joining together" means union, which is also "乾 and坤 benefit and be true." Originally, "zhen" in terms of meaning belongs to winter: among the twelve changing hexagrams,坤 begins in the month of Wu and becomes pure坤 in the month of Hai, meeting the pure乾 originally located at Hai. Yin and Yang meet, heaven and earth share virtue, yin and yang harmonize, and thus all things are born. Therefore, it is said, "乾 and坤 benefit and be true, giving birth to six sons." From this, "li zhen" is simply union, clearly evident. Therefore, in the sixty-four hexagrams, wherever "li zhen" is mentioned, the second and fifth lines are never without union; otherwise, it is the union within the hexagram itself, as in Zhong Fu and Xiao Guo. The Commentary on the Judgment says, "Each line is correct in its nature and destiny, preserving the great harmony," which is based on the saying in The Forest of Changes.

且夫陽之喜陰，陰之喜陽，乃天地自然之性。本其性之所喜，以陽求陰，以陰承陽而和合焉，則由性而入於情矣。情者欲也，感也。利貞者性情，即謂陰之凝陽，變化和合，乃天地固有之性情，感之極正者也。崔覲云：不雜曰純，不變曰粹。精者專一，極形容乾德之大。

Furthermore, yang loves yin and yin loves yang, which is the natural "nature" of heaven and earth. Following this inherent nature, using yang to seek yin and yin to receive yang leads from "nature" to "emotion." "Emotion" is desire and feeling. The saying "li zhen is the nature and emotion" means that yin凝聚s into yang, changes and harmonizes, which is the inherent nature and emotion of heaven and earth, and the most pure form of communication. Cui Jìn said: "Not mixed" is called "pure," "not changed" is called "pure essence"; "precision" means single-mindedness—these words all strongly describe the great virtue of Qian.

發揮者變動也，言六爻遇九六即變動也。旁，《玉篇》云：非一方也。通者感也，應也，陰陽相感故相通。《繫辭》云：探賾索隱，鉤深致遠。又曰：旁行而不流。皆謂正象之旁，尚有伏象，故曰索隱，曰鉤深，曰旁行。而震與巽相對，艮與兌相對，陰與陽絕異也，而文言曰同聲相應，同氣相求。蓋陰陽未合，有陰陽之分；陰陽既合，則和同混一而不分矣，故曰同。同則通。故易辭與易林用象，正伏常不分，而其所以能旁通之故，則仍陰陽相求相感固有之理，故曰旁通情也。時乘六龍義見前。雲行雨施，萬物亨通，故曰天下平。

"Development" refers to change, meaning that when the six lines encounter numbers nine and six, they should change. The character "旁" is said in the "Yu Pian" to mean "not confined to one side"; "communication" refers tosympathetic response and response, as yin and yang mutually attract each other, thus being able to communicate. The "Great Treatise" says "explore the hidden and seek the concealed, draw out the profound and reach the distant," and also says "proceed laterally without flowing," all referring to the fact that beside the correct image there is another hidden image (hidden image), so it is called "seeking the concealed," "drawing out the profound," and "proceeding laterally." Zhen and Xun are opposite, Gen and Dui are opposite, and yin and yang are originally completely different, but the "Wen Yan" says "similar sounds respond to each other, similar energies seek each other." This is because when yin and yang have not yet combined, there is a distinction between yin and yang; but once they have combined, they become completely unified and no longer distinguish between them, so it is called "same." Being the same allows for communication. Therefore, the images used in the "Book of Changes" and the "Jiao's Forest of Changes" do not distinguish between the correct image and the hidden image; and the reason they can communicate laterally is still based on the inherent principle of yin and yang seeking and responding to each other, so it is said "communication is based on emotion." The meaning of "time riding the six dragons" is explained in the previous text. Clouds flow and rain falls, thus enabling all things to be harmonious and smooth, so it is said "the world is peaceful."

侯果日：下繫雲兼三才而兩之，謂兩爻為一才也。初兼二地也，三兼四人也，五兼六天也。四是兼才，非正，故言不在人。朱子疑四非重剛，豈知重剛與卦位無涉，乃謂上下爻也。疑則慎，慎故無咎。

Hou Guo said: The "Great Treatise" below states "combine the three elements and divide them into two," meaning that each pair of lines constitutes one element. The first line combines with the second line, representing earth; the third line combines with the fourth line, representing human beings; and the fifth line combines with the sixth line, representing heaven. The line nine in the fourth position is exactly at the junction of two elements, so it is not in the proper position. Therefore, the "Discourse on the Changes" says it "is not in the human position." Zhu Xi doubted that nine in the fourth is not "double yang," but he did not realize that "double yang" has nothing to do with the position of the line, but refers to both the upper and lower lines being yang lines. Having doubts leads to caution, and caution leads to no mistakes.

夫大人者，與天地合其德，與日月合其明，與四時合其序，與鬼神合其吉凶。先天而天弗違，後天而奉天時。天且弗違，而況於人乎，況於鬼神乎。大人者五，五天位，二地位，上下昭列，尊卑判分，而五與二相往來，故與天地合其德。五坎位，坎月；二離位，離日；火為水妃，東西終始，故與日月合其明。夫天地日月，先天四中象也，惟大人能則之。元亨利貞，即春夏秋冬，四時之序，將來者進，成功者退，已用則賤，當時則貴，循環往來，不差不忒，故曰與四時合其序。夫震春離夏兌秋坎冬，即後天之四中象也，惟大人能兼之。

The term "great man" refers to someone whose virtue harmonizes with heaven and earth, whose brightness harmonizes with the sun and moon, whose order harmonizes with the four seasons, and whose fortune and misfortune harmonize with ghosts and spirits. He acts before the heavenly time and heaven does not contradict him; he moves after the heavenly time and follows the heavenly sequence. Even heaven does not contradict him, how much less would people or ghosts and spirits? Here, the "great man" refers to the "Nine in the Fifth" (九五). Five represents the heavenly position, and two represents the earthly position; they are clearly arranged above and below, with distinctions of honor and humility clearly defined. Moreover, five and two interact and influence each other, hence it is said, "harmonizing with the virtue of heaven and earth." In terms of the Earlier Heaven Trigrams, five occupies the position of Kan (water), which represents the moon; two occupies the position of Li (fire), which represents the sun. Fire and water are complementary, one in the east and one in the west, mutually marking the beginning and end, hence it is said, "harmonizing with the brightness of the sun and moon." Heaven, earth, sun, and moon are the four cardinal trigrams of the Earlier Heaven Trigrams, and only the great man can emulate them. Yuan, Heng, Li, and Zhen represent the four seasons: what is coming will rise, what has succeeded will decline, what has been used will be low, and what is at the right time will be high. It cycles and flows without error, hence it is said, "harmonizing with the sequence of the four seasons." In terms of the Later Heaven Trigrams, Zhen (Thunder) governs spring, Li (Fire) governs summer, Dui (Lake) governs autumn, and Kan (Water) governs winter. These are the four cardinal trigrams of the Later Heaven Trigrams, and only the great man can possess all of them.

消息卦，乾生於東，神也；坤死於西，鬼也。生則吉，死則凶。乃乾雖主生，不殺亦不能成歲功，故生死遞嬗，吉凶代更，亦惟大人能合之。先天之象，天地日月，牝牡雌雄，二儀肇分，法象自然如此，雖天亦不能違。後天之象，震兌坎離，互興迭廢，時而生，時而壯，時而老病死。人如此，物亦如此，天地亦如此。夫事而至於天不能違，人與鬼神，不待言矣。

In the context of the twelve hexagrams of the yin and yang, the trigram Qian (Heaven) is said to be born in the east and belongs to the category of 'spirit' (shen); the trigram Kun (Earth) is said to die in the west and belongs to the category of 'ghost' (gui). Birth brings good fortune, death brings misfortune. However, although Qian is associated with birth, without the process of decline and destruction, it would not be possible to complete the annual harvest. Therefore, birth and death alternate, good fortune and misfortune take turns, and only a great person can harmonize with this cycle. The image of the Earlier Heaven (Qian Tian) includes heaven, earth, sun, moon, male and female, and yin and yang. At the beginning of differentiation, the principles of the universe naturally exist in this way, and even heaven cannot contradict this — this is what is meant by 'before heaven, heaven does not contradict.' The image of the Later Heaven (Hou Tian) includes Zhen (Thunder), Dui (Lake), Kan (Water), and Li (Fire), which rise and fall alternately, supporting and declining each other. At one time they are born, at another time they flourish, at another time they age and die. Humans are like this, things are like this, and heaven and earth are like this — this is what is meant by 'after heaven, it follows the timing of heaven.' When even heaven cannot contradict, how much more so can humans and spirits not contradict it.

亢之為言也，知進而不知返，知存而不知亡，知得而不知喪。進也，存也，得也，陽之事也；退也，亡也，喪也，陰之事也。六者相對待，相循環。至上九亢極矣，極則宜變而知所返，懵不知返，故有悔也。按此專釋上九亢龍之義，兼申下文用九之故，知退即用九也。

The term "kang" refers to moving forward without knowing when to return, existing without understanding death, and gaining without realizing loss. Advancement, existence, and gain belong to the yang; retreat, death, and loss belong to the yin. These six aspects are paired opposites and also generate each other in a cycle. When reaching the Nine at the Top, the state of kang reaches its extreme. At the extreme, change is needed, and one should understand returning, but it remains unaware of returning, hence there is regret. This passage specifically explains the meaning of the Nine at the Top "kang long" and also explains the reason for "yong jiu" in the following text—understanding retreat is what is meant by "yong jiu."

其唯聖人乎。知進退存亡，而不失其正者，其唯聖人乎。此專釋用九之故也。知進復知返，知存復知亡，故用九也。見群龍無首，即知退也，即陽變陰也。故夫用之為變，觀此而益明矣。自荀虞以來，不知此節繫專釋用九之義，浮泛解釋。然文言此處舍用九不釋，是其辭未畢也。李鼎柞知此說用九，而以乾元用九，天下治也為解，仍不知知退知亡，即釋用九及無首之義。

Perhaps only the sage can understand both advancement and retreat, preservation and loss, without losing the right path. This passage specifically explains the meaning of "use nine." Knowing both progress and return, knowing both preservation and loss, therefore one must use nine. "Seeing a group of dragons with no leader" signifies understanding retreat, which is the transformation of yang into yin. Thus, "use" is "transformation." Seeing this makes it clearer. Since Xun Shuang and Yu Fan, the meaning of this passage as specifically explaining "use nine" has not been understood; they only gave general interpretations. However, if the "Wenyan" passage here omits explaining "use nine," then its meaning is incomplete. Li Dingzuo knew that this passage refers to "use nine," but he used the "Xiaoxiang" passage "The use of nine in Qian Yuan brings the world into order" to explain it, still failing to grasp that "knowing retreat" and "knowing loss" are precisely explaining "use nine" and the meaning of "no leader."

坤。元亨，利牝馬之貞。君子有攸往，先迷後得主（句）利（句），西南得朋，東北喪朋，安貞吉。元亨，謂二五也。乾元亨二五獨吉，坤亦然。元亨並無陰陽之分。虞仲翔謂坤含光大，凝乾之元，終於坤亥，出乾初子，故元亨。案彖傳曰：至哉坤元。是坤亦言元，不專屬乾。坤六五云：黃裳元吉。是其證。乾為馬，坤為牝。貞，卜問也。利牝馬之貞，即利牝馬之占也。牝馬柔順，言陰必順陽也。君子有攸往，言具坤德之君子，有所行也。惠棟端木國湖泥於坤為小人之象，謂君子指陽，非也。地道無成，故不可先，先則迷而失道，惟隨陽之後，以陽為主，則靡不利也。

The Hexagram Statement of the Earth Hexagram says: "Primordial and prosperous, favorable for divination like that of a mare. The gentleman has a journey, if he goes ahead he will lose his way, but if he follows afterwards he will find his master, which is favorable. Going to the Southwest brings friends, going to the Northeast loses friends, and being steadfast in the right course brings good fortune." (Shang's commentary breaks the sentence at the word "master" and at the word "favorable.") "Primordial and prosperous" refers to the second and fifth lines. In the Heaven Hexagram, "primordial and prosperous" is favorable only in the second and fifth lines, and the same is true for the Earth Hexagram; "primordial and prosperous" itself has no distinction of yin and yang. Yu Fan (Zhongxiang) says that the Earth Hexagram contains and conceals the great and bright, gathering the primordial energy of Heaven, finally reaching the亥 position of the Earth Hexagram, and then emerging from the initial Zi position of Heaven, hence it is called "primordial and prosperous." According to the Commentary on the Judgment, "how profound is the primordial power of the Earth," which shows that the Earth Hexagram can also be called "primordial," not exclusively belonging to Heaven. The fifth line of the Earth Hexagram says "the yellow garment and the primordial is auspicious," which is clear evidence. Heaven has the image of a horse, Earth has the image of a female, and together they form the image of a female horse. "Zhen" refers to divination, and "favorable for the divination of a female horse" means favorable for divination like that of a female horse. A female horse is gentle, indicating that yin is certainly obedient to yang. "The gentleman has a journey" means a gentleman who possesses the virtue of Earth. Hui Dong and Du Mugu Huhu were overly rigid in the image of Earth as a petty person, saying that the "gentleman" here refers to the yang lines, which is incorrect. The way of Earth does not dare to be the first, so it cannot go ahead; going ahead leads to losing the right path, only by following behind the yang and taking yang as the leader can there be no failure in any direction.

西南得朋，東北喪朋。舊解以朋字類字失詁，故鮮得解者。馬融荀爽以陰遇陰為朋，虞翻謂失之甚矣，乃用參同契，月三日出庚，震象；八日見丁方，兌象。兌二陽為朋，庚西丁南，故曰西南得朋。三十日坤象，月滅乙癸，癸北乙東，故曰東北喪朋。苦心搜索以求朋象，豈知兌之為朋，以陰遇陽，非以二陽。陽遇陽同人謂之敵剛，陰遇陰中孚謂之得敵。然則虞說與馬荀背易理等耳，然支離穿鑿，則過於馬荀矣。復曰朋來無咎，蹇九五曰：大蹇朋來。解九四曰：朋至斯孚。皆以陰得陽為朋。而坤逆行，消息卦自西而南陽日增，自東而北陽遞減，增則得朋，減則喪朋。而坤道無成，故安靜貞定則吉也。

The phrase "southwest gains friends, northeast loses friends" has been little understood by old commentators because the meaning of the character "朋" has been lost. Ma Rong and Xun Shuang interpreted "朋" as meeting of yin; Yu Fan criticized them severely and cited the "Cantong Qi": on the third day of the lunar month, the moon rises in the direction of Geng, which is the trigram Zhen (Thunder); on the eighth day, the moon appears in the direction of Ding, which is the trigram Dui (Lake). Dui has two yang lines, which Yu Fan called "friends." Since Geng is in the west and Ding is in the south, it is called "southwest gains friends." On the thirtieth day, the moon is in the trigram Kun (Earth), and its light disappears in the directions of Yi and Gui. Gui is in the north and Yi is in the east, so it is called "northeast loses friends." Yu Fan painstakingly searched for the symbolic meaning of "朋," but he did not realize that Dui is called "friends" because yin meets yang, not because it has two yang lines. When yang meets yang, the hexagram Tong Ren (Union) is called "opposition of strong yang"; when yin meets yin, the hexagram Zhong Fu (Faithful Middle) is called "meeting an opponent." This shows that Yu Fan's interpretation contradicts the principles of the Book of Changes, and is as wrong as Ma and Xun. Moreover, his interpretation is even more forced and artificial. The hexagram Fu (Reversion) says "friends come without blame," the line nine five of Jian (Obstruction) says "great obstruction, friends come," and the line nine four of Jie (Release) says "friends arrive and trust is established," all of which take meeting of yin with yang as "friends." However, the trigram Kun (Earth) moves in reverse: in the cycle of the twenty-four solar terms, yang lines increase from west to south; from east to north, yang lines gradually decrease. Increase is "gaining friends," decrease is "losing friends." The way of the earth is not to take the initiative, so it remains quiet and stable, which is auspicious.

象曰：至哉坤元，萬物資生，乃順承天。坤厚載物，德合無疆，含弘光大，品物咸亨。何休公羊傳元年注云：元者氣也。萬物資坤元以生，坤元實順天以行，故天道廣大無疆，惟坤之德能合之也。萬物皆孕毓於地，故曰含弘；萬物皆成長於地，故曰光大。光大則咸亨矣。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: Ultimate is the virtue of the Earthly Power, by which all things are generated, and it follows the Heaven. The Earth is thick and bears all things; its virtue corresponds to boundless vastness. It contains and accommodates greatly, its radiance extends widely, and thus all things are harmonious and flourishing. He Xiu's commentary on the "Gongyang Zhuan" on "the first year" says "the term 'original' refers to qi." All things are generated by the qi of the Earthly Power, which actually follows the heavenly way; the heavenly way is vast and boundless, and only the virtue of the Earth can correspond to it. All things are nurtured in the earth, hence it is said "contains and expands greatly"; all things grow on the earth, hence it is said "radiates and expands greatly"; when it expands greatly, it naturally becomes "harmonious and flourishing."

牝馬地類，行地無疆，柔順利貞，君子攸行。陰陽合為類，乾為馬，故馬與地類，而牝馬尤與地類。君子攸行者，謂柔順利貞之德，為君子所法也。九家謂乾來據坤，為君子攸行，失傳旨。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: A mare is akin to the earth, walking upon the vast expanse of the earth without limit; it is gentle and favorable for constancy, which is the virtue that the gentleman should follow. Yin and Yang combine to form a "category": The trigram Qian has the image of a horse, which is yang, while the trigram Kun represents the earth, which is yin. Therefore, the horse and the earth are a matching category, and a female horse, being yin, is especially similar to the earth. "The gentleman's journey" refers to the virtue of gentleness, smoothness, and constancy, which is the model for the gentleman. The Nine Schools of the Book of Changes say that this is because Qian occupies Kun to form "the gentleman's journey," but this misses the original meaning of the Commentary on the Judgment.

先迷失道，後順得常。西南得朋，乃與類行。東北喪朋，乃終有慶。夫曰行曰終，乃自西而南，自東而北而逆行也，非以西南東北相對待也，明矣。消息卦自西而南陽日增，故曰西南得朋。陰以陽為類，故曰乃與類行。消息卦自東而北陽遞減，故曰東北喪朋。夫事有終必有始，喪朋之地始於巳，終於亥。坤行至亥，陽喪盡而為純坤，乃反曰有慶者何也。則以周易之位，乾原居亥，純坤與純乾相遇，天地合德，萬物由此出生，故曰有慶。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: To act prematurely is to lose the right path, but to follow afterwards can attain the established order. "In the southwest, one gains companions" refers to traveling with like-minded people; "in the northeast, one loses companions" indicates that ultimately, there is fortune and blessing. The text mentions both "movement" and "end," showing that this is a direction moving westward to the south and eastward to the north, rather than considering the southwest and northeast as opposite directions. This is clearly explained. The message hexagram moves westward to the south, with the yang lines increasing day by day, hence "in the southwest, one gains companions." Yin associates with yang as its kindred, hence "it moves with its kind." The message hexagram moves eastward to the north, with the yang lines gradually decreasing, hence "in the northeast, one loses companions." All things have an end and a beginning: the phase of losing companions begins at the position of巳 and ends at亥. When the earth hexagram reaches亥, the yang has completely disappeared, forming a pure earth hexagram. Why is it then said "there is celebration"? Because according to the arrangement of the Zhou Changes, the heaven hexagram originally resides at亥. A pure earth hexagram and a pure heaven hexagram meet here, heaven and earth harmonize in virtue, and all things are thus born, hence "there is celebration."

易凡言有慶者，皆謂陰遇陽。大畜晉睽六五，皆上承陽，故皆曰往有慶。《易林》中孚之坤云：符左契右，相與合齒，乾坤利貞，乳生六子。《太玄》玄文云：入冥出冥，新故代更。皆說有慶之故也。後儒皆承用虞氏解，謂坤行至西南，月又將生明為有慶，是不知終為何處也。終者艮象亥方。《周禮》宰夫，及大司徒歲終注，皆日周季冬也。周季冬為亥月。又《爾雅·釋天》云：月在壬曰終。壬亦亥方。是終指亥方甚明。說卦云：艮成終。終於亥也。故夫洞明易理者，莫過於焦延壽與楊子云也。（焦氏易詁，有詳說，可參閱。）安貞之吉，應地無疆。坤道主靜，故曰安。《易林》云：乾坤利貞，乳生六子。安貞即利貞，利貞即天地合德，合則相感，故曰應地無疆。

In the Book of Changes, whenever it says "there is celebration," it refers to yin encountering yang: in the hexagrams Da Xu, Jin, and Kui, the line six in the fifth is above a yang line, so they all say "going brings celebration." In Jiao's Forest of Changes, the hexagram Fu changing to Kun says "the symbol on the left and the symbol on the right, they join together, the heavens and earth benefit by uprightness, and six sons are born." In Yang Xiong's Tai Xuan, Xuan Wen, it says "entering the dark and exiting the dark, the old and new take turns," which also discusses the reason for "there is celebration." Later scholars have followed Yu Fan's interpretation, saying that when the earth moves to the southwest and the moon is about to produce bright light, it is called "there is celebration," but they do not understand where "final" refers to. "Final" refers to the亥 direction, which is governed by the trigram Gen. The official of the royal court and the Grand Master of the People in the Zhou Li mention "the end of the year," and Zheng's annotations say it refers to the last month of the Zhou calendar, which is the month of亥. The Er Ya, Shì Tian, also says "when the moon is in Ren, it is called the end," and Ren belongs to the亥 direction. Clearly, "final" refers to the亥 direction. The Shuo Gua says "Gen completes the final," so the final is at亥. Therefore, those who thoroughly understand the principles of the Book of Changes have not surpassed Jiao Yanshou and Yang Xiong. (This explanation is detailed in my Jiao's Glosses on the Changes, which can be referred to.) The Commentary on the Judgment says "the auspiciousness of maintaining uprightness, responding to the earth without limits": since the坤 principle is about stillness, it is said "peaceful." The Forest of Changes says "the heavens and earth benefit by uprightness, and six sons are born," so "peaceful uprightness" is the same as "beneficial uprightness," and "beneficial uprightness" is the harmonizing of heaven and earth; once they harmonize, they respond, hence "responding to the earth without limits."

象日：地勢坤，君子以厚德載物。王弼曰：地形不順，其勢順。是王弼之本，作地勢順也。來衷曰：地有上下九等之差，故以形勢言其性。夫曰性則亦讀為順也。而皆未引說卦坤順為詁，是愈證宋王本之皆作地勢順，故不引說卦為證。蓋坤古文作◆。

The Great Image Commentary says: The form of the earth is坤 (Earth), which is characterized by順 (smoothness), so the gentleman takes it as a model, using his profound virtue to support all things. Wang Bi says, "The terrain is not smooth, but its trend is smooth," indicating that the version Wang Bi relied on reads "地势顺" (the terrain is smooth). Li Zongyi says, "The earth has nine levels of difference above and below, so in terms of its form, it has a nature." Since he mentions "性" (nature), it is also read as "顺" (smoothness). However, neither of these two scholars cite the Saying on the Trigrams, "坤, 顺也" (Earth is characterized by smoothness), to explain it. This further confirms that the versions used by Song Zhong and Wang Bi read "地势顺." Therefore, there is no need to cite the Saying on the Trigrams as evidence. Originally, the character 坤 was written in ancient text as ◆, whose upper part is the character 甾, and there is no 田 below it, as is the case in the following text.

而◆為順之※字，故宋王皆讀◆為順。自正義改作坤，而順字遂無由識。至清儒王引之等，據說卦乾健坤順之文，謂天行健即天行乾，地勢順即地勢坤。夫乾坤之為天地，不惟說卦言之，彖象傳並言之，故以天代乾，以地代坤。今不從宋王注，以坤為順之訛字（若作◆則不訛），謂天行健即天行乾，地勢順即地勢坤，是天行天、地勢地也，尚可通乎。

But ◆ is a borrowed character for "顺" (smoothness), so Song Zhong and Wang Bi both read it as "顺". Since Kong Yingda's "Justice" changed it to the modern form "坤", the meaning of "顺" can no longer be recognized. Later scholars like Wang Yinzhi of the Qing dynasty, based on the passage in "Shuogua" that "Qian represents strength, and Kun represents smoothness," argued that "the heavens act vigorously" is equivalent to "the heavens act Qian," and "the earth's terrain is smooth" is equivalent to "the earth's terrain is Kun." However, Qian and Kun represent heaven and earth, and not only does "Shuogua" say this, but also the "Commentary on the Judgment" and "Image Commentary." Therefore, the "Great Image" uses "heaven" to represent Qian and "earth" to represent Kun. Now, if we do not adopt the annotations of Song and Wang, but instead regard "Kun" as a mistaken character for "顺" (in fact, if written in ancient script as ◆, it would not be a mistake), saying "the heavens act vigorously" is equivalent to "the heavens act Qian" and "the earth's terrain is smooth" is equivalent to "the earth's terrain is Kun," would that not become "the heavens act the heavens" and "the earth's terrain is the earth"? Would that still make sense?

王又謂◆即川字，川與坤順聲近，故借川作坤，是尤不安。夫坤古作◆，是古文作◆也。隸書原以變古文之繁重，若◆字本即簡易，故隸書常因而不改。大戴禮保傅篇：易之乾◆。家語執轡篇：此乾◆之美。後漢輿服志：堯舜垂裳，蓋取諸乾◆。北史太和三年，◆德六合殿成。又坤字之見於漢碑者，無不作◆。再征之金文，周師訇敦銘云：用作◆宮寶。王陶廬云：◆即坤字。由此證◆即坤，非有所借也明矣。

Wang Yinzhi also said that it is the character "chuan." "Chuan" sounds similar to "kun" and "shun," so it was used as a substitute for "kun," but this explanation is even more confusing. The ancient form of "kun" was written as "◆," showing that "◆" itself was the ancient form of "kun." The clerical script was created to simplify the complex strokes of the ancient characters. Since "◆" was already simple, the clerical script often retained it without change. The "Da Dai Li Ji · Bao Fu Chapter" mentions "Yi's Qian ◆," the "Kongzi Jia Wu · Zhi Pui Chapter" mentions "this Qian ◆ beauty," the "Hou Han Shu · Yu Fu Zhi" mentions "Yao and Shun wore robes, taking from Qian ◆," and the "Bei Shi" records that in the third year of Taihe, the "◆ De Liu Hexi Hall" was completed. Looking at the "kun" character in Han dynasty steles, none were written as anything other than "◆." Further evidence from bronze inscriptions shows that the Zhou dynasty's Shi Hong Dun inscription says "used to make ◆ palace treasure," and Wang Tao Lu says that this "◆" is actually the character "kun." This proves that "◆" was originally "kun," not borrowed from another character, which is very clear.

引之謂順因川而得聲，愚以為順因◆而得聲，推之訓馴巡紃等字皆然。引之蓋泥於說文坤下無重◆之文，謂◆非坤本字。王陶廬云：玉篇◆下注曰古文坤字，廣韻亦曰古文以坤為◆。二書皆胚胎於說文，據此說文必有◆字，後奪之耳，不然二書不敢臆造。又云：釋文原雲◆本又作坤，坤今字；今改為坤本又作◆，◆今字，文理謬戾已極。是皆因孔氏改◆作坤，後人遂並釋文而亦改矣。

Wang Yinzhi thought that the character "shun" derives its sound from "chuan," but I believe "shun" derives its sound from "bian." Extending this reasoning, the characters xun, xun, xun, and xun also follow the same pattern. Wang Yinzhi probably adhered strictly to the "Shuowen Jiebi" which did not include "bian" as a variant form under the character "kun," hence he claimed that "bian" was not the original character for "kun." Wang Taolü said: The "Yupian" notes under the character "bian" that it is "an ancient form of 'kun,' " and the "Guangyun" also states that ancient texts used "kun" as "bian." Both works originate from the "Shuowen Jiebi," thus it can be inferred that the original "Shuowen Jiebi" must have included the character "bian," but it was later omitted; otherwise, the "Yupian" and "Guangyun" would not have fabricated it out of nowhere. He also said: The original text of the "Jingdian Xishu" reads "bian, the original form is 'kun,' and 'kun' is the modern character," but now it has been altered to "kun, the original form is 'bian,' and 'bian' is the modern character," which is absurd. All of this is due to Kong Yingda changing "bian" to "kun," and later generations consequently altered the "Jingdian Xishu" as well.

按王說是也。詩周頌有夷之行，釋文云：◆苦魂反，字亦作坤。此處釋文應同。然則坤本作◆，征之金石傳記無不然；漢本易之作地勢順，征之宋注王注亦無不然。然今本易何以訛作地勢坤，則以漢本易，坤原作◆，乃借◆為順也。何言之，順既因◆而得聲，在古文例常※借，如大壯卦以易為場，夬以次且為趑趄，小畜以血為恤，皆因其得聲之字而※借，今以◆※順，正其例耳。孔氏知◆即坤，不知◆為順之※字，遂竟改作坤矣。若宋王則皆讀作順也，以宋王本皆作◆也，作◆則人易知為順矣。其以說卦為解者，於字之沿革，盡失其義。

According to Wang TaoLu's view, it is correct. The Book of Poetry, Zhou Songs, contains the phrase "you yi zhi xing." The Classic Interpretation says, "◆, ku hun fan, the character is also written as Kun." The style of the Classic Interpretation should be the same here. Thus, Kun was originally written as ◆, and this is confirmed by inscriptions on bronze vessels and biographies. The Han dynasty version of the Book of Changes used "di shi shun," and this is also confirmed by Song Zhong's commentary and Wang Bi's commentary. Then why is the current version of the Book of Changes written as "di shi kun"? Because the original character for Kun in the Han dynasty version was ◆, and here it was borrowed to represent "shun." How do we know this? Since "shun" was obtained through the sound of ◆, in ancient texts it was common to borrow characters with the same sound. For example, in the Dazhuang hexagram, "yi" was used as "chang," in the Guai hexagram, "ci qie" was used as "zi qü," and in the Xiaoxu hexagram, "xue" was used as "xu." These are all examples of borrowing characters with the same sound. Kong Yingda knew that ◆ was Kun, but he did not know that ◆ here was a borrowed character for "shun," so he directly changed it to "kun." As for Song Zhong and Wang Bi, they read it as "shun," because their versions were written as ◆. Writing it as ◆ makes it easier for people to know it is read as "shun." Those who use the Sayings of the Hexagrams to explain this have completely lost track of the original meaning of the character.

厚德載物者坤，君子取以為法。虞仲翔必謂君子為乾亦非。又易以◆為大川，焦氏易林以◆為水，為江河淮濟，九家注蠱亦以坤地為水，邵子坤水之象之所本也。蓋◆即川字即水字，故易林復以坎為土，邵子復本之。疑古以水土為一物，能合而不能分。比曰地上有水，師曰地中有水，證以古文，稽之卦象，而益信矣。（金文水作◇，兩旁畫不連。劉澗琴云：效鼎涉作◇，殷契衍作◇，◎作◇。又永字從水，而金文作◇。是皆水字兩旁畫皆不斷，可證◆川水三字，古文皆同。）

The坤 represents the deep virtue that carries all things, and the gentleman takes it as a model. Yu Fan insisted that the "gentleman" here refers to Qian, which is incorrect. The Book of Changes uses ◆ (Kun) as "great river," and the Jiao's Forest of Changes describes ◆ as water, rivers, and the Yangtze, Huai, and Jiyi rivers. The commentary on the Gu卦 in the Nine Schools of Changes also interprets the earth (Kun) as water. Shao Yong's image of "Kun as water" is based on this. Originally, ◆ is the character "Chuan," which is also "Shui" (water); thus, the Forest of Changes reverses this and takes Kan as earth, and Shao Yong follows this approach. From this we can infer that ancient people regarded water and earth as one substance, capable of being combined but not separated. The Great Image of the Bi卦 says "water on the earth," and the Shi卦 says "water in the earth." When verified by ancient characters and compared with the hexagram images, this becomes more credible. (In bronze inscriptions, the character "water" is written as ◇, with the two strokes on either side not connected. Liu Jianqin said that the character "she" in the Xie Ding is written as ◇, the character "yan" in Yin墟 oracle bones is written as ◇, and "pu" is written as ◇. Also, the character "yong" with water is written as ◇ in bronze inscriptions. In these characters, the strokes on both sides of the water radical are not disconnected, which proves that the characters ◆, Chuan, and Shui were originally the same in ancient writing.)

初六。履霜，堅冰至。陽進陰退，陽順陰逆，故陽自七進九為老陽，陰自八退六為老陰。陰極則變，故易用六也。於卦為姤，時當夏至，一陰初生。初震爻故曰履。陰微故以霜為喻。乾為冰為堅，坤行至上當亥方，與乾相遇，故曰堅冰。言五月微陰初見，馴至亥月而極寒，必然之勢，當憬然悟也。干寶以五月無霜，謂陰氣既動，則必至於履霜，必至於堅冰者非也。霜即喻此微陰，微陰見故曰履霜，非有待於後也，其待者乃堅冰也。象日：履霜，陰始凝也（依郭京讀），馴至其道，至堅冰也。乾為堅冰，言陰生於午，至亥純坤與純乾相遇，故曰至。

The line statement for the first line (初爻) says: "Treading on thin frost, solid ice is about to come." Yang represents advancement, while Yin represents retreat. Yang progresses in a harmonious way, while Yin regresses. Therefore, Yang moves from seven to nine, becoming old Yang, and Yin moves from eight to six, becoming old Yin. When Yin reaches its extreme, it changes, so the Zhou Changes use six. In the context of the message hexagram, this line corresponds to the hexagram Gou, and the time is the summer solstice, when a single Yin begins to emerge. The first line is the Zhen line, which represents feet and movement, so it is said "to tread." The Yin energy is still very weak, so "frost" is used as a metaphor. The Qian trigram has the images of "ice" and "solidity"; the Kun trigram regresses to the upper position, which is the亥 direction, where it meets Qian, so it is said "solid ice." This means that when a slight Yin appears in May, following this trend, by the month of亥 it becomes extremely cold, which is an inevitable trend. People should be suddenly alert. Ganbao said that there is no frost in May, so he claimed that once Yin energy begins to move, it will inevitably lead to treading on frost and inevitably lead to solid ice, which is incorrect. "Frost" is a metaphor for this slight Yin. Since slight Yin has already appeared, it is said "treading on frost," not waiting for later. What is to be waited for is "solid ice." The Small Commentary says, "Treading on frost, Yin begins to condense" (according to Guo Jing's reading), "gradually following this trend, it reaches solid ice." The Qian trigram has the image of solid ice, meaning that Yin is born in the month of午, and by the month of亥, pure Kun meets pure Qian, so it is said "to reach."

六二。直方大，不習無不利。二為坤本位，坤二之利，與乾五之利同也。後人泥於乾動為直，及小往大來之文，必以直大屬之乾，於是經義遂迂曲而不得解。豈知直方大皆謂坤，彖傳文言所釋至明。文言云：直其正也。正謂二，二得位中正，故曰直。彖傳云：含弘光大。大謂坤，坤萬物資生，焉得不大。蓋方者地之體，大者地之用，而二又居中直之位，故曰直方大。後儒見象傳未言大，便疑大為衍文。然陸德明時，漢魏六朝本具在，從無謂大字衍者，況文言引亦有大字乎。陰消至二遁，前承重陽，得主有利，故不習無不利。文言釋曰：不疑其所行。正謂二承陽也。象日：六二之動，直以方也。不習無不利，地道光也。六二與九五相上下，故曰動。陰順陽，故曰地道光。

The line statement for the second line says: upright, square, and great, without needing to learn, there is nothing that is not beneficial. The second line is the fundamental position of the Earth (Kun). The advantage of the Earth at the second line is similar to the advantage of Heaven at the fifth line. Later scholars were confined by the phrase "Heaven's movement is upright" and the words "small going away, great coming in" from the Tai hexagram, insisting that "upright" and "great" belong to Heaven, thus making the meaning of the classic obscure and difficult to understand. How could they not realize that "upright," "square," and "great" all refer to the Earth? The Commentary on the Judgment and the Wenyan explain this clearly. The Wenyan says, "upright means correct"—"correct" refers to the second line, which is in the center and in the proper position, so it is called "upright." The Commentary on the Judgment says, "embracing and expanding, shining and great"—"great" refers to the Earth, since the Earth supports the growth of all things, how could it not be great? In general, "square" refers to the form of the Earth, "great" refers to its function, and since the second line is in the central and correct position, it is called "upright, square, and great." Later scholars saw that the Xiao Xiang only mentions "upright and square" but not "great," and thus doubted that the word "great" was an addition. However, during Lu Deming's time, the original versions from the Han, Wei, and Six Dynasties were still available, and no one ever claimed that the word "great" was an addition. Moreover, the Wenyan also includes the word "great" when quoting this sentence. When the yin decreases to the second line, it is the Duan hexagram. It is preceded by the heavy yang lines of the upper trigram, thus benefiting from the yang and being advantageous. Therefore, "without needing to learn, there is nothing that is not beneficial." The Wenyan explains this as "not doubting one's actions," which refers precisely to the second line following the yang line above. The Xiao Xiang says: "The movement of the second line is upright and square; without needing to learn, there is nothing that is not beneficial, because the way of the Earth shines." The second line and the fifth line are in mutual response, so it is called "movement"; yin follows yang, so it is called "the way of the Earth shines."

六三。含章可貞，或從王事，無成，有終。坤為文，故曰章。坤閉故曰含章。陰消至三否，正君子儉德避難之時，故雖有文章，含而不露，貞靜自守。荀虞謂三陽位，以陰據其上，故曰含章，後儒多從之，非也。文言釋章為美，仍坤象，非謂陽位也。否上乾為王，三承重陽，故曰從王事。三不當位故或之，與或躍在淵義同，言慎審也。陰順陽，故無敢成。成，法也，式也，言不敢作法也。陰始姤，代乾終事，故曰有終。

The line statement for the third line says: possessing hidden literary merit and being able to maintain sincerity, or assisting the king in affairs without taking credit for success, yet being able to complete the task. The hexagram of坤 has the image of "literary merit," so it is said "zhang" (literary merit);坤 also represents concealment and preservation, so it is said "hán zhang" (hidden literary merit). When the yin force reaches the third line, it is the point where the hexagram is completed, which is precisely the time for a gentleman to restrain his talents and avoid calamity. Therefore, although possessing literary merit, it remains hidden, and sincerity is maintained. Xun Shuang and Yu Fan said that the third line is a yang position occupied by a yin line, so it is called "hán zhang." Later scholars mostly followed this view, but actually it is incorrect. The "Wenyan" explains "zhang" as "beauty," which still refers to the image of坤, not the yang position. The upper trigram of the hexagram of "Pí" is Qian, which has the image of "king," and the sixth line is above the multiple yang lines, so it is said "from the king's affairs." The sixth line is a yin line in a yang position, thus it is not in the proper place, so the word "or" is added, with the same meaning as "or leap in the abyss" in the ninth line of Qian. Both indicate caution. Yin follows yang, so it does not take credit for success. "Success" refers to a standard or model, and "no success" means not daring to establish one's own standard. Yin begins in the hexagram of Gou and takes over from Qian to conclude the annual affairs, so it is said "has completion."

○按純坤無乾，王事之象何來乎。須知乾息從復始，坤消從姤始，故復姤亦為小父母。坤消至三，上乾如故也，故曰從王事。彼夫訟三曰從王事，履三曰武人為于大君，皆以上承陽，茲與之同。觀初爻曰：履霜堅冰至。言陽將以次消也。故卦雖無乾，爻辭皆視乾而繫也。先儒坐不明此理，又鮮能以易解易，故說王事皆無著。象日：含章可貞，以時發也。或從王事，知光大也。時不可，故俟時而發。或從王事，知時至矣，故曰光大。

Here we must note that in the pure坤卦 there is no乾, so where does the image of "royal affairs" come from? It should be known that the yang energy of乾 begins to arise from the复卦, and the yin decline of坤 begins from the姤卦, so the复 and 姤 hexagrams may also be called "small parents." When坤's yin declines to the third line, it becomes the 否卦, and the upper trigram of乾 remains unchanged, hence it is said "from royal affairs." The 六三 line of 讼卦 says "from royal affairs," and the 六三 line of 履卦 says "a warrior serves the great lord," both are because they are above a yang line, and here they are similar. Now look at the 初六 line saying "treading frost, firm ice comes," which refers precisely to the yang energy about to decline in order. Thus, although the坤 hexagram itself does not contain乾, its line statements are all related to乾. Earlier scholars did not understand this principle, and rarely used the Book of Changes to explain the Book of Changes, so their explanations of "royal affairs" lacked substance. The Small Commentary says: "Containing brightness, it is proper to be steadfast; it is because of the right time that it is released; 'from royal affairs' is knowing the time has come, hence it is called 'great radiance.'" When the time is not right, one must wait for the right time to act; "from royal affairs" means knowing the time has arrived, hence it is called "great radiance."

六四。括囊，無咎無譽。坤為囊。楊子方言：括，關閉也。坤閉故曰括囊。陰消至四八月觀，天地將閉塞矣。陰在三否，陰陽平均，故或從王事；至四則陰盛陽衰，時不可矣，故括囊，言無所表著也。無與於世，故無咎譽。象日：括囊無咎，慎不害也。慎故無咎，不害即無咎也。

Line 64: The line statement is like closing a bag and keeping oneself concealed, neither committing faults nor receiving praise. The hexagram坤 (Earth) has the image of a bag; Yang Xiong's "Dialects" says "kua means to close." Since坤 governs closure and concealment, it is said "kua nang" (closing a bag). When yin reaches the fourth line, it is the eighth month of the hexagram Guan (Observation), and the energies of heaven and earth are about to be closed off. When yin was at the third line, it was balanced with yang, with equal numbers and equal strength, so it could "follow the king's affairs." But by the fourth line, yin has become dominant and yang has declined, and the timing is no longer favorable, so it is necessary to "close the bag," meaning to stop showing oneself. Since it does not participate in worldly affairs, it neither commits faults nor receives praise. The "Small Image" says "closing the bag brings no fault, because being cautious avoids harm," meaning that being cautious leads to no fault, and "not being harmed" is "no fault."

六五。黃裳元吉。坤為裳，色黃，故曰黃裳。坤為下，裳得下飾。五位正中，黃者中色，故曰黃裳元吉。元者善之長，五位極尊，故曰元。元謂五，大有鼎皆曰元吉，皆謂六五。毛奇齡謂五降二承乾為元吉，以元專屬乾，非也。象曰：黃裳元吉，文在中也。坤為文，黃裳文飾，言所以吉者，以居中位也。

The Line Statement of the fifth line says: "Yellow lower garment, great auspiciousness." The trigram坤 (Kun) has the image of a "garment," and坤 also governs the color yellow, hence "yellow garment." Since坤 is at the lower position, the garment is indeed the clothing worn on the lower body. The fifth line is in the center of the upper trigram, and yellow is the central color among the five colors, hence "yellow garment brings great auspiciousness." "Yuan" refers to the beginning of all virtues, and the fifth line holds an extremely exalted position, hence it is called "Yuan" — "Yuan" refers specifically to the fifth line. Both the Great Possession hexagram and the Cauldron hexagram mention "Yuan auspiciousness," which also refers to the fifth line. Mao Qilin argued that "Yuan auspiciousness" occurs only when the fifth line descends to the second position to support the乾 (Qian) yang, thereby attributing "Yuan" exclusively to Qian. This is incorrect. The Small Image says, "Yellow garment brings great auspiciousness, because virtue is in the center." The trigram坤 has the image of "virtue," and the yellow garment is the attire of elegance and refinement. This means that its auspiciousness comes from its position in the center.

上六。龍戰于野，其血玄黃。陰至上六，坤德全矣，故萬物由以出生，然孤陰不能生也。荀爽云：消息之位，坤在於亥，下有伏乾，陰陽相和，故曰龍戰于野。坤為野，龍者陽。說文壬下云：易曰龍戰于野，戰者接也。乾鑿度云：乾坤合氣戌亥。合氣即接。九家云：玄黃天地之雜。言乾坤合居。夫曰相和，曰合氣，曰合居，則戰之為和合明矣，皆與許詁同也。而萬物出生之本由於血，血者天地所遺氤氳之氣，天玄地黃，其血玄黃者，言此血為天地所和合，故能生萬物也。易林說此云（中孚之坤）：符左契右，相與合齒，乾坤利貞，乳生六子。夫曰符契，曰合齒，則乾坤接也，即龍戰于野也。消息卦，坤亥下即震子出，故曰乳生六子。彖傳云：乃終有慶。慶此也。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: A dragon meets and unites in the wild, and the blood that flows is a mixture of dark blue and yellow. When yin reaches the sixth line at the top, the virtue of坤 is complete, so all things are born from this. However, isolated yin cannot produce life. Xun Shuang says: According to the position of the changing hexagrams,坤 is at the亥 position, with乾 hidden beneath it. Yin and yang are in harmony here, so it is said 'a dragon fights in the wild.'坤 has the image of 'wild,' and 'dragon' refers to yang. The Shuowen Jiezi says under the character 'Ren' that the Book of Changes says 'a dragon fights in the wild,' where 'fights' means 'to meet.' The Qian Zao Du says 'the qi of乾 and坤 combine at Xu and Hai,' and 'combining qi' means 'to meet.' The Jiā Jiā Yì says 'Xuan Huang is the mixed colors of heaven and earth,' meaning that乾 and坤 are together in one place. Since it says 'harmony,' 'combining qi,' and 'living together,' 'fight' clearly means 'harmony,' and this is consistent with Xu Shen's explanation. The fundamental reason for the birth of all things is 'blood': blood is the misty qi left by heaven and earth; the color of heaven is dark blue, and the color of earth is yellow, so 'its blood is dark blue and yellow' means that this blood is formed by the harmony of heaven and earth, thus able to produce all things. In the Forest of Changes by Jiao Shi, the hexagram Zhong Fu with坤 explains this line: 'The symbol on the left and the symbol on the right meet and connect,乾 and坤 benefit from uprightness, and they give birth to six sons.' It says the symbols meet and the teeth bite, meaning that乾 and坤 meet, which is 'a dragon fights in the wild.' According to the changing hexagrams,坤 is at the亥 position, and immediately following is Zhen at the Zi position, so it is said 'giving birth to six sons.' The Commentary on the Judgment says 'there is finally a celebration,' and what is celebrated is precisely this.

惟荀與九家，皆以血為陰，仍違易旨。易明言天地雜，則血非純陰可知，純陰則離其類矣，胡能生物。至侯果謂陰盛似陽，王弼干寶謂陰盛逼陽，陽不堪故戰，以戰為戰爭。後孔穎達朱子，因經言戰又言血，疑陰陽兩傷者，皆夢囈語也。清儒獨惠士奇用許說謂戰者接也，陰陽交接，卦無傷象，識過前人遠矣。象日：龍戰于野，其道窮也。陰至上六而極，故曰窮。窮盡也。

Only Xun Shuang and the Nine Schools of the Book of Changes regarded "blood" as yin, which still contradicts the original intent of the Book of Changes. The Book of Changes clearly states that the colors of heaven and earth are mixed, indicating that blood is not purely yin. If something were purely yin, it would have separated from its counterpart and could not produce life. As for Hou Guo's view that yin is as strong as yang, and Wang Bi and Gan Bao's idea that excessive yin forces yang, leading yang to be unable to withstand and thus they fight, all these interpretations take "war" as actual warfare. Later, Kong Yingda and Zhu Xi, because the text mentions both "war" and "blood," doubted that it refers to mutual destruction of yin and yang—these are all nonsense. Among Qing dynasty scholars, only Hui Shiqi adopted Xu Shen's view, considering "war" as union, and that yin and yang are meeting here, with no image of injury in the hexagram, which is a far-sighted insight beyond previous scholars. The Small Commentary says, "The dragon fights in the fields, its way is exhausted": when yin reaches the top hexagram, it is said to be "exhausted"; "exhausted" means complete.

用六。利永貞。此亦明筮例也。八六皆陰，今遇陰，胡以只言六不言八，則以六為用而變七也。利永貞，申用六之故也。六何以必變，六為老陰，陰極不返，則太柔矣。又言曰：貞固足以乾事。永貞則健而陽矣，故象曰以大終。大者陽，言陰極則變陽也。象曰：用六永貞，以大終也。陽大陰小，以大終者，言陰極必返陽也。舊解因不知用六義意，故說大終，無有當者。

Use of Six: It is favorable to maintain constancy and uprightness over a long period. This is explaining the general principle of divination. Both eight and six are yin numbers, yet when encountering a yin line in divination, we only mention six and not eight. This is because the Zhou Changes use six as the active number for change; encountering six leads to change, while encountering eight does not. This is similar to the principle that encountering nine (a yang number) leads to change, while encountering seven does not. The phrase 'favorable for long uprightness' explains the use of six. Why must six necessarily change? Six is old yin. When yin reaches its extreme, if it does not return, it becomes too weak. The Wenyan says, 'uprightness and firmness are sufficient for undertaking affairs.' Being able to maintain constancy and uprightness for a long time transforms it into something yang and strong. Therefore, the Xiaoxiang says, 'using six and maintaining uprightness leads to a great conclusion.' 'Great' refers to yang, meaning that when yin reaches its extreme, it must return to yang. Old interpretations failed to understand the meaning of using six, so none of the explanations of 'great conclusion' were accurate.

文言曰：坤至柔而動也剛，至靜而德方，後得主而有常，含萬物而化光。坤道其順乎，承天而時行。坤柔動剛，義與用六大終同，言坤雖至柔，遇六則變陽矣，故曰動剛。後得主而有常者，言最後變六為陽，以陽為主也。

The Wenyan says: The Earthly Trigram is extremely gentle and yielding, but when it moves, it becomes strong; it is extremely quiet, yet its virtue is upright. Only after obtaining the master does it have a constant pattern, containing and nurturing all things, thus achieving great extension. The way of the Earthly Trigram is roughly "yielding." It supports Heaven and follows the timing. "The Earthly Trigram is extremely gentle, yet when it moves, it becomes strong," which is the same meaning as "using all six to achieve great completion." This means that although the Earthly Trigram is extremely gentle, when it encounters six, it becomes yang, hence "when it moves, it becomes strong." "After obtaining the master, it has a constant pattern" means that after six becomes yang, it takes yang as the main element.

積善之家，必有餘慶；積不善之家，必有餘殃。臣弒其君，子弒其父，非一朝一夕之故，其所由來者漸矣，由辯之不早辯也。易曰：履霜堅冰至。蓋言順也。坤為積為殃為惡，故曰不善。坤多故曰餘。又為臣子為弒為夕，君父則指乾也。坤消陽故曰弒君父。此正申明履霜堅冰至之理。陰在姤至微耳，積之不已，則陽可全消，其禍有不可勝言者，故曰餘殃。餘者多也，此本世界之公理，人事之自然，而李鼎祚忽以夫子不語怪力亂神為疑，若餘慶餘殃，有類於神道感應之說者，真可謂汙衊聖言，不識語旨矣。

The Wenyan says: Those who accumulate good deeds will surely have abundant blessings; those who accumulate evil deeds will surely have abundant calamities. A minister killing his sovereign, or a son killing his father, are not things that happen in a single day; their origins are gradual accumulations. It is only because at the time of discernment, they were not recognized in time. The Book of Changes says, "Treading on frost, the ice comes to be," which explains precisely this principle of gradual development. The hexagram Kun has the images of "accumulation," "calamity," and "evil," so it is said to be "not good." Kun represents multiplicity, so it is said to have "excess." Kun also has the images of "minister," "son," "murder," and "evening," while "sovereign" and "father" refer to Qian. Kun's retreat of the yang lines is said to represent "murdering the sovereign and father." This is precisely explaining the meaning of "Treading on frost, the ice comes to be": Yin energy is extremely weak at the time of Gou, but if it continues to accumulate, it can eventually consume all the yang. The resulting calamities are endless, so it is said "excess calamity." "Excess" means abundance. This is the common principle of the world and the natural course of human affairs. Li Dingzuo suddenly questions Confucius' silence on supernatural phenomena, as if "excess blessings" and "excess calamities" are akin to the doctrine of divinesympathetic response. This can truly be called a defamation of the sage's words and a failure to understand the meaning within the words.

漸，孔疏云：徐而不速謂之漸。辯，說文判也，別也，謂宜別之於先也。順與循同義，蓋言順者，仍循其道則至堅冰之意。荀爽謂臣順君命而成之，背經旨，不可從。（文言釋初六噓吸經髓，超妙絕倫，使人惕然省，憬然悟。釋上六祇以陰凝陽天玄地黃，逗露坤地生物之本，由於天地交，而總不明言，仍還經文崑崙語氣。由此見聖人之言，寧使人不易知，而不能不文。太玄云：不約則其旨不詳，不要則其應不博，不沈則其意不見。真能窺見載道之故者哉。）

The character "jiàn" (gradual) is explained by Kong Yingda as "slow and not quick is called gradual." The character "biàn" (discern) is defined in the Shuowen Jiezi as "to distinguish and separate," meaning that one should discern clearly at the beginning of things. "Shùn" (smooth) and "xún" (follow) have the same meaning; the phrase "gai yan shun ye" means that following the same path will eventually lead to solid ice. Xun Shuang said this refers to a minister obeying the king's command and promoting the matter, but this contradicts the original meaning of the text and should not be followed. The Wenyan interpretation of "Chu Liush" (Six at the Beginning) captures the essence of the text with every breath and sigh, being profound and unparalleled, prompting vigilance and sudden realization. In contrast, the interpretation of "Shang Liush" (Six at the Top) only uses a few phrases such as "yin ning yu yang" (yin consolidates yang) and "tian xuan di huang" (heaven is dark and earth is yellow), hinting at the fundamental nature of the earth's ability to produce life through the union of heaven and earth, yet it never explicitly states this, maintaining the original text's holistic and reserved tone. This shows that sages prefer to make things difficult to understand rather than fail to be refined and reserved in their expression. The Tai Xuan says "if not concise, its meaning will not be clear; if not restrained, its response will not be broad; if not profound, its meaning will not be seen"—these words truly reveal the reason why words carry the Way.

直其正也，方其義也。君子敬以直內，義以方外。敬義立而德不孤。直方大，不習無不利，則不疑其所行也。直則不撓，故曰直其正，言二中正也，方則不詭隨，放曰方其義，言不苟同也。正直發於心，故曰直內。內直則必敬矣，故曰敬以直內。義方以接物，故曰方外。外方則無不宜矣，故曰義以方外。敬義之德立於下，五陽應於上，故德不孤。蓋陰消至二遁，前承重陽，二五應予，乾先坤後，陽唱陰和，得主有利，故不疑其所行。（舊解祇惠棟知以二五相應說不孤，最為卓識。）

The Wenyan says: "Straight" refers to its uprightness, and "square" refers to its righteousness. A gentleman uses reverence to correct his inner self and uses righteousness to regulate external affairs; when reverence and righteousness are established, virtue will not be isolated. "Straight, square, and great, without repetition there is no disadvantage" means that one no longer doubts his actions. Uprightness is not bent, so it is said "straight is its uprightness," referring to the second line being in the middle and upright. Squareness is not capricious, so it is said "square is its righteousness," referring to not being hasty to follow others. Uprightness comes from the inner self, so it is said "straight within." When the inner self is upright, it must be reverent, so it is said "reverence leads to uprightness within." Using righteousness to regulate external matters, so it is said "square outside." When external affairs are square, there is no inappropriateness, so it is said "righteousness regulates outside." Reverence and righteousness are established in the lower position (the second line), and the yang of the fifth line above corresponds with it, so it is said "virtue is not isolated." Because yin is eliminated at the second line, it becomes the Duan hexagram. The second line is supported by multiple yang lines above, and the second and fifth lines correspond. The trigram Qian comes first, and the trigram Kun comes later. Yang initiates and yin responds, gaining yang as the main force, which is advantageous, so one no longer doubts his actions. (Among old annotations, only Hui Dong understood the explanation of "not isolated" through the correspondence between the second and fifth lines, showing the most insightful understanding.)

陰雖有美，含以之以從王事，弗敢成也。地道也，妻道也，臣道也。地道無成，而代有終也。陽革於午，陰代陽用事，以訖於亥，故曰代有終。凡終皆謂亥。彖傳曰：乃終有慶。說卦曰：萬物之所成終。終皆謂亥。內經與莊子，所謂天門者此也。自復子至乾巳皆成事，陽主之，故地道無成。自姤午至坤亥皆終事，陰主之，故曰代有終，言代陽終事也。終字從冬，言一年之事，至亥冬而終也（子即陽復）。故艮居亥而艮即為終。成者法也式也。周禮天官太宰，五曰官成以經邦治。注：官成謂官府之成事品式。又秋官士師掌士之八成。注：八成猶八法。然則成者法也。地道無成者，謂坤柔不敢先創為法式，只能代陽終事也。成與終虛實先後，絕對不同。漢宋衷以成名為說，清惠棟謂成與終同義。夫成與終義誠可通，但此曰無成，曰有終，則判然二事，不得混同也。

The Wenyan says: Although yin has virtue, it must conceal itself and assist the sovereign in affairs, not claiming its own merit. This is the way of earth, the way of wife, and the way of minister. The way of earth does not dare to create laws, but instead completes the final matters on behalf of heaven. Yang changes in the month of Wu, and yin takes over to govern until the month of Hai, so it is said, "there is a substitution and completion." Whenever the term "completion" is used, it refers to the position of Hai. The Commentary on the Judgment says, "there is a completion and celebration," the Sayings of the Hexagrams say, "the completion of all things," and "completion" in both cases refers to Hai. The Inner Canon and the Zhuangzi refer to "the gate of heaven," which also refers to this position. From the position of Zi (the month of复, Rebirth) to the position of Si (the month of 乾, Heaven), these belong to the stage of "completing affairs," which is governed by yang, so it is said, "the way of earth has no completion." From the position of Wu (the month of 姤, Meeting) to the position of Hai (the month of 坤, Earth), these belong to the stage of "completing affairs," which is governed by yin, so it is said, "there is a substitution and completion," meaning that yin takes over to complete the affairs. The character "终" (completion) contains "冬" (winter), meaning that the affairs of a year end at the month of Hai, the winter time (the month of Zi is when yang begins to return). Therefore, the trigram Gen (Mountain) is located at the position of Hai, and thus Gen has the meaning of "completion." "Completion" refers to law and pattern. The Zhou Li, Tian Gao (Minister of the Palace), states that the fifth duty is "offices of completion," which is used to govern the state and manage affairs. Zheng's commentary says, "offices of completion refer to the established examples and patterns of the government offices." Again, the Autumn Officials, Shi Shi (Master of the Commoners), states that "the master of the eight completions," and the commentary says, "the eight completions are like the eight laws." Thus, "completion" refers to law. "The way of earth has no completion" means that the nature of坤 (earth) is gentle and submissive, so it does not dare to first create laws and patterns, but can only substitute for yang to complete affairs. "Completion" and "completion" are one abstract and one concrete, one first and one later, absolutely different. The Han dynasty scholar Song Zhong explained it as "fame and completion." The Qing dynasty scholar Hui Dong said that "completion" and "completion" have the same meaning. Although the meanings of "completion" and "completion" can be connected, here one says "no completion" and the other says "there is completion," clearly referring to two different things, which cannot be confused.

天地變化，草木蕃；天地閉，賢人隱。易曰：括囊無咎無譽。蓋言謹也。陰消至四八月觀，由元亨而入利貞，天地之氣將變易矣。觀下坤為茅茹為草，巽為木，坤閉艮止，故曰草木蕃。蕃與藩通，詩大雅四國於蕃是也。又周禮地官大司徒，九曰蕃樂。注：杜子春讀蕃樂為藩樂，謂閉藏樂器而不作。賈疏：藩謂藩閉。然則草木蕃者，言草木至八月而生氣藩閉也。自漢以來，無不以蕃息為解，豈知此與下天地閉賢人隱，平列為證，以釋括囊之義，若作蕃息，與括囊何涉乎。乾彖傳云：乾道變化，各正性命，保合太和乃利貞。言元亨時過，利貞時至也，故曰變化，此變化與彼變化同也。變化之徵，在物則草木黃落，在天則陽氣閉藏，在人則賢哲隱遁。謹，慎也，釋括囊之故也。

The Wenyan says: When the qi of heaven and earth changes, grass and trees also become enclosed and restrained; when heaven and earth are closed off, the virtuous retreat. The Book of Changes says, "Draw the bag, no blame, no praise," which refers to being cautious. When yin reaches the fourth line, it is the eighth month of the Guan hexagram, transitioning from the "originally prosperous" stage to the "favorable to be firm" stage, indicating that the qi of heaven and earth is about to change. The lower trigram of Guan is坤 (Kun), which symbolizes "mossy grass" and "grass"; the upper trigram is Xun, which symbolizes "wood." Since Kun represents closure and Gen represents stillness, it is said "grass and trees flourish." "Fan" and "Fan" are interchangeable. In the "Great Ya" of the Book of Songs, "four countries in Fan" uses this meaning; in the "Da Simu" of the Rites of Zhou, "nine is Fan music," where Du Zichun reads "Fan music" as "Fen music," meaning to store musical instruments without playing them. Jia Gongyan's commentary says "Fan means to close off." Thus, "grass and trees flourish" refers to grass and trees gathering their qi for concealment in August. Since the Han dynasty, people have interpreted this as "proliferation," but they do not realize that this sentence is parallel to the next "heaven and earth close, the virtuous retreat," both explaining the meaning of "draw the bag." If interpreted as proliferation, how does it relate to "draw the bag"? The Commentary on the Judgment of the Qian hexagram says, "The way of Qian changes, each establishes its destiny, preserving the great harmony is favorable to be firm," meaning that the time of "originally prosperous" has passed and the time of "favorable to be firm" has arrived, so it is called "change." The sign of change is that in things, grass and trees wither and fall; in heaven, yang qi retreats; in people, the virtuous retreat. "Cautious" means careful, which explains the meaning of "draw the bag."

君子黃中通理，正位居體，美在其中，而暢於四支，發於事業，美之至也。地色黃，黃中色，五中位，故曰黃中。玉篇理文也，坤為文，故曰理。黃中通理者，言由中發外，有文理可見也。正位居體，即體居正位。坤為體為事業，言有黃中之德者，身必潤，事業必成也。

The Wenyan says: A gentleman possesses the virtue of yellow in the center and understands the principles of culture and order. He resides in the correct position and maintains his body in a stable state. His virtue is contained within his heart, expressed through his limbs, and manifested in his career. This is the perfection of beauty. The color of the earth is yellow, and yellow is the central color among the five colors. The fifth line is also the central position of the upper trigram, so it is called "yellow in the center." The Yu pian says "li means culture," and the trigram Kun has the image of "culture," so it is called "li." "Yellow in the center and understanding principles" refers to the virtue originating from the heart and manifesting outward in a visible form of culture and order. "Residing in the correct position and maintaining the body" means the body is in the correct position. The trigram Kun has the images of "body" and "career," meaning that a person with the virtue of yellow in the center will certainly have a moist and nourished body and will certainly achieve success in his career.

彖曰：屯，剛柔始交而難生，動乎險中，大亨貞。雷雨之動滿盈，天造草昧，宜建侯而不寧。始交為初五也。前乾坤二卦，皆純陽純陰莫能交。屯下震以乾交坤初，上坎以乾交坤中，以其次純乾純坤之後，剛柔雜始見，故曰始交。難謂坎也，蹇傳云蹇難也，即指上坎。動而遇險，故曰難生。下雷上雨，坤為多故曰滿盈。造始也，草雜亂，昧冥昧。坤為茅茹為亂，故曰草。地黑故曰昧。易林艮之晉云：釜甑草土。即以晉下坤為草，為釜。天造草昧者，言天地之運，始於草昧，故宜建侯於此時，使萬物有主也。諸家皆用虞翻說，謂剛柔始交，為坎二交初，如是穿鑿，又何不可謂革四交初。蓋虞氏不知始字承前兩卦乾坤而言，而以為指屯初二，故誤解若是。後閱道光間，卞斌周易通解，亦謂始交指初五。然則此義百年前已發之。

The original text finishes the section on "Kun · Wenyan" with the phrase "beauty in its highest degree" and directly proceeds to this point, omitting the hexagram statement of "Zun" which reads "originally prosperous, beneficial, auspicious, and favorable for establishing a feudal lord," along with Shang Binghe's commentary on the hexagram statement. Only the "Commentary on the Judgment" and following sections remain. Now, following the original text accurately, without substituting from the commonly used version. The "Commentary on the Judgment" states: "Zun, the beginning of the union between the strong and the weak, with difficulty arising thereafter. In a perilous situation, movement leads to great success and is favorable for maintaining the correct path. The movement of thunder and rain fills up and overflows; at the beginning of the heavenly way, the world is in a state of chaos and disorder, thus it is appropriate to establish feudal lords and not to settle down. The term 'beginning of union' refers to the first and fifth lines. Previously, the hexagrams Qian and Kun were pure yang and pure yin respectively, and could not interact with each other. The hexagram Zun has the lower trigram Zhen (Thunder), which is one yang from Qian interacting with the first line of Kun; the upper trigram Kan (Water) is one yang from Qian interacting with the middle line of Kun. Because it immediately follows the pure Qian and pure Kun, the first appearance of a mixture of strong and weak is here, so it is called 'beginning of union.' 'Difficulty' refers to Kan: the "Commentary on the Judgment" of Jian (Obstruction) says 'Jian, difficulty,' which refers to the upper trigram Kan. Movement encountering danger, thus 'difficulty arises.' The lower trigram Zhen is thunder, the upper trigram Kan is rain, and Kun has the image of 'many,' thus it is called 'full and overflowing.' 'Creation' means beginning, 'grass' means disorder, 'darkness' means obscurity. Kun has the image of 'grass' and 'chaos,' thus it is called 'grass'; the color of earth is black, thus it is called 'darkness.' The "Forest of Changes" by Jiao says 'a cooking pot and earthy soil' in the context of Gen (Mountain) transforming into Jin (Progress), which uses the lower trigram Kun of Jin as 'grass' and as a cooking pot. 'Heaven creates chaos and darkness' means that the operation of heaven and earth begins in a state of chaos and darkness, thus it is appropriate to establish feudal lords at this time, so that all things have their masters. All scholars adopt Yu Fan's interpretation, believing that 'the beginning of union' refers to the second line of Kan intersecting with the first line. This is a forced interpretation; why not say that in the hexagram Ge (Revolution) the fourth line intersects with the first line? Yu Fan did not understand that the term 'beginning' refers to the previous hexagrams Qian and Kun, but instead thought it referred to the first and second lines of Zun, thus making this mistake. Later, I read Bi Bin's "Comprehensive Explanation of the Zhou Changes" from the Daoguang period, which also says that 'beginning of union' refers to the first and fifth lines. This meaning was already discovered a hundred years ago by someone else.

象曰：雲雷，屯，君子以經綸。經綸據釋文，王弼本作經論，今本作經綸者，乃孔本也，因將王注亦改之矣。釋文又云：黃穎曰經綸匡濟也，本亦作倫。案釋名云：綸倫也，為之有倫理也。論語正義引鄭玄云：論者，綸也，理也。然則綸論論，字微異，義則同也。若以卦象言，震為言，初至五正反震，似論於易象較切。若正義所云劉表鄭玄作淪，似不合矣。

The Great Image Commentary says: clouds above and thunder below form the image of the Qun hexagram; the gentleman takes this as a model to manage the world, like sorting silk threads to govern the state. The term "jing lun" is said in the Classic Interpretation to be "jing lun" in Wang Bi's version, while "jing lun" in the present version is from Kong Yingda's edition, thus even Wang Bi's annotations were altered. The Classic Interpretation also says that Huang Ying interpreted "jing lun" as "rectifying the world," and another version reads "jing lun." According to the Explanation of Names, "lun" means "order," as it has a logical sequence in its execution; the Commentary on the Analects cites Zheng Xuan saying "luan" means "order" and "reason." Thus, although the characters "lun," "lun," and "lun" are written slightly differently, their meanings are the same. Considering the hexagram image, Zhen has the image of "speech," and from the first line to the fifth line of the Qun hexagram there is the image of both correct and reversed Zhen. Therefore, using the character "luan" seems more appropriate to the Yi hexagram image. As for Kong Yingda's Commentary stating that Liu Biao and Zheng Xuan used "lun," it is inappropriate.

初九。盤桓，利居貞，利建侯。盤桓，釋文云族也。爾雅釋水鉤盤，郭注水曲如鉤，流盤桓不直前也。禹貢西傾因桓是來，注：桓隴皈名，其道盤旋，曲而上旋，即不能直前也。盤盤通，釋文云本亦作盤，馬又作盤，又或作般，皆以音同通用。外坎故利居貞不動。震為主，建侯則坤民有主，故利。象曰：雖盤桓，志行正也。以貴下賤，大得民也。坤為民，陰賤陽貴，陽在下，故曰以貴下賤。陽為大，初陽臨群陰，故曰大得民。

The line statement for the first line (Initial Nine) says: wandering and hesitating, it is advantageous to stay in one's place and maintain correctness, and it is advantageous to enfeoff vassals. "Wandering" is explained by the *Shi Wen* as a description of gathering without advancing. The *E Ya · Xi Shui* mentions "gou pan," and Guo Pu's commentary says "the water flows in a curved shape like a hook, circling and hesitating without flowing straight forward." The *Shang Shu · Yu Gong* says "Xi Qing Yin Han Shi Lai," and the commentary explains "Han is the name of a mountain pass, and that road winds and twists upward, not going straight." "Pan" and "Pán" are interchangeable. The *Shi Wen* says one version is "Pan," Ma Rong also uses "Pan," or "Ban," all due to their similar pronunciation. The outer trigram of the Zun hexagram is Kan, which represents danger, so it is advantageous to stay in one's place and maintain correctness without acting recklessly. Zhen has the image of "master," so enfeoffing vassals gives the people represented by Kun a ruler, hence it is advantageous. The *Xiao Xiang* says: "Although wandering, the will is correct; using high rank to be humble toward the lowly, greatly winning the people." Kun has the image of "people"; the yin is lowly and the yang is noble. The first line, which is a yang line, is located below a group of yin lines, so it is said "using high rank to be humble toward the lowly." Yang is called "great," and the first line, as a single yang line, governs the group of yin lines, so it is said "greatly winning the people."

六二。屯如邅，乘馬班如，匪寇婚媾，女子貞不字，十年乃字。陰遇陰得敵，故屯邅不進。釋文云：邅，馬行不進之貌。班，子夏傳相牽不進兒。鄭作般，般盤同，亦盤桓不進也。又震為馬，坤坎皆為馬，馬多故曰班如，言行列不前也。吳先生曰：漢書車班班，往河間。義同此也。五坎為寇，二與五應，故曰匪寇，曰婚媾。乃二前為三四所阻，下為初陽所牽，體又為坤，坤虛故不字。字妊育也。震為孕，左傳昭元年，武王邑姜方震太叔是也，故震為妊育。王引之力闢宋耿南仲朱子以字為許嫁之非，其說是也，今河北尚呼牝牛為字牛，義本此也。坤為年，數十，故曰十年乃字。言二五，應與雖難，然究為正應，久必合也。象曰：六二之難，乘剛也。十年乃字，反常也。此難字與象傳難生難字不同，彼指坎，此謂乘剛字難也，說者多混而同之，非。乘剛勢逆，故字難。

The line statement for the second line says: difficult to move forward, the horse turns around and cannot advance; those coming are not strong enemies, but rather suitors; the woman remains virtuous and refuses to bear children, but after ten years she does. The second line is a yin line, and above it is the third line, also yin. When two yin lines meet, they become opposing forces, thus causing difficulty and hesitation in movement. The "zhān" in the text refers to a horse not moving forward, as explained in the "Shiwen"; "ban" is interpreted by Zixia's Commentary on the Changes as mutual obstruction and inability to advance; Zheng Xuan reads it as "ban," which is the same as "pan," meaning to hesitate and not move forward. Furthermore, the trigram Zhen has the image of a horse, and the trigrams Kun and Kan also have the image of a horse. Since there are many horses, it is said "ban ru," meaning they are arranged in rows but cannot advance. Wu Xiansheng says that the "Han Shu" mentions "che ban ban, going to Hejian," which has the same meaning. The ninth line in the fifth position is in the trigram Kan, which has the image of an enemy; and the second line corresponds with the fifth line, so it is said "not a strong enemy, but rather a suitor." However, the second line is blocked by the third and fourth lines in front, and pulled back by the yang of the first line below. Since it is in the trigram Kun, which is empty in the middle, it says "not to bear children." "Zi" means to bear children. The trigram Zhen has the image of pregnancy—according to the "Zuo Zhuan" from the first year of Zhao Gung, it says "Wu Wang's wife Jiang was pregnant with Tai Shu," meaning she was pregnant with Tai Shu. Therefore, Zhen has the meaning of pregnancy. Wang Yinzhi strongly criticized the incorrect interpretations by Song dynasty scholars Geng Nanzhong and Zhu Xi, who took "zi" to mean betrothal. His interpretation is correct; today in northern China, a cow that can give birth to a calf is called a "zi niu," which comes from this meaning. The trigram Kun has the image of years, and its number is ten, so it says "after ten years she bears children." This means that although the second and fifth lines correspond with difficulty, they are still a proper correspondence, and eventually they will come together. The "Xiao Xiang" says: "The difficulty of the second line is because it is riding on a strong line; after ten years she bears children, which is contrary to the usual." The word "nan" here is different from the "nan" in the "Tuan Zhuan" which refers to "difficult birth." That refers to the danger of Kan, while this refers to the difficulty of the second line riding on the strong line of the first line and having difficulty in bearing children. Many commentators confuse these two, which is incorrect. Yin riding on Yang is against the natural order, so bearing children is difficult.

六三。即鹿無虞，惟入于林中，君子幾，不如合，往吝。鹿，虞翻王肅皆作麓，鹿麓古通。詩瞻彼旱鹿，周語作旱鹿，韋注鹿山足也。三為艮初，正山足也。即鹿者，言至山足而從禽也。即就也，虞備虞也。孟子曰：有不虞之譽。義同此也。言田獵而無備虞，焉能有禽。震為木，艮亦為木，故曰林中。坤虛故空人林中。幾者事之先見者也，舍去也，言君子見幾而去也。上無應故往吝。艮為君子。淮南子說此云：夫施薄而望厚者，未之有也。又三國志陳琳傳：易稱即鹿無虞，夫微物尚不可欺。夫所謂欺，即無備虞也。王弼云：雖見其禽而無其虞，徒人於林中。亦詁虞為備虞，乃孔疏忽謂虞為虞官，失王義矣。左傳隱五年：不備不虞，不可以師。正與此無虞義同。

The line statement for the third line says: When chasing a deer to the foot of the mountain without prior preparation, one only ends up going into the forest in vain; a gentleman who sees the slightest omen should not pursue but rather give up. The original text says 'he' but Shang's commentary explains it as 'abandon'. Going forward will inevitably lead to regret. The character '鹿' is interpreted by Yu Fan and Wang Su as '麓', which were interchangeable in ancient times. The Book of Poetry has 'looking at the dry deer', and the Zuo Zhuan also uses 'dry deer'. Wei Zhao's commentary says 'deer refers to the foot of the mountain'. The third line is the first line of the interacting trigram Gen (Mountain), which is exactly at the foot of the mountain, so it says 'chasing the deer', meaning going to the foot of the mountain to pursue game. '即' means approaching closely; '虞' refers to prior preparation, as in the Mencius saying 'unexpected praise', which is used in the same way. This means hunting without prior preparation, how can one catch game? Zhen has the image of 'wood', and Gen also has the image of 'wood', so it is said 'into the forest'. Kun is empty, so it is said 'empty into the forest'. '几' refers to the initial omen of a matter; '舍' means to abandon, meaning the gentleman should stop when he sees the omen. The third line has no responding line above it, so going forward will inevitably lead to regret. Gen has the image of 'gentleman'. The Huainanzi explains this line saying 'giving little but expecting much is something that never happens'; the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Chen Lin's biography says 'the Book of Changes says chasing the deer without a guardian, even small creatures cannot be deceived'—here 'deceit' means lacking prior preparation. Wang Bi says 'although seeing the game, there is no prior preparation, thus entering the forest in vain', also interpreting '虞' as preparation. However, Kong Yingda's commentary suddenly says '虞' refers to the official in charge of mountains and marshes, losing Wang Bi's original meaning. The Zuo Zhuan, Year 5 of Hiding Gong says 'without preparation for both the expected and the unexpected, one cannot lead an army', which is exactly the same meaning as 'no preparation' here.

象曰：即鹿無虞，以從禽也。君子舍之，往吝，窮也。從禽義與即鹿同。吝遴古通，說文行難也。三無應得敵故行難。吝字初見，說文口部引作吝，雲恨惜也。◇部引又作遴，雲行難。愚以為凡言往吝者，宜從行難義；祇言吝者，宜從恨惜義。此曰往吝，即行難也。

The Xiao Xiang says: "Chasing a deer without a supervisor, following game; a gentleman abandons it, going forward brings regret, which is a state of being at a dead end." The meaning of "following game" is the same as "chasing a deer." "Regret" and "selecting carefully" were anciently interchangeable. The Shuowen explains "selecting carefully" as "difficult to move," meaning difficult to walk. The line Six in the Third has no responding line and is in opposition with its neighboring lines, hence the difficulty in moving. The character "regret" first appears in the Yi in this context. The Shuowen under the mouth radical cites it as "regret," explaining it as resentment; under the step radical, it is cited again as "selecting carefully," explaining it as difficult to move. I believe that whenever "going forward brings regret" is mentioned, the meaning should be taken as "difficult to move"; when only "regret" is mentioned, the meaning should be taken as "resentment." Here, "going forward brings regret" refers to the difficulty in moving.

六四。乘馬班如，求婚媾，往吉，無不利。坎坤皆為馬，故亦曰班如。艮為求。四與初本為正應，婚媾而已，然必求者，以二三為阻也。知其阻而求之，故往吉也。四上承陽，下有應，故曰無不利。象曰：求而往，明也。艮火故曰明，艮陽在上亦明。自艮火艮明象失傳，諸家皆以三變互離為明矣。豈知旅九三云：焚其次。易林大壯之遁云：火爛銷金。皆以艮為火，說詳焦氏易詁中。

The line statement for the sixth line (six in the fourth): riding horses circling without moving forward, going to propose marriage, going forward is auspicious, nothing is unfavorable. Both Kan and Kun have the image of a horse, so here it also says 'circling'. The interacting trigrams contain Gen, which has the image of seeking. The sixth line and the first line are originally in a proper correspondence, which is simply about marriage; yet it still says 'seeking' because the second and third lines are in the way. Knowing there is an obstacle yet still going to seek, so going forward is auspicious. The sixth line is above the ninth line of the fifth, which is yang, and below it is the first line corresponding, so it says 'nothing is unfavorable'. The small commentary says 'seeking and going forward, this is clarity': Gen has the image of fire, so it says 'clarity'; the yang line of Gen is at the top, itself being clear. Since the two additional images of Gen as fire and Gen as clarity have been lost, all schools have had to say that the third line changes and the interacting trigrams produce Li (Fire) to be 'clarity'. But how do they know that the third line of the travel hexagram says 'burning the dwelling', and the Great Strength hexagram changing into the Retreat says 'fire burning and melting gold'? These are all examples of Gen as fire. This explanation is detailed in my work, Jiao's Glosses on the Changes.

九五。屯其膏，小，貞吉，大，貞凶。坎水故曰膏，坎陷故屯其膏。蓋五雖下履重陰，然坤民三分之二，為初所有，四又應初，五雖君位，實無一民，故膏澤無所施也。小謂二，五應二，陰得陽應故吉。大謂五，五虛擁尊位，威柄下移，孤露無輔，故大貞凶。震為威，坤為柄。貞卜問也。諸家強以貞正說之，夫正而有大小，已不詞矣；大正而凶，益悖理矣。惠士奇知其不安，又以固為說，其不協與正無異也。象曰：屯其膏，施未光也。坎為隱伏，故曰未光。

The line statement for the fifth line (Nine in the Fifth): The moisture is blocked and cannot flow downward; if one asks about small matters, it is auspicious, but if one asks about great matters, it is inauspicious. Kan represents water, so it is said 'gao' (moisture); Kan also signifies danger and difficulty, so it is said '屯其膏' — the moisture is blocked and cannot flow. Although the fifth line is situated above many yin lines, the people represented by the trigram Kun (the Earth trigram) have two-thirds belonging to the first line, and the fourth line corresponds with the first line. The fifth line, although occupying the position of a ruler, actually has no people, so the moisture has nowhere to be distributed. 'Small' refers to the second line (Six in the Second): the fifth line corresponds with the second line, and the yin line receives support from the yang line, hence it is auspicious. 'Great' refers to the fifth line itself: it occupies a high position but has lost its authority, is isolated and unsupported, so when asking about great matters it is inauspicious. Zhen (Thunder) has the image of 'authority', and Kun (Earth) has the image of 'handle', together forming 'authority and handle'. 'Zhen' refers to divination. Various scholars have forced the interpretation of 'Zhenzheng' (correct and upright), but 'zheng' (upright) can be divided into 'small' and 'great', which is not logical; 'dazheng' (great uprightness) being inauspicious is even more against common sense. Hui Shiqi realized this was not coherent, so he changed to interpret it as 'gu' (solid), but this is no better than interpreting it as 'zheng'. The 'Xiaoxiang' says '屯其膏, 施未光也': Kan has the image of concealment, so the distribution of the moisture is not yet extensive.

上六。乘馬班如，泣血漣如。坎為血，坎水故曰漣如。詩衛風泣涕漣漣，釋文泣貌。坎憂懼，下無應，故有是象。象曰：泣血漣如，何可長也。上六居卦之極，故曰不長。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: riding a horse circles around without moving forward, crying blood and weeping continuously. The trigram Kan has the image of blood; since Kan is also water, it is said 'rippling like water,' describing continuous tears. The Book of Songs, Wei Wind, has 'tears flow like water,' and the Commentary explains it as the appearance of crying. Kan represents worry and fear, and since the sixth line at the top has no responding line below, there is such an image. The Small Commentary says 'crying blood and weeping continuously, how can it last long?' The sixth line at the top is at the extreme of the hexagram, having reached the end, so it is said that it cannot last long.

蒙，亨。匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我。初筮告，再三瀆，瀆則不告。利貞。艮少，坎隱伏不明，故名曰蒙。蒙，樨也，不明也。二得中有應故亨。艮為童蒙，為求。而二至上正反艮，自二言若求五，自五言若求二，有互相求之象。然二陽也，陽大明；五陰也，陰迷。我謂二。匪我求童蒙、童蒙求我者，言二不必求五，五自來應二也。傳曰志應，言二五相應與相上下也。舊解詁實匪字，定謂二不應五者非也。坎為聖為通故為筮。比曰原筮，亦以坎為筮。震為言，放曰告。而二至上正反震，言多，故曰瀆。瀆，褻瀆也。震反為艮，艮止故不告。昔賢說此，總不知再三瀆之故何在，由正覆象並用之義失傳故也。又筮象亦失傳，故初筮不知何所指。豈知坎在下故曰初筮，專指九二。艮坎皆冬日卦，故曰利貞。

The Hexagram of "Meng" states: "It is smooth; it is not I who seek the child in ignorance, but the child who seeks me; if one asks once, then again, it is a profanation, and if it is profanation, then I will not tell again; it is advantageous to ask with sincerity." The Hexagram of "Meng" consists of the Lower Trigram "Gen" (Mountain) and the Upper Trigram "Kan" (Water). "Gen" represents the young man, and "Kan" has the image of concealment and obscurity, hence the name "Meng." "Meng" means "xu," which signifies childishness and lack of understanding. Nine in the Second (Nine Two) is located in the center of the Lower Trigram and corresponds with Six in the Fifth (Six Five) above, hence the smoothness. "Gen" has the image of "child in ignorance" and also the image of "seeking"; from the Second Line to the Top Line, viewed normally it is "Gen," viewed upside down it is still "Gen," so the two "Gen" trigrams face each other. From the perspective of Nine Two, it seems to be seeking Six Five; from the perspective of Six Five, it seems to be seeking Nine Two, which is the image of mutual seeking. However, Nine Two is yang, which is clear; Six Five is yin, which is confused. "I" refers to Nine Two. The phrase "It is not I who seek the child in ignorance, but the child who seeks me" means that Nine Two does not need to seek Six Five, for Six Five will come to respond to Nine Two. The Commentary on the Judgment says "the will corresponds," which refers to the mutual correspondence between the Second and Fifth Lines and their mutual interaction above and below. Old interpretations took the character "fei" as a definite negation, asserting that Nine Two does not correspond with Six Five, which is incorrect. "Kan" has the images of "saint" and "smoothness," hence it also represents "divination"; the Hexagram of "Bi" also uses "Kan" for "divination." "Zhen" has the image of "speech," hence it is said "to tell"; and from the Second Line to the Top Line, viewed normally or upside down, it forms "Zhen," which indicates much speech, hence it is called "du," which means profanation. When "Zhen" is turned upside down, it becomes "Gen," which represents stopping, hence no longer telling. Previous commentators have always failed to explain the origin of "repeated profanation," precisely because the principle of using both the original and inverted images has been lost; the image of "divination" has also been lost. "Initial divination" refers to the First Divination, which specifically refers to the single line of Nine Two. Both "Gen" and "Kan" are associated with the winter trigrams, and winter represents sincerity and firmness, hence it is advantageous to ask with sincerity.

彖曰：蒙，山下有險，險而止，蒙。蒙亨，以亨行，時中也。匪我求童蒙，童蒙求我，志應也。初筮告，以剛中也。再三瀆，瀆則不告，瀆蒙也。蒙以養正，聖功也。志應，言二五互求也。坎為聖，故曰聖功。象曰：山下出泉，蒙。君子以果行育德。艮為君子，為堅，為果。震為行，故曰果行。果行者，言堅定不易也。傳曰：致果為毅。是其義也。震為生為德，故曰育德。以者，法也，言君子法蒙象，而果毅其行，養育其德也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "Meng" has the upper trigram Gen (Mountain) and the lower trigram Kan (Water). The mountain below the water represents encountering danger and stopping, which is called "Meng." "Meng is favorable" means acting in accordance with the way of favorable circumstances, being timely and moderate. "It is not I who seek the naive and innocent, but the naive and innocent who seek me" indicates the harmony of the second and fifth lines. "The first divination tells," because the line nine in the second position is yang and in the center. "If one asks again and again, it is a violation, and thus the oracle does not respond," because repeated questioning shows disrespect toward the naive and innocent. Cultivating the rightness of the naive and innocent while they are still in a state of ignorance is the achievement of the sage. What is called "mutual response" refers to the mutual seeking of the second and fifth lines. The trigram Kan has the image of the sage, so it is said "sage's achievement." The Great Image says: Spring water flowing out from beneath the mountain is the image of "Meng." The gentleman thus acts decisively and cultivates virtue. The trigram Gen has the image of the gentleman, as well as the qualities of firmness and decisiveness; the trigram Zhen has the image of action. Together, they signify "decisive action." "Decisive action" means being firm and unswerving. As the Zuo Zhuan says, "Achieving decisive action is called yi (determined courage)." The trigram Zhen has the images of life and virtue, so it is said "cultivating virtue." "By" means to follow the example, meaning the gentleman follows the image of the hexagram "Meng," acting with determined courage and cultivating virtue.

初六：發蒙，利用刑人，用說桎梏，以往吝。發，啟也。詩大雅思齊篇曰：刑于寡妻。左傳襄十三年：一人刑善，數世賴之。注皆訓刑為法，是刑與型同。利用刑人者，言宜樹之模型，使童蒙有所法式，得為成人，永免罪闢也。坎為桎梏。說文：桎，足械；梏，手械。四無應，故往吝。說文引作遴，雲行難也，吝遴古通。漢書魯安王傳：晚節遴。王莽傳：性實遴嗇。義皆為吝。以往，王安石、朱震、王宗傳、朱子皆訓為以後，大誤。象曰：利用刑人，以正法也。正，平也。坎為平，故曰正法。言以法則示人，俾童蒙有所則效，即釋刑人之義也。

The line statement for the first line (initial line) says: To enlighten the ignorant, it is advantageous to set a model for people, so that he may be freed from restraints; proceeding in this way will bring difficulty. "Fa" means to open up. The "Shi Jing · Da Ya · Si Qi" says "Xing Yu Guo Qi," and the "Zuo Zhuan" Xiang Gong 13th year says "Yi Ren Xing Shan, Shu Shi La Zhi," commentators interpret "Xing" as a standard. This shows that "Xing" is related to "Xing." The phrase "Li Yong Xing Ren" means that one should set a model for the child, so that he can follow it, and when he grows up, he will never commit a crime and be punished. "Kan" has the image of restraints; the "Shuo Wen" says "Zhi" is a foot restraint, and "Gu" is a hand restraint. The first line and the fourth line are both yin lines, and they do not correspond, so proceeding will be difficult. The character "Lin" is cited in the "Shuo Wen" as "Lun," meaning difficult to walk. "Lin" and "Lun" were used interchangeably in ancient times: the "Han Shu · Lu An Wang Zhuan" says "Wan Jie Lun," and the "Wang Mang Zhuan" says "Xing Shi Lun Sa," both meaning to be stingy or difficult. As for "Yi Wang," Wang Anshi, Zhu Zhen, Wang Zong Chuan, and Zhu Xi all interpret it as "from this point on," which is a great mistake. The "Xiao Xiang Chuan" says "Li Yong Xing Ren, Yi Zheng Fa Ye." "Zheng" means level, and "Kan" has the image of levelness, so it is called "Zheng Fa." This means to show the law to people, so that the child can follow it, which properly explains the meaning of "Xing Ren."

九二：苞蒙，吉。納婦，吉。子克家。陽居陰中，故曰苞蒙。五陰來應，故曰納婦吉。震為子，艮為家，五艮體，二應之，故曰子克家。克者，能也，言能任家事也。象曰：子克家，剛柔接也。接與龍戰于野戰字義同，言交接也。

The line statement for the second line says: "To embrace ignorance, it is auspicious; to marry a wife, it is auspicious; the son can uphold the family's affairs." The second line, which is a yang line, is located among a group of yin lines, so it is said "embracing ignorance." The sixth line is yin and comes down to correspond with the second line, like marrying a wife, so it is said "marrying a wife is auspicious." "Zhen" (Thunder) has the image of a son, and "Gen" (Mountain) has the image of a family. Since the sixth line belongs to the upper trigram Gen, and the second line corresponds with it, it is said "the son can uphold the family's affairs." "Kè" means to be able to, indicating the ability to take on family responsibilities. The Small Image Commentary says, "the son can uphold the family's affairs, because the yang and yin lines connect." The character "jiē" (connect) here has the same meaning as the character "zhàn" (battle) in the sixth line of the "Kun" hexagram, "the dragon battles in the fields," both meaning connection and union.

六三：勿用取女，見金夫，不有躬，無攸利。取，娶同。坤為女。見金夫，不用躬，申勿用之故也。金夫者美稱。詩：有匪君子，如金如錫，如圭如璧。左傳：思我王度，式如玉，式如金。皆以金喻人之美。艮為金，為夫。人徒知乾為金，不知艮堅亦為金。易林隨之屯云：金玉滿堂。以屯之互艮為金也。人徒知震有夫象，不知三男皆為夫。比曰後夫凶，以艮為夫也。易林復之剝云：夫亡從軍。以剝上艮為夫也。三與上艮應，故曰見金夫。坤為躬。三體震，震為行而決躁，故見金夫而亟欲往上，不顧四五之阻，故曰不有躬。女行如此，不順，故無所利也。

The third line statement says: Do not take this woman, for when she sees a man like gold and jade, she no longer thinks of herself, and there is no benefit. 'Take' means 'marry'. The lower trigram is Kan, and with the second to fourth lines, it forms the trigram Kun, which has the image of a woman. The two lines 'seeing a man of gold, she does not think of herself' explain the meaning of 'do not take the woman'. 'Man of gold' is a respectful term. The Book of Poetry says 'there is a fine gentleman, like gold and tin, like a jade and a璧', and the Zuo Zhuan says 'thinking of my king's virtue, like jade and like gold', both using gold and jade to describe a person's beauty. The trigram Gen has the image of gold and also the image of a man. People only know that Qian represents gold, but do not know that Gen, being hard, also represents gold. In Jiao's Forest of Changes, the line 'gold and jade fill the hall' takes the trigram Gen as gold, which comes from the mutual trigrams of the Zhen trigram in the Tun hexagram. People only know that Zhen has the image of a man, but do not know that the three young men trigrams Zhen, Kan, and Gen can all represent a man. The line 'the man after the husband is凶' in the Bi hexagram uses Gen as the husband; the line 'the husband went to war and died' in Jiao's Forest of Changes, the line 'the husband went to war and died', also uses the upper trigram of the Po hexagram, Gen, as the husband. The third line and the top line form the Gen trigram, so it says 'seeing a man of gold'. The trigram Kun has the image of the body. The third line is also in the mutual trigram Zhen, which represents action and decisiveness, so when she sees 'a man of gold', she rushes forward immediately, without considering the obstruction of the fourth and fifth lines, hence 'not thinking of herself'—she does not even think of her own body. A woman acting like this is not gentle, so there is no benefit.

象曰：勿用取女，行不順也。坤為順，震躁動，故不順。案此爻舊解，虞翻以陽為金，謂三為二所淫；朱子謂金夫，蓋以金賂己而挑之，若魯秋胡之事：均堪噴飯。若夫王弼以金夫為剛夫，毛大可、惠棟等用卦變，又以兌陽為金，皆非。故夫卦象一失傳，無論若何揣測，皆不能當。其關係之重若是。

The Small Image Commentary says: "Do not take a wife," because her behavior is not gentle. The hexagram "Kun" originally has the image of "following," but the sixth line in the third position is part of the trigram "Zhen," which has the nature of restlessness and impulsiveness, hence it is not following. According to the old annotations on this line: Yu Fan interpreted the yang line as metal, saying that the sixth line in the third position was seduced by the ninth line in the second; Zhu Xi said "gold husband" refers to someone who bribes and flatters with money, like the case of the man from Lu named Chui who played with his wife—these interpretations are all very amusing. As for Wang Bi, he interpreted "gold husband" as a strong husband, while Mao Qilin and Hui Dong used the method of "hexagram transformation," taking the yang line of the trigram "Dui" as metal, but all these interpretations are incorrect. It is evident that once the hexagram images are lost, no matter how one speculates, one cannot reach the truth. The importance of the images in interpreting the Book of Changes is indeed this significant.

六四：困蒙，吝。四無應，承乘皆失類，故曰困。象曰：困蒙之吝，獨遠實也。實為陽，初三五皆近陽，四獨否，故曰獨遠實。六五：童蒙吉。艮為童蒙，上承陽，下應二，雖不當位而居中，故吉。象曰：童蒙之吉，順以算也。上承陽，順陽而行，下與二相上下，故曰順以巽。

The fourth line statement says: "Confined in darkness, there is difficulty." The fourth line and the first line are both yin lines, so they do not correspond. The fourth line is above the third line and below the fifth line, and all are yin lines, so it is not connected to yang lines on either side. Therefore, it is said "confined." The Small Image Commentary says, "The difficulty of being confined in darkness is due to being far from the yang." "Yang" refers to the yang lines. The first line is close to the second line, the third line is close to the second line, the fifth line is close to the top line, but the fourth line is farthest from the yang lines, so it is said "far from the yang." The fifth line statement says: "A child in confusion, auspicious." "Gèn" has the image of "a child in confusion." The fifth line is above the top line and below the second line, and it corresponds with the second line. Although it is a yin line in a yang position and thus not in the proper place, it is in the center of the upper trigram, so it is auspicious. The Small Image Commentary says, "The auspiciousness of a child in confusion is due to following with compliance." "Compliance" should be read as "Xùn." The fifth line is above the yang line, following the yang, and downward it corresponds with the second line, so it is said "following with compliance," and "Xùn" means compliance.

上九：擊蒙，不利為寇，利禦寇。艮手為擊，亦啟發之意。上應在三，三坎為寇，道窮於上，故不利為寇。然艮為堅為守，下擁群陰，勢眾，故利禦寇。坎彖傳云：王公設險以守其國。守謂互艮也，能守故利。象曰：利用禦寇，上下順也。君子守其前，小人隨其後，故利禦寇。上下順者，言坤民順上也。

The line statement for the top yang line (Six at the Top): striking the confused, it is not favorable to act as a plundering bandit, but favorable to defend against bandits. "Gen" represents the hand, which is used for striking, and here also implies the meaning of tapping or enlightening. The top yang line corresponds with the sixth yin line in the lower trigram, and the sixth line belongs to the lower trigram Kan, which has the image of a bandit. Since the top yang line has reached the end of the hexagram, the path is blocked, so it is not advisable to take the initiative in becoming a bandit. However, "Gen" has the image of firmness and defense, and the top yang line is supported by a group of yin lines below, indicating a strong force, so it is favorable to defend against bandits. The "Kan" hexagram's commentary on the judgment says, "The king and ministers set up defenses to protect their country," and the "defense" here refers to the interacting trigram Gen, which enables defense and thus is favorable. The small image commentary says, "It is favorable to defend against bandits, because the superior and inferior are in harmony." The gentleman stands in front, and the petty person follows behind, so it is favorable to defend against bandits. The phrase "superior and inferior are in harmony" means that the people symbolized by Kun are obedient to those in authority.

需。有孚，光亨，貞吉，利涉大川。乾為行，行而遇險，故曰需。需，待也。歸藏作溽，坎兌皆水故溽。溽，溼也，而溽與濡音義並同。楊氏古音云：溽，人餘切，歸藏易需卦作溽，同濡。案孟子：是何濡滯也。是溽有遲義。古文多省筆，疑需為古文濡字，與歸藏同。且濡滯亦有須義，與彖傳不背。周易本因二易而作，溽濡需不過字形之輾轉耳，音義並同也。

The Hexagram Statement of 《Need》 says: With sincerity, there is brightness and smooth passage; if one asks earnestly, one will obtain good fortune; it is advantageous to cross a great river. The lower trigram is Qian (Heaven), representing movement forward, but when moving forward one meets Kan (Water) danger, hence it is called 《Need》, meaning waiting. In the 《Guicang》 Yi, this hexagram is written as 《Ru》, because both Kan and Dui belong to water, so the character has a water radical. 《Ru》 means dampness, and 《Ru》 and 《Ru》 have the same sound and meaning. Yang Shen's 《Gujin》 says: 《Ru》 is pronounced as ren yu, and in the 《Guicang Yi》, the hexagram 《Need》 is written as 《Ru》, which is the same as 《Ru》. Also, in the 《Mengzi》, it says: "What a sluggish delay!" This shows that 《Ru》 has the meaning of delay. Ancient characters often omitted strokes, so it is suspected that 《Need》 is the ancient form of 《Ru》, consistent with the 《Guicang》; moreover, "sluggish delay" itself has the meaning of waiting, which does not conflict with the 《Tuan Zhuan》 explanation of 《Need》 as "must." The 《Zhou Yi》 was originally based on the 《Lianshan》 and 《Guicang》 Yi. 《Ru》, 《Ru》, and 《Need》 are merely variations in form, and their pronunciation and meaning were originally the same.

卦辭皆指九五。五上下皆陰，故有孚；互離故光，得位放亨。貞吉者，卜問則吉也。坤為水，為大川。易林賁之損云：龍蛇所聚，大水來處。以損互震為龍蛇，互坤為水。又師之復：淵泉堤防，水道利通。亦以復坤為泉為水。此外九家說蠱之利涉大川云：此卦乾天有河，坤地有水，二爻升降，出入乾坤，利涉大大川也。亦以坤為大川。

The hexagram statement of 《Need》 refers to the line nine five in every sentence. The line nine five is surrounded by yin lines above and below, and the yin lines are convinced, so it is said "there is sincerity." The lines three to five form the trigram li, which represents brightness, so it is said "light." The line nine five is yang in yang position, occupying the central position of honor, so it is said "smooth." "Zhen Ji" means that divination will be auspicious. "Kun" has the image of water and the image of a great river, which is a Han dynasty interpretation preserved in 《Jiao's Forest of Changes》. 《Beren's Loss》 says "dragons and snakes gather, great water comes from here," using the trigram zhen (dragon and snake) as the mutual trigram and the trigram kun (water) as the mutual trigram. 《Shi's Fu》 says "deep spring and embankment, water channels are convenient," also using the trigram kun as spring and water. In addition, 《Nine Schools Commentary》 explains 《Gu》 hexagram "favorable for crossing a great river" by saying: this hexagram has a river in the middle of heaven (qian) and water in the middle of earth (kun), and the line two rises and falls between heaven and earth, so it is favorable for crossing a great river—again using kun as a great river.

利涉謂五，言五居坤中，孚於上下而利也。故彖傳以位乎天位、往有功釋之。而虞翻謂往指二，二失位，變陰涉坎，故利涉。夫以坎為大川，涉之而利，則不必需矣，是背卦義也。彼夫蹇無坤也，而曰利西南，以蹇五居坤中也。需五亦居坤中，坤為大川，當位而尊，上下皆孚，故曰往有功。五居外，故曰往，非必內卦往外卦方謂往也。此卦只五爻能利涉，他爻無利者，自坤水象失傳，不知五所涉者為坤水、為大川，必以坎為大川，於是易之利涉大川，無一得解者。

"The term 'favorable for crossing a river' refers to the Nine in the Fifth (nine five). The Nine in the Fifth is located in the center of the Earth trigram (Kun), and the yin elements above and below all follow it, hence it is favorable. Therefore, the Commentary on the Judgment explains it with 'positioned in the position of Heaven' and 'going forth with achievement.' Yu Fan, however, says that 'going forth' refers to the Nine in the Second. He claims that the Nine in the Second is out of its proper position and transforms into a yin line to cross the Water trigram (Kan), thus making crossing favorable. But if the Water trigram is considered as a great river, crossing it would be favorable, so what is the need to wait? This contradicts the original meaning of the Need hexagram. Now consider the Jian hexagram, which does not have the Earth trigram (Kun) as its structure, yet it says 'favorable to the Southwest.' This is because the Nine in the Fifth of Jian is located in the Earth trigram. Similarly, the Nine in the Fifth of Need is also located in the Earth trigram. The Earth trigram represents a great river, and the Nine in the Fifth is in its proper position and holds a high position, with all above and below believing in it, hence it is said 'going forth with achievement.' The Nine in the Fifth is located in the outer trigram, so it is called 'going forth,' which does not necessarily mean that 'going forth' refers to moving from the inner trigram to the outer trigram. In this hexagram, only the Nine in the Fifth line is favorable for crossing, while all other lines are not beneficial. Since the lost image of 'Earth as Water' has disappeared, later scholars did not understand that the Nine in the Fifth is crossing the Earth trigram (Kun) or the great river. They merely took the Water trigram (Kan) as the great river, and thus the phrase 'favorable for crossing a great river' in various places of the Zhou Changes (I Ching) became incomprehensible."

彖曰：需，須也，險在前也。剛健而不陷，其義不困窮矣。需有孚光亨貞吉，位乎天位，以正中也。利涉大川，往有功也。須，待也。待則不陷於險中，故不困窮，釋需之故也。位乎天位、往有功，皆謂九五，謂九五居坤水之中，上下皆孚，有功即利涉。虞翻以二當之，失彖傳旨矣。象曰：雲上於天，需。君子以飲食宴樂。坎為雲，故曰云上於天。二四兌，兌口，故曰飲食；兌悅，故曰宴樂。乾為君子。言君子飲食宴樂，從容以俟也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Need" means waiting, with obstacles ahead; the lower trigram is Qian, which is strong and vigorous, so even though facing danger, it does not fall into it, and its meaning does not lead to hardship or destitution. "Need has sincerity, brightness, smoothness, uprightness, and good fortune" because Nine in the Second is in the position of the Son of Heaven, upright and proper; "favorable for crossing great rivers" because going forward will surely bring merit. "Need" is waiting, and being able to wait means not falling into danger, so it does not lead to hardship or destitution—this is the explanation of the hexagram name "Need." "Standing in the position of Heaven" and "going forward and achieving merit" both refer to Nine in the Fifth, meaning that Nine in the Fifth is in the middle of the Earth trigram, and the upper and lower trigrams all follow it, "achieving merit" is also "favorable for crossing great rivers." Yu Fan took Nine in the Second as referring to these two lines, thus losing the original meaning of the Commentary on the Judgment. The Great Image says: clouds rising in the sky is the image of "Need," and the gentleman thus waits calmly, enjoying food, feasting, and revelry. "Kan" has the image of "clouds," and Kan is above Qian, so it says "clouds rising above the sky." The trigrams from the second to the fourth lines form the trigram Dui, which is the mouth, so it says "food"; Dui is also joy, so it says "feasting and revelry." "Qian" has the image of the gentleman. Combined, it says: the gentleman enjoys food, feasts, and revels, waiting calmly for the right moment.

初九：需于郊，利用恆，無咎。乾為郊。初臨重陽，陽遇陽得敵，不能行，故利用恆。恆，久也，常也，言潛龍勿用，守常不變也。守常不動，故無咎。陽遇陽行難，需而不進，故象曰不犯難行。大畜初九曰：有厲利己。厲與難皆指二三。此與鼎九二慎所之、大有初九曰無交、大壯初九曰征凶、夬初九曰往不勝、姤九三曰其行次且，皆因陽遇陽。乃二千年說者皆以需坎為難，謂初不取四為不犯難。豈知難為二三，二三皆陽，陽遇陽行難，故不取四而用恆，非以坎為難而不取也。故夫同性相敵、異性相感之理不明，則易本立失，此不犯難及有厲利己等辭，所以永不得解也。象曰：需于郊，不犯難行也；利用恆無咎，未失常也。陽遇陽得敵，需而不進，故曰不犯難行。難指二三。

The line statement for the initial nine (初九) says: waiting in the outskirts is favorable for maintaining constancy, and there will be no mistakes. The trigram Qian (Heaven) has the image of the outskirts. The initial nine is connected above by the second nine and the third nine, both yang lines. Yang meeting yang creates opposition, making progress difficult, so it is appropriate to maintain constancy. "Heng" means enduring and maintaining the norm, just as the initial nine in Qian (Heaven) "Qian Long Wu Yong" (the hidden dragon does not act) maintains constancy without change. By maintaining constancy and not moving, there is no mistake. Yang meeting yang makes movement difficult, so one can only wait and not advance. Therefore, the small image commentary says "not encountering difficulty in movement." In the line statement of the initial nine of Daxu (Great Accumulation), it says "there is danger, but it is advantageous to be self-restrained," where "danger" refers to the second and third lines. Similarly, in the line statement of the second nine of Ding (Tripod), it says "be cautious about where you go," in the line statement of the initial nine of Dayou (Great Possession), it says "no interaction," in the line statement of the initial nine of Dazhuang (Great Strength), it says "advancing brings danger," in the line statement of the initial nine of Gua (Approaching), it says "going forward is not victorious," and in the line statement of the third nine of Gou (Meeting), it says "his movement is hesitant." All these are due to yang meeting yang. However, for two thousand years, commentators have taken the lower trigram Kan (Water) as "difficulty," saying that the initial nine not taking the fourth line is called "not encountering difficulty." But they fail to realize that "difficulty" refers to the second and third lines. Since both the second and third lines are yang, yang meeting yang causes difficulty, and thus the initial nine does not take the fourth line but maintains constancy. It is not because the trigram Kan is considered difficulty and thus avoided. Therefore, if one does not understand the principle that "like elements oppose each other, unlike elements interact," the fundamental basis of the Book of Changes (Yi Jing) cannot be established, and phrases such as "not encountering difficulty" and "there is danger, but it is advantageous to be self-restrained" will never be properly explained. The small image commentary says: "waiting at the outskirts" means not taking risks in advance, and "favorable for maintaining constancy without blame" means not losing the constant way. Yang meeting yang creates opposition, so waiting without advancing, thus saying "not encountering difficulty in movement"; "difficulty" refers to the second and third lines.

九二：需于沙，小有言，終吉。沙近水，二較初略進，故曰需于沙。二至四伏艮，艮為沙。有言者，爭訟也。乾為言，見左傳；兌口亦為言，見易林。乃兌言向外，與乾言相背，故爭訟。夬四之聞言不信，即如此取象也。兌為小故小有言。有言不吉，然而吉者，象曰衍在中，以居沙衍之中也。穆天子傳：天子遂東征，南絕沙衍。蓋水中有沙曰衍，故曰衍在中，以象中位也。象曰：雖小有言，以吉終者，明有言本不吉，然而吉者，以得中位也。虞翻用半象，謂三四震象半見為小有言，穿鑿之說也。凡易雲有言，及聞言不信、有言不信者，皆爭訟也，非言之有無也。左傳昭五年以謙為饞，首發其義；焦氏易林暢述其旨，於是二千年有言誤解，盡行暴露，與利涉大川同，說詳焦氏易詁中。

The line statement for the second line says: waiting on the beach, there is a slight dispute, but in the end it is auspicious. The beach is near the water, and the second line is closer to the water of the Kan trigram than the first line, so it is said 'waiting on the sand.' The second to fourth lines form the Geng trigram, and 'Geng' has the image of 'sand.' 'Having words' refers to a dispute. 'Qian' has the image of 'words,' as mentioned in the 'Zuo Zhuan'; 'Dui' represents the mouth and also 'words,' as mentioned in 'Jiao's Forest of Changes.' However, the 'words' of 'Dui' are outward, while the 'words' of 'Qian' are in the opposite direction, thus causing a dispute. The line 'hearing words but not believing them' in the 'Gua' hexagram is interpreted in the same way. 'Dui' represents smallness, so it is said 'small words.' Although disputes are not auspicious, the 'Small Image Commentary' says 'the middle is extended,' because the second line is exactly in the middle of the sandbank. The 'Mu Tianzi Zhuan' says 'the Son of Heaven then went east to campaign, and passed through the sandy area to the south.' A place with sand in the water is called 'yan,' so 'the middle is extended' is used to compare the central position of the second line. The 'Small Image Commentary' says 'although there are small words, it ends auspiciously,' clearly indicating that disputes are not auspicious, but they are auspicious because the line is in the central position. Yu Fan used the theory of 'half image,' saying that the third and fourth lines partially form the Zhen trigram, thus 'small words,' which is a forced interpretation. In the 'Book of Changes,' whenever it says 'having words,' or 'hearing words but not believing them,' or 'having words but not believing them,' it refers to disputes, not whether or not there is speech. The 'Zuo Zhuan' from the fifth year of King Zhao's reign interpreted 'qian' as 'calumny,' first establishing this meaning; Jiao Yanshou's 'Forest of Changes' further elaborated on this, thus revealing all the misunderstandings of 'having words' over the past two thousand years, a situation similar to 'advantageous to cross a great river,' as detailed in 'Jiao's Glosses on the Changes.'

象曰：需于沙，衍在中也；雖小有言，以吉終也。解見前。九三：需于泥，致寇至。震九四云：震隊泥。以坎為泥也。九三去險益近，故曰需于泥。坎為寇，三近坎，故曰致寇至。象曰：需于泥，災在外也；自我致寇，敬慎不敗也。坎為災。災在外，明尚未罹災；致寇至，明寇尚未至也。致之故在我，我能敬慎則不至矣，不至則不敗。乾為惕，故曰敬慎。

The Small Image Commentary says: "Waiting by the sand" means being in the middle of a sandbank, "although there is a slight word" but ultimately one will attain good fortune—explanation is given before. The line statement for the third line: waiting in the mud, leading to the arrival of a strong enemy. The line statement for the fourth line of the Zhen hexagram says "Zhen in the mud" ("队" means falling), which uses "Kan" as "mud." The third line is closer to the upper hexagram Kan, which is a danger, so it is said "waiting in the mud." "Kan" has the image of "enemy," and since the third line is adjacent to Kan, it is said "leading to the arrival of the enemy." The Small Image Commentary says: "Waiting in the mud" indicates that disaster is still in the outer hexagram; "self-inflicted enemy," as long as one is respectful and cautious, one will not fail. "Kan" has the image of "disaster." Saying that disaster is in the outer hexagram indicates that the third line has not yet encountered disaster; saying "leading to the arrival of the enemy" indicates that the enemy has not actually arrived yet. Whether or not the enemy can be brought in depends on oneself. If one is respectful and cautious, the enemy will not come; if the enemy does not come, there will be no failure. "Qian" has the image of "caution," so it is said "respectful and cautious."

六四：需于血，出自穴。血，洫之省字，古文如此者不可勝數，且溝洫亦坎象也。諸家以坎有血象，便作需于血，不辭甚矣。兌為穴，易林乾之咸云：反得丹穴。豫之兌云：秋蛇向穴。皆以兌為穴。言四之所處，前臨溝洫，故曰需於洫；而居兌穴之上，故曰出自穴。毛奇齡、惠棟、焦循等皆以坎為穴，用象既誤，故於出義不合也。（祇姚配中詁出字得解。）象曰：需于血，順以聽也。四陰宜順五陽，坎為耳，故曰聽。聽，從也。

The fourth line statement says: waiting by the edge of a ditch, emerging from a hole. "Blood" is a simplified form of "洫," and in ancient texts, such simplified characters are numerous. Moreover, ditches and ditches themselves are symbolic of the trigram Kan. Historically, commentators have interpreted the image of blood in Kan as meaning waiting in a pool of blood, which is clearly inappropriate. The trigram Dui has the image of a hole: in the "Forest of Divination" from the Book of Changes, "returning to a red hole" is mentioned, and in the "Divination of Yu" it says "autumn snake approaching a hole," both interpreting Dui as a hole. This refers to the position of the fourth line, which faces a ditch, hence "needing by the ditch"; and since it is located above the Dui trigram in the interacting trigrams, it also says "emerging from a hole." Mao Qilin, Hui Dong, Jiao Xun, and others all took Kan as a hole, which was already a wrong interpretation, and thus the meaning of "emerging" naturally does not make sense (only Yao Peizhong's interpretation of the word "emerging" makes sense). The "Small Image Commentary" says, "needing by blood, being obedient and waiting." The fourth line is a yin line, which should be obedient to the yang line of the fifth, "Kan" represents the ear, so "waiting" means listening, and "listening" means obedience.

九五：需于酒食，貞吉。坎為酒。食，實也。頤自求口實，鄭作食，是食實可通用。坎中實，故坎為食。易林履之蹇云：天下饒食。謙之坎：食非其任。皆以坎為食。酒食在上，兌口承之，故曰需于酒食。貞吉者，卜問吉也。象曰：需于酒食，以中正也。五位中正，釋貞吉之故也。

The line statement for the fifth line says: waiting in the midst of wine and food, the divination yields a good omen. The trigram Kan (Water) has the image of wine. Food is equivalent to 'real' or 'substance'; the term 'real' in the hexagram Yi (Nourishment) 'seeking food for the mouth' is interpreted by Zheng Xuan as 'food', showing that 'food' and 'real' can be used interchangeably. The middle line of the trigram Kan is yang, symbolizing a full center, hence Kan is also associated with food. The "Forest of Steps" in the "Forest of Steps" says "the world is abundant with food," and the "Forest of Humility" in the "Forest of Humility" says "food is not one's responsibility," both using Kan as representing food. Wine and food are in the upper trigram, and the interacting trigram兑 (Lake) with its mouth is directly below and receiving them, hence the statement "waiting in the midst of wine and food." "贞吉" means the divination yields a good omen. The "Small Image Commentary" says "waiting in the midst of wine and food, because it is in the center and upright." The fifth line is in the center and upright, which explains the reason for the good omen.

上六：入于穴，有不速之客三人來，敬之，終吉。互兌為穴，上來應三，則入於兌穴矣。而陽必上升，故曰不速之客。馬云：速，召也。乾為人，上應在三，故曰三人來。坎為畏懼，故曰敬之，言陰宜順陽也。上居卦終，故曰終吉。象曰：不速之客來，敬之終吉，雖不當位，未大失也。象明曰不速之客來，來而不當位，言三升上不當位也，非謂上六本不當位。王弼不明升降之理，便謂初上無位，真妄說也。苟爽云：上退居三，雖不當位，承陽有實，故未大失。固的解也。

The line statement for the top line says: Entering a cave, there are three guests who come without being invited, and by being respectful to them, the outcome is ultimately auspicious. The trigrams in positions three, four, and five form the trigram Dui, which represents a cave. The top line descending and corresponding with the nine in position three is like entering the cave of Dui, hence the phrase "entering the cave." Yang lines naturally rise, so they come on their own without being invited, hence they are called "uninvited guests." Ma Rong said that "speed" refers to being invited. The trigram Qian has the image of a person, and since the top line corresponds with the nine in position three, and the three yang lines in the lower trigram Qian all rise together, this is why it is said "three people come." The trigram Kan has the image of fear, hence the phrase "respect them," which refers to yin being submissive to yang. The top line is at the end of the hexagram, hence the outcome is ultimately auspicious. The Small Image Commentary says: Uninvited guests come, and by being respectful, one ultimately gains good fortune. Although the line is not in the right position, it does not cause great misfortune. The Small Image clearly says "uninvited guests come," meaning that they arrive and are not in the right position, referring to the nine in position three rising to the top position and being out of place, not that the top line itself is out of place. Wang Bi did not understand the principles of line movement and position, and he said that the first line and the top line have no positions, which is indeed a mistaken view. Xun Shuang said: The top line retreating to the third position, although not in the right place, it receives support from a yang line and thus does not suffer great loss—this is the correct interpretation.

訟。有孚，窒惕，中吉，終凶。利見大人，不利涉大川。乾陽上升，坎水下降，乃乾即在上，坎即在下，違行，氣不交，故曰訟。二陽居陰中，故有孚。坎中實，故窒；坎憂，故惕。二雖不當位，居中，故吉。二無應，遇敵，故終凶。九五中正，故利見大人。坤為大川，二入之不當位，無應與，不能出（若解則能出），沈淪於坤水之中，故曰不利涉大川。

The Hexagram of Strife states: With sincerity but obstructed, one remains vigilant, and it is favorable in the middle but disastrous at the end; it is favorable to meet a great person, but unfavorable to cross a great river. The Hexagram of Strife consists of the Upper Trigram Qian (Heaven) and the Lower Trigram Kan (Water): Qian's yang energy rises, while Kan's water nature descends, yet Qian is placed above and Kan below, moving in opposite directions, and the two energies cannot meet, hence called "Strife." Nine in the Second, with a yang line in the middle of a yin position, is trusted by both above and below, thus "with sincerity." The middle line of Kan is full, indicating obstruction, thus "blocked." Kan also represents anxiety, thus "vigilant." Although Nine in the Second is not in the correct position, it is in the middle of the lower trigram, hence "favorable in the middle." However, there is no corresponding line above, and the meeting Nine in the Fifth is of the same nature, thus "disastrous at the end." Nine in the Fifth is in the center and upright, thus "favorable to meet a great person." "Kun" symbolizes a great river; Nine in the Second is submerged in the water of Kun without the correct position and lacks support, thus unable to emerge (if it were the Hexagram of Resolution, it would emerge), sinking in the water, hence "unfavorable to cross a great river."

彖曰：訟，上剛下險，險而健訟。訟有孚窒惕，中吉，剛來而得中也。終凶，訟不可成也。利見大人，尚中正也。不利涉大川，入于淵也。剛來得中謂二也，中正謂五也。坤為淵，易林震之復云：藏匿淵底。言復陽居坤下，故曰藏匿淵底，是以坤為淵也。今二入居坤中，故曰入於淵，而上無應不能出，沈溺淵中，故曰不利。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The卦 of Strife has a strong and vigorous upper trigram and a dangerous and treacherous lower trigram. Because it is both dangerous and vigorous, it gives rise to strife. "Strife with sincerity, obstruction, vigilance, and middle goodness" is because a strong line is in the lower trigram and occupies the middle position. "Ultimately disastrous" means that strife should not be pursued to the end. "Beneficial to see a great man" refers to the veneration of the virtue of being in the middle and upright. "Not beneficial to cross a great river" indicates the danger of falling into a deep abyss. "A strong line coming to the middle" refers to the line Nine in the Second. "Middle and upright" refers to the line Nine in the Fifth. The trigram坤 has the image of a deep abyss. The易林·Zhen Zhī Fu says "hidden at the bottom of the abyss," referring to the卦 of Return where a single yang line is located below the trigram坤, hence called "hidden at the bottom of the abyss," which is using坤 as the abyss. Now the line Nine in the Second is immersed in the water of坤, so it is said "entering the abyss." And there is no corresponding line above it, so it cannot escape, sinking in the abyss, hence it is said "not beneficial."

象曰：天與水違行，訟。君子以作事謀始。需水上乾下，故氣交；反之則背道而馳，愈去愈遠，故曰違行。行，道也，違行言異道而行也。坎為謀，坤為事，二居坤中，故曰作事。二無應，故入不能出，若慎始則免矣。卦氣以下為始。王弼云：凡訟之起，契之不明。孔疏由於初時契要之過，慎始制契，則訟端絕。按乾坎皆為信，契要者信也，王注優於各家。

The Great Image Commentary says: Heaven and Water each go their own way, which is the image of the hexagram of Strife. Therefore, the gentleman, when beginning to act, should first plan clearly. The hexagram of Waiting has Water above and Heaven below, with the two energies interacting; but the hexagram of Strife is the reverse, thus going in opposite directions and growing further apart. Therefore, it is said "violating the path." "Path" refers to the way, and "violating the path" means not following the same way. "Kan" has the image of "planning," and "Kun" has the image of "affairs." Since the second line is immersed in the body of Kun, it is said "doing affairs." The second line has no responding line, so once it enters, it cannot come out. If one can be cautious from the beginning, it can be avoided. The hexagram's qi begins with the lower trigram. Wang Bi said: All disputes arise because of unclear contracts. Kong Yingda's commentary says it is due to negligence in the initial establishment of the contract. If one is cautious at the beginning of the contract, disputes will naturally be prevented. Since both "Qian" and "Kan" have the image of "trust," contracts rely on trust, so Wang Bi's commentary surpasses others.

初六：不永所事，小有言，終吉。事，訟事也。訟始於初，然初有應，初四相上下成中孚，各當位，則訟事息矣，故曰不永所事。坎上下兌口相背，故有言，有言即訟也。不永故曰小有言，有應故終吉。象曰：不永所事，訟不可長也；雖小有言，其辯明也。兌口多，故曰辯明。

The first line statement says: Do not prolong this lawsuit, even though there is some verbal dispute, it will ultimately be auspicious. "Event" refers to a lawsuit. Dispute begins at the first line, but the first line corresponds with the fourth line, which is yin and yang. The first and fourth lines move up and down, forming the shape of the hexagram Zhongfou, with all lines in proper position, so the lawsuit is resolved. Therefore, it says "do not prolong the matter." The upper and lower parts of Kan are hidden by the mouth of Dui, and the mouths face opposite directions, so there is verbal dispute. "There is speech" refers to dispute. Because it is not prolonged, it is only "a little speech"; because there is a corresponding line, it is "ultimately auspicious." The Small Image Commentary says: "Do not prolong the matter" means that disputes should not be prolonged, "although there is a little speech" means that right and wrong will eventually be clarified. There are many images of the mouth of Dui, so it is said "clarified."

九二：不克訟，歸而逋，其邑人三百戶，無眚。坎為隱伏，故曰逋。上無應，故不克訟，不克訟故逋。逋，逃也。逃歸何處乎？二居坤中，坤為邑為百為戶。茹敦和曰：坎數三，故曰其邑人三百戶。言二選於坤邑之中也。坎為眚，二逋坤中，孚於上下，故無眚。眚，釋文馬云災也。

Nine Two Line Statement: The lawsuit cannot be won, and he flees back, his territory being no more than three hundred households, with no calamity. "Kan" has the image of concealment, so it is said "逋" — to flee. Nine Two has no yao corresponding above it, so the lawsuit cannot be won; unable to win, he flees. "逋" means to flee, but where does he flee back to? Nine Two is in the middle of the Kun structure, so "Kun" has the image of a territory, "hundred," and "household." Ru Dunhe says: The number of Kan is three, so it is said "his territory has three hundred households." This refers to Nine Two hiding within the Kun territory. "Kan" also has the image of calamity; Nine Two fleeing into Kun, with the yin above and below both believing in it, so there is no calamity. The character "眚" is explained by Ma Rong in "Classic Interpretation" as meaning calamity.

象曰：不克訟，歸逋竄也；自下訟上，患至掇也。上謂五，五剛，二與為敵，故曰自下訟上。吳先生曰：掇，借為輟，止也。愚按集韻掇音輟，讀若朵。逸周書曰：綿綿不絕，蔓蔓若何，毫末不掇，將成斧柯。不掇即不輟，言毫末雖微，長而不止，即成斧柯。然則掇輟古通用。又河北方言謂人避事曰掇避，正與此同。掇或作躲，玉篇身也，無避匿之義，非也。歸而逋，即輟訟矣，輟之故因不克訟而有患也。釋文鄭作惙，憂也；近師俞樾又作綴，言禍患之來，聯綴不已也。但小象原以釋經文，作惙作綴於逋義皆無涉；若作輟，則正釋逋義也。逋而輟訟，訟止故無眚。

The Small Image Commentary says: "Not being able to win the lawsuit" means fleeing and hiding, and fighting against the superior from below, so when calamity comes, one must stop. "Upper" refers to Nine in the Fifth. Nine in the Fifth is yang and strong, while Nine in the Second is of the same nature and thus in opposition. Therefore, it is said "filing a lawsuit against the superior from below." Master Wu said: "Du" is a variant of "Chuo," meaning to stop. According to the "Ji Yun," "Du" is pronounced like "Chuo," similar to "DuO." The "Yi Zhou Shu" says, "Continuous and unceasing, how can it be so? If you do not stop the small beginnings, it will become a great axe handle." "Not stopping" is the same as "not ceasing," meaning that even a tiny hair, if it continues to grow, will eventually become an axe handle. This shows that "Du" and "Chuo" were used interchangeably in ancient times. In the dialect of Hebei, people refer to avoiding matters as "Du Bi," which is exactly the same meaning. "Du" is sometimes written as "DuO." The "Yu Pian" explains "DuO" as "body," without the meaning of avoiding or hiding, which is incorrect. "Returning and fleeing" means stopping the lawsuit. The reason for stopping the lawsuit is that one cannot win and is also facing calamity. The "Jing Jing Shi Wen" says that Zheng Xuan's version is "Chuo," meaning sorrow; later scholars Yu Yue changed it to "Zhu," meaning continuous misfortune. However, the Small Image Commentary is meant to explain the main text, so using "Chuo" or "Zhu" has nothing to do with the meaning of "Bu." Only when written as "Chuo" does it properly explain the meaning of "Bu." Fleeing and stopping the lawsuit, once the lawsuit stops, there is no calamity.

六三：食舊德，貞厲，終吉。或從王事，無成。乾為舊為德，坎為食。三承重陽，故曰食舊德。失位故貞厲，承陽有應故終吉。三承乾，乾為王，故曰從王事。坤柔故無成，義詳坤六三前釋。象曰：食舊德，從上吉也。從上即承乾。

The line statement for the third line says: Enjoying the oldofficial stipend and virtue, divination shows danger but ultimately brings good fortune; or following the king's affairs without claiming the merit. "Qian" has the image of "old" and "virtue," while "Kan" has the image of "food." The sixth line in the third position is above the ninth lines in the fourth and fifth positions, so it is said "eat the old virtue." It is a yin line in a yang position and thus lacks proper position, hence "divination shows danger." It is above the yang lines and corresponds with the top nine, so "ultimately good fortune." The third line follows the upper trigram Qian, which has the image of the king, so it is said "follow the king's affairs." The nature of Kun is gentle and yielding, so it accomplishes things without claiming credit, hence "no achievement." This meaning is already explained in detail in the sixth line of the third position of the Kun hexagram. The Small Image Commentary says "eat the old virtue, follow the superior to achieve good fortune," where "follow the superior" means following the upper trigram Qian.

九四：不克訟，復即命，渝，安貞，吉。陽遇陽則窒，故不克訟。巽為命。即，就也，安也。初有應，言復初而安命也。渝，變也。訟則爭，爭則不安，不訟則變而為安貞矣，故吉也。象曰：復即命，渝安貞吉，不失也。失與軼通，荀子哀公篇其馬將失，即其馬將軼也。軼，突也，過也，左傳隱九年懼其侵軼我也。說文車相出也，即從後出前也。不軼即不前出也，釋安貞之義也，與隨初、比二、小畜初同。九五：訟元吉。五位極尊，故曰元。五中正，故訟吉。象曰：訟元吉，以中正也。有中而不正者，有正而不中者，中且正，無不吉。

The fourth line statement says: In a legal dispute, you cannot win, so return and accept the mandate of heaven, change your attitude, and remain steadfast in the right path, which is auspicious. A yang line meets another yang line, leading to blockage, hence the inability to win the case. "Xun" has the image of "ming" (mandate). "Ji" means to return to and be at ease; the fourth line corresponds with the first line, meaning returning to align with the first line and be at ease with the mandate of heaven. "Yu" means change. Disputes require contention, and contention brings unrest; if contention ceases, it transforms into steadfastness, hence auspiciousness. The Small Image Commentary says, "Returning to the mandate, changing to steadfastness brings auspiciousness, because there is no loss." "Shi" and "yi" are interchangeable. In the "Xun Gong" chapter of the "Xunzi," "qi ma jiang shi" (his horse will be lost) is actually "qi ma jiang yi" (his horse will overtake). "Yi" means to surpass or exceed; in the "Zuo Zhuan" from the ninth year of the hidden king, it says "ju qi qin yi wo" (fearing its encroachment upon me), and the "Shuo Wen" explains it as vehicles overtaking each other, meaning one vehicle rushing ahead from behind. "Bu yi" (not overtake) means not to push forward, which precisely explains the meaning of "an zhen" (steadfast in the right path), and its usage is the same as in the first line of "Su" and the second line of "Bi" and the first line of "Xiu." The fifth line statement says: A great auspiciousness in dispute. The fifth line is extremely exalted, hence called "yuan"; the fifth line is also in the center and upright, hence the auspiciousness in dispute. The Small Image Commentary says, "Dispute brings great auspiciousness, because it is in the center and upright." There are those who are in the center but not upright, and those who are upright but not in the center; if both are in the center and upright, there is no failure to be auspicious.

上九：或錫之鞶帶，終朝三褫之。說文鞶，大帶也。錫，命也。上應三，三巽為帶，乾大故曰鞶帶。乃巽為隕落，故終朝三褫之。褫，奪也。坤為夜，乾為朝，上居乾終，故曰終朝，與乾三終日同義。上應三，三體離，離卦數三（此數失傳，祇易林洞林邵子用之），故曰三褫。先儒不知巽為隕落（象本左氏，後祇易林用之），褫之故全在巽，故無得解者。豈知中孚初九云有它不燕，以應四巽也；姤九四包無魚，鼎九四鼎折足，大過九四有它吝，皆以應初巽也。例甚明也。

The line statement for the top nine (上九) says: Perhaps one is given a great belt, but is stripped of it three times within a single morning. The "Shuowen" says "鞶" refers to a great belt, and "锡" means to bestow a mandate. The top nine corresponds with the sixth line three (六三), which is located within the trigram Xun. "Xun" has the image of a belt; since Qian represents greatness, it is called "鞶带" (great belt). Moreover, "Xun" also has the image of falling, so it says "three times stripped within a single morning"; "褫" means to take away. "Kun" represents night, and "Qian" represents morning. The top nine is at the end of the Qian trigram, so it is called "终朝" (throughout the morning), similar to the example of the third line nine (九三) in Qian, which says "throughout the day." The top nine corresponds with the sixth line three, which belongs to the Li trigram. The number of the Li trigram is three (this number has long been lost, but only Jiao's Forest of Changes, the "Donglin," and Shao Yong still use it), so it is called "three times stripped." Previous scholars did not understand the image of "Xun" representing falling (this image originally comes from the "Zuo Zhuan," and later only the "Forest of Changes" continued to use it). The reason for "being stripped" lies entirely in Xun. Therefore, no one could understand it. How could they know that the first line nine (初九) in Zhongfou says "having something but not feasting" because the first line corresponds with the fourth line Xun? The ninth line four (九四) in Gu (姤) says "enclosing but no fish," the ninth line four (九四) in Ding (鼎) says "the tripod breaks its leg," and the ninth line four (九四) in Da Guo (大过) says "having something brings regret," all because the fourth line corresponds with the first line Xun. This principle is very clear.

釋文褫鄭本作扦，惠氏棟據淮南人間訓盜扦其衣被，高誘注云扦，奪也，是仍與褫同。乃宋項安世周易玩辭引鄭注曰：三扦，三加之也。後楊慎、臧琳、朱芹等頗祖述其說，謂三扦其紳，以為誇耀，故象曰不足敬。但論語之拖紳，因孔子病臥，君來視，故加紳於朝服，以為敬；今非病臥，曰束紳垂紳皆可，曰拖紳似不合也。象曰：以訟受服，亦不足敬也。乾為敬，旋得旋失，故不足敬。

The Classic Interpretation says that the character 「褫」 in Zheng Xuan's version is written as 「扦」. Hui Dong, based on the passage in the Huainanzi, "the thief takes away the clothes and bedding," and Gao Yu's commentary that 「扦」 means "to take away," believes that 「扦」 still has the same meaning as 「褫」. However, in the Zhou Yi Wan Ci by Xiang Anshi of the Song dynasty, citing Zheng Xuan's commentary, it says: "three扦" refers to adding three times. Later scholars such as Yang Shen, Zang Lin, and Zhu Qin followed this interpretation, explaining it as three times tying the sash to show off, so the Small Image Commentary says it is not worthy of respect. But the term "dragging the sash" in the Analects refers to the situation where Confucius was ill in bed and the king came to visit, so he put on the sash over his court clothes to show respect. Now, since he is not ill, saying "tying the sash" or "letting the sash hang" is acceptable, but saying "dragging the sash" seems inappropriate. The Small Image Commentary says, "by litigation one receives the garment, which is also not worthy of respect." "Qian" has the image of "respect"; since one gains it and loses it immediately, it is not worthy of respect.

師。貞，大人吉，無咎。師，眾也。坤舍於坎，俱居子方，坤坎皆為眾，故曰師，猶乾舍於離，俱居午為同人也。貞，卜問也。大人，正義作丈人，子夏傳作大人，崔憬、李鼎祚從之是也。此與困貞大人吉同，皆謂二。乾九二云利見大人，利見故吉。陸績、鄭、王等皆讀為丈，謂震為長子，丈者長也，故曰丈人。豈知二得中，臨御萬民，大人之事，以二為大人於象方合，丈人則於卦名不類矣。陸謂丈人為聖人，王謂丈人為莊嚴之稱，皆曲說也。且子夏傳為韓嬰所作（臧庸據七略，謂嬰字子夏。今按藝文志有韓氏二篇，注曰名嬰，其篇數與隋唐志子夏傳卷數同，疑即子夏傳），與田何同時，皆秦遺老，其所據當無誤也。

The hexagram statement of 《Tian Shu》 says: "If one asks a question, the great man will be auspicious, without fault." "Tian Shu" means many. According to the earlier heaven arrangement, the trigrams Kūn and Kǎn both reside in the Zi position, and both have the image of "many," so it is called "Tian Shu." This is similar to the case of Qian and Li residing in the Wu position to form the hexagram 《Tong Ren》. "Zhen" means to ask a question. The term "Da Ren" in the text, the 《Zhou Yi Zhen Yi》 reads "Zhang Ren," while the 《Zi Xia Yi Zhuan》 reads "Da Ren." Cui Jing and Li Dingzuo follow the 《Zi Xia Zhuan》, which is correct. This is similar to the hexagram 《Kun》, which also says "Zhen, Da Ren Ji," referring to the second line. In the hexagram 《Qian》, the second line says "Li Jian Da Ren," because it is favorable for the appearance of a great man and thus brings auspiciousness. Lu Ji, Zheng Xuan, and Wang Bi all read it as "Zhang," saying that Zhen represents the eldest son, and "Zhang" means long, so it is called "Zhang Ren." They did not realize that the second line is in the middle of the lower trigram and governs all people, which is exactly the undertaking of a great man. Taking the second line as a great man fits the hexagram image, while reading it as "Zhang Ren" does not match the hexagram name. Lu Ji said "Zhang Ren" refers to a sage, and Wang Bi said "Zhang Ren" is a respectful title, both are misinterpretations. Moreover, the 《Zi Xia Zhuan》 was written by Han Ying. Zang Yong, based on the 《Qi Lue》, said that Han Ying was named Zi Xia. Now, according to the 《Han Shu · Yi Wen Zhi》, there is a record of 《Han Shi》 with two chapters, annotated as written by Ying, and the number of chapters matches that of the 《Zi Xia Zhuan》 recorded in the 《Sui Shu》 and 《Tang Shu》 Jing Ji Zhi. Therefore, it is suspected that it is the same as the 《Zi Xia Zhuan》. Han Ying and Tian He were contemporary, both being remnants of the Qin dynasty. The version they relied upon should not have been incorrect.

象曰：師，眾也；貞，正也。能以眾正，可以王矣。剛中而應，行險而順，以此毒天下而民從之，吉又何咎矣。震為帝為王，故曰可以王。二應五，坎險坤順，震為行，故曰行險而順。易林以坤為害，坎為毒，震為從。干寶云：毒，荼苦也。按列子宋陽裡華子病忘，闔室毒之，注毒，苦也。師旅之興，不無所苦，然非師旅不能安天下，故民從之而吉也。吳語云：吾先君闔廬，以與楚昭王毒逐於中原柏舉。義與此同也。馬融訓毒為治，與行險而順義不相應，行險即毒，順即民從也。他若王弼之訓毒為役，崔憬訓為亭毒，俞樾訓為督，皆不協。是皆因坎毒之象人不盡知，故眾說紛紜也。豈知噬嗑六三云遇毒，以坎為毒，象甚明也。象曰：地中有水，師。君子以容民畜眾。地中所容畜，莫多於水，故君子法之。

The Commentary on the Judgment (originally mistakenly titled as "The Image says") states: "Shi" means a multitude, and "Zhen" means correctness; if one can lead the people along the correct path, one can become a king. Nine in the Second is yang and in the center, and corresponds with Six in the Fifth. It moves through danger while the people's hearts are in harmony. By using this method to make the world bear hardship, the people still follow, which is auspicious and brings no fault. "Zhen" has the images of "Emperor" and "King," so it says "can be king." Nine in the Second corresponds with Six in the Fifth. Kan represents danger, and Kun represents smoothness. "Zhen" has the image of movement, so it says "moving through danger while smooth." Jiao's Forest of Changes takes "Kun" as "harm," "Kan" as "toxin," and "Zhen" as "following." Gan Bao says "toxin" means hardship; according to the "Liezi," a man named Hua Zi from Yangli in the State of Song had a memory loss, and his whole family was troubled by it, and thus "toxin" is interpreted as hardship. Waging war and mobilizing people cannot avoid making people suffer, yet without military action, the world cannot be stabilized, so the people still follow and thus achieve auspiciousness. The "Guoyu · Wuyu" says, "Our former king Helu, together with King Zhao of Chu, was pursued by the toxin in the Central Plains at the Battle of Bajiu," where "toxin" is used in the same way. Ma Rong interprets "toxin" as governance, which is not consistent with the meaning of "moving through danger while smooth." "Moving through danger" corresponds with "toxin," and "smooth" corresponds with "the people following." Other interpretations, such as Wang Bi taking "toxin" as subjugation, Cui Jing taking it as nurturing, and Yu Yue taking it as supervision, are all inconsistent. This is because the image of "Kan as toxin" is not well known to people, leading to varied interpretations. They fail to realize that the "Yihe" hexagram's line six three says "meeting toxin," which clearly uses Kan as toxin. The Great Image says: the earth contains water, which is the image of "Shi." A gentleman thus takes this as a model to accommodate the people and raise the populace. The earth can contain and store more than anything else, so the gentleman models himself after it.

初六：師出以律，否臧凶。坎為律，律，法也。臧，善也。否臧即失律也，失律故凶。象曰：師出以律，失律凶也。坎為失，故曰失律。九二：在師中吉，無咎，王三錫命。居下卦之中，故曰在師中吉。失位宜有咎，在師中，故無咎。震為王為言，故曰命。震數三，錫，予也。王三錫命者，言王以官爵或車服器物錫予有功，而告命之也。曲禮一命受爵，二命受服，三命受車馬。言二為卦主，撫馭萬邦，而日有所錫予也。舊解謂六五為君，錫命於二，於卦義全背，祇荀爽謂王指二為得解。象曰：在師中吉，承天寵也；王三錫命，懷萬邦也。五天位，言二必升五，為群陰所承也，故曰承天寵。坤為萬邦，言二臨萬邦而有所錫予者，正所以懷念萬邦，坎為懷也。故夫舊解謂六五錫二者，不惟於經背，於象傳亦背矣。

The line statement for the first line (初六) says: When sending out troops, one must rely on military discipline and laws. If discipline is not good, then there will be misfortune. The trigram "Kan" (Water) has the image of "law," and "law" refers to regulations and laws. "Zang" means good, and "fou zang" means losing the law, hence misfortune. The "Small Image Commentary" says, "When the army goes out, it must follow the law; losing the law brings misfortune." "Kan" also has the image of "loss," so it is said "losing the law." The line statement for the second line (九二) says: Commanding the army while being in the center brings good fortune, without blame, as the king has given three commands. Since the second line is in the center of the lower trigram, it is said "being in the center of the army brings good fortune." Although it is a yang line in a yin position and thus should have blame, because it is in the center of the army, there is no blame. The trigram "Zhen" (Thunder) has the image of "king" and "speech," so it is said "command." The number of the trigram "Zhen" is three, and "xi" means to bestow. "The king bestowing three commands" refers to the king granting titles, chariots, and clothing to those who have merited it, and issuing decrees. The "Rites of the Rites" says that the first command is to receive a title, the second to receive clothing, and the third to receive chariots and clothing. This indicates that the second line is the main line of the entire hexagram, governing all states, and bestowing rewards daily. Old interpretations say that the fifth line is the king who bestows commands upon the second line, which is completely contrary to the meaning of the hexagram. Only Xun Shuang said that "king" refers to the second line, which makes sense. The "Small Image Commentary" says: "Being in the center of the army brings good fortune" is receiving the favor of heaven, and "the king bestowing three commands" is to pacify all states. The fifth line is the heavenly position, meaning the second line will eventually ascend to the fifth position, being supported by all the yin lines, so it is said "receiving the favor of heaven." The trigram "Kun" (Earth) has the image of "all states," meaning the second line rules over all states and bestows rewards, which is to pacify all states. "Kan" has the image of "pacification." Therefore, the old interpretations that the fifth line bestows commands upon the second line not only contradict the text but also contradict the "Image Commentary."

六三：師或輿尸，凶。坎為尸，震為輿，管輅以坎為棺槨，故曰輿尸。夫陳師而出，輿尸以還，其無功甚矣，故曰凶。蓋坤為死，三失位無應，以陰遇陰，得敵，故凶如是。象曰：師或輿尸，大無功也。大無功，即太無功。六四：師左次，無咎。次，舍也。震為左，故曰左次。古人尚右，左次則退也。四前臨重陰，陰遇陰得敵，其行難矣，知難而退，故無咎也。象曰：左次無咎，未失常也。未失常者，言四當位，量力自處，故不改其常。

The line statement for the third line says: The army returns by carriage carrying corpses, which is ominous. "Kan" has the image of "corpse," and "Zhen" has the image of "carriage"; Guan Lu of the Three Kingdoms took "Kan" as a coffin, so together they form "carriage carrying corpses." Arranging the army for battle yet returning with corpses indicates no military achievement, hence the omen of danger. "Kun" also has the image of death; the third line, being a yin line in a yang position, is out of place, with no corresponding line above, and encountering similar yin lines ahead, leading to conflict among like elements, thus resulting in such danger. The Small Image Commentary says, "The army returns by carriage carrying corpses, which is great without achievement," meaning there is no significant accomplishment. The line statement for the fourth line says: The army retreats to the left, without blame. "Zhi" means to stay or encamp. "Zhen" has the image of "left," hence "left encampment." In ancient times, the right was considered honorable, so retreating to the left signifies withdrawal. The fourth line is preceded by the fifth and sixth lines, both yin lines, leading to conflict among like elements, making further advance difficult; knowing the difficulty and retreating, thus there is no blame. The Small Image Commentary says, "Retreating to the left without blame, has not lost the norm." This means that the fourth line, being a yin line in a yin position, is in the correct place, and can assess its strength and settle itself, thus not deviating from its usual course.

六五：田有禽，利執言，無咎。長子帥師，弟子輿尸，貞凶。田，獵；禽，獲也。釋文云徐本作擒，王陶廬雲說文無擒字，其見於經傳者皆作禽，展獲字禽，不從手，是其證。下應二陽故有禽獲。二震為言，利執言者，言師出有名，如湯武曆數桀紂之罪、漢高討殺懷王者是也，故無咎。五應二，二震主爻，震長子，居師中為主，故曰長子帥師。二亦坎主爻，坎為震弟為尸，故曰弟子輿尸，輿尸故貞凶。貞，卜問也。言五宜與震，不宜與坎，與坎則使不當矣。象曰：長子帥師，以中行也；弟子輿尸，使不當也。二居中為震主，故為群陰之帥。二坎陷於陰中，不可使，使則有輿尸之禍也。宋衷、虞翻謂弟子指六三，非是，皆因三爻有輿尸字而誤。

The line statement for the fifth line says: hunting yields capture, it is advantageous to raise an army to hold someone accountable, there is no fault; if the eldest son leads the army, but allows the second son to carry the corpse back, then divination would indicate misfortune. "Field" refers to hunting, and "capture" refers to obtaining. The Classic Interpretation says that Xu Miao's version reads "capture"; Wang Tao Lu points out that the Shuowen Jiebi does not have the character "capture," and wherever it appears in the classics it is written as "capture." Liu Xiaohui's name is Zhan Huo, and his courtesy name is "Capture," and he does not use the hand radical, which is clear evidence. The fifth line corresponds with the second line's yang, so there is a capture. The second line belongs to the Zhen hexagram, and "Zhen" has the image of "speech"; "favorable to take up speech" means having a just cause for going to war, like King Tang of Shang and King Wu of Zhou listing the crimes of King Jie of Xia and King Zhou of Shang, or Emperor Gaozu of Han punishing those who killed King Huai of Chu, so there is no fault. The fifth line corresponds with the second line: the second line is the main line of the Zhen hexagram, and Zhen represents the eldest son, who is in the center of the army and serves as the commander, so it says "the eldest son leads the army." The second line is also the main line of the Kan hexagram, and "Kan" is the younger brother of Zhen among the three sons, and also has the image of "corpse," so it says "the younger son carries the corpse back," returning with a corpse, thus "divination indicates misfortune." "Zhen" means divination. It means that the fifth line should take the image of Zhen rather than the image of Kan; taking the image of Kan would mean using the wrong person. The Small Image Commentary says: "the eldest son leads the army" is following the middle path, "the younger son carries the corpse back" is using the wrong person. The second line is in the center and is the main line of Zhen, so it can be the commander of all the yin lines; but as Kan, it is trapped among the yin lines and cannot be sent out, and if sent out, there would be the misfortune of returning with a corpse. Song Zhong and Yu Fan say "the younger son" refers to the third line, which is wrong, because they mistakenly identified it due to the third line's line statement containing the word "carrying a corpse."

上六：大君有命，開國承家，小人勿用。大君指二震，震為君為言，故曰大君有命。坤為國，二升五居坤中，故曰開國。坎為室為家，二升五仍坎體，群陰承之，故曰承家。小人指上六。二升五雖開國承家，上六獨居五後，乘陽勢逆，不順承五，比之後夫凶即此爻也，故戒曰勿用。宋衷、虞翻解開國承家是矣，然二升五於上六何涉？即以勿用為戒，必有故也，不申其故，只以坤為小人，籠統說之，胡可乎？惠棟知其不安，仍不能得其故，竟謂小人指初三，益淆亂矣。象曰：大君有命，以正功也；小人勿用，必亂邦也。二升五位正，故曰正功。坤為邦為亂，上六反君道，故曰必亂邦。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: The great sovereign issues a command, bestows fiefs upon the feudal lords, establishes the families of the ministers and great officers, and the common people should not be used. "Great sovereign" refers to the nine in the second line, which is in the trigram Zhen (Thunder). Zhen has the image of a sovereign and the image of speech, so it is said "the great sovereign issues a command." The trigram Kun (Earth) has the image of a country, and when the nine in the second line rises to the fifth position, it resides within the body of Kun, so it is said "establishing a country." The trigram Kan (Water) has the image of a room and the image of a family, and when the nine in the second line rises to the fifth position, it still belongs to the body of Kan, with the many yin lines serving it, so it is said "sustaining the family." "Common people" refers to the sixth line at the top. Although the nine in the second line rising to the fifth position can establish a country and sustain a family, the sixth line at the top remains after the fifth position, riding over the yang line, creating an adverse situation, and refuses to follow the nine in the fifth. This is exactly what the line "the one who comes late is凶" (unfavorable) in the卦 of "Comparison" refers to, so it warns "do not use" them. Song Zhong and Yu Fan's interpretation of "establishing a country and sustaining a family" is correct, but how is the nine in the second line rising to the fifth position related to the sixth line at the top? Since it warns "do not use," there must be a reason; if the reason is not explained and only vaguely saying that Kun represents common people, how can that be acceptable? Hui Dong noticed this explanation was not appropriate, but still could not find the reason, and even said "common people" refers to the first line and the third line, which only made things more confusing. The Small Image Commentary says: "The great sovereign issues a command" is to determine merit, and "common people should not be used" is because it will certainly cause disorder in the state. When the nine in the second line rises to the fifth position and attains the correct position, it is said "correct merit." The trigram Kun has the image of a state and the image of disorder, and the sixth line at the top violating the way of a sovereign, so it is said "certainly causing disorder in the state."

比。吉。原筮，元永貞，無咎。不寧方來，後夫凶。比，親也，輔也。坎坤同舍於子，故曰比。唐以前先天象失傳，故卦名不得解。清毛大可、黃宗義等知之而之認，後學不察，相率以言先天為戒，而自命為漢易。豈知康成注月令，於季夏云：未屬巽辰，又在巽位。巽若不在西南，未能在巽位乎？是先天方位，鄭且明言之。九家注同人云：乾舍於離，與日同居。荀爽注同人云：乾舍於離，相與同居。注陰陽之義配日月云：乾舍於離，配日而居；坤舍於坎，配月而居。已一再言之乎？比之義即以坎坤同居也。

The Hexagram "Comparison" (Bi) says: Auspicious. If divination is done in the outskirts, it indicates great good fortune, longevity, uprightness, and no mistakes. The restless people from all four directions come together in harmony, but the man who lags behind meets misfortune. "Comparison" means to be close and to assist. According to the Earlier Heaven arrangement, the trigrams Kan (Water) and Kun (Earth) share the position of the Zi (Rat) branch, hence the name "Comparison." The Earlier Heaven arrangement was lost before the Tang dynasty, so the meaning of the hexagram is unclear. In the Qing dynasty, scholars like Mao Qilin and Huang Zongxi knew about the Earlier Heaven concept but refused to acknowledge it. Later scholars followed without investigation, treating the Earlier Heaven as a taboo, and claimed to follow the Han dynasty interpretation of the Book of Changes. They did not realize that Zheng Xuan, in his commentary on the "Monthly Orders," mentioned that in the season of late summer, "the Wei branch belongs to Xun, and is located in the Xun position." If Xun is not in the Southwest, how can the Wei branch be in the Xun position? This shows that Zheng Xuan had already clearly stated the Earlier Heaven arrangement. The commentary in the "Nine Schools of the Book of Changes" on the hexagram "Harmony with Others" says, "The trigram Qian (Heaven) resides in Li (Fire), sharing the same position as the sun." Xun Shuang's commentary on the same hexagram says, "The trigram Qian resides in Li, sharing the same position with others." In his commentary on "the meaning of yin and yang matches the sun and moon," he says, "The trigram Qian resides in Li, matching the sun's position; the trigram Kun resides in Kan, matching the moon's position." Isn't this already stated twice? The meaning of the hexagram "Comparison" lies precisely in the fact that the trigrams Kan and Kun share the same position.

原者田也。左傳僖二十八年：原田每每。注高平曰原。周禮太卜原兆注：原，原田也。按古皆井田，每每者，井與井相間之形。坤為拆，象原田，故曰原筮。坎為筮，坤為原，原筮猶言野筮也。曲禮云：外事以剛日。鄭注：外事，郊外之事。儀禮士喪禮筮於兆域，兆域在郊外，即原筮也。而干寶因周禮三卜，一曰原兆，即訓原為卜，可謂大謬。

"The 'original' refers to the fields. The 'Zuo Zhuan' (Commentary of Zuo) from the 28th year of Duke Xi says 'yuan tian meimei,' and the annotation explains that a high and level place is called 'yuan.' The 'Rites of Zhou' (Zhou Li) mentions 'yuan zhao' in the section on the Grand Diviner, and the annotation says 'yuan' is the same as 'yuan tian.' In ancient times, the well-field system was practiced, and 'meimei' describes the shape of one well field following another. 'Kun' has the image of 'che lie' (cracking), resembling the boundary lines between fields, so it is said 'yuan shi' (original divination). 'Kan' represents divination, and 'Kun' represents the original field, so 'yuan shi' means divination in the open fields. The 'Rites of Ceremonial' (Liji) says 'external affairs are conducted on odd days,' and Zheng Xuan's annotation explains 'external affairs' as matters outside the city; the 'Rites of the Gentleman' (Yili) mentions divination at the burial ground, which is located outside the city, hence 'yuan shi.' However, Gan Bao mistakenly interpreted 'yuan' as divination because the 'Rites of Zhou' mentions a type of divination called 'yuan zhao,' which is a significant error."

按周禮太卜掌三兆之法：一曰玉兆，二曰瓦兆，三日原兆。注：言龜兆似玉瓦原之璺鏬。然則原者原田，田必有璺鏬，象龜兆之形，故曰原兆，豈以原為卜乎？故原指坤，於訓卜固非。孔穎達謂原為原究，朱子謂原為再，王夫之謂原為本，俞樾謂原為始、為本，益浮泛不切。故夫說易而不求象，未有能當者也。

According to the "Zhou Li," the Grand Diviner was in charge of three methods of divination through turtle shells: one called Yu Zhaoguang, another Wazhaoguang, and the third Yuan Zhaoguang; the commentary explains that the cracks on the turtle shell resembled jade, tiles, and cracks in a field. Therefore, "Yuan" refers to the field, and since there must be cracks in the field, the shape resembles the cracks on the turtle shell, so it is called "Yuan Zhaoguang." So "Yuan" is not referring to divination. Therefore, "Yuan" refers to Kun. The idea that "Yuan" means divination is originally incorrect. Kong Yingda said "Yuan" means investigation, Zhu Xi said "Yuan" means repeating, Wang Fuzhi said "Yuan" means origin, Yu Yue said "Yuan" means beginning or origin. These interpretations are even more vague and not accurate. It is evident that interpreting the Yi Jing without seeking the meaning of the hexagrams cannot be done accurately.

元謂九五。永貞者永定也。坤為亂，故曰不寧。方，詩小雅方舟為梁，漢書韓信傳云今井陘之道，車不得方軌，注皆訓方為並。方來，謂下四陰並來歸五也。舊解不求卦象，訓方為將、為四方，皆失之。艮為夫，上六獨居艮後，故曰後夫。下四陰皆承陽，獨上六乘陽不順，故凶。此卦因原象、筮象、夫象失傳，故自漢迄今無得解者。

"The 'original' refers to the Nine in the Fifth. 'Eternal sincerity' means enduring stability. 'Kun' has the image of 'confusion,' so it is said 'not peaceful.' The character 'fang' is explained in the 'Book of Songs, Xiao Ya' as 'fang zhou wei liang' and in the 'Book of Han, Han Xin's Biography' as 'jin jing xing zhi dao, che bu de fang gui,' where commentators interpret 'fang' as 'side by side.' 'Fang lai' means the four yin lines below all come together to submit to the Nine in the Fifth. Old interpretations did not seek the hexagram's image, interpreting 'fang' as 'about to' or 'four directions,' which are all incorrect. 'Gen' has the image of 'husband,' and the Sixth at the Top is alone at the back of the Gen structure, so it is said 'the husband who comes later.' The four yin lines below all support the yang lines, but the Sixth at the Top oversteps the yang line and does not follow, hence it is凶 (unfavorable). This hexagram, because the images of 'original,' 'divination,' and 'husband' have all been lost, has not been understood from the Han dynasty to the present."

彖曰：比，吉也；比，輔也，下順從也。原筮元永貞無咎，以剛中也。不寧方來，上下應也。後夫凶，其道窮也。上謂五，下謂四陰。上六居卦之極，故曰道窮。象曰：地上有水，比。先王以建萬國，親諸侯。先王謂五。坤為萬國，國必建侯，坤多故曰諸侯。五南面稱尊，撫臨天下，故王者取以為法。親即比也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Comparison" is auspicious; "comparison" means assistance, with the four yin lines below obeying the nine five. "Original divination, original length, original sincerity, no fault" because the nine five is a strong yang line in the center; "those who are not at peace will come" because there is mutual resonance between upper and lower. "Those who come late will be凶" because its path has reached its end. Here, "upper" refers to the nine five, and "lower" refers to the four yin lines; the upper six is at the extreme position of the entire hexagram, so it is said "the way is exhausted." The Great Image says: water on the earth, this is the image of "comparison." Former kings established myriad states and drew near the feudal lords based on this. "Former kings" refers to the nine five. "Kun" has the image of "myriad states," establishing states necessarily involves granting fiefs to feudal lords; "kun" governs multitude, so it is said "feudal lords." The nine five faces south and rules, overseeing the world, so it is taken as a model by the king. "Drawing near" is "comparison."

初六：有孚比之，無咎。有孚盈缶，終來有它，吉。坎為孚。五為卦主，故亦孚於初而比之。初失位，本有咎，比五故無咎。坤為缶，初居缶之最下，去五雖遠，然坎雨下注，始於四，以次及初，至初而缶盈矣，故曰有孚盈缶。陽性上升，五升上剝，剝窮上反下，則初陽復矣，故曰來；以其有待，故曰終來。有它謂有應於他方也。大過九四曰有它吝，謂應初也；中孚初九曰有它不燕，謂應四也。此兩卦皆有應而皆不吉者，以得敵為害也，故不安，故吝。此曰有它吉者，以陽來反初，當位有應，故吉。

The line statement for the initial line (initial six): Going to attach oneself with sincerity, there is no blame; sincerity fills the jar, finally the yang returns and corresponds with something else, which is auspicious. The trigram "Kan" (Water) has the image of "fu" (sincerity). The nine in the fifth position is the main element of the entire hexagram, so it also extends sincerity to the initial six and relates to it. The initial six, being yin in a yang position, is out of place and should have blame, but because it attaches itself to the nine in the fifth, there is no blame. The trigram "Kun" (Earth) has the image of a jar, and the initial six is at the bottom of the jar. Although it is far from the nine in the fifth, the water of "Kan" flows down like rain, starting from the six in the fourth, then successively to the initial six, filling the jar, hence "there is sincerity filling the jar." The nature of yang is to ascend; when the nine in the fifth ascends to the top, it becomes the hexagram "Bo" (Breaking). "Bo" reaches the top and then returns to the bottom, so the initial position receives yang and becomes "Fu" (Return). Hence, "coming." Because it requires some waiting, it is said "finally coming." "Having something else" means corresponding with something else. The hexagram "Da Guo" (Great Excess) nine in the fourth says "having something else is a worry," referring to the initial six; the hexagram "Zhong Fu" (Sincerity) nine in the first says "having something else is not a feast," referring to the six in the fourth. These two hexagrams have corresponding lines but are not auspicious, because same elements become enemies and thus cause harm, hence unease and worry. Here, it is said "having something else is auspicious," because yang returns to the initial position, is in the proper place and has a correspondence, hence auspicious.

荀爽以非應釋有它，清易家多從之。豈知大過、中孚皆有應而亦曰有它，則夫有它之不指非應甚明。虞翻謂初動成屯得正故吉，豈知此謂之變，不謂之來，更不得謂之終來。曰終來，固確有所指。且果如虞說，初動之正，乃初爻自變，益不得謂之有它，理甚明矣。虞亦知其說之有鏬，復申曰在內稱來。夫爻在外曰往，在內曰來，如需訟之往來得中、否泰之大小往來皆是；茲曰終來，若僅在內稱來，復何有始終之可言乎？失經旨矣。

Xun Shuang explained "you ta" as meaning there is no corresponding line, and most Qing dynasty commentators followed this interpretation. But they did not realize that both the Great Excess and the Middle Trust hexagrams have corresponding lines, yet they still said "you ta", showing that "you ta" does not mean the absence of a corresponding line. Yu Fan said that the first line changing to the Zun hexagram would result in correctness, hence good fortune; but this is called "change", not "coming", still less "final coming". If it is called "final coming", there must be a specific reference. Moreover, according to Yu Fan's view, the first line changing to achieve correctness is the first line itself changing, so there is no question of "you ta" at all. The reasoning is clear. Yu Fan also realized that his explanation had a flaw, and added that if a line is in the inner trigram, it is called "coming". However, if a line is in the outer trigram, it is called "going"; if it is in the inner trigram, it is called "coming". For example, in the Need and Strife hexagrams, "coming and going achieve the center", and in the Oppression and Great Crossing hexagrams, "great going and small coming" are all such cases. Now, if "final coming" is only referring to lines in the inner trigram being called "coming", how can there be a beginning and end? This would lose the original meaning of the text.

它古蛇字。易林以坤為它，損之比云：大它當路，使季畏懼。以比下坤為它，不讀為誰他之他。繫辭云：龍它之蟄，以存身也。龍為乾，它為坤，言蟄於戍亥也，林所本也。而巽亦為蛇，故大過九四、中孚初九亦曰有它，後儒頗有用焦說者，又一義也。象曰：比之初六，有它吉也。

"It" is an ancient character for "snake." The "Jiao's Forest of Changes" takes the hexagram Kun to represent "it." In "The Loss and the Ratio," it says, "A great snake is on the road, causing the younger one to fear," which uses the lower trigram of the "Ratio" hexagram, Kun, to represent a snake, not the "who" or "he" meaning of "he." The "Great Treatise" says, "The dragon and snake hibernate to preserve themselves," where "dragon" refers to Qian and "snake" refers to Kun, describing hibernation in the positions of Xu and Hai. The "Forest of Changes" is based on this. The trigram Xun also has the image of a snake, so in "Great Excess" nine four and "Sincerity in the Center" initial six, it says "there is it." Later scholars have adopted Jiao Yanshou's interpretation, which is another explanation. The "Small Image Commentary" says that the initial six of the "Ratio" hexagram is auspicious because it has another corresponding element.

六二：比之自內，貞吉。二應五，故曰自內，言自內比五也。二當位中正，故曰貞吉。象曰：比之自內，不自失也。言自內比五，不敢安逸也。失通佚，諸家作得失詁，非。六三：比之匪人。虞氏逸象乾為人。六三不當位無應，承乘皆陰，行失類，故曰比之匪人，言不得陽也。象曰：比之匪人，不亦傷乎。三獨失實，故可傷。

The line statement for the second line says: From within, it is close and attached, and with firmness and correctness it brings good fortune. The second line corresponds with the fifth line, so it is said 'from within,' referring to the inner trigram approaching the fifth line. The second line, being a yin line in a yin position, is in the correct place and in the center, thus it is said 'firmness brings good fortune.' The Small Image Commentary says 'approaching from within, not losing oneself,' meaning approaching the fifth line from the inner trigram, not seeking comfort for oneself—'loss' and 'ease' are related; different schools take 'loss' as 'gain and loss,' which is incorrect. The line statement for the third line says: The one it is close to is not a suitable person. Yu Fan's transmitted image takes 'Heaven' as 'person.' The third line, being a yin line in a yang position, is not in the correct position, and there is no corresponding line above. The line it follows, the fourth line, and the line it is on top of, the second line, are both yin lines, so its actions are not in harmony with the same kind, thus it is said 'approaching an unsuitable person,' meaning it does not obtain yang. The Small Image Commentary says 'approaching an unsuitable person, is it not sad?' The third line alone does not obtain the filling of a yang line, hence it is pitiful.

六四：外比之，貞吉。四承五，外比即從上。貞吉者，卜問則吉也。象曰：外比於賢，以從上也。陽為賢，指五。九五：顯比，王用三驅，失前禽，邑人不誡，吉。九五伏離，當陽得位，嚮明而治，故曰顯比。王謂五。三驅，獵禮也。漢書五行志：田狩有三驅之制。注：三驅之禮，一為乾豆，二為賓客，三為君庖。又晉書五行志：登車有三驅之制。又劉聰傳：校獵上林，將軍負戟前導，行三驅之禮。艮數三，故曰三驅。前禽謂下四陰，上為後，故知前為下。失逸古通，逸前禽者，喻人皆來比，無所誅殺，任其逸也。坤為邑。不誡謂王師寬大，所至之邑，百姓仍安居樂業，人人親附，不驚誡也。說文誡，敕也；廣韻言警也。左傳桓十一年：鄖人軍其郊，必不誡。言無備虞也。

The line statement for the fourth line says: To be close to the fifth line externally, if one asks a question, it will be auspicious. The fourth line is above the fifth line, so 'external alignment' means to be obedient to the superior. 'Auspiciousness through inquiry' means that if one consults the oracle, it will be favorable. The Small Image Commentary says, 'To align with the virtuous externally, following the superior,' where the yang line represents the virtuous, referring to the fifth line. The line statement for the fifth line says: To be closely aligned in a bright and upright manner, the king hunts with the three driving rituals, releasing the animals in front, and the people in the city do not need to be on guard, which is auspicious. Below the fifth line lies the trigram Li (Fire), and since the fifth line is a yang line in a yang position, holding the central position and facing the light, it is said 'manifest alignment.' 'King' refers to the fifth line. 'Three driving' refers to the hunting ritual: The Han Shu, Five Elements Chapter, says that hunting has the three driving ritual, with the note stating that the animals caught in the three drives are used for one as sacrificial meat, two for entertaining guests, and three for the king's kitchen; the Jin Shu, Five Elements Chapter, also mentions the three driving ritual when ascending the carriage; the Liu Cong Biography says that in the Xinyu Garden, when hunting, the general led with a spear, and the three driving ritual was performed. The trigram Gen (Mountain) has the number three, so it is called 'three driving.' 'Front animals' refer to the four yin lines below; the sixth line is at the top, so 'front' refers to the lower ones. 'Loss' and 'escape' were anciently synonymous, so 'escaping the front animals' is a metaphor for all people coming to align, without needing to be killed, allowing them to escape freely. The trigram Kun (Earth) has the image of a city. 'Not being on guard' means the king's army is lenient, and the people in the cities remain peaceful and prosperous, all aligning with the king, without fear or alarm. The Shuowen Jiezi says '诫' means to command, and the Guangyun says it refers to verbal warning; the Zuo Zhuan, Year 11 of Huan Gong, says 'Yun people stationed at the outskirts, certainly not on guard,' meaning without being on guard.

象曰：顯比之吉，位正中也；舍逆取順，失前禽也；邑人不誡，上使中也。九五中正，故顯。逆，迎也，下四陰皆逆我者也，逆而來歸，理應舍之，故曰逸前禽，如紂師之倒戈歸周是也。王注禽順行背我而走者，則射而取之。按順行與我同向，同向即背我，上六是也，故取之。此四字只王注得解。虞翻謂舍逆指上六，前禽指初，豈知後夫如得舍，尚何云凶？初有孚盈缶，即孚於五，又安得獨不及初？而後儒皆從之，異已。上使中者，言五所遣師徒合乎中道，故無過舉，得不誡也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "The reason 'visible comparison' is auspicious is because nine five is in the central and upright position; 'abandoning the opposite and taking the harmonious' is why the animals in front are let go; 'the people of the city do not need to be warned' is because those sent by the superior are in the middle way. Nine five being central and upright is why it is 'visible.' 'Opposite' refers to coming face to face. The four yin lines below are all coming towards me, they approach and submit, and by reason should be let go, so it is said 'the animals in front are escaped,' just like the army of King Zhou turning against him and joining the Zhou. Wang Bi's commentary says that those who run away from me should be shot and taken; those who go in the same direction as me are actually facing away from me, and upper six is exactly like that, so it should be taken. The phrase 'abandoning the opposite and taking the harmonious' is only explained properly by Wang Bi's commentary. Yu Fan says 'abandoning the opposite' refers to upper six, and 'the animals in front' refers to initial six; but if 'the later person' can be abandoned, then what is the point of 'misfortune'? Initial six 'has sincerity filling the jar' and is already sincere to nine five, how could it be the only one left out? Later scholars all follow Yu Fan, which is really strange. 'The superior sends people in the middle way' means that the army sent by nine five is in the middle way, so there are no excessive actions, and thus the people do not need to be on guard."

唐郭京舉正，稱得輔嗣真本，以舍逆取順在失前禽下。朱芹引李清植曰：考象傳，屢以禽與東部字韻，屯三爻禽與窮韻，恆四爻禽與容韻，此又與中韻，郭京所改，顯失易韻。今按詩小雅呦呦鹿鳴，食野之芩，韻與此同。焦氏易林用韻如此者尤多，而履之夬以禽與功韻，與象傳尤符，蓋古音原如此。今晉人讀禽為輕，正與古音合。郭京所稱輔嗣本，無論真偽，不可從也。

Tang dynasty scholar Guo Jing wrote "Corrections to the Zhou Changes," claiming to have obtained the authentic version of Wang Bi's text. He moved the phrase "shě nì qǔ shùn" (abandoning the reverse and taking the smooth) beneath "shī qián qín" (losing the preceding bird). Zhu Qin cited Li Qingzhi's words stating that examining the Image Commentary, the word "qín" (bird) is often rhymed with eastern characters. In the "Zun" hexagram's sixth line three, "qín" rhymes with "qiong" (poverty), in the "Heng" hexagram's ninth line four, "qín" rhymes with "rong" (tolerance), and here it rhymes with "zhong" (middle). Guo Jing's alteration clearly disrupted the rhyme scheme of the Yi Jing. Now, according to the "Book of Songs, Xiao Ya" ("Ode to the Small Ya"), "you you lu ming, shi ye zhi qin" (the deer call out, feeding on wild qin), the rhyme is the same. The "Jiao Shi Yi Lin" (Jiao's Forest of Changes) uses such rhymes more frequently, for instance, in "Lv zhi Guai" (Step on the Guai), where "qín" rhymes with "gong" (achievement), which is especially consistent with the Image Commentary. This shows that the ancient pronunciation was originally like this. Today, people from Shanxi pronounce "qín" as "qing" (light), which matches the ancient pronunciation. Whether or not Guo Jing's claim about Wang Bi's version is true, it should not be followed.

上六：比之無首，凶。坎為首，首謂五也，而五為坎主。上六乘陽，首為所蔽，故曰無首。大過上六曰滅頂凶，既濟上六曰濡其首，與此義同也。而復於此爻更曰反君道，無首即反君道，反君故凶。荀虞皆不知首指五，故說皆不切。清惠士奇更實指曰首指上，謂木一在下為本，一在上為末，末即首，意謂上六為末爻，故為首也，說尤穿鑿。象曰：比之無首，無所終也。道窮故無所終。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: being close but without a leader, it is凶. The trigram Kan (Water) has the image of a head, and the head refers to the fifth line, which is the main line of the trigram Kan. The sixth line at the top is above the yang line, covering the head, hence it is said to have no head. The sixth line at the top of the Great Excess says "drowning at the top is凶," and the sixth line at the top of the Already Completed says "wetting the head," which have the same meaning. However, in this line, it goes further to say that it is against the way of being a ruler: having no head is against the way of a ruler, hence it is凶. Xu Shuang and Yu Fan did not understand that the head refers to the fifth line, so their interpretations are not accurate. Qing dynasty scholar Hui Shiqi even claimed that the head refers to the sixth line at the top, arguing that a tree has its root at the bottom and its tip at the top, and the tip is the head, meaning that the sixth line at the top, being at the end, is the head. This interpretation is especially forced. The Small Image Commentary says, "being close without a head, there is no end." The path has reached its end, hence there is no destination.

小畜。亨。密雲不雨，自我西郊。卦上下皆陽，一陰止於內，故曰小畜。畜，止也。太玄擬之曰斂，雲陽氣大滿於外，微陰小斂於內，是其義也。旁通豫坤為雲，上下皆坤爻，故曰密雲。兌為雨，乃兌雨前遇巽風，為風吹散，雲過日出，故不雨也。兌為西，伏坤為我，乾為郊，故曰自我西郊，言密雲起自西郊，過而不留也。舊解多從虞翻，以半坎為雲，既曰半坎，於密義似不合也。人知坎為雲，不知坤亦為雲，易林困之泰云：陰雲四方，日在中央。以泰上坤為雲也。人知坎為雨，不知兌亦為雨，上繫雲潤之以風雨，風謂巽，雨謂兌也。睽上九往遇雨，亦以兌為雨。

The Hexagram of Xiao Xu states: It is smooth and unimpeded; thick clouds gather but do not rain, the clouds coming from my western suburb. This hexagram has yang lines above and below, with only the sixth line in the fourth position being yin, which blocks internally, hence it is called "Xiao Xu," where "xu" means to block. Yang Xiong's "Tai Xuan" interprets this hexagram as "Lian," meaning that yang energy is fully matured externally while a slight yin energy is slightly gathered internally, which is exactly this meaning. The hexagram of Xiao Xu is in mutual communication with the hexagram of Yu. The hexagram of Yu has the trigram of Kūn, which represents clouds, and since both trigrams are Kūn, it is said "thick clouds." The trigram of Dui represents rain, but rain is preceded by the trigram of Xun, which represents wind, and the wind disperses the clouds, so the clouds pass and the sky clears, hence no rain. Dui represents the west, and the hidden trigram Kūn represents "I," while Qian represents "suburb," so it is said "from my western suburb," meaning thick clouds rise from the western suburb and pass by without stopping. Old interpretations mostly follow Yu Fan, taking "half Kan" as clouds; since it is only half Kan, it seems inconsistent with the meaning of "thick." People only know that Kan represents clouds, but do not know that Kūn also represents clouds: In the "Yi Lin" of the hexagram "Kun" to "Tai," it says "dark clouds in all directions, the sun in the center," which uses the upper trigram Kūn of the hexagram Tai as clouds. People only know that Kan represents rain, but do not know that Dui also represents rain: In the "Great Treatise" of the upper part, it says "moistened by wind and rain," where "wind" refers to Xun and "rain" refers to Dui; in the upper ninth line of the hexagram "Kui," it says "meeting rain on the way," which also uses Dui as rain.

彖曰：小畜，柔得位而上下應之，曰小畜。健而巽，剛中而志行，乃亨。密雲不雨，尚往也；自我西郊，施未行也。雲下降方為雨，尚往者，言雲氣為風所吹，散而往上，故不能雨。又離火上炎，將密雲沖散，不能下落為雨，故膏澤未施也。上往純對下施言。象曰：風行天上，小畜。君子以懿文德。懿，美也。乾為德，離明，故曰文德。離明照天下，巽風散佈四方，故曰懿文德。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "Small Accumulation" is called so because one yin line is in the correct position and the five yang lines above and below all respond to it. The lower trigram is Qian (Heaven), which is strong and vigorous, and the upper trigram is Xun (Wind), which is gentle and enters. The lines Nine in the Second and Nine in the Fifth, which are yang and in the center, have their aspirations realized, hence the hexagram is harmonious. "Dense clouds without rain" indicates that the clouds are still rising; "from my western suburbs" means the grace has not yet been bestowed. Clouds must descend to become rain. The phrase "still going upward" refers to the clouds being blown by the wind and moving upward, so they do not fall as rain. Moreover, the lines Two to Four form the trigram Li (Fire), which rises upward and disperses the thick clouds, preventing the clouds from falling and becoming rain, hence the grace is not distributed. "Going upward" is contrasted with "bestowing below." The Great Image Commentary says: Wind moving across the sky is the image of "Small Accumulation." A gentleman learns from this to cultivate his literary achievements and virtue. "Yi" means beauty. Qian (Heaven) has the image of virtue, and Li (Fire) represents civilization, so it is said "literary virtue." Li's brightness illuminates the world, and Xun's wind spreads throughout the four directions, hence "beautiful literary virtue."

初九：復自道，何其咎，吉。復，來也。初為陽本位，陽來初，故曰復；來初當位，故曰復自道，乾為道也。初前臨重陽，行難，宜有咎，然當位有應，遁世無悶，故無咎也。象曰：復自道，其義吉也。義者宜也，言行誼如此，宜其吉也。

The line statement for the first line (Initial Nine): Returning along one's own path, what fault could there be? It is auspicious. "Returning" means coming. The first position is the proper place for a yang line, so when a yang line comes to the first position, it is called "returning." Coming to the first position and being in the proper place, it is said "returning along one's own path" — the "Qian" hexagram has the image of "the way." Initially, there are two yang lines, nine two and nine three, following it, which are of the same nature and thus difficult to proceed, which should lead to misfortune. However, it is in the proper place and corresponds with line four, which is yin. Thus, it can retreat from the world without distress, like the first line of the "Qian" hexagram, and therefore has no fault. The "Small Image Commentary" says, "returning along one's own path, its meaning is auspicious." "Meaning" refers to appropriateness, meaning the way of action is thus, and it should be auspicious.

九二：牽復吉。復，來也。伏艮手，故曰牽復。玉篇云：牽，速也。禮學記君子之教喻也，道而不牽；姤九三象云其行次且，行未牽也：皆訓奉為速。牽復者，速來也，言來居二得中也。若作陽復解，則九二失位，何復之有？又按九二失位無應，承乘皆陽，本不吉，茲曰吉者，徒以得中也。象曰：牽復在中，亦不自失也。二雖不當位而在中，故吉。清儒多從虞翻，以五牽二，令二變陰應五為說。若然，則各卦非先變既濟不能說也，惑亂後學，莫此為甚。失佚古通，速復故曰不自佚，言不自安逸也。

The line statement for the second line says: "Draw back and return, it is auspicious." "Return" means coming back. The lower trigram is Qian (Heaven) hidden beneath Gen (Mountain), "Gen" represents the hand, and the hand can draw back, hence "draw back and return." The "Zuoyuan" says "draw back" means quick movement. The "Book of Rites: The Record of Learning" says that a gentleman is good at guiding, saying "guide without pulling"; the "Gou" hexagram's third line "Small Image" says "his movement is hesitant, his movement is not pulled,"—these instances of "draw back" are all interpreted as quick movement. "Draw back and return" means quick return, referring to the yang line coming to the second position and occupying the center. If interpreted as the return of yang energy, then the second line, being yang in a yin position, is already out of place, so what is there to return to? Moreover, the second line is out of place and has no corresponding line; it is both above and below supported by yang lines, which is originally not auspicious; yet here it is said to be auspicious, only because it occupies the center. The "Small Image Commentary" says "draw back and return in the center, also not losing oneself." The second line, although not in the correct position, is in the center, hence it is auspicious. Many Qing dynasty scholars followed Yu Fan, saying that the fifth line draws the second line, transforming the second line into a yin line to correspond with the fifth line; if interpreted this way, then each hexagram must first become "Ji Ji" before it can be explained, which confuses and misleads later learners, nothing is worse than this. "Lose" and "escape" were anciently interchangeable; quick return is thus said to be "not losing oneself," meaning not allowing oneself to indulge in ease.

九三：輿說輹，夫妻反目。輹正義作輻，而馬融以為車下縛，鄭玄訓為伏兔，則皆作輹，茲從馬鄭。伏坤為輿，伏震為輹。輹者輿所恃以行，乃輿在內而輹在外，則輿脫輹矣。乾為夫，坤為妻，巽得坤之初爻，故亦為妻。巽為白眼，卦二至上正反巽，白眼與白眼相反，是反目也。三上無應，下乘重陽，故有是象。震輹象失傳。左傳僖十五年筮遇歸妹之睽，曰車脫其輹。夫歸妹之睽，即震變離，震變離則震象毀，故曰車脫其輹。輹，伏兔，上承車箱，下軛車軸，子夏傳、釋名皆以輹為車屐，因在箱下有若履然，故左傳以震為輹。屐，震象也。虞氏改作腹，非也。象曰：夫妻反目，不能正室也。坎為室，坎伏不見，故曰不能正室，言夫無如妻何也。

The line statement for the third line: The carriage's wheel hub has fallen off, and the husband and wife turn against each other. The character 「輹」 in the The Correct Meaning of the Zhou Changes is written as 「辐」, but Ma Rong interprets it as the binding part at the bottom of the carriage, and Zheng Xuan explains it as 「伏兔」. Both interpretations take 「輹」, so we follow Ma and Zheng. The lower trigram Qian is hidden beneath Kun, and 「Kun」 has the image of a carriage. The trigram Zhen, which is hidden, has the image of 「輹」. 「輹」 is the component on which the carriage relies for movement. Now the carriage is inside and the 「輹」 is outside, which is like the carriage losing its 「輹」. 「Qian」 represents the husband, and 「Kun」 represents the wife. Xun is derived from the first line of Kun, so Xun also represents the wife. 「Xun」 has the image of 「white eye」. In this hexagram, the second line to the top line viewed normally is Xun, and viewed upside down it is also Xun, so two 「white eyes」 facing each other, which is 「turning against each other」. The third line and the top line are both yang lines and do not correspond, and below them are two yang lines, the first and second, so this image arises. The image of 「Zhen as 輹」 has been lost. In the Chronicle of the Spring and Autumn Period, in the fifteenth year of Duke Xi's reign, there is a record of a divination encountering the hexagram Guimei changing to Kui. The divination statement says 「the carriage loses its 輹」. Guimei changing to Kui is when the lower trigram Zhen changes to Li, so Zhen is transformed, and the image of Zhen is destroyed, hence 「the carriage loses its 輹」. 「輹」 is 「伏兔」, which supports the carriage above and fastens the axle below. Both Zixia's Commentary on the Changes and the Shiming compare 「輹」 to the wooden shoes of a carriage, because it is located beneath the carriage and looks like a shoe, so the Chronicle of the Spring and Autumn Period uses Zhen as 輹 — wooden shoes are naturally the image of Zhen. Yu Fan changed 「輹」 to 「腹」, which is incorrect. The Small Image Commentary says 「the husband and wife turn against each other, they cannot maintain the household」. 「Kan」 has the image of a room, and in this hexagram, Kan is hidden and not visible, hence 「they cannot maintain the household」, meaning the husband cannot control the wife.

六四：有孚，血去惕出，無咎。四卦主，五陽孚之，故曰有孚。釋文血馬云當作恤，憂也，是馬以血為恤之省文，而荀爽、王弼等直讀為血，非也。坎為恤為惕，乃坎伏不見，故曰恤去惕出，言不憂懼也。四當位有應，上承重陽，故無咎。象日：有孚惕出，上合志也。上謂五上，五上皆陽，四承之，陰遇陽得類，故曰合志，此與升初六之上合志義同也。巽為志，易林姤之小過心志不親，小過中爻正反巽，故心志不親；又蒙之升成子得志，亦以升下巽為志。蓋心志在內，而巽為伏，故巽為志。

The line statement for the fourth line says: There is sincerity, the worries disappear, fear recedes, and there is no fault. The fourth line is the main line of the entire hexagram, and the five yang lines all follow it, so it is said 'there is sincerity.' The Classic Interpretation says that Ma Rong thought the character 'blood' should be read as 'care,' meaning worry, showing that Ma Rong regarded 'blood' as a simplified form of 'care.' Xu Shuang, Wang Bi, and others read it directly as 'blood,' which is incorrect. 'Kan' has the images of 'care' and 'caution,' but in this hexagram, 'Kan' is hidden and not visible, so it is said 'care disappears and caution emerges,' meaning no more worry or fear. The fourth line is a yin line in a yin position and is in the correct place. It is in correspondence with the first line and supports the fifth and top lines, both yang lines, so there is no fault. The Small Image Commentary (originally the word 'says' was mistakenly written as 'day') says 'there is sincerity and caution emerges, harmonizing with the will above.' 'Above' refers to the fifth and top lines, both yang lines. The fourth line supports them, and a yin line meets a yang line, thus obtaining its kindred, so it is said 'harmonizing with the will.' This is similar to the use of 'harmonizing with the will' in the first line of the hexagram 'Ascending.' 'Xun' has the image of 'will.' The 'Forest of Changes' under 'Gou' to 'Small Overstep' says 'the heart will is not close,' because the middle lines of 'Small Overstep' are both Xun, so the heart will is not close. The 'Meng' to 'Ascending' says 'the son achieves his will,' also using the lower trigram Xun of 'Ascending' as the will. Approximately, the heart will is hidden inside, and Xun governs concealment, so Xun represents the will.

九五：有孚攣如，富以其鄰。孚謂孚於四。四卦主，陽喜陰，故下三陽亦孚於四。攣，引也，牽也，言陽皆孚四，有若牽引連接也。九家謂五孚下三爻，虞翻強命二變謂五孚二，並非，陽於陽不孚也。五天子位，巽為利，五乘之，故富。伏震為鄰，富以其鄰，言五之所以富，以鄰於四也。九家謂五以四陰作財，與下三陽共之，故曰不獨富，深得經旨。象曰：有孚攣如，不獨富也。不獨義見前。

The line statement for the fifth line (nine in the fifth) says: There is sincerity and mutual connection, sharing wealth with adjacent lines. Here, "fu" refers to the belief in the fourth line (six in the fourth). The fourth line is the main line of the entire hexagram. Yang loves yin, so the three yang lines below also believe in the fourth line. "Luan" means to pull or connect, indicating that all the yang lines believe in the fourth line, as if they are connected together. The "Nine Schools Commentary" says that the fifth line gains trust from the three lines below, but Yu Fan incorrectly claims that the second line (nine in the second) changes to become the fifth line trusting the second line. Yang and yang do not trust each other. The fifth line represents the position of the Son of Heaven. The upper trigram is Xun, which has the image of "favorable." The fifth line is on top of Xun, so it is rich. The hidden trigram is Zhen, which has the image of "neighbors." "Rich with its neighbor" means that the fifth line is rich because it is closely connected to the fourth line. The "Nine Schools Commentary" says that the fifth line treats the fourth line, a yin line, as wealth, and shares it with the three yang lines below, so it is called "not alone rich," which deeply captures the meaning of the text. The "Small Image Commentary" says, "With sincerity and mutual connection, it is not alone rich," and the meaning of "not alone" is explained in the previous text.

上九：既雨既處，尚德載，婦貞厲，月幾望，君子征凶。雲上往，至上九而極。兌為雨，兌覆向下，是雨已下施也，故曰既雨。既，已也。詩召南江有汜，其後也處，毛傳：處，止也。既處者，言雨已止也。德者雨澤也，尚德載，言雨澤下降，乾旋坤受，地得載其德澤也。巽為婦，柔之為道不利遠，高處在上，非婦德所宜，故婦貞得此爻者厲也。兌為月，互離為日，月西日東相望。幾，孟荀作既，孟云即望十六日也。納甲法，十五日夜乾象，月盈甲；十六日平明巽象，月退辛。上九處巽之終，正既望也。既望則陽將消，又三無應，故征凶。

The line statement for the top nine: rain has already fallen and has already stopped, the virtue of the rain has been carried; a woman who follows this is in danger, the moon is about to be full, and a gentleman going out is in danger. The clouds move upward along the way, reaching the top nine and reaching the extreme. "Dui" represents "rain," and when "Dui" is inverted with its mouth downward, it indicates that the rain has already descended and spread, so it is said "rain has already fallen" — "ji" means already. The Book of Songs, Zhao Nan, Jiang You Si says "qi hou ye chu," and the Mao transmission explains "chu" as stopping, so "ji chu" means that the rain has already stopped. "De" refers to the rain's virtue; "shang de zai" means the rain's virtue has descended, the Heaven rotates, the Earth receives it, and the earth is able to carry this virtue. "Xun" represents "woman"; the way of softness is not suitable for going far, and the top nine is high above, which is not suitable for the virtue of a woman, so a woman who asks about this line is in danger. "Dui" represents the moon, and the second, third, and fourth lines together form "Li" which represents the sun, the moon is in the west and the sun is in the east, facing each other. The character "ji" is written as "ji" by Meng Xi and Xun Shuang. Meng Xi says it refers to the sixteenth day's "ji wang." According to the method of "Najia," the fifteenth night corresponds to the Heaven's image, and the moon is full and receives the stem; the sixteenth day at dawn corresponds to the Xun image, and the moon wanes and receives the stem Xin. The top nine is at the end of the Xun structure, which is exactly the time of "ji wang"; after "ji wang," the yang energy will decline, and since the top nine shares the same nature with the third nine and there is no response, going out is dangerous.

自兌月象失傳，小畜、歸妹、中孚之月幾望，舊解皆以坎為月。豈知易之言月，十九皆謂兌，說卦象與經所用象不盡同也。易林復之臨云：月出平地。以臨上坤為地，下兌為月也。又家人之小畜云：杲杲白日，為月所食。以小畜互離為日，兌為月，兌月侵入離體之半，故曰為月所食。兌月象，後惟邵子知之，而清易家皆不信，豈知邵子所用，與易林合，與易合哉。象曰：既雨既處，德積載也；君子征凶，有所疑也。吳先生曰：古得德同字，德積載，即雨澤得為大地所載也。巽為疑，下無應，陽遇陽，故疑。

Since the image of "兑 as the moon" has been lost, the old interpretations of "月几望" in the hexagrams "小畜", "归妹", and "中孚" all took Kan as the moon. They did not realize that in the Zhou Yi, when talking about the moon, it is mostly referring to兑. The images recorded in the Shuo Gua do not exactly match the images actually used in the text. The Yi Lin, Fu Zhi Lin says "the moon rises on level ground," using the hexagram Lin with its upper trigram Kun as earth and lower trigram兑 as the moon. The Yi Lin, Jia Ren Zhi Xiao Xu says "the bright sun is eclipsed by the moon," using the hexagram Xiao Xu with its mutual trigrams Li as the sun and兑 as the moon, with the moon entering half of the sun's trigram, hence the eclipse. The image of "兑 as the moon" was known only by Shao Yong in later generations, but Qing dynasty commentators did not believe it. They did not realize that what Shao Yong used was consistent with the Yi Lin and also with the Zhou Yi. The Xiao Xiang Zhuan says: "After the rain, it has settled," meaning that the virtue and grace have accumulated and can be carried; "the gentleman's expedition brings danger," meaning that there is doubt in the heart. Wu先生 said that in ancient times, "得" and "德" were the same character, so "德积载" means that the rain and dew can be carried by the earth. "Xun" has the image of doubt; the upper nine has no line corresponding below, and the nine three it meets is of the same yang, hence the doubt.

履虎尾，不咥人，亨。爾雅釋言：履者禮也。故太玄即擬為禮。禮莫大於辯上下、定尊卑，卦上天下澤，尊卑判然，人之行履莫大於是，故曰履。乾為虎，四虎尾，兌在乾後，故曰履虎尾。履，躡也，言三躡乾後也。乾為人，兌口為咥，人在外故不受咥。彖傳曰柔履剛，言三步乾剛之後也。荀爽謂三履二，祇以下卦為說。豈知卦名皆合上下卦取義，無取一卦者。且三履二是柔乘剛，與卦義正相背，非也。

The Hexagram of "Footsteps" states: To tread on a tiger's tail, yet the tiger does not bite, which is favorable. The "Er Ya · Shi Yan" says that "lu" means "ritual," so the "Tai Xuan" interprets this hexagram as "Ritual." There is no ritual more important than distinguishing between superior and inferior, and establishing hierarchy; this hexagram has Heaven above and Marsh below, clearly distinguishing hierarchy, and there is no more important aspect of human conduct than this, hence it is called "Footsteps." "Qian" has the image of a tiger, and the fourth line is the tiger's tail. The lower trigram is Dui, following Qian, so it is said "to tread on a tiger's tail." "Lu" means to tread, referring to line six in the third position treading after Qian. "Qian" also has the image of a person, and "Dui" is the mouth, which can bite. Since the person is in the outer trigram, they are not bitten. The "Tu Zhuan" says "flexible treads on the strong," referring to line six in the third position walking after Qian's strength. Xun Shuang said that line six in the third position treads on line nine in the second, which is only considering the lower trigram. How could he not know that the hexagram's meaning is derived from both upper and lower trigrams, not just one? Moreover, line six in the third position treading on line nine in the second is a flexible line riding on a strong line, which is contrary to the hexagram's meaning and does not make sense.

彖曰：履，柔履剛也。說而應乎乾，是以履虎尾，不咥人，亨。剛中正，履帝位而不疚，光明也。說而應乎乾，謂三應上也。五下履巽，男為病宜有疚，疚即病也，然而不疚者，以五履帝位而中正也。互離為日故光明。人知坎為病，不知巽亦為病，故說疚象無有合者。豈知巽為隕落，當然亦為病。易林巽之鼎云：病傷不治。以鼎下巽為病。兌之蠱云：瘡痍多病。以蠱上艮為瘡痍，下巽為病也。由易林推之易，遁九三云有疾厲，豐六二云往得疑疾，易原以巽為疾病，故易林本之也。（集解荀注多利貞二字，兌秋乾冬正合，然他本皆無。）

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "Foot" represents a soft element stepping on a hard one. The lower trigram is Dui (Lake), symbolizing joy, and it corresponds with Qian (Heaven) above, so stepping on a tiger's tail without being bitten, thus achieving success. Nine in the Fifth is a strong and upright yang line, occupying the imperial position without illness, hence brightness. "Speaking and responding to Qian" refers to Six in the Third responding to Nine at the Top. Nine in the Fifth steps on the interacting trigram Xun (Wind), which has the image of illness, and thus should be "suffering" -- "suffering" is illness; however, there is no illness because Nine in the Fifth is in the imperial position and is upright and central. The trigrams from Three to Five form Li (Fire), which is the sun, hence saying "brightness." People only know that Kan (Water) represents illness, but do not know that Xun (Wind) also represents illness, so the explanation of the image "suffering" is not accurate. How could they know that Xun has the image of "falling," which naturally leads to illness? The "Forest of Changes" under the trigram Xun and the trigram Ding (Abundance) says "illness and injury without treatment," hence the trigram Ding has Xun at its lower trigram representing illness. The "Forest of Changes" under the trigram Dui and the trigram Gu (Restlessness) says "wounds and injuries with many illnesses," hence the trigram Gu has the upper trigram Gen (Mountain) representing wounds and the lower trigram Xun representing illness. By examining the "Forest of Changes," we can trace back to the "Zhou Changes." The trigram Duan (Retreat) at Nine in the Third says "having an illness," and the trigram Feng (Brightness) at Six in the Second says "going and encountering a doubtful illness," thus showing that the "Zhou Changes" originally used Xun to represent illness, and the "Forest of Changes" inherited this. (The "Collected Explanations of the Zhou Changes" cites Xun Shuang's commentary which adds the words "favorable to uprightness," since Dui belongs to autumn and Qian belongs to winter, which correspond with "uprightness," but other versions do not include these words.)

象曰：上天下澤，履。君子以辨上下，定民志。謙坤為民為志，艮止為定。民志之所以不定者，以不知上下也。上天下澤，尊卑顯然，故君子法之以定民志，周公制禮是其事也。初九：素履，往無咎。四無應，二陽，陽遇陽得敵，宜有咎，然而無咎者，以能素位而行也，故曰素履，言屏去浮華，安常蹈素，循分自守也。能如此，故往無咎。象曰：素履之往，獨行願也。得敵無應，故曰獨行；甘於獨行，故無咎也。先儒於同性相違之義知者鮮，故獨行之故無有詳者。

The Great Image Commentary says: Above is Heaven, below is Marsh, which is the image of the hexagram of Footsteps. The gentleman uses this to distinguish the positions of superior and inferior, and to stabilize the people's minds. The hexagram of Footsteps is in mutual communication with the hexagram of Humility. The hexagram of Humility has the image of "people" and "will" from the earth, and the mountain represents stillness, thus representing "stability." The reason the people's will is unstable is precisely because they do not know the distinctions between superior and inferior. Heaven above and Marsh below clearly show the hierarchy of respect and subordination, so the gentleman emulates this to stabilize the people's will—this is exactly what Duke Zhou established the rites. The line statement of the first nine: To act with a simple and unadorned way in walking, going forward without blame. The first nine and the fourth nine are both yang lines and do not correspond, and above them is the second nine, which is also yang. Yang meeting yang creates conflict, which should bring blame; yet there is no blame, because it remains content in its position and acts accordingly. Therefore, it is said "simple walking," meaning to eliminate superficiality, remain in the ordinary way, practice simplicity, and keep to one's proper role. Being able to do this, therefore, going forward brings no blame. The Small Image Commentary says, "Simple walking forward, fulfilling one's own will." Being in conflict yet having no correspondence, it is said "walking alone"; being content to walk alone, therefore there is no blame. Previously, few scholars understood the meaning of "like repelling like," so the reason for "walking alone" has never been clearly explained.

九二：履道坦坦，幽人貞吉。伏艮為道路，比陰得中，故坦坦。坦坦者寬平也。兌為昧無應，故曰幽人。居中故貞吉。象曰：幽人貞吉，中不自亂也。象多釋貞為正，此以不亂釋貞，明貞有正定二義也。

The line statement for line two: The path is smooth and wide, the secluded person remains steadfast and attains good fortune. The lower trigram is Dui (Lake) concealed by Gen (Mountain), and Gen symbolizes the path. Nine two is adjacent to six three's yin and occupies the center of the lower trigram, hence it is said to be 'smooth and wide,' meaning broad and level. Dui symbolizes darkness, and nine two has no corresponding line above it, so it is called 'the secluded person.' Because it is in the center, it is said to be 'steadfast and auspicious.' The Small Image Commentary says, 'the secluded person is steadfast and auspicious, because he remains undisturbed in the center.' The Image Commentary usually interprets 'zheng' as 'correct,' but here it is interpreted as 'undisturbed,' showing that 'zheng' has two meanings: 'correct' and 'undisturbed.'

六三：眇能視，跛能履，履虎尾，咥人凶，武人為于大君。說文：眇，一目小也。兌為小，離目，故曰眇能視。震為履，二三半震，故曰跛能履。眇而視，跛而履，皆力不足而不止之象，故象曰不足以有明、不足以與行也。三正在乾虎後故曰履虎尾。彖言不咥，此言咥者，蓋以上下卦言，乾虎在外，兌在後，故不咥；而以爻言，四虎尾，上虎首，三應在上，上必來三，虎首回噬，故三獨受咥而凶也。

The third line statement says: Although one eye is blind, one still looks; although one foot is lame, one still walks; stepping on a tiger's tail, getting bitten by the tiger, it is dangerous; a warrior serves the great lord. The "Shuo Wen" says "miao" means one eye is small. "Dui" represents smallness, and the interaction of trigrams three to five forms "Li" which represents the eye, so it is said "miao can see." "Zhen" has the image of "stepping," and the second and third lines only form half of the "Zhen" trigram, which is half of the trigram, so it is said "lame can walk." Although one eye is half blind and one foot is lame, yet one still looks and walks, which are images of insufficient strength but unwilling to stop. Therefore, the "Xiao Xiang Zhuan" says "not enough to have clarity" and "not enough to be able to walk." The third line is behind the tiger in "Qian," so it is said "stepping on the tiger's tail." The "Tuan Zhuan" says the tiger does not bite, but here it says the tiger does bite. This is because the "Tuan" considers the whole hexagram, with "Qian" as the outer trigram and "Dui" behind it, so the tiger does not bite. However, the line statement considers the position of the line: the fourth line is the tiger's tail, the top line is the tiger's head, and the third line corresponds to the top line. The top line must approach the third line, so the tiger's head turns back to bite, hence the third line is bitten and it is dangerous.

伏震為武人，乾為大君，三承乾，故曰武人為于大君，言武人忠於大君。陰順陽，代終事，與訟三之從王事同。象釋曰志剛，剛即謂大君，志剛即釋為義也。虞翻謂三失位，變得正成乾，直以武人變為大君，失之。近師俞蔭甫謂此與坤、訟六三之或從王事同義，略露曙光，特又以三升乾上釋為字仍誤也。震武之象，國語重耳筮遇貞屯悔豫，皆有震，曰車有震武。武，足跡也。震健，故震為武，易林本之，遇震即言武，於是履及巽之武人，象始大明。

The lower trigram Dui contains the hidden trigram Zhen, which has the image of "military men," and Qian has the image of "great sovereign." The sixth line in the third position (six in the third) is above the body of Qian, so it says "military men serve the great sovereign," referring to military men being loyal to the great sovereign. Yin follows Yang, taking the place of Yang to accomplish tasks, which is the same meaning as the sixth line in the third position of the卦 of Zhong (Gong) "perhaps following the sovereign's affairs." The Small Image Commentary explains this with "will is strong," where "strong" refers to the great sovereign, and "will is strong" explains the word "for." Yu Fan said that the sixth line in the third position is out of place, and when it changes to become correct it becomes Qian, which is equivalent to directly transforming the military man into the great sovereign, which is wrong. A modern scholar, Yu Yue, said that this sentence is similar in meaning to the sixth line in the third position of the卦 of Kun and Zhong (Gong), which is "perhaps following the sovereign's affairs," which slightly reveals some insight, but he still made a mistake by explaining the word "for" as the sixth line rising to Qian. The image of "Zhen as military" is found in the Guoyu: when Prince Chong'er of Jin consulted a divination, he got "Zhen Tun, Hui Yu," both containing Zhen. The divination statement said "chariots have Zhen military," where "military" refers to footprints, and since Zhen is strong and vigorous, it is called "military." The Jiao's Forest of Changes follows this example, and whenever Zhen appears, it is called "military." Thus, the image of "military men" in the卦 of Li and Xun became clear. The original text after this section continues with the fourth volume, the卦 of Tai: the three lines of the ninth line in the fourth position, the ninth line in the fifth position, and the top line of the卦 of Li, namely "walking on a tiger's tail, cautious and eventually auspicious," "decisive walking, firm and dangerous," and "reviewing the steps and examining the auspicious signs, turning around and achieving great auspiciousness," along with the Small Image Commentary and Shang's annotations, are all missing. I have followed the original text and included them as they are, without substituting with the commonly used version.

泰。小往大來，吉，亨。陽性上升，陰性下降，乃陰在上，陽在下，故其氣相接相交而為泰。泰，通也。陽大陰小，爻在外曰往，在內曰來，故曰小往大來。泰寅月卦，陽長故亨。彖曰：泰，小往大來吉亨，則是天地交而萬物通也，上下交而其志同也。內陽而外陰，內健而外順，內君子而外小人，君子道長，小人道消也。陽上升，陰下降，故氣交。坤為萬物，為心志，交則萬物氣通，心志和合，故曰同。坤志象失傳，易林屯之益云：心勞且憂。益互坤，以坤為心。又需之否云：毛羽憔悴，志如死灰。以否下坤為志為死。（詳焦氏易詁易象補遺）內陽外陰，內健外順，內君子外小人，將老氏宗旨括盡無餘。乾為君子，坤為小人。泰本候卦，陽長故陰消。

The hexagram Tai (Peace) says: the small goes away, the great comes in, it is auspicious and smooth. The nature of yang is to ascend, the nature of yin is to descend; this hexagram is peculiar in that yin is above and yang is below, so the two energies meet and combine to form Tai, meaning 'peace' or 'smoothness'. Yang is great, yin is small; a line in the outer trigram is called 'going away', and a line in the inner trigram is called 'coming in', so it is said 'the small goes away, the great comes in'. Tai corresponds to the month of Yin, when yang energy is increasing, hence the smoothness. The Commentary on the Judgment says: 'Tai, the small goes away, the great comes in, it is auspicious and smooth', meaning that heaven and earth interact and all things are smooth, and above and below interact and hearts are in harmony. The inner trigram is yang, the outer trigram is yin, the inner is strong and vigorous, the outer is gentle and yielding, the inner is the gentleman, the outer is the petty person. The way of the gentleman increases, the way of the petty person declines. Yang ascends, yin descends, so the two energies interact. The trigram Kun has the image of 'all things' and 'hearts'; when they interact, the energy of all things is connected and the hearts are harmonious, so it is said 'same'. The image of Kun as 'hearts' has been lost: in the Forest of Divination (Yi Lin) under the hexagram Zun to Yi, it says 'heart labor and worry'; the hexagram Yi has a mutual trigram of Kun, which uses Kun to represent the heart. In the hexagram Xu to Po, it says 'feathers withered and憔悴, heart like dead ashes', using the lower trigram of Po, which is Kun, to represent the heart and death (see details in Jiao's Glosses on the Changes and The Supplement to the Images of the Changes). The phrases 'inner yang and outer yin', 'inner strength and outer gentleness', 'inner gentleman and outer petty person' summarize Laozi's teachings completely. The trigram Qian has the image of the gentleman, and the trigram Kun has the image of the petty person. Tai is one of the twelve hexagrams of the changing months, with yang increasing and yin decreasing.

按上經始乾坤，終水火，而以否泰為樞紐，明否泰剝復皆天地自然之法象、循環之原理，君子所宜居而安也，靜之象也。下經始咸恆，終既未濟，而以損益為樞紐，明吉凶失得、進退變化全在人為，君子所以自強不息也，動之象也。而否泰損益皆序於第十卦後者，數至十則盈，盈則變也。

According to the Zhou Changes, the upper section begins with the trigrams Qian (Heaven) and Kun (Earth), and ends with Kan (Water) and Li (Fire), taking Pu (Obstruction) and Tai (Peace) as its central trigrams. This indicates that Pu, Tai, Bo (Decrease), and Fu (Return) all represent the natural phenomena and the principle of cyclical change in heaven and earth. Therefore, the gentleman should calmly accept these changes — this is the aspect of 'stillness'. The lower section begins with Xian (Salting) and Heng (Permanence), and ends with Ji Ji (Completion) and Wei Ji (Non-Completion), taking Shen (Loss) and Yi (Gain) as its central trigrams. This shows that fortune and misfortune, gain and loss, advancement and retreat all depend on human action. Therefore, the gentleman should strive ceaselessly — this is the aspect of 'movement'. The trigrams Pu, Tai, Shen, and Yi are all placed after the tenth trigram because the number ten is full, and when full, change is required.

象曰：天地交，泰。后以財成天地之道，輔相天地之宜，以左右民。財裁同，釋文荀作裁，釋言疏財裁音義並同。漢時臣工上疏，裁察每作財察，是其證。財成即裁成也。互震為左，互兌為右，坤為民。以左右民者，孔疏左右助也，以助養其民也。虞翻謂坤富稱財，非。

The Great Image Commentary says: When heaven and earth interact, this is the image of the hexagram Tai. The ruler thus regulates and completes the way of heaven and earth, assisting in what is appropriate for heaven and earth, to help the people. "Cai" and "Cai" are the same: The Classic Interpretation says that Xun Shuang's version reads "Cai." The Commentary on the Shangshu explains that "Cai" and "Cai" have the same sound and meaning. In the Han dynasty, officials' memorials often wrote "Cai Cha" instead of "Cai Cha," which is clear evidence. "Cai Cheng" is the same as "Cai Cheng." The combination of lines two and four forms Zhen, which has the image of "left"; the combination of lines three and five forms Dui, which has the image of "right"; and Kun has the image of "people." So the phrase "using left and right to assist the people" is explained by Kong Yingda as "left and right" meaning assistance, used to support and nurture the people. Yu Fan said that Kun is rich and thus called "Cai," which is incorrect.

初九：拔茅茹，以其匯，征吉。初應在四，四坤為茅茹，此象失傳。易林剝之坤云：荻芝俱死。以坤為荻芝。又同人之屯云：蓬蒿代柱，大屋顛倒。屯互艮為屋為柱，互坤為蓬蒿，故坤亦為茅茹。茹，菜屬也，詩鄭風茹藘在阪，前漢食貨志菜茹有畦。茅，說文菅也。茹與茅為二物。以其匯者，言茅與茹同拔，連類以及也。四有應，故征吉。象曰：拔茅征吉，志在外也。初應在四，故曰志在外，外坤為心志。

The line statement for the first yang line says: Pulling up wild hemp along with wild vegetables, because they are connected by their kind; traveling is auspicious. The first yang line corresponds with the fourth yin line, and the fourth line belongs to the outer trigram坤 (Earth). The trigram坤 has the image of wild hemp and wild vegetables, but this image has been lost. The "Forest of Divination" in the "Book of Changes" says "Dai zhi die si" (Dai and zhi both die), taking坤 as Dai and zhi; the "Harmony of the People" in the "Book of Changes" says "Peng hao dai zhu, da wu dian dao" (Peng and hao replace the pillars, the big house is overturned), where the trigram屯 has the structure of mountain (Geng) as the house and pillars, and the trigram坤 as the wild plants (Peng and hao). This shows that坤 also represents wild hemp and wild vegetables. "Ru" refers to vegetables, as mentioned in the "Book of Songs, Zheng Wind" which says "Ru lu zai ban" (Ru lu grows on the slope), and in the "Food and Goods Annals of the Former Han" which says "Cai ru you qi" (Vegetables and herbs are planted in rows); "Mao" is explained in the "Shuo Wen" as a type of grass called canegrass. Thus, "Ru" and "Mao" are two different things. "Yi qi hui" means that both Mao and Ru are pulled up together, connected by their kind. Since the fourth line corresponds with the first line, traveling is auspicious. The "Small Image Commentary" says "Pulling up Mao is auspicious for traveling, because the mind is outside." The first line corresponds with the fourth line, so the mind is directed outward; the outer trigram坤 has the image of the mind being outside.

九二：苞荒，用馮河，不遐遺，朋亡，得尚于中行。釋文云：荒本亦作巟，說文引同，許雲水廣，虞云大川也。晁氏云：漢易皆作巟，彖辭巟河是一事，象數無田穢之荒，作荒始於王弼。按晁說是也，巟河為對文。王弼蓋以坤為亂，改作荒，豈知坤為水，巟與河皆坤象也。苞今本作包，唐石經增改作苞，釋文亦作苞。二應在五，五坤為大川、為河，言二必上升，有苞括大川、馮涉長河之勢，斷不以其遼遠而不及也。陰以陽為朋，亡，往也，去也。朋往者，言二必往五，得尚居中正之位也。舊詁因坤水象及朋義失傳，故無有得解者。（禮記少儀有亡而無疾，晉語請從此亡，注皆訓為去。）象曰：苞荒，得尚于中行，以光大也。五位尊，故曰光大。

The line statement for the second line says: A vast body of water encompasses everything, crossing the great river on foot, not abandoning the distant, companions coming to join, able to be paired with the noble position of being in the center and acting rightly. The "Classic Interpretation" says: "Huang" originally also was written as "Xing," and the "Shuo Wen" cites the same. Xu Shen explains "Xing" as a wide surface of water, and Yu Fan explains it as a great river. Zhao Shuo Zhi says: Han dynasty versions of the "Book of Changes" all used "Xing," and the "Tuan" statement's "Xing" and "He" were originally the same thing, and in terms of imagery and numbers, there was no meaning of a desolate field as in "Huang." The form "Huang" began from Wang Bi. According to Zhao's view, "Xing" and "He" are indeed parallel terms. Wang Bi probably changed it to "Huang" because the "Kun" hexagram has the image of "luan" (confusion), but he didn't realize that "Kun" is water, and both "Xing" and "He" are images of "Kun." The character "bao" in the present text is written as "bao," and the Tang dynasty stone inscription changed it to "bao," and the "Shi Wen" also uses "bao." The second line corresponds with the fifth line, and the fifth line belongs to "Kun," which has the image of a great river and the image of a river. This indicates that the second line must certainly rise, possessing the momentum of embracing the great river and crossing the long river, certainly not neglecting because the journey is far. Yin takes Yang as its companions, and "wang" means to go or to depart; "peng wang" means that the second line must go to the fifth line, thus being able to be paired with the noble position of being in the center and maintaining correctness. Old annotations failed to explain because the image of "Kun" as water and the meaning of the character "peng" were lost. Therefore, no one could explain it properly. The "Small Image Commentary" says: "Bao Huang, obtaining the noble position of being in the center and acting rightly, to achieve great brightness." The fifth line is a noble position, so it is said to be "great brightness."

九三：無平不陂，無往不復，艱貞無咎，勿恤其孚，于食有福。陂，傾也；復，返也。陽息至三天地分，故曰平。然三居卦終，乾三雲終日乾乾，反復道也，言陽至三而盈，將反初成巽也，故曰無平不陂，無往不復。（巽隕落故傾）平陂往復雖相循環，然三本當位，能艱貞自守，必無咎也。坤為憂恤。（臨六三云既憂之無咎，以坤為憂。易林大壯之損雲使母憂嘆，以損互坤為憂也。詳焦氏易詁。）三臨之孚於群陰，故無恤。兌口為食，坤多故曰于食有福，乾為福也。

The line statement for the third line (Nine in the Third): There is no level ground that remains flat without slope, and no journey that goes without returning. To remain upright in hardship brings no fault. There is no need to worry about one's sincerity, for there will be blessings in food. "Bai" means slope, and "fu" means return. Yang energy grows to the third line, with heaven and earth each occupying half, so it is said "level." However, the third line is at the end of the lower trigram. The third line of the Qian hexagram says "all day long diligent and striving," and its small commentary says "returning and reversing the path," meaning that yang has reached the third line and is full, about to return to the initial position and transform into Xun. Therefore, it is said "without level there is slope, without going there is return" (Xun represents falling, hence slope). Although level and slope, going and returning are interdependent, the third line is originally in the correct position. It can maintain uprightness amidst hardship, thus certainly having no fault. The Kun hexagram has the image of worry (in the line six three of the Lin hexagram, "having already worried, there is no fault," uses Kun to represent worry; in the "Forest of Changes" under the Dazhuang hexagram transforming into the Shen hexagram, "making the mother sigh," uses the Shen hexagram's interacting structure of Kun to represent worry, see Jiao's Glosses on the Changes). The third line is close to the many yin above and gains trust from them, so there is no need to worry. The interacting structure of Dui represents mouth, which governs food; Kun represents multitude, so it is said "there will be blessings in food" — "Qian" also has the image of blessings.

象曰：無往不復，天地際也。廣韻際，邊也，畔也。三應在上，三上居天地之極，極則返始，釋平必陂、往必復之故也。宋衷曰：三位在乾極，應在坤極。以極詁際字，最為明晰。乃惠棟、李道平等解釋宋注，竟從小爾雅謂際者接也，天地際即天地交接也。豈知乾極坤極正釋際義，際若為交接，與無往不復之義何與哉？失宋義矣。其它更無有能得解者。易理之失傳，更甚於易象矣。

The Small Image Commentary says, "Without going there, one must return; this is the boundary between heaven and earth." The Guangyun explains that "ji" means edge or boundary. Nine in the Third corresponds to Six at the Top. Nine in the Third and Six at the Top are located at the extreme ends of Heaven and Earth respectively. When reaching the extreme, one must return to the starting point—this is precisely the explanation for why straightness must turn into curvature and movement must turn into return. Song Zhong said: Nine in the Third is at the extreme of Heaven, and the corresponding line is at the extreme of Earth. He used "ji" to mean "extreme," which is the clearest interpretation. However, Hui Dong and Li Daoping and others, when explaining Song Zhong's commentary, relied on the explanation from the Xiao Erya that "ji" means meeting, and interpreted "heaven and earth's boundary" as the meeting of heaven and earth. They did not realize that the extreme of Heaven and the extreme of Earth are precisely the explanation of "ji." If "ji" is interpreted as meeting, how is it related to the meaning of "without going there, one must return"? This has lost the original meaning of Song Zhong. Other scholars have even less coherent explanations. The loss of the principles of the Book of Changes is more serious than the loss of its images.

六四：翩翩，不富，以其鄰不戒以孚。震為飛，故曰翩翩。坤虛，故曰不富。以，與也。震為鄰。以其鄰不戒以孚者，言四及五上皆有應予，下孚於陽也。陰得陽應必吉，故曰不戒以孚。戒，告誡也。震飛之象，易林屢用之，同人之坎云：出於幽谷，飛上喬木。以坎互震為飛也。證之易明夷初九云明夷于飛，易即以震為飛。舊解以離為飛，若泰無離象也。象曰：翩翩不富，皆失實也；不戒以孚，中心願也。坤為心志。（按益九五云有孚惠心，以互坤為心也。否初象云志在君也，以坤為志也。易林以坤為心志，證尤多。舊解皆以坎為心志，自得此象，凡易言心志者，始皆得解。）中心願者，言陰喜應陽也。陽為實，失實，言無陽。

The line statement for the fourth line says: it flies lightly and swiftly, but is not rich, and together with its neighboring lines, it does not need to be warned and is sincere in heart. 'Zhen' (Thunder) has the image of 'flying', so it is said 'pian pian' (light and swift). 'Kun' (Earth) is empty and hollow, so it is said 'not rich'. 'Yi' (with, together with) indicates connection, and 'Zhen' also has the image of 'neighbors'. 'With its neighbor, without warning, it is sincere', means that the sixth line at the fourth position, together with the ninth line at the fifth position and the sixth line at the top, each has corresponding lines, and they connect downward with yang lines. When yin connects with yang, it is certainly auspicious, so it is said 'without warning, it is sincere'; 'warning' means to admonish. The image of 'Zhen as flying' is frequently used in the 'Jiao's Forest of Changes'. In 'Tongren' (Union) changing into 'Can' (Obstruction), it says 'emerging from the deep valley, flying up to the tall tree', using the 'Zhen' trigram in the mutual trigrams of 'Can' as the image of flying. Taking the 'Zhou Yi' (I Ching) as evidence, in 'Mingyi' (Darkness) line one it says 'darkness in flying', showing that the 'Zhou Yi' itself uses 'Zhen' as flying. Old interpretations took 'Li' (Fire) as flying, but the 'Tai' (Great Passage) hexagram does not have the image of 'Li'. The 'Small Image Commentary' says: 'pian pian, not rich', meaning that all three yin lines have lost the充实 (fullness) of yang; 'without warning, it is sincere', meaning that it comes from the inner wish. 'Kun' has the image of 'heart and will' (according to line five of 'Yi' (Increase), 'there is sincerity and kindness in the heart', using the 'Kun' trigram in the mutual trigrams as the heart; line one of 'Po' (Obstruction) 'Small Image Commentary' says 'the will is in the ruler', using 'Kun' as the will; the 'Jiao's Forest of Changes' has many examples of using 'Kun' as heart and will. Old interpretations took 'Kan' (Water) as heart and will, but since this image was rediscovered, all passages in the 'Zhou Yi' concerning heart and will can now be understood. 'Centered wish' means that yin likes to correspond with yang. Yang is 'real', 'losing real' means lacking yang.

六五：帝乙歸妹，以祉元吉。震為帝，坤貞乙，故曰帝乙。兌為妹，震為歸，婦人謂嫁曰歸，歸妹謂嫁妹也，正中爻震兌象也。祉，福也。以祉元吉者，言二升五，五來二（來二即歸），各當其位，永為儷耦，故元吉也。象釋曰中以行願，即謂五願歸居二也。帝乙或謂為成湯，或謂為紂父。象曰：以祉元吉，中以行願也。五位尊，故曰元吉。中以行願，即謂五願歸二也。

The line statement for the fifth line says: "The Emperor Yi marries his daughter, thus obtaining blessings, which is a great auspicious omen." "Zhen" (Thunder) has the image of "Emperor," and in the method of Najia, "Kun" is paired with "Yi," so they are collectively called "Emperor Yi." "Dui" (Lake) has the image of "younger sister," and "Zhen" has the image of "returning." A woman's marriage is called "returning," so "returning sister" refers to the marriage of a younger sister. This is precisely taking the images of the interacting trigrams Zhen and Dui in the middle lines. "Zhi" means blessing. "With blessings, great auspiciousness" means that Nine in the Second ascends to the fifth position and Six in the Fifth moves to the second position ("coming to two" means marriage), each occupying their proper positions, thus forming a lasting union, hence great auspiciousness. The Small Image Commentary explains this with "being in the center to fulfill the wish," meaning that Six in the Fifth wishes to marry and occupies the second position. "Emperor Yi" is said by some to be Tang of Shang, and by others to be the father of King Zhou. The Small Image Commentary says, "With blessings, great auspiciousness, being in the center to fulfill the wish." The fifth position is noble, hence "great auspiciousness"; "being in the center to fulfill the wish" means that Six in the Fifth wishes to marry Nine in the Second.

上六：城復于隍，勿用師，自邑告命，貞吝。復覆通，詩陶復陶穴，說文引作覆，是其證。艮為城，兌為隍，城池也。三至上艮覆，正當兌澤，故曰城覆於隍。九家云：城覆於隍，國政崩也。崩即謂艮覆。京房於復卦朋來無咎，朋作崩，與此義同也。又易林歸妹之泰云：傾奪我城，使家不寧。城傾即謂泰三至上艮覆，釋此爻也。坤為師，震為言、為告命，坤陰下降主退，故曰勿用。吳先生曰：邑，挹之省文，挹，損也，言自挹損其告命，如復世之下詔罪己也。貞吝，言卜問不吉，泰極將返否故也。象曰：城復于隍，其命亂也。坤為亂。其命亂者，言泰極返否，為天地自然之命運，無可避免。此命字與告命異，諸家混同之，非。

The line statement for the top line says: The city falls into the moat; do not use the army; issue orders from the city; divination shows difficulty. "Fu" and "Fu" are the same character; the "Fu" in the "Book of Songs" "Tao Fu Tao Xue" is cited in the "Shuo Wen" as "Fu," which is clear evidence. "Gen" has the image of a city, and "Dui" has the image of a moat, which is the dry moat surrounding a city. The third line to the top line forms an inverted "Gen," facing the "Dui" marsh below, so it is said "the city falls into the moat." The "Jiu Jia Yi" says: when the city falls into the moat, it indicates the collapse of state affairs; "collapse" refers to the overturning of "Gen." Jing Fang wrote "Bing" for "Peng" in the line statement of the "Fu" hexagram, taking the same meaning. Also, the "Yi Lin" in the "Gui Mei" to "Tai" says "the city is overturned, causing family unrest," "city overturned" refers to the inverted "Gen" from the third to the top line in the "Tai" hexagram, which explains this line. "Kun" has the image of an army, and "Zhen" has the image of speech and issuing orders; "Kun" is yin and has a downward nature, thus it says "do not use." Wu said: "Yi" is a simplified form of "Yi," which means reduction; "Yi" means self-reduction of orders, like later emperors issuing self-criticizing edicts. "Zhen Lin" means divination shows difficulty, because the "Tai" hexagram reaches its extreme and will return to "Pou." The "Xiao Xiang Chuan" says "the city falls into the moat, its destiny is chaotic." "Kun" has the image of chaos. So "its destiny is chaotic" means that the "Tai" hexagram reaches its extreme and returns to "Pou," which is the natural destiny of heaven and earth, unavoidable. This "ming" is different from the previous "gao ming," and various schools confused the two, which is wrong.

否之匪人，不利君子貞，大往小來。陽上升，陰下降，乃陽即在上，陰即在下，愈去愈遠，故天地不交而為否。否，閉也。《泰》上六《象傳》云「其命亂也」，言泰極反否，乃天地自然之命運，必至之理，非人力所能為。此曰否之匪人，仍其義也。陽往外而詘，陰來內而信，故不利君子貞。貞，卜問。其以正為說者，無論若何斡旋，皆不能通。

The Hexagram of "Obstruction" states: "Obstruction is not caused by people; it is not favorable for the gentleman to ask questions, great things go out and small things come in." Yang energy naturally rises, while Yin energy naturally descends. In the Hexagram of "Obstruction," Heaven is above and Earth is below. Yang originally resides above, and Yin originally resides below, each following its natural tendency, thus moving further apart. Therefore, the energies of Heaven and Earth cannot meet, resulting in "Obstruction." "Obstruction" means blockage. The Image Commentary of the top line of the Hexagram of "Prosperity" says, "Its fate is confused," referring to the fact that when "Prosperity" reaches its peak, it naturally turns into "Obstruction." This is the inherent movement of Heaven and Earth, an inevitable truth, not something humans can create. Here, the phrase "Obstruction is not caused by people" expresses the same meaning: obstruction is not due to human actions. Yang lines move outward and contract, while Yin lines move inward and expand, hence it is unfavorable for the gentleman's divination. "Zhen" here refers to divination; the old interpretation that "Zhen" means upholding righteousness does not make sense regardless of how one explains it.

彖曰：否之匪人，不利君子貞，大往小來。則是天地不交，而萬物不通也；上下不交，而天下無邦也。內陰而外陽，內柔而外剛，內小人而外君子，小人道長，君子道消也。天氣本上騰而在外，地氣本下降而在內，愈去愈遠，故氣不交。氣不交故萬物不通而死矣。坤為萬物，為邦國。乾上坤下，君民不親，上下閉塞，而邦必亂，故曰無邦。否七月卦，陰長陽消，故曰小人道長，君子道消。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "When the hexagram of 'Obstruction' is present, it is not favorable for the gentleman to maintain his constancy. Great things go away and small things come in. This is because the heavens and earth do not interact, and thus all things are not in communication. The superior and inferior do not interact, and thus the world has no order. The inner trigram is yin and the outer trigram is yang; the inner is soft and the outer is strong; the inner is the small person and the outer is the gentleman. The path of the small person grows longer, and the path of the gentleman diminishes." The qi of heaven naturally rises, but the trigram Qian is in the outer trigram; the qi of earth naturally descends, but the trigram Kun is in the inner trigram. The two qi move further apart, so they cannot interact. When the two qi do not interact, all things cannot be nurtured and thus wither. Shang氏 uses the image of the hexagram to explain: the trigram Kun has the image of "all things" and also the image of "state and country." This hexagram has Qian above and Kun below, with the ruler above and the people below, but they do not relate closely. The superior and inferior are blocked, so the state and country must be in disorder. Therefore, the Commentary on the Judgment says "no state." The hexagram of 'Obstruction' is the seventh month hexagram in the twelve hexagrams of change. At this time, the yin qi gradually increases and the yang qi gradually decreases, so it is said "the path of the small person grows longer, and the path of the gentleman diminishes."

象曰：天地不交，否。君子以儉德辟難，不可榮以祿。乾為德，儉，約也。坤閉故曰儉德，言斂抑自守也。互巽為伏，故曰辟難。坤為患，為難，言遁世不出，以避世難。乾為祿，艮為榮，巽伏故不可榮以祿位，言當否之時，遁人山林，高隱不出也。初六：拔茅茹以其匯，征吉，亨。陰皆有應，故辭與泰同。泰茅茹象，指應爻；此則用本象也。象曰：拔茅征吉，志在君也。坤為志，乾為君。志在君，言上應四也。

The Great Image says: "Heaven and Earth do not interact, hence the situation of 'Obstruction.' The superior person uses frugality in virtue to avoid calamity, and cannot be honored with official rank." The Qian trigram has the image of "virtue," and "frugality" refers to restraint and containment. The Kun trigram is characterized by closure, and when combined with the virtue of Qian, it forms "frugal virtue," which refers to self-restraint and self-preservation. The "Obstruction" hexagram, with its second to fourth lines forming the Xun trigram, has the image of concealment, hence the saying "avoiding calamity." The Kun trigram also has the images of "anxiety" and "calamity," so together they indicate that the superior person should retreat from the world and avoid the difficulties of the age. Qian represents official rank, Gen represents honor, and Xun signifies concealment, hence "one cannot be honored with official rank." The whole sentence means: in this age of obstruction, the superior person should retreat into the mountains, leading a reclusive life and not entering official service. The line statement for the first line: "Pulling up the wild hemp by its roots, following its kind, the journey is auspicious and harmonious." The "Obstruction" hexagram has three yin lines, each corresponding to a yang line, so the wording is the same as the first line of the "Prosperity" hexagram. However, in the "Prosperity" hexagram, the image of "wild hemp" comes from the corresponding line, whereas here it comes from the trigram of the line itself, which is Kun. The Small Image says: "Pulling up the wild hemp and journeying is auspicious, because the mind is set on the sovereign." The Kun trigram has the image of "will," and the Qian trigram has the image of "sovereign." What is meant by "the mind is set on the sovereign" is that the first line is in correspondence with the fourth line above, and its mind is attached to the superior yang above.

六二：苞承，小人吉，大人否亨。苞今本作包，依唐石經及《釋文》，下同。包、苞古通用。《禹貢》「草木漸包」，注：包，叢生。《釋文》：字亦作苞。是包、苞古不分。《爾雅·釋言》云：苞，稹也。疏：孫炎曰，物叢生曰苞。《詩·唐風》「集於苞栩」，亦以苞為叢。是苞有多意、眾義。坤為眾。苞承者，言下三爻皆承陽有應也。小人謂二，二得中有應，故小人吉。凡陰得陽應必吉，陽得陰應不皆吉；而否卦陽氣上騰，不能下降，故大人否亨。大人謂五。否，不，言五雖得二應而不亨也。朱升釋承為脀，卦既無此象；荀爽謂二為四所包，朱震謂二為五所包。夫四五若能下施包二，則大人不否亨矣，非也。

The line statement for the second line says: "Bao cheng, Xiao Ren Ji, Da Ren Pi Heng." The character "Bao" in the common editions is written as "Bao," but here we follow the Tang stone classics and Lu Deming's "Classic Interpretation" which use "Bao." The same applies to the following text. The characters "Bao" and "Bao" were commonly used interchangeably in ancient times. The "Book of Documents: Yu Gong" mentions "cao mu jian bao," with a note explaining that "bao" refers to dense growth. The "Classic Interpretation" also says this character can be written as "Bao," showing that these two characters were not distinguished in ancient times. The "Er Ya: Shi Yan" says "Bao, zhen also," and the commentary cites Sun Yan's explanation that dense growth is called "Bao." The "Book of Songs: Tang Feng" mentions "ji yu bao xu," also using "Bao" to mean gathering together. This shows that "Bao" has meanings of multiplicity and multitude. The trigram Kun has the image of multitude, and the lower trigram here is precisely Kun. The phrase "Bao cheng" refers to the three lower yao being all receptive to the yang yao and each having a corresponding relationship. "Xiao Ren" refers to the sixth line two, which is in the center and corresponds with the ninth line five, so it is favorable for the small person. Generally, when a yin yao corresponds with a yang yao, it is favorable, but when a yang yao corresponds with a yin yao, it is not necessarily favorable. The "Pu" hexagram represents yang energy rising upward and unwilling to descend, hence the statement "Da Ren Pi Heng." "Da Ren" refers to the ninth line five, and "Pi" here is read as "not," meaning that although the ninth line five corresponds with the sixth line two, it is still not favorable. Zhu Sheng interpreted "cheng" as the sacrificial meat "tang," but there is no such image in the hexagram. Xun Shuang said that the sixth line two was enclosed by the ninth line four, and Zhu Zhen said that the sixth line two was enclosed by the ninth line five. If the fourth and fifth lines truly descended and embraced the sixth line two, then the great person would not be "Pi Heng," so these interpretations are incorrect.

象曰：大人否亨，不亂群也。坤眾放曰群。坤為亂，亂，雜也。不亂群，言五不能下施應二，俾天地相雜也，故否亨。虞翻謂坤三陰亂弒君，大人不從，故不亂群。豈知不亂群，即仍天地不交之義，言五不能交二也。群義即釋苞義也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "The great man remains unimpeded in the situation of non-communication, because he does not disorder the group." The Earth (Kun) represents the multitude, hence the term "group." The Earth also has the image of "disorder," which here means confusion or mingling. "Not disordering the group" means that the Nine in the Fifth (nine five) cannot descend and give, and thus does not truly respond with the Six in the Second, causing the mingling and confusion of the energies of heaven and earth. Therefore, it is "non-communication" — unable to be harmonious. Yu Fan interpreted it as the three yin lines of the Earth (Kun) causing disorder and assassinating the sovereign, and the great man refusing to follow. But he did not realize that "not disordering the group" still refers to the old meaning of heaven and earth not interacting, meaning that the Nine in the Fifth is unable to unite with the Six in the Second. The meaning of the character "group" is precisely used to explain the character "bao" (enfold) in the line statement, where "bao" means gathering together or multitude.

六三：苞羞。此苞字與上同義，仍坤眾、坤群象也。羞，《說文》：進獻也。《左傳》隱三年「潤溪沼沚之毛，可薦於鬼神，可羞於王公」，杜注：羞，進也。《國語·楚語下》「於是乎每朝設脯一束，以羞子文」，注亦作進。苞羞者，眾進也。否本陰長之卦，故群進而消陽也。

The Line Statement of the Third Line says: "Bao xiu." The character "bao" here has the same meaning as the "bao" in the Second Line. It still takes the image of Kun representing the multitude and the group. The character "xiu" is explained in the Shuowen Jiezi as meaning to present or offer. In the Zuo Zhuan, Year 3 of Yin Gong, it says, "The grasses in gullies, streams, marshes, and pools may be offered to ghosts and spirits, and may be presented to princes and ministers," and Du Yu's commentary says that "xiu" means to present. In the Guoyu, Chu Yu Xia, it says, "Therefore, every morning they set a bundle of dried meat to present to Ziwen," and the commentary also explains "xiu" as presenting. Therefore, "bao xiu" means the multitude of yin forces advancing together. The hexagram of "Pu" is originally one of gradual increase of yin, and the Third Line is located above the lower Kun, which is exactly the time when the multitude of yin forces gather and advance upward to weaken the yang energy.

象曰：苞羞，位不當也。六三不當位，進至於四，或與上相上下，則當位矣。言所以進者，以不當位也，釋苞羞之故也。自荀爽釋為羞恥，朱升釋為膳羞，位不當之義，皆莫知所指矣。

The Small Image Commentary says: "Bao Xiu, position is not appropriate." The sixth line in the third position holds a yao of yin in a yang position, thus being inappropriate. If it advances to the fourth position, or exchanges places with the ninth at the top, then it would be appropriate. This sentence explains that the reason why the group of yin lines advance is because they are in improper positions—this is the reason for "Bao Xiu" (the gathering of yin lines advancing). Since Xun Shuang interpreted "Xiu" as shame and Zhu Sheng interpreted it as the shame of food, it has become unclear what exactly "position is not appropriate" refers to.

九四：有命，無咎，疇離祉。命，《說文》：使也；《廣韻》：召也。有命，言有所使命也。巽為命。《周語》：襄王錫晉文公命。蓋四履群陰之上，萬民（坤為民）順承，故有所錫命。四不當位，宜有咎，得群陰使命，故無咎。頤上九云「利涉大川」，與此義同也。疇、儔同。《荀子·勸學篇》云「草木疇生」，注：疇同儔。《前漢·韓信傳》「其疇十三人」，義亦同儔。儔，眾也。下坤為眾，離，附著；祉，福。疇離祉者，言眾陰同附陽，得主而受福也。孔疏訓疇為匹，匹謂初，言初得陽應而受福。然象釋曰志行，荀爽謂志行於群陰，固統三陰言，不專指初也。象曰：有命無咎，志行也。四履重陰，得行其志，故曰志行。

The line statement for the fourth line (九四) says: "There is a command, no blame, the multitude receives blessings." The character "命" is explained in the "Shuo Wen" as meaning to give orders and in the "Guang Yun" as meaning to summon. "There is a command" means being assigned a task or receiving an official appointment. The trigram Xun (巽) has the image of "command" (《Pu》 trigram two to four lines contain Xun). The "Guoyu · Zhouyu" records that King Xiao Wang of Zhou bestowed a ceremonial robe on Duke Wen of Jin, which is exactly this meaning. The fourth line is situated above the three lower yin lines, and all the people (Kun represents people) are obedient and serve, so it can receive an official appointment. The fourth line is a yang line in a yin position, which is not appropriate, so by nature it should have blame; but it is supported and accepted by the group of yin lines, so there is no blame. The upper line of the "Yi" hexagram says "favorable for crossing a great river," which is the same reasoning here. "Chou" is the same as "chou" (a group). In the "Xunzi · Qun Xue," there is "grass and trees grow together," and the commentary says "chou" is the same as "chou." In the "Hanshu · Han Xin Zhuan," "its chou were thirteen people," which also means a group. "Chou" means a group, and the lower trigram Kun is exactly about the multitude. "Li" means to attach, and "zhi" means blessing. Therefore, "chou li zhi" means the multitude of yin lines all attach to the yang line and receive the ruler's blessing. Kong Yingda's commentary interprets "chou" as matching, referring to the first line (初六), saying that the first line receives blessings because it corresponds with the fourth line. However, the "Xiao Xiang Chuan" interprets it as "will being carried out," and Xun Shuang says the will is carried out among the group of yin lines, indicating that it refers to all three yin lines, not specifically the first line. The "Xiao Xiang Chuan" says: "There is a command, no blame, the will is carried out." The fourth line is situated above the overlapping yin lines and can carry out its will, so it is said "the will is carried out."

九五：體否，大人吉，其亡其亡，繫于苞桑。《說文》：人依木則休。休者，憩息也。休否者，言當否之時而休息以俟也。蓋初四、三上相上下，則既濟成，五當位居中，宜靜俟也。舊解釋為休美，與其亡義背，似非也。九五為大人，故曰大人吉。九五巽體，巽為桑，坤為多，故曰苞桑。陸績《京氏易傳》注云：苞桑則叢桑也。巽為繩，為繫，故曰繫于苞桑。

The line statement of the fifth line says: "Rest in the state of obstruction, the great man is auspicious, beware of loss, beware of loss, tied to the bundle of mulberry trees." (The original text "body of obstruction" should be "rest in obstruction.") The "Shuowen" explains that resting by a tree is called "xiu," meaning rest. "Rest in obstruction" means being in a time of obstruction, temporarily resting to wait for the right opportunity. Because if the first and fourth lines, and the third and top lines, are exchanged, the entire hexagram becomes "Ji Ji." The fifth line is both in the proper position and in the center, so it should remain quiet and wait. Old interpretations took "xiu" as good, which contradicts the sense of danger in the following text "beware of loss, beware of loss." This seems incorrect. The fifth line is the position of the "great man," so it says "the great man is auspicious." The fifth line is in the middle of the interacting trigram Xun, which has the image of "mulberry trees," and the trigram坤 has the image of "many," meaning many and gathered together, so it says "bundle of mulberry trees." Lu Ji's commentary on "Jing's Tradition of the Changes" says that "bundle of mulberry trees" refers to a cluster of mulberry trees. Xun also represents a rope and binding, so it says "tied to the bundle of mulberry trees."

乃巽為隕落。五雖居中得正，而風隕在下，故有其亡之懼。蓋繫在大木，方能鞏固；桑而叢生，其柔可知；繫於柔木，其危可知。其亡其亡、繫于苞桑者，言時時慮亡，如係于苞桑之不足恃也。王陶廬云：唐石經初刻作包，後增改作苞。按《禹貢》草木漸包，傳釋為叢生，仍與苞同。自風隕象失傳，後儒不知危亡之故在五履巽，於是舊解皆以堅固為說，遂與易象不協矣。

But the trigram Xun also has the image of "falling from the sky"—this is a Han dynasty image unearthed by Shang's commentary from the Jiao's Forest of Changes, not found in the Shuogua. Although the Nine in the Fifth is in the center and upright, it is standing on the Xun trigram, which represents falling, thus giving rise to the anxiety expressed as "its loss, its loss." One must understand that being tied to a tree is secure, but a mulberry tree is bushy and its weakness is evident. Being tied to such a weak tree, the danger is clear. "Its loss, its loss, tied to a bundle of mulberry trees" means constant fear of collapse, just like being tied to a bundle of mulberry trees which is unreliable. Wang TaoLu said: the original stone edition of the Tang dynasty had "bao," but later it was changed to "bao." According to the Shangshu · Yugu, "grass and trees gradually grow together," and Kong's commentary explains it as growing in clusters, which still has the same meaning as "bao." Since the image of Xun representing falling has been lost, later scholars did not understand the reason for the danger of the Nine in the Fifth standing on Xun. Therefore, old commentaries all interpreted "tied to a bundle of mulberry trees" as something secure and reliable, which is inconsistent with the Yi's imagery.

象曰：大人之吉，位正當也。五位尊而中正，故曰位當。上九：傾否，先否後喜。侯果曰：傾，覆也。上應在三，三巽為隕落，故曰傾否，言傾否而出之盡也。然當未覆之先，則仍否也，故曰先否。上反下則成震，震為樂，為後，故曰後喜。

The Small Image Commentary says: "The good fortune of a great person is due to being in the proper position." The position of Nine in the Fifth is noble and upright, so it is said to be "properly positioned." The line statement of Upper Nine says: "Overturning the condition of blockage, first blockage then joy." Hou Guo says: "Overturning" means overturning. Upper Nine corresponds with Six in the Third below, and Six in the Third is in the mutual trigram Xun. Xun has the image of falling, so it is said "overturning the condition of blockage" — overturning the entire condition of blockage. However, before overturning, it is still a condition of blockage, so it is said "first blockage." If Upper Nine were to descend and take the position of Three, the lower trigram would become Zhen. Zhen has the image of joy and also the image of "after," both of which are Han dynasty lost images preserved in the Forest of Changes by Jiao. Therefore, it is said "after joy."

象曰：否終則傾，何可長也。否終則傾，言否終則泰復，不能長否。按否泰云「大小往來」「無平不陂，無往不復」，終則曰「城復于隍，其命亂也」；否則曰「否之匪人」，皆言天地否泰之運，循環往來，自然如此，不假人為，為上經天地水火之樞紐，明天道本如斯，不可易也。至下經第十卦之損益，則曰「損益盈虛，與時偕行」，曰「損剛益柔」，曰「損下益上，損上益下」，曰「見善則遷，有過則改」，所言皆履世之大經，修治之極軌，無絲毫委心任運之意，以為咸恆既未濟之樞紐，明人事宜如斯也。盡人事，聽天命，斯學易之功也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "When the state of '否' reaches its end, it will collapse, how can it last long?" This means that when the state of '否' is at its extreme, it will give way to '泰', indicating that the state of '否' cannot last forever. According to the hexagrams of '否' and '泰', they discuss "great things going away and small things coming in" and "small things going away and great things coming in", they talk about "there is no level ground without slope, no going without return", and finally say "the city returns to the moat, its destiny is confused". The hexagram of '否' says "the state of '否' is not for people". These statements all explain the cyclical nature of the changes between '否' and '泰' in heaven and earth, which is natural and does not require human intervention. The hexagrams of '否' and '泰' are the key points in the upper section of the sequence starting with Heaven, Earth, Water, and Fire, showing that the way of heaven is naturally so and cannot be changed. When we reach the tenth hexagram in the lower section, the hexagrams of '损' and '益', they say "loss and gain, fullness and emptiness, all follow the time", they talk about "losing the strong and benefiting the weak", they talk about "losing from below to benefit above, and losing from above to benefit below", they talk about "when seeing good, one should move towards it, and when having faults, one should correct them". All of these discuss the main principles of living and dealing with the world, the standards for self-cultivation and governance, with no trace of passively waiting for fate. The hexagrams of '损' and '益' are the key points in the sequence starting with '咸', '恒', '既济', and '未济', showing how human affairs should be. To do one's best and then accept the will of heaven is the effort gained from studying the Book of Changes.

同人于野，亨，利涉大川，利君子貞。荀爽曰：乾舍於離，相與同居。九家曰：乾舍於離，同而為日，天日同明，故曰同人。是乾之居南，漢儒已言之矣。又荀爽注「陰陽之義配日月」云：乾舍於離，配日而居；坤舍於坎，配月而居。不惟乾南，且言坤北，而惠徵君以為此漢儒言先天之鐵證也，而欲減其跡，曰荀氏用鬼易，以乾歸合離、坤歸合坎釋之。按乾歸為大有，坤歸為比，而荀氏所言者，則同人、師，乃離歸坎歸也。於遊歸恆例，尚不能知，而欲減其證，其誰信之。

The Hexagram Statement of "Tong Ren" says: "Tong Ren in the wild, prosperous, beneficial for crossing great rivers, beneficial for a gentleman's constancy." Xun Shuang said: "The Trigram Qian is temporarily residing in Li, and the two are living together." The "Jiu Jia Yi" said: "The Trigram Qian is temporarily residing in Li, and they become the sun; heaven and the sun have the same brightness, so it is called 'Tong Ren'." This clearly shows that Qian is located in the south, a point that Han dynasty scholars had already discussed. Xun Shuang also explained "the meaning of yin and yang is paired with the sun and moon" and said: "Qian is temporarily residing in Li, paired with the sun; Kun is temporarily residing in Kan, paired with the moon." This not only explains that Qian is in the south, but also that Kun is in the north. Hui Dong, known as Hui Zhengjun, was well aware that this was solid evidence of the Han scholars' understanding of the Earlier Heaven directions, yet he tried to erase this trace, saying that Xun Shuang used the "Gui Yi" (Ghost Yi), explaining it with "Qian returning soul combines with Li, Kun returning soul combines with Kan." However, according to the usual rules of youhun and guihun, the guihun hexagram of the Qian trigram is "Da You," and the guihun hexagram of the Kun trigram is "Bi." But what Xun Shuang mentioned was "Tong Ren" and "Shi," which are the guihun hexagrams of the Li trigram and the Kan trigram. He did not even understand the usual rules of youhun and guihun, yet he tried to erase this evidence. Who could believe him?

故夫同人卦義，舍九家、荀爽說，無有當者。伏坤為野，《正義》云：野以喻寬廣，言和同於人，宜無遠弗屆也。《易林》、九家、荀爽皆以乾為河、為海，是乾亦為大川。利涉謂五，中正有應，故傳釋為乾行。乾為君子，故利君子貞。貞，卜問也。

Therefore, the meaning of the hexagram "Tongren" (Union) can only be explained by the views of the "Jiujia Yi" (Nine Schools of the Book of Changes) and Xun Shuang, as other interpretations do not make sense. When the six lines of this hexagram are reversed, it becomes the hexagram "Shi" (Army). The upper trigram is Kun (Earth), which Shang氏 refers to as "fu kun" (hidden Kun). Kun has the image of "ye" (wilderness). Kong Yingda's "Zhengyi" (Commentary) says that "ye" is used to indicate vastness, meaning that in harmonizing with others, one should reach far and wide. Both the "Jiaoshi Yilin" (Jiao's Forest of Changes), the "Jiu jia Yi," and Xun Shuang regard Qian (Heaven) as representing rivers and seas, showing that Qian also has the image of "dachuan" (great river). "Li she" (favorable for crossing) refers to the line nine in the fifth position. Nine in the fifth is upright and corresponds with six in the second, so the "Tuanzhuan" (Commentary on the Judgment) explains it as "Qian xing" (Qian moving). Qian also represents the gentleman, hence the phrase "li junzi zhen" (favorable for the gentleman's divination). "Zhen" here means divination.

彖曰：同人，柔得位得中而應乎乾，曰同人。同人曰：同人于野，亨，利涉大川，乾行也。文明以健，中正而應，君子正也。唯君子為能通天下之志。坤為天下，五應二故能通天下之志。詳解在《焦氏易詁》中。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Same people, the flexible element attains a position and the center and responds to Heaven, thus called 'Same people.' 'Same people' says: 'Same people in the wild, prosperous, advantageous for crossing great rivers, because it is the way of Heaven.' Civilized and strong, upright and responsive, the gentleman is correct. Only the gentleman is able to communicate the aspirations of the people throughout the world." The Earth has the image of "the world" — the hidden body of the hexagram of "Same people" is exactly the Earth — the nine in the fifth position responds to the six in the second, thus being able to communicate the aspirations of people throughout the world. A detailed explanation of this passage can be found in Shang's work, Jiao's Glosses on the Changes.

象曰：天與火，同人。君子以類族辨物。易以陰陽相遇為類。（王引之繁稱博引，釋類為比，豈知皆非易之所謂類。）族，《正義》云：聚也。聚居一處，故曰同人。然所以能聚者，以其類也。設失類而為純陽或純陰，則不能聚矣。類族方能合異為同。乾陽物，坤陰物，同一物也，而分陰陽。辨，別也，明也。同人五陽一陰，陰雖少，然五陽之所類也，即五陽之所同也。同則不分，然陰物陽物，判然不同，辨而明之，方知同之中有異。易之道，同性相違，異物相感。自類字失詁，義遂不明。

The Great Image Commentary says: "Heaven and fire, the hexagram of Fellowship. The superior man uses classification of kinds to distinguish things." The Book of Changes takes the meeting of yin and yang as "class." (Wang Yinzhi extensively cited sources to interpret "class" as "comparison," but he did not realize that this is not the "class" referred to in the Book of Changes.) The character "族" is explained in the "Justice" as gathering. Gathering together in one place is why it is called "Fellowship." However, the reason for gathering is precisely "class" — yin and yang, opposite sexes, seeking each other; if one loses the corresponding class, becoming purely yang or purely yin, gathering is no longer possible. Therefore, to "classify kinds," one can unite differences into unity. Qian is a yang substance, Kun is a yin substance, both are "things," yet they are divided into yin and yang. "Distinguish" means to differentiate and clarify. The hexagram of Fellowship has five yang lines and one yin line. Although the yin line is few, it is the object of class corresponding to the five yang lines, that is, the center where the five yang lines all tend toward. Since they are the same, there is no distinction between self and other; yet yin and yang substances are clearly different, and by distinguishing clearly, one realizes that "sameness" includes "difference." The principle of the Book of Changes is: like things repel each other, different things respond to each other. Since the interpretation of the character "class" has been lost, this meaning can no longer be clearly explained.

初九：同人于門，無咎。初於二陰獨近，故曰同人于門。象曰：出門同人，亦謂二近初，初出門即遇也。虞翻以乾為門，命四變陰以應初，若卦為家人者，而惠棟、姚配中皆宗之。朱漢上強命初變，以艮為門，若卦為遁者，而毛奇齡、焦循宗之。是皆曲說害理。二坤爻，坤亦為門戶也。象曰：出門同人，又誰咎也。誰咎謂無咎。

The line statement for the first line, line nine: "Harmonizing with people at the gate, there is no blame." The first line nine is closest to the only yin line, line six two, so it says "harmonizing with people at the gate." The Small Image Commentary says "going out to harmonize with people," which also refers to line six two being adjacent to line nine. When line nine goes out, it immediately meets line six two. Yu Fan took the trigram Qian as the gate and made line nine four change into a yin line to correspond with line nine. This effectively changed the hexagram Tong Ren into Jia Shen. Hui Dong and Yao Peizhong followed him. Zhu Zhen insisted that line nine change into a line, taking the trigram Gen as the gate, which effectively changed Tong Ren into Dun. Mao Qilin and Jiao Xun followed him. These are all misinterpretations that harm the meaning. In fact, line six two is originally a line from the trigram Kun, and Kun itself has the image of a gate. The Small Image Commentary says: "Going out to harmonize with people, who could blame?" "Who could blame" means there is no blame.

六二：同人于宗，吝。乾為主，為宗。二五正應，故同人于宗。但卦五陽皆同於二，今二獨親五，則三四忌之，致吝之道也。下繫云「遠近相取，而悔吝生」，遠謂應，近謂比。遠取應則不能近取比，如無妄六二往應五而利，則不繫初；近取比則不能遠取應，如中孚六四絕類上則不應初，而馬匹亡，是也。是故遠近萬不能兼取。同人六二遠應五，則有近不承陽之嫌；近承陽則失遠應，故吝也。彼夫咸六二、遁六二皆有應，象皆與此同，乃咸六二曰居吉，遁六二曰執之，皆戒其動，俾遠近皆不取，不取則悔吝免也。舊說皆不知其故在三四，故鮮有得解者。

The Line Statement for line two (Six in the Second) says, "To be in harmony with the family, there is regret." The trigram Qian has the images of "master" and "family." Line two (Six in the Second) corresponds directly with line five (Nine in the Fifth), so it is said "to be in harmony with the family." However, all five yang lines in the entire hexagram desire to be the same as line two. Now, line two chooses to be close to line five instead of the others, which causes jealousy from lines three and four. This is the way to bring about regret and regret. The "Great Treatise" says, "Taking from both near and far leads to regret." "Far" refers to the corresponding line, while "near" refers to the adjacent line. Taking from the far corresponding line prevents taking from the near adjacent line. For example, in the hexagram Wuwang, line two goes to correspond with line five and gains benefit, so it no longer clings to line one. Similarly, taking from the near adjacent line prevents taking from the far corresponding line. For example, in the hexagram Zhongfu, line four cuts off from the like and ascends, so it no longer corresponds with line one, thus "the horses are lost." Therefore, one must not take from both near and far. In the hexagram Tongren, line two corresponds with line five from afar, which gives the suspicion of not being close to the yang lines nearby. If it is close to lines three and four, it loses the distant correspondence, hence "regret." Looking at line two in the hexagrams Xian and Duan, they also have correspondences, and the images are similar. However, line two in Xian says "residing is auspicious," and line two in Duan says "to grasp it," both warning against reckless movement, so that neither the far nor the near is taken. By not taking, regret and regret are avoided. Old interpretations did not understand the problem was with lines three and four, so few of them are coherent.

象曰：同人于宗，吝道也。許慎《五經異義》云：易曰同人于宗吝，言同姓相取，吝道也。按此皆不明易理，不知吝之故何在，而為此穿鑿之說。同人二與五，與大有五與二同也，乃大有五應乾，無同姓之嫌，此獨曰同姓，尚能通哉。

The Small Image Commentary says: "To be in harmony with one's clan, is a cause of regret." Xu Shen's "Five Classics Disagreements" says that the Book of Changes refers to "being in harmony with one's clan leads to regret," meaning that marriage within the same surname leads to regret. According to such views, the principles of the Book of Changes are not clearly understood. They do not know where the origin of "regret" lies, and thus have produced such forced interpretations. The hexagram "Tong Ren" involves the second line, which is yin, corresponding to the fifth line, which is yang. The hexagram "Da You" involves the fifth line, which is yin, corresponding to the second line, which is yang. The situations are the same. In "Da You," the fifth line corresponds to the yang line of the Qian trigram, yet no one says it has the suspicion of same-surname marriage. Why then does this hexagram specifically mention same-surname marriage? Can this explanation be consistent?

九三：伏戎于莽，升其高陵，三歲不興。巽為伏，為寇盜（象失傳，詳《焦氏易詁》），為草莽，故曰伏戎于莽。乾為山，為陵（象失傳，詳《焦氏易詁》），巽為高，乾為行，故曰升其高陵。乾為歲，離卦數三，故曰三歲。三陽遇陽，得敵，其行塞，故升高不興也。象曰：伏戎于莽，敵剛也；三歲不興，安行也。敵剛即陽遇陽，安行謂行難。

The line statement for the third line (nine in the third): "Bury the soldiers in the grass, ascend to the high hill, and for three years it does not rise." The trigram Xun has the image of "concealment," and also the image of "bandits" (this image is now lost, see Jiao's Glosses on the Changes). It also has the image of "grassland," so it says "bury the soldiers in the grass"—meaning to hide the troops in the grass. The trigram Qian represents mountain and hill (this image is also lost, see Jiao's Glosses on the Changes), and Xun represents height, while Qian represents movement, so it says "ascend to the high hill." Qian also represents years, and the number of the trigram Li is three, so it says "for three years." The third line, with a yang line encountering the fourth line (also a yang line), faces opposition from a similar force, leading to obstruction ahead, so even though it ascends high, it ultimately cannot launch the attack. The Small Image Commentary says: "Bury the soldiers in the grass, the enemy is strong; for three years it does not rise, movement is difficult." "Enemy is strong" means that a yang line meets another yang line to form opposition, and "movement is difficult" means that action is hindered.

九四：乘其墉，弗克攻，吉。巽為墉，四居巽上，故曰乘其墉。乘墉據高，故不能攻之。然此爻不當位，無應予，承乘皆陽，困極矣，爻辭曰吉，則不得其義。象曰困而反則，似亦不得的解，而為此無可奈何之解。獨虞翻命四變陰，當位有應，承乘皆陽，人人皆知其吉矣。然四變陰，則巽墉象毀，四居坎上，而謂乘其墉則不合矣。象曰：乘其墉，義弗克也；其吉，則困而反則也。則，法也。反則，言循分自守也。

The fourth line statement says: "Mounting the city wall, unable to attack, it is auspicious." The trigram Xun has the image of a city wall, and the ninth line in the fourth position is situated above the mutual Xun trigram, hence it is said "mounting the city wall." Once mounted on the wall and occupying a high position, the opponent cannot attack. However, this line has a yang line in a yin position, which is not appropriate, and it has no corresponding lines above or below. What it is supporting and what it is riding upon are also yang lines, so it is in a very difficult situation. Yet the line statement says "auspicious," which seems illogical. The Small Image Commentary says "trapped but returning to the right way," which does not seem to be a correct interpretation, but rather a helpless explanation. Only Yu Fan suggests changing the ninth line in the fourth position to a yin line, making it appropriate and having a corresponding line, so everyone can see it as auspicious. However, once the ninth line in the fourth position becomes yin, the Xun trigram is broken, and the image of the city wall is destroyed. The ninth line in the fourth position then resides above Kan, and saying "mounting the city wall" no longer makes sense. The Image Commentary says: "Mounting the city wall, the meaning cannot be realized; it is auspicious because it is trapped and returns to the right way." "Rule" refers to the standard, and "returning to the right way" means maintaining one's proper position.

九五：同人先號咷而後笑，大師克相遇。此與屯六二義同。屯二欲上應五而為三四同性之陰所隔，故屯邅不進，然與五為正應，十年乃字，終必合也。同人九五欲應二，而為三四同性之陽所阻，故先號咷；然與二為正應，終必相遇，故後笑。伏震為笑，為後。虞翻以互巽為號咷。卦伏坤，故曰師。相遇，謂遇二也。從前不能相遇者，以三四之伏戎為害也，後克而勝之，故與二相遇。

The line statement of the fifth line in the hexagram "Tong Ren" says: "Tong Ren first wails and then laughs, the great army overcomes and meets." This is similar to the meaning of the second line in the hexagram "Zun." The second line of "Zun" wishes to correspond with the fifth line, but is blocked by the same sex yin lines at the third and fourth lines, so it hesitates and does not advance; yet it is in a correct correspondence with the fifth line, "ten years to marry," and eventually will unite. The fifth line of "Tong Ren" wishes to correspond with the second line below, but is blocked by the same sex yang lines at the third and fourth lines, so it "first wails"; but since it is in a correct correspondence with the second line, it eventually meets, so it "then laughs." The lines two to four form the trigram Xun. When the third line of Xun exchanges yin and yang, it becomes Zhen. Shang's school refers to this as "hidden Zhen." Zhen has the image of "laughing" and "after," which are all images preserved in the "Jiao's Forest of Changes." Yu Fan, however, takes the Xun trigram itself as the "wailing." When all six lines of the hexagram exchange yin and yang, it becomes "Shi" (the army). Within it, Kun is present, and Kun represents the people, so it is called "Shi." "Meeting" refers to meeting the second line. Previously, they could not meet because they were hindered by the hidden army at the third and fourth lines; later, they overcame and defeated them, so they could meet the second line.

象曰：同人之先，以中直也；大師相遇，言相剋也。端木國瑚曰：同人先天乾二中直，五無應，故號咷；後天離中虛，五得應，故後笑。以先後天解同人之先後，及中直之義，雖未確切，較勝於舊解。上九：同人于郊，無悔。居外卦之上，故曰同人于郊。乾為郊，上乘陽無應，遠居郊外，曠莫與儔，故曰志未得。伏坤為志。象曰：同人于郊，志未得也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "In the hexagram of 'Harmony with Others,' the initial movement is due to the virtue of being upright and just; the great army meeting signifies mutual control." Du Mu Guo Hu says: In the Earlier Heaven arrangement, the trigram Qian is in the second position, with its center being strong and upright, and the nine in the fifth position has no corresponding line, hence the crying; in the Later Heaven arrangement, the trigram Li is in the center, with the middle line being empty, and the nine in the fifth position has a corresponding line, hence the laughing. He uses the Earlier Heaven and Later Heaven arrangements to explain the terms "before" and "after" as well as "upright and just" in the hexagram of 'Harmony with Others.' Although his interpretation may not be entirely accurate, it is more insightful than previous commentaries. The line statement for the top line says: "Harmony with others in the outskirts, without regret." The top line is at the top of the outer trigram, hence "Harmony with others in the outskirts." The trigram Qian has the image of the outskirts. The top line is on a yang line, and has no corresponding line, being far away in the outskirts, lonely and deserted, with no one to accompany, hence the Small Image Commentary says, "The will is not fulfilled." Fu Kun has the image of "will" — the hexagram of 'Harmony with Others' with its six lines reversed becomes the hexagram of 'Military Campaign,' with Kun in the middle. Shang氏 uses this to take the meaning of "will." The Small Image Commentary says: "Harmony with others in the outskirts, the will is not fulfilled."

大有：元亨。離乾皆居南，故曰大有，與同人義同也。元亨謂五也。五得尊位，故曰元；上下應故曰亨。坤五曰元吉，比五曰元永貞，損五、益五、鼎五皆曰元吉，是其證。彖曰：大有，柔得尊位大中，而上下應之，曰大有。其德剛健而文明，應乎天而時行，是以元亨。五天位，二應之，故曰應乎天。離為夏，萬物相見，故曰時行。

The Hexagram of Great Possession states: "Original and prosperous." Both the trigram Li (Fire) and Qian (Heaven) are located in the southern position in the Earlier Heaven arrangement. Since they are in the same position, they possess great things, hence called "Great Possession," which is similar to the meaning of the Hexagram of Fellowship. The term "original and prosperous" refers to the fifth line: the fifth line holds the exalted position, hence called "original"; the five yang lines above and below all correspond with it, hence called "prosperous." The fifth line of the Hexagram of Earth says "original good fortune," the fifth line of the Hexagram of Following says "original enduring uprightness," and the fifth lines of the Hexagrams of Reduction, Increase, and Cauldron all say "original good fortune." This shows that the character "original" is associated with the fifth position, which is evidence. The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Great Possession, the flexible line occupies the exalted position, is great and just, and is responded to by above and below, hence called Great Possession. Its virtue is strong and vigorous, and civilized, responding to heaven and acting in accordance with the seasons, hence it is original and prosperous." The fifth position is the heavenly position, and the second line corresponds with it, hence it is said "responding to heaven." Li represents summer, when all things meet and see each other, hence it is said "acting in accordance with the seasons."

象曰：火在天上，大有。君子以遏惡揚善，順天休命。離為惡人，乾為善。二五相應予，而皆不當位。九二云有攸往，是二必往五也。二往五是揚善也；二往五則五下居二，是遏惡也。乾為天，為命，陰承乾，故曰順天休命。休，美也。

The Great Image says: "Fire in the heavens, great abundance. The superior man uses this to suppress evil and promote good, following the mandate of heaven and bringing about a favorable destiny." The trigram Li (Fire) has the image of "evil people," while Qian (Heaven) has the image of "goodness." The second line (Nine in the Second) corresponds with the fifth line (Six in the Fifth), but neither line is in the proper position. The line statement of the second line says "there is a going forward," indicating that the second line must move upward to the fifth position. When the second line moves upward to the fifth position, it elevates the aspect of goodness, which is "promoting good." When the second line moves upward, the fifth line descends to the second position, suppressing the aspect of evil, which is "suppressing evil." Qian represents heaven and destiny. Yin lines receive the support of Qian's yang, so it is said "following heaven and bringing about a favorable destiny." "Xiu" means beauty.

初九：無交害，匪咎，艱則無咎。初無應，陽遇陽失類，故無交；無交故無害。然須艱貞自守，方無咎也。象曰：大有初九，無交害也。九二：大車以載，有攸往，無咎。伏坤為大車，為載。按《考工記》車人：大車，牛車也，兩轅，牛在轅內。凡載物皆用大車，與馬車回異。馬車皆小車，一轅，兩服在左右，專備人乘；若載物必大車也，故曰大車以載。上有應，往則得位，故無咎。象曰：大車以載，積中不敗也。二得中，承乘皆陽，皆曰積中。乾為實，故為積也。陽上升，故曰大車以載。義則本爻，象則用伏。（廬氏以乾為大車，乾似無此象。）

The line statement for the first line (initial yang line) says: "There is no harm from interaction, it is not a misfortune, if one endures hardship, there will be no misfortune." The first line does not have a corresponding line above it, and the line above it is also a yang line, so there is no corresponding line of the same type, hence "no interaction" — interaction does not occur. Because there is no interaction, there is no harm. However, one must remain upright and steadfast in hardship in order to avoid misfortune. The small image commentary says: "In the first line of Great Possession, there is no harm from interaction." The line statement for the second line says: "A big cart is used to carry, there is a direction to go, there is no misfortune." The six lines of Great Possession, when their yin and yang are reversed, form the hexagram of Comparison. The hexagram of Earth is contained within it, and Shang氏 refers to it as "hidden Earth." The hexagram of Earth has the image of a big cart and the image of carrying. According to the "Record of the Artisan" in the section on carts: a big cart is a cattle cart, with two planks, and the cattle are between the two planks. All goods are carried by big carts, which is completely different from horse carts; horse carts are small carts, with only one plank, and two horses on either side, used for riding, and for carrying goods, one must use a big cart, hence "a big cart is used to carry." The second line has a corresponding line at the fifth line, so when it moves forward, it reaches the correct position, hence "no misfortune." The small image commentary says: "A big cart is used to carry, the accumulation in the middle does not fail." The second line is in the middle, and what it supports and what it rests upon are all yang lines, and this situation is called "accumulation in the middle." The hexagram of Heaven is full, hence there is the image of accumulation. Yang energy rises, hence "a big cart is used to carry." The meaning is taken from the present line, while the image is taken from the hidden hexagram. (Lu氏 takes Heaven as the big cart, but Heaven does not have this image.)

九三：公用亨于天子，小人弗克。三為三公，兌為亨，天子謂五，小人謂四。四不中不正，失位無應，故曰小人。三兌體，可受亨於五，然而弗能者，以四亦陽害之也。象曰：公用亨于天子，小人害也。

The third line statement says: "The public offers sacrifices to the Son of Heaven, but the petty person cannot." The third line corresponds to the position of the Three Dukes; the lines from three to five form the trigram Dui, which symbolizes "offering sacrifices" (hen). "Son of Heaven" refers to the sixth line, while "petty person" refers to the ninth line in the fourth position. The ninth line in the fourth position is neither in the center nor in the proper position, and it is out of place without a corresponding line, hence it is called "petty person." The third line is within the trigram Dui, which originally allows it to offer sacrifices to the fifth line, but it cannot do so because the ninth line in the fourth position, being a yang line, blocks it. The Small Image Commentary says: "The public offers sacrifices to the Son of Heaven, because the petty person is harmful."

九四：匪其彭，無咎。《釋文》云：彭，子夏傳作旁，虞作尪，雲作彭作旁，聲字之誤。王陶廬云：諸家易俱不作尪，此仲翔故生異說，與先儒為難。按《說文》云：彭，鼓聲也。《釋名》：彭，旁也。然則彭之旁，音義並同。《詩·魯頌》「以車彭彭」，毛傳：有力有容也。《齊風》「行人彭彭」，毛傳：多也。《集韻》云：強盛也。然則彭之義，為聲容盛大無疑。兌為剛魯，故曰彭；離為文，故曰匪。《考工記》「且其匪色」，注：匪，採貌也。《少儀》「車馬之美，匪匪翼翼」，注：行而有文也。匪其彭者，言文采之盛大顯著也。象曰：匪其彭無咎，明辨皙也。明辨皙即釋文盛之義。蓋離為嘉會為禮，有禮則有文，上下秩然，明辨以哲，故無咎也。

The fourth line statement says: "Not its loudness, no blame." The "Classic Interpretation" says: "Peng," in the "Transmission of Zi Xia" is written as "Pang," and Yu Fan wrote it as "Wang," and he said that writing it as "Peng" or "Pang" was due to similar sounds causing errors. Wang TaoLu said that none of the various versions of the Book of Changes used "Wang," so Yu Fan (whose name was Zhongxiang) deliberately sought novelty and made it difficult for earlier scholars. According to the "Shuo Wen," "Peng" means the sound of a drum, and according to the "Shi Ming," "Peng" is the same as "Pang." This shows that "Peng" and "Pang" are both in the same sound and meaning. In the "Poetry · Lu Song," "with chariots Peng Peng," the Mao Transmission explains it as strong and dignified; in the "Qi Feng," "travelers Peng Peng," the Mao Transmission explains it as numerous; the "Ji Yun" explains it as strong and powerful. Therefore, the meaning of "Peng" is great sound and appearance, which is no longer in doubt. The trigram Dui has the image of strength and boldness, so it is said "Peng"; Li represents literary grace, so it is said "Fēi." In the "Kao Gong Ji," "and its Fēi color," the Zheng annotation says "Fēi" means the appearance of literary grace; in the "Li Ji · Xiao Yi," "the beauty of chariots and horses, Fēi Fēi Yi Yi," the annotation says it refers to movement with literary grace. Therefore, "Fēi Qi Peng" means literary grace being great and prominent. The "Small Image Commentary" says: "Fēi Qi Peng, no blame, because of clear discernment and brightness." "Clear discernment and brightness" precisely explains the meaning of great literary grace. Li represents harmonious gatherings and propriety, and with propriety there is literary grace, with order above and below, clear discernment and understanding, so there is no blame.

六五：厥孚交如，威如，吉。孚，信也。五陽全孚於五，故曰交如。離南面嚮明而治，故曰威如。象曰：厥孚交如，信以發志也；威如之吉，易而無備也。五孚於諸陽，得行其志。孚即信，故曰信以發志，伏坎為信為志也。居尊位，人皆敬之，左右咸宜，故不必有所戒備。上九：自天佑之，吉無不利。五天位。佑，助也。王弼云：餘爻皆乘剛，上獨履柔，故吉利也。象曰：大有上吉，自天佑也。

The line statement for the fifth line says: "Their sincerity is mutual, and their authority is evident, resulting in good fortune." "Fu" means sincerity. All five yang lines are sincere and devoted to the yin line six, hence "jiao ru" — mutual sincerity. The trigram Li represents facing south and governing with clarity, hence "wei ru" — evident authority. The Small Image Commentary says: "Their sincerity is mutual, sincerity inspires their aspirations; the good fortune of authority is due to ease without preparation." The line six is trusted by all the yang lines, thus able to carry out its own aspirations. "Fu" is sincerity, hence "sincerity inspires aspirations." The trigram Kan contains the image of sincerity and aspiration (the trigram Yi transforms into the trigram Bi through mutual change, with Kan in the middle). Being in a high position, everyone respects it, and all around are appropriate, so there is no need for defense. The line statement for the top line says: "Supported by heaven, good fortune without any disadvantage." The number five represents the heavenly position, and "yu" means support. Wang Bi says that all other lines are riding on strong lines, but the top line is on a weak line, hence it is good and advantageous. The Small Image Commentary says: "The top line of Da You is good, supported by heaven."

謙亨，君子有終。山本高而在地下，故曰謙。謙，不自足也。三承乘皆陰，故曰亨。艮為君子，坤為終，故曰君子有終。謙、嗛同。《漢書·藝文志》「易之嗛嗛」，《尹翁歸傳》「溫良嗛退」，注皆云同謙。嗛，不足也，少也，故彖傳以盈為對文。

The Hexagram of Humility states: "It is smooth, the gentleman has a proper conclusion." Mountains are naturally lofty and majestic, but in this hexagram, the mountain (Gèn) is placed beneath the earth (Kūn), hence it is called "Humility." "Humility" means not being self-satisfied. The ninth line in the third position is supported and overlaid by yin lines above and below, hence it is smooth, so it is said "It is smooth." The mountain (Gèn) symbolizes the gentleman, and the earth (Kūn) symbolizes a conclusion, hence it is said "the gentleman has a proper conclusion." "Humility" is the same as "tak" (嗛). The "Book of Han · Catalogue of Arts and Literature" mentions "the subtle and quiet nature of the Book of Changes," and the "Book of Han · Biography of Yin Wengui" mentions "modest and retiring," both with annotations stating that "tak" is the same as "humility." "Tak" means deficiency or insufficiency, so the Commentary on the Judgment contrasts it with "fullness" (yíng) to form the text.

彖曰：謙亨，天道下濟而光明，地道卑而上行。天道虧盈而益謙，地道變盈而流謙，鬼神害盈而福謙，人道惡盈而好謙。謙尊而光，卑而不可踰，君子之終也。艮為天，為光明。（象本《易林》。實易以艮為天為光明之處甚多，詳《焦氏易詁》。荀爽謂陽來成坎，日月之象，故光明，非。）居下卦，故曰下濟。濟，止也，言一陽止於三而成艮也，艮止也。坤為卑，居上卦，故曰卑而上行，互震為行也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Humility is harmonious. The heavenly way descends and brings illumination, the earthly way is lowly but ascends. The heavenly way reduces excess and benefits humility, the earthly way transforms excess and flows toward humility, the spirits and gods harm excess and bless humility, and human conduct detests excess and favors humility. Humility exalts and shines, is lowly yet cannot be surpassed, and is the conclusion of the gentleman." The key point here is that the trigram Gen (Mountain) has the image of "Heaven" and "illumination" — the Book of Changes' Sayings on the Trigrams does not mention this, but Shang's interpretation has unearthed this Han dynasty interpretation from Jiao's Forest of Changes. (In fact, the Book of Changes contains many passages where Gen represents Heaven and illumination, see Jiao's Glosses on the Changes. Xun Shuang said that a yang line comes to form Kan (Water), taking the image of the sun and moon, thus producing illumination, which is incorrect.) Since Gen represents Heaven, and it is located in the lower trigram, it is said "the heavenly way descends." "Descend" means to stop, meaning that the single yang line stops at the third position to form Gen, and the nature of the Gen trigram is to stop. The trigram Kun (Earth) represents lowliness, yet it is placed in the upper trigram, thus it is said "the earthly way is lowly but ascends"; the mutual trigrams from the third to fifth lines form Zhen (Thunder), which represents movement, and the image of "ascending" comes precisely from this."

天道虧盈四句，申有終之原理。變，毀也。坤為虧，為毀，為害，為惡，為鬼；震為神（象失傳，詳《焦氏易詁》），為人。艮一陽在上，故尊。（艮為官，為君子，人知之；乃為尊又不知。只《易林》以艮為貴為尊。）而光。卑謂居下卦。虞翻謂三位賤，故卑，非也。卑而不可踰者，艮為山，艮止坎險，故雖卑退，而不能踰越，終獲福也。

"The 'Heavenly Way diminishes fullness' and the following four sentences explain the principle of 'the gentleman has a conclusion.' 'Change' means destruction. The Hexagram坤 has images of 'diminishment,' 'destruction,' 'harm,' 'evil,' and 'ghost.' The Hexagram震 has the image of 'spirit' (this image is lost, see Jiao's Glosses on the Changes), and also the image of 'person.' The Hexagram艮 has one yang line at the top, so it is esteemed. (Gan represents official and the gentleman, which everyone knows; but Gan representing respect and honor is unknown, only Jiao's Forest of Changes states that Gan represents honor and respect.) 'And brightness' comes from this. 'Low' refers to the position of Gan in the lower trigram. Yu Fan said that the third line is low and thus called 'low,' which is incorrect. The phrase 'low but not surpassable' is because Gan represents mountain, and Gan can also stop the danger of Kan. Therefore, although it is humble and retreating, others cannot surpass it, and it ultimately gains blessing."

象曰：地中有山，謙。君子以捊多益寡，稱物平施。捊，王弼本作裒。《釋文》云：鄭、荀、董、蜀才皆作捋，取也。捊、裒音同通用。陽來內故曰益，艮手故曰取。說卦坤為眾，故為多。剝下五陰，互三坤，多極矣，今上來益三，居中以界上下。坤為物，下物雖寡，陽來益之，上下物等，故曰稱物。坎為平，物稱故施平。（虞因艮多節謂艮為多，非。多白眼，多心，多眚，多字若可取象，則巽坎皆可為多，不只艮也。）

The Great Image Commentary says: "Earth contains a mountain, humility. The superior man thus takes much and gives little, and measures things to distribute them evenly." "捊" is in the Wang Bi edition written as "裒"; the "Shi Wen" says Zheng Xuan, Xun Shuang, Dong Yu, and Shu Cai all wrote "捋", meaning to take. "捊" and "裒" are homophones and can be used interchangeably. A yang line comes to occupy the inner trigram, so it is called "increase"; Gen represents the hand, so it is called "take." The "Shuo Gua" says Kun represents the multitude, hence "much." The "Bo" hexagram has all five lines below the fifth line as yin, and the interacting trigrams contain three layers of Kun, so "much" reaches its extreme; now the upper nine of "Bo" comes down to increase the third line and forms "Qian," with one yang line in the center, distinguishing upper and lower. Kun represents things, and the things in the lower trigram are few, but a yang line comes to increase them, so the things above and below become equal, hence "measure things" — measure and make them equal. Kan represents levelness, and once things are equal, giving naturally becomes level. (Yu Fan, because the "Shuo Gua" says Gen "has many sections," therefore says Gen represents "much," which is incorrect. The "Shuo Gua" also says "many white eyes," "many hearts," and "many evils," if "much" can be taken as an image, then Xun and Kan can also represent "much," not only Gen.)

初六：謙謙君子，用涉大川，吉。初臨坎水，坎險坎陷，本不易涉，然初居下卦之下，謙而又謙，卑以自牧，故可用以涉此大川，而無不吉也。象曰：謙謙君子，卑以自牧也。揚子《方言》：牧，司也，治也。

The line statement for the first line (initial six) says: "A modest gentleman, using this virtue to cross a great river, is auspicious." The first line is adjacent to the mutual trigram Kan (water) in the second to fourth lines. Kan represents danger and a pit, which is inherently difficult to cross. However, the first line is at the very bottom of the lower trigram, and through its extreme modesty, it restrains itself with humility, thus being able to cross the great river with this virtue, achieving auspiciousness in all endeavors. The Small Image Commentary says: "A modest gentleman, governing himself with humility." Yang Xiong's "Fangyan" says: "To 'mù' means to govern or manage."

六二：鳴謙，貞吉。《玉篇》：鳴，聲相命也。震為鳴，二承之。三陽為二友，損「一人行則得其友」是也。《詩·小雅》「嚶其鳴矣，求其友聲」，言二得承三，遂其所願，故得意而嗚也。二當位，故貞吉。象曰：鳴謙貞吉，中心得也。中心得，申鳴謙之故也。卦體坎，坎為中為心。

Line six-two statement says: "Calling with humility, sincerity brings good fortune." The "Zuoyuan" explains that "ming" means calling out with sound. The trigram Zhen (Thunder) has the image of "ming" (calling), and Zhen appears in the lines three to five. Line six-two is below it and receives its influence. The yang line nine-three is the friend of line six-two. The "Xin" hexagram says "when one walks alone, he finds his friend," which refers to this. The "Poetry·Xiao Ya" says "its call is sweet, seeking the voice of its friend," which describes how line six-two receives the support of nine-three and fulfills its wish, thus being joyful and calling out. Line six-two is a yin line in a yin position, hence "sincerity brings good fortune." The "Xiaoxiangzhuan" says: "Calling with humility, sincerity brings good fortune, because the heart is in harmony." "Heart in harmony" explains the reason for "calling with humility." In the hexagram, the lines two to four form the trigram Kan, which represents the center and the heart.

九三：勞謙，君子有終，吉。坎為勞卦，故曰勞謙。艮為君子，艮成終，故曰君子有終。象曰：勞謙君子，萬民服也。三臨群陰，坤眾故曰萬民服。六四：無不利，撝謙。《釋文》撝、麾同，指撝也。象曰：無不利撝謙，不違則也。則謂三，言四順三，而發撝其謙德也。陰順陽，故無不利。子夏傳撝謙，化謙也，蓋化於三而不違之也。則純指三言，各家泛論之，非也。

The line statement for nine in the third line says: "To labor in humility, the gentleman has a proper conclusion, which is auspicious." The "Commentary on the Changes" states that Kan represents the labor hexagram, and nine in the third line is located within the mutual Kan, hence it is said "to labor in humility." Gen represents the gentleman, and Gen also signifies completion, hence it is said "the gentleman has a proper conclusion." The "Small Image Commentary" says: "The humble gentleman, the myriad people will be loyal to him." Nine in the third line is above many yin lines, and坤 represents the multitude, hence it is said "the myriad people will be loyal." The line statement for six in the fourth line says: "There is no disadvantage, to guide in humility." The "Explanatory Text" says that "huí" is the same as "huī," meaning to command or direct. The "Small Image Commentary" says: "There is no disadvantage in guiding in humility, because it does not violate the principle." The term "zé" refers to nine in the third line, meaning that six in the fourth line follows nine in the third and carries out its humble virtue and guides it. Yin lines follow yang lines, hence "there is no disadvantage." The "Zi Xia Commentary" says that "huí qian" means "to transform into humility," which is exactly being transformed by nine in the third and not violating it. The term "zé" refers purely to nine in the third line. It is incorrect for various interpretations to generalize it as a principle.

六五：不當（句），以其鄰，利用侵伐，無不利。坤虛故不當。震為鄰，為侵伐。以，與也。言五與四順三以征不服，無不利也。震為威武，故為侵伐為徵。李鼎柞謂六五離爻，離為戈兵，故為侵伐，毛奇齡、惠棟用之，非也。象曰：利用侵伐，征不服也。上六反君道，故曰不服。荀爽謂指五似非。

The line statement for the fifth line says: "Not rich, with its neighbor, advantageous for invasion and warfare, no disadvantage." Shang's commentary marks the word "not rich" with a "sentence" marker, indicating that these two characters form a complete sentence (the original text had "should" instead of "rich"). The earth element in the hexagram is empty, and emptiness implies not rich, hence the statement "not rich." The trigram Zhen has the image of "neighbor" and "invasion and warfare." Here, "with" is used as "together with," meaning the fifth line and the fourth line both obey the third line, going to subdue those who are不服, thus achieving no disadvantage. Zhen represents authority and strength, hence it can be used for invasion and warfare. Li Dingzuo said the fifth line is the line of Li, and since Li represents weapons, it is used for invasion and warfare. Mao Qilin and Hui Dong followed this interpretation, but they were wrong. The Small Image Commentary says: "Advantageous for invasion and warfare, subduing those who are不服." The sixth line at the top is in the position above the ruler, thus violating the ruler's way, hence called "unsubmissive." Xun Shuang said "unsubmissive" refers to the fifth line, which may not be correct.

上六：鳴謙，利用行師，征邑國。俞樾云：六二鳴謙，傳曰中心得，此曰志未得，何相反若是。疑鳴當作冥，與豫、升上六同例。按俞說是也。豫上六冥豫，《釋文》云鄭讀為嗚。鳴、冥古蓋同聲相假，猶捊之作裒也。坤為師，為邑國；震為征，為行。人眾勢強故利，然以冥謙行之，昧於事情，故難得志，宋襄公是也。象曰：嗚謙，志未得也；可用行師，征邑國也。上應在三，三坎為志。志未得，言上為四五所阻，應三難也。

The line statement for the sixth line above the hexagram says: "Ming qian, utilizing the army for action, to conquer nearby states." Yu Yue says: In line two, "Ming qian" is explained by the small image commentary as "the heart is in harmony." Here, it also says "Ming qian," but the image commentary says "the will is not fulfilled," which seems contradictory. He suspects that "Ming" should be read as "Ming," following the same pattern as the sixth line of the hexagram Yu and the hexagram Sheng. According to Yu Yue's view, this is correct. The sixth line of the hexagram Yu says "Ming yu," and the "Shi Wen" says Zheng Xuan read it as "Ming," showing that "Ming" and "Ming" were homophones and interchangeable in ancient times, similar to "Fen" being written as "Pou." The hexagram Kun has the image of "army" and "city-state"; the hexagram Zhen has the image of "military campaign" and "movement." With many people and strong power, it is advantageous; however, acting with a dull and obscure "Ming qian" leads to an unclear understanding of the actual situation, making it difficult to achieve one's goals—this is similar to the case of Song Xianggong in the Spring and Autumn period. The image commentary says: "Ming qian, the will is not fulfilled; utilizing the army for action, to conquer nearby states." The sixth line above corresponds with the third line. The third line is in the mutual trigram Kan, which represents the will. The statement "the will is not fulfilled" is because the sixth line is blocked by the fourth and fifth lines, making it difficult to correspond with the third line.

豫，利建侯行師。雷出地上，得眾志行，故豫。豫，和樂也。歸藏作分，言震雷上出，與地分離也；又一陽界於五陰之間，使上下分別，與周易義異。震為君，故曰建侯，與屯同義。坤為師，順以動，故利行師。

The Hexagram Statement of 《Yu》 says: "It is advantageous to establish a feudal lord and to march with an army." The trigram Zhen (Thunder) arises above the trigram Kun (Earth), with the thunder issuing from the earth, gaining the support of the many yin lines, thus enabling the will to be carried out, hence called "Yu." "Yu" means harmony and joy. 《Guicang》 names this hexagram "Fen," meaning that the thunder rises upward, separating from the earth; also because a single yang line is placed between five yin lines, dividing the upper and lower parts — this differs from the meaning of harmony and joy in 《Zhou Yi》. Zhen has the image of a "sovereign," hence "establishing a feudal lord," which is the same as the meaning of "Li Jianhou" in 《Zun》. Kun represents the army, and the entire hexagram is smooth and in motion, hence "advantageous for marching with an army."

彖曰：豫，剛應而志行，順以動豫。豫順以動，故天地如之，而況建侯行師乎。天地以順動，故日月不過，而四時不忒。聖人以順動，則刑罰清而民服。豫之時義大矣哉。艮為天，坤為地，艮為日，坎為月，順故不過不忒。坎為刑罰，坤為民，坤順故刑罰清而民服。艮為時，震卦數四，故曰四時。坎為聖（虞氏逸象），李鼎祚以震為聖，非。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Yü, the yang responds and the will is carried out, following with movement, thus it is called Yü. Since Yü is following with movement, the heavens and earth are like this, and how much more so for establishing princes and leading armies. The heavens and earth follow with movement, thus the sun and moon do not exceed their courses, and the four seasons do not become disorderly. The sage follows with movement, thus punishments are clear and the people obey. The timing of Yü is of great significance." The mountain (Gèn) has the image of "heaven," and Kun represents earth; the mountain also represents the sun, and Kan represents the moon. The Yü hexagram has the mountain (Gèn) in its second to fourth lines and the water (Kan) in its third to fifth lines. Following with movement causes the sun and moon to move without error and the four seasons to change without disorder. Kan represents punishment, and Kun represents the people. Since Kun is gentle and compliant, punishment is clear and the people obey. Gèn represents time, and the number of the thunder (Zhèn) hexagram is four, hence "four seasons." Kan represents the sage, which is an esoteric image transmitted by Yu Fan; Li Dingzuo taking Zhèn as the sage is incorrect.

象曰：雷出地奮，豫。先王以作樂崇德，殷薦之上帝，以配祖考。震為樂，為仁德，為帝，為薦。薦，進也；殷，盛也。艮為祖考。（象失傳，只《易林》知之。實小過六二過其祖，即以艮為祖，詳《焦氏易詁》。）古帝王作樂，皆以象其功德，用以郊天，使祖考配享。雷出地奮，聲容象之，故先王取以為法。震為王。

The Great Image Commentary says: "Thunder arises from the earth, symbolizing the joyous and harmonious state of豫. The former kings used music to honor virtue, offering it in grand scale to the Supreme Deity, so that the ancestors might be honored alongside him." The trigram Zhen (Thunder) has the images of "music," "benevolent virtue," "Supreme Deity," and "offering." "Offering" means presenting, and "grand" means magnificent. The trigram Gen (Mountain) has the image of "ancestors." (This image has been lost, but only the Jiao's Forest of Changes still knows about it. In fact, the line Six in the Second of the hexagram Xiao Guo ("passing by the ancestor") uses Gen as the ancestor, as detailed in Jiao's Glosses on the Changes.) Ancient kings created music to symbolize their own virtues, used in the great sacrifice to Heaven, and to honor the ancestors alongside the Supreme Deity. Thunder arises from the earth, and its sound and appearance are similar to the creation of music, so the former kings took it as a model. Zhen also represents the king.

初六：嗚豫，凶。初應四，四震為鳴，故曰鳴豫。爻在此而象在應，如蒙三之金夫、泰二之包巟憑河及此，為易之通例。自此例不明，於是明夷初九之飛及翼，皆以離為象矣。初六得敵，不能應四，故凶。象曰：初六鳴豫，志窮凶也。窮者，極也。初為二三所隔，應四難，故曰志窮。象曰：不終日，貞吉，以中正也。二當位，故中正。

The line statement for the first line (initial six): "Calling out in joy, it is凶." The first line corresponds to the second line (nine in the second), which is the main line of the trigram Zhen (Thunder). Zhen represents calling out, so it is said "calling out in joy." The line statement falls on this line, but the imagery is taken from the line it corresponds to — similar to the "gold man" in the sixth line of Meng, or the "embracing the vast and relying on the river" in the second line of Tai. These are all of the same type, which is a common principle in the Book of Changes. Since this principle has become obscure, the "flying" and "wings" in the first line of Mingyi have been interpreted as images of Li (Fire). The first line is blocked by the second line (six at the beginning) and the third line (six in the third), which are of the same nature, so it cannot correspond to the fourth line (nine in the fourth), hence "凶." The Small Image Commentary says: "The first line calls out in joy, its aspirations are exhausted and thus it is凶." "Exhausted" means extreme. The first line is blocked by the second and third lines, making it difficult to correspond with the fourth, hence "aspirations are exhausted." (The original text of the line statement for the second line is missing.) The Small Image Commentary says: "Not lasting a full day, firmness brings good fortune, because it is in the center and upright." The second line is a yin line in a yin position, hence it is in the center and upright.

六三：盱豫，悔，遲有悔。《說文》：盱，張目也。《爾雅》：盱，憂也。又《詩·小雅》「云何盱矣」，鄭箋：病也。艮為視（象失傳，祇易及《易林》用之，詳《焦氏易詁》），坤為病，故曰盱。諸爻獨三得承陽，然失位，故睢盱上視，有憂悔也。艮止故遲。有、又通。遲有悔者，言遲疑不決，又有悔也。盱豫句，悔一字句。象曰：盱豫有悔，位不當也。位不當，釋盱豫之故。

The line statement for the sixth line (sixth line) says: "Xu Yu, regret, delay brings regret." The Shuowen Jiezi says "Xu" means to open one's eyes and look up, while the Erya says "Xu" means worry. Zheng Xuan's commentary on the poem Xiao Ya "Yun He Xu Yi" interprets "Xu" as illness. The trigram Gen has the image of "looking," (this image has been lost, but is still used in the Book of Changes and Jiao's Forest of Changes, see Jiao's Glosses on the Changes). The trigram Kun represents illness, so "Xu" is used here. Among the six lines, only the sixth line (sixth line) is connected to the yang of the fourth line (fourth line). However, it is a yin line in a yang position, thus it is out of place, so it opens its eyes and looks up, containing worry and regret. The virtue of the trigram Gen is to stop, hence "delay." "You" and "chi" are homophones, so "chi you hui" means hesitation, which brings further regret. In terms of punctuation, "Xu Yu" is one sentence, and "hui" is a separate sentence. The Small Image Commentary says: "Xu Yu brings regret, because the position is inappropriate." "Position is inappropriate" is the reason for "Xu Yu."

九四：由豫，大有得，勿疑，朋盍簪。盂子「由由然與之偕」，注：由由，自得之貌。由豫者，從容和樂也。坎為疑，上下四陰附之，陽遇陰則通，故曰大有得勿疑。陽以陰為朋，盍，合也。簪與笄同，所以括髮。朋盍簪，言群陰歸四，有若簪之括髮也。臧庸云：象盍簪者，取一陽橫貫於五陰之中。可謂觀象獨深。又杜詩「盍簪喧櫪馬」，言群馬縶於一槓之上，故以盍簪為喻。此語解易，可謂明白如晝矣。

The line statement for the fourth line, nine (nine in the fourth), says: "By joy, there is great gain, do not doubt, the companions gather like hairpins." The "Mengzi" says "by by" means being content and at ease, so "by joy" refers to being at ease and happy. The trigram Kan represents doubt (the third to fifth lines are interrelated Kan), and the four yin lines above and below all rely on nine in the fourth. Yang meets yin and thus connects, so it says "there is great gain, do not doubt." Yang takes yin as companions, "he" means to gather, and "zan" is the same as "ji," which is used to tie up hair. "Companions gather like hairpins" means that the many yin lines rely on nine in the fourth, just as a hairpin gathers and ties up hair. Zang Yong says: the image of "gather like hairpins" refers to a yang line crossing through five yin lines. This is a very profound observation of the image. Also, Du Fu's poem "gather like hairpins, noisy horses in the stable" refers to a group of horses tied together by a single crossbar, so he uses "gather like hairpins" as a metaphor. Using this poem to explain the Yi Jing can make the meaning clear as day.

艮為簪。《易林》恆之咸云「簪短帶長」，以咸艮為簪；復之節語同，亦以節之互艮為簪。凡《易林》象，無不本於易。子夏傳為韓嬰作，在漢易為最古，即作簪，故焦氏亦讀為簪，與子夏傳同。至東漢則多改字，其詳皆在《焦氏易詁》中。（後之人於笄簪括髮之形象，茫昧失考，故於易象維妙維肖之朋盍簪三字，皆不知其故；而尤以謂漢以前無簪名者為失考。《儀禮》簪衣於裳，《韓非子》周主亡玉簪，李斯諫逐客宛珠之簪，謂漢以前無者非也。）

The trigram Gen has the image of a hairpin. In "Jiao's Forest of Changes" under the hexagram Heng and Xian, it says "the hairpin is short and the sash is long," which uses the Gen trigram of Xian as a hairpin. Similarly, in "Fù" and "Jie," the wording is the same, and the Gen trigram in the mutual trigrams of Jie is also taken as a hairpin. All images used in "Jiao's Forest of Changes" are based on the Book of Changes. "Zixia's Commentary on the Changes" was written by Han Yin during the early Han dynasty and is the oldest among Han interpretations of the Book of Changes. Here, it is taken as a hairpin, so Jiao Yanshou also reads it as a hairpin, consistent with "Zixia's Commentary." By the Eastern Han dynasty, many characters were changed, and details are recorded in "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes." Later scholars were unaware of the shape of using hairpins and hairpins to tie hair, so they did not understand the three vivid images of "peng he zan." Especially the view that there was no term "zan" before the Han dynasty is incorrect. The "Rites of Zhou" mentions "zan yi yu chang," the "Han Feizi" mentions "zhou zhu wang yu zan," and Li Si's "Advice Against Expelling the Guests" mentions "wan zhu zhi zan." The claim that there was no term "zan" before the Han dynasty is therefore unfounded.

象曰：由豫大有得，志大行也。志謂坎，上下五陰皆孚於四，故曰志大行。六五：貞疾，恆不死。坎為疾，震生故曰不死。五以陰柔處尊位，乘剛勢逆，故常疾，然久而不死，以處中位也。如齊田得民，姜亦不遽亡也。象曰：六五貞疾，乘剛也；恆不死，中未亡也。中未亡之故，以得中故也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "From the hexagram of Joy, there is great gain, and the will is greatly realized." "Will" takes the image of the Water trigram. The five yin lines above are all sincere and loyal to nine in the fourth, so it is said "the will is greatly realized." The line statement of six in the fifth says: "Maintain sincerity in illness, and remain constant without death." The Water trigram represents illness, and the Thunder trigram represents growth and vitality, so it is said "without death." Six in the fifth, being a yin line in a noble position, also rides over nine in the fourth, which is a strong line, creating an adverse situation, hence often suffering from illness. However, the illness does not lead to death because it is in the central position. It is like the Spring and Autumn period when the Tian family of Qi had already gained the people's support, yet the Jiang family kings did not perish immediately. The Small Image Commentary says: "Six in the fifth maintains sincerity in illness, because it rides over strength; remains constant without death, because it is in the center and has not yet perished." The reason it is said "has not yet perished" is precisely because it is in the center.

上六：冥豫，成有渝，無咎。冥昧不事事，功之成者，必漸隳矣，故曰成有渝。然當位，目前雖無大咎，久則禍至，故象曰何可長。象曰：冥豫在上，何可長也。何可長，言不足恃。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: "Mediating in indulgence, achievements will change, no blame." Being immersed in pleasure and neglecting duties, once achievements are made, they will gradually be ruined, hence "achievements will change" — the result will change. However, the sixth line at the top is a yin line in a yin position, and is in the correct place, so although there is no great blame at present, over time, calamity will surely come. Therefore, the Small Image Commentary says, "How can it last long?" The Small Image Commentary says: "Being immersed in indulgence at the top, how can it last long?" "How can it last long" means such a situation is unreliable.

隨：元亨利貞，無咎。歸藏曰馬徒。馬徒，即周禮太僕職所謂前驅。越語「勾踐親為夫差前馬」，注：前馬，前驅，在馬前也。按震為馬，互艮為徒隸，馬徒皆隨貴人馬，前行以闢道；而兌為口，為傳呼，於卦象頗合。茲周易名隨，似取隨時之義。震春，故曰元亨；兌秋，故曰利貞。吉春而夏可賅，言秋而科可賅。元亨利貞，即春夏秋冬，周而復始，循環不窮，故曰隨。隨時而動，不過不忒，故無咎。

The Hexagram Statement of 《Zui》 says: "Originality, Greatness, Advantage, and Constancy, no blame." 《Guicang》 calls this hexagram "Ma Tu." "Ma Tu" refers to the "front horse" mentioned in 《Zhou Li · Tai Pu》, which is the one leading the horse. 《Guoyu · Yue Yu》 says "Goujia personally served as the front horse for Facha," and the annotation explains that "front horse" is the one leading the horse, going ahead of the horse. According to the trigrams, Zhen represents a horse, and the lines two to four form a mutual Gan, representing attendants. Therefore, "Ma Tu" refers to horses and attendants following the nobleman, leading the way. Also, Dui represents mouth and proclamation, which fits well with the hexagram's symbolism. 《Zhou Yi》 names this hexagram "Zui," which seems to mean following the trend of the times. Zhen belongs to spring, so it is said "Originality and Greatness"; Dui belongs to autumn, so it is said "Advantage and Constancy." Mentioning spring includes summer; mentioning autumn includes winter. Originality, Greatness, Advantage, and Constancy correspond to spring, summer, autumn, and winter, which cycle endlessly, hence the name "Zui." Following the times, without excess or error, thus "no blame."

象曰：隨，剛來而下柔，動而說，隨。大亨貞無咎，而天下隨時。隨時之義大矣哉。王肅本隨時皆作隨之，將卦義全失，朱於從之過矣。故夫讀易以明理為先也。象曰：澤中有雷，隨。君子以晌晦入宴息。艮為君子，又止故宴息。兌為昧，為晦；震往，往而遇兌，故曰晌晦。巽伏，故君子法此象，以晌晦人宴息。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Following, the strong comes down to the soft, moves and is joyful, thus following. Greatly prosperous, with sincerity, there is no fault, and the world follows the times. The meaning of following the times is great indeed." The Wang Su version changed all instances of "following the times" to "following," thereby losing the meaning of the hexagram; Zhu Xi followed this reading, which was a mistake. Therefore, studying the Book of Changes should prioritize understanding principles. The Great Image Commentary says: "Thunder in the marsh, following. The gentleman thus goes into darkness and rests." (The original text's "shang" is a mistake for "xiang.") Gèn represents the gentleman, and the moral quality of Gèn is to stop, so he can "rest." Dui represents darkness and obscurity; Zhen represents movement forward. Moving forward just meets Dui, so it is said "xiang hui" — tending toward darkness. Xun has the meaning of concealment, so the gentleman follows this image, entering to rest as soon as it gets dark.

初九：官有渝，貞吉，出門交有功。官，蜀才作館，見《釋文》。惠棟云：官，古文館。以穆天子傳「官人陳牲」為證。按作館是也。艮為館，下卦艮覆，故曰館有渝。渝，變也。初至四為正覆良，象覆即於覆取義，易通例也。自覆象失傳，渝之古舊解皆不能說其所以然，而用覆之辭，如蒙掾（無左）如中孚之二三交，詁皆誤矣。

The first line statement says: "The official has changed, but remaining loyal brings good fortune; going out to meet others brings merit." The character "官" in the Sichuan Cai edition is written as "馆," as noted in the "Shi Wen." Hui Dong said that "官" is an ancient form of "馆," and cited the "Mu Tianzi Zhuan" passage "官人陈牲" as evidence. According to this, writing it as "馆" is correct. The trigram Gen has the image of a "馆"; the lower trigram of the "Su" hexagram is Zhen, which is precisely the reversed form of Gen. Therefore, it is said "馆 has changed." "渝" indicates change. From the first line to the fourth line, there are two Gen trigrams, one upright and one inverted. Since the hexagram image is inverted, the meaning is taken from the inverted form, which is a common practice in the Book of Changes. Since the image of the inverted trigram has been lost, the old interpretations of the character "渝" cannot be explained properly. Any line statements that use the image of the inverted trigram, such as those in the "Meng" hexagram, or the second and third lines of the "Zhongfu" hexagram, have all been misinterpreted.

渝而得位，故貞吉，與下貞凶為對文。艮為門，初臨之，而震為出，故曰出門。出門則有交接，陽遇陰則通，故有功。凡陽臨重陰者無不吉，此其一也。象曰：官有偷，從正吉也；出門交有功，不失也。失與佚通用，供，逸也。震動故不佚，言不敢安逸也。此與比六二不自失、小畜九二亦不自失，皆讀為佚，與吉韻。義詳比九五失前禽注。

The initial line, 'Initial Nine,' changes to a proper position, hence 'Zhen Ji' (a firm and auspicious situation). This is in direct contrast to 'Zhen Xiong' (a firm and ominous situation) in line nine four. The trigram Gen represents the gate, and since the initial nine is immediately below it, and Zhen represents movement and action, it is said 'to go out of the gate.' Going out of the gate implies interaction; when a yang line meets a yin line, it becomes connected, hence 'there is achievement.' All yang lines above overlapping yin lines are not without auspiciousness, and this is one example. The 'Small Image Commentary' says: 'The official has changed, following the correct path brings auspiciousness; going out to meet others brings achievement, without loss.' 'Loss' and 'yi' are interchangeable, and 'yi' means ease or comfort. Since Zhen represents movement, it does not mean ease, meaning it does not dare to seek comfort. This is similar to the line six two in 'Bi' and line nine two in 'Xiu,' where 'loss' should be read as 'yi,' and it rhymes with 'ji.' For a detailed explanation, see the note on 'Bi' line nine five 'losing the preceding bird.'

六二：係小子，失丈夫。此爻舊解，淆亂至今者，一由卦象失傳，二由同性相敵之理不明也。初震為小子，四艮為丈夫。二近初，故係小子；為六三所隔，不能承四，故失丈夫。《易林》家人之巽云「孩子貪餌」，以伏震為孩子也。孩子即小子，是焦氏以震為小子，義即本此也。

The line statement for the second line says: "Tie the young boy, lose the elder man." The old interpretations of this line have been confused up to the present day, due to two reasons: first, the loss of the hexagram images, and second, the failure to understand the principle that similar elements are in opposition. The initial line (Chu Ji) belongs to Zhen, which represents the young boy; the fourth line (Jiu Si) belongs to Gen, which represents the elder man. The second line (Liuer) is close to the initial line, hence "tie the young boy"; it is blocked by the third line (Li San), so it cannot connect to the fourth line, hence "lose the elder man." The "Jiao's Forest of Changes · Family to Xun" says "the child is greedy for bait," which uses the hidden Zhen to represent the child. The child is the young boy, showing that Jiao Yanshou took Zhen as the young boy, based on this meaning.

又復之剝云「夫亡從軍」，以剝上艮為夫，是艮為丈夫，焦氏仍本之易。蓋以二人言，初生者長，後生者少，故說卦以震為長子，艮為少子；而以一人言，則初少上老，故經以震為小子，艮為丈夫。先儒不知經取象往往與說卦不同，不敢直認，豈知象傳所釋至明也。象曰：係小子，弗兼與也。

Jiao's Forest of Changes, in the case of the hexagram Fu followed by Bo, says "the husband has gone to serve in the army." Therefore, in the top line of the Bo hexagram, the mountain (Geng) represents the husband, showing that the mountain symbolizes "husband." Jiao Yanshou still bases his interpretation on the Book of Changes. Originally, when considering two people, the elder is the father and the younger is the son; thus, the Shuo Gu (Explanations of the Hexagrams) takes Zhen as the elder son and Gen as the younger son. However, when considering a person's life, the first line represents youth and the top line represents old age, so the classic text takes Zhen as the young son and Gen as the husband. Earlier scholars did not realize that the imagery used in the classic text often differs from that in the Shuo Gu, and thus they did not directly acknowledge this. They did not realize that the Xiao Xiang Chuan (Small Image Commentary) has already explained this clearly. The Xiao Xiang Chuan says: "Binding the young son, not including him in the same category."

二居初四之間，近初遠四，故曰弗兼與。虞翻謂二應五，以五為小子，五為少女，焉能為小子，失之遠矣。六三：係丈夫，失小子，隨有求（句）得（句），利居貞。三近四承陽，故上繫文夫；為二所阻，故下失小子。象謂志合下，是明以震為小於，艮為丈夫也。隨有求句，與下隨有獲對文。艮為求，陰承陽故有得，巽為利。咸六二云居吉，茲云利居貞，似亦以動為戒。蓋上無應，靜而承陽則吉，動則不利。舊解謂之正應上，於居義相背，非也。

The line six in the second is between nine at the beginning and nine in the fourth, close to the beginning but distant from the fourth, so it is said 'not able to be in both'—it cannot be in harmony with both sides. Yu Fan said that line six in the second responds to nine in the fifth, taking nine in the fifth as the young son; but nine in the fifth is the position of the young daughter, how can it be the young son? This is too far off. The line statement of line six in the third says 'attached to the husband, losing the young son, following with a request, obtaining, advantageous to dwell in uprightness.' Shang氏 marked a 'sentence' character below both 'request' and 'obtaining,' indicating the punctuation. Line six in the third is close to nine in the fourth and above a yang line, so it is said 'attached to the husband'; it is blocked by line six in the second, so it is said 'losing the young son.' The small commentary says 'the will is in harmony with the lower,' clearly taking zhen as the young son and gen as the husband. 'Following with a request' forms its own sentence, corresponding with 'following with a gain' in nine in the fourth. Gen represents the request, yin receiving yang thus obtaining, xun represents advantage. In the hexagram Xian, line six in the second says 'residing is auspicious,' here it says 'advantageous to dwell in uprightness,' which seems also to warn against reckless movement. Because line six in the third has no responding line, it is auspicious to remain quiet and serve the yang line; once it moves, it is not advantageous. Old commentaries said that line six in the third corresponds to line six at the top, which contradicts the meaning of 'residing,' so it is incorrect.

象曰：係丈夫，志合下也。下謂初。輕以艮為丈夫，以震為小子，可謂明白矣。九四：隨有獲，貞凶，有孚，在道以明，何咎。下乘重陰得民，故有獲；不當位，前遇敵，故貞凶。然下孚於眾，光明正大，遵循正道，亦無咎也。艮為道，為光明。虞氏命三四全變成離，取明象，迂曲失經旨。大畜彖傳曰「剛健篤實輝光」，剛健謂乾，輝光謂艮，是艮為光明，易有明文。

The Small Image Commentary says: "It is tied to the husband, harmonizing with the lower one." "Lower" refers to the first line. The classic text takes Gen as the husband and Zhen as the young man, which is clearly explained. The line statement of the fourth line says: "Following leads to gain, firmness brings misfortune, with sincerity, in the way and bright, what harm is there?" The fourth line gains the people below because it is supported by the overlapping yin lines beneath it, hence "gain." However, it is a yang line in a yin place, thus not in the proper position, and it meets the yang line of the fifth line, which is of the same type, hence "misfortune." Yet, it treats the multitude of yin lines with sincerity, is upright and bright, follows the correct path, so there is no fault. Gen represents the way and brightness. Yu Fan transformed the third and fourth lines entirely into Li to obtain the image of "brightness," which is a roundabout approach and loses the original meaning of the classic text. The Commentary on the Judgment of Daxu says, "Strong and vigorous, firm and solid, radiating brilliance." "Strong and vigorous" refers to Qian, and "radiating brilliance" refers to Gen, showing that Gen represents brightness. The Book of Changes itself clearly states this.

象曰：隨有獲，其義凶也；有孚在道，明功也。其義凶者，謂四本不凶，而凶者以不當位也。大畜、頤上九皆下孚於陰而吉。九五：孚于嘉，吉。《易林》每以震為嘉，蓋本此也。嘉指二，五孚於二，二震體，故曰孚于嘉。象曰：孚于嘉，位正中也。二五皆當位，故曰正中。

The Small Image Commentary says: "Following leads to gain, its meaning is ominous; having sincerity in the path, it demonstrates merit." The phrase "its meaning is ominous" refers to the fact that the Nine in the Fourth is not inherently ominous, but becomes ominous only because it is not in the proper position. The Upper Nine of both the Great Accumulation and the Nourishment hexagrams obtain good fortune by seeking trust from the yin lines below, which can serve as a reference. The line statement of the Nine in the Fifth says: "Sincerity toward the good, good fortune." The Jiao Forest of Changes often uses Zhen (Thunder) to represent the good, probably based on this. "Good" refers to the Six in the Second, as the Nine in the Fifth seeks trust from the Six in the Second; the Six in the Second belongs to the Zhen trigram, hence the phrase "sincerity toward the good." The Small Image Commentary says: "Sincerity toward the good, because it is in the proper position and centered." Both the Six in the Second and the Nine in the Fifth are in the proper position, hence the term "proper and centered."

上六：拘係之，乃從維之，王用亨于西山。伏艮為拘，為山；兌西故曰西山，兌口故曰亨。王渭五。三至上正反巽，巽為繩，故曰繫，曰維。虞翻曰：兩繫稱維。正反兩類詩所謂縶之維之也。卦以隨為義，六窮於上，五恐其去，拘係之，從維之，或即其隱居之處而宴享之，言六無所隨，而五必隨之也。西溪易說云：先儒說易，遇西山西鄰，皆曰文王事也，可謂大謬。象曰：拘係之，上窮也。窮，盡也。

The line statement for the top line says: "It is restrained, then it is tied up, the king uses it for sacrifice at the western mountain." The hidden image of艮 (earth mountain) includes the image of "restraint" and "mountain";兑 (lake) is located in the west, so it is said "western mountain," and兑 represents mouth, so it is said "sacrifice" (offering). "King" refers to nine in the fifth. From the third line to the top line are two wind trigrams, one upright and one inverted, and wind represents rope, so it is said "tie" and "tie up." Yu Fan says: two ropes tied together are called "tie up." The image of these two types of ropes, one upright and one inverted, is exactly what the Book of Songs refers to as "binding it and tying it up." This hexagram is established on the principle of "following." The top line has reached the extreme, and nine in the fifth fears it will leave, so it restrains it and ties it up, or perhaps directly sets a banquet for it at its place of seclusion — meaning that the top line has nothing to follow, yet nine in the fifth insists on following it. The "West Stream Commentary on the Book of Changes" says: previous scholars who interpreted the Book of Changes, whenever they encountered "western mountain" or "western neighbor," would say it refers to King Wen's affairs, which can be considered a great mistake. The "Small Image Commentary" says: "It is restrained, because it has reached the extreme." "Extreme" means the end.

蠱：元亨，利涉大川，先甲三日，後甲三日。左傳蟲蠱，而歸藏作蜀。詩（？）風「絹絹（左蟲）者躅（左蟲）」，躅（左蟲），葵中蠶也。詩詁：蜀已有蟲，再加蟲俗字。然則蜀亦蟲，與蠱義同也。蠱，敗也，壞也。卦上山震木，為材木之所出，乃下卦為巽，巽隕落故敗。又巽為蟲，蟲蠢物朽腐。大過曰棟撓（左木），《易林》旅之履云「木內生蠢」，蠢即蠱，皆以巽也，故壞。

The Hexagram Gǔ statement says: "Original prosperity, beneficial for crossing great rivers, three days before the first day of the month, three days after the first day of the month." The Zuo Zhuan mentions the concept of "insect蛊," while the Gui Cang refers to this hexagram as "Shu." The poem Shī Jīng · Bin Feng says "yuan yuan zhe zhu," where "zhu" refers to the green caterpillar of the bitter melon plant. The Shī Gǔ says that the character "Shu" originally contained the shape of an insect, and adding the insect radical made it a vulgar form; thus, "Shu" is also an insect, and it is synonymous with "Gǔ." "Gǔ" means decay and destruction. This hexagram has the upper trigram Gen (Mountain) and the lower trigram Xun (Wind). It originally represents a place where timber is produced, but the lower trigram Xun signifies falling, leading to decay. Xun also represents insects, which are pests that cause decay and rot. The hexagram Da Guo mentions "dòng náo," and in Jiao's Forest of Changes · Lu Zhī Liu, it says "mu nei sheng du," where "du" is the same as "Gǔ," both referring to the image of Xun. Therefore, this hexagram signifies destruction.

禮王制「執左道以亂政」疏云：蠢者，損壞之名。周禮秋官庶氏，掌除毒蠱，鄭注：毒蠱，蟲物而病害人者。又翦氏，掌除蠢物，凡庶蠱之事，注：蠱，蠢之類。又史記秦德公二年初伏，以狗御蠱，注：蠱，惡氣。是蠱之為蠢為腐壞甚明。又左傳云：女惑男，風落山，謂之蠱。女惑男，男敗；風落山，山敗。亦以敗壞說蠱。

The Commentary by Kong Su on the sentence "zhí zuǒ dào yǐ luàn zhèng" in the "Rites: The System of the Ruler" says: "Du" is the name for something that causes damage. In the "Rites: The Office of Autumn" the Shu氏 is responsible for removing toxic蛊, and Zheng Xuan's commentary says that toxic蛊 are insects that can harm people and cause illness. The Jian氏 is responsible for removing蠹 things and dealing with all matters related to蛊, and the commentary says that蛊 is a type of蠹. Also, the "Records of the Grand Historian" states that in the second year of Qin De Gong's reign, the first day of the伏 was used to use dogs to eliminate蛊, and the commentary says that蛊 is evil qi. This clearly shows that "蛊" refers to蠹 and decay. The "Zuo Zhuan" also says that when a woman deceives a man and the wind causes trees to fall from the mountain, it is called蛊. A woman deceiving a man leads to the man's decline; the wind causing trees to fall from the mountain leads to the mountain's decline—both explanations use the idea of decline to interpret "蛊."

荀爽謂蠱為事，朱子蓋以為不安，又曰壞極而有事。夫卦名皆由卦象而生，詁蠱為事為惑，皆正訓不誤，而此則義為敗壞，亦卦象所命也。彖曰巽而止蠱，亦以敗壞為說；若必拘序卦而訓為事，則此句義難通矣。陽得陰則通，坤為大川，為事，剛往坤上，下履重陰，容民得眾，故曰利涉大川，曰往有事。

Xun Shuang interpreted "Gǔ" as "Shì", but Zhu Xi probably thought this was unsatisfactory, so he later said it refers to something being in a state of extreme decay, thus allowing for action. The names of the hexagrams arise from their images; interpreting "Gǔ" as "Shì" or as "Huò" is not incorrect in terms of word meaning, but the meaning of this hexagram is about decay, which is also determined by the image. The "Commentary on the Judgment" says "Xun but stopped at Gǔ," which is also based on the idea of decay; if one insists on adhering to the interpretation from the "Sequence of Hexagrams" and takes it as "Shì," then this sentence does not make sense. A yang line receiving a yin line becomes unobstructed. The hexagram Kūn represents a great river and also represents "Shì." The strong line of Gǔ moves upward and occupies the position above Kūn, with the lower part resting on overlapping yin lines, thus being able to accommodate the people and gain their support, hence saying "favorable to crossing the great river" and "going with affairs."

乾元為甲、蠱之先為泰。乾為日，三爻故曰先甲三日。乃由泰反否而蠱為之始，初交上為蠱，二三隨上成否，甲之在下者反上，先甲變為後甲矣，故又曰後甲三日。蠱旁通隨，隨者由否反泰之始，上爻下成隨，四五隨下成泰，甲之在上者反下，後甲又變為先甲矣。否泰相循環相終始，來往　信，天道因如是也。

Heavenly Stem Jia represents the first line of the trigram Qian, which is called "Qian Yuan." The trigram before Gu is Tai. Since Qian represents the sun and has three lines, it is said that "Jia comes three days before." The transformation from Tai to Pi begins with Gu. The first line of Tai moves up to the top position, forming Gu. Then the second and third lines follow up, resulting in Pi. Originally at the bottom, Jia moves to the top, so "before Jia" becomes "after Jia," hence the phrase "after Jia comes three days." Gu and Su are complementary. Su begins with the transformation from Pi to Tai. The top line of Pi moves down to form Su. Then the fourth and fifth lines follow down, resulting in Tai. Originally at the top, Jia moves to the bottom, so "after Jia" returns to "before Jia." Tai and Pi alternate continuously, each being the beginning and end of the other. This movement of going and returning, bending and stretching, is the natural way of heaven.

象曰：蠱剛上而柔下，巽而止蠱。蠱元亨而天下治也。利涉大川，往有事也。先甲三日，後甲三日，終則有始，天行也。行，道也。泰者隨之終，蠱者否之始，故曰終則有始。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Gǔ, the strong above and the yielding below, yielding and stopping the蛊. Gǔ is originally prosperous and harmonious, and the world is well governed. It is advantageous to cross great rivers, for going forward is to attend to affairs. Before the first day of the month, three days prior, and after the first day of the month, three days later, the end leads to the beginning, as the heavens act." (The original text says "Xiang" but should be "Tuan.") "Xing" means to follow the path. Tai is the final stage of the transformation from Suí, while Gǔ is the starting point of the transformation from Pǐ, hence it is said "the end leads to the beginning."

象曰：山下有風，蠱。君子以振民育德。風止山下，氣鬱不通，故蠱。蠱則不生育，振而作之，所以救蠱而育德也。象義有因卦象而取法者，有反省者，茲則反省者也。

The Great Image Commentary says: "Under the mountain, wind; this is the hexagram of蛊. The superior person thus uses this to inspire the people and cultivate virtue." The wind is blocked beneath the mountain, causing stagnation and blockage, hence forming "蛊." Once蛊 has taken hold, it is unable to produce or nurture. To inspire and encourage is precisely the way to remedy this situation and cultivate virtue. The meaning taken from the Great Image has two types: one follows the hexagram's image, and the other reflects upon the opposite of the image. Here, it belongs to the latter type.

初六：於父之蠱，有子考，無咎，厲終吉。初雖不當位，然上承重陽，與上合志，與升初六同，故吉。《易林》以震巽為父母，詳《焦氏易詁》。朱漢上以復垢（左女）為小父母，復殷（左艮）仍震巽。初伏震，故曰父，曰了。乾正也，能正父蠱，故曰有子考。逸周書謐法云：考，成也。左氏襄十三年彌廟疏：考，成也，言有成德也。有子考者，即謂有子能成就先業也，故無咎。風隕故厲，承陽故終吉。馬融、王肅讀考字絕句，王注作考無咎，非也。象曰：乾父之蠱，意承考也。意承考，謂初上承重陽，能承繼先德也。承，順也，巽象。

The line statement for the first line (initial line) says: "To rectify the father's disorder, there is a son who completes the task, without blame, though there is danger, ultimately it is auspicious." (The original text's "于" is a mistake for "干.") Although the first line is not in the correct position, it connects upward to the overlapping yang lines, and aligns with the ninth line in its aspirations, similar to the first line of the Hexagram of Ascending, hence it is auspicious. In Jiao's Forest of Changes, Zhen and Xun are regarded as parents, as detailed in Jiao's Glosses on the Changes. Zhu Zhen interprets Fu and Guo as small parents, but Fu and Guo still contain Zhen and Xun. The first line contains Zhen, hence it is referred to as "father" and "son." Qian represents correctness, capable of rectifying the father's disorder, hence it is said "there is a son who completes the task." The "Vassal Book · Posthumous Titles" says "kao means completion," and the commentary on the "Zuo Zhuan" by Kong Shu in the 13th year of Duke Xiang also says "kao means completion," meaning having the virtue of accomplishment. "There is a son who completes the task" means there is a son who can complete the father's endeavors, hence "without blame." Xun represents falling, hence "danger"; but since it is supported by yang lines above, it ends auspiciously. Ma Rong and Wang Su interpreted the character "kao" as part of the previous sentence, while Wang Bi's commentary reads "kao, without blame," which is incorrect. The image says: "To rectify the father's disorder, the intention is to follow the father." "Intention to follow the father" means the first line supports the overlapping yang lines, capable of continuing the virtue of the ancestors; "following" means to be harmonious, taking the image of Xun.

象曰：乾母之蠱，得中道也。二五得中。九三：乾父之蠱，小有悔，無大咎。三震體，故亦因父。按九三上雖無應，然當位，前臨重陰，與大畜九三象同，當吉；乃大畜九三利往，此云小悔無大咎者，以體下斷也。凡巽體上交多不吉，先儒不知其故在本弱，故多誤解。象曰：乾父之蠱，終無咎也。九三前臨重陰，利往，故終無咎。

The Small Image Commentary says: "The mother's蛊 is in the middle way." (The text of the second line is missing.) Both the second line and the fifth line are in the middle position. The statement of the third line says: "The father's蛊, there is a small regret, but no great misfortune." The third line belongs to the trigram Zhen (Thunder), so it is also called "father." Although there is no corresponding line above the third line, it is yang in a yang position, and it is in the proper place. In front of it are overlapping yin lines, which is similar to the third line of the Great Accumulation (Da Xu), which should be auspicious. However, the third line of the Great Accumulation says "favorable to go forward," while here it says "a small regret, but no great misfortune," which is judged based on the weakness of the lower trigram Xun. Generally, those belonging to the Xun trigram and moving upward are mostly not auspicious. The ancients did not understand the reason was the inherent weakness of the Xun trigram, so they mostly misunderstood. The Small Image Commentary says: "The father's蛊, ultimately no misfortune." The third line is before overlapping yin lines, which is favorable to go forward, so ultimately there is no misfortune.

六四：裕父之蠱，往見吝。裕，寬也，虞云不能淨父過也。前遇敵，陰遇陰則窒，故往吝。象曰：裕父之蠱，往未得也。六五：乾父之蠱，用譽。得中，有應，上承陽，而艮為名，故可致聞譽。象曰：乾父用譽，承以德也。德謂陽，承以德，言上承陽也。

The line statement for the fourth line says: "The father's mischief is abundant; going forward leads to regret." "Yu" means generous or lenient; Yu Fan says this refers to being unable to correct the father's mistakes. The fourth line is preceded by the fifth line, and both are yin lines that are in opposition, so yin lines encountering yin lines result in blockage, hence going forward leads to regret. The Small Image Commentary says: "The father's mischief is abundant; going forward is not yet attained." The line statement for the fifth line says: "Correcting the father's mischief, using reputation." The fifth line occupies the central position, has the second line below it that corresponds, and also receives the yang of the top line above it. The mountain (Gen) has the image of "name," so it can bring about reputation. The Small Image Commentary says: "Correcting the father's mischief with reputation, receiving the yang with virtue." "De" refers to the yang line, and "receiving with virtue" means the fifth line receives the yang of the top line above.

上九：不事王侯，高尚其事。三震為王，為諸侯，上不應之，故曰不事王侯，言不事王侯之事也。高居物表，逍遙事外，故曰高尚其事。象曰：不事王侯，志可則也。則，法也。不事王侯，若共伯和、吳季禮之流是也，作奉事者非。

The line statement for the top nine (上九) says: "Not serving princes and dukes, but holding high aspirations." The nine in the third position (九三) belongs to the trigram Zhen, which represents a prince or a duke. The top nine shares the same nature as the nine in the third but is not in harmony with it, hence it is said "not serving princes and dukes," meaning it does not engage in serving princes and dukes. The top nine resides above all things, free from worldly affairs, hence it is said "holding high aspirations." The Small Image Commentary says: "Not serving princes and dukes, the aspiration is worthy of being emulated." "Then" means to emulate. The phrase "not serving princes and dukes" refers to people like Gong Bo He and Wu Ji Zha, and interpreting "事" as serving is incorrect.

臨：元亨利貞，至于八月有凶。釋詁：臨，視也。毀梁哀七年「有臨天下之言焉」，注：臨，撫有之也。卦以震君臨四陰，正撫有也，故曰臨。臨闢丑，陽息卦，故曰元亨。左傳云：不行之謂臨。行而不已，則至八月而凶矣，故又曰利貞，言利於貞定也。月卦始子復，至未遁正八月，故鄭、陸、虞皆以八月為遁。而虞氏以殺君父說凶義則非，殺君父皆否遁所同有，胡獨八月凶乎。

The Hexagram of Qian says: "Greatly prosperous, advantageous to be sincere and firm, until the eighth month there is calamity." The Er Ya · Xigǔ says: "Lín" means to look upon. The Gu Liang Zhuan of the seventh year of Duke Ai says: "There is a statement of governing the world," with the annotation explaining that "Lín" means to embrace and possess. This hexagram has the lower trigram Zhen (Thunder) with a yang line governing the upper four yin lines, which is exactly embracing and possessing, hence called "Lín." The Hexagram of Lín is one of the twelve trigrams of the rising sun, corresponding to the month of Chou, and belongs to the trigram of yang energy growing, hence it is said "Greatly prosperous." The Zuo Zhuan says that not acting is called "Lín." If one acts but does not stop, by the eighth month calamity will come, hence it also says "advantageous to be sincere and firm," meaning it is advantageous to be stable and not move. The sequence of the monthly trigrams starts from the first month Zǐ with the Hexagram of Fu, counting up to the sixth month Wei with the Hexagram of Dùn, which is exactly the eighth month. Therefore Zheng Xuan, Lu Ji, and Yu Fan all take the eighth month as the Hexagram of Dùn. As for Yu Fan's explanation of the calamity as a usurpation of the king and killing one's father, this is incorrect — usurpation of the king and killing one's father is a common meaning of the Hexagrams of Pi and Dùn, so why is calamity only in the eighth month?

按《易林》恆之臨云：神之在丑，破逆為咎，不利西南，商人休止。臨闢丑，震為神，故曰神之在丑；乃行至未而破丑，故曰破逆為咎。又按漢書翼奉傳：平昌侯三來見臣，皆以正日加邪時。孟康曰：謂乙丑之日，丑為正，日加未而來，未破丑，故曰邪時。陸績易傳「至于八月凶」注曰：建丑至未也。八遁亦以未破丑說凶義，徒以弒君父為說，何以辭於其它消卦乎。幾易言八月七日，皆言爻數，後儒往往以殷正周正為說，皆夢吃語也。

According to Jiao's Forest of Changes, the hexagram Ling under the hexagram Heng says: "The god is in Yichou, breaking the reverse brings misfortune, it is not favorable to the southwest, merchants should stop." Ling is the hexagram paired with the Yichou month, and Zhen represents the god, so it says "the god is in Yichou." When arriving at the Wei month, since Wei has not yet broken Yichou, it says "breaking the reverse brings misfortune." Also according to the Han Shu, Yi Feng's biography, Pingchang Hou visited me three times, all on the right day but with the wrong time. Meng Kang explains that this refers to the day of Yichou, where Yichou is the right time; the sun reaches the Wei position when it comes, and since Wei has not yet broken Yichou, it is called the wrong time. Lu Ji's commentary on the Yi says "until the eighth month it is凶": counting from Yichou to Wei. This shows that the eighth month is Duan, and it also uses the breaking of Yichou by Wei to explain the meaning of misfortune. If we only take the idea of killing the king and father, how can we explain other hexagrams of yin decline? All references in the Yi to "the eighth month" and "the seventh day" are based on the number of lines. Later scholars often use the calendar systems of Yin and Zhou to explain them, which is all nonsense.

象曰：臨，剛來浸而長，說而順，剛中而應，大亨以正，天之道也。至于八月有凶，消不久也。通消卦，故曰不久。象曰：澤上有地，臨。君子以教思無窮，容保民無疆。震兌皆為言，故曰教思無窮。坤為民，震為仁，故曰容保民。坤廣大，故曰無疆。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Approach, the strong is gradually growing and increasing, joyful and compliant, strong and central with a response, great prosperity in correctness, this is the way of Heaven. However, by the eighth month there is misfortune, for the decline is not long-lasting." The lower trigram is Dui, representing joy, and the upper trigram is Kun, representing compliance. Nine in the Second is strong and central, and corresponds with Six in the Fifth, hence "great prosperity in correctness." This hexagram is connected with the series of hexagrams where yin energy is declining and yang is increasing. The trend of yang increasing cannot last long, hence "the decline is not long-lasting." The Great Image says: "A marsh on top of land, Approach. The gentleman uses teaching and thinking without end, and embraces and protects the people without limit." Both Zhen and Dui have the image of "speech." Dui as mouth and tongue is well known, while Zhen as speech is an image established by Shangshi according to the lost images in Jiao's Forest of Changes. Speech and teaching continue endlessly, hence "teaching and thinking without end." Kun represents the people, Zhen represents benevolence, using benevolent virtue to embrace the people, hence "embracing and protecting the people." The earth is vast and boundless, hence "without limit."

初九：咸臨，貞吉。咸，感也。初二爻皆有應，故皆曰咸臨。貞，卜問也。象曰：咸臨員吉，志行正也。坤為志，應在坤，皆當位，故曰志行正。九二：成臨，吉，無不利。承遇陰則通，故曰無不利。象曰：咸臨吉無不利，未順命也。二必升五，得尚于中行，而卦以不利為義，故曰未順命。

The line statement for the first line (Initial Nine): "Xian Lin, Zhen Ji." "Xian" means to feel or respond, and both the first line (Initial Nine) and the second line (Nine in the Second) have corresponding yin lines, so they are both described as "Xian Lin." "Zhen" refers to divination. The Small Image Commentary says: "Xian Lin Zhen Ji, Zhi Xing Zheng Ye." The Earth (Kun) represents the will, and the lines that correspond are all in the upper trigram (Kun), and each is in the correct position, so it is said "Zhi Xing Zheng." The line statement for the second line (Nine in the Second): "Xian Lin, Ji, Wu Bu Li." The second line encounters a yin line above it; yang meeting yin is harmonious, so it is said "Wu Bu Li." The Small Image Commentary says: "Xian Lin Ji Wu Bu Li, Wei Shun Ming Ye." The second line must necessarily rise to the fifth position to achieve the "Zhong Xing" (middle and moving) state; however, this hexagram defines its meaning through stillness and not movement, so it is said "Wei Shun Ming."

六三：甘臨，無攸利，既憂之，無咎。說文：甘，美也。三獨近二，陰順陽，言甘於順二也。然不當位，無應，故無所利。坤為憂，知無所利而優之，故無咎也。象曰：甘臨，位不當也；既憂之，咎不長也。不長謂不久。

The line statement for the third line says: "Sweetly approaching, there is no benefit; having worried about it, there is no blame." The "Sayings of the Classic" explains that "sweet" means beauty. The sixth line is the only among the阴 lines that is adjacent to the second line, which is yang. Since the阴 is obedient to the yang, it is said to approach sweetly. However, the sixth line is a阴 in a yang position, which is not appropriate, and there is no corresponding line above it, so there is no benefit. The earth represents worry; knowing there is no benefit yet still being cautious and worried, there is no fault. The "Small Image Commentary" says: "Sweetly approaching, because the position is inappropriate; having worried about it, the fault does not last long." "Not lasting long" means it will not be long-lasting.

六四：至臨，無咎。虞翻曰：至，下也，謂下應初，當位有實，故無咎。象曰：至臨無咎，位當也。六五：知臨，大君之宜，吉。知音智，言宜知幾也。震為大君，象失傳，詳《焦氏易詁》。九二震主交，應在五，二五相上下，皆當位，故曰大君之宜，言二宜升五也。

The line statement for the fourth line says: "Approaching to the utmost, there is no blame." Yu Fan explains: "Approaching" refers to the downward direction, indicating that the sixth line at the fourth position responds to the first line of nine. The fourth line is in the proper position and its corresponding line is full, hence "there is no blame." The Small Image Commentary says: "Approaching to the utmost without blame, because the position is proper." The line statement for the fifth line says: "Knowing the approach, it is suitable for the great ruler, and it is auspicious." "Knowing" is read as "wisdom," meaning one should perceive subtle signs. The trigram Zhen has the image of "the great ruler," but this image has been lost, see Jiao's Glosses on the Changes for details. The second line of nine is the main line of Zhen; it responds to the fifth line. If the second and fifth lines were to exchange positions, both lines would be in proper positions. Therefore, it says "it is suitable for the great ruler," meaning that the second line is suitable to ascend to the fifth position.

象曰：大君之宜，行中之謂也。二五皆中位，故曰行中。知臨者，言宜知幾，與二相上下也。上六：敦臨，吉，無咎。陽息即至三，上稍止即有應，故曰敦臨。敦與屯與頓皆通，有止意、待意，義詳復卦。言稍待即有應，故曰志在內，內謂三也。故復五六亦曰敦復，言五少遲，陽即息至二，有應，與此同也。舊解訓敦為厚，非。

The Small Image Commentary says: "The proper conduct of the great sovereign is called acting in the middle." Both Nine in the Second and Six in the Fifth are in the middle position, so it is said "acting in the middle." What is meant by "knowing to govern" is that one should act when the opportunity arises, and the line of Nine in the Second exchanges positions with the upper and lower lines. The line statement of Upper Six says: "Gentle governance, auspicious, no blame." Yang energy grows quickly and reaches the third position, so Upper Six slightly pauses and there is a corresponding line, hence it is said "gentle governance." "Gentle" is connected with "屯" and "顿," both meaning to stop or wait. A detailed explanation is given in the卦 of复. It means waiting a moment and then there is a responding line, so the Small Image says "the mind is within," where "within" refers to the third position. Therefore, the line statement of Six in the Fifth of the卦 of复 says "gentle return," meaning that Six in the Fifth slightly delays, and yang energy grows to the second position and corresponds with it, which is the same principle here. Old interpretations taking "gentle" as meaning "humble" are incorrect.

象曰：敦臨之吉，志在內也。言頓止之故，因陽息即至三，有應也。易之道貴將來，將來有應，故吉；不然內無應，何吉之有。凡云志在內、志在外者，皆謂應爻。九家謂志在二升五，清儒皆宗之，由誤解敦字故也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "The good fortune of firm approach comes from the mind being focused internally." This refers to the reason for the pause and waiting: because the yang energy grows quickly and reaches the third position, and the sixth line at the top then has a responding line. The principles of the Book of Changes value the future; if there is a response in the future, it is therefore good; otherwise, if the inner trigram has no responding line, where would the good fortune come from? Whenever it says "the mind is focused internally" or "the mind is focused externally," it is referring to the responding line. The Nine Schools' Commentary says "mind" refers to the nine two moving up to the fifth position. Qing dynasty scholars followed this interpretation, but it was due to a misunderstanding of the character "敦."

觀：漱而不薦，有孚若。五得尊位，下臨萬民，民為廟堂，萬民瞻仰，故曰觀。《易林》以艮為觀、為視，象失傳，詳《焦氏易治》，蓋即本此也。國之大事，在把與戎。禮之可觀，莫盛乎宗廟；宗廟之可觀，莫盛乎祭祀。

The hexagram "Guan" (Observation) states: "Washing but not offering, with sincerity and solemnity." (The original text mistakenly uses "s漱" for "盥," and the character "顒" is missing after "有孚.") The line Nine in the Fifth occupies the exalted position, ruling over the people below, just as the ancestral temple, being the highest in the temple complex, is looked up to by all the people. Therefore, it is called "Guan" (Observation). In "Jiao's Forest of Changes," the trigram Gen (Mountain) is interpreted as "Guan" (Observation) and as "seeing," but this image has been lost. For details, see "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes," which is probably based on this hexagram. The major affairs of the state are worship and warfare. Among the rites, the most worthy of observation is the ancestral temple, and among the ancestral temple rites, the most worthy of observation is the worship ceremony.

初漱降神也。馬融云：進爵灌地以降神也。卦巽為白茅，茅在地上，坤水沃之，縮酒之象也。灌地降神，其誠敬之心，孚於神明。禺（右頁），敬也。及至薦牲則扎簡略。一孔子曰「帝（左衣）自既灌而往者，吾不欲觀之矣」，與此義同也。

At first, "guan" referred to pouring wine on the ground to summon spirits. Ma Rong said that it involved presenting a wine vessel and pouring the wine on the ground to invite the spirits. In this hexagram, the upper trigram is Xun, which symbolizes "white reed grass." The reed grass lies on the ground, and the water of the坤 trigram is poured over it, forming an image of filtering wine to summon spirits. During the ritual of pouring wine on the ground, the sincerity and reverence expressed at that moment connected with the divine. "Yong" means respect. However, when offering sacrifices, the ritual became simpler. Confucius said, "I do not wish to see the rites after the pouring of wine," which conveys the same meaning.

象曰：大觀在上，順而巽，中正以觀天下。觀，漱而不薦，有孚禺（右頁）若，下觀而化也。觀天之神道，而四時不忒，聖人以神道設教，而天下服矣。坤為天下，天下化則服矣，此聖人所以以神道設教也。觀亦候卦，故曰四時。臨曰元亨利貞，亦四時也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Great observation is above, following and yielding, upright and correct in the center, thus observing the world. Observation, washing but not offering, with sincerity and solemnity, the people below observe and are transformed. Observing the divine way of heaven, the four seasons do not err; the sage uses the divine way to establish teaching, and thus the world is convinced." The two yang lines, nine five and upper nine, are high above the many yin lines, which is "great observation above." The lower trigram is坤, representing following, and the upper trigram is巽, representing entering. Nine five is also upright and in a noble position, thus it can "observe the world with uprightness and correctness."坤 has the image of "the world," and people below look up to the superior and are influenced by it. Once they are taught, they naturally submit, which is exactly why the sage uses the divine way to establish teaching. The hexagram of 观 is also paired with the seasonal changes, so the Commentary on the Judgment mentions "the four seasons." The hexagram of 临 discusses "origin, prosperity, advantage, and correctness," which also refers to the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

象曰：風行地上，觀。先王以省方觀民設教。坤為方，為民；艮為觀，故曰省方，曰觀民；巽為命，故曰教。先王巡狩四方，觀風問俗，宣佈教化，亦若風行地上也。初六：童觀，小人無咎，君子吝。《釋文》：馬云童猶獨也，鄭云樨（左禾）也。而虞翻以艮為童，詁與鄭同。按馬說是也。太玄玄沖云：童，寡有也。而《易林》每以坤為寡。初坤體，上無應，陰遇陰失類，孤寡極矣，故曰童觀。其在小人，獨行踽蹈（左同），尚可無咎；若君子則狹隘為病矣，故吝。蓋童之象不在艮而在坤。初何以孤寡，則以上無應而行失類也。象曰：初六童觀，小人道也。道，行也。

The Great Image says: "Wind moves over the earth, observing. The former kings thus traveled to observe the people and establish teachings." The earth represents the four directions and the people, while the mountain represents observation, so it says "observing the four directions" and "observing the people." The wind represents commands, so it says "teaching." The former kings toured the four directions, observing customs and consulting the people, and proclaimed teachings, just as the wind moves over the earth. The line statement for the first line says: "Observing as a child, the small person has no blame, the superior person is reluctant." The "Commentary on the Text" cites Ma Rong saying "child" is like "alone," Zheng Xuan says it means immature; Yu Fan takes the mountain as "child," interpreting it the same as Zheng Xuan. According to Ma Rong's interpretation, it is correct. The "Tai Xuan" says: "Child means few possessions." And the "Jiao's Forest of Changes" often takes the earth as few. The first line belongs to the earth structure, and there is no responding line above it; yin meets yin and loses its corresponding line, reaching the extreme of loneliness and fewness, so it says "childlike observation." In the case of a small person, this is merely going alone, which can still have no blame; but for a superior person, it becomes a flaw of narrow vision, hence "reluctance." This shows that the image of "child" does not come from the mountain but from the earth. Why is the first line lonely and few? Because there is no responding line above and its actions lose their kind. The Small Image says: "The first line observes as a child, the way of the small person." "Way" means action.

六二：窺觀，利女貞。說文：窺，閃也，傾頭門中視也。二應五，坤為門，二在門中，上窺九五，而坤為閉為羞，故羞縮不敢正視而窺觀也。聖人取象之精，非注視卦象，不知其微妙如此也。窺觀乃妾婦之行，故利女占；若在丈夫，則可丑矣。象曰：窺觀女貞，亦可醜也。丑謂不莊。

The line statement for line six two says: "To peek and observe, it is advantageous for a woman to be steadfast." The "Sayings of the Classic" explains that "peek" means to glance sideways, i.e., to look from the crack of a door. Line six two corresponds to line nine five, and the earth element represents a door. Line six two is within the door, looking upward to observe line nine five. The earth element also represents closure and shyness, so it is timid and does not look directly. The sage's subtle use of imagery is not understood without careful observation of the hexagram. Peeping is an action of a concubine, so it is only advantageous for a woman's divination; if applied to a man, it would be shameful. The "Small Image Commentary" says: "Peeping to observe, a woman's steadfastness, is also shameful." "Shameful" here refers to lack of propriety.

六三：觀我生，進退。凡我生皆謂應與。《詩·小雅》「雖有兄弟，不如友生」，易以陰陽相遇為朋友，故謂應與為我生。三應在上，故曰觀我生。進退，上巽為進退。進退者，上下也。三與上相上下，謂三宜進居上，上宜退居三，各當位也，故象曰不失道。象曰：觀我生進退，未失道也。道，行也。

The line statement for the third line says: "Observing my life, advancing and retreating." Whenever the term "my life" appears, it refers to the yao that corresponds to the self. The poem in "Shi Jing · Xiao Ya" says, "Though there are brothers, they are not as good as a friend." In the "Yi Jing," meeting of yin and yang is considered friendship, so the corresponding yao is called "my life." Since the sixth line in the third place corresponds to the ninth line at the top, it says "Observing my life." As for "advancing and retreating," the upper trigram Xun has the image of "advancing and retreating." This advancing and retreating refers to mutual exchange between upper and lower: the sixth line in the third place and the ninth line at the top exchange their positions. This means the sixth line in the third place should advance to the top position, and the ninth line at the top should retreat to the third position. In this way, both lines are in proper position, so the Small Image Commentary says, "Not losing the way." The Small Image Commentary says: "Observing my life, advancing and retreating, not losing the way." "Way" refers to action.

噬嗑也，亨，利用獄。噬嗑也，嗑，合也；亨，通也。夫上下之不能相合者，中必有物間之，嗑而去其間，則合而通矣。國家之有刑獄，亦復如是。民有梗化者，以刑剋之，則頑梗去而上下通矣，故曰利用獄。震為口，頤「利求口實」是也，為口故曰噬。雷電合居於東，故曰合而重。震為口，初至四正反震口合；上離，正反兌口合，故曰噬嗑。自覆象失傳，及震為口之象亡，噬嗑之義遂晦而不明。卦一陰一陽，剛柔交，故曰亨。坎為獄，折獄之道，不明則人不服，不威則眾不從，今威明並濟，故利。

The Hexagram Statement of Shìkè says: "It is smooth, and suitable for the use of punishment." "Kè" means to join together, and "Héng" means to be unimpeded. The reason why the upper and lower parts cannot join together is because there is something in between that blocks them; by removing the obstruction, they join and become unimpeded. The state establishes courts and punishments, and the principle is the same: among the people, if there are those who obstruct the way of education, they should be punished, and once the stubborn ones are removed, the upper and lower parts become unimpeded, hence it is said "suitable for the use of punishment." The trigram Zhen has the image of the mouth; the Hexagram Yi's statement "favorable to seek food for the mouth" uses this image. Because there is a mouth, it is called "Shì" (to bite). Thunder and lightning both reside in the east, so it is said "joining together and forming a harmonious whole." Zhen represents the mouth: from the first line to the fourth line, there are two Zhen trigrams, one upright and one inverted, forming two mouths that join together; the upper trigram is Li, which also contains one upright and one inverted Dui, which are also two mouths that join together, hence it is called "Shìkè." Since the image of the inverted trigram has been lost, the image of Zhen as the mouth has also been lost, and the meaning of "Shìkè" has become obscure. This hexagram has one yin and one yang alternating, with the firm and the yielding intermingling, hence it is said "it is smooth." Kan represents punishment; the method of judging cases, if not clear, people will not accept it, and if there is no authority, the people will not follow. Now both authority and clarity are present, hence it is favorable.

象曰：頤中有物曰噬嗑，噬嗑而亨，剛柔分，動而明，雷電合而童，柔得中而上行，雖不當位，利用獄也。有物謂四，四在顧中，故曰有物。頤上下陽，中四交皆陰，陰順陽，故求得口食。今四陽橫互於中，陽遇陽為仇為敵，不順，嗑去此物，則合而通，故曰噬嗑而亨。卦陽爻與陰交相間，故曰剛柔分。雷電合居於東，故曰合而章。五不當位，然文明以中，斷制枉直，不失情理，故利用獄也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "There is something in the mouth, called噬嗑. By biting and chewing, there is harmony. The yin and yang are divided, movement brings clarity, thunder and lightning combine to reveal the meaning, the yin line occupies the center and rises upward, even though it is not in the proper position, it is suitable for the use of punishment." "There is something" refers to the nine in the fourth line. The nine in the fourth line is located in the middle of the mouth, so it is said "there is something." The upper and lower lines of the颐卦 are yang, while the middle four lines are all yin. Yin follows yang, so they can obtain food from the mouth. Now the nine in the fourth line, a yang line, is located in the middle, yang meeting yang becomes enemies, unwilling to follow; by biting and removing this, they become harmonious, so it is said "by biting and chewing, there is harmony." This hexagram has yang and yin lines alternating, so it is said "the yin and yang are divided." Thunder and lightning are both in the east, so it is said "they combine to reveal the meaning." The six in the fifth line, though not in the proper position, is civilized and occupies the center, capable of judging right and wrong without losing reason, so it is said "it is suitable for the use of punishment."

象曰：雷電，噬嗑。先王以明罰涑（右力）法。罰法皆坎象。敕（右力），正也，威之用；明則離之用也。初九：屨校減趾，無咎。震為趾，坎為校。初臨重陰，利往，往而遇坎，坎在震上，故曰屨校。校，械也；屨，貫也。言以械貫於震足之上，足不見，故曰減趾。初當位，故無咎。象日：屨校減趾，不行也。此言人初有過，其過尚微，故罰亦從輕，使有所懲，而不至積累其罪，以至於誅，所謂小懲大戒也。初本利行，行而遇險，故不行。

The Great Image Commentary says: "Thunder and lightning, the devouring of the criminal. The former kings used this to clarify punishment and enforce laws." Both punishment and law take the image of Kan (Water). "Edict" refers to the strict regulation and correction, which belongs to the use of authority, while "clarify" refers to the use of Li (Fire). The line statement for the first line (Initial Nine): "The shoe restraint covers the foot, no blame." Zhen (Thunder) represents the foot, and Kan (Water) represents the restraint (punishment). The first line is above a stack of yin lines, which is favorable for movement, but movement meets Kan, which is above Zhen, so it is said "shoe restraint" — like putting a restraint on the foot as if wearing a shoe. "Restraint" refers to punishment, and "shoe" refers to the act of binding. It means the punishment is applied to the foot of Zhen, covering the foot so it is hidden, hence "covering the foot." The first line is in the correct position, so there is "no blame." The Small Image Commentary says: "The shoe restraint covers the foot, not moving." This refers to a person's first wrongdoing, which is still minor, so the punishment is light, to serve as a warning, preventing accumulation of faults leading to severe punishment, which is called "light punishment for great warning." The first line was originally favorable for movement, but one step leads to danger, hence "not moving."

六二：噬膚減鼻，無咎。震為噬，二艮體，故曰膚，曰鼻，言艮膚艮鼻，為震口所噬，隱伏於坎水之下，故曰減。二乘剛，故有是象。按減趾有類於刖刑，減鼻有類於劓刑，皆初犯罪，刑之輕者，皆冀其有所懲於後也。二得中，故可免於咎。象曰：噬膚減鼻，乘剛也。乘剛不順。

The line statement for line six-two says: "Bite the skin and cut off the nose, no blame." Zhen represents biting; line six-two is located within the mutual Gen trigram between lines two and four. Gen has the imagery of "skin" and "nose," meaning the skin and nose of Gen are bitten by the mouth of Zhen, and are hidden beneath Kan water, hence the term "cut off." Line six-two is riding over the strength of line initial nine, thus producing this imagery. The phrase "cut off the foot" is similar to the punishment of amputation of the foot, and "cut off the nose" is similar to the punishment of nasal amputation, both being lighter punishments for first offenses, and both hope that the offender will be reformed in the future. Since line six-two is in the central position, it can avoid excessive blame. The Small Image Commentary says: "Bite the skin and cut off the nose, riding over strength." Riding over a strong line is not harmonious.

六三：噬臘肉，遇毒，小吝，無咎。說文：臘，乾肉也。民堅故曰臘，坎為肉，故三爻四爻五爻皆言肉。坎為毒，遇毒者，坎在前也。坎肉象，詳《焦氏易詁》。然有應故小識破，無咎。王弼曰：噬以喻刑人，臘以喻不服，毒以喻怨生。按三不當位，以斯用刑，民必不服，豈惟不服，怨毒以生，言小民不知懲戒，仍積惡不俊也。象曰：遇毒，位不當也。三陽位。

The line statement for the third line says: "To bite dried meat, encountering poison, slight difficulty, no blame." The "Shuo Wen" explains that "la" refers to dried meat. The trigram Gen (Mountain) has the nature of hardness, so "la" (dried meat) is used to symbolize hard meat; the trigram Kan (Water) represents meat, so the third, fourth, and fifth lines all mention meat. Kan also represents poison, hence "encountering poison" because Kan is ahead. The image of Kan as meat is detailed in "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes." The third line has a corresponding line above it, so there is only slight difficulty, and no blame. Wang Bi says: "To bite" symbolizes using punishment on people, "la" symbolizes stubbornness and resistance, and "poison" symbolizes the resulting resentment. Since the third line is not in the proper position, using punishment in such a position would certainly lead to resistance from the people; not only would they resist, but resentment would also arise—meaning the common people do not understand punishment and continue to accumulate evil. The "Small Image Commentary" says: "Encountering poison, because the position is improper." Originally, the third line is a yang position, but the third line is occupied by a yin line, hence it is improper.

九四：噬乾肺，得金矢，利艱貞，吉。姐（左月），《玉篇》：肉帶骨也。離艮皆為火，坎肉居中，故曰乾姐（左月）。艮為金，坎為矢，詳《焦氏易詁》。四艮主爻，故曰金；亦坎主爻，故曰金矢。坎陷故利艱貞。按周禮大司寇以兩造兩劑，禁民獄訟，人束矢鈞金，然後聽之。茲云得金矢，仍寓止訟之意。夫今民人金矢，原欲止其獄訟，茲曰得金矢，是訟者不止，而益深其罪也。象曰：利艱貞吉，未光也。坎隱伏故曰未光，升五則光矣。

The fourth line statement says: "To bite the dry meat of the heavens, to obtain a golden arrow, advantageous to be persevering and upright, resulting in good fortune." "Fen" is said in the "Yu Pian" to mean meat with bone. Li and Gen both represent fire, and Kan represents meat sandwiched in between, which is roasted, hence "dry meat of the heavens." Gen represents metal, and Kan represents an arrow, as detailed in "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes." The fourth line is the main line of Gen, hence "gold"; it is also the main line of Kan, hence "golden arrow." Kan signifies danger and entrapment, hence "advantageous to be persevering and upright." According to the "Zhou Li · Da Si Kou," two parties and two documents were used to regulate the lawsuits of the people, requiring the payment of a bundle of arrows and a measure of gold before cases could be heard. Here, "to obtain a golden arrow" still implies the cessation of disputes: originally, the people were required to pay gold and arrows to stop lawsuits; now, "to obtain a golden arrow" suggests that the disputants are unwilling to stop, thereby increasing their guilt. The "Small Image Commentary" says: "Advantageous to be persevering and upright resulting in good fortune, not yet bright." Kan signifies concealment, hence "not yet bright"; if it rises to the fifth position, it becomes bright.

六五：噬乾肉，得黃金，貞厲，無咎。離火故仍曰乾肉。離色黃，五履艮金上，故曰得黃金。貞，卜問；失位，故貞厲；得中，故無咎。按五位雖尊，然不當位，以斯噬物，物亦不服，其堅有如噬乾肉之難。夫據尊位，能行其戮者也，乃物仍不服，不知誡懼，則其估惡不俊（左心），頑堅難化也明矣，故曰得黃金，言其堅愈進也。得黃金非吉辭，如吉則下不日貞厲矣。象曰：貞厲無咎，得當也。得當者，得中也。

The line statement for the fifth line (six in the fifth): "Bite dry meat, obtain golden metal, ask divination, danger, no blame." Since Li represents fire, it still refers to "dry meat." The color of Li is yellow, and the fifth line is situated on the interlocking mountain (Geng) which represents metal, hence it says "obtain golden metal." "Zhen" means to ask divination; the fifth line, being a yin line in a yang position, is out of place, hence "danger." However, it is in the center, hence "no blame." Although the fifth line is in a position of authority, it is not in the proper position. With such a status, biting something would not be accepted, and the object's hardness is like dry meat, difficult to bite. Being in a position of authority, one is supposed to carry out punishment, but the other party still does not submit or show fear. Therefore, it is clear that the person is stubborn and unrepentant. The phrase "obtain golden metal" does not indicate good fortune; if it did, the text would not mention "danger." The Small Image Commentary says: "Danger without blame, because it is appropriate." "Appropriate" means being in the center.

上九：何校嚴耳，凶。坎為校，為耳。上應在三，三坎體亦艮體，良為背，為何，坎校在民背上，耳則遮矣，故曰嚴耳。易爻在此而象全在應，此其一也。王弼曰：處罰之極，惡積不改者也，罪非所懲，故刑及其首。及首非誡，減耳非懲，凶莫甚焉。正義曰：罪未及首，猶可戒懼歸善；罪已及首，性命將盡，非復可戒，故云及首非戒也。校既滅耳，將欲刑殺，非可懲改，故云滅耳非懲也。象曰：何校又耳，聰不明也。滅耳則有害於聰，故曰不明。

The line statement for the top yang line says: "The neck is bound with a yoke, the ears are covered, resulting in misfortune." (The original text's "严" is a mistake for "灭.") The trigram Kan represents a yoke (a tool of punishment) and ears. The top yang line corresponds with the third yin line below it. The third line is part of the Kan trigram and also part of the Gen trigram. Gen represents the back and "he" (burden); the punishment of the yoke from Kan is placed upon the back of Gen, thus covering the ears, which is why it is said "the ears are covered." The line statement here takes its imagery from the line it corresponds with, which is one of the examples of the principles in the Book of Changes. Wang Bi says: this refers to someone who has reached the extreme of punishment and continues to commit evil without change; the crime is so severe that it cannot be corrected by punishment, hence the punishment reaches the neck. When punishment reaches the neck, it is no longer a warning, and covering the ears is not a form of punishment, so the misfortune is greater than this. The "Commentary on the Meaning" says: when the crime has not yet reached the neck, there is still a chance to be cautious and turn to goodness; but when the crime has reached the neck, life is near its end, and it can no longer be corrected by warnings, hence "reaching the neck is not a warning." When the yoke has already covered the ears, execution is carried out, which is not about correcting wrongdoing, hence "covering the ears is not punishment." The "Small Image Commentary" says: "The neck is bound with a yoke, the ears are covered, resulting in confusion." When the ears are covered, hearing is impaired, hence "confusion."

賁。亨。小利有攸往。歸藏作熒惑。熒惑，火星。史記「察剛氣以處熒惑，曰南方火，主夏日，丙丁是也」。卦上艮為星，離亦為星；下離為火，艮亦為火。離主夏位南，艮納丙亦南，故曰熒惑，於象恰合。

The Hexagram 6 of the Book of Changes states: "It is smooth, advantageous for a small venture to go forward." In the Book of Guizang, this hexagram is named "Fengmo," which refers to the planet Mars. The Records of the Grand Historian say, "Observing the strong energy to determine the position of Fengmo, it is the southern fire, ruling the summer season, corresponding to the heavenly stems Bing and Ding." The upper trigram of this hexagram is Gen, which has the image of "star," and the lower trigram is Li, which also has the image of "star." The lower trigram Li represents fire, and Gen also represents fire. Li governs summer and is located in the south, while Gen includes the heavenly stem Bing, which also belongs to the south. Therefore, it is called "Fengmo," which perfectly matches the hexagram's symbolism.

至周易作賁。賁，《釋文》云：傅氏作斑，文章貌；鄭云文飾貌；太玄擬作飾。按卦一陰一陽相雜，相雜則有文，故曰斑，曰文飾。又按爾雅：龜三足曰賁。卦離艮皆為龜，而震為足，數三，正龜三足也。初二曰其趾其須，九三云儒如，六四云皤如，言其形也；上九云白賁，言其色也。

In the Zhou Changes it is called "B贲." The character "贲" is explained in the Shiywen as being written as "Pan" in Fu's version, meaning the appearance of ornamentation; Zheng Xuan says it refers to the appearance of decoration; and Yang Xiong's Tai Xuan imitates this hexagram and uses "Shi," meaning decoration. According to this hexagram, one yin and one yang alternate, and the alternation produces ornamentation, hence the terms "Pan" and "decoration." Also, according to the Erya, a turtle with three feet is called "B贲." This hexagram has both Li and Gen, which have the image of a turtle, and Zhen represents feet, and its number is three, which corresponds to a turtle with three feet. The lines Choujiu and Liuer mention "its toes" and "its beard," the line Jiusan says "wet like," and the line Li si says "white like," describing its appearance; the line Shangjiu says "white贲," referring to its color.

雜卦云：責無色也。艮為黔，坎為隱伏，為黑，亦無色。無色即不明，不明故象言無敢折獄。蓋山下有火，與地下有火略同，地下有火明夷，山下有火等耳，故孔子筮得賁不樂，以與明夷同也。後人謂山下有火，明不及遠，皆讀下為旁，故其義永不能通。前一義舊解皆從之，後一義鮮有述之者，故引信其義，以俟深於易理者定奪焉。

The *Zagua Zhuan* says: "Bian, without color." The trigram *Gen* (Mountain) represents blackness, and the trigram *Kan* (Water) signifies concealment and is also associated with blackness, so both are described as "without color." "Without color" means darkness; precisely because of this darkness, the *Daxiang* says "there is no courage to decide a case." A fire beneath a mountain is similar to a fire beneath the earth: a fire beneath the earth is *Mingyi*, and a fire beneath a mountain is equivalent to it, so Confucius was not pleased when he divined the *Bian* hexagram, because it is similar to *Mingyi*. Later commentators said "a fire beneath a mountain" means the light does not reach far, but they misread "below" as "beside," so this interpretation never makes sense. The former interpretation (Bian as ornamentation) is followed by old commentaries, but the latter interpretation (Bian as colorless darkness) is rarely discussed, so I now clarify this meaning, waiting for those who deeply understand the *Yi* to decide.

亨謂二，離夏故亨，傳所謂柔來文剛也。小謂五，分泰二居上，五得中承陽，故曰小利有攸往，言利往五也。唐郭京舉正謂小為不，非。象曰：貴亨，柔來而文剛，故亨；分剛上而文柔，故小利有攸往，天文也。文明以上，人文也。觀乎天丈以察時變，觀乎人文以化成天下。卦剛柔相雜故曰文。離日坎月，民星震辰，天文；離禮震樂，人文。離夏震春坎冬，故曰以察時變。震為生，艮為成，為天，故曰化成天下。朱子云：先儒說，天文上當有剛柔交錯四字。

"Xing" refers to the Six in the Second line, as the trigram Li governs summer, and the energy of summer is smooth and unobstructed, hence "Xing." The "彖传" states, "The soft line comes and adorns the strong," which refers to this. "Xiao" refers to the Six in the Fifth line: the Six in the Fifth line comes from the Nine in the Second of the Qie hexagram and ascends to the fifth position. It is in the center and above the yang line, so it says "Xiao Li You You Wang," meaning it is beneficial to go toward the fifth position. In the Tang dynasty, Guo Jing's "Zhou Yi Jizheng" changed "Xiao" to "Bu," which is incorrect. The "Commentary on the Judgment" says: "Beren Xing, the soft line comes and adorns the strong, hence Xing; the strong line separates and adorns the soft, hence Xiao Li You You Wang, this is the heavenly phenomena. Civilized and stopping, this is the human phenomena. Observing the heavenly phenomena to understand the changes of time, observing the human phenomena to educate the world." This hexagram is called "Wen" because the strong and soft lines alternate. Li represents the sun, Kan represents the moon, Gen represents the stars, and Zhen represents the stars, which are the heavenly phenomena. Li represents rites, Zhen represents music, which are the human phenomena. Li is paired with summer, Zhen with spring, and Kan with winter, hence "to understand the changes of time." Zhen governs birth, Gen governs completion, and Gen also represents heaven, hence "to educate the world." Zhu Xi said that earlier scholars mentioned that there should be the four characters "Gangrou Jiaocuo" before "Tianwen."

象曰：山下有火，賁。君子以明庶政，無敢折獄。山下非山旁，火在山下，與地下同，直明夷耳。後儒謂明不及遠者誤也。艮為君子。明庶政，象每以相反見義，如《同人》曰類旅辨物，《無妄》曰時育萬物，《蠱》曰振民育德皆是。茲因賁不明，君子反以明庶政。坎為獄，折獄須明，離在下不明，故無敢折獄。而無敢折獄，尤賁為無色無明之確徵。初九：賁其趾，舍車而徒。初應在四，四震故曰趾。坎為車，初在車下，當然不乘而徒也。蓋初九正當勿用之時，安於徒步，以遂其志者也。象曰：舍車而徒，義弗來也。徒謂徒步，義弗乘者，言志行高潔，不肯苟乘也。

The Great Image Commentary says: Mountains below fire, this is the Hexagram of Decorum; the gentleman takes this image as a model, to clarify all government affairs, yet does not dare to hastily decide criminal cases. Shang Binghe explains: "Mountains below" does not mean beside the mountain, but fire below the mountain, which is the same as fire on the ground, which is exactly the image of the Hexagram of Dimmed Light. Later Confucian scholars who said that fire is beside the mountain and cannot illuminate far away are wrong. The upper trigram is艮 (Gèn), representing the gentleman, so it is called "gentleman." As for "clarifying various government affairs," the wording in the Great Image Commentary often takes meaning from the opposite side, for example, the Hexagram of Fellowship says "classifying tribes and distinguishing things" (the original text "class travel" is a form error for "class tribes"), the Hexagram of No False Movement says "prosperous and nurturing all things in accordance with the seasons," and the Hexagram of Restlessness says "reviving the people and cultivating virtue," all belong to this category. Here, precisely because the Hexagram of Decorum itself is obscure and unclear, the gentleman reversely focuses on clarifying all government affairs. The second, third, and fourth lines together form Kan, which represents prison, so judgment must be clear, yet the fire of Li is located in the lower trigram and cannot illuminate far away, hence the saying "dare not decide criminal cases." This phrase "no daring to decide criminal cases" is especially clear evidence of the "no color" and "unclear" nature of the Hexagram of Decorum. The line statement of the first nine says: "He decorates his toes, abandoning the carriage and walking on foot." Shang Binghe explains the image: the first nine's correct corresponding line is the sixth four, which is located within the trigram of Zhen formed by the second, third, and fourth lines, Zhen representing foot, so the line statement says "toe." The second, third, and fourth lines together form Kan, which represents carriage, and the first nine is located below this carriage, naturally not taking the carriage but walking on foot. The meaning is that the first nine is in the same situation as the first nine of the Hexagram of Heaven, "the hidden dragon does not act," content with walking on foot, thus fulfilling his own aspirations. The Image Commentary says: "abandoning the carriage and walking on foot," meaning "virtue does not come." (The original text says "virtue does not come," "come" is a form error for "ride.") So "walking on foot" means walking; "virtue does not come" means that the first nine has lofty aspirations and moral integrity, unwilling to take an unrighteous carriage.

六二：賁其須。艮為須，象失傳，詳《焦氏易詁》。艮須在上，下離文之，故曰賁其須。其指上卦，言六二之須，謂上艮也。泰二往上成艮，故曰興。二因得當位居中，故曰與上興。候果謂三至上有頤象，二在頤下，故有須象，雖巧切，不知艮即為須也。象日：賁其須，與上興也。興，起也。與上興，即喜上興也。

The line statement of the second line says: "It adorns its beard." Shang Binghe points out that the trigram Gen (Mountain) has the image of a beard, an image not recorded in the "Sayings on the Trigrams" and long since lost, which is detailed in his own "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes" — this is an image recovered from the use of images in "Jiao's Forest of Changes." The beard represented by the upper trigram Gen is above, while the cultural splendor of the lower trigram Li (Fire) adorns it, hence the statement "It adorns its beard." The word "its" refers to the upper trigram. The hexagram "Bian" (Adornment) comes from the hexagram "Tai" (Great Communication), with the line Nine in the Second moving to the upper position to form Gen, hence the term "xing" (arise). The line Six in the Second also attains a central position, so the "Small Image Commentary" says "With the upper one it arises." "Xing" means to arise, and "with the upper one it arises" means to be pleased to rise together with the upper trigram Gen. Hou Guo said that the third line to the top line together form the image of "Yi" (Nourishment), and since the line Six in the Second is below the mouth of "Yi," it has the image of a beard. Although this explanation is clever and fitting, it does not realize that Gen itself is the beard. The "Image Commentary" says: "It adorns its beard, with the upper one it arises." "Xing" means to arise, and "with the upper one it arises" means to be pleased to rise together with the upper trigram Gen.

九三：貴如濡如，永占吉。坎水故曰德如。陽貞於三當位，前臨重陰，故曰永貞吉。象曰：永貞之吉，終莫之陵也。之，往也。三應在上，上艮為陵，乃上不應，故終莫之陵，永貞於三吉也。又前臨重陰，皆順三，無有陵越之患也。

The third line statement says: "It is refined and moist, and if one maintains constancy and uprightness, it will be auspicious" (original text says "Guì rú rú rú, yǒng zhàn jí," which is actually "Bēn rú rú rú, yǒng zhēn jí"). The second, third, and fourth lines form the trigram Kan, which represents water, so it is said "rú rú" (the original text mistakenly says "dé rú"). The yang line is in the correct position at the third place; before it are the two yin lines six four and six five. Yang meets yin and thus is connected, so it is said "yǒng zhēn jí." The Image Commentary says: "The auspiciousness of maintaining constancy is because nothing can surpass it." "Zhi" means to go toward. The proper corresponding line for nine three is nine at the top. However, the upper trigram is Gen, representing a hill, but nine at the top and nine three are both yang lines and thus do not correspond. Therefore, there is no one to surpass it, and maintaining constancy in the third position is auspicious. Furthermore, the two preceding yin lines are both obedient to nine three, so there is no fear of being surpassed or oppressed.

六四：賁如皤如，白馬翰如，匪寇婚媾。《左傳》宣二年「皤其腹」，疏：皤，腹貌。卦三至上互大離，離為大腹，故曰皤如。《釋文》：皤，苟作波，鄭、陸作幡（左蟲），音煩。按皤通番，番音煩，鄭、陸讀煩聲是也。凡易如此等辭，往往用韻，疑番與翰協。《詩·大雅》「申伯番番，徒御蟬蟬（左口），戎有良翰」，番與翰協，與此同也也。

The line statement for the sixth line four says: The decoration is pure and white, a white horse gallops swiftly, the one coming is not a thief but a suitor. Shang Binghe first explains the character 「皤」: In the "Zuo Zhuan" (Chronicles of Zuo) from the second year of Duke Xuan, there is a mention of 「皤其腹」, and Kong Yingda's commentary says that 「皤」 refers to a swollen abdomen. This hexagram, from the third line to the top line, arranges yin and yang to form a large "Li" trigram (Great Fire), and since "Li" represents a large abdomen, it is said 「皤如」. The "Classic Interpretation" says: 「皤」, in Xun Shuang's version, is written as 「波」, and Zheng Xuan and Lu Ji wrote it as 「蟠」, a variant form with a bug radical (the original text marks this variant as 「幡（左虫）」), pronounced as "fan". Shang says: 「皤」 is homophonous with 「番」, which is pronounced "fan", and Zheng and Lu's pronunciation as "fan" is correct. Since line statements in the "Zhou Yi" often rhyme, he suspects that 「番」 rhymes with 「翰」. In the "Book of Songs", "Da Ya" has 「申伯番番，徒御啴啴，戎有良翰」, which is exactly the rhyme between 「番」 and 「翰」, similar to the situation here.

陸績云：震為白，為馬。按震為羽翰，翰象失傳，詳《焦氏易詁》。翰如，馬行貌，言疾如羽翰也。四乘坎，坎為寇，疑其逼己，豈知四當位，下有正應，三無能害之，終得與初婚媾也。象曰：六四當位，疑也；匪寇婚媾，終無尤也。疑謂疑三，坎為疑。

Lu Ji said: Zhen represents white and horse. Shang Binghe noted: Zhen also has the image of 'feathers and wings', which is not recorded in 'Shuo Gua' and has been lost. This image is detailed in 'Jiao's Glosses on the Changes'. 'Han ru' describes the swift movement of a horse, likening it to a bird spreading its wings. The sixth line at the fourth position (liu si) is overshadowing the mutual Kan above. Since Kan represents thieves and bandits, six four suspects that nine three will attack it. However, six four is yin in a yin position, which is appropriate, and below it is the correct corresponding line, initial nine. Therefore, nine three cannot harm it, and in the end, it can form a marriage with initial nine. The 'Image Commentary' says: six four is in the appropriate position, hence it is suspicious; not a thief but a marriage partner, thus there will be no blame. This 'suspicion' refers to suspicion of nine three, because Kan also has the image of 'suspicion'.

六五：賁于丘園，束帛久久，吝，終吉。艮為丘園，坤為帛，乾環約其兩端，故曰束帛。《子夏傳》：五匹為束，三玄二熏，象陰陽。戔戔，馬訓為委積，虞作多。《易林·旅之豐》云：「束帛戔戔，膊（左貝）我孟宣。」似亦以盛多為訓。俗解因戔通殘，便訓戔戔為薄物，又或作殘落者，非也。

The line statement of the fifth line says: "Fine cloth is arranged in the hills and gardens, bundles of silk are piled up in abundance; although there is a sense of regret, it ultimately brings good fortune" (the original text "jiujiu" refers to "jianjian"). The upper trigram is Gen, representing hills and gardens, so it is said "hills and gardens." The hexagram Bei comes from Tai. The lower trigram of Tai is坤, representing silk, and Qian is at both ends surrounding and binding, so it is said "bundles of silk." Zixia's Commentary on the Changes says that five pieces of silk make a bundle, with three pieces black and two pieces red, symbolizing yin and yang. "Jianjian" is explained by Ma Rong as "accumulated piles" (piled up), and Yu Fan's version is "much." In Jiao's Forest of Changes, in the section "Traveling to Abundance," it says "bundles of silk piled up, aiding me, Meng Xuan," indicating that "jianjian" is interpreted as abundance and plenty. Common interpretations mistakenly take "jian" as related to "can" (deficient), and thus interpret "jianjian" as something meager or even broken and scattered, which is incorrect.

《儀禮·士冠》《上虞禮》、《周禮·大宗伯》注，皆以束帛為十端，每端丈八尺，兩端合卷，決為五匹，皆與《子夏傳》同。然則束帛五匹者，乃先王之定制。戈戈乃形容束帛之盛，謂薄物固非，殘落尤謬也。下元應故吝，上承陽，故終吉。彖謂小利往，以此。

The Rituals of the Rites of the Scholar's Coming-of-Age and the Rites of the Scholar's Ancestral Sacrifice, as well as the Zheng annotations on the Zhou Li's Grand Master, all hold that a bundle of silk is ten ends, each end being eighteen chi long. When the two ends are rolled together, they form one piece, making exactly five pieces in total, which is consistent with the Zi Xia Commentary. This shows that "a bundle of five pieces of silk" was a fixed system established by the ancient kings. "Zhan zhan" is used to describe the abundance of the bundle of silk. To interpret it as meager is clearly wrong, and to understand it as broken or scattered is even more absurd. In terms of the yao positions, the sixth line at the fifth position has no proper response below it, hence it is limited; but since it is supported by the yang of the top line, it ultimately brings good fortune. The Commentary on the Judgment says "small benefit in going forward," which is precisely the reason for this.

象曰：六五之吉，有喜也。五承陽，故有喜。上九：白賁，無咎。賁而曰白，其為物也明矣。若訓為飾、為文、為斑、為黃白色，范望《太玄·視首》上九注為色不純，高誘《呂覽》賁字注，此二字皆不能通。諸儒據繪事後素，曲為之說，無當也。蓋艮為賁，責無色，故曰白賁。象曰：白賁無咎，上得志也。下乘重陰，故曰得志，言陽得陰而通也。《大畜》上九曰道大行也，《損》上九曰大得志，《益》九五曰大得志，《頤》上九曰大有慶，與此義皆同。乃二千年舊解，少能知其故者，真可渭（左口）也。

The Image Commentary says: The reason why the line six in the fifth is auspicious is because of joy. The line six in the fifth is above the line nine at the top, which is yang, hence there is joy. The line statement of the line nine at the top says: plain white decoration, no fault. Shang Binghe says: since it is called 'Beren' and also 'white', then what 'Beren' really means is clear. If 'Beren' is interpreted as decoration, ornamentation, patterns, or yellow and white, or if we follow Fan Wang's commentary on the 'Shi Shou' section of the Tai Xuan, where the line nine at the top is interpreted as color not pure, or if we follow Gao You's commentary on the Lüshi Chunqiu, then the term 'white Beren' does not make sense. All these interpretations that bend the meaning according to the Analects' 'drawing after white' are not appropriate. In fact, Gen represents Beren, and the Miscellaneous Trigrams Commentary clearly states 'Beren, no color' (the original text 'ze' is a mistake for 'Beren'), so it is called 'white Beren'. The Image Commentary says: white Beren has no fault, because the line nine at the top achieves its will. The line nine at the top is below the two yin lines six in the fourth and six in the fifth, so it is said to 'achieve its will' — Shang Binghe's general principle is that yang lines meeting yin lines result in smoothness. The line nine at the top of the Da Xu hexagram's small image says 'the way is widely practiced', the line nine at the top of the Shen hexagram says 'greatly achieve its will', the line nine in the fifth of the Yi hexagram says 'greatly achieve its will', and the line nine at the top of the Yi hexagram says 'greatly rejoice', all of which have the same meaning. However, among the old commentaries over two thousand years, few people have understood the reason, which is truly lamentable (the original text 'wei' should be 'kui').

剝。不利有攸往。剝，候卦，時當九月，陰消陽，柔變剛。《雜卦》云：剝，爛也。蓋陰消陽，柔變剛，皆以漸而及，非猝然為之，有似於樹木老皮之剝落。《歸藏》作僕，僕與撲通。《莊子·人間世》「蚤蚤（上文）僕緣」，僕緣即撲緣，撲，擊也。而《幽（內雙豕）風》「八月剝棗」，傳：剝，擊也。是僕與剝義同也。不利有攸往，謂陰不宜再長也。傳曰小人長，陰長則陽消，故往不利。

The Hexagram of Pei states: It is not advantageous to go somewhere. The Hexagram Pei is one of the twelve seasonal hexagrams (the original text refers to them as "waiting hexagrams"), corresponding to the ninth month. Five yin lines are below, gradually eliminating one yang line, which is precisely the time when yin is decreasing and yang is being transformed by yin, a time when softness is turning into firmness. The Miscellaneous Hexagram Commentary says, "Pei means to rot." The gradual decrease of yang and the gradual transformation of softness into firmness are processes that do not happen suddenly, much like the gradual peeling off of the bark of a tree. In the Book of Changes (Guizang Yi), this hexagram is named "Pu." "Pu" is synonymous with "Pu" (to strike). In the Zhuangzi, "Zao Zao Pu Yuan" refers to "Pu Yuan" as "Pu Yuan," meaning to strike. In the Book of Songs, "Bai Yue Pei Zao," the commentary by Mao says, "Pei means to strike," showing that "Pu" and "Pei" have the same meaning. "Not advantageous to go somewhere" means that the yin energy should not continue to increase. The Commentary on the Judgment says, "The small person is growing," meaning that as yin grows, yang diminishes, hence it is not advantageous to go somewhere.

象曰：剝，剝也，柔變剛也。不利有攸往，小人長也。順而止之，觀象也。君子尚消息盈虛，天行也。艮為視為觀，象失傳，詳《焦氏易詁》。觀卦即順而止，今一陽在上，下觀群陰，仍觀象也。剝本消卦，然相對者必息，一消一息，一盈一虛，天道循環本如此，不足異也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Peeling" refers to the falling away of the soft lines and the departure of the strong lines. "It is not advantageous to go forward" because the way of the petty person is increasing. To follow the trend and know when to stop is what is observed from the hexagram. The gentleman values the changes of decline, cessation, fullness, and emptiness, which are the workings of the heavenly way. Shang Binghe explains the image: The mountain (Gèn) hexagram has the images of "looking" and "observation," which are not recorded in the "Explanations of the Hexagrams" and have been lost. The hexagram that contains the meaning of "observation" is precisely this hexagram of "smooth and stopping" — the lower trigram is Kūn (Earth), which is smooth, and the upper trigram is Gèn (Mountain), which is stopping; now one yang line is high above, looking down upon the group of yin lines below, which still retains the image of "observation." The hexagram of Peeling is originally one of the yin lines consuming the yang, but the opposite side must necessarily be the cessation of yang. One decline and one cessation, one fullness and one emptiness, the heavenly way cycles naturally like this, and there is nothing strange about it.

象曰：山附於地，剝。上以厚下安宅。上謂上九。坤為厚為下，艮為宅為安。初六：剝床以足（句）蔑（句）貞凶。初震位，故曰足。以，及也。《周語》「太宰以史祝」，《管子·服制》「官吏以命士」，《鹽鐵論·大論篇》「呻吟槁簡，誦死人之語，則有司不以文學」，以義皆同及。剝床以足，即剝床及足也。

The Great Image says: Mountains attached to the earth, this is the Hexagram of Splitting; the superior person takes it as a model, treating the people below with kindness to secure their dwellings. "Upper" refers to the line Upper Nine. The lower trigram is坤, meaning thickness and the lower, and the upper trigram is艮, meaning dwelling and security. Therefore, it is said "thickening below and securing the dwelling." The line statement of the first line says: Splitting the bed to the foot of the bed, splitting it completely, the divination is ominous (Shang Binghe uses the character "句" to mark the punctuation, indicating "蔑" and "贞凶" each form a separate sentence). The first line is in the position of 震 — the position where the first yang begins, and 震 represents the foot, so it is said "foot." "With" means "to reach": In the Guoyu · Zhouyu, "the grand steward with the historian and priest," in the Guanzi · Fuzhi, "officials with the hereditary nobles," in the Yantie Lun · Dalian Chapter, "crying out over dry bamboo slips, reciting the words of the dead, then the officials do not take it with literary skill," these instances of "以" are the same as "to reach." Therefore, "peeling the bed with the foot" means peeling the bed and reaching the foot of the bed.

艮為床。《易林·比之賁》云：「展轉空床，內懷憂傷。」以賁艮為床也。剝全體民象，故屢言床。虞翻不知此象，以坤消乾初，成巽為床；而惠棟又謂巽為木，坤西南卦，設木於西南奧，乾人藉之，床之象也。故夫一象之失傳，可使名家易迂曲至於如此，真可嘆也。

The trigram Gen has the rare image of a bed. In "Jiao's Forest of Changes · The卦 of Bi and Fen," it says, "turning and turning on an empty bed, inner sorrow and grief," which takes the upper trigram Fen's Gen as a bed. The卦 of Po as a whole is a magnified image of Gen (the original text's "min" is a miswriting of "Gen"). Therefore, the line statements often mention beds. Yu Fan did not know that Gen represents a bed, so he used the changing trigrams, saying that the trigram Qian's first line was consumed by Kui to form Xun, and thus Xun represents a bed. Hui Dong went further, saying that Xun represents wood, and Kui is the trigram of the southwest, placing wood in the southwest corner of a room, with Qian's person lying on top, forming the image of a bed. It is truly lamentable that the loss of a single trigram image could lead even renowned scholars of the Yi to such complicated interpretations.

蔑，《釋文》云：荀作滅。象曰滅下，蓋荀之所本。王陶廬云：蔑、滅古通。《周語》「而蔑其人民」，《文選·鄰里相送方山詩》「音塵慰寂蔑」，注皆作滅，故王注云猶消也。惟滅屬下讀，似難為句。滅，《說文》：盡也。剝床以足蔑者，言床足被剝盡也，故卜問凶。虞翻下屬為句，訓為無，謂初失位，故曰蔑貞，謂失正也。然二爻當位，亦曰蔑貞，則不合矣，而清易家多從之，非。

The character 「蔑」, according to 《Classic Interpretation》, was written as 「灭」 in Xun Shuang's version; 《Small Image》 says 「to eliminate the lower part」, which is probably based on Xun's version. Wang Tao Lu said that the characters 「蔑」 and 「灭」 were interchangeable in ancient times. In 《Zhou Yu》, it says 「and eliminate its people」, and in 《Wen Xuan·Lingli Xiangsong Zhi Fangshan Shi》, it says 「sound and dust comfort the silence,蔑」, with the annotations all using 「灭」. Therefore, Wang Bi's commentary says 「蔑」 is like 「消」 (to eliminate). However, connecting 「灭」 with the next sentence makes it difficult to form a coherent sentence. 「灭」, according to 《Shuo Wen》, means 「to exhaust」. 「Peeling the bed from the foot,蔑」 refers to the bed foot being completely stripped away, hence the divination result is ominous. Yu Fan interpreted 「蔑」 as 「无」 (none) when connected with the next character, saying that initial six is out of position, so it is called 「蔑贞」, meaning losing the proper position. However, the line statement for six two is also 「蔑贞」, which does not make sense. Most Qing dynasty commentators followed Yu's interpretation, which is incorrect.

象曰：剝床以足，以又下也。滅下即釋蔑義。六二：剝床以辦（句）蔑（句）貞凶。《釋文》云：辨，徐音辦具之辦，足上也，馬、鄭同；薛虞云，膝下也；王弼亦云足上。按馬、鄭、王等似皆以二在初上，故云足上。虞翻謂為指間，王引之讀為騙（左足），騙（左足），膝頭也；俞越（左木）謂辨通胖，胖，脅側也，似皆未安。按《周禮·天官·小宰》「六日廉辨」，注杜子春雲廉辨或作廉端，故賈疏云經本作廉端，是辨、端音近通用。端，首也。剝床以端，是剝及床頭也。剝之而盡故貞凶。象曰：剝床以辨，未有興也。未有興，言上無應。六三：剝無咎。《釋文》一本作剝之無咎，非。按之字乃從象辭而衍，無者是也。三處五陰之中，獨能從善不黨於上下二陰，故曰失上下。象曰：剝之無咎，失上下也。

The Image Commentary says: "Peeling the bed from the foot, thus eliminating the lower part." (The original text "you" is a mistake for "mie") "Eliminating the lower part" is precisely explaining the meaning of the character "mie." The Line Statement for the Second Line: Peeling the bed has reached the bed foot, and the peeling has completely worn away, resulting in a凶 (auspicious) outcome. The character "bian," according to the "Shiwen," is read by Xu Miao as "banju" (meaning "ban," which refers to the part above the bed foot), and Ma Rong and Zheng Xuan agree with this; Xue Yu says it refers to below the knee; Wang Bi also says it refers to above the foot. Shang Binghe comments: Ma, Zheng, and Wang, etc., probably said "above the foot" because the Second Line is above the First Line. Yu Fan says it refers to the space between; Wang Yinzhi reads it as "pian," saying it refers to the knee; Yu Yue says "bian" is the same as "pan," and "pan" means the side of the body; all these interpretations seem unsatisfactory. Shang says that in the "Zhou Li · Tian Gao · Xiao Zai," it says "sixth is lian bian," and the annotation by Du Zichun says "lian bian" may also be written as "lian duan." Therefore, Jia Gongyan's commentary says the original text is "lian duan," showing that "bian" and "duan" are homophones and interchangeable. "Duan" means the head. "Peeling the bed from the duan" means peeling has reached the head of the bed. Since the peeling is almost complete, the outcome is凶 (auspicious). The Image Commentary says: "Peeling the bed from the bian, there is no beginning." "No beginning" means there is no corresponding line above the Second Line—its corresponding line, the Fifth Line, is also yin. The Line Statement for the Third Line: Peeling without fault. The "Shiwen" says there is a version that reads "peeling without fault," which is incorrect; the character "zhi" comes from the wording in the "Xiao Xiang," and it should be read as "peeling without fault." The Third Line is among five yin lines, and it alone corresponds to the top line, the Ninth Line, thus being able to act rightly and not align with the yin lines above and below. Therefore, the "Xiao Xiang" says "losing the upper and lower." The Image Commentary says: "Peeling without fault, losing the upper and lower."

六四：剝床以膚，凶。四艮體，艮為膚，故曰剝床以膚。足、辨、膚皆指床言，膚猶言床面也。人臥床，身與床切，剝及於是，故言近災。自王肅以膚指人身言，豈知剝及人身則災及矣，胡得曰近。乃後儒惑之，謂床不能稱膚。王引之謂王弼云剝床之足、剝床之辨詳，下文亦可曰剝床之膚乎。夫床既可曰足、曰辨，又何不可稱膚，似皆惑於肅說，故拘泥若是。象曰：剝床以膚，切近災也。

The fourth line statement says: The bed is peeled away to the surface, which is ominous. The fourth line belongs to the upper trigram Gen, which represents skin, so it is said 'peeling the bed to the skin.' Foot, distinction, and skin are all referring to the bed, with 'skin' being like the bed surface. When a person lies on the bed, the body touches the bed surface, and the peeling reaches here, so the Small Image Commentary says 'the disaster is very close.' Since Wang Su interpreted 'skin' as the human body, he did not realize that once the peeling reaches the human body, the disaster has already arrived, so how can it be said 'close'? Later Confucian scholars were confused by his interpretation and even claimed that the bed cannot be called 'skin.' Wang Yinzhi said that Wang Bi explained 'peeling the bed's foot' and 'peeling the bed's distinction' clearly, so why can't the following text also say 'peeling the bed's skin'? In fact, since the bed can be called foot and distinction, why not skin? It seems that everyone has been confused by Wang Su's interpretation and has become stuck in this point. The Image Commentary says: Peeling the bed to the skin, the disaster is very close.

六五：貫魚以官人寵，無不利。坤為魚，象失傳，詳《焦氏易估》。除《易林》外，後唯郭璞知之。《洞林》璞筮遷徙，得《明夷》，曰：「嗟呼黔黎，時漂異類，桑梓之邦，其為魚乎。」明夷上坤為魚、為邦，震為桑梓，故曰桑梓之幫，其為魚乎。剝重坤，故曰貫魚。

The line statement for the fifth line of the sixth hexagram says: Like a string of fish, leading the palace attendants in succession to receive the sovereign's favor, there is no disadvantage. The hexagram of Kūn has the image of 'fish,' but this image has been lost. Details can be found in Jiao's Glosses on the Changes (the original text mistakenly uses '估' instead of '诂'). Apart from Jiao's Forest of Changes, only Guo Pu understood this. The Classic of the Hidden Forest records that Guo Pu used divination for a matter of migration and obtained the hexagram Mingyi, saying: 'Alas, the common people, at this time they drift among different kinds, their native land, can they be like fish?' The upper trigram of Mingyi is Kūn, representing fish and the state, while the lower trigram, through the intercalated trigrams, produces Zhen, representing mulberry and梓 trees, hence the statement 'their native land, can they be like fish?' The hexagram Bō has five yin lines, with the first to fourth lines repeating the trigram Kūn twice, hence the phrase 'string of fish'—a string of fish is precisely the image of a double Kūn.

艮為宮為寵。以宮人寵者，《周禮·九嬪》注云：女御八十一人當九夕，世婦二十七人當三夕，三夫人當一夕。是天子之宮進御，每夜九人或三人，故曰貫魚以宮人寵，言宮人之寵御，以次而進，若貫魚也，即五率群陰以承陽，魚貫而進也。《詩·邶風》「宴爾新婚，不我屑以」，箋：以，用也。以宮人寵，即用宮人寵也。《蒙》之用說桎告（左木），《益》之利用為依遷國，皆與此以字義同也。

The image of "Gèn (Gèn) as a palace and as favor" is not recorded in the "Shuogua" (Explanation of the Hexagrams), but it is an omitted image compiled by Shang氏 from the use of images in the "Jiaoshi Yilin" (Forest of Changes by Jiao). The phrase "using palace attendants for favor" is explained by Zheng Xuan's commentary on the "Zhou Li · Jiupin" (Rites of Zhou · Nine Concubines): eighty-one female attendants are divided into nine groups, each group of nine serving one night; twenty-seven secondary concubines are divided into three groups, each group of nine serving one night; and the three principal concubines serve one night. This shows that the imperial harem has a fixed order for serving the emperor, with nine or three attendants each night. Therefore, the phrase "ganshu yi gongren chong" (linking fish with palace attendants' favor) refers to palace attendants receiving favor and serving in sequence, like fish strung together. In the context of the hexagram, this is represented by the line "Six in the Fifth" leading the group of yin lines to approach "Nine at the Top," advancing in order, like fish in a line. The hexagram line "Kun (Earth) is fish" provides the image of "ganshu" (linking fish), while "Gèn (Gèn) as a palace and as favor" provides the image of "gongren chong" (palace attendants' favor). Each character in this line statement has an image to refer to. In the "Poetry · Bei Feng" (Songs of Bei), the line "Yan er xin hun, bu wo xie yi" (You are newly married, you do not care for me), Zheng Xian's commentary says "yi means to use." Therefore, "yi gongren chong" (using palace attendants' favor) means "using palace attendants' favor." In the hexagram "Meng" (Obstruction), the phrase "yong shuo zhi gu" (using speech to bind the feet) and in the hexagram "Yi" (Benefit), the phrase "li yong wei yi qian guo" (favorable for relying and moving the state), the word "yong" (use) has the same meaning as the word "yi" (use) here.

此與《豫》九四之朋盍谷簪，皆為易象之最神妙而最難於形容者。王陶廬云：易辭有非注視卦象不能解者，此等是也。而二千年來，因簪象、魚象之失傳，遂改營為音（右戈）為攝，以求與坎象合；命剝五變巽，以求與魚象合，而易理遂亡於解說矣。杜甫云「蓋簪喧櫪馬」，鮑照云「魚貫度飛樑」，皆此二句之確詁，而杜詩尤非真知易者不敢如此道也。宋蔡弼注社詩，遂誤為宴朋友。

This sentence and the "Peng He Zan" line from the fourth line of the "Yu" hexagram are among the most mysterious and difficult to describe in the Yi Jing's imagery: both depict the pattern of a group of yin lines sequentially attached to a single yang line, using everyday objects to express this in a single stroke. Wang TaoLu said: there are expressions in the Yi Jing that can only be understood by focusing on the hexagram, and these are examples of such cases. However, for two thousand years, because the imagery of "zhan" and "yu" have been lost, commentators have changed the pronunciation of "zhan" to "jian" or "cuo" so that it can correspond with the Kan image; they have also changed the changing line of the fifth line of the "Bo" hexagram to Xun so that it can match the "yu" image. In order to accommodate an imagined image, they have altered characters and hexagrams layer by layer, and thus the principles of the Yi have been lost in their interpretations. Du Fu's line "Gai Zan Xuan Li Ma" and Bao Zhao's "Yu Guan Du Fei Liang" are accurate interpretations of these two lines of the Yi; Du's poem in particular is something that someone who does not truly understand the Yi would not dare to write. Cai Bi, a Song dynasty commentator, mistakenly interpreted Du's poem as a description of a banquet with friends.

象曰：以宮人寵，終無尤也。五得承陽，故無尤悔。上九：碩果不食，君子得輿，小人剝廬。艮為果瓜，碩，大也，孤陽在上，故曰碩果。震為食，震覆故不食，震食象失傳，詳《魚氏易詁》。卦一陽未消，陝（？）餘在上，是其義也。艮為君子，坤為大輿為載，艮在坤上，乘輿之象也，故曰得輿。坤為小人，艮為廬，候卦陰終消陽，故曰剝廬。君子得輿，由上視下取象；小人剝廬，由下視上取象。象曰：君子得輿，民所戴也；小人剝廬，終不可用也。坤為民，艮為終。

The Image Commentary says: Because of the favor of the palace attendants, there is ultimately no blame. The line six in the fifth can ascend to receive the yang line, so there is no regret or fault. The line nine at the top says: A large fruit is not eaten, the gentleman obtains a carriage, while the petty person destroys the dwelling.艮 represents fruit and melons, "shuo" means large, and a single yang line is alone at the top, so it is called "large fruit."震 represents food, and this hexagram has the upper trigram艮 which is the reverse of震, forming a reversed image, so it is said "not eaten" — the image of震 as food has been lost, see Jiao's Glosses on the Changes (the original text mentions "yu" which is a mistake for "jiao"). The entire hexagram still has one yang line remaining, which is alone at the top, which is the meaning of "large fruit."艮 represents the gentleman,坤 represents a large carriage and carrying, with艮 on top of坤, it is the image of riding in a carriage, so it is said "obtains a carriage."坤 represents the petty person,艮 represents a dwelling, and "bao" is the hexagram of change, where yin ultimately consumes yang, so it is said "destroy the dwelling." "The gentleman obtains a carriage" is the image taken from above looking down, while "the petty person destroys the dwelling" is the image taken from below looking up. The Image Commentary says: The gentleman obtains a carriage, because the people support him; the petty person destroys the dwelling, ultimately cannot be used.坤 represents the people,艮 represents the end.

復。亨。出入無疾，朋來無咎。反復其道，七日來復，利有攸往。陽反故曰復。出人反覆，皆對垢（左女）言，復者垢（左女）之反，若舍股（左艮）不言，則復何所自乎。人者人巽，出者出震。坤為疾，象失傳，詳《焦氏易詁》。陽通故無疾。陰以陽為朋，剝窮上反下故曰朋來，陽遇陰故無咎。陽自始而消，消至剝上，六日，反覆則七日；自復而息，息至決（無左）上，六日，反垢（左女）仍七日，循環不已，故曰反復其道，七日來復。復陽長，故曰利有攸往。

The hexagram "Fu" (Return) states: It is favorable to proceed. Going in and coming out without illness, friends come without fault. Returning to its original path, it recovers in seven days, and it is favorable to go somewhere. One yang returns from below, hence it is called "Fu." Shang Binghe points out: "Going in" and "returning" are both relative to the hexagram "Gou" (Encounter). "Fu" is the opposite of "Gou": "Gou" begins with the emergence of one yin, while "Fu" begins with the emergence of one yang. If we disregard "Gou," how could "Fu" be discussed? "In" refers to entering the trigram Xun (Wind), which is the lower trigram of "Gou"; "out" refers to exiting the trigram Zhen (Thunder), which is the lower trigram of "Fu." The trigram Kun represents illness, but this image has been lost, as detailed in "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes." Now that yang energy is flowing smoothly, it is said "no illness." Yin regards yang as its kindred friends—Shang Binghe's general principle is that yin and yang meeting is called "class" and "friend." In the hexagram "Bo" (Breaking), one yang reaches the upper position and reverses to the lower position in "Fu," hence "friends come"; yang meeting yin, hence "no fault." Further, according to the theory of the waxing and waning trigrams: yang energy begins to wane from "Gou," wanes to the upper line of "Bo," passing through six hexagrams over six days; one reversal brings it to the seventh day. From "Fu," yang energy begins to grow, grows to the upper line of "Guai" (Opposition), also over six days; another reversal brings it back to "Gou," again the seventh day. Thus it cycles endlessly, hence "returning in the same way, recovering in seven days." "Fu" is the hexagram of growing yang energy, hence "favorable to go somewhere."

象曰：復亨，剛反，動而以順行，是以出入無疾，朋來無咎。反復其道，七日來復，天行也。利有攸往，剛長也。復其見天地之心乎。震動坤順，故日動而以順。天行，天道也，言陰陽剛柔往來消長，天道固如斯也，此天地之心也。坤為心，象失傳，詳《魚氏易詁》。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: Returning and being smooth and unimpeded, this is the return of a strong line; it can move and proceed in accordance with the trend, so there is no illness in going out or coming in, and the like come without fault. Returning to its original path, it recovers in seven days, which is the operation of the heavenly way. It is advantageous to go somewhere, because the strong line is increasing. From the hexagram of "Return," we can roughly see the heart of heaven and earth. Shang Binghe explains the image: the lower trigram is Zhen (Thunder), representing movement, and the upper trigram is Kun (Earth), representing compliance, so it is said "moving in compliance." "Heavenly way" refers to the heavenly way, meaning the coming and going, increase and decrease of yin and yang, strength and softness. The heavenly way is originally like this, which is the heart of heaven and earth. The trigram Kun has an image of "heart," which is an unusual image, but this image has been lost. Details can be found in Jiao's Glosses on the Changes (the original text says "yu shi," which is a mistake for "jiao shi").

此以爻數括天地間之公例公理。其謂卦氣起中孚，至復為七日，不推於數不合，只六日七分，且於理大謬，是皆執於自垢（左女）至復為七月，經言七日故疑也。豈知易辭皆舉一例，包括萬有。十日數至七必相反，辰數亦然。即以日言，《幽（內雙豕）詩》云「一之日」「二之日」，日皆謂月，侯果已言之矣。

This uses the number of lines (yao) to summarize the general principles of heaven and earth. Some Han dynasty scholars claimed that the trigram qi (energy) starts from Zhongfou and reaches Fu after seven days, but Shang Binghe thought that the calculation does not match (only six days and seven parts), and the reasoning is highly absurd. Such views arise from clinging to the fact that from Guo to Fu actually takes seven months, yet the classic text says "seven days," leading to confusion. But they fail to realize that the words in the Book of Changes are examples meant to include all things: when counting ten days, the seventh necessarily reverses; similarly, when counting twelve earthly branches, the seventh also reverses. Even if we consider the word "day" alone, in the poem "Bingfeng" from the Book of Songs, "yi zhi ri" and "er zhi ri," the "ri" refers to the moon, as early as Hou Guo had pointed out.

陰陽相遇為朋。自此象失傳，皆用卦變，俟陽息至二成兌，二陽為朋，虞氏之說訛誤至今。又《五行志》京房《易傳》曰「復崩來無咎」，讀朋為崩，是用覆象，謂剝艮覆在下為山崩。而《易林》遇此象，亦往往曰山崩，京所受也，其詳皆在《焦氏易詁》中。覆象久失傳，後惟惠棟用此說，實易言覆象者不止此也。

Yin and yang meeting is called "peng." Since this principle has been lost, commentators have instead used the concept of changing hexagrams. When yang energy arises and the second line becomes Dui, they take two yang lines as "peng." This interpretation by Yu Fan has been wrongly passed down to the present day. Also, the "Han Shu · Wu Xing Zhi" cites Jing Fang's "Yi Zhuan" as "Fu Bang Lai Wu Jiao," reading "peng" as "beng," using the concept of inverted images. The inverted image refers to the upper trigram Gen of the hexagram "Bo" being turned upside down and placed below, forming a mountain collapsing. When the "Jiao Shi Yi Lin" encounters this hexagram, it often says "mountain collapsing," clearly following Jing Fang's approach. Details are recorded in the "Jiao Shi Yi Gu." The concept of inverted images has long been lost, and only Hui Dong later continued this interpretation. In fact, the use of inverted images in the Yi is not limited to this single instance.

象曰：雷在地中，復。先王以至曰閉關，商旅不行，后不省方。曰至日，則兼二至言也。垢（左女）云「施命浩四方」，即誥戒商旅將閉關也。《易林·晉之解》，所謂二至之戒也。蓋古最重二至，《漢書·薛宣傳》「日至休吏，所繇來久」，《後漢·魯恭傳》「易五月用事，先王施命令止四方行者」，是夏至亦休息，與冬至同。坤為門戶，故曰關；震為商旅，坤閉故曰閉關，曰不行；坤為方，震為王。

The Great Image says: Thunder beneath the earth, this is the hexagram of Reversal; former kings took it as a model, closing the borders on the day of utmost yin or yang, and merchants did not travel, nor did the sovereign tour the land. Shang Binghe says: Since it is called the "day of utmost," it refers to both the winter solstice and the summer solstice. The Great Image of the hexagram Gou says "the sovereign issues commands to the people in all directions," which is exactly the decree to stop merchants from traveling as the borders are closed. What is discussed in Jiao's Forest of Changes under the hexagram Jin to Jie refers to the warning of the two solstices. Ancients placed great importance on the two solstices: The Han Book records "on the day of the sun's arrival, officials rest, a practice long established," and the Later Han Book mentions "in May, the Book of Changes says the former kings issue commands to stop travelers from going abroad," showing that rest on the summer solstice is also observed, just like on the winter solstice. In terms of the hexagram imagery,坤 represents gates, so it is called "closing the borders"; 震 represents merchants, and 坤 closing means "closing the borders" and "not traveling"; 坤 represents directions, and 震 represents the sovereign.

初九：不遠復，無只悔，元吉。復在內，故曰不遠復。嚴元照云：只從氏非，此當從氏。氏、是同用，故王肅作提（左衣）；坎低既平，京房亦作提。王陶廬云：唐石經即作祗，氏、是古同部，故得同用；若氏（下、）則另為一部，不同部者不相假，古之例也，然則今作祗者誤也。

The Line Statement for the first line of the Inner Trigram: One does not go far and then returns, there is no great regret, and it is very auspicious. One yang returns within the Inner Trigram, so it is said 'does not go far and returns.' The character '只' in '无只悔' is explained by Yan Yuanzhao as: the character should be written with the '是' radical, not the '氏' radical (the original text has '氏' in both instances, but the latter should be '是'). The '氏' and '是' radicals were originally interchangeable, so the Wang Tuolú version uses '禔'; in the 'Kan' Trigram, the line '坻既平' is also written as '提' by Jing Fang. Wang Taolú says: the Tang stone classics write it as '祗', and since '氏' and '是' had the same ancient phonetic group, they could be used interchangeably; however, the character '氐', which has an extra stroke, belongs to a different phonetic group and thus cannot be used interchangeably. This is an example of how ancient people used interchangeable characters. Therefore, the current version with '祗' is incorrect.

襖，鄭云病也。段玉裁云：鄭蓋借祗為氏（加　）。按祗之訓病，《詩·小雅·何人斯》「壹者之來，俾我祗也」，毛傳：祗，病也。茲訓為病，正本毛傳，段謂借襖為氏（加　），非。病猶苗（中　）也。復出人無疾，故無苗（中　）悔。乾元通，故元吉。象曰：不遠之復，以修身也。坤為身，陽微故宜修養以待。

The character "祗" (originally miswritten as "袄") is explained by Zheng Xuan as meaning "disease." DuanyuCai says: Zheng Xuan probably used "祗" as a variant of a character with the radical "氏." Shang Binghe comments: "Zhi" is interpreted as "disease," as seen in the "Poetry · Xiao Ya · He Ren Si," where "Yi Zhe Zhi Lai, Bi Wo Zhi Ye" is explained by Mao's Commentary as "Zhi means disease." Zheng Xuan's interpretation of "disease" here is based on Mao's Commentary, and DuanyuCai's claim that it is a borrowed usage is incorrect. "Disease" is similar to "cici" (the original text uses "苗（中　）" to mark this indistinct character). In the "Fu" hexagram, "coming and going without illness," thus it is said "no cici regret." The primordial virtue of Qian is unobstructed, hence "original good fortune." The "Image Commentary" says: "Returning without going far, to cultivate oneself." Kun represents the body, and at this time the yang energy is still very weak, so it is appropriate to cultivate oneself in preparation for the right time.

六二：休復，吉。休者，俟也，俟陽息至二故吉。象曰：休復之吉，以下仁也。仁者初也，陽主生故曰仁。以下仁者，言下陽即息至二，靜俟則吉也。六三：頻復，厲，無咎。虞翻曰：頻，蹙也，三失位，故頻復。按頻，古文顰字，故云頻蹙。三失位，承乘皆陰，又無應予，失類極。象曰：頻復之厲，義無咎也。

The Line Statement for the Second Line says: waiting calmly and returning, it is auspicious. Shang Binghe interprets 'xiu' as 'si' (waiting): waiting for the yang energy to grow to the Second Line, so it is auspicious. The Image Commentary says: the auspiciousness of returning calmly is because of the virtue below. 'Virtue' refers to the Initial Nine, which is yang and represents growth, so it is called 'virtue'. 'Below virtue' means the yang line below is about to reach the Second Position, waiting calmly leads to auspiciousness. The Line Statement for the Third Line says: frequently returning, there is danger, but there is no fault. Yu Fan says: 'frequency' means frowning, the Third Line is out of position, so it frequently returns. Shang's note: 'frequency' is the ancient character 'pin', so 'frequency' means 'frowning'. The Third Line is a yin line in a yang position and is out of position. It is supported above and ridden below by yin lines, and there is no corresponding line (the original text 'yingyu' refers to 'yingyu'), yin meets yin, and the loss of category is extreme. The Image Commentary says: the danger of frequent returning, the meaning is without fault.

六四：中行獨復。《文言》乾九四云「中不在人」，中謂三四，居一卦之中也。又《繫辭》云：「其初難知，其上易知。」「若夫雜物撰德，非其中爻不備。」中爻謂中四交，即下所謂二與四、三與五也。四居卦中，獨與初應，故曰中行獨復。虞翻謂四不在二五，何得稱中行，豈知三四稱中爻，易固有明例也。象曰：中行獨復，以從道也。道謂初，從道謂應初。

The Line Statement for the fourth line (six four) says: "Moving in the middle and returning alone." The "Wenyan" section of the "Qian" hexagram discusses the nine in the fourth line, stating "the middle is not in the person," indicating that "middle" refers to the third and fourth lines, as they are located in the center of the hexagram. The "Great Treatise" also says, "At the beginning it is difficult to know, but at the upper position it is easy to know," and "if one mixes various things and cultivates virtue, it is not the middle line that is complete." The "middle line" refers to the middle lines, that is, the second and fourth lines, or the third and fifth lines, as mentioned later in the "Great Treatise." The sixth line in the fourth position is located in the center of the hexagram and corresponds only with the initial nine, so it is said "moving in the middle and returning alone." Yu Fan believes that the fourth line is not in the position of the second or fifth lines, so how can it be called "moving in the middle"? He does not realize that the third and fourth lines are called "middle lines." The "Book of Changes" itself has clear examples. The "Image Commentary" says: "Moving in the middle and returning alone, following the Dao." "Dao" refers to the initial nine, and "following the Dao" means corresponding with the initial nine.

六五：敦復，無悔。敦與屯通。《詩·大雅》「鋪敦淮憤（左水）」，箋：敦當作屯。揚雄《甘泉賦》「敦萬騎於中營兮」，注：敦與屯同。又按《幽（雙豕）風》云「敦彼獨宿」，即屯彼獨宿也。屯者，止也，次也。而敦又與頓同，《爾雅·釋丘》「丘一成為敦丘」，疏：即《衛風》之頓丘，頓亦止也。《史記·王翦傳》「三日三夜不頓舍」是也。是敦有止意、待意。敦復者，言五應在二，陽即升二，五稍待即有應也。故《臨》上六亦曰敦臨，以上六亦稍待，陽即息三，有應也。舊詁皆訓為敦厚，非。象曰：敦復無悔，中以自者也。向秀曰：考，察也。五中位，應在二，亦中位，陽息即至二，五有應，故無侮。中以自考者，釋敦之故。易之道貴將來，言頓止以待中二之陽息，自考省也。與《臨》上之志在內義同。

The line statement for the fifth line says: "Stop briefly and wait, then resume, there is no regret." Shang Binghe says that "dun" and "zhun" are homophones. In the "Great Ya" section of the "Book of Poetry," it says "pu dun huai fen," and Zheng's commentary says "dun" should be read as "zhun." In Yang Xiong's "Ganquan Fu," it says "dun wan qi yu zhongying," and the commentary says "dun and zhun are the same." In the "Bingfeng" section of the "Book of Poetry," it says "dun bi du su," which is actually "zhun bi du su." "Zhun" means to stop or halt. "Dun" also is homophonous with "dun," meaning to stop. In the "Shi Yi · Xisou," it says "qu yi cheng wei dun qiu," and the commentary explains that this is the "Dunqiu" from the "Wei Feng." "Dun" also means to stop. In the "Records of the Grand Historian · Wang Jie Zhuan," it says "san ri san ye bu dun she," which also means to stop. Thus, "dun" includes the meaning of stopping and waiting. "Dunfu" refers to the fact that the responding line of the sixth line is the second line. Yang energy is about to rise to the second position, so the sixth line only needs to wait a little and will have a response. Therefore, the sixth line of the "Lin" hexagram also says "dunlin," because the sixth line also only needs to wait a little, and when yang energy reaches the third position, there will be a responding line. Old commentaries all interpreted "dun" as meaning "honesty" or "uprightness," which is incorrect. The "Image Commentary" says: "Dunfu wu hui, zhong yi zi kao ye" (the original text is missing one character "kao"). Xiang Xiu says: "kao" means to examine. The sixth line is in the central position, and its responding line is the second line, which is also in the central position. Yang energy is about to reach the second position, so the sixth line will have a response, hence there is no regret. "Zhong yi zi kao" is the explanation for the meaning of "dun." The "Book of Changes" values the future, meaning to stop briefly and wait for the yang energy to reach the central second position, while also self-examining. This is similar to the "Small Image Commentary" of the sixth line of the "Lin" hexagram, which says "zhi zai nei ye."

上六：迷復，凶，有災眚，用行師終有大敗，以其國君凶，至于十年不克征。凡上六多不吉，上窮也。坤為迷、為死喪，故有災眚。坤為眾故為師，坤為死喪，故行師終有大敗。坤為國，震為君，象失傳，詳《焦氏易詁》，故曰國君。坤為十年，震為征，不克征，言不能興起也。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: having lost the path to return and repeat, it is凶, with calamity; using it for military campaigns will ultimately result in great defeat, causing the king to also suffer misfortune, leading to ten years of inability to go to war. Shang Binghe says: generally, the sixth line at the top is mostly inauspicious, because the upper position has reached its extreme. The earth (Kun) represents confusion and death, hence 'there is calamity'; the earth (Kun) also represents the people, hence representing military forces; the earth (Kun) again represents death, so military campaigns will inevitably end in great defeat. The earth (Kun) represents the country, and the thunder (Zhen) represents the king (this symbolic meaning of Zhen as the king is a lost interpretation, see Jiao's Glosses on the Changes). Together, they refer to 'the king'. The earth (Kun) represents ten years, and the thunder (Zhen) represents military campaigns; 'not being able to campaign' means that there is no ability to mobilize.

《比》上六「後夫凶」，《師》上六「小人勿用」，皆以其不承陽也。他爻皆可承陽，獨上六不能。不承陽則背叛君命，而殃及國君，故曰以其為君凶。君者國之本，國君受協，根本動搖，故其凶至於十年也。象日：迷復之凶，反君道也。反君道，即謂上六不承陽。舊解皆以不順君命為反君道，然上六之何以獨反君道，其故無能明者，此與六五敦復及《臨》之敦臨義晦同也。

The upper sixth line of the "Compare" hexagram says "The one who comes late meets misfortune," and the upper sixth line of the "Army" hexagram says "The petty person should not be used." Both are because they cannot ascend to receive the yang line. All other lines can ascend to receive the yang, but the upper sixth line is at the top of the hexagram and has no yang to receive. Not receiving the yang is equivalent to betraying the sovereign's command, thus bringing misfortune upon the sovereign, hence it is said "because of the sovereign's misfortune." The sovereign is the fundamental of the state; when the sovereign is threatened, the foundation is shaken, so the misfortune lasts for ten years. The Image Commentary says: "The misfortune of returning to the same place is due to reversing the sovereign's way." What is meant by "reversing the sovereign's way" is that the upper sixth line does not receive the yang. Old interpretations all take not obeying the sovereign's command as "reversing the sovereign's way," but why the upper sixth line especially "reverses the sovereign's way" remains unexplained; this is the same kind of situation as when the sixth line of the fifth position "dun fu" and the meaning of "dun lin" in the "Approach" hexagram is obscured.

無妄。元亨利貞，其匪正有青，不利有攸往。震巽為草木為禾稼，下艮為火，故焦、京、王充皆以無望為大旱之卦。而乾為年，巽為人，年收失望，故曰無妄。元亨者，謂乾元通也，初當位，前臨重陰，五中正，故乾元以通。利貞者，利於貞定也，正亦定也。匪正謂三上，三上不當位，妄動，故有眚。眚，病也，巽為疾病。其匪正有眚者，言不能貞定而躁動，即有眚也。不利有攸往，仍以動為戒也。震為決躁，躁動於內，外與剛健遇，必無幸矣，故曰不利有攸往。

The Hexagram of Wuwang states: Greatly prosperous and smooth, favorable to maintaining correctness; those who do not maintain correctness will suffer calamity, and it is not favorable to go somewhere. The source text says "there is a calamity" (yǒu qīng), which refers to "there is a disease" (yǒu shěng). Shang Binghe explains the image: the lower trigram Zhen and the interacting trigram Xun both represent grass and crops, while the second, third, and fourth lines interacting form Gen, which represents fire. Therefore, Jiao Yanshou, Jing Fang, and Wang Chong all regarded the Hexagram of Wuwang as the hexagram of a great drought. Qian represents the year, Xun represents people, and the harvest of the year is lost, hence it is called "Wuwang" — "wang" means "expectation," referring to disappointment. "Yuanheng" means the Qian Yuan is smooth: the initial line Nine is in the correct position, facing the two yin lines of the second and third lines, and the fifth line Nine is in the center and correct, so the Qian Yuan can flow smoothly. "Lizheng" means favorable to upholding correctness, where "zheng" is also "ding" (stability). "Feizheng" refers to the third line Six and the top line Nine: these two lines are not in the correct position, and any movement is reckless movement, hence there is a disease. "Sheng" is a disease, and the third to fifth lines interacting form Xun, which represents illness. "Its feizheng has sheng" means that if one does not remain calm and self-restrained but acts rashly, one will invite illness. "Not favorable to going somewhere" is again a warning about movement. Zhen represents decisive and impetuous action, with internal movement being impetuous, and going out to meet the strong and vigorous Qian trigram in the outer trigram, which will certainly not lead to good results, hence it is said "not favorable to going somewhere."

妄，《釋文》云：馬、鄭、玉肅皆作望，謂無所希望也。按此訓最古。《史記·春申君傳》云：「世有毋望之福，又有毋望之禍，今君處毋望之世，事毋望之主。」是自戰國即讀為望，作毋亡。妄，古文妄之省。王陶廬云：妄、望同音相借，《大戴禮·文王篇》「故得望譽」，望譽即妄譽，史遷受易於楊何，固無誤也。

The character 「妄」, according to 《Classic Interpretation》, says that Ma Rong, Zheng Xuan, and Wang Su (the source text says 「Yu Su」) all read it as 「望」, meaning having no hope. Shang Binghe comments: this explanation is the most ancient. 《Records of the Grand Historian: Biography of Prince Chunshen》 says 「there are blessings without hope, and calamities without hope; now you are in an era without hope, serving a ruler without hope」, showing that since the Warring States period, it has been read as 「望」, written as 「毋亡」; 「妄」 is a simplified form of the ancient character 「妄」. Wang Taolü says: 「妄」 and 「望」 are homophones and mutually explanatory. In 《The Great Dai Rituals: The Chapter of King Wen's Officials》, 「so one gains reputation without hope」, 「望誉」 means 「妄誉」; Sima Qian's study of the 《Yi Jing》 was passed down from Yang He, so his use of characters would naturally be accurate.

又按《雜卦》云「無妄，災也」，故《太玄》擬無妄為去。《漢書·谷永傳》「遭無妄之卦運」，應劭云：「天必先雲而後雷，雷而後雨，今無雲而雷，無妄者無所望也，萬物無所望於天，災異之最大者也。」《後漢·崔篆傳》「值無妄之世」，王充《論衡》「易無妄之應，水旱之至」，蔡邕《鄧皇后溢議》「消無妄之運」，舉兩漢之人，無作虛妄及失妄解者。

Shang's further remarks: The "Zagua Zhuan" says "Wu Wang, zai ye" — this is clear evidence from the "Yi Zhuan" itself that the hexagram "Wu Wang" is designated as the calamity hexagram. Therefore, Yang Xiong's "Tai Xuan" uses "qu" as a comparison to "Wu Wang," since "qu" signifies loss and emptiness. In the "Han Shu · Gu Yong Zhuan," "zao Wu Wang zhi gua yun," Ying Shao's annotation says: "Heaven must first produce clouds before thunder, then rain follows the thunder; now, thunder occurs without clouds, 'Wu Wang' means having no hope, and all things have no hope towards heaven, which is the greatest calamity." In the "Hou Han Shu · Cui Zuan Zhuan," "zhi Wu Wang zhi shi," Wang Chong's "Lun Heng" says, "The 'Yi' hexagram 'Wu Wang' corresponds to drought and flood," and Cai Yong's "Deng Hou Hou Shi Yi" says, "Eliminate the 'Wu Wang' era." Counting through the examples used by people of the Han dynasty, none of them interpreted 'Wu Wang' as meaning illusion or loss of hope; they all used it as referring to a time of calamity when all things have no hope. This series of Han dynasty examples is exactly the evidence Shang used to overturn the later interpretation of 'Wu Wang' as illusion.

無妄猶孟子所謂不虞也，六爻爻辭皆不虞之事。又無妄，災也，以艮火象失傳之故，皆莫知災之自來。而焦、京以無妄為大旱，《易林》屢見，詳《焦氏易詁》之卦，其故自荀、虞莫明矣。卞斌云：匪正宜作匪百，經無作正者。虞翻知巽為禾稼，而不知艮火象，故不知大旱之義，斥京氏為非，詁為亡失，不亡失則卦吉矣。

"The hexagram 'Wu Wang' is like what is said in the 'Mengzi' as 'bu yu,' meaning unexpected events. The line statements of the six lines all deal with unexpected occurrences. The 'Zagua' also says 'Wu Wang, zai ye,' meaning 'disaster.' This is because the image of mountain (Gèn) and fire (Lí) has been lost, and commentators do not understand where the disaster comes from. Jiao Yanshou and Jing Fang regarded 'Wu Wang' as the hexagram of great drought. This is frequently mentioned in the 'Jiao's Forest of Changes,' as discussed in the section of 'Jiao's Glosses on the Changes.' The reason for this has not been understood since Xun Shuang and Yu Fan. Bian Bin said: 'Fei Zheng' should be read as 'Fei Bai' according to another version, and the text does not use 'Zheng.' Yu Fan knew that Xun represents grain, but did not know that Gèn represents fire, so he did not understand the meaning of great drought. Instead, he criticized Jing Fang as wrong, interpreting 'Wu Wang' as loss. According to his interpretation, if one does not lose anything, this hexagram would be auspicious."

然何以解於《雜卦》之無妄災及家傳？《象傳》曰「無妄之往何之矣，天命不右行矣哉」，無妄若為吉卦，而曰天命不右，曰無所往，有是理乎？虞翻最忌鄭學，鄭作望故駁之，其所謂俗儒殆即指鄭。後崔憬、何妥競作虛妄解，益與傳背。世豈有忠信之人，天命不右，往無所合者哉？害理亂道，莫斯為甚。

But then how can the "Zagua Commentary" say "Wuwang, disaster" be consistent with the "Commentary on the Judgment" (the original text "jiatuan" refers to "taotuan")? The "Commentary on the Judgment" says "If one goes without expectation, where shall he go? Heaven's mandate does not support him, can he go on?" If "Wuwang" is a fortunate hexagram, yet it says heaven's mandate does not support and there is nowhere to go, is this reasonable? Yu Fan most detested Zheng Xuan's learning; whenever Zheng Xuan interpreted it as "wang", Yu Fan would refute it. The "common scholars" he referred to were probably Zheng Xuan. Later, Cui Jing and He Tu argued for the interpretation of "xuwang", which became even more divergent from the "Yi Zhuan". Where in the world is there a loyal and trustworthy person who is instead not supported by heaven's mandate and has nowhere to go? To corrupt the principles and disturb the Way of the Yi, there is nothing more serious than this.

象曰：無妄，剛自外來而為主於內，動而健，剛中而應，大亨以正，天之命也。其匪正有音，不利有攸往。無妄之往，何之矣？天命不佑，行矣哉！震為主，謂初也。先儒謂遁上來初，故曰自外來。震為躁卦，躁動於內，而外遇乾剛，故所之不合。五剛中，二有應，故曰剛中而應。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "Without Delusion" has a strong line coming from outside and dominating the inner trigram. It is dynamic and strong, with nine in the fifth position being strong and central, and six in the second position corresponding to it. Thus, it is greatly smooth and in harmony with the right path, which is the command of heaven. Those who do not abide by the right path will suffer calamity and are not favorable for going anywhere. To go without delusion yet go recklessly, where can one go? Heaven's mandate does not support, how can one proceed? Shang Binghe explains the image: Zhen is the main trigram, referring to nine at the beginning. Earlier scholars said that the hexagram "Without Delusion" comes from the upper line of the hexagram "Retreating," moving to the first position, thus saying "from outside." Zhen is the trigram of restlessness, with restlessness in the inner trigram, and going out meets the strong and vigorous trigram Qian in the outer trigram, so the place one goes to does not match. Nine in the fifth position is strong and central, and six in the second position corresponds to it, thus saying "strong and central with correspondence."

大亨者，元亨也；以正者，利貞也。元亨利貞，循環來往，天命固如斯也。乾為天，巽為命也。《臨》傳云「大亨以正，天之道也」，天命與天道同也。故時當元亨而動，時當利貞即不宜動，不宜動而強動，違天者也。違天而行，天所不福，右，福也。何之者，言時值無望，無往而可也。蓋易之旨，陽剛不宜在外，在外則氣窮，有陽九之戶（加九？）。故卦辭以行為戒，以貞定為主。

"Da Heng" is the same as "Yuan Heng," and "yi zhen" means "li zhen." Yuan Heng and Li Zhen alternate continuously, which is the natural way of heaven's mandate. Qian represents Heaven, and the trigrams from the third to the fifth lines form Xun, which represents destiny. The "Commentary on the Judgment" of the "Lin" hexagram says, "Da Heng yi zhen, this is the way of heaven," showing that heaven's mandate and the way of heaven are the same thing. Therefore, when the time is right for Yuan Heng, one should act; when the time is right for Li Zhen, one should not act. Acting when one should not is to go against heaven's will. To act against heaven's will, heaven will not bestow blessings—"you" means blessings. "He zhi" means that at this time, there is no hope anywhere, and going anywhere is impossible. The essence of the "Book of Changes" is that yang strength should not be in the outer trigram; if it is, then its fortune will be exhausted, leading to the calamity of "Yang Jiu." Therefore, the hexagram statement warns with "xing," and emphasizes remaining steadfast and quiet.

象曰：天下雷行，物與無妄，先王以茂對時育萬物。與，舉也。天下雷行，萬物震恐，舉失其求望。茂與懋通，勉也；對，答也，言因雷而勉答大威。傅亮文云「只服住命，茂對天休」，潘岳《秋興賦》「覽花蒔時之育兮」，是茂對連文、時育連文，古讀如是，《釋文》作茂對時，非也。

The Great Image Commentary says: Thunder moves across the heavens, and all things are in a situation of unexpected circumstances with no hope; therefore, the former kings exerted themselves to respond to the heavenly mandate, following the timing to nurture and cultivate all things. Shang Binghe says: "With" means "all," that is, entirely. Thunder moves across the heavens, and all things are frightened, losing all their original hopes. "Mao" and "Mao" are interchangeable, meaning to exert oneself; "dui" means to respond, meaning that in response to the thunderous movement, one exerts oneself to thank the great mandate of heaven. Fu Liang's article says "zhi fu xiu ming, mao dui tian xiu," and Pan Yue's "Autumn Excursion" says "lan hua shi shi zhi yu xi," showing that "mao dui" and "shi yu" are read as connected phrases, and the ancients originally read them in this way; however, the "Shi Wen" marks it as "mao dui shi," which is incorrect.

艮為時，震巽皆為草莽，而震為生，故曰時育萬物，即嚴畏天命，順時育物也。象有以相反為義者，如《蠱》曰振民育德，《剝》曰上以厚下安宅，《明夷》曰用晦而明，及此皆是也。虞仲翔不知此旨，據象言時育，證萬物皆死之非。審如是也，將《蠱》曰振育亦可謂之不蠱，《剝》曰安宅亦可謂之非剝，尚可通乎？

The trigram Gen represents time, while Zhen and Xun both represent grass and weeds. However, Zhen is the main one for growth and hair, so it is said "time nurtures all things," meaning to revere heavenly mandate and follow the right time to nurture all things. The Great Image Commentary sometimes takes meaning from the opposite side. For example, the hexagram Gu says "to rouse the people and cultivate virtue," the hexagram Bo says "the superior person uses this to enrich the people and secure their dwelling," and the hexagram Mingyi says "using obscurity to achieve clarity." These, along with this case, all belong to this category. Yu Fan did not understand this principle, and instead used "time nurtures" from the Great Image to prove that the statement "all things are dying" is incorrect. If we truly follow his interpretation, then can we not also say that the hexagram Gu's "rouse the people and cultivate virtue" is not about corruption, or that the hexagram Bo's "secure their dwelling" is not about decline? Would that make sense?

初九：無妄，往吉。陽遇陰則通，故往吉。象曰：無妄之往，得志也。得志謂往遇二陰也。《大畜》九三云上合志，《渙》九二云得願，上皆無應，皆以前遇二陰。虞翻不知此為易不刊之定理，命四爻變陰，初得應釋得志，清儒從之，訛誤至今。六二：不耕穫，不苗（中　）畬，則利有攸往。獲，悅文刈谷也。《時·小雅》「於此苗（中　）畝」，蔬：苗（中　），災也，始災殺其草木也，故《說文》云不耕田也。畬，文三歲治田。《時·周頌》「如何新畬」，傳：一歲曰畜，二歲曰新田，三歲日畬，《爾雅》同。

The line statement for the first line (Initial Nine): In a situation where there is nothing to hope for, going forward is auspicious. A yang line meeting a yin line leads to smoothness, hence 'going forward is auspicious.' The Image Commentary says: Going without expectation, attains one's aspirations. What is meant by 'attaining one's aspirations' is that going forward will meet the two yin lines, the second and third lines. The Image Commentary of the third line of the Great Accumulation and the second line of the Dispersal both refer to attaining one's wishes, but in those lines there is no proper response line above, relying instead on meeting the two yin lines ahead. Yu Fan did not recognize this as an unshakable principle in the Book of Changes, instead forcing the fourth line to become a yin line so that the first line could have a responding line, thereby explaining 'attaining one's aspirations.' Later Qing scholars followed him, leading to continued errors. The line statement for the second line (Six in the Second): Not sowing yet expecting harvest, not cultivating yet expecting mature fields, this is actually favorable for going forward (the original text marks the character '苗' with '菑', indicating newly cultivated land). 'Obtaining,' as explained in the Shuo Wen, refers to cutting grain. The Shijing, Xiao Ya says 'here is the newly cultivated field,' and the commentary explains that '菑' refers to burning the grass and trees in the field, hence the Shuo Wen describes it as land that has not yet been cultivated. 'Yu,' as explained in the Shuo Wen, refers to land cultivated for three years. The Shijing, Zhou Song says 'how is the new Yu,' and Mao's commentary explains that one year is called 'Rui,' two years is called 'new field,' and three years is called 'Yu,' which is the same as the Erya.

獨鄭康成及虞翻謂田二歲曰畬，皆以在二爻。豈知詩明曰新畬，是第一年苗（中　）田，第二年便為新田，然尚未柔和也，故第三年為畬田。觀詩不曰畬新而曰新畬，鄭、虞誤也。蓋二居艮震之間，震為耕、為苗（中　），乃前遇艮，艮止，故不耕不苗。艮手為獲，艮成終，為畬。不耕而獲，不苗（中　）而畬，為必無望之事，故象以未富為釋。

Only Zheng Xuan and Yu Fan said that cultivated land becomes "ru" in the second year, which was to accommodate the position of the second line. But how could they not realize that the "Shi" clearly says "new ru"? This shows that the first year is "zui" land, the second year becomes new land, but the soil is still not soft and mature, so it is only in the third year that it becomes "ru" land. The "Shi" does not say "ru new" but "new ru," indicating that Zheng and Yu were mistaken. From the hexagram: line six in the second position is between the interacting mountain and the lower thunder trigram. Thunder represents plowing and "zui," but it meets the mountain trigram ahead, which represents stopping, so "not plowing" and "not zui." The mountain represents hands, hence harvest, and since mountain also signifies completion, it represents "ru." Not plowing yet harvesting, not clearing land yet getting mature fields, is an impossible situation, so the "Xiao Xiang" explains it as "not yet rich."

據《坊記》引則為凶字，又據《說文》引畬下多田字，段玉裁以為即凶之形訛字，然則則為凶字無疑。乃王注謂不耕而獲，不苗（中　）而畬，只代終，不造始，臣道固如是也，故利往。如王詁，是亦獲亦畬也，與象未富之義不合。按《易林·無妄之訟》云「不耕而獲，家食不給」，謂既不耕，獲必無得，故家食不給，讀雖與王同，而義則與小象不背矣。又《禮·坊記》引此，鄭彼注云「言必先耕乃得獲，先苗（中　）乃得畬，安有無事而取利者乎」，皆正詁，宜從。二有應，故利往，此自為一義，與上二句不相屬，與《困》彖同。象曰：不耕穫，未富也。

According to the citation in the "Fang Ji" section of the "Rites," the character "ze" in the text should be read as "xiu." Also, according to the "Shuo Wen," the character "yu" has an additional "tian" character, and Duan Yucai believes that is exactly the distorted form of "xiu." Thus, "ze" originally meant "xiu" without doubt. However, Wang Bi's commentary says that not plowing yet having a harvest, not clearing land yet having a fertile field, merely taking over the end of someone else's work without starting something oneself, is the way of a minister, so it is advantageous to go forward. According to Wang Bi's interpretation, there is both a harvest and a fertile field, which contradicts the meaning of the "Xiao Xiang" passage "wei fu." Shang Binghe comments: In the "Jiao Shi Yi Lin" section "Wu Wang Zhi Song," it says "not plowing yet having a harvest, the family's food supply will not be sufficient," meaning that if one does not plow, the harvest will certainly be empty, so the family's food will be insufficient. Although the reading is the same as Wang Bi's, the meaning does not contradict the "Xiao Xiang" passage. Also, when the "Fang Ji" section of the "Rites" cites this sentence, Zheng Xuan's commentary says, "One must first plow in order to have a harvest, one must first clear land in order to have a fertile field; how can one take advantage of benefits without working?" These are all correct interpretations and should be adopted. As for the phrase "ze li you you wang," it is because the second line six has the fifth line nine as its correct response, so it is advantageous to go forward; this sentence stands on its own and is not connected to the previous two sentences, similar to the sentence structure in the "Tuan Ci" of the "Kun" hexagram. The "Xiang Zhuan" says: "Not plowing yet having a harvest, indicates not yet wealthy."

六三：無妄之災，或繫之牛，行人之得，邑人之災。無妄之災，猶不虞之災也。艮為牛，象失傳，詳《焦氏易詁》補遺。糞為繫，故或繫之牛。震為行、為人，巽為盜，故行人之得。艮為邑，良火故曰災。言或繫之牛，被行人牽去，居者反有盜嫌，遭詰捕之禍也。爻辭取象，神妙已極，乃自艮牛、民火象失傳，自虞翻以來皆用卦變，致妙用全失。蓋三不當位，而巽伏為盜，象失傳，詳《焦氏易詁》補遺，故有是象。災之無妄，莫過於是。象曰：行人得個，邑人災也。

The line statement for the third line says: unexpected disaster — someone tied up a cow there, a passerby led it away, and the people of the town thus suffered disaster. "No-will disaster" refers to disaster that occurs unexpectedly. The trigram Gen represents a cow, but this image has been lost, as detailed in the supplement of Jiao's Glosses on the Changes. The trigram Xun represents a rope and binding, so it is said "a cow that is tied up." The trigram Zhen represents movement and people, and Xun represents thieves, so it is said "a traveler gets the cow." Gen represents a town, and Gen also represents fire, so it is said "disaster" (the original text's "liang" is a mistake for "Gen"). The whole sentence means: a cow that someone had tied up was led away by a passerby, and the people of the town were instead suspected of stealing the cow and suffered the disaster of being questioned and pursued. The imagery used in this line statement is extremely profound, but since the images of Gen representing a cow and Gen representing fire have been lost (the original text's "minhuo" refers to "Gen fire"), Yu Fan and those who came after him have used changes in the hexagram to explain it, thus losing the profound meaning. The third line, being a yin line in a yang position, is not in the right place, and Xun is hidden below, representing thieves (the image of Xun representing thieves has also been lost, as detailed in the supplement of Jiao's Glosses on the Changes), so there is such an image. There is no more typical example of an unexpected disaster than this. The Image Commentary says: the traveler gets the cow, and the town people suffer disaster (the original text's "de ge" refers to "de niu").

九四：可貞，無咎。陽遇陽則窒，下又無應，不宜於動，故曰可貞。貞，定也。然得重陰履之，故亦無咎。象曰：可貞無咎，固有之也。固有即謂二陰，虞翻亦用卦變說之，非。九五：無安之症，勿藥有喜。巽為疾、為草莽，故為藥。無妄之疾，言疾之愈已失望，乃勿藥而愈，其喜可知。五應在二，震為笑樂，故有喜也。勿藥者，言巽藥為艮為所焚也。

The fourth line statement says: It is appropriate to maintain stillness and achieve stability, without fault. A yang line meets another yang line, causing blockage, and there is no proper response below, so it is not suitable to act recklessly. Therefore it says "can be firm" — "firm" means stability. However, it is supported by the two yin lines below, six two and six three, so there is no fault. The Image Commentary says: "Can be firm without fault," meaning it is inherent. "Inherent" refers to the two yin lines below. Yu Fan also interprets it using changing hexagrams, but that is incorrect. The fifth line statement says: A sudden illness, which will recover without medication, bringing joy ("no stable illness" refers to "no妄 illness"). The trigram Xun represents illness and wild grass, and wild grass is also medicinal herbs, so Xun represents medicine. "No妄 illness" means that recovery from this illness was originally hopeless, yet it heals without medication, the joy is evident. The fifth line's responding line is six two, and the trigram Zhen represents laughter and joy, so "there is joy." The statement "without medicine" is because the medicine represented by Xun is burned away by the interacting trigram Gen.

象曰：無妄之藥，不可試也。不可試，言此為事之偶然，非所期望，不可嘗試。蓋五雖當位有應，然承乘皆陽，未為全吉。上九：無安，行有眚，無攸利。上應在三，巽為疾病、為眚、為利，然四五遇敵，故行有眚而無所利也。象曰：無妾之行，窮之災也。

The Image Commentary says: The medicine of no pretense cannot be tested. "Not to be tested" means that recovery without taking the medicine is merely accidental, not something intended or expected, so it cannot be regarded as a regular method to be tried. Although nine five is in the proper position and has a correct response, the ones above and below it are all yang lines. Yang meeting yang causes obstruction, so it is not entirely auspicious. The line statement of upper nine: in a situation of unexpected occurrence, proceeding forward brings calamity and misfortune, and there is nothing beneficial. (The original text "wu an" refers to "wu wang.") Upper nine has a correct response with six three. Xun represents disease, misfortune, and benefit; however, nine four and nine five are both yang lines, and they are in opposition to upper nine, so proceeding forward brings calamity and misfortune with nothing to gain. The Image Commentary says: Unjustified actions lead to calamity at the end.

大畜。利貞，不家食吉，利涉大川。乾為大，乾陽上升，為民所止，故日大畜。陽為艮畜，故利於貞定也。兌為食，艮為家，皆在外，故不家食吉。坤為大川，上居坤水之顛，下履重陰，得行其志，故曰利涉大川，與《頤》上九之利涉大川同也。

The Hexagram Statement of Great Accumulation says: It is advantageous to maintain correctness, not to eat at home but to receive salary in the court, which is auspicious, and it is advantageous to cross a great river. The trigram Qian represents Greatness, and the yang energy of Qian rises and advances, being restrained by the Upper Trigram Gen (source text "people" is a mistake for "Gen"). Therefore it is called "Great Accumulation." Yang energy is restrained by Gen, so it is advantageous to maintain correctness and stability. The lines two to four mutually form Dui, which represents food; Gen represents home, and both are in the Outer Trigram, so it says "not eating at home is auspicious." The two yin lines, sixth and fifth, are taken as Kun, which represents a great river—this is an unusual image not found in the "Discourse on the Trigrams," but one recovered by Shang's from the "Forest of Changes" by Jiao. The top line, ninth, is high above the Kun water, standing on two yin lines below, thus being able to carry out its will, so it says "advantageous to cross a great river," similar to the ninth line of the Hexagram Yi which also says "advantageous to cross a great river."

象曰：大畜剛健篤實輝光，日新其德。剛上而尚賢，能止健，大正也。不家食吉，養賢也。利涉大川，應乎天也。剛健篤實謂乾，輝光謂艮。艮為日，故曰日新；艮為君子，故曰尚賢，曰養賢。五天位，上孚於五，故曰應乎天。象曰：天在山中，大畜。君子以多識前言往行，以畜其德。識，《論語》「女以為多學而識之者欽」，注：識，記也。乾為前、為言、為行、為德，艮止於下，故多識前言往行，以畜其德。艮為君子。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram Great Accumulation is characterized by firm strength, sincerity, and radiance, renewing its virtue daily. The strong lines are in a superior position and honor the virtuous, thus restraining the strong and achieving great correctness. "Not eating at home is auspicious" refers to supporting the virtuous; "favorable for crossing great rivers" corresponds to the heavens. Shang Binghe explains the image: "Firm strength and sincerity" refers to the lower trigram Qian, "radiance" refers to the upper trigram Gen; Gen represents the sun, so it is said "daily renewal"; Gen represents the gentleman, so it is said "honoring the virtuous" and "nurturing the virtuous." The fifth line is the heavenly position, and the line six and the line five are in mutual response, so it is said "responding to heaven." The Great Image says: Heaven in the mountain, this is the hexagram Great Accumulation; the gentleman takes it as a model, accumulating many previous words and the deeds of past sages, to cultivate his virtue. The character "识" is explained in the Analects as "female, do you think I am one who learns much and remembers it?" (the original text mistakenly ends with "qin"), and the commentary says "识 means to remember." Qian represents the front, speech, action, and virtue, while Gen stops and accumulates the lower Qian, so it is said "accumulating many previous words and deeds of the ancients to cultivate one's virtue." Gen represents the gentleman.

初九：有厲，利已。厲，危也；已，止也。初有應，似利往，然二三皆陽，遇敵，故曰有厲。初勿用，故利已，言往應四則有災也。舊解皆不知有厲之故在二三，於是虞氏命二變成坎，四在坎體，以取災象，經義之晦至於如此，真可嘆也。象曰：有厲利已，不犯災也。不犯災，釋利已之故也。災即厲，指二三。

The first line statement says: There is danger, and it is favorable to stop. "Lì" means danger, and "yǐ" means to stop. The first line, which is a yang line, corresponds with the fourth line, which is a yin line. At first sight, it seems favorable to go forward, but the second and third lines are both yang lines, and like elements are in conflict, so it says "there is danger." The first line is originally in the position of "not to use," so it is favorable to stop; meaning that going forward to correspond with the fourth line would lead to disaster. Old commentaries did not understand the reason for "there is danger" being due to the second and third lines, so Yu Fan changed the second line into Kan (Water), and placed the fourth line within the body of Kan, thereby obtaining the image of disaster. The meaning of the classic has become so obscure, which is truly regrettable. The "Image Commentary" says: There is danger, favorable to stop, meaning not to commit disaster. "Not to commit disaster" is the reason for "favorable to stop"; disaster is "danger," referring to the second and third lines.

九二：輿說復（左車）。伏坤為輿，震為復（左車），二應在五，五震體，乃輿在內，轅（右復）在外，故曰輿脫復（左車）。車之行全恃復（左車），復（左車）脫則車不能行。二承乘皆陽，陽遇陽則窒，故有是象。舊說以二應五，便謂利涉大川指二者非也。如二能利涉，焉有此象哉。然爻辭無吉凶，無咎悔，故象曰中無尤，言無尤之故，以得中也。象曰：輿說復（左車），中無尤也。

The line statement for line nine two says: The carriage's axle is detached from the hidden rabbit beneath the axle (the original text marks '复 (left carriage)' with the character '輹'). The trigram Qian below contains the trigram Kun hidden, which represents the carriage body, and Zhen represents the axle. The responding line of nine two is six five, which belongs to the upper trigram Zhen. Therefore, the carriage body is inside and the axle is outside, hence the statement 'the carriage body detaches from the axle.' The carriage can move only because of the axle, so when the axle detaches, the carriage cannot move. Nine two is above and below with yang lines, and yang meeting yang causes blockage, hence this image. Old interpretations thought that since nine two corresponds to six five, the hexagram statement 'favorable to cross great rivers' refers to nine two, but this is wrong — if nine two could really be favorable for crossing great rivers, why would there be the image of 'the carriage body detaching from the axle'? However, this line statement has neither good fortune nor misfortune, so the 'small image' says 'no blame in the center,' indicating that there is no fault because it is in the center. The 'image commentary' says: The carriage body detaches from the axle, no blame in the center.

九三：艮馬逐，利艱貞，日閒輿衛，利有攸往。乾為艮馬，震為逐，三多懼，故利艱貞。乾為日。《爾雅·釋詁》：閒，習也。《詩·秦風》「遊於北園，四馬即閒」，傳亦訓閒為習。震為輿衛，日閒輿衛者，言車馬已閒習，利於行也。三臨重陰故行利。象曰：利有攸往，上合志也。三遇重陰，陽遇陰則通，故曰上合志。上謂四五，此與《升》初六之上合志同。初六之上謂二三，陰遇陽則通，與陽遇陰同也。虞翻謂上為上爻，故易本一失，說無不誤。

The third line statement says: A good horse is chasing and running, it is advantageous to maintain uprightness in difficulty, daily practice of chariots and attendants, it is advantageous to go somewhere. (The source text 'Gan Ma' refers to 'good horse'.) The trigram Qian represents a good horse, and the trigrams from three to five form Zhen, which represents chasing. The third line often has worries and fears, hence it says 'advantageous to maintain uprightness in difficulty.' Qian represents the sun. The "Er Ya · Xigǔ" says 'xian' means practice; in the "Poetry · Qin Feng" 'you yu bei yuan, si ma ji xian,' the transmission by Mao also interprets 'xian' as practice. Zhen represents chariots and attendants, 'sun xian yu wei' means chariots and attendants have been practiced thoroughly, it is advantageous to travel. The third line is preceded by the sixth line and the fifth line, both yin lines, so traveling is advantageous. The Image Commentary says: Advantageous to go somewhere, upper harmony of will. The third line meets two yin lines, yang meets yin and thus becomes connected, hence 'upper harmony of will.' 'Upper' refers to the fourth and fifth lines; this is similar to the 'Sheng' hexagram's first line's small image 'upper harmony of will'—there, 'upper' refers to the second and third lines, yin meets yang and thus becomes connected, which is the same principle. Yu Fan, however, took 'upper' to mean the top line, showing a fundamental mistake in his interpretation, so his explanation is not correct.

六四：童牛之牿，元吉。《釋文》：童牛，無角牛也。按《太玄·更次》五云「童牛角馬，不今不古」，即謂牛無角也。牿，《釋文》云：陸作角，劉雲牿之言角也；九家作告，雲牛觸，角著橫木，所以告人。按劉、陸作角者是也，駱、牿、角音同通用。

The Line Statement of the Fourth Line (Six in the Fourth): Adding a crossbar to the horn of a young ox brings great good fortune. The Classic Interpretation says: A young ox is one without horns. Shang Binghe comments: The "More" section of the Tai Xuan says "A young ox with a horse's horn, neither modern nor ancient," which refers to an ox without horns. The character "gù" is explained by the Classic Interpretation as being written as "jiao" in Lu Ji's version, and Liu Biao says "gù" means "jiao." The Jiujia version says "gao," meaning that the ox is prone to bucking, so a crossbar is tied to its horn to warn others. Shang comments: Liu and Lu's reading of "jiao" is correct, and "gu," "gù," and "jiao" are homophones and can be used interchangeably.

艮為牛，象失傳，詳《焦氏易詁》。艮少故為童牛，而艮為角，四居艮初，有若初生之角，言小牛角初生也。四應初，故吉。象曰：六四元吉，有喜也。應在初陽故有喜。廬浙云：《說文》牿，牛馬牢，牛在牢則範而不越，故吉。於艮止義亦合。

The image of the mountain representing a cow is not recorded in the "Sayings on the Hexagrams" and has long been lost. It is detailed in "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes." The mountain hexagram represents the young male, hence it symbolizes a young calf; the mountain also represents horns, and the fourth line, which is yin, is located at the first line of the upper trigram, mountain. This is like a newly growing horn, describing the young calf's initial horns. The fourth line corresponds with the first line, hence it is auspicious. The "Image Commentary" states: "The fourth line is originally auspicious, there is joy." Its responding line is the yang of the first line, hence there is joy. Lu Zhe says: The "Shuowen" explains "gù" as the enclosure for cattle and horses. A cow in the enclosure is restrained and does not exceed its bounds, hence it is auspicious; this also aligns with the meaning of the mountain hexagram, which represents stopping.

六五：憤（左豕）豕之牙，吉。《爾雅·釋獸》「豕子橢（左豕）憤（左豕）」，注云：俗呼小憤（左豕）豬為墮（左豕）子。是憤（左豕）豕為小豕，艮少象也。二兌為牙，五應之，故曰憤（左豕）豕之牙，言小豕初生牙也。按艮為黔喙，獸之黔喙者莫過於豕，疑艮或有豕象。又垢（左女）以巽為豕，大畜三至五伏巽，或仍以巽為豕也。

Sixth line statement: A castrated pig grows teeth, which is auspicious (the original text marks the character '愤 (left豕)' as '豮'). The Shangyà says 'the young pig is called '豕子' and '豮', and the commentary says that the common term for a young pig is '䐗子'. This shows that '豮豕' refers to a young pig, and it is taken from the image of 'Gèn' meaning small. Lines two to four form the trigram Dui, which represents teeth, and line six five corresponds with it, so it is said 'the teeth of the castrated pig'. This means that the young pig has just grown teeth. Shang Binghe further notes: 'Gèn' includes black-beaked animals, and among animals, no one has a blacker mouth than a pig, so he suspects that 'Gèn' may originally have the image of '豕'. Also, the hexagram 'Gòu' uses Xun as the pig, and in the third to fifth lines of 'Dàxù', the trigram Xun is hidden, so it may still use Xun as the pig.

李鼎作深知憤（左豕）豕二字皆由象生，然求之不得，謂五應二，二坎爻為豕，非。又廬浙云：《坤雅》以代（左木）繫豕，謂之牙，牙者繫之者也，繫而不去故吉，亦與艮止義合。象日：六五之吉，有慶也。六五承陽，故有慶。《晉》六五、《睽》六五皆上承陽，皆曰往有慶，茲與之同。

Li Dingzuo knew that the two characters "feng shi" come from the hexagram image, but he failed to understand them properly, so he said that the sixth line in the second position corresponds to the sixth line in the fifth position, and the sixth line in the second position is the Kan line, and Kan represents a pig, which is wrong. Lu Zhe also said that the "Kun Ya" mentions using a wooden peg to tie up a pig, and that wooden peg is called "ya," which is the thing that ties the pig and prevents it from running away, hence it is auspicious; this also corresponds with the meaning of Gen, which means to stop. The Image Commentary says: the auspiciousness of the sixth line in the fifth position is due to celebration. The sixth line in the fifth position is above the ninth line at the top, so there is celebration. In the hexagram Jin, the sixth line in the fifth position and in the hexagram Kui, the sixth line in the fifth position also are above a yang line, and both say "going brings celebration," and this example is the same as here.

上九：何天之衢，亨。艮一陽在上為天，又為背，故曰何。艮為道路，故曰何天之衢。《左傳》昭二年「尸諸周氏之衢」，注：衢，道也。又《爾雅·釋宮》「四達謂之衢」。何天之衢者，言陽在上不為所畜，通達之甚。象曰道大行，亦釋衢為道，大行即謂其通達。

The line statement for the top yang line (上九爻辞) says: Shouldering the four-way paths of heaven, it is smooth and prosperous. The trigram Gen (艮) represents a mountain, and a single yang line occupying the upper position signifies heaven. Gen also means back, and the back can carry things, so it is said "he" (which means "to bear" or "to carry"). Gen also represents roads, hence "heaven's four-way path." The "Zuo Zhuan" (左传) from the second year of Zhao Gong mentions "the corpse is placed at the Zhou family's four-way path," with a note explaining "衢" as "road." The "E Ya · Shi Gong" (尔雅·释宫) also states "a place where four roads meet is called a衢." "Heaven's four-way path" indicates that the yang line is at the top and not restrained, reaching the peak of communication. The "Xiao Xiang" (小象) says "the way is widely practiced," also interpreting "衢" as "way," and "greatly practiced" refers to its full communication.

虞翻釋何為當，王弼竟釋何為何乃，朱子取之，益非。蓋皆以天衢如何負何為疑，豈知易辭皆攝取象之精神，而不能執其解，執則易辭無一可通。象曰：何天之衢，道大行也。艮為天，《易林·豫之旅》云「人天門」，《隨之蹇》云「戴瓶望天」，皆以艮為天。

Yu Fan interpreted "he" as "dang," while Wang Bi took "he" to mean "he nai," and Zhu Xi followed his interpretation, which was even more incorrect. They all regarded "how can the heavenly thoroughfare bear it" as a difficult question, but they did not realize that the words of the Book of Changes merely capture the spirit of the hexagram images and should not be taken literally; once taken literally, none of the statements in the Book of Changes would make sense. The Image Commentary says: "He heavenly thoroughfare, the way is widely practiced." The mountain hexagram represents heaven — in Jiao's Forest of Changes, the hexagram Yu and the hexagram Jian both refer to "entering the heavenly gate" and "wearing a bottle to look at heaven," respectively, both taking the mountain as representing heaven. This is an extraordinary image not found in the Sayings on the Hexagrams.

艮為君子，震為言為食，正反震言語相背，有相訟意，慎則訟息。飲食者人之所欲，震為口，正反艮手相對，有爭意，節則飲食平。慎與節皆艮止象，此易用覆象，最為神妙之語。舊說，惟《易林》能闡其義，說詳《焦氏易詁》。

The original text finishes the hexagram of "Great Accumulation" at the line "Nine at the Top" and directly proceeds to this section, omitting the hexagram statement of "Reverence" which includes "Zhen Ji, Guan Yi, Zi Qiu Kou Shi," the Commentary on the Judgment, and the "Great Image" statement "Mountain below Thunder, Reverence; the君子 should be cautious in speech and regulate their diet." Only Shang Binghe's annotation on the "Great Image" remains. Now, following the original text accurately, I do not substitute with the commonly used version. The upper trigram is艮 (Gèn), representing the君子 (junzi), and the lower trigram is震 (Zhèn), representing speech and food. The upright image of震 (Zhèn) is opposite to its inverted image, implying mutual contention, and caution brings an end to disputes. Food is desired by all;震 (Zhèn) represents the mouth. The upright艮 (Gèn) and inverted艮 (Gèn) hands facing each other imply contention, but with restraint, food is shared equally. "Cautious" and "regulate" both take the image of艮 (Gèn) as stopping. This is the most profound aspect of the Book of Changes using inverted images—taking the meaning of a hexagram when it is turned upside down. Among old interpretations, only Jiao's Forest of Changes explains this meaning, and a detailed discussion can be found in Jiao's Glosses on the Changes.

初九：舍爾靈龜，觀我朵頤，凶。離為龜，以剛在外，艮亦剛在外，故《頤》《損》《益》皆以艮為龜，此其義唯《易林》知之。《屯之震》云「龜鱉列市」，以震互艮為龜；《泰之節》云「龜厭河海」，以節互艮為龜。虞翻用卦變，以晉離為龜，易取象無此迂曲也。

The line statement for the first line (Initial Nine) says: Abandon your own turtle, but stare at me and open your mouth to eat, which is凶 (dangerous). The trigram Li represents the turtle, because its yang line is on the outside and the yin line is inside, resembling the turtle's shell. The trigram Gen also has a yang line on the outside, so the trigrams Yi, Sun, and Yi all use Gen to represent the turtle. This principle is understood only by Jiao's Forest of Changes. In the Forest of Changes, under the trigram Zun changing to Zhen, it says "turtles and tortoises are lined up in the market," using the trigram Gen in the mutual trigrams of Zhen as the turtle. In the Forest of Changes, under the trigram Tai changing to Jie, it says "the turtle is tired of the river and sea," using the trigram Gen in the mutual trigrams of Jie as the turtle. Yu Fan instead uses the changing trigrams, saying that the trigram Jin's Li is the turtle. The Book of Changes does not use such a roundabout way of taking symbols.

初爻艮覆，故曰舍爾靈龜。朵，《釋文》云動也，人食物則頤動。初應在四，四當頤中，故曰觀我朵頤。言初當位，擁有群陰，貞靜自養斯亦足矣，乃舍其自有之靈寶，而闡觀他人之寵祿，四艮體，艮為貴為官，則躁竟貽譏，而殃咎或至，故曰凶。按初當位有應，前臨重陰，陽遇陰則通，本無凶理，《隨》初「出門有功」，《益》初「利用為大作」，其證也。此則凶者，以艮震相反覆，內動外止，故宜靜不宜動，《屯》初云「利居貞」是其義也。屯初至五亦頤也。

The initial line, initial nine, is located at the lower trigram, which is the reverse of the mountain trigram, forming a reversed mountain image. The turtle's shell is turned upside down, so it is said, "abandoning your spiritual turtle." The word "朵" is explained in the *Shi Wen* as movement, referring to the movement of the cheeks when eating. The responding line of initial nine is line six four, which corresponds to the mouth of the *Yi* hexagram, so it is said, "observing my movement of the cheeks." Shang Binghe elaborates on this meaning: initial nine is in the correct position, and above it is a yin line, which originally allows for quiet self-cultivation, which would be sufficient. However, it abandons its own spiritual treasure and looks up to others' favor and status. Since line six four belongs to the mountain trigram, which represents nobility and officialdom, rushing forward and competing will invite criticism and possible misfortune, hence the statement "misfortune." Shang Binghe explains further: initial nine is in the correct position and has a proper responding line. In front of it is a yin line, and yang meeting yin is harmonious, so there should be no misfortune. This is evidenced by the initial line of the *Sui* hexagram, which says, "going out to meet people brings success," and the initial line of the *Yi* hexagram, which says, "it is advantageous to make great efforts." The reason for misfortune here is that the *Yi* hexagram has the mountain and thunder trigrams alternating, with the inner trigram being thunder (movement) and the outer trigram being mountain (stillness), so stillness is more appropriate than movement. The initial line of the *Zun* hexagram says, "it is advantageous to stay in a firm position," which conveys the same meaning. From the initial line to the fifth line of the *Zun* hexagram, they also form the image of the *Yi* hexagram.

由此悟《隨》初有功者以外兌，兌悅震喜；《益》初利用為大作者以外巽，同聲相應，故皆動而吉；獨《屯》初利居貞，以外坎無為險難，故宜貞定：其故全在外卦。頤外艮，又止故不宜動。舊解皆不詳凶之故何在，則易理失傳，不能觀其會通也。象曰：觀我朵頤，亦不足貴也。言初本可貴，反因妄動而不足貴也。

From this we can understand that the reason why the initial line of the "Following" hexagram (随) has merit is because the outer trigram is Dui, which represents joy, while the inner trigram Zhen represents joyfulness. The reason why the initial line of the "Increase" hexagram (益) is said to "be beneficial for great action" is because the outer trigram is Xun, which resonates with the inner trigram Zhen, so both are in motion and thus achieve good fortune. Only in the "Obstruction" hexagram (屯), the initial line is said to "be beneficial to stay and be steadfast," because the outer trigram is Kan, which represents danger and difficulty. Therefore, it is appropriate to be steadfast. The reason for all these lies entirely in the outer trigram. The outer trigram of the "Nourishment" hexagram (颐) is Gen, which represents stillness, so it is not appropriate to act recklessly. Old interpretations fail to clearly explain why the initial line is "unfavorable," showing that the principles of the Book of Changes have been lost and cannot be fully understood. The "Image Commentary" says: "Observing my delicious food, it is also not valuable." This means that the initial line was originally valuable, but because of reckless action, it becomes insignificant.

六二：顛頤，拂經，于丘頤，征凶。顛與闡（內真）通。《和玉藻》「盛氣顛寶」，注：顛讀為間（內真）。而聞（內真）與穴（下真）通，《前漢·遊俠傳》「人無賢不肖門（內真）門」，注：門（內真）與穴（下真）字同。穴（下真），塞也。三四五皆陰，故曰穴（下真）頤。丘，《前漢·息夫躬傳》「寄宿丘亭」，師古云：丘，空也。經，常；拂，違也。丘頤，空頤也。蓋頤以空為用，今乃穴（下真）塞，違頤之常，故曰穴（下真）頤、拂經于丘頤。前得敵故征凶。其以顛頤拂經為句，或以拂經於丘為句者，非。

Line six-two statement: Reversing the order to seek sustenance, going against the norm, seeking sustenance upward to a hill, going forward leads to misfortune. Shang Binghe says that "颠" and "闐" are homophones. In the "Zi Zhi Tong Jian" under "Yue Zao," it says "sheng qi tian shi" (source text says "he yu zao," "tian bao"), and the annotation says "tian" is read as "tian." "Tian" is also homophone with "tian," as seen in the "Book of the Former Han" under "You Xia Zhuan," where it says "ren wu xian bu xiao tian men," and the annotation says "tian" and "tian" are the same character. "Tian" means filling up. In the "Yi" hexagram, lines three, four, and five are all yin lines, resulting in obstruction in the middle, so it is called "tian yi" — the mouth of the "Yi" hexagram is filled up. The character "qiu" is explained in the "Book of the Former Han" under "Xi Fu Gong Zhuan" as "ji xu qiu ting," and Yan Shigushu's annotation says "qiu means empty." "Jing" means regular, "fu" means against. "Qiu yi" refers to an empty mouth of the "Yi" hexagram. The mouth of the "Yi" hexagram is naturally empty to function, but now it is filled up, going against the regular state of the "Yi" hexagram, so it is said "tian yi, fu jing yu qiu yi." Line six-two encounters an enemy of the same yin line in front, so it says "zheng xiong." Some people divide "tian yi fu jing" into one sentence, or "fu jing yu qiu" into one sentence, which is incorrect.

象曰：六二征凶，行失類也。二無應，前遇重陰，陰遇陰則窒，故曰征凶。陰陽相遇方為類，今六二不遇陽，故曰失類。象義如此明白，乃二千年易家皆以陰遇陰為類，於是《文言》之「各從其類」、《坤》彖傳之「乃與類行」、《繫辭》之「方以類聚」，及此皆失解，與朋友同，說詳《焦氏易詁》。六三：拂頤，貞凶，十年勿用，無攸利。吳先生曰：拂頤猶不可口也。貞，占也。坤為十年，三不當位，承乘皆陰，故十年不用，無攸利也。按三有應，陰得陽應多吉，此獨不吉者，以四五得敵，應上甚難，故曰無攸利。

The Image Commentary says: "Six in the Second, going forward brings danger, because it loses its kind." Six in the Second has no proper response, and ahead there are several yin lines. Yin meeting yin causes obstruction, hence it says "going forward brings danger." Only when yin and yang meet is it called "kind." Now, Six in the Second cannot meet yang, hence it says "loses its kind." The meaning of the Small Image Commentary is originally clear. However, for two thousand years, commentators have regarded yin meeting yin as being of the same kind, thus making the statements in the "Words of the King" in the Qian hexagram, "each follows its kind," the "Commentary on the Judgment" in the Kun hexagram, "and follows its kind," and the "Great Treatise" saying "things are gathered by their kind," all become incoherent. This is similar to the confusion regarding the character "peng." For details, see Jiao's Glosses on the Changes. The line statement for Six in the Third says: "defying the nourishment, the divination shows danger, for ten years there will be no action, and there is no benefit." Mr. Wu says: "Fufu" is like saying something that is not to one's taste. "Zhen" means divination. The Kun hexagram consists of four yin lines in the middle, which can be regarded as ten years. Six in the Third, being a yin line in a yang position, is not in the correct place. Moreover, both the one above and the one below are yin lines, hence for ten years there will be no action, and there is no benefit. Shang Binghe notes: Originally, Six in the Third has a proper response with Upper Nine. Usually, a yin line responding to a yang line is mostly auspicious. However, here it is inauspicious because Six in the Fourth and Six in the Fifth, being of the same kind, are in opposition, making it extremely difficult for Six in the Third to respond to Upper Nine, hence "there is no benefit."

象曰：十年勿用，道大孛？也。艮震皆為道路，乃艮震上下象皆相反，故日道大孛（左心）。《玉篇》：孛（左心），逆也。言艮震皆有覆象相逆也。艮震皆為道，乃上卦覆震，與下震相逆；下卦覆艮，與上艮相逆。象下一孛（左心）字，尋味無窮。

The Image Commentary says: "For ten years, do not use it; the path is greatly reversed" (the original character is missing, and the text after it is marked with "孛 (left heart)" for "悖"). Both艮 (Gen) and震 (Zhen) represent paths, and the upper and lower trigrams of the 颐 (Yi) hexagram, which are Gen and Zhen, exactly reverse each other, hence the statement "the path is greatly reversed." The "Zhu Yi" says: "Reversed" means opposite. This means that both Gen and Zhen have a reversed image that is opposite to them: the upper Gen reversed becomes Zhen, which is opposite to the lower Zhen; the lower Zhen reversed becomes Gen, which is opposite to the upper Gen. The single character "悖" in the Small Image Commentary is intriguing and full of meaning.

六四：顛頤，吉，虎視眈眈，其欲逐逐，無咎。六二無應，以陰穴（下真）頤，故凶；六四有應，穴（下真）頤以陽，故吉。艮為虎為視，眈眈視貌，《說文》云視近志遠。坤為欲，逐逐言所欲在初，乃為二三所阻，不能遽遂其欲，故逐逐不已。象曰：顛顧之吉，上施光也。初陽應四，故曰上施光。三有應不當位，故凶；四當位有應，故吉。然四雖有應，為二三所隔，難以下施，故須初上施而吉也。六五：拂經，居貞吉，不可涉大川。拂經，王注作拂頤，五不當位，故拂頤。居，安也，安居五位，順上承陽，故貞吉。若下涉坤水，陰遇陰則窒，故不可也。象曰：居貞之吉，順以從上也。上陽，故當順從。

The fourth line statement says: turning upside down to seek sustenance, it is auspicious; like a tiger staring intently, desire follows persistently without fault. The second line has no proper response, using a yin line to block the mouth, hence it is inauspicious; the fourth line has a proper response, using a yang line to block the mouth, hence it is auspicious. The trigram Gen represents a tiger and sight, "dān dān" means looking intently, as explained in the "Shuo Wen" as looking near but with a distant intent. The trigram Kun represents desire; "zhu zhu" means the desired object is at the first line, but is blocked by the second and third lines, so it continues to pursue. The "Image Commentary" says: turning the mouth upwards brings auspiciousness, because the superior line shines above (the original text "dian gu" is interpreted as "dian yi"). The first line's yang line corresponds with the fourth line, so it is said "the superior line shines above." The third line has a correspondence but is not in the correct position, hence it is inauspicious; the fourth line is in the correct position and has a correspondence, hence it is auspicious. However, although the fourth line has a correspondence, it is blocked by the second and third lines, making it difficult to give downward, so it relies on the first line shining upward to achieve auspiciousness. The fifth line statement says: going against the norm, staying in a proper position brings auspiciousness, but crossing a great river is not advisable. "Fú jīng" is interpreted by Wang Bi as "fú yí"; the fifth line, being yin in a yang position, is "fú yí." "Jū" means to stay, staying in the fifth position, being compliant and supporting the superior line's yang, hence "zhēn jí." If going downward to cross the great river symbolized by Kun, yin meeting yin causes obstruction, hence "not advisable." The "Image Commentary" says: staying in a proper position brings auspiciousness, because it is compliant and follows the superior. The superior line is yang, so it should comply with it.

上九：由顧，厲吉，利涉大川。由，自得也，義詳《豫》九四。九四下乘重陰，故曰由豫；此亦下乘重陰，放曰由頤。然高居萬民之上，恐逸豫隨之，故振厲方吉也。坤為大川，陽遇陰則通，故利涉大川。此與五爻舊解所以全誤者：一由坤水象失傳，必用虞翻再三變之法，始得坎為大川；二由類字失詁，故不知和涉、不利涉之故何在也。象曰：由頤厲吉，大有慶也。大有慶，謂上九乘重陰。

The line statement for the top yang line (Upper Nine): The world is sustained by others, and if one maintains vigilance and caution, it will be auspicious, and it is favorable to cross a great river (the original text says "by looking back" which refers to "by sustenance"). "By" means self-satisfaction, and the meaning is detailed in the line statement of the fourth line of the hexagram "Yü." In the fourth line of "Yü," a yang line is overshadowed by a yin line below, hence "by Yü"; this line is also overshadowed by many yin lines, hence "by sustenance." However, being at the highest position above all people, one fears that ease and indulgence will follow, so one must be vigorous and cautious to be auspicious. The hexagram "Kun" represents a great river, and when a yang line meets a yin line, it becomes smooth, hence "favorable to cross a great river." The old interpretations of the lines six five and upper nine are entirely wrong for two reasons: first, the image of "Kun as water" has been lost, and only by using Yu Fan's method of changing lines can one勉强 derive the image of "Kan as a great river"; second, the meaning of the character "class" has been lost, so one does not understand why it is favorable to cross a river in one place and not in another. The "Image Commentary" says: "By sustenance, danger and auspiciousness, great joy." "Great joy" refers to the upper nine overshadowing many yin lines.

大過。棟撓，利有攸往，亨。過，失也，謂中四陽隱於陰中，失其用也。《說文》：棟，極也。《爾雅》：棟謂之俘（左木）。郭璞云：屋脊也。《易林》以坎為棟、為屋極，大過本大坎也。坎以中爻為棟，大過以三四為棟。橈，《釋文》云：由折也。兌毀折，巽隕落，故棟橈。

The Hexagram Daxue (Great Excess) Statement says: The beam bends, advantageous to go forward, and it is smooth. "Overpassing" refers to loss, meaning the four yang lines are enclosed by the two yin lines above and below, thus losing their function. The Shuowen explains "dong" as "extreme"; the Erya says "dong is called fu," and Guo Pu's commentary says it refers to the ridge of a roof. Jiao's Forest of Changes takes Kan as representing the beam and the roof's extreme point, and Daxue itself is a magnified Kan—two yin lines enclosing four yang lines, which is the same shape as Kan. Kan uses its central line as the beam, while Daxue uses the third and fourth lines as the beam. "Rao" is explained by Shiywen as bending. The upper trigram Dui signifies destruction, and the lower trigram Xun signifies falling, hence the beam bends.

以易理言，朋承陽則利。利有攸往，應指初。《升》初六曰允升，曰上合志，大過初與升初同，而四有應，故往利也。虞翻知陽爻無利往者，乃謂二變應五故利往。如虞說，傳云棟橈本末弱，本謂初，初亦失位可變也，尚何弱這有哉。乃自宋朱震以來即承其說，甚矣其不思也。

From the perspective of the principles of the Book of Changes, a yin line above a yang line is advantageous. "It is advantageous to go somewhere" refers to the first line, the initial six. In the hexagram of Ascending, the first line says "permitted ascent," and the small image says "coinciding with the will above." The first line of the hexagram of Great Excess is similar to that of Ascending, and since there is a nine in the fourth position above it as the correct corresponding line, going forward is advantageous. Yu Fan understood that a yang line does not have an example of being advantageous to go forward, so he said that the nine in the second position changes to correspond with the nine in the fifth position, thus making it advantageous to go forward. According to Yu Fan's interpretation, the Commentary on the Judgment says "the beam bends, because the beginning and the end are weak," where "beginning" refers to the first line. If the first line is also out of position and can change, then how can it be considered weak? However, since Zhu Zhen of the Song dynasty followed Yu Fan's interpretation, people have been too careless in thinking about it.

象曰：大過，大者過也。棟撓？？，本末弱也。剛過而中，巽而說行，利有攸往，乃亨。大過之時大矣哉。卦氣圖，大過十月卦，閉塞成冬，故曰大過時。大過過字，彖傳未明釋，後儒或以過往為說，先天位兌左巽右中過乾；或以過盛為說，此說尤不協，四陽五陽卦多矣，胡此獨盛，皆有可疑。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "Great Excess" refers to an excessive degree of greatness. The beam bends because the ends are weak and flexible. The strong lines are numerous but occupy the central positions, the flexible lines are gentle and joyful in their movement, thus it is advantageous to go forward and achieve success. The situation of the hexagram "Great Excess" is indeed significant. According to the diagram of the hexagram's seasonal influence, the hexagram "Great Excess" corresponds to the tenth month's hexagram, when heaven and earth close off and winter comes, hence it is called "the time of great excess." The character "over" in "Great Excess" is not explicitly explained by the Commentary on the Judgment. Later Confucian scholars have interpreted it in different ways. Some take it to mean "passing through," referring to the position of the hexagram in the Earlier Heaven arrangement, where the trigram Dui (Lake) is on the left, Xun (Wind) on the right, and passing through the position of Qian (Heaven) in the middle. Others take it to mean "excessiveness," but this interpretation seems particularly unsatisfactory, since there are many hexagrams with four or five strong lines, so why is this hexagram specifically called "excessive"? There are doubts about both interpretations.

愚按《太玄》擬大過為失，言四陽為陰所錮，失其用也，故漢人皆謂大過為死卦。《易林·明夷之大過》云「言笑未畢，憂來暴卒」，又《大壯之大過》云「道絕不通，商旅失意」，又《既濟之大過》云「身加檻纜，囚繫縛束」。《太玄》又擬為劇，劇，甚也，病也，皆謂陰大賊陽，陽失其用，與《易林》說合若符契。

Shang Binghe explained: Yang Xiong's "Tai Xuan" matches the eighty-one "shou" with the sixty-four hexagrams. Among them, the "shi" shou is used to correspond with the hexagram "Da Guo." This means that four yang lines are restrained by the yin lines above and below, thus losing their function. Therefore, Han dynasty commentators on the Book of Changes all regarded "Da Guo" as a death hexagram. This judgment is confirmed throughout the divinatory verses in the "Jiao's Forest of Changes": In "Ming Yi to Da Guo," it says, "Speech and laughter have not yet ended, but sorrow comes suddenly and leads to sudden death." In "Da Zhuang to Da Guo," it says, "The path is completely cut off, merchants lose their spirits." In "Ji Ji to Da Guo," it says, "The body is bound by restraints, imprisoned and tied up." The "Tai Xuan" also uses the "ju" shou to compare with "Da Guo." "Ju" means very severe or illness, referring to the excessive harm done by yin to yang, causing yang to lose its function. This aligns perfectly with the statements in the "Jiao's Forest of Changes."

象曰：澤滅木，大過。君子以獨立不懼，通世無悶。不曰澤中有木，而曰澤滅木，此漢人死卦之說所由來也。滅者人之所懼，君子則獨立不懼。巽為寡故曰獨，乾為惕故曰懼，兌悅故不懼。陽陷陰中，陰伏不出，故曰遁世。過世宜有憂矣，乃君子則適世無悶，以兌悅在終也。大象每反以見義，此亦其一也。

The Great Image Commentary says: A great marsh drowns the trees, which is the hexagram Great Excess; the gentleman takes inspiration from it, standing alone and fearless, retreating from the world without distress. It does not say "a marsh with trees" but rather "a marsh that drowns the trees," from which the Han scholars' idea of "death hexagram" originates. Drowning is something people fear, yet the gentleman remains independent and fearless. The lower trigram Xun signifies fewness, hence "standing alone"; the four yang lines emerging in the middle represent Qian, signifying vigilance, hence "fear"; the upper trigram Dui signifies joy, hence "not fearing." Yang is submerged in yin, and yin is concealed and does not emerge, hence "retreating from the world." Being in such an extreme situation should naturally cause worry, yet the gentleman retreats from the world without distress, because the joy of Dui is at the final position. The Great Image often finds meaning from the opposite side, and this is one such example.

初六：籍用白茅，無咎。藉，薦也，凡以物承物曰藉。《曲禮》「執玉，其有藉者則裼，無籍者則襲」，注：籍，藻也；疏：執玉必有藻以承玉。巽為伏，初在下，故曰籍；巽為白、為茅，茅柔物，初陰，故曰藉用白茅。又祭時籍茅於地，用以縮酒，而巽為漏，《井》九三「雍（下兀）敝漏」，於象尤切。象曰：藉用白茅，桑在下也。初柔在下，承陽故無咎。

The line statement for the first line (Initial Six): Use white reeds as a cushion, there is no fault. "Jie" means to serve as a cushion, any object used to support another is called jie. The "Rites of Zhou: Rules of Etiquette" says, "When holding jade, if there is a cushion, then wear a light outer garment; if there is no cushion, then wear a dark one," and the commentary explains that "jie" refers to a decorative cushion for jade, while the detailed explanation says that holding jade must always have a cushion. The trigram Xun represents concealment, and the first line is at the very bottom, so it is said "jie." Xun also represents white and reeds, and reeds are soft, and since the first line is a yin line, it is said "jie with white reeds." Furthermore, during sacrifices, reeds are spread on the ground to filter wine, and Xun has the image of leakage -- the third line of the Well hexagram, "the jar is broken and leaks," uses this image -- so this image is especially appropriate. The "Image Commentary" says: "Using white reeds as a cushion, softness is at the bottom" (the original text "sang" is a mistake for "rou"). The first line, being soft and at the bottom, supports the yang of the second line, so there is no fault.

九二：枯楊生梯，老夫得其女妻，無不利。巽為楊，為隕落，為枯。《易林·泰之威》云「老楊日衰，條多枯枝」，《噬嗑之否》云「朽根枯樹」，是以咸、否互巽為枯也。梯，鄭作美，木更生。按《詩·衛風》「手如柔荑」，傳云「如荑之新生」，然則荑為木新生之條。蓋弟（左禾）、荑同字，《莊子·知北遊》云「在荑稗」，《釋文》云「美本又作弟（左禾）」，是其證。

The line statement for the second line (Nine in the Second) says: A withered poplar tree regrows tender shoots, an old man marries a young wife, and there is no disadvantage. The original text says 'sheng ti' which refers to 'sheng ti' (the sprouting of new shoots). The trigram Xun represents the poplar tree, falling, and withering. In Jiao's Forest of Changes, under the hexagram Tai and Xian, it says 'old poplar trees gradually decline, with many withered branches'; in the hexagram Shihe and Pinyin, it says 'decaying roots and withered trees'. These both use the trigram Xun, which is derived from the mutual relationship between Xian and Shihe, to indicate withering. The character 'ti' is interpreted by Zheng Xuan as 'ti', referring to the new growth of trees. Shang Binghe comments: In the poem 'Wei Feng', it says 'hands like soft ti', and the Mao transmission says 'like the new growth of ti grass'. This shows that 'ti' refers to the new shoots of trees. The characters 'ti' and 'ti' are originally the same character. The Zhuangzi says 'in ti and bei', and the Shih Wen says 'ti is also written as ti', which is evidence of this.

乾為生，巽為木，巽柔，故曰枯楊生弟（左禾）。伏震為老夫，巽為女妻，女妻者，少妻。二下孚於陰，故無不利，巽為利也。《易林》遇震即曰老夫，遇巽即曰少齊、曰少姬，本此也，詳《焦氏易詁》。虞翻以乾老為枯，豈知乾實雖老不枯；又以乾老為老夫，兌為少女，創二應上、初應五之例，以圓其說，是貞悔不必拘，而應與常例可破也，乃清儒翕然從之，異已。

In the middle, four yang lines emerge, forming the trigram Qian (Heaven) which represents life, and Xun (Wind) which represents wood. However, Xun is characterized by softness, hence the saying "a withered poplar tree produces new sprouts." The trigram opposite to Xun (the hidden trigram) is Zhen (Thunder), which represents an old man. Xun itself represents a woman, a wife, which is a young wife. The line Nine in the Second moves downward to connect with the yin line Six at the Beginning, thus resulting in "no disadvantage," since Xun also signifies benefit. In Jiao's Forest of Changes, when encountering Zhen, it is said "old man," and when encountering Xun, it is said "young wife," and this is the basis for such interpretations, as detailed in Jiao's Glosses on the Changes. Yu Fan interprets the term "dry" as the old age of Qian, but he fails to recognize that although Qian is old, it is not dry. He also fabricates examples, such as the second line responding to the second line above and the first line responding to the fifth line, to support his interpretation, implying that the outer and inner trigrams need not adhere to the conventional rules of corresponding lines. It is strange that Qing scholars all followed this approach.

只俞樾以虞說為不通，知用旁通，打破二千年之謬誤，為功甚偉；特又以大過二五與頤二五相升降以取象，豈知巽即為少妻，兌即為老婦，《易林》有明徵，不必如是穿鑿也。故夫象一失傳，雖以俞氏之深識旁通，且洞明陽順陰逆之理，亦無如何也。象曰：老夫女妻，過以相與也。過以相與，言其不當，非謂初可過四應五、二可過五應上也。

Only Yu Yue realized that Yu Fan's interpretation was inconsistent and understood the need to use "parallel transmission" to explain the hexagram's image, thus breaking a two-thousand-year-old error, which was a great contribution. However, he used the second and fifth lines of the hexagram of "Great Excess" and the second and fifth lines of the hexagram of "Nourishment" to indicate mutual transformation, but he did not realize that the trigram Xun itself represents a young wife and the trigram Dui itself represents an old woman, as clearly stated in the "Forest of Changes" by Jiao. Therefore, such forced interpretations are unnecessary. Thus, once the hexagram images are lost, even someone like Yu Yue, who deeply understands parallel transmission and thoroughly knows the principle of yang moving in order and yin moving in reverse, would be helpless. The "Image Commentary" says: "An old man and a young woman, they are in an improper relationship." "Overlapping in mutual interaction" refers to this improper pairing, not that the first line can leap over the fourth line to respond to the fifth, or the second line can leap over the fifth line to respond to the top line.

九三：棟橈，凶。初爻本弱，故楝橈。上雖有應，然四五皆陽，得敵，九三不能應上，故曰不可以有輔。象曰：棟橈之凶，不可以有輔也。輔，佐助也。九四：棟隆，吉，有它吝。巽為高，四居巽上，故曰棟隆吉。有它吝者，言四應在初，四若它往應之，則為二三所忌而致吝矣。四與三不同，三與初同體，本弱無如何；若四只不與初應，則吉也。象曰：棟隆之吉，不橈乎下也。不橈乎下，即不應初。

The line statement for the third line says: The beam bends, which is ominous. The first line is originally weak, so the beam bends downward. Although the third line is in harmony with the sixth line at the top, the second and fifth lines are both yang lines, and like elements are in opposition. Therefore, the third line cannot respond to the sixth line. The Small Image Commentary says, "It is not advisable to have assistance." The Image Commentary says: The ominousness of the bent beam is because it is not advisable to have assistance. "Assistance" refers to helping and supporting. The line statement for the fourth line says: The beam rises, which is auspicious; but if it goes elsewhere, there will be regret. The trigram Xun represents elevation, and the fourth line is above the Xun trigram, so it is said, "The beam rises, which is auspicious." "Going elsewhere and causing regret" refers to the fourth line's responding line being the first line. If the fourth line goes to respond to the first line, it will be obstructed by the second and third lines, leading to regret. The fourth line is in a different situation from the third line: the third line and the first line are both in the lower trigram, and they are fundamentally weak and helpless. However, the fourth line is auspicious as long as it does not respond to the first line. The Image Commentary says: The auspiciousness of the rising beam is because it does not bend downward. "Not bending downward" means not responding to the first line.

九五：枯楊生華，老婦得其士夫，無咎無譽。兌為反巽，故仍曰枯楊。兌為華，《易林·否之成》云「華落實槁」，以咸上兌為華；《需之剝》云「老婦亡夫」，以剝伏兌為老婦；又《否之中孚》「老妾據機」，以中孚下兌為老妾。伏艮為士夫，故曰老婦得其士夫。五比陰志行故無咎，下無應故無譽。虞翻以五應初巽為老婦，易無此例也。

The line statement of the fifth line says: A withered elm tree produces flowers, an old woman marries a young husband, there is no fault and no praise. The trigram Dui is the reversed trigram Xun, so this line still refers to 'a withered elm tree'. Dui represents flowers: In Jiao's Forest of Changes, the hexagram Pu changing Xian says 'flowers fall and wither', using the upper trigram Dui as flowers; in the hexagram Xu changing Bie, it says 'an old woman loses her husband', using the hidden trigram Dui in Bie as the old woman; in the hexagram Pu changing Zhongfū, it says 'an old servant holds the loom', using the lower trigram Dui in Zhongfū as the old servant. The hidden trigram Gen in Dui represents a young man, so it says 'an old woman marries a young husband'. The fifth line nine interacts with the sixth line six, and the heart's will is realized, so there is 'no fault'; there is no proper response below, so there is 'no praise'. Yu Fan says that the fifth line nine should respond to the first line six, and uses Xun as the old woman. The Book of Changes does not have such an example.

蓋易有伏象，伏即旁通，即對象，人知之，而旁通之原理鮮能明之。《文言》云「旁通情也」，情者，感也，言陰陽不能相離也。故夫茅茹，坤象也，《泰》初爻亦言之；雲雨，坤坎象也，《小畜》亦言之。《否》初言茅茹，《小過》言雲雨，則用正象，《易林》本之，正、伏象常不分。

The Book of Changes contains hidden images, "hidden" meaning lateral communication, which refers to the image of a hexagram. Everyone knows this, but the principle of lateral communication is rarely explained. The Wenyan of the Qian hexagram says, "lateral communication expresses emotion," where "emotion" refers to feeling, meaning yin and yang cannot be separated from each other. Therefore, "pulling up the wild onion" originally belongs to the image of the Kun hexagram, and the first line of the Tai hexagram also uses it; "cloud and rain" originally belong to the images of Kun and Kan, and the Xiao Xu hexagram also uses them. The Po hexagram's first line mentions wild onion, and the Xiao Guo hexagram mentions cloud and rain, using the correct image. The Jiao's Forest of Changes follows this principle, often not distinguishing between the correct image and the hidden image.

略如見一男子，可推知其家必有婦；見一婦人，可推知其家必有夫也。然非以夫為婦、以婦為夫，使男女無別也。易繫辭取象可用伏，而義則正也。彼夫王引之譏虞翻用旁通，致陰陽無別，是皆於旁通情，情字失詁，故於易理隔閡如斯也。大過老夫、士夫皆在對象，而自荀、虞以來皆苦於本象求之，胡有得乎？

This is like seeing a man, from which one can infer that his family must have a wife; seeing a woman, one can infer that her family must have a husband. However, this does not mean treating a husband as a wife or a wife as a husband, thereby confusing the distinctions between men and women. The "Great Treatise" (Xici) of the "Book of Changes" (Yi) uses the hidden image (fu xiang) for taking symbolic meaning, but the meaning itself still relies on the primary image (zheng xiang). Wang Yinzhi criticized Yu Fan for using the method of mutual communication (pangtong), which led to the confusion of yin and yang, because he misunderstood the character "qing" in the phrase "pangtong qing ye," resulting in a misunderstanding of the principles of the Yi. The terms "old man" and "scholar" in the hexagram "Great Excess" (Dadu) are derived from the symbolic meaning of the hexagram itself, while those from Xun Shuang and Yu Fan onwards have been desperately searching for these meanings within the primary hexagram, which is impossible to find.

象曰：枯楊生華，何可久也。老婦士夫，亦可且也。匹配失宜，故可丑。上六：過涉滅頂，凶，無咎。乾為首，故為頂，澤水在上，故滅頂，與《比》之無首義同也。滅頂則死故凶。大過之為死卦在此。然上六當位有應，凶則有之，咎則無也，故象曰不可咎。象曰：過涉之凶，不可咎也。不可咎，言致命遂義，殺身成仁，屬於天者雖凶，而咎則未有也。頤大過四象在先天處四隅，而包滅地水火於其中。天地水火四正卦，上經首尾也，亦即離坎也，而即列於離坎之前，以結上經，最耐尋味。

The Image Commentary says: A withered elm tree produces flowers, how can this last long? An old woman marrying a young husband, how truly disgraceful (the original text "ke qie" is "ke chou"). The marriage is inappropriate, hence it is disgraceful. The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: To cross a river too deeply, drowning one's head, is dangerous, but without fault. The four yang lines in the middle mutually generate, with Qian (Heaven) leading, hence it is the top; the water of Dui (Lake) is above, hence drowning the head. This is similar to the image of "no head" in the卦 of "Bi" (Comparison). Drowning the head means death, hence it is dangerous - the卦 of "Da Guo" (Great Excess) is called the death卦, and this is the reason. However, the sixth line is in the proper position and has a correct response, so although danger exists, there is no fault, hence the Small Image says "not to blame." The Image Commentary says: The danger of crossing too far is not to blame. "Not to blame" means that this is sacrificing one's life to uphold righteousness, dying for the sake of benevolence. Although the part of heaven's mandate is dangerous, the fault does not exist. As for the pair of卦 "Yi" (Nourishment) and "Da Guo" (Great Excess), in the earlier heaven arrangement they are located in the four corners, while enclosing heaven, earth, water, and fire in the middle (the original text "bao mie di shui huoyan," "mie" is taken as "tian"). Heaven, earth, water, and fire are the four cardinal卦, forming the beginning and end of the upper section, that is, the卦 of "Li" (Fire) and "Kan" (Water). However, "Yi" and "Da Guo" are placed before "Li" and "Kan," used to conclude the upper section, which is most intriguing.

習坎。有孚，維心亨，行有尚。《歸藏》曰革。李過曰：牢（上草）者，勞也，以萬物勞於坎也。黃宗炎曰：物莫勞於牛，故從牛。按《說文》：牢（上草），駁牛也。坤為牛，陽人坤中，色不純，故曰牢（上草）；而牛為物之最勞者，故取於駁牛。周易名坎，則取於陷險二義。上耳坎故曰習。羅汝懷云：習當為折（左　）。《禮·玉藻》「帛為折（左　）」，注：衣有表裹而無著也。《急就篇》注：折（左　）謂重衣。皆重複之義。而折（左　）又假襲，《禮》「錫襲」，《書》「卜不襲吉」，故習當作襲。象曰重險，象曰水存（左水）至，即釋習坎之義。

The Hexagram of Kan: In the midst of repeated dangers and difficulties, one maintains sincerity, and only through inner harmony can one's actions be esteemed. In the Guicang Yi, this hexagram is named "Lu" (the original text says "Ge"). Li Guo said: "Lu" means to labor, because all things in the position of Kan are weary. Huang Zongyan said: among all things, none is more laborious than an ox, so this character includes the meaning of an ox. Shang Binghe remarked: The Shuowen Jiezi says "Lu" refers to a cow with mixed colors. The hexagram of Kūn represents a cow, and when one yang enters the Kūn, the color becomes mixed, hence it is called "Lu"; and since the ox is the most laborious animal, it is taken as a symbol. The Zhou Yi names it "Kan," taking the meanings of "trapping" and "danger." Both upper and lower parts are Kan, so it is called "Xi," meaning repetition. Luo Ruhuai said: "Xi" should be read as "Zhe." The Ziliao Ziyao says "Bo is Zhe," and the note explains that Zhe refers to clothing with an outer and inner layer but without filling; the Jijiu Pian note says Zhe is a double-layered garment: both contain the meaning of repetition. "Zhe" is also used as a variant for "Xi," and the Ziliao has "Xi Xi," while the Shangshu has "Bu Xi Ji," so "Xi" should be read as "Zhe." The Commentary on the Judgment says "repeated danger," and the Great Image Commentary says "water flowing repeatedly," which precisely explain the meaning of "Xi Kan."

自注有便習之說，後儒多從之。夫諳練於行事，此事理之常，豈有諸練於行險者哉？按羅說是也，彖傳、象傳皆有明釋，王注及正義詁為便習，此所以有野文之譏也。孚，信也。有孚謂二五居中遇陰，陽孚於上下陰也。舊解不知孚之故在陽遇陰，故說皆不當。坎為心，亨，通也，心亨亦謂二五，傳所謂剛中也。行有尚則專謂五，五往外得尊位，故曰有尚，曰有功。

Since Wang Bi's commentary, there has been the idea of "便习" meaning familiarity or habituation. Most later Confucian scholars followed this view. However, it is natural to be skilled in practical matters, so why would one specifically become skilled in taking risks? Shang Binghe comments: Luo Huai's interpretation is correct. Both the Commentary on the Judgment and the Great Image have clear explanations. Wang Bi's commentary and Kong Yingda's "Justice" interpret it as "便习," which is precisely why they were criticized for not understanding ancient meanings. "孚" means trust. "有孚" refers to the fact that the lines nine two and nine five are in the center and meet yin. Yang is in harmony with the yin above and below. Old commentaries did not understand that the reason for "孚" is the meeting of yang and yin, so their interpretations were inappropriate. Kan represents the heart, "亨" means to be smooth or pass through, and "心亨" also refers to the lines two and five, that is, the "strong and central" mentioned in the Commentary on the Judgment. As for "行有尚," this specifically refers to nine five: nine five moves outward and attains a noble position, so it is said "有尚," meaning there is honor, and also "有功," meaning there is achievement.

彖曰：習坎，重險也。水流而不盈，行險而不失其信。維心亨，乃以剛中也；行有尚，往有功也。天險，不可升也；地險，山川丘陵也。王公設險以守其國，險之時用大矣哉。水流若盈則非坎矣，既曰坎則不盈也。坎為失、為信，陽居中，故不失其信。五天位，居坎中，故曰天險，艮止故不可升；二地位，居坎中，故曰地險，艮為山為丘陵，坎為川，故曰山川丘陵也。震為王公，艮為國、為守、為時、為天。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "To be in a difficult situation" refers to difficulties that are repeated. Water flows but does not overflow, moving through danger without losing its sincerity. "The mind is open and smooth" is because the strong line is in the center; "going forward there is success" is because going forward will surely bring results. The danger of heaven lies in its height that is difficult to reach; the danger of earth is mountains, rivers, and hills. Kings and princes set up obstacles to guard their countries; the use of danger is indeed great. Shang Binghe explains the image: if water were full it would not be Kan. Since it is called Kan, it does not overflow. Kan represents loss and sincerity. A strong line in the center leads to "not losing sincerity." The fifth line is the heavenly position, and also occupies the center of the Kan structure, so it is called "heavenly danger." The lines three to five form a mutual relationship with Gen, which represents stopping, so it is said "not able to ascend." The second line is the position of the earth, and also occupies the center of Kan, so it is called "earthly danger." Gen represents mountains and hills, and Kan represents rivers, so it is said "mountains, rivers, and hills." The lines two to four form a mutual relationship with Zhen, which represents kings and princes. Gen represents the country, defense, time, and heaven.

象曰：水存（左水）至，習坎。君子以常德行，習教事。存（左水），再也，重坎故曰再至。艮為君子，震為德行為言，故曰教。習則教不巳，而德行有常矣。初六：習坎入於坎頁（左九），凶。《說文》焰（左無上穴）：坎中更有坎。王肅云：坎底也。《字林》云：坎中小坎，一曰旁人。案王肅說是也。初居坎之最下，故人於坎底。象曰：習坎入坎，失道凶也。震為大塗，故曰道，初於震無應，故曰失道凶。九二：坎有險，求小得。二失位，故有險。陰為小，二居中，孚於上下陰，故曰求小得。象曰：求小得，未出中也。象曰未出中，言五無應，故曰未出；有應則上升五而當位，所得大矣。六三：來之坎坎，檢（從鄭向本）且枕，入於坎頁（左九），勿用。三居上下坎之間，來內為坎，之外亦坎，故曰來之坎坎。《孟子》「狗彘食人食而不知檢」，趙歧云：檢，斂也。又《釋名》云：枕，檢也，所以檢項也。然則枕與檢義同。

The Great Image says: Water flows repeatedly, which is the Hexagram of Kan; the gentleman takes it as a model, maintaining his virtue and repeatedly practicing the affairs of moral instruction. "Recurring" means again (the original text marks the character "洊" with "存 (left water)"), with upper and lower Kan overlapping, so it is said "again arriving." The trigrams between the third and fifth lines form Gen, which represents the gentleman; the trigrams between the second and fourth lines form Zhen, which represents virtue and speech, so it is said "instruction." Repeated practice means instruction never ceases, and virtue thus has a constant standard. The line statement of the first line: In a repeated danger, it falls into a deeper pit, which is凶 (misfortune). The Shuowen Jiezi says "窞" is a smaller Kan within Kan; Wang Su says it is the bottom of Kan; the Zilin says it is a small Kan within Kan, or a hole beside it. Shang's commentary says Wang Su's interpretation is correct. The first line is at the very bottom of Kan, so it falls into the bottom of Kan. The Image Commentary says: Practicing Kan again, entering Kan, losing the path, which brings misfortune. Zhen represents the great path, so it is said "path"; the first line has no correspondence with Zhen, so it is said "losing the path brings misfortune." The line statement of the second line: In a dangerous pit, there is only small gain. The second line, being a yang line in a yin place, is out of position, so there is "danger." Yin represents small, and the second line is in the middle of the lower trigram, corresponding with the yin lines above and below, so it is said "small gain." The Image Commentary says: Small gain, not yet having emerged from the center. What is meant by "not yet having emerged from the center" is that the fifth line is a yang line and does not correspond with it, so it is said "not yet having emerged"; if there were correspondence, it could rise to the fifth position and be in the right place, thus gaining much. The line statement of the sixth line: Coming and going are all dangerous, being restrained and pressed down, falling into the deeper pit, there is no action ("检" in the original text is noted as following Zheng Xuan and Xiang Xiu's editions, while the current edition reads "danger"). The sixth line is between the upper and lower Kan, returning to the inner trigram is Kan, moving to the outer trigram is also Kan, so it is said "coming into Kan again." The Mengzi says "dogs and pigs eat people's food without restraint," Zhao Qi's commentary says "restraint means to restrain"; the Ximing says "pillow means restraint, used to restrain the neck." This shows that "pillow" and "restraint" have the same meaning.

檢且枕，仍承來之坎坎言，言內外俱受檢制。既檢且枕，仍與初交之人坎焰（左無上穴）同。夫前檢後枕，來往既陷於險境，其不能用也必矣，故曰勿用。象曰：來之坎坎，終無功也。勿用故曰無功。艮為枕，《易林·需之大壯》云「婚姻配合，同枕共牢」，大壯通觀，以艮為枕，坤眾故同枕。六四：樽酒，簋貳用嶽，納約自牖，終無咎。坎為酒，震為尊，故曰尊酒。震為墓，簋，祭器，以盛黍稷，中交正覆震，故曰簋貳。貳、二同，《曲禮》「雖不貳辭」，注：貳謂重骰（？）。此簋貳與《損》之二簋同。擊，《說文》：瓦器。簋貳用擊者，言用瓦簋。《周禮》「施（右下瓦）人為簋」，疏：祭宗廟用木簋，今用瓦，祭天地尚質，器用陶匏。《郊特牲》亦云「器用陶匏，象天地之性」。王夫之謂缶，瓦也，與禮經合，得其義矣。

"Jian Qie Zhen" continues from "Lai Zhi Can Can," indicating that both internal and external aspects are constrained. Being restrained from above and pressed from below, the situation is the same as that of initial line six "Ru Yu Can Dan." There is restriction in front and pressure behind, so movement is trapped in danger, and thus it is said "Wu Yong." The "Image Commentary" says: "Lai Zhi Can Can, Zhong Wu Gong Ye." Since there is "Wu Yong," it is said there is no achievement. "Gen" is the image of a pillow, which is an unusual image not found in "Shuo Gua." "Jiao Shi Yi Lin · Xu Zhi Da Zhuang" says "Hun Yin Pei He, Tong Zhen Gong Lao." "Da Zhuang" and "Guan" are complementary, so "Guan" provides the image of "Gen" as a pillow. "Kun" represents the people, so it is said "Tong Zhen." The line statement for sixth line four: one cup of wine, two bowls of food, served in earthenware vessels, offered through the window as a covenant, ultimately without fault. "Cai" represents wine, and the lines two to four form a mutual "Zhen" trigram, "Zhen" represents a vessel (for wine), so it is said "Zun Jiu." "Zhen" also represents a tomb, and the image of sacrificial vessels arises from this. "Gui" is a sacrificial vessel used to hold millet and rice. The middle four lines contain both the original "Zhen" and inverted "Zhen" trigrams, so it is said "Gui Er," meaning two "Gui." "Er" is the same as "Two," as noted in "Qu Li" "Su Bi Er Ci," where the commentary says "Er" means repetition. Here "Gui Er" is the same as "Er Gui" in the "Sun" hexagram. "Fou" (source text says "Ji") is a character for "Fou," which according to "Shuo Wen" is a earthenware vessel. "Gui Er Yu Fou" means using a earthenware "Gui." "Zhou Li" says "Zhen Ren Wei Gui," and the commentary says that wooden "Gui" are used for ancestral worship, but here earthenware is used because worshiping heaven and earth values simplicity, and vessels are made of clay and gourds. "Li Ji · Jiao Te Sheng" also says "Qi Yong Tao Pao, Xiang Tian Di Zhi Xing." Wang Fu Zhi says "Fou" is an earthenware vessel, which agrees with the rites, and thus grasps the original meaning.

約，神約也。《周禮·秋官》司約掌六約，治神之約為上，治民之約次之。爻辭言尊簋，則祭神也，故知此約為神約，注：神約，命祀郊社群望及祖宗也。《漢書·高帝紀》「約先人關者」，注：約，要也。《呂覽·淫辭》「秦趙相與約」，注：約，盟也。艮為牖，震為言，故曰納約自牖，言詔明神而要誓，薦其盟祝之載辭於牖下也。又春官祖祝作盟祖之載辭，以敘國之信用，坎為信，故要誓於神也。承陽當位，故無咎；艮為終，故曰終無咎。酒、擊、牖、咎為韻。

"The term 'yue' refers to a covenant made with deities. The 'Rites of Zhou · Autumn Official' mentions six types of covenants, with 'covenant with deities' ranked first, followed by 'covenant with people.' Since the line statement mentions vessels such as zun and gui, this indicates a ritual for worshiping deities, thus identifying this 'yue' as a divine covenant. Zheng's commentary explains that 'divine covenant' refers to the rites of ancestral worship, including the worship of the heavenly mandate, the ancestral temples, and the spirits of the land and sea. In the 'Book of Han · Records of the Emperor Gao' the phrase 'yue xian ru guan zhe' is annotated as 'yue means to require or to agree.' In the 'Classic of the Warring States · Flattering Words,' the phrase 'Qin and Zhao mutually made a covenant' is annotated as 'yue means a treaty.' The lines three to five form a mutual trigram of Gen, which represents a window; Zhen represents speech, so the phrase 'na yue zi you' means to make a covenant with the bright deity through prayer, offering the words of the covenant beneath the window. Additionally, the 'Rites of Zhou · Spring Official' mentions that the curse and blessing official is responsible for composing the words of oaths and curses to affirm the state's credibility; Kan represents trust, so a covenant must be made before the deity. The line six four is above the line nine five, which is yang and in the correct position, thus 'no blame' is indicated; Gen represents the end, so 'always no blame' is stated. In terms of rhyme, the words jiu, fǒu, yǒu, and jiu rhyme with each other."

象曰：樽酒簋貳，剛柔際也。四承陽故曰剛柔際。際，《說文》：會也。九五：坎不盈，只既平，無咎。坎不盈，義見前。只，京、虞作提（左　），曰安也；鄭云當作坻，小丘也。按易字不能定者，當定之以象。鄭於復卦無只侮，訓只為病，茲又訓為坻，誠以坎不盈與只既平為對文，則只為實字無疑。

The Image Commentary says: "A cup of wine and a pair of bowls, indicating the meeting of the firm and the yielding." The sixth line in the fourth position is above the ninth line in the fifth, so the firm and the yielding are connected. "Interconnection" is explained in the Shuowen as "meeting." The line statement of the ninth line in the fifth position says: "The water in the Kan trigram has not yet filled up, and the small hill has been levelled, so there is no fault." The meaning of "Kan not full" has already been explained earlier. The character "zhi" is written as "ti" in the versions of Jing Fang and Yu Fan, meaning security; Zheng Xuan says it should be "chi," meaning a small hill. Shang Binghe comments: In the Book of Changes, when the character form is not certain, it should be determined by the hexagram image. Zheng Xuan interprets "zhi" as illness in the line "wu zhi hui" of the Fu hexagram, but here he interprets it as "chi," because "Kan not full" and "chi already levelled" are parallel expressions. Therefore, "zhi" is clearly a concrete word.

又五為艮主爻，艮山故曰抵。而坻與氏通，《說文》：氏，巴蜀名山岸協之堆，旁者（上竹）欲落惰（左土？）者曰氏，氏崩聲聞數百里。揚雄賦「晌若氏貴（左阜）」，而《文選·解嘲》作坻貴（左阜）。應劭云：天水有大　名曰隴坻。韋昭云：低音若是理之是。是坻與氏通。俞樾云：只既平，即氏貴（左阜）之氏，氏貴（左阜）即平矣，古本易蓋止作氏既乎，後人誤加示耳。案鄭詁為坻，蓋即疑只為氏，俞說正與鄭合，而韋昭音坻為是，由是證只、坻、提音皆由氏得，從氏者誤也。

The fifth line is the main line of the Gen hexagram, which represents a mountain. Therefore, it is said "dǐ" (the original text says "dǐ"). The character "dǐ" is homophonous with "shì": According to the Shuo Wen, "shì" refers to a pile of earth near a cliff in the Bashu region, which would collapse and be heard for hundreds of miles. In Yang Xiong's fu, there is a line "xiǎng ruò shì tuí," while the Wen Xuan·Jie Chao version reads "dǐ tuí." Ying Shao said: There is a large slope called Long Dǐ in the Tian Shui commandery (the original text lacks one character here). Wei Zhao said: The pronunciation of "dǐ" is similar to "shì li." The same word is written as "shì tuí" in one place and "dǐ tuí" in another, and both are pronounced as "shì," showing that "dǐ" and "shì" were originally homophones. Yu Yue said: "Zhi ji ping" (the "zhi" in this phrase) is the same as the "shì" in "shì tuí," since the collapse of a pile of earth would level it. The ancient version of the Book of Changes probably only had "shì ji ping," and later people mistakenly added the "shì" radical. Shang's note: Zheng Xuan interpreted it as "dǐ," which probably indicates his doubt that "zhi" is the same as "shì," and Yu Yue's view aligns with Zheng Xuan. Meanwhile, Wei Zhao's pronunciation of "dǐ" as "shì" proves that the pronunciations of "zhi," "dǐ," and "ti" all come from "shì." Writing it with the "di" radical is incorrect (the original text still uses "shì").

王引之謂鄭作宛在水中低之批為誤，豈知鄭並未作抵。坻，毛傳云小諸，《釋水》云「小洲曰渚」，茲曰小丘，明非渚也，以鄭作低與《解嘲》同，與《說文》同也。不然鄭豈不知仍詁為病，使前後一律哉。坎為平，故曰抵既平。坎不盈為一事，坻既平又為一事，上下對文。詁只為安者固非，仍詁為病，於象雖合，於義未安也。象曰：坎不盈，中未光大也。陽陷陰中，雖得中而未光大。

Wang Yinzhi said that Zheng Xuan took the character "坻" in the phrase "宛在水中坻" from the Book of Poetry to mean something else, which was wrong. But in fact, Zheng Xuan never took that meaning. The character "坻" is said by Mao's Commentary to mean a small islet, and the Er Ya says "a small island is called a zhu." However, Zheng Xuan interpreted it as a small hill, indicating that it is not a water island. The meaning of "坻" that Zheng Xuan adopted is the same as in the "Jie Chao" and the Shuo Wen. If not, why would Zheng Xuan not still explain it as "disease" to maintain consistency? The hexagram Kan represents flatness, so it says "the坻 is flat." "Kan does not overflow" is one matter, and "the坻 is flat" is another, forming a parallel structure in the two lines. Taking "只" as "peace" is incorrect; if it is still taken as "disease," although it makes sense in terms of the hexagram image, it is not appropriate in terms of the meaning of the text. The Image Commentary says: "Kan does not overflow, because the center is not yet great and bright." A yang line is trapped in the yin, although it is in the center, it still cannot become great and bright.

上六：繫用徽墨（左絲），真（上？）於叢棘，三歲不得，凶。劉表云：三股為徽，兩胎為墨（左絲），皆索名，以繫縛罪人。虞翻云：徽墨，黑索也。徽墨（左絲）之象，虞用卦變，以觀巽為繩，非也。蓋坎為矯揉（左車），物之能矯揉（左車）者莫過於繩，故以徽墨（左絲）取象。坎為棘，上坎下坎，故曰叢棘。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: Using a rope to bind, placing in a thorny bramble, unable to escape for three years, ominous. (The original text marks the character 纆 with 墨 (left silk) and 寘 with 真 (upper question mark)). Liu Biao said: Three strands twisted together are called huī, two strands twisted together are called mò, both are names for ropes used to bind criminals. Yu Fan said: Huī and mò are black ropes. As for the symbolic meaning of huī and mò, Yu Fan used the changing hexagram, taking the wind trigram from the Guan hexagram as the rope, which is incorrect. In fact, Kan represents bending and shaping, and nothing can be bent and shaped more than a rope, so the rope is used as a symbol. Kan also represents thorns, and both upper and lower trigrams are Kan, so it is said 'thorny bramble'.

真（上？）、示通，《周禮·朝士》鄭司農注及《轂（左下禾）梁》宣二年范寧注引，皆作示于叢棘；而《詩》「鹿嗚示我周行」，鄭則云示當作真（上？）。真（上？），置也。真（上？）於叢棘，舊解皆謂以黑索繫罪人，置於獄，或議於九棘之下也。三歲不得，言三年不得出也。茹敦和云：坎為三歲。象曰：上六失道，凶三歲也。上六應在三，三震為道，乃三不應上，故曰失道。

The characters "寘" and "示" are interchangeable in ancient texts; both appear in classical writings. In the commentary by Zheng Xuan on the "Zhou Li · Chao Shi" and the quotation from the "Gu Liang Zhuan" of the second year of Emperor Xuan of the State of Chu, this line of the hexagram is cited as "showing at the thorny thicket." Conversely, in the "Book of Poetry," the line "You you lu ming, shi wo zhou xing" is interpreted by Zheng Xuan as "placing" instead of "showing." "寘" means to place. Regarding "placing in the thorny thicket," traditional commentaries all interpret it as binding criminals with black ropes and imprisoning them, or holding trials under the nine thorn posts of the Zhou system. "Three years not being able to escape" refers to being imprisoned for three years. Ru Dunhe explains: "Kan represents three years—Kan is located in the north, and the number three corresponds to it, hence the image of three years." The "Image Commentary" states: "The upper sixth line loses the way, resulting in misfortune for three years." The responding line of the upper sixth line is the sixth line in the third position. The sixth line in the third position belongs to the trigram Zhen, which represents the way. However, since both the upper sixth line and the sixth line in the third position are yin lines and do not correspond, it is said that "the way is lost."

案上以叢棘為獄者，虞說也，虞謂獄外種棘，張惠言以不知所本而疑之矣。以《周禮·秋官·朝士》為本，使公卿議於九棘之下而定罪者，鄭說也，然不曰九棘而曰叢棘。文王演易之時仍殷制，殷是否有三槐九棘之制不可知，則亦可疑也。況爻詞曰三歲不得，不得者，不能遂其願也；象曰上六失道，失道者，言所為不當也，不當故不得，於人獄詞意皆不合。

Shang Binghe says: Taking the term 'cong ji' as referring to a prison is Yu Fan's view. He said that there are brambles planted outside the prison. Zhang Huiyan had already expressed doubt because he could not find the source. Using the "Zhou Li · Qiuan · Chao Shi" as the basis, saying that the ministers and high officials meet under the nine jis to decide on guilt, is Zheng Xuan's view. However, the line statement does not say 'jiu ji' but 'cong ji'. Moreover, when King Wen composed the Book of Changes, he still used the system of the Yin dynasty. It is unknown whether the Yin dynasty had the system of three hua and nine jis. This view is also questionable. Moreover, the line statement says 'san sui bu de', 'bu de' means unable to realize one's wishes. The 'Xiao Xiang' says 'Shang Liu shi dao', 'shi dao' means improper actions. Improper actions lead to inability to realize one's wishes. These do not correspond to the meaning of imprisonment.

按《列子·說符篇》「臣有所與共擔墨（左絲）薪菜者曰九方皋」，是徽墨（左絲）可以約薪菜；揚雄《酒箴》云「子猶瓶矣，居井之湄，不得左右，牽於墨（左絲）徽」，是徽墨（左絲）可為井索，胡為必束縛罪人？若以叢棘為疑，《詩》云「園有棘，其實之食」，又云「墓門有棘，斧以斯之」，是棘常生於墓門及園囿；《羽獵賦》「斬叢棘，夷野草」，《吳志·諸葛格（左　）傳》「升山赴險，抵突叢棘」，是叢棘常生於山林，安在必為獄？

Shang's commentary further states: First, consider whether "hui mo" can only be used to bind people. The "Lie Zi · Shu Fu" says, "A minister who shares a yoke and carries firewood and vegetables with someone is called Jiufanggao," which refers to using the mo rope to bundle firewood and carry it on a pole. Yang Xiong's "Jiu Zhen" says, "You are like a jar, living by the well's edge, unable to move left or right, bound by the mo and hui ropes," which refers to using the mo and hui ropes as the well rope for drawing water. Since the mo and hui ropes are commonly used in daily life, why must they necessarily refer to binding criminals? Now consider whether "cong ji" can only refer to a prison. The "Book of Songs" says, "There are thorns in the garden, their fruits are edible," and also says, "At the gate of the tomb there are thorns, which are cut with an axe," showing that thorns often grow by the tomb gate and in gardens. Yang Xiong's "Yu Lie Fu" says, "Cut through the thorny bushes, level the wild grass," and the "Wu Zhi · Zhuge Ke Zhuan" says, "Climb the mountain, face the danger, charge through the thorny bushes," showing that thorny bushes are more commonly found in mountain forests. So why must they necessarily refer to a prison?

故《易林·需之坎》云「鑿井求玉，非卞氏寶，名因身辱，勞無所得」，上二句謂所施不得地，釋真（上？）於叢棘及失道之義也；下二句謂徒勞無功，釋真（上？）於業棘、三歲不得之義也。依《易林》此釋，似言徽墨（左絲）所以繫物，然施於叢棘則權權刺激，難於施設，故久不得；不得之故，則由於所真（上？）失道也。如是則不得與失道之故，與上文皆協洽矣。徽墨（左絲）皆繩索名耳，繫物之用甚多，必謂專繫罪人，無及執乎？

Therefore, the "Jiao's Forest of Changes · Need to Kan" says, "Drilling a well to seek jade, not the treasure of Bian氏, name brought disgrace, labor without result." The first two lines indicate that the place chosen is inappropriate, explaining the meaning of "placed among thorny bushes" and "losing the way." The last two lines indicate futile effort, explaining the meaning of "placed among thorny bushes, three years without success." According to this interpretation in the "Forest of Changes," it seems to suggest that the "hui mei" was originally a rope used to bind objects, but when applied to thorny bushes, the branches and thorns pierced the hands, making it impossible to handle, thus failing to accomplish the task for a long time. The reason for failure lies in the improper placement, which is the meaning of "losing the way." In this way, the line statement "three years without success" and the "small image" statement "losing the way" are connected, and their causes are consistent with the previous text. This is exactly the typical approach used by Shang氏 to correct old interpretations: not preassuming the case of litigation, but following the images and the line statements of the "Forest of Changes" to restore the meaning of the words. "Hui mei" is merely the name of a rope; ropes are used for binding many things. To insist that it is specifically used to bind criminals seems too rigid.

離。利貞，亨，畜牝牛吉。乾交坤為坎，坤交乾為離，坎為隱而離則明矣，凡相對之卦，其義皆對。二五中正，故利貞；二五麗於陽中故亨。坤為牛，離得坤中爻，故亦為牛。俞云：《說文》牝，畜母也，牧牛即母牛。虞翻謂以離為牝牛為借說，豈知《左傳》昭五年明雲純離為牛，由是證虞翻未見左氏。象曰：離，麗也，日月麗乎天，百穀草木麗。

The Hexagram of Li says: It is advantageous to maintain the correct path, and there is smooth progress. If one raises a female ox, it will be auspicious. The middle line of Qian enters Kun to form Kan, and the middle line of Kun enters Qian to form Li. Kan represents concealment, while Li represents brightness. All pairs of opposite hexagrams have opposite meanings. Lines Six Two and Six Five are in the center and upright, so it is advantageous to maintain the correct path. These two yin lines are attached to yang lines, hence the smooth progress. Kun represents an ox, and since Li receives the middle line of Kun, Li also represents an ox. Yu Yue says: The Shuowen Jiezi states, "Pìn, the female animal, is the mother of livestock." Therefore, a female ox is a mother ox. Yu Fan said that using Li to represent a female ox is a metaphor, but he did not know that the Zuo Zhuan of the fifth year of King Zhao's reign clearly states, "Pure Li represents an ox," thereby proving that Yu Fan had not read the Zuo Zhuan. The Image Commentary says: Li is attachment; the sun and moon are attached to heaven, and all grains and grasses are attached to the earth... (the original text breaks off here, with "hu di" and the following text continuing in the next paragraph).

乎地，重明以麗乎正，及化成天下。柔麗乎中正，故亨，是以畜牝牛吉也。五為天位，離日兌月，象失傳，詳《焦氏易詁》，皆在五，故曰日月麗乎天。《禮·王制》：郵罰麗於事。注：麗，附也。言日月附於天也。二四互巽，為百穀，為草木，而二為地位，故曰麗乎地。從王肅不作土。兩象故重明。萬物得日以化成。

The hundred grains and grasses cling to the earth. Two lights are attached to the right path, thus producing and nurturing the world; the flexible line is attached to the central and upright position, so the hexagram statement says "smooth," and also says "it is auspicious to raise a mother cow." Shang Binghe explains: the fifth line is the heavenly position, "Li" represents the sun, and "Dui" represents the moon. These two images were lost in later times, and detailed discussions can be found in his own work, "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes." The images of the sun and moon both fall on the fifth line, so the commentary on the judgment says "the sun and moon shine upon the heaven." The "Rites of Zhou: The System of Government" mentions "punishments are attached to the matter," and Zheng Xuan's commentary says "attached" means clinging. This clearly refers to the sun and moon clinging to the heaven. The lines two through four form the trigram "Xun," which has the image of "hundred grains" and "grass and trees." The second line is the earth position, so it says "attached to the earth." Here, we follow Wang Su's version and do not use the character "earth." Both upper and lower trigrams are "Li," so they are stacked together, called "double brightness." All things can only be cultivated and grow under the illumination of the sun.

象曰：明兩作，離，大人以繼明照于四方。晌明而治，故曰大人；重明，故曰繼。初九：履錯然，敬之，句無咎。王注：錯然，敬慎之貌。處離之始，故宜慎所履，以敬為務，避其咎也。按初為震爻，震為履。錯然，蓋又有鄭重不苟之意，故曰敬。以「敬之」連「無咎」讀者非。象曰：履錯之敬，以辟咎也。

The Great Image Commentary says: Light rises twice, which is the Hexagram Li (Fire), and the Great Man takes it as a model, using continuous light to illuminate all directions. Shang's interpretation: Facing the light to govern the world, hence it is called the Great Man; the upper and lower parts both being Li, the light overlaps, hence it is called 'continuing'. The first line statement: The appearance of steps crossing,恭敬ly treating it -- 'respect it' forms a separate sentence -- there is no fault. Wang Bi's commentary: 'Crossing' refers to a respectful and cautious appearance; the first line is at the beginning of the Hexagram Li, so one should be cautious about the place one steps on, treating respect as a priority, to avoid calamity. Shang's note: The first line is the Zhen (Thunder) line, 'Zhen' has the image of 'walking', this is a Han dynasty lost image preserved in the 'Forest of Changes' by Jiao, not found in 'Sayings on the Hexagrams'. 'Crossing' also implies solemnity and seriousness, hence it is called 'respect'. Some people read 'respect it' together with 'no fault' as a single sentence, which is wrong. The Small Image Commentary says: Crossing steps while maintaining respect is used to avoid calamity.

六二：黃離，元吉。坤色黃，離得坤中爻，故曰黃離；得中故大吉。象曰：黃離元吉，得中道也。九三：日昃之離，不鼓擊而歌，則大耋之嗟，凶。三居離終，故曰日昃，故象曰不可久。此爻全用伏象：伏震為鼓、為缶、為歌，伏艮為堅，故《易林》常以艮為壽、為老，《釋言》耋，老也。蓋三居下卦之終，時已遲暮，故曰不鼓缶而歌。《詩》坎其繫擊，缶固古樂也。而三居互艮之初，艮為大老？？？，言不及時行樂，則將有衰老之嗟也。震為樂，震反為艮則嗟矣。此與《中孚》六三之或鼓或罷、或泣或歌，皆正覆象並用，與《雜卦》震起艮止、兌見巽伏之義同也。而能識此旨者，在古則《左傳》，在西漢則《易林》，後則無知者。象曰：日昃之離，何可久也。

The line statement for the second line says: yellow attachment, great good fortune. Shang's interpretation says: the color of the hexagram "Kun" is yellow, and the middle line of the hexagram "Li" comes from "Kun," so it is called "yellow Li"; being in the center and in the proper position, thus great good fortune. The small image commentary says: "Yellow Li" brings great good fortune because it holds to the middle path. The line statement for the third line says: attachment at sunset, if not drumming on a clay pot and singing, there will be lamentations of old age and decline, which is ominous. Shang's interpretation says: the third line is at the end of the hexagram "Li," so it is called "sunset." The small image commentary also says "how can it last long?" This line entirely uses the "hidden image," that is, the opposite hexagram hidden behind the primary hexagram: the hidden "Zhen" has the images of "drumming," "clay pot," and "singing," and the hidden "Gen" has the image of "firmness." Therefore, the "Jiao's Forest of Changes" often takes "Gen" as "longevity" and "old age," and the "Er Ya · Xiyán" says "die" means old age. The third line is at the end of the lower trigram, so time is near the end of life, hence the saying of not drumming on a clay pot and singing. The "Book of Songs" has the phrase "kan qi jifa," showing that the clay pot was originally an ancient musical instrument. The third line is also at the beginning of the interacting trigrams "Gen," and "Gen" represents old age, meaning if one does not enjoy life in its time, there will be lamentations of old age. "Zhen" represents joy, but when "Zhen" is reversed to become "Gen," it turns into sorrow. This is similar to the line "or drumming or stopping, or weeping or singing" in the line six three of "Zhongfu," both using the positive image and the reversed image, and is consistent with the meaning of the "Zagua Zhuan" that "Zhen" starts and "Gen" stops, "Dui" appears and "Xun" hides. Only the "Zuo Zhuan" in ancient times and the "Jiao's Forest of Changes" in the Western Han dynasty understood this meaning, and after that, no one else did. The small image commentary says: attachment at sunset, where can it last long?

九四：突如其來如，焚如，死如，棄如。九四雖失位，然其凶不至如此之甚。蓋此爻之義，仍取覆象，自覆象失傳，故說者皆莫明其故。離二至四巽，巽順；三至五巽覆，即不順矣。兌剛滷，故突如其來如。突與雲同，亦作充（下　？）。《說文》云：不順忽出也，從倒子，《易》曰突如其來如，不孝子突出不容於內也。雲亦作充（下　）者，《說文》充（下　）下云：或從倒古文子，即《易》突字。按古文子作災，倒之即為充（下　）。惠棟校《集解》，竟改為充（下　）。然《說文》明曰即《易》突字，是古本《易》作突與今同，改作災非也。

The line statement for the fourth line (Nine in the Fourth): It comes suddenly, like a burning fire, like death, like abandonment. Hui Dong's explanation says: Although Nine in the Fourth is out of its proper position, its danger is not so severe. The meaning of this line still comes from the concept of 'reversed image,' which refers to the image formed when the entire hexagram is reversed. Since the theory of reversed images has been lost, those who interpret the Zhou Changes have failed to understand the reason. The second to fourth lines of the Li hexagram form the structure of Xun, which represents following; however, the third to fifth lines form the reversed image of Xun, which is not following. Dui is characterized by being strong and rough, hence the sudden coming. The character 'tu' is the same as the ancient character for 'suddenly' which is written as another form (the original text lacks the stroke, only the shape is described). The Shuowen Jiezi says: 'Not following, but suddenly emerging,' the character is composed of the inverted 'zi.' The Zhou Changes say 'tupo' meaning suddenly appearing, referring to an unfilial son who suddenly appears and is not accepted within the family. The reason for saying it is written as another form is because the Shuowen Jiezi says that it may be composed of the inverted ancient character 'zi,' which is the 'tu' in the Zhou Changes. The ancient character 'zi' written in reverse is exactly that character. Hui Dong, when editing the Collected Explanations of the Zhou Changes, changed 'tu' to that character; however, the Shuowen Jiezi clearly states that it is the 'tu' in the Zhou Changes, indicating that the ancient version of the Zhou Changes used 'tu' and it is the same as the current version. Changing it to another character is incorrect.

巽覆故不順，子體倒故曰不孝子，不孝子無所容於世；體離故焚如，兌毀折故死如、棄如。《說文》：棄，損也，從充（下　）；充（下　），不孝子也。故《匈奴傳》王莽造焚如之刑，如淳云：焚如、死如、棄如者，謂不孝子也，不畜於父母，不容於朋友，故燒殺棄之。按如淳及許慎之說，皆與象傳無所容義合，蓋古義如此也。象曰：突如其來如，無所容也。

The trigram Xun is inverted, hence it is not smooth, and the character "zi" (son) written upside down is called "bu xiao zi" (unfilial son), an unfilial son is not accepted by the world. The fundamental nature is Li, which represents fire, so it is said "fen ru" (burning like fire). "Dui" represents destruction, so it is said "si ru" (dying like) and "qi ru" (discarded like). The "Shuo Wen" says: "qi" means to lose or discard, its character form is from the upside-down "zi" character, which exactly represents the meaning of an unfilial son. Therefore, the "Han Shu · Xiongnu Zhuan" records that Wang Mang created the punishment "fen ru", and Ru Chun explained that "fen ru", "si ru", and "qi ru" refer to unfilial sons, who are not supported by their parents and not accepted by friends, hence they are burned to death or discarded. Shang氏 notes: Ru Chun's and Xu Shen's interpretations are consistent with the small image commentary's meaning of "no place to be accepted", showing that the ancient meaning was originally so. The small image commentary says: suddenly coming, there is nowhere to be accepted.

六五：出涕淪若，戚嗟若，吉。目汁出曰涕。五離為目，兌為雨水，決（左無）九三往遇雨，《革》傳水火相息，水出自目，故曰涕淪。淪，《說文》水別流，言涕被面而支溢也。清儒皆以伏坎為涕，於卦象之神妙全失。兌口為嗟，若者語辭。象本不吉，然而云吉者，以麗於陽中也。象曰：六五之吉，麗王公也。乾為王為公，謂四上。

The Line Statement of the Fifth Line: The appearance of tears flowing, the appearance of sorrow and lamentation, it is auspicious. Shang's Interpretation: The fluid flowing from the eyes is called 'tears'. The Fifth Line is in the trigram Li, which represents the eye; 'Dui' represents rainwater. The Line Statement of the third line in the hexagram Guai says 'meeting rain', and the Commentary on the Judgment of the hexagram Ge says that water and fire extinguish each other, water flows out from the eyes, so it is said 'tears flow'. 'Flow' is explained in Shuowen as a branch or offshoot of water, meaning tears overflowing the face. Qing dynasty scholars all used the trigram Kan to explain tears, thus losing the subtle meaning of the hexagram. 'Dui' represents the mouth, so it is 'lamentation'; 'ruo' is a sentence-ending particle. The image of this line is originally not auspicious, yet it is said to be auspicious because it is attached to the upper and lower yang lines. The Small Image Commentary says: The Fifth Line is auspicious because it is attached to the King and the Duke. Shang's Interpretation: 'Qian' represents the King and the Duke, referring to the two yang lines, the fourth and the top.

上九：王用出征，有嘉，折首，獲匪其五，無咎。此與《大有》《鼎》上九義同也。《大有》上九云：自天有之，吉無不利；《鼎》上九云：大吉。蓋《大有》《鼎》中交皆不利，凡中爻不通利者，上九必利。《大畜》中爻為艮所畜，至上九忽亨，則以上九高出庶物，不為所言也。《大有》《鼎》《離》與《大畜》理同也。

The line statement for the top nine: The king uses military force to campaign, achieving a glorious merit, capturing enemy leaders, and capturing not only his followers but also without fault. Shang's interpretation: This is the same as the meaning of the top nine in the hexagrams of Great Possession and Cauldron. The top nine of Great Possession says "Supported by heaven, auspicious and beneficial in all matters," and the top nine of Cauldron says "Great auspiciousness." In the hexagrams of Great Possession and Cauldron, the middle lines are all disadvantageous. Whenever a hexagram has an unbeneficial middle line, the top nine will certainly be beneficial. In the hexagram of Great Accumulation, the middle line is blocked by Gen, but at the top nine it suddenly becomes smooth, because the top nine is above all things and is not restricted by the constraint of accumulation. The principles of Great Possession, Cauldron, Li, and Great Accumulation are the same.

茹敦和云：離有征伐象。《明夷》九三日南狩（左月），得其大首；《晉》上九日維有伐邑，皆為離上爻。蓋一陽突出兌說之上，而兌為斧鉞，離為甲兵，故曰王用出征。兌為毀折，乾為首，先儒皆謂坎折坤，則離亦折乾也，皆以中爻故離有殺象，《既濟》云東鄰殺牛是也。折首謂殺敵。于思泊云：虢季盤折首五百，執訊五十，不？（左其右上鳳右下女）股，女多禽折首、執訊，征之金文，皆謂殺敵，非謂魁首。按於說是也。

Ru Dunhe said: The Li hexagram has the image of military campaigns. The line Nine in the Third of Mingyi says "southern hunting, capturing the great leader," and the line Upper Nine of Jin says "using military force to attack the city," both appear in the Upper Line of the Li hexagram. This is because a Yang line is prominent above "Dui" (Joy), and "Dui" represents axes and weapons, while "Li" represents military forces. Therefore, the king uses military campaigns. "Dui" signifies destruction, "Qian" signifies the head, and previous scholars have said that Kan can break Kun. Thus, Li can also break Qian; this is due to the Middle Line. Therefore, Li has the image of killing and warfare. The Ji Ji hexagram says "the eastern neighbor sacrifices an ox," which is an example. "Breaking the head" refers to killing enemies. Yu Shengwu said: The inscription on the Guo Ji Zi Bai Pan mentions "breaking the heads of five hundred enemies, capturing fifty prisoners," and also says "many birds caught, breaking the heads and capturing prisoners." Using oracle bone inscriptions as evidence, "breaking the head" refers to killing enemies, not capturing the leader. Shang said: Yu's view is correct.

匪與分古通，《周禮·地官》凜（？）人以待國之匪頒，注：匪讀為分。獲匪其衛者，謂匪頒所獲丑擄於有功，以為奴隸也。象曰：王用出征，以正邦也。徵，正也。折首獲丑，皆正邦之事。邦象未詳，諸家皆以坤為邦。按三至五伏艮，艮為邦。

The terms "匪" and "fen" were considered interchangeable in ancient times. The "Rites of Zhou · Local Officials" mentions "the granary keeper provides for the country's匪颁," and Zheng Xuan explains that "匪" should be read as "fen." The phrase "obtaining匪its captives" refers to distributing the captives obtained through military campaigns as slaves to those who have rendered meritorious service. The Small Image Commentary states that a king's military campaign is to correct the states. Shang's interpretation says: "zheng" means "correcting." Beheading enemies and capturing prisoners are all matters of correcting the states. The symbolic representation of "邦" has not been explained by previous scholars; all schools take "Kun" as "邦." Shang notes: the lines three to five conceal "Gen," and "Gen" is the proper symbol for "邦," which is also an ancient symbolic representation preserved in the "Jiao's Forest of Changes."

咸，亨，利貞，取女吉。咸，感也。《歸藏》曰欽，《詩·秦風》憂心欽欽，傳：思望之，心中欽欽然。蓋以少男仰求少女，有欽慕之情，是欽亦有感意，與咸義同。六爻皆有應，故曰亨利貞。少女在前，肖男在後，而艮為求，兌為悅，艮男求女，兌悅應之，得婚姻之正，故曰取女吉。

The Hexagram Statement of 《Xian》: It is smooth and favorable to maintain the correct course, and it is auspicious to marry a woman. Shang's interpretation says: "Xian" means response or感应. The 《Guicang》 refers to this hexagram as "Qin," and the 《Book of Songs·Qin Feng》 mentions "grief in the heart, Qin Qin," with Mao's commentary explaining it as thinking and longing, with the heart full of Qin Qin. A young man looks up to seek a young woman, with feelings of admiration, showing that "Qin" also implies response, and its meaning is the same as "Xian." This hexagram has all six lines with proper responses, hence it is smooth and favorable to maintain the correct course. The young woman (兑) is above and in front, while the young man (艮) is below and behind. "Gèn" signifies seeking, and "Duì" signifies joy. The young man seeks the young woman, and the young woman is joyful and responds, conforming to the proper way of marriage, hence it is auspicious to marry a woman.

象曰：咸，感也，柔上而剛下，二氣感應以相與，止而悅，男下女，是以亨利貞，取女吉也。天地感而萬物化生，聖人感人心而夫下和平。觀其所感，而天地萬物之情可見矣。否三上交，故曰柔上而剛下；山澤通氣，故曰二氣感應以相與；艮止兌悅，故曰止而悅；兌上艮下，故曰男下女。天地感即陰陽和合，和合則萬物生；聖人感人則仁義兼施，仁義俠（左水）則天下和平。蓋天地萬物之事，莫不由感而通，由感而成，而其所以能感之故則情也，故曰其情可見。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Xian" means mutualsympathetic response. The flexible line ascends while the strong line resides below; the two energies interact and correspond, thus being close and joyful. The man is in a lower position than the woman, hence it is smooth, beneficial, and proper. Heaven and earth mutuallysympathetic response, thus generating and nurturing all things. The sage moves the hearts of people, thus achieving peace under heaven. By observing the object ofsympathetic response, one can see the actual conditions of heaven, earth, and all things. Shang's interpretation says: This hexagram is formed by exchanging the third line and the top line of the "Po" hexagram, hence the flexible above and the strong below. Mountains and marshes communicate with each other, hence the mutual感应 of the two energies. "Gen" signifies stopping, and "Dui" signifies joy, hence stopping and joy. "Dui" is above and "Gen" is below, hence the man is below the woman. The mutual感应 of heaven and earth is the harmony of yin and yang. Harmony leads to the generation of all things. The sage moves the hearts of people, thus applying both benevolence and righteousness. When benevolence and righteousness are widespread, peace prevails under heaven. All things in heaven, earth, and the world are connected and formed through感应. They are able to感应 because of the root of "qing" (emotion). Hence, the emotion is visible.

象曰：山上有澤，咸。君子以虛受人。艮為君子，艮男下兌女，卑以自牧，故曰以虛受人。虞翻曰：否坤為虛，乾為人，今坤虛，三受上，故以虛受人。初六：咸其拇。拇，《釋文》馬、鄭、薛云：足大指也。初在下震交，故曰成其拇。咸及拇，則欲行矣。象曰：咸其拇，志在外也。外謂四，初應在四，初四相上下，則各當其位。足者人所恃以行，今感在拇，故欲之外也。巽伏故亦為志，見《易林》，亦失傳象也。

The Great Image Commentary says: Mountains above a marsh, this is the Hexagram of "Salty Taste," the gentleman takes it as a model, to be open-minded and receptive to others. Shang's interpretation says: "Gèn" represents the gentleman, Gèn is the male, and Dui is the female, the male is subdued beneath the female, being humble and self-cultivated, thus it is said to be open-minded and receptive to others. Yu Fan says: In the Hexagram of "Opposition," the Earth is emptiness, and the Heaven is the person, now the Earth is empty, the third line receives from the top line, thus it is called being open-minded and receptive to others. The first line's statement:sympathetic response to the big toe. Shang's interpretation says: "Mǔ," according to Ma Rong, Zheng Xuan, and Xue Yu as cited in "Classic Interpretations," refers to the big toe of the foot. The first line is in the position of the lower trigram Zhen, thus the感应 is on the big toe. When the感应 reaches the big toe, one desires to move. The Small Image Commentary says: "Salty taste on the big toe," the mind is outside. Shang's interpretation says: "Outside" refers to the ninth line in the fourth position. The first line's correct corresponding line is the fourth, the first and fourth lines are in opposite positions, thus they are in their proper places. The foot is what people rely on for walking, now the感应 is on the big toe, so one wishes to go outward. "Xun" represents concealment, thus there is also the image of "will," as seen in "Jiao's Forest of Changes," which is an extinct image.

六二：成其腓，凶，居吉。脛腓所恃以行，感及於腓，則欲前進，乃進而凶者何也？按二當位，承陽有應，與《革》二至上同，《革》六二征吉，此應與之同，然而凶者，以《革》義取革新，故利於徵；若《咸》則義取陰陽相感，感在五為正應，乃三四亦陽，二獨與五，則為三四所忌，故動凶居吉。此與《同人》六二同：二同於五，原為正應，然而吝者，以三四亦陽，二不與同而獨同五，則招忌也，其故皆在三四。近比三則失五之正應，遠應五則有近不承陽之嫌。《遁》六二蟄以牛革，亦戒其動，以《遁》二與《同人》《咸》體同也。

Line Statement of the Second Line: The response is felt in the calf of the leg, which is ominous, but if one remains settled, it is auspicious. Shang's interpretation: The calf of the leg is what one relies on for movement. When the response is felt in the calf, one wants to move forward, but moving forward is ominous. Why is this so? The Second Line is in the correct position, and it is supported by a yang line above, with a proper response. This is similar to the Second Line of the Hexagram of Revolution, which says "proceeding is auspicious." The relationship and response of this line are the same as that line, yet here it is ominous, because the meaning of the Hexagram of Revolution is about changing the old for the new, thus it is favorable for proceeding. The meaning of the Hexagram of Sincerity is about mutual感应 between yin and yang. The proper response is at the Fifth Line, but the Third and Fourth Lines are also yang. The Second Line here only responds to the Fifth Line, thus it is disliked by the Third and Fourth Lines. Therefore, movement is ominous, while settling is auspicious. This is similar to the Second Line of the Hexagram of Fellowship: the Second and Fifth Lines are naturally in a proper response, yet it says "difficulty." This is also because the Third and Fourth Lines are yang, and the Second Line does not align with them but only aligns with the Fifth Line, thus it is disliked. The root of the problem lies in the Third and Fourth Lines. Being close to the Third Line causes the loss of the proper response with the Fifth Line, while being distant from the Fifth Line raises suspicion of not supporting yang nearby. The Second Line of the Hexagram of Retreat says "to hold on with a yellow ox hide," which also warns against reckless movement, because the situation of the Second Line in the Hexagram of Retreat is similar to that in the Hexagrams of Fellowship and Sincerity.

腓，《說文》脛端（左月）也。喘（左月），《說文》腓腸也。段玉裁云：腓腸謂脛骨後之肉，腫之言肥，似中有腸者，故曰腓腸。按段釋腓腸，至為明晰，即今俗所謂腿肚也。《莊子·天下篇》禹腓無跋（左月），注：跋（左月），細毛也，腓因勞受摩揩，故跋（左月）不生。然則腓為脛肚明矣。人之行恃脛，感及於脛，必前進矣，進則有咎，故曰凶；居則不動而承陽，故曰居吉。此爻凶義，鮮有詳其故者。崔憬謂二應五，失艮止義；惠棟謂二比三，失五正應，義皆未備。

"The term '腓' is explained in the 'Shuo Wen' as the flesh at the end of the leg; 'Shuan' is said to be the same as 'Fei Chang'. Zhu Yucai explains that 'Fei Chang' refers to the flesh behind the tibia, which becomes swollen and thick, appearing as if it contains intestines, hence the name. Shang's commentary states that Zhu's explanation is the clearest, referring to what is commonly known today as the calf of the leg. The 'Zhuangzi: Tianxia' mentions that Yu the Great had no fine hair on his calves, with the note that 'ba' refers to fine hair, and the calf, due to frequent friction from labor, does not grow fine hair. This clearly shows that 'Fei' refers to the calf. Since walking depends on the calf, sensing the calf implies movement, and movement leads to misfortune, hence the ominous nature of this line. If one remains still and receives the yang line above, it is considered auspicious. The specific reason for the ominous nature of this line is rarely clearly explained. Cui Jing says that the second line does not correspond with the fifth, losing the meaning of 'Geng' (mountain) which signifies stillness; Hui Dong says that the second line is in harmony with the third, losing the proper correspondence with the fifth. Both explanations are incomplete."

象曰：雖凶居吉，順不害也。二承陽有應，當位，本無凶理，象辭恐人生疑，故釋其故。言爻辭雖云動凶居吉，然陰順陽為天職，六二但上承諸陽，亦無害也。傳意似重近取，不必遠應也。翼經之大，莫過於是。

The Small Image Commentary says: Although it is凶, if one remains in a safe position it becomes吉利, because being柔顺 will not lead to harm. Shang's interpretation says: The second line is above a yang line and has a proper correspondence, and its position is appropriate, so there should be no reason for it to be凶. The image commentary fears that people may doubt, so it specially explains the reason. The meaning is that the line statement says that movement leads to凶 and staying leads to吉利, but the nature of being阴 and柔 to follow the yang is its heavenly duty. As long as the second line follows and supports the yang lines above, there will be no harm. The meaning of the commentary seems to place more emphasis on close correspondence rather than distant proper correspondence. The commentary's ability to support the classic text is nowhere more clear than in this case.

九三：咸其股，執其隨，往吝。巽為股，股在腓上，故咸及於股。陽遇陽則窒，上雖有應，不能往也，往則為四五所忌而吝生矣。若初二則隨三者也，三下履重陰，止於是可矣。執者止也，止於三下比於陰，不必前進，否則吝窮也。象曰：咸其股，亦不處也，志在隨人，所執下也。股所以行，故曰不處。巽為志，乾為人，言初二志在隨三，故三之所執，宜於下也。

The third line statement says: Thesympathetic response reaches the thigh, holding on to the person one follows, going forward would result in difficulty. Shang's interpretation says: "Xun" represents the thigh, the thigh is above the calf, so the感应 rises to the thigh. Yang meets Yang and becomes blocked, although the top line is in harmony with it, it cannot move away; once it moves, it is obstructed by the fourth and fifth lines, thus difficulty arises. As for the first and second lines, they follow the third line; the third line is standing on two yin lines below, so it is sufficient to stop here. "Hold on" means to stop, stopping below the third line and being close to the yin lines, there is no need to move forward, otherwise difficulty and hardship will arise. The small image commentary says: Feeling the thigh, also indicates unwillingness to stay in place, the mind is to follow others, what is held on to is below. Shang's interpretation says: The thigh is used for walking, so it says "not staying in place." "Xun" represents the will, "Qian" represents people, meaning the first and second lines' will is to follow the third line, so what the third line holds on to should be below.

九四：貞吉，悔亡，憧憧往來，朋從爾思。四不當位，承乘皆陽，故必貞定無為，方免悔吝。朋謂初，爾謂四，憧撞，思不定也。蓋四來應初則三害之，初往應四則二害之，故初四不宜動，宜靜。然阻愈多則感愈切，朋從爾思者，言初不得應陽，而慕思四也。象曰：貞吉悔亡，未感害也；憧憧往來，未光大也。下繫云：凡易之情，近而不相得則凶，或害之。三近四，二近初，然三亦陽，為四敵；二亦陰，為初敵，故二三為初四害。知其害而不動，害斯免矣，故曰未感害也。初四相上下成離，離為光大，今不能相上下，故曰未光大。

The line statement for the fourth line (Nine in the Fourth): If one maintains correctness, it will be auspicious, and regret will vanish. One's mind is unsettled and moves about, but friends will follow one's thoughts. Shang's interpretation says: Nine in the Fourth is not in the proper position. The ones above and below it are all yang lines, so it must remain firm and inactive to avoid regret. "Friend" refers to the first line (Six at the Beginning), and "you" refers to Nine in the Fourth. "Chong chong" describes a state of unsettled mind. Nine in the Fourth comes down to correspond with the first line, but the third line will hinder it. The first line goes up to correspond with Nine in the Fourth, but the second line will hinder it. Therefore, both the first and the fourth lines should remain still and not move. However, the more obstacles there are, the more intense the mutual influence becomes. "Friend follows your thoughts" means that the first line cannot correspond with a yang line, so it can only yearn and think of Nine in the Fourth. The small image commentary says: If one remains firm and correct, regret will vanish, because there has been no sense of harm. "Chong chong coming and going" means that it has not yet become great. Shang's interpretation says: The Great Treatise below says that all the situations expressed in the Book of Changes, if they are close but not harmonious, will be inauspicious, or if they are harmful. The third line is close to the fourth, and the second line is close to the first. However, the third line is also yang, becoming the opposing line to the fourth; the second line is also yin, becoming the opposing line to the first. Therefore, the second and third lines become the calamities of the first and fourth lines. Knowing that there is harm but not acting recklessly, the harm is avoided, so it is said that there has been no sense of harm. If the first and the fourth lines can each occupy the positions above and below each other, they would form the trigram "Li" (Fire), which represents greatness. Now they cannot be above and below each other, so it is said that it has not yet become great.

九五：咸其每（左月），無悔。每（左月），《說文》背脊肉也，鄭、虞同。伏艮，艮為背，故曰咸每（左月）。當位得中，故無悔。感居人身之上，故象曰志末，末謂上六。言九五感上，近而無阻，故無悔也。案五正應在二，而舍二感上者，以三四害之也。象曰：咸其每（左月），志末也。《大過》云本末弱，以上為末也。茲曰志末，謂五為三四所阻，不能應二，故舍遠取近，感在上也。

The line statement for the fifth line says: The response is felt in the back fat, without regret. Shang's interpretation: This character is explained in the Shuowen as referring to the fat on the back. Zheng Xuan and Yu Fan have the same interpretation. The trigram hidden beneath the fifth line is "Gen" (Mountain), which represents the back, so the response is felt in the back. The fifth line is in the proper position and is central, hence there is no regret. The response has reached the upper part of the body, so the small image commentary says "the will is at the end," where "end" refers to the sixth line at the top. This means the fifth line is responding to the sixth line at the top, which is close and unobstructed, hence there is no regret. According to the correct response of the fifth line, it should be with the second line, but it instead responds to the top line because the third and fourth lines are blocking the way in the middle. The small image commentary says: the response is felt in the back fat, the will is at the end. Shang's interpretation: The Great Exceeding says "both beginning and end are weak," indicating that the top line is considered the end. Here, saying "the will is at the end" means that the fifth line is blocked by the third and fourth lines, so it cannot respond to the second line, hence it seeks the nearby top line for response.

上六：咸其輔頰舌。虞翻曰：耳目之間日輔頰。按《說文》：輔，人頰車也；頰，面旁也。《左傳》輔車相依注：輔，輸頰；車，牙車。正義云：《易》以輔頰舌三進並言，則三物也。故鄭注《頤》卦云：頤者口車輔也，震動於下，又止於上，口車動而上，因輸嚼物以養人。

The Line Statement for the Sixth Line at the Top says: It relates to the jaw, the cheek, and the tongue. Yu Fan said: The area between the ear and the eye is called the cheek. Shang's commentary says: The "Shuowen" explains that "fu" refers to the cheek bone, and "jia" refers to the side of the face. The annotation to the "Zuo Zhuan" on "fu che xiang yi" says: "Fu" is the outer side of the jaw, and "che" is the jaw joint. Kong Yingda's commentary says: The "Zhou Yi" lists "fu," "jia," and "she" together, indicating they are three separate things. Therefore, Zheng Xuan's commentary on the "Yi" hexagram says: "Yi" refers to the mouth joint and the cheek, with movement below (Zhen) and stillness above (Gen), the mouth joint moving upward, relying on the cheek to chew food and nourish people.

按鄭所謂口車即牙車，牙車在口下，故曰動而上；輔在口上，故曰因輔嚼物以養人，是輔與牙車對，在口中，頰在面旁，居口上，與頤連，不過頰在上，頤在下，頰以骨言，頤以肉言耳，是輸與頰確為二物，又皆為口之屬，故與舌並言。兌為口為言，輔頰舌皆兌象，所用以言者，感及於是，則言說多矣，故象日滕口說。來矣鮮云：舌動則輔應而頰隨之，三者相須用事，皆所以言者，皆兌象。象曰：咸其輔頰舌，泰（左月）口說也。《釋文》：滕，達也。九家作乘，虞作滕，鄭云送也。按鄭、虞說非也。朱子云：滕與騰通，即達也。李鼎祚本正作騰。

Shang's note: Zheng Xuan said that "kouche" refers to the jaw, which is located below the mouth, hence the movement upward. The "fu" is located above the mouth, so it is used to chew food to nourish people. Thus, "fu" and the jaw are relative, both located in the mouth. The "jia" is on the side of the face, above the mouth, connected to the "yi", but the "jia" is bone and the "yi" is muscle. Therefore, "fu" and "jia" are indeed different, yet both belong to the mouth, so they are mentioned together with the tongue. "Dui" represents the mouth and speech; "fu", "jia", and "tong" are all images of "Dui", all used for speaking. When the感应 reaches here, speech increases, so the Small Image Commentary says "teng kou shuo". Lai Zhide said: when the tongue moves, the "fu" responds, and the "jia" also moves, the three work together, all used for speaking, all belong to the image of "Dui". The Small Image Commentary says: feeling the "fu", "jia", and "tong", the mouth and tongue are open. Shang's explanation: "Classic Interpretation" says "teng" means to be unobstructed; the nine families' version of the Book of Changes says "cheng", Yu Fan's version says "teng", and Zheng Xuan explains it as "song". Shang's note: Zheng Xuan's and Yu Fan's interpretations are incorrect. Zhu Xi said "teng" is the same as "teng", meaning to be unobstructed; Li Dingzuo's version correctly uses "teng".

恆，亨，無咎，利貞，利有攸往。咸男下女，男求女，得婚姻之正，夫婦之道既立，則長男在前，長女在後，夫倡婦隨，終身以之，故受之以恆。恆，常也，久也。卦六爻皆有應，故亨利貞。《易林》《大畜》之《未濟》云：乾坤利貞，乳生六子。利貞者和合也。二五應初承重陽，四臨重陰，故曰利有攸往。虞翻謂終變成益者是也。

The Hexagram of Constancy: It is smooth, without fault, favorable to maintain the correct position, and favorable to go somewhere. Shang's interpretation: The Hexagram of Mutual Attraction represents a man in a subordinate position to a woman, a man seeking a woman, conforming to the proper way of marriage; once the relationship between husband and wife is established, the eldest son (Zhen) is above and in front, and the eldest daughter (Xun) is below and behind, the husband leads and the wife follows, thus throughout life. Therefore, the "Sequence of Hexagrams" follows the Hexagram of Mutual Attraction with the Hexagram of Constancy. "Constancy" means constant and enduring. This hexagram has all six lines in proper response, hence it is smooth and favorable to maintain the correct position. The "Forest of Changes" by Jiao mentions in the section of "Great Accumulation" and "Non-Completion": "Heaven and Earth are favorable to maintain the correct position, giving birth to six sons," indicating that "favorable to maintain the correct position" refers to the harmonious union of yin and yang. The second line corresponds with the fifth, the first line is supported by two yin lines, and the fourth line is preceded by two yang lines, hence it is favorable to go somewhere. Yu Fan says that the Hexagram of Constancy ultimately transforms into the Hexagram of Gain, which is exactly this meaning.

象曰：恆，久也，剛上而柔下，雷風相與，巽而動，剛柔皆應，恆。恆亨無咎利貞，久於其道也。天地之道，恆久而不巳也。利有攸往，終則有始也。日月得天而能久照，四時變化而能大成，聖人久於其道而天下化成。觀其所恆，而天地萬物之情可見矣。泰初四相上下成震巽，故曰剛上而柔下。震巽相反覆，乾坤者震巽之終，震巽者乾坤之始，故曰終則有始。《蠱》先甲三日、後甲三日，終則有始，與此理同也。夫婦者天地也，天地之道，循環往來，恆久不已。乾為日，兌為月，日月久照，恆也。震為春，巽為夏，兌秋，乾冬，四時反覆，無有窮期，恆也。乾為聖人，震巽為草木，故曰萬物之情。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Heng" means constancy. The strong lines ascend and the yielding lines descend, thunder and wind are intimately connected, the yielding is gentle and can move, the strong and yielding each find their proper response, thus forming the hexagram of Heng. Heng is smooth, without blame, and beneficial to maintain constancy on the correct path. The way of heaven and earth is constant and unceasing. It is beneficial to go on a path because the end is the beginning. The sun and moon receive the assistance of heaven and thus can shine constantly, the four seasons change continuously and thus achieve great success, the sage maintains his way constantly and thus the world is cultivated and transformed. Observing what is constant, the true nature of heaven and earth and all things can be seen. Shang's interpretation says: this hexagram is formed by exchanging the first and fourth lines of the Tai hexagram, resulting in Zhen and Xun, thus indicating that the strong is above and the yielding is below. Zhen and Xun are opposite to each other, and Qian and Kun are the endpoints of Zhen and Xun, while Zhen and Xun are the starting points of Qian and Kun, thus indicating that the end leads to the beginning. The hexagram Gu also says "three days before the first day and three days after the first day," which is also an example of the end leading to the beginning, and the principle is the same. Husband and wife are heaven and earth, the way of heaven and earth is cyclical and unending, constant and unceasing. "Qian" represents the sun, "Dui" represents the moon, the sun and moon shining constantly is constancy. "Zhen" represents spring, "Xun" represents summer, "Dui" represents autumn, "Qian" represents winter, the four seasons cycle endlessly, which is also constancy. "Qian" represents the sage, "Zhen" and "Xun" represent grass and trees, thus illustrating the nature of all things.

象曰：雷風，恆。君子以立不易方。雷風同聲相應，可常可久，立而易方，則不恆矣，故此卦六爻皆有應，而爻辭皆不取。《論語》有勇知方，注：方，義也。立不易方，即蹈義而行，無或違也。

The Great Image Commentary says: Thunder and Wind, that is the Hexagram of Constancy, the gentleman takes it as a model, standing firm without changing his principles. Shang's interpretation says: Thunder and Wind respond to each other in harmony, they can be constant and enduring; if one has stood firm yet changes direction, then it is not constant. Therefore, although all six lines of this hexagram have proper correspondences, the line statements do not generally take the meaning of correspondence. The Analects contains the phrase "having courage and knowing the right way," with the commentary explaining that "the right way" is righteousness. "Standing firm without changing direction" means following the Way and righteousness without deviation.

初六：浚恆，貞凶，無攸利。浚，深也。虞翻云：乾初為淵故深。深謂陽。乃泰初陽上居四，四陰下居初，雖皆失位，而仍有相求相交之象，故曰浚恆。乃四陽為二三所隔，不能應初，若初則可應四也。惟初遠應四，則有近不承陽之嫌，為二三所忌，故曰貞凶，無攸利。貞，卜問。巽為利也。

The first line statement says: Deep inquiry into constancy leads to a凶 omen, there is no benefit. Shang's interpretation says: "Jun" means deep. Yu Fan says the first line of the Qian trigram is a deep pool, so it is called deep; "deep" refers to a yang line. This hexagram is formed by moving the yang line from the first position of the Tai hexagram to the fourth position, and moving the yin line from the fourth position to the first position. Although both lines are out of their proper positions, there is still an image of mutual seeking and interaction, so it is called "Jun Heng." However, the yang line at the fourth position is blocked by the second and third lines, so it cannot correspond with the first line. If we look from the first line's perspective, it can correspond with the fourth line. But since the first line is far from the fourth line, it seems to neglect the nearby yang line, which is disliked by the second and third lines, hence the omen of danger and no benefit. "Zhen" means to inquire. "Xun" represents benefit.

象曰：浚恆之凶，始求深也。又在初稱始，宜靜不宜動，況陰居初失位，尤不宜動，以違恆久之義。乃初六求與四陽交，不知二三之有厲，故曰浚恆之凶，始求深也，言凶之故在初六求與四交也。《焦氏易林》《泰》之《恆》云：蔡倏適楚，流連江濱，逾日歷月，思其後君。糞為草莽，故為蔡；叢木為楚，故震為楚。言初求四，故曰蔡侯適楚。乾為江海，初在乾下，故曰流連江濱。乾為日，兌為月，初前臨乾兌，故曰逾日歷月。初求交四，震為君，故曰思其後君。林詞專釋此爻與四之關係，而曰思其後君，釋求深之義，尤為明白，故本焦義以為詁。

The Small Image Commentary says: The reason why "Junneng" is ominous is because the initial effort is too deep. Shang's interpretation says: The first line is also called "beginning," which is suitable for stillness rather than movement; moreover, a yin line in the first position is already out of place, and even less suitable for movement, as movement would contradict the meaning of constancy. The line "Chilu" is inclined to seek union with the yang line "Jiu Si," but does not realize that the lines two and three are in between and pose a danger. Therefore, the ominous nature of "Junneng" arises from the initial seeking of union with the fourth line. The entry "Jiao's Forest of Changes" under "Tai" and "Heng" says: "Cai Hou went to Chu, lingering by the riverbank, for days and months, thinking of his later sovereign." The grassy wilderness symbolizes "Cai," so "Cai" is taken; the dense woods symbolize "Chu," so "Zhen" represents "Chu." This refers to the first line seeking the fourth line, hence "Cai Hou went to Chu." "Qian" represents rivers and seas, and the first line is below the "Qian" trigram, hence "lingering by the riverbank." "Qian" represents the sun, "Dui" represents the moon, and the first line faces "Qian" and "Dui" in front, hence "passing days and months." The first line seeking union with the fourth line, "Zhen" represents the sovereign, hence "thinking of his later sovereign." Jiao's Forest of Changes specifically explains the relationship between this line and the fourth line, using "thinking of his later sovereign" to highlight the meaning of "seeking deeply," making it particularly clear. Therefore, Shang's interpretation follows Jiao's meaning for the annotation.

丸二：悔亡。二不當位，前臨重陽，宜有悔矣。然得中位，進雖不利，中正自守，亦無悔也。象曰：九二悔亡，能久中也。乾為久，為三四所隔，不能應五，故久於中。卦以恆為義，久中故悔亡。

The line statement for the second line: Regret disappears. Shang's interpretation: Nine in the second is not in the correct position, facing two yin lines ahead, which should bring regret; however, it occupies the central position, so although advancing is not favorable, as long as it remains upright and proper, there will be no regret. The small image commentary says: The disappearance of regret for Nine in the second is due to its ability to remain in the central position for a long time. Shang's interpretation: "Qian" represents duration, and Nine in the second is separated by lines three and four, unable to respond to Nine in the fifth above, so it can only stay in the central position for a long time. The entire hexagram is based on the concept of "constant" (heng), and being able to remain in the central position for a long time leads to the disappearance of regret.

九三：不恆其德，或承之羞，貞吝。乾為德，三承乘皆陽，宜靜不宜動，倘亟於應上，而四或害之，則羞吝生矣，故貞吝也。又三居巽上，下橈，進退不定，亦不恆之一因也。象曰：不恆其德，無所容也。乾為德，承乘皆陽，進退有阻，故曰無所容。

The third line statement says: He cannot maintain his virtue, perhaps will suffer disgrace, and the divination indicates regret. Shang's interpretation says: "Qian" represents virtue. The third line is a yang line, which is supported above and supported below by other yang lines; it is suitable to be still rather than to move. If it urgently goes to respond to the sixth line at the top, the fourth line will hinder it, thus disgrace and regret arise, hence the statement of regret. Moreover, the third line is in the upper position of "Xun," which is flexible and downward curving, and its advance and retreat are uncertain, which is another reason for "not being constant." The small image commentary says: Not maintaining his virtue, he has nowhere to take refuge. Shang's interpretation says: "Qian" represents virtue. The third line is supported above and supported below by yang lines, and its advance and retreat are both obstructed, hence he has nowhere to take refuge.

九四：田無禽。震為田獵，禽，獲也。下應初，三二遇敵，受阻，故無禽。按四前臨重陰，例之《豫》四、《大壯》《解》《豐》，四爻皆吉，茲獨不吉者，卦以恆久貞定為義，故不取利往也。象曰：大非其位，安得禽也。乾為久，乾四失位，故曰久非其位。

The fourth line statement says: "Hunting in the fields but obtaining nothing." Shang's interpretation says: "Zhen" represents hunting, and "qin" means capturing. The ninth line at the fourth position responds to the sixth line at the beginning, but the third and second lines are opposing lines, blocking the way, hence obtaining nothing. According to the fourth line of the hexagram "Yu" and the fourth lines of "Da Zhuang," "Jie," and "Feng," these lines are all favorable, but this line is not favorable, because the hexagram "Heng" establishes its meaning based on constancy and firmness, so it does not take the meaning of "favorable to go forward." The small image commentary says: staying in an inappropriate position for a long time, how can there be capture? Shang's interpretation says: "Qian" represents duration, and the fourth line of the Qian trigram is out of position, so duration is not appropriate.

六五：恆其德，貞婦人吉，夫子凶。二五為夫婦，乾為德，六五下遇重陽，而正應在九二，通利極矣。陰得陽應，終身順承，故貞婦人吉。乾為夫，《大過》九二老夫得女妻是也，故夫子謂九二，六五者九二之婦，本為正應。然二著應五而從婦，則三四遇敵，橫犯災難，故曰夫子凶。《大畜》初九曰不犯災，《需》初九曰不犯難行，二卦初九皆有正應，而皆二三得敵，故日災難，茲與之同。象曰：婦人貞吉，從一而終也；夫子制義，從婦凶也。五應二，故曰從一而終。坤為義，乾制義者也。陽得陰應，本無足貴，況應之而犯災難乎？故曰從婦凶也。

The line statement for the fifth line says: To maintain one's virtue constantly, when consulted about a woman it brings good fortune, but for a man it brings misfortune. Shang's interpretation: Two and five form a couple, "Qian" represents virtue. The fifth line is under two strong yang lines, and it corresponds directly with nine two. It reaches the peak of smoothness; yin receives yang to correspond, and thus throughout life it is harmonious and submissive, so a woman is virtuous and fortunate. "Qian" represents the husband. In "Da Guo" nine one, it says "not encountering calamity," and in "Xu" nine one, it says "not encountering difficulty." These two lines have proper correspondence, but are obstructed by two and three, thus resulting in calamity. The situation here is similar. The small image commentary says: A woman's virtue brings good fortune because she remains faithful throughout her life; a man should decide according to righteousness, and following a woman brings misfortune. Shang's interpretation: Five corresponds with two, so it is faithful throughout. "Kun" represents righteousness, and "Qian" represents the regulation of righteousness. Yang receiving yin to correspond is not particularly valuable, and何况 the correspondence may even lead to calamity, so following the woman brings misfortune.

上六：振恆，凶。上六居動之極，故日振恆。振，起也。卦以貞靜恆久為義，振則於恆德或違，故凶。象曰：振恆在上，大無功也。交至上而窮，不宜動。大謂三，三欲應上，為四所隔，故曰大無功。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top: seeking constancy in a state of unrest, it is凶. Shang's interpretation: the sixth line is at the top of the shaking trigram, so it is said 'shaking in constancy.' 'Shaking' means movement. The entire hexagram defines constancy through uprightness and stillness. Once there is movement, it contradicts the virtue of constancy, hence it is凶. The small image commentary says: shaking in constancy is at the top position, the great one achieves no merit. Shang's interpretation: when the line reaches the top, it has reached its limit, and further movement is not appropriate. 'Great' refers to nine three, which wishes to respond to six six but is blocked by nine four, hence the great one achieves no merit.

遁，亨，小利貞。遁月卦闢未，陰長陽消，小人道長，君子道消。遁者退也，避也。當陰盛之時，勢須退避，否則其禍有不可勝言者矣，故曰遁亨。蓋以行止論，潔身退隱，否所謂儉德避難也，無所謂亨；而以禍福論，防微慮遠，不事王侯，高尚其事，優遊事外，亨莫亨於是矣，故傳日適而亨也。陽大陰小，小利貞者，謂宜貞定也。傳曰浸而長，謂陰方長，長則消陽，故利於靜，不利於動也。

The Hexagram of Retreat: It is smooth and favorable, small matters benefit from holding to the correct path. Shang's interpretation: The Hexagram of Retreat is the hexagram representing the sixth lunar month in the twelve hexagrams of the changing cycle, when the yin energy gradually increases and the yang energy gradually diminishes. The way of the petty person grows, while the way of the gentleman recedes. "Retreat" means to retreat and to avoid. When yin is dominant, one must retreat in terms of circumstances, otherwise calamity is inevitable. Therefore, retreat is smooth. If we consider action and inaction, retreating and preserving oneself is exactly what the Hexagram of Oppression refers to as "frugality in virtue to avoid calamity," which is not smooth. But if we consider fortune and misfortune, being vigilant and looking ahead, not serving the prince, and maintaining a lofty conduct, living calmly outside worldly affairs, there is no greater smoothness than this, hence the Commentary on the Judgment says "retreat and it is smooth." Yang is great, yin is small. "Small benefits from uprightness" means one should remain steadfast and unmoving. The Commentary on the Judgment says "gradually growing," indicating that yin energy is growing, and as it grows, it consumes yang. Therefore, it is favorable to be still rather than to move.

象曰：遁亨，通而亨也，剛當位而應，與時行也。小利貞，浸而長也。通之時義大矣哉。五當位，二有應，故曰剛當位而應。然而不能不適者，時不可也，故曰與時行。遁太早則有過情之譏，如嚴光是也；太晚則不能適，沉溺於小人之中，而不能免，如劉歆是也。行而宜之之謂義，故夫子極嘆時義之大。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Dun is prosperous, because after retreating one can achieve success; the strong line is in the proper position and has a corresponding line, and one acts in accordance with the situation. A small benefit comes from uprightness, because the Yin energy is gradually increasing. The meaning of the time for Dun is indeed great." Shang's interpretation says: "Nine in the Fifth is in the proper position, and Nine in the Second corresponds with it, so it is said that the strong line is in the proper position and has a corresponding line. However, one cannot avoid retreating, because the situation does not allow for staying, so it is said to act in accordance with the time. Retiring too early may invite criticism of artificiality, as was the case with Yan Guang of the Eastern Han dynasty; retreating too late means one cannot retreat at all, and one becomes entangled among petty people and cannot escape, as was the case with Liu Xin." To act in a proper way is called "yi" (righteousness), so Confucius strongly praised the greatness of "the meaning of the time."

象曰：天下有山，遁。君子以遠小人，不惡而嚴。凡卦皆合上下卦以立名，乾健艮止，皆無退義，然而遁者，以乾與艮先後天皆居西北也。西北者幽潛無用之地，《太玄》謂曰冥，冥者明之藏也，故曰遁。乾為君子，遠遁在外，故曰遠小人。五應二，故曰不惡；然以有阻隔故，絕難為與，故曰不惡而嚴，蓋外不與絕，內實遠之也。

The Great Image Commentary says: Heaven over mountains is the hexagram of Retreat. The gentleman takes inspiration from it, keeping distance from petty people, not openly showing hatred but maintaining dignity. Shang's interpretation: All hexagrams are named based on the combination of the upper and lower trigrams. The trigram Qian represents strength and the trigram Gen represents stillness, neither of which inherently signify retreat. This hexagram is named Retreat because Qian and Gen are located in the Northwest in both the Earlier Heaven and Later Heaven arrangements. The Northwest is a secluded and useless place. Yang Xiong's "Ta Xuan" refers to it as "ming," meaning the place where light is stored. Hence it is called Retreat. Qian represents the gentleman, who retreats far away, thus keeping distance from petty people. The line Nine in the Fifth corresponds with Six in the Second, hence it is said "not hatred." However, because there is an obstruction in between, it is extremely difficult for them to truly connect, hence it is said "not hatred but strict"—on the surface not cutting off completely, but internally keeping distance.

初六：通尾，厲，勿用有攸往。爻象初為尾，初往應四，則為同性之二所阻，危厲之道也，勿往則免矣。象曰：遁尾之厲，不往何災也。艮為止，在艮宜靜，勿用有攸往，則無災矣。

First Line Statement: Retreat and fall to the end, danger, do not go forward. Shang's interpretation: According to the principle of yao positions, the first line is the tail. The initial six (initial line) moving towards the fourth nine (fourth line) is blocked by the six two (second line), which is also yin, making it a dangerous path; not going forward avoids danger. Small Image Commentary says: Danger of retreating to the end, what disaster is there if not going forward? Shang's interpretation: "Gen" means stopping, being in the Gen structure should be quiet, not going forward, thus there is no disaster.

六二：執之用黃牛之革，莫之勝說。艮為牛，《無妄》六三或繫之牛是也。二居中，故曰黃牛。《易林》《既濟》之《艮》云伺候牛羊，《同人》之《無妄》云負牛上山，皆以艮為牛。艮為皮革。執，持也，止也，艮手為執。言二得中正，宜貞定自持，如牛革之固，莫能勝我而說去也，仍小利貞之怡（右下日）也。說，脫同。象曰：執用黃牛，固態也。巽為志，牛革者至固之物，持志如是，貞定極矣，故曰固志。固則不動，不動則不消陽。

The line statement for the second line says: Use yellow ox leather to bind it, no one can loosen it. Shang's interpretation says: "Gèn" represents an ox. The line "or tie up an ox" in "Wú Wàng" line six three is the same image. The second line is in the middle, and the central color is yellow, so it is called a yellow ox. "Jiao's Forest of Changes" in "Jì Jì" with "Gèn" says "waiting on cattle and sheep," and in "Tóng Rén" with "Wú Wàng" says "carrying an ox up the mountain," both use "Gèn" to represent an ox. This is an image not mentioned in "Shuō Guà." "Gèn" also represents leather. "Zhí" means to hold on or to stop, and since "Gèn" represents the hand, it also means to hold. This means that line six two, having attained the middle and correctness, should remain firm and self-restrained, like ox leather which is firm and unbreakable, no one can overcome it and make it loose. This still reflects the meaning of the hexagram statement "small benefit of uprightness." "Shuō" and "tuō" are the same. The small image commentary says: using a yellow ox to bind, is about a firm mind. Shang's interpretation says: "Xùn" represents the will, and ox leather is the most solid thing. Holding on to the will to this extent, uprightness is reached to the extreme, so it is said to be firm in will. Firmness does not move, and not moving does not consume yang energy.

九三：係遁，有疾厲，畜臣妾，吉。巽為繩，故曰繫；艮止故曰秒遁，言繫戀而不即遁也。巽為疾，三無應，往遇敵，故有疾厲。然下有重陰，承順於三，畜臣妾則吉，艮為臣妾也。巽疾象，詳《履》卦象傳注。艮臣象亦本《易林》，《易林》《決（無左）》之《坎》云君臣擾憂，坎中爻艮震，震為君，艮為臣，故曰君臣擾憂；又《兌》之《艮》云臣圍其君，亦以艮為臣。蓋艮為憧為僕，故為妾；臣與僕古不分，故為臣。由是知《蹇》六二曰王臣塞蹇，《小過》六二曰遇其巨，《易》原以艮為臣也。象曰：繫遭之厲，有疾憊也；畜臣妾吉，不可大事也。《廣韻》：憊，贏困也。陸績云：大事謂天下之政，潛道之世，但可居家，畜養臣妾，不可治國之大事。

The line statement for line nine in the third position says: Being bound up, unable to retreat, there is illness and danger; keeping servants and concubines brings good fortune. Shang's interpretation says: "Xun" represents a rope, hence "to bind"; "Gen" represents stopping, hence "to bind and retreat," meaning being attached and unable to leave immediately. "Xun" represents illness, and line nine has no proper response, so going forward meets an opposing force, hence there is illness and danger. However, there are two yin lines below that follow and support line three, so keeping servants and concubines brings good fortune, because "Gen" represents servants and concubines. The image of "Xun" representing illness is explained in the commentary on the "Lu" hexagram. "Gen" representing servants is based on "Jiao's Forest of Changes": In the "Gua" hexagram changing into "Kan," it says "the king and ministers are disturbed and anxious." The middle line of "Kan" produces "Gen" and "Zhen," "Zhen" representing the king and "Gen" representing the minister, hence the king and ministers are disturbed and anxious. In the "Dui" hexagram changing into "Gen," it says "the ministers surround the king," using "Gen" again to represent the minister. "Gen" represents servants and concubines, so it also represents concubines. Ministers and servants were not distinguished in ancient times, so it also represents ministers. Thus, in the "Jian" hexagram line six two, it says "the king's ministers are diligent," and in the "Xiao Guo" hexagram line six two, it says "meeting his ministers." The "Zhou Changes" originally uses "Gen" to represent ministers. The small image commentary says: The danger of being bound and retreating is due to illness and being in difficulty; the good fortune of keeping servants and concubines is because one is not capable of handling great affairs. Shang's interpretation says: The "Guangyun" says "bei" means weakness and difficulty. Lu Ji says: Great affairs refer to the state's affairs. In an era of withdrawal and retreat, one can only stay at home and keep servants and concubines, and cannot manage state affairs.

九四：好道，君子吉，小人否。虞翻曰：否乾為好為君子，陰稱小人。按四與初有應，好適者，外不與小人絕，當禍患未形之時，從容而遁也。然知幾其神，惟君子能之，若小人則繫戀而不去也，故曰君子吉，小人否。象曰：君子好遁，小人否也。

The fourth line statement says: Favoring retreat, the gentleman is auspicious, the petty person cannot do it. Shang's interpretation: Yu Fan said that in the hexagram of "Obstruction," the trigram Qian represents favor and the gentleman, while the yin lines are called petty persons. Shang notes: The line nine in the fourth position corresponds with the line six at the beginning, which is referred to as "favoring retreat." This means that on the surface, one does not decisively cut off from the petty person, but takes advantage of the fact that the calamity has not yet formed, and retreats calmly. However, foreseeing the subtle signs is a marvelous feat, which only the gentleman can accomplish; the petty person will only cling to their position and refuse to leave, hence the gentleman is auspicious and the petty person is not. The small image commentary says: The gentleman favors retreat, while the petty person cannot.

否，不也。小人不肯退，不退則凶咎至矣。九五：嘉道，貞吉。乾為嘉，五居中當位，下有應與，大必適也，乃識微慮遠，及此嘉時而遁焉，故曰貞吉。象曰：嘉遁貞吉，以王志也。五應在二，二互巽，巽為伏，故為心志。虞翻用卦變謂四與初巳易位，三已變成坎，上來之三，成坎為志。夫聖人觀象繫辭，其所用象，乃在三變之後，迂曲如此，使後學鳥從測之哉。

"Fu" means "not." The petty person refuses to retreat, and if he does not retreat, calamity will come. The line statement of the fifth line says: "A beautiful retreat, the divination is auspicious." Shang's interpretation says: "Qian" represents beauty, and the fifth line is in the central position, with a proper response below, so it is not necessary to retreat; however, it perceives things subtly and plans far ahead, so it retreats at this good opportunity, hence "Zhen Ji" (the divination is auspicious). The small image commentary says: "A beautiful retreat, the divination is auspicious," because the mind is upright. Shang's interpretation says: the proper response of the fifth line is the second line, and the second line generates "Xun," which represents concealment, hence the image of "mind." This is an unusual image not recorded in "Shuo Gu" but preserved in "Jiao's Forest of Changes." Yu Fan uses the theory of changing hexagrams, explaining that the fourth line and the first line have already exchanged positions, the third line has already transformed into "Kan," and the top line has come to occupy the third position, forming "Kan" as the mind. The sage observed the images and connected them with statements, and the images used are only revealed after three successive changes, making the path so circuitous that later learners have no way to guess.

上丸：肥通，無不利。子夏傳釋肥為饒裕，虞翻以乾盈為肥，皆非。《後漢·張衡傳》注引《淮南九師訓》云：飛而能適，吉孰大焉。《易林》《需》之《遁》云去如飛鴻，《節》之《道》云奮翅鼓翼，王弼云曾（左矢）繳不能及，並皆讀為飛。朱芹引姚寬《西溪叢語》云：肥古作琶，琶蜚同字，是肥即蜚，蜚即飛也。蓋上九居極上，高飛遠引，無有阻隔，故無不利。而乾為行，故為飛，乾九五飛龍在天是也。象曰：肥遁無不利，無所疑也。上九逍遙世外，故無所疑。

The line statement for the top nine (上九): High flight and distant retreat, there is no disadvantage. Shang's interpretation: Zi Xia's transmission interprets "肥" as rich and abundant, Yu Fan interprets "肥" as the fullness of Qian, but both are incorrect. The annotation of the "Later Han Book" on the "Zhang Heng Biography" cites the "Nine Teachers' Training" from the "Huainanzi" saying "to fly and be able to vanish, what greater good is there?" The "Jiao's Forest of Changes" in the "Need" hexagram to "Retreat" says "leaving like a flying wild goose," and in the "Restraint" hexagram to "Retreat" says "spreading wings and flapping them," Wang Bi says "the arrow and net cannot reach." All of these interpret "肥" as "飞." Zhu Qin cites Yao Kuan's "Xi Xi Cong Yu" saying: "In ancient times, '肥' had another form of writing, which is the same character as '蜚,' showing that '肥' is '蜚,' and '蜚' is '飞.'" The top nine is at the top of the entire hexagram, high flying and retreating far, without obstruction, so there is no disadvantage. Since "Qian" represents movement, it also represents flying. The line statement of the nine in the fifth position of Qian, "a dragon flying in the sky," is this image. The small image commentary says: "Fatty retreat brings no disadvantage, there is no doubt." Shang's interpretation: The top nine is leisurely in the world beyond, so there is no doubt.

大壯，利貞。《雜卦》云：大壯則止。《序卦》云：物不可以終壯，故授之以晉，晉者進也，是亦訓為止，故與進對文。《太玄》擬為格，格，阻也，亦止也；又擬為夷，夷，傷也，故馬、虞訓壯為傷。吳先生曰：傷則必止，二義相因。按《說卦》震為蕃，蕃有閉義，《詩》四國於蕃，箋云蕃屏也；《周禮》大司徒蕃樂，杜子春讀蕃為藩，謂藩閉樂器而不用，是蕃與藩通。大壯之所以為止者，以震藩屏閉在前也。四不應初，二三遇敵，下陽全為四所格阻，故日曰貞，言利於貞定不動也，即止也。不止則傷，四五兩爻是也。鄭、王謂為強盛，然注莫古於十翼，莫精於《太玄》，皆不如是言，疑非《易》本旨。

The Hexagram Statement of 《Da Zhuang》 says: It is advantageous to maintain the correct course. Shang's interpretation: The 《Za Gua Zhuan》 says, "Da Zhuang then stops," and the 《Xu Gua Zhuan》 says, "Things cannot remain strong for long, hence it is followed by 《Jin》," which means progress. Thus, "Zhuang" is also interpreted as "stop," and it is paired with "progress" to form a contrast. Yang Xiong's 《Tai Xuan》 uses "Ge" to correspond with 《Da Zhuang》; "Ge" means obstruction, which is also "stop." It also uses "Yi" to correspond, and "Yi" means injury, so Ma Rong and Yu Fan interpreted "Zhuang" as injury. Wu's comment says: Injury necessarily leads to stopping, and the two meanings depend on each other. Shang's note: The 《Shuo Gua》 says Zhen represents "Fan," which has the meaning of blockage. In the 《Book of Songs》, "Four countries are enclosed by Fan," and Zheng's annotation says Fan means barrier. In the 《Rites of Zhou》, the Grand Master of the People has "Fan music," and Du Zichun reads "Fan" as "Fan," meaning enclosing musical instruments and not using them. Thus, Fan and Fan are homophones. The reason 《Da Zhuang》 takes the meaning of "stop" is because the barrier and enclosure of Zhen are in front. The Nine in the Fourth does not correspond with the Nine at the Beginning, and the Second and Third lines are opposing, with all the Yang lines below being blocked by the Fourth line. Therefore, it says "It is advantageous to maintain the correct course," meaning it is advantageous to remain steady and not move, that is, to stop. If one does not stop, injury will occur, as shown by the Fourth and Fifth lines. Zheng Xuan and Wang Bi interpreted "Zhuang" as strength, but there is no interpretation of the 《Zhou Yi》 older than the Ten Wings, nor is there an interpretation more precise than the 《Tai Xuan》, and they do not say this, so it is likely not the original meaning of the 《Zhou Yi》.

象曰：大壯，大者壯也，剛以動，故壯。大壯利貞，大者正也，正大而大地之情可見矣。大謂乾，乾在下為四所格，故曰大者壯也。蓋剛宜靜，剛而動必多阻格，釋壯之故也。利貞者，貞定。《乾》象傳云：各正性命，保合太和，乃利貞。天地之情，本如是也。象曰：雷在天上，大壯。君子以非禮弗履。震為履，震履乾，即卑履尊，非禮甚矣。陸績曰：君子見卑履尊，終必消除，故以為戒。大象每相反為義，此其一也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: Great Strength refers to the great being strong; it is strong and vigorous yet capable of movement, hence called strength. Great Strength is favorable for uprightness, meaning the great can maintain uprightness; uprightness and greatness reveal the true nature of heaven and earth. Shang's interpretation says: "Great" refers to Qian, which is in the lower trigram but is obstructed by Nine in the Fourth. Therefore, the great becomes strong. Strength should be still, but if strong and reckless in action, it will meet many obstructions, which explains the meaning of "strength." "Favorable for uprightness" means uprightness and stability. The Commentary on the Judgment of the Qian hexagram says, "Each establishes its own destiny, preserving the great harmony, thus it is favorable for uprightness," which is how the true nature of heaven and earth is naturally so. The Great Image Commentary says: Thunder above the sky is Great Strength; the gentleman takes it as a model, not proceeding on improper paths. Shang's interpretation says: "Zhen" means to tread, and Zhen treads on Qian, meaning the low treads on the high, which is highly improper. Lu Ji says: the gentleman sees the low treading on the high and knows that such behavior will eventually be eliminated, so he takes it as a warning. The Great Image Commentary often establishes its meaning from the opposite side, and this is one example.

初九：壯于趾，征凶，有年。初應在四，四震為趾，乃四亦陽，初失應，故壯于趾，言趾有所阻格也。又二三亦陽，陽遇陽則窒，故征凶。有二，《說文》：有，不宜有也，《春秋傳》日月有食之是也。依《說文》，有孚者，謂不宜於有也，即不孚也，正與象辭孚窮之義合也。象曰：壯于趾，其孚窮也。初得敵，無應，故孚窮。九二：貞吉。二得中，故貞吉，與下貞歷為對文。象曰：九二貞吉，以中也。二承乘皆陽，得敵，似不吉，然而言者，以位中也。

The line statement for the first line (Initial Nine): Strength is manifested in the toes, going to war is ominous, there is sincerity. Shang's interpretation: The initial nine has a proper correspondence with the fourth line, which belongs to the trigram Zhen (Thunder), "Zhen" represents the toes; however, the fourth line is also a yang line, so the initial nine loses its correspondence, hence the strength is in the toes, meaning the toes are obstructed. The second and third lines are also yang, yang meeting yang causes blockage, so going to war is ominous. The character "you" (have), according to the "Shuowen", means "not suitable to have", as in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" and its commentaries, "the sun and moon have an eclipse", which is this usage. According to the "Shuowen", "you fu" (having sincerity) means not suitable to have sincerity, that is, not sincere, which corresponds with the small image commentary "fu qiong" (sincerity exhausted). The small image commentary says: strength in the toes, meaning its sincerity is exhausted. Shang's interpretation: The initial nine is in the enemy body without proper correspondence, hence sincerity is exhausted. The line statement for the second line (Nine in the Second): The divination is auspicious. Shang's interpretation: The second nine is in the center, hence the divination is auspicious, contrasting with the third line's "zhen li" (caution and danger) in the following text. The small image commentary says: the second nine's auspiciousness is because it is in the center. Shang's interpretation: The second nine is above and below by yang lines, forming the enemy body, seemingly not auspicious, yet it is said to be auspicious because it is in the center.

九三：小人用壯，君子用罔，貞歷，羝羊觸藩，贏其角。三應在上，小人謂上六，君子謂三。乃上六慾應三，而為五所格，故用壯；三欲應上，而為四所格，故用罔。目，無也，言三上皆失其用也，故卜問歷。中爻互兌，故曰羊；四震為藩；贏，纏繞也；三在下卦之上，於交象為角。羝羊觸藩，贏其角者，言三欲上升，為九四所阻格，若羝羊以角觸藩而不能決，角反為藩所困也。荀爽以五為角，五為角，則藩已決矣，胡有贏象哉。震藩象，《易林》《乾》之《豐》云藩屏周衛，《同人》之《師》云藩屏湯武，皆以震為藩，而藩與蕃通，《說卦》震為蕃，即《易林》所本也。象曰：小人用壯，君子罔也。罔猶否也。

The line statement for the third line (nine in the third): small people use force, but the gentleman has no use for it, and the divination indicates danger; a ram collides with a fence and gets its horns entangled. Shang's interpretation says that the correct correspondence of nine in the third is six at the top. 'Small people' refers to six at the top, and 'gentleman' refers to nine in the third. Six at the top wishes to correspond with three, but is blocked by six in the fifth, so it uses force; nine in the third wishes to correspond with the top, but is blocked by nine in the fourth, so it is 'useless'. 'Wang' means nothing, indicating that both three and the top have lost their place of action, hence the danger in divination. The middle lines produce the trigram 'Dui', so it is said to be a ram; the fourth line belongs to 'Zhen', which represents a fence; 'ling' means entanglement; three is above the lower trigram, and according to the line image, it represents the horn. 'Diyang chu fan, ling qi jiao' means that nine in the third wishes to rise up, but is blocked by nine in the fourth, just like a ram using its horns to collide with a fence but unable to break through, and its horns are instead entangled by the fence. Xun Shuang takes the fifth line as the horn; if five were the horn, the fence would have already been broken through, and there would be no image of entangled horns. The image of a fence comes from 'Zhen', as stated in 'Jiao's Forest of Changes': 'Qian' changing to 'Feng' says 'fence and screen surrounding the guards', and 'Tongren' changing to 'Shi' says 'fence and screen of Tang and Wu', both taking 'Zhen' as a fence. Since 'fan' and 'fan' are homophones, 'Shuo Gu' says 'Zhen' represents 'fan', which is the basis for the image in 'Jiao's Forest of Changes'. The small image commentary says: small people use force, but the gentleman has no use. 'Wang' is like 'Pinyin'.

九四：貞吉，悔亡，藩決不贏，壯於大典之復（左車）。四前監重陰利往，故貞吉無悔，故藩決不贏。震為輿，為復（左車）。象曰尚往，是四往五也。四往五，震象毀，而兌為毀折，故曰壯于大輿之復（左車）。蓋卦以止為義，藩決則進，進則有傷，五爻喪羊相因而至矣。虞翻因不知復（左車）象，氦復（左車）為腹，非。

The fourth line statement says: The divination is auspicious, regret disappears, the fence is broken through and the horn is no longer entangled, strength is shown in the large cart's axle. Shang's interpretation says: Nine in the fourth is facing two yin lines in front, it is advantageous to go forward, so the divination is auspicious without regret, so the fence is broken and not entangled. "Zhen" represents the cart and also the axle. The small image commentary says "still going forward," meaning the fourth line moves to the fifth. When the fourth line moves to the fifth, the Zhen image is destroyed, and "Dui" represents destruction, so it says strength is shown in the large cart's axle. This hexagram is based on the concept of stopping, when the fence is broken, one must move forward, and moving forward leads to injury, so the凶 of "losing a sheep" in line six five follows closely. Yu Fan did not understand the image of the axle, and interpreted "輹" as "abdomen," which is wrong.

象曰：藩決不贏，尚往也。尚往言上進居五。六五：喪羊于易，無悔。兌為羊，兌毀折故喪羊。易，《釋文》云陸作場，謂疆場也，古文往往如是。《說文》場，田畔也。《詩·小雅》疆場有瓜。喪羊於場，言喪羊于田畔也。諸家作難易解，不辭甚矣。惟場象無有詳者，按震為阪，《說文》阪，坡也，山協也，《詩·小雅》瞻彼阪田，場既為田畔，疑仍震象也。然雖喪羊，下有應得中，亦無悔也。象曰：喪羊于易，位不當也。位不當，釋喪羊之故也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "The藩 is firm and not weak, indicating movement upward." Shang's interpretation: "Shangwang" means advancing and occupying the fifth position. The line statement of the sixth line: "Lost a sheep on the field boundary, without regret." Shang's interpretation: "Dui" represents a sheep, and "Dui" also signifies destruction, hence the loss of the sheep. The character "易" is said by the "Classic Interpretation" to be written as "埸" in Lu Deming's version, referring to the field boundary, a common ancient writing style. The "Shuowen" says "埸" means the edge of a field. The "Book of Songs, Xiao Ya" mentions "the field boundary has melons." "Lost a sheep on the field boundary" means losing a sheep at the edge of the field. Various interpretations taking it as "easy" or "difficulty" are utterly inappropriate. However, the symbolic meaning of "埸" has not been clearly explained. According to "Zhen" representing a slope, the "Shuowen" says a slope is a hillside or the side of a mountain, and the "Book of Songs, Xiao Ya" mentions "looking at the sloped field." Since "埸" is the edge of a field, it might still be associated with the image of "Zhen." Although a sheep was lost, there is a proper response below and it is in the central position, hence there is no regret. The Small Image Commentary says: "Lost a sheep on the easy path," indicating an improper position. Shang's interpretation: an improper position is the reason for losing the sheep.

上六：羝羊觸藩，不能退，不能遂，無攸利，艱則吉。卦全體兌象，故仍曰抵羊。上欲應三，而為五所格，五亦陰得故。三之藩在四，上之藩在五，故退欲來三，為藩所阻；進欲前往，而道已窮，故不能退不能遂。巽為利，巽伏故無攸利。然上當位有應，艱貞自守，終吉也。象曰：不能退，不能遂，不詳也；艱則吉，咎不長也。《釋文》云：詳，審也，審慎也。言不能退不能遂之故，咎在不慎審於始而妄動也。鄭、虞、王肅、王弼皆釋詳為善，於義亦通。三上為正應，終必和合，故曰咎不長。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: A ram collides with a fence, cannot retreat, cannot advance, there is no benefit, but if one remains in hardship and upholds correctness, it is auspicious. Shang's interpretation says: The entire hexagram has the image of Dui, so it still refers to the ram. The sixth line at the top wants to correspond with the third line, but is blocked by the fifth line, since the fifth line is also yin, forming an opposing line. The fence of the third line is at the fourth line, and the fence of the sixth line at the top is at the fifth line, so when it wants to retreat, it meets the fence at the third line; when it wants to advance, the path has already reached its end, hence it cannot retreat or proceed. "Xun" represents benefit, as Xun is hidden and not apparent, hence there is no benefit. However, the sixth line at the top is in the correct position and has a proper correspondence, so if one maintains correctness amidst hardship, it will ultimately be auspicious. The small image commentary says: Not being able to retreat and not being able to proceed is due to lack of caution; hardship brings auspiciousness, because the misfortune will not last long. Shang's interpretation says: The "Classic Interpretation" says "xiang" means careful and cautious. This refers to the reason for not being able to retreat and not being able to proceed, the misfortune comes from acting recklessly without careful consideration at the beginning. Zheng Xuan, Yu Fan, Wang Su, and Wang Bi all interpreted "xiang" as "shàn" (good), which is also reasonable in terms of meaning. The third line and the sixth line at the top are in proper correspondence, so they will eventually harmonize, hence the misfortune will not last long.

晉，康侯用錫馬蕃庶，晝日三接。離出地居五，南面響明而治，故曰晉。晉，進也。四諸侯。康，美也，大也，《禮·祭統》康周公注：康猶褒大也。《易林》《隨》之《恆》云：實沉參虛，封為康侯。康侯略如大侯，為諸侯之美稱，猶《詩》之言齊侯、言平王也。坎為馬，坤亦為馬；坎為眾，坤亦為眾，故曰用錫馬蕃庶。艮為手故曰錫，錫，予也，言康侯恭順，來賓于王，錫賁眾多。《雜卦》晉，晝也。艮為手，數三，離為晝，故曰晝日三接。侯果曰：《大行人》職曰，諸公三晌三問三勞，諸侯三響再問再勞，於男三晌一問一勞，即天子三接諸侯之禮也。晝日三接，即一晝三覿也。

The hexagram "Jin" (Progress) statement says: "The well-mannered prince was granted many carriages and horses, and was received three times in one day." Shang's interpretation says: "Li (Fire) arises on the earth and occupies the fifth position, facing south toward the light to govern the world, so it is called 'Jin,' which means progress. The fourth line represents the prince. 'Kang' means beauty and greatness. The commentary on 'The Rituals of the Rites' says 'Kang Zhou Gong' (Praise of Duke Zhou), where 'Kang' is like a term of praise. 'Jiao's Forest of Changes' in 'Sui' to 'Heng' says 'Shi Chen Can Xu, Feng Wei Kang Hou,' meaning 'Shi Chen' (a constellation) is empty, and he was granted the title of 'Kang Hou.' 'Kang Hou' is roughly equivalent to 'Da Hou,' a respectful title for a prince, similar to how the 'Book of Songs' refers to 'Qi Hou' and 'Ping Wang.' 'Kan' represents horses, and 'Kun' also represents horses. 'Kan' signifies many, and 'Kun' also signifies many, so it is said that many horses were granted. 'Gen' represents hands, so 'Xi' (grant) is used, meaning to give; it indicates that Kang Hou was respectful and came to pay homage to the Son of Heaven, receiving abundant rewards. 'Za Gua Zhuan' says 'Jin' is day. 'Gen' represents hands, its number is three, and 'Li' represents day, so it is said that the day had three meetings. Hou Guo says: 'The 'Rites of the Grand Officer' says that the reception of the dukes is three feasts, three inquiries, and three labors; the reception of the princes is three feasts, two inquiries, and two labors; the reception of the lesser dukes is three feasts, one inquiry, and one labor. This is the ceremony of the Son of Heaven receiving the princes three times a day. 'Day three meetings' means being received three times in one day."

象曰：晉，進也，明出地上，順而麗乎大明，柔進而上行，是以康候用錫馬蕃庶，晝日三接也。明出地上謂離，順謂坤，柔進而上行謂五，進居地上，得君位也。象曰：明出地上，晉。君子以自昭明德。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Jin" means advancement, with light emerging from the earth. The soft and yielding line adheres to the great brightness. The soft line advances and occupies a high position, thus the virtuous lord, Kanghou, receives many chariots and horses, and is received three times a day. Shang's interpretation says: "Light emerging from the earth" refers to Li, "order" refers to Kun, "the soft line advancing upward" refers to six five. Advancing and occupying the earth, he attains the position of the ruler. The Great Image Commentary says: Light emerging from the earth is the hexagram JIN. The gentleman takes it as a model, to manifest his own virtue.

二無應，進遇坎，坎為憂，故曰愁如。貞吉者，卜問吉也。介，虞、九家皆訓為大。坤為母，伏乾為大、為福、為王，故曰受茲介福于其王母。王母謂二，言二雖不宜於進，然得中為坤本位，必受此大福也。舊解謂王母指六五，六五亦陰，焉能福二，故夫陰遇陰、陽遇陽，敵應之理不明，說《易》無不誤也。象曰：受茲介福，以中正也。言二所以受茲大福者，以得此中正之位也。若六五則中而不正，各家因曰王母疑非五莫能當，豈知下坤方為母，伏乾故曰王母，《易林》此例甚多也。

This section explains the line statement of the sixth line of the hexagram "Jin" (Progress), which originally omitted this line statement. Shang's interpretation says: the sixth line has no proper correspondence and encounters the Kan (Water) trigram, which represents worry, hence "chou ru" (like sorrow). "Zhen ji" (a correct question yields good fortune) means that asking about this situation results in good fortune. "Jie" (intermediate) is interpreted by Yu Fan and the nine schools of the Book of Changes as meaning "great." "Kun" (Earth) represents a mother, and the hidden Qian (Heaven) within Kun represents "greatness," "good fortune," and "king," so it is said that the line receives this great good fortune from its "Wangmu" (Queen Mother). "Wangmu" refers to the hexagram's Kun trigram, which is where the second line is located. It means that although the second line is not suitable for advancement, it is in the middle and occupies the position of the original Kun, so it must receive this great good fortune. Old interpretations say "Wangmu" refers to the fifth line. However, the fifth line is also a yin line; how can it bestow good fortune upon the second line? Clearly, if one does not understand the principle that yin meets yin and yang meets yang, forming opposing forces, one will make mistakes in interpreting the Book of Changes. The small image commentary says: receiving this great good fortune is because of being in the middle and upright. Shang's interpretation says: this is because the second line occupies the middle and upright position. As for the fifth line, it is only in the middle but not upright. Therefore, various interpretations say "Wangmu" refers only to the fifth line. But why not recognize that the lower Kun is the mother, and since Kun contains the hidden Qian, it is called "Wangmu"? There are many such examples in the "Jiao's Forest of Changes."

六三：眾允悔亡。施氏於《升》初六允升，讀作允（A：左上山左下卒），就允（A）進也，此允字當與之同，故吳澄亦讀作眾允（A）。眾斯允（A）者眾進。坤為眾，言群陰並進而承陽也，故曰悔亡。虞翻詁允為信，朱子從之，與象傳上行之義不合。象曰：眾克之志，上行也。坎為志，上行謂進而承陽，即釋允（A）義，可見施讀合也。

The line statement for the third line (six in the third): When all people advance together, regret disappears. Shang's interpretation: Shi's explanation in the "Ascending" hexagram's first line "allowing ascent" reads the character "允" as another character (which originally had the form of a person above a soldier, but the original text is missing, only the shape is described), and that character means "advance." Therefore, the "允" here should be read the same way, so Wu Cheng also reads it as "all advancing." "众允" means all people advancing together. "Kun" represents the multitude, meaning that the yin lines are advancing together to support the yang line, hence regret disappears. Yu Fan interprets "允" as sincerity, and Zhu Xi follows this interpretation, which is inconsistent with the small image commentary's meaning of "ascending." The small image commentary says: the will of all people advancing is to go upward. Shang's interpretation: "Kan" represents will, and "ascending" refers to advancing to support the yang line, which is exactly explaining the character "进," showing that Shi's reading is correct.

九四：晉如鼠，貞厲。《釋文》子夏傳作碩鼠，雲五技鼠也，古蓋音同通用。艮為鼠，為穴，坎為盜。鼠居穴中，伺隙盜竊，晝伏夜動。四失位，前臨夷主，下擁萬民，而坎為隱伏，為畏怯，欲進居五，恐下民生疑；欲下應初，又恐失五位，進退周章，有類於碩鼠，故貞厲也。象曰：碩鼠貞厲，位不當也。位不當，即謂不中不正。

The fourth line statement says: Advancing is like a shishu, the divination indicates danger. Shang's interpretation: The Classic Interpretation says that Zi Xia's transmission reads 'shushu', which is a mouse with five skills. In ancient times, it was probably pronounced the same and used interchangeably. 'Gen' represents a mouse and a hole, 'Kan' represents theft. Mice live in holes, waiting for opportunities to steal. They hide during the day and move at night. The ninth in the fourth line is out of position, facing a formidable ruler ahead and a multitude of people below. 'Kan' represents concealment and fear. It wants to advance to the fifth position but fears the people below will doubt it; it wants to respond to the first six but fears losing the fifth position. It is hesitating forward and backward, very much like shushu, hence the divination indicates danger. The small image commentary says: Shushu zhen li, meaning the position is improper. Shang's interpretation: Position is improper, meaning it is neither in the center nor upright.

六五：悔亡，矢得勿恤，往吉，無不利。六五得尊位，晌明而治，故侮亡。矢，輔嗣作失，茲從孟、馬、荀、虞、鄭、王肅諸家。坎為矢，五坎體，是得矢也；坎為恤，得矢為用，故勿恤；承陽故往吉。坎矢象，《噬嗑》九四云得金矢，以坎為失也，《易林》常用，乃至漢末竟失傳。象曰：矢得勿恤，往有慶也。往遇陽，故曰往有慶。虞翻強命五變得乾為有慶，豈知六五上下皆乾陽，五居其中，往承陽故有慶；若五變為陽，往遇陽得敵，尚能有慶哉。

The line statement for the fifth line: regret disappears, obtaining an arrow without worry, going forward brings good fortune, and there is no disadvantage. Shang's interpretation says: the sixth line in the fifth position attains a position of honor, facing the light and governing the world, so regret disappears. In Wang Bi's version, the character '矢' (arrow) is written as '失' (loss), but here we follow the interpretations of Meng Xi, Ma Rong, Xun Shuang, Yu Fan, Zheng Xuan, and Wang Su. 'Kan' represents an arrow, and the fifth line is within the Kan structure, so it is obtaining an arrow; 'Kan' also represents concern, and obtaining an arrow is suitable for use, so it says 'no need to worry'. It is supported by a yang line above, so going forward brings good fortune. The image of 'Kan' as an arrow is also seen in the line statement of 'Shi He' (噬嗑) for the ninth line in the fourth position, which says 'obtaining a golden arrow'; this is also using 'Kan' as an arrow. The 'Jiao's Forest of Changes' often uses this, but it was lost by the end of the Han dynasty. The small image commentary says: obtaining an arrow without worry means going forward brings joy. Shang's interpretation says: meeting a yang line when going forward, so there is celebration. Yu Fan insists that the fifth line must change into Qian (Heaven) to bring celebration; but he does not realize that both above and below the sixth line in the fifth position are Qian yang lines, and the fifth line is in the middle, so going forward to support a yang line brings celebration. If the fifth line changes into a yang line, then meeting a yang line when going forward would result in an opposing structure, how could there be celebration?

上九：晉其角，維用伐邑，厲吉，無咎，貞吝。爻例上為角，故曰晉其角。坤為邑。《離》上九云王用出征，有嘉折首，是離有征伐象，蓋離為甲兵，故維用代色。然下應柔爻，故必振厲方吉元咎，以不全吉，故貞吝。象曰：維用伐邑，道未光也。離為光明，至上光將熄矣。夫王道大光，則無用征伐，用征伐必未光也。

The line statement for the top line (上九): Advancing to the tip, it can only be used to attack the city-state. Being in a dangerous and perilous situation, one must be cautious and fearful to achieve good fortune, without fault, but there is a sense of regret in divination. Shang's interpretation: According to the principle of line positions, the top line is at the tip, so it is said to advance to the tip. "Kun" represents the city-state. The line statement for the top line of the "Li" hexagram says, "The king uses it to go to war, with a good result of capturing the head." This shows that "Li" has the image of military action, because "Li" represents military forces, so it can only be used to attack the city-state. However, since it responds to a flexible line below, one must be vigorous, cautious, and fearful to achieve good fortune and without fault; because it is not entirely auspicious, there is a sense of regret in divination. The small image commentary says: Using it to attack the city-state, the way is not yet fully bright. Shang's interpretation: "Li" represents brightness, but when it reaches the top line, the brightness is about to fade. When the way of the king is greatly bright, there is no need for military action; if military action is taken, it must be because the way is not yet fully bright.

明夷，利艱貞。鄭云：夷，傷也。日出地上，其明乃光，至其人地，明則傷矣。按二至四互坎，故曰艱；坤安故曰貞。利艱貞者，言當明夷之世，宜以艱苦貞定自守也。象曰：明入地中，明夷。內文明而外柔順，以蒙大難，文王以之。利艱貞，晦其明也。內難而能正其志，箕子以之。

The Hexagram Statement of Mingyi says: It is advantageous to maintain uprightness in hardship. Shang's interpretation: Zheng Xuan said that "yi" means injury. The sun appears on the earth, its brightness is revealed; but when it enters the earth, its brightness is injured. Shang notes: The second and fourth lines together form "Kan," which represents danger and difficulty, so it is said "jian" (hardship); "Kun" is characterized by peace and compliance, so it is said "zhen" (uprightness). "Li jian zhen" means that in the era of Mingyi, one should maintain uprightness through hardship. The Commentary on the Judgment says: When brightness enters the earth, that is Mingyi. The inner part is civilized and the outer part is gentle, thus suffering great difficulties. King Wen acted in this way. "Li jian zhen" means to conceal one's brightness; even when facing internal difficulties, one can maintain one's integrity, as Jizi did.

離文明，坤柔順，離內坤外，故曰內文明而外柔順。坎為難，故曰以蒙大難。坤為文，震為王，故曰文王。文王國羌里，幾經艱難，而後出之，故日以蒙大難。坤為黑，坎為隱伏，明伏地下，故曰晦其明。坎在下，故曰內難。坎為志為正，故曰內難而能正其志。震為子為箕，故曰箕子。《易林》《賁》之《屯》云：章甫薦履，箕子佯狂，以屯震為箕子也。箕子紂請父，故曰內難。紂囚箕子，箕子佯狂為奴，晦明不用，僅以身免，故曰箕子以之，以，用也。《易》凡於人名地名，無不從象生，除焦延壽外，無知此者。震箕象形，《易林》屢用。象曰：明入地中，明夷。君子以蒞眾，用晦而明。象曰：君子于行，義不食也。初潛龍勿用，況當明夷之世，方自晦之不暇，當然不得祿食也。

Shang's interpretation says: "Li" represents civilization, and "Kun" represents flexibility and compliance. Since "Li" is inside and "Kun" is outside, it is said that the inner part is civilized and the outer part is flexible and compliant. "Kan" represents difficulty, so it is said that one faces great difficulties in the state of confusion. "Kun" represents culture, and "Zhen" represents the king, so together they are called "Wen Wang" - King Wen was imprisoned in Youli, endured great hardships, and eventually escaped, so it is said that one faces great difficulties in the state of confusion. "Kun" represents blackness, and "Kan" represents concealment. Brightness is hidden underground, so it is said that brightness is obscured. Since "Kan" is in the lower trigram, it is said that there is difficulty within. "Kan" represents will and correctness, so it is said that there is difficulty within but one can correct one's will. "Zhen" represents the son and the basket, so it is said that "Jizi" (the basket man). In "Bian" of "Zun" in "Jiao's Forest of Changes," it says "Zhangfu Jianlv, Jizi Yangqiang," which uses "Zhen" in "Zun" to refer to Jizi. Jizi was the father of King Zhou, so it is said that there is difficulty within. King Zhou imprisoned Jizi, who pretended to be mad and served as a slave, concealing his wisdom and not using it, preserving only his life. Therefore, Jizi used this method. In "The Zhou Changes," all names of people and places arise from the trigrams. Except for Jiao Yanshou, no one understood this. The character "Zhen" resembles a basket, and "Jiao's Forest of Changes" often uses it. The Great Image says: brightness entering the earth is "Mingyi," the gentleman takes it as a model, when governing people, he uses concealment as a means, and thus reveals clarity. The Small Image says: the gentleman walks on the road, according to righteousness, he should not accept food and salary. Shang's interpretation says: the first line originally represents the hidden dragon that should not act, and especially in the time of Mingyi, one should even hide oneself, so of course one cannot accept salary and food.

六二：明夷于左股，用拯馬壯吉。《釋文》云：股，馬、王肅作般。孫堂云：般，盤之省，漢碑盤字常作股，股常作般，然則馬、王雖作般，義仍作股，漢時般、股通用不分也。互震為左，巽為股，巽伏不見，故曰夷于左股。三震為馬。拯，鄭云承也，子夏傳作升，仍音承。用拯馬壯吉者，言二承三，三陽，故壯吉也。舊解獨惠棟謂馬謂三，而謂三升二故壯，則又非。承者順，謂陰順陽，象釋曰順，即釋拯義也。象曰：六二之吉，順以則也。則者法也，陰以陽為則。順以則，謂陰順陽，釋拯馬之義也。乃舊解皆不知其所謂，故愈說愈晦。豈知象以解經，順即謂拯也。

The line statement for line six two says: Light is injured in the left leg, and a strong horse is used for rescue, which is auspicious. Shang's interpretation says: The Classic Interpretation says the character 'gu' was written as 'pan' by Ma Rong and Wang Su. Sun Tang says: 'Pan' is a simplified form of 'pan', and in Han dynasty inscriptions, the character 'pan' was often written as 'gu', and 'gu' was often written as 'pan'; thus, although Ma and Wang wrote 'pan', the meaning is still 'gu'. In the Han dynasty, 'pan' and 'gu' were used interchangeably. The interacting trigrams 'Zhen' represents the left, and 'Xun' represents the leg. 'Xun' is hidden and not apparent, so it is said that the injury is in the left leg. Line three belongs to 'Zhen', which represents a horse. 'Zhen' is said by Zheng Xuan to mean 'support', and in the transmission of Zi Xia, it is written as 'sheng', but the pronunciation is still the same as 'support'. 'Using a strong horse for rescue is auspicious' means that line six two supports line nine three. Nine three is a yang line, so it is strong and auspicious. Old interpretations only Hui Dong said the horse refers to line three, but he explained it as three rising to two, thus making it strong, which is wrong. 'Support' means 'smooth', referring to yin following yang. The small image commentary uses the word 'smooth' to explain, which is exactly explaining the meaning of 'rescue'. The small image commentary says: The reason line six two is auspicious is because it is flexible and follows the principle. Shang's interpretation says: 'Principle' refers to the law, and yin follows yang as the law. 'Smooth following the principle' refers to yin following yang, which is exactly explaining the meaning of 'rescue by a horse'. Old interpretations did not understand what it was talking about, and the explanations became more obscure. How could one know that the image commentary is used to explain the classics, and 'smooth' refers to 'rescue'.

九三：明夷於南，句狩，句得其大首，不可疾，句貞。三遇坤，坤為夜為黑，震為南。《左傳》成十六年，晉筮遇《復》曰南國戚（左足），以坤為國，震為南也。三南遇坤，故曰明夷於南。震為狩為大，坎為首為獲，故曰得其大首，言得其渠率也。《詩·大雅》吳天疾威，傳：疾猶急也。不可疾，言雖得其大首，不可持之過急也。貞謂宜安定也，疾與貞相對為義。舊讀疾貞連文，九家謂不可疾正，最為害理，獨項氏《玩辭》以貞自為句，與經義合。又舊讀以南狩連文，義亦不協。象曰：南狩之志，乃大得也。陽遇陰故大有得。

The line statement for the third line says: "Light is injured in the south" (the phrase "in the south" is taken as a separate sentence), "going out to hunt" ("shou" is taken as a separate sentence), "capturing their leader" (the following is taken as a separate sentence), "do not act too hastily," "consulting the oracle" ("zhen" is taken as a separate sentence). Shang's interpretation: The third line meets the earth trigram "Kun" above, "Kun" represents night and darkness, "Zhen" represents the south. In the "Zuo Zhuan" (Commentary of Zuo), in the sixteenth year of Chenggong, the people of Jin divined the hexagram "Fu" and the statement said, "the southern state is squeezed," which is taking "Kun" as the state and "Zhen" as the south. The third line moving south meets "Kun," thus indicating the夷 (barbarian) in the south. "Zhen" represents hunting and great things, "Kan" represents the head and capture, so it says "capturing the great head," meaning capturing the leader of the other side. The "Shijing" (Classic of Poetry) "Da Ya" has "the great heaven is fierce and swift," and Ma's commentary says: "fierce" is like "hasty." "Not being hasty" means even though the leader has been captured, one should not act too quickly. "Zhen" means to be stable, "ji" and "zhen" are contrasted in meaning. The old reading combined "ji zhen" into one sentence, and the Nine Schools of the I Ching interpreted it as "not being hasty and correct," which is harmful to the meaning. Only Xiang Anshi's "Zhou Yi Wan Ci" (Commentary on the Zhou Changes) took "zhen" as an independent sentence, which aligns with the meaning of the text. The old reading also combined "nan shou" into one sentence, which is not in harmony with the meaning. The small image commentary says: The heart of hunting to the south is to gain greatly. Shang's interpretation: Because a yang line meets a yin line, there is a great gain.

六四：入于左腹，獲明夷之心，于出門庭。震為左，坤為腹，為門庭，為心。四坤體，故曰人於左腹。坤閣故曰獲明珍之心于出門庭。震為出，言行至四人坤，悉明夷之故，正在於是也。四當位有應，故無吉凶。坤心之象，《益》九五云有孚惠心，心調二，二坤體也；又《益》九五象云大得志，志亦謂坤，故《易林》《需》之《否》云志如死灰，以坤為死為志。人第知坎為心志，不知坤亦為心志，故《易》辭多誤解。象曰：入于左腹，獲心意也。坤為心意，故曰獲心意。舊解多以三升五成坎為心意，穿鑿無理，不可從。

The line statement for the fourth line: entering the left abdomen, probing the heart of Mingyi, and stepping out from the gate. Shang's interpretation says: "Zhen" represents the left, "Kun" represents the abdomen, the gate, and the heart. The fourth line is within the body of Kun, so it says entering the left abdomen. "Kun" also represents a place of concealment, so it says obtaining the heart of Mingyi at the time of leaving the gate. "Zhen" represents movement, meaning that when reaching the fourth line, entering into Kun, the reason for Mingyi is fully understood. The fourth line is in the proper position and has a correct response, so the line statement does not mention fortune or misfortune. "Kun" represents the heart: in "Yi" nine five, it says "having sincerity and kindness in the heart," where the "heart" refers to the second line; the small image commentary of "Yi" nine five also says "greatly fulfilling one's will," where "will" also refers to Kun. Therefore, in "Jiao's Forest of Changes" "Xu" changing into "Pǐ," it says "will like dead ashes," which uses Kun to represent death and will. People only know that Kan represents heart and will, but do not know that Kun also represents heart and will, so many phrases in "The Zhou Changes" are misunderstood. The small image commentary says: entering the left abdomen is obtaining the mind. Shang's interpretation says: "Kun" represents the mind, so obtaining the mind. Old interpretations often use the third line rising to the fifth line to form Kan to explain the mind, which is forced and unreasonable, and should not be followed.

六五：箕子之明夷，利貞。震為箕子已見前。據《易林》，此箕子則孩子也。《決（左無）》之《中孚》云：道路不通，孩子心饋。以中孚互震為孩子。又《家人》之《龔》云：孩子貪餌。以伏震為孩子。又《損》之《大畜》云：嬰兒孩子，未有知識。以大畜上艮為嬰兒，互震為孩子。凡《易林》取象，無不本之《易》，《易》他處無孩子象也。

Sixth line five statement: Like Ji Zi, the light is injured, favorable to maintain correctness. Shang's interpretation: "Zhen" represents Ji Zi, which has already been discussed. According to the "Forest of Changes" by Jiao, the "Ji Zi" here actually refers to "child." In the transformation from "Gua" to "Zhong Fu," it says "the road is blocked, the child's mind is confused," using the hidden Zhen trigram as the child; in the transformation from "Jia Ren" to "Feng," it says "the child is greedy for bait," using the hidden Zhen trigram as the child; in the transformation from "Sun" to "Da Xu," it says "infant and child, without knowledge," using the upper trigram Gen of Da Xu as infant and the hidden Zhen trigram as child. All imagery in the "Forest of Changes" is based on the "Zhou Changes," but the "Zhou Changes" elsewhere does not have the image of "child," so this image can only come from this line of "Ming Yi."

宋吳械《韻補》云：古亥字音喜亦音其。按亥字既讀為其，則其字亦必讀為亥。《淮南子·時則訓》A （？）萁隧火，高誘注：萁讀為該備之該，即A（？） 該燧火也。真既讀為該，於是亥、孩、刻、亥（上草），與其、箕常通用。《書·微子》我舊雲刻子，《論衡》作我舊雲孩子，孩子謂紂，言久知其愚蒙昏饋（左　）也，是應為孩子而作刻子。《墨子·非攻篇》紂播棄黎老，賊誅孩子，是孩子即箕子。古之所謂誅，不盡是殺，賊誅孩子，即幽囚箕子也，是應為箕子而作孩子。

The Song dynasty scholar Wu Yu of the "Yun Bu" (Rhyme Supplement) said that the ancient character "亥" was pronounced like "喜" (xi), also like "其" (qi). Since "亥" can be read as "其", then "其" can also be read as "亥". The "Shi Ze Xun" (On the Timeliness of the Seasons) from the "Huainanzi" mentions "Cuan Qi Sui Huo", and Gao Yu's commentary says that "Qi" is read as "Gai" (the "Gai" in "Gai Bei"), which is "Gai Sui Huo". Since "亥" is read as "Gai", then the group of characters "亥, hai, ke, gai" can be used interchangeably with "qi" and "ji". The "Shu Shang" (Book of Documents) says "Wo Jiu Yun Ke Zi", and the "Lun Heng" (Discourses on the Balance) quotes it as "Wo Jiu Yun Hua Zi". "Hua Zi" refers to King Zhou, meaning that it was known from the beginning that he was foolish and confused. This shows that the original should have been "Hua Zi" but was written as "Ke Zi". The "Mozi" (Mo Tzu) in the "Fei Gong" (Against Warfare) says that King Zhou "Bo Qi Li Lao, Ze Zhu Hua Zi", where "Hua Zi" refers to Ji Zi. The ancient term "Zhu" was not always to kill; "Ze Zhu Hua Zi" means to imprison Ji Zi. Thus, the original should have been "Ji Zi" but was written as "Hua Zi".

故此處六五之箕子，漢趙賓又作亥（上草）茲。夫《墨子》以孩子作箕子，則《明夷》六五之箕子，《易林》作孩子，正與《墨子》合，與《論衡》同，孩子皆謂紂也。孩、箕、刻、亥（上草），皆非訛字，以音同古通用，猶盤桓之盤，或作盤，作盤（下木），作般，皆非訛字也。《易林》云：嬰兒孩子，未有知識。釋孩子之義也。六五天子位，孩子之明夷，謂紂昏蒙。惟其指紂，故象傳推及於文王箕子；不然，象傳之箕子，胡以無一異讀哉。故《易林》《垢（左女）》之《明夷》云：西戎為疾，幽君去室。《明夷》六五君位，坤黑，故曰幽君；坎為室，六五在坎外，故曰幽君去室。幽君即釋孩子之義。又《困》之《明夷》，邃態作云：蒙覆大臣。坤為雲，亦釋昏蒙之義。

Therefore, in this instance, the "Jizi" of line six in the fifth position, the Han dynasty scholar Zhao Bin wrote it as "Gai Zi." Since the "Mozi" wrote "Jizi" as "Hai Zi," the "Mingyi" line six in the fifth position's "Jizi" in the "Yilin" is written as "Hai Zi," which matches the "Mozi" and also agrees with the "Lunheng." These "Hai Zi" all refer to King Zhou. The forms "Hai," "Ji," "Ke," and "Gai" are not errors, but merely different pronunciations that were commonly used in ancient times, just as the character "Pan Huan" can be written as "Pan," "Pan," or "Ban," and these are not errors. The "Yilin" says, "Infant and child, without knowledge," which is explaining the meaning of "Hai Zi." Line six in the fifth position is the position of the Son of Heaven, and "Hai Zi's Mingyi" refers to King Zhou's darkness and confusion. Because it refers to King Zhou, the Image Commentary extends the meaning to King Wen and Jizi; otherwise, why would the Image Commentary's "Jizi" have no variant reading at all? Therefore, the "Yilin" in the "Gou" hexagram's "Mingyi" says, "Western Rong as illness, the hidden ruler leaves the palace." The "Mingyi" line six in the fifth position is the ruler's position, "Kun" represents black, so it is called the "hidden ruler"; "Kan" represents the palace, and since line six in the fifth position is outside the "Kan" structure, it is said the "hidden ruler leaves the palace." "Hidden ruler" is explaining the meaning of "Hai Zi." Also, in the "Kun" hexagram's "Mingyi," it says, "Clouds cover the great ministers," "Kun" represents clouds, which is explaining the meaning of darkness and confusion.

又《京房易傳》《明夷》云：君暗臣明，不可止。君暗謂六五，臣明謂六二，亦以五為君，不以為紂臣。又象傳曰：孩子之貞，明不可息也。貞，正也，言孩子居天子之正位，天子一日萬幾，故明不可息。若箕子已晦其明矣，有何不可息。古今釋者千百家，於此語未有能通者。蓋文王與微子，不欲明斥紂，故以孩子為代名，猶《麥秀歌》之謂狡童也。

The Jing Fang Commentary on the Yi explains the hexagram Ming Yi by saying, "When the ruler is dark and the minister is bright, it is not advisable to stop." Here, "ruler being dark" refers to line six in the fifth position, while "minister being bright" refers to line six in the second position. This interpretation treats line five as the ruler rather than as a minister of Zhou. Now looking at the Image Commentary, it says, "The virtue of the child is bright and cannot be extinguished." "Zhen" means correctness or uprightness, indicating that the child occupies the correct position of the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven has to handle myriad affairs each day, so his brightness cannot be stopped. If this refers to Ji Zi, who had already concealed his brightness, how can there be talk of "not being extinguished"? Among the hundreds of commentators throughout history who have interpreted this passage, none have been able to make sense of it. King Wen and Wei Zi did not wish to openly criticize King Zhou, so they used the term "child" as a substitute, just as the "Song of Millet" refers to him as "Jiao Tong."

觀《墨子》以箕子為孩子，則此之箕子，亦為孩子，《易林》之讀，獨得其真。自孩、箕音同通用之義弗明，竟作紂臣矣。豈知孩子即謂紂，與《微子》之孩子同。彼夫趙賓作亥（上草）茲，劉向、荀爽作亥（上草）滋，蜀才作其子，王弼作其茲，惠棟作亥子，雖與象傳義不合，然皆知作紂臣之必非。乃孔疏不從王注，而從馬融，竟作紂臣解，疏已。五本君位，馬融作紂臣解，亦知其不安，而以箕子演疇、有君德為解，益可證《易林》以孩子為紂之精。五承乘皆陰，下又無應，故曰利貞，謂宜艱貞自守不妄動也。象曰：箕子之貞，明不可息也。五為天子，天子一日萬幾，明息則政亂矣，故曰明不可息。

Looking at the "Mozi" which refers to Ji Zi as a child, we can know that the term "Ji Zi" here is equivalent to "child." The interpretation in the "Yi Lin" has uniquely grasped the true meaning. Since the sounds of "Hai" and "Ji" were once used interchangeably, the meaning has been lost, and people have generally taken "Ji Zi" to mean a minister of Zhou. But where is the knowledge that "child" refers to Zhou himself, and that the "child" in the "Shangshu · Weizi" passage refers to the same person? As for Zhao Bin's reading as "Gai Zi," Liu Xiang and Xun Shuang's reading as "Gai Zi," Shu Cai's reading as "Qi Zi," Wang Bi's reading as "Qi Zi," and Hui Dong's reading as "Hai Zi," although they do not conform to the meaning of the Image Commentary, they all knew that interpreting it as a minister of Zhou was definitely wrong. Yet Kong Yingda's commentary did not follow Wang Bi's annotation but instead followed Ma Rong, and mistakenly interpreted it as a minister of Zhou, which was very careless. The fifth line originally represents the position of a ruler, and Ma Rong interpreted it as a minister of Zhou, which he himself felt was inappropriate, so he tried to justify it by saying that Ji Zi presented the "Hong Fan" nine categories and possessed the virtue of a ruler. This further confirms the accuracy of the "Yi Lin" in interpreting "child" as Zhou. The fifth line is both above and below a yin line, and there is no proper corresponding line below, so it says "favorable to uprightness." This means that one should maintain uprightness and remain steadfast in difficulty, and not act recklessly. The Small Image Commentary says: The uprightness of the child is bright and cannot be extinguished. Shang's interpretation: The fifth line represents the Son of Heaven, who has myriad affairs to attend to each day. If the brightness is extinguished, the state affairs will be in disorder, so it explains that the brightness should not be stopped.

上六：不明晦，初登于天，後入于地。明夷之初為晉，晉日在地上而為晝，故曰初登于天。乃晉覆成明夷，日在地下而為夜，故曰後人於地。人地故晦而不明。卦正如彼，覆則如此，此文王示序卦之義也。象曰：初登于天，照四國也；後入于地，失則也。坤為國，震卦數四，故曰四國。則謂三，上為四五所格，不能應三，故曰失則。此則字與六二順以則、《謙》六四不違則義同，皆謂陽。舊解皆不知失則之故何在，泛說之，非。

The line statement for the topmost yao (line) says: Not seeing brightness, but a single darkness, initially rising into the sky, then sinking into the earth. Shang's interpretation says: The previous form of the hexagram Mingyi (Darkness) is Jin (Progress), where the sun is on the ground and it is day, so it says initially rising into the sky. When Jin is inverted, it becomes Mingyi, and the sun is underground, resulting in night, so it says later sinking into the earth. Once it has entered the earth, it is dark and not bright. Within the same set of hexagrams, when viewed upright it is like that, and when viewed inverted it is like this. This is exactly where King Wen used it to reveal the meaning of the sequence of hexagrams. The small image commentary says: Initially rising into the sky, it is shining over the four states; later sinking into the earth, it is losing the rule. Shang's interpretation says: "Kun" represents the state, and the number of the hexagram Zhen is four, so it refers to four states. "Rule" refers to the nine in the third line. The upper sixth line is blocked by the fourth and fifth lines, and cannot respond to the third line, so it is losing the rule. This "rule" is the same as the "rule" in the six in the second line "smooth and following the rule" and in the six in the fourth line of Qian "not violating the rule," both referring to the yang line. Old annotations did not understand why "losing the rule" occurs, and only vaguely explained it, which is incorrect.

家人，利女貞。《歸藏》曰散家人。卦以一陽一陰，散處於卦內，又上卦巽風，下卦火炎上，均有敬意，故以為名乎。馬融曰：家人以女為奧主，長女中女，各得其正，故曰利女貞。然象傳曰男正位乎外，似家人兼男女言，特女尤利耳。又考《太玄》擬家人為居，雲踞膚赫赫，為物城郭，萬物咸宅，是以家人初上爻皆陽，故曰膚，曰城郭，而人宅其中，故曰家人也，義似較各家為優。二四得正，承陽有應，故利於女子之占也。

The hexagram "Family" states: It is favorable for a woman to maintain uprightness. Shang's interpretation says: The "Guicang" version of the Book of Changes refers to this hexagram as "Scattering the Family." In this hexagram, one yang and one yin line are dispersed within the hexagram, and the upper trigram is Xun (Wind), while the lower trigram is Li (Fire), which rises upward, all containing the meaning of dispersion, hence the name. Ma Rong said: In the hexagram of Family, the woman is the mistress of the house. The eldest daughter (Xun) and the middle daughter (Li) each hold their proper position, hence it is favorable for a woman to be upright. However, the Commentary on the Judgment says "the man holds the proper position outside," indicating that the hexagram of Family refers to both men and women, but especially benefits women. Further examination of the "Tai Xuan" says that "residence" corresponds to the hexagram of Family, stating "sitting on the skin, bright and glorious, forming a city and walls, all things dwell within." In the hexagram of Family, the first line and the top line are both yang, hence it is called "skin" and "city and walls," and people dwell within, hence it is called Family—this interpretation seems more profound than that of others. The second line and the fourth line both hold the proper position, and the upper line has a proper response to the yang line, hence it is favorable for divination concerning women.

象曰：家人女正位子內，男正位乎外，男女正，天地之大義也。家人有嚴君焉，父母之謂也。父父、子子、兄兄、弟弟、夫夫、婦婦，而家道正，正家而天下定矣。女正位乎內謂二，男正位乎外謂五，二五者夫婦，即天地也，即父母也，父母皆得正位，故曰嚴君。嚴君者尊也。卦下五爻皆得正，故曰父父、子子、兄兄、弟弟、夫夫、婦婦。初震交，震為子，為兄，為夫；三艮爻互坎，坎艮皆為弟；巽為婦。父子兄弟夫婦皆得正，則家正，家齊則國治，故曰天下定。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: In the Hexagram of the Family, the woman is within and occupies her proper position, the man is outside and occupies his proper position; both male and female are in their proper places, which is the great principle of heaven and earth. Within a family, there is a ruler who exercises authority, which refers to the parents. The father is like a father, the son like a son, the elder brother like an elder brother, the younger brother like a younger brother, the husband like a husband, and the wife like a wife; thus the family is properly ordered. When the family is properly ordered, the world is at peace. Shang's interpretation says: "The woman in her proper position within" refers to the Second Line, and "the man in his proper position outside" refers to the Fifth Line. The Second and Fifth Lines are the husband and wife, which are also heaven and earth, or the parents. Since both parents are in their proper positions, they are called "strict ruler," which means a superior authority. This hexagram has the five lines below the top line all in their proper positions, so it is said "the father is the father, the son is the son, the elder brother is the elder brother, the younger brother is the younger brother, the husband is the husband, and the wife is the wife." The First Line is the Zhen trigram, which represents the son, the elder brother, and the husband. The Third Line is the Gen trigram, and it also contains the Kan trigram. Both Kan and Gen represent the younger brother. The Xun trigram represents the wife. Thus, father and son, elder and younger brothers, husband and wife are all in their proper positions, and the family is properly ordered. When the family is properly ordered, the country is well governed, hence the world is at peace.

象曰：風自火出，家人。君子以言有物，而行有恆。巽木生火，火動生風，故曰風自火出。物，孔疏云事也。按《周禮·地官》司門幾出人之不物者，注：衣服視瞻，不與眾同，及所操物，不如品式者。然則不物即違常，即不法也。言有物者，即言不離乎經常也。

The Great Image Commentary says: Wind arises from fire, which is the hexagram of the Family. The gentleman takes it as a model, speaking with substance and acting with regularity. Shang's interpretation says: The wood of Xun generates fire, and when fire moves, wind arises, hence wind comes from fire. "Things" is explained by Kong Yingda as "affairs." According to the Zhou Li, the official in charge of the gate examines those who are "not in accordance with things," and Zheng Xuan's commentary says: those whose clothing and appearance are different from the norm, and those who carry objects that do not conform to standards. Thus, "not in accordance with things" means violating the norm and not following the law. "Speaking with substance" means speaking without departing from the regular way.

初九：閒有家，悔亡。《釋文》馬云：閒，闌也，防也。離中虛外堅，故離有閒義，即《太玄》所謂為物城郭也。能閉其家，故侮亡也。荀、鄭訓閒為閒習，似非。象曰：閒有家，志未變也。初應在四，四體坎，坎為志。志未變者，言初與四為正應，無敢或渝，所謂行有恆而家道正也。其以遂為說者，皆因不得解而穿鑿也。

The line statement for the first line (Initial Nine): At the beginning, establishing a defense for the family, regret disappears. Shang's interpretation: The "Classic Interpretation" cites Ma Rong as saying that "xián" means a fence or a barrier. The hexagram of Li (Fire) has a hollow center and a firm exterior, so Li has the meaning of "xián," which is what the "Tai Xuan" refers to as "building walls and fortifications for things." Being able to defend the family well, thus regret disappears. Xun Shuang and Zheng Xuan interpret "xián" as familiarity, which seems incorrect. The small image commentary says: "xián" has a family, meaning the mind has not changed. Shang's interpretation: The initial nine has a proper correspondence with the fourth line, which is in the body of Kan (Water). "Kan" represents will. "Will not change" means that the initial and fourth lines have a proper correspondence, and they dare not have the slightest deviation, which is what the Great Image Commentary refers to as acting with consistency and the family path being correct. Those who use the character "suì" to explain it are doing so because their interpretations do not make sense and are forced.

六二：無攸遂，在中饋，貞吉。象曰：家人高高（左口），未失也；婦子嘻嘻，失家節也。失、佚古通，未佚者言不敢放逸也。若嘻嘻則淫佚而不中節矣，故曰失家節。失，下讀得之失，上讀佚，以與節韻。

The Line Statement for line six-two says: Not to act independently and achieve things, but to stay at home and manage meals, the divination is auspicious. (The text below this is missing the Line Statement and commentary for line nine-three.) The Small Image Commentary says: If the whole family scolds severely, it is still not inappropriate; but if women and children laugh and joke, they have lost the proper conduct of managing the household. Shang's interpretation says: "Shi" and "yi" were anciently used interchangeably. "Wei shi" means not daring to indulge in pleasures; but if they laugh and joke, they become licentious and disorderly, thus losing the household's proper conduct. The same character "shi" is read as "shi" in the latter sentence meaning gain or loss, and as "yi" in the former sentence meaning indulgence, in order to rhyme with "jie."

六四：富家大吉。乾為富，四承重陽，當位有應，體坎，坎為室家，故曰富家大吉。凡上卦為巽，四當位無不吉者，如《小言》《觀》《益》《巽》《渙》《中孚》，六四皆吉。誰不當位者，雖臨重陽，不盡吉也，此《易》例也。虞翻旨命三變成艮，最為害理，三當位，胡為使失正哉。象曰：富家大吉，順在位也。言富之故，以順陽也。五得位，故曰順在位。

The line statement for the fourth line (six in the fourth) says: It brings family wealth and great good fortune. Shang's interpretation says: "Qian" represents wealth, and the fourth line is above two heavy yang lines, is in the proper position and has a correct response, and is located within the trigram Kan, which represents family. Therefore, it is said that a wealthy family brings great good fortune. In all hexagrams where the upper trigram is Xun, the fourth line is always good fortune if it is in the proper position, such as in the hexagrams Xiao Xu, Guan, Yi, Xun, Hun, Zhong Fu. Their sixth lines in the fourth position are all good. However, if the fourth line is not in the proper position, even if it is adjacent to two heavy yang lines, it does not necessarily bring full good fortune. This is the general rule in the Zhou Changes. Yu Fan forcefully insists that the third line changes into Gen, which is most damaging to the meaning. The third line was originally in the proper position, so why should it lose its correctness? The small image commentary says: Wealthy family brings great good fortune, because the line is flexible and occupies its proper position. Shang's interpretation says: This refers to the reason for wealth being due to following the yang line. The nine in the fifth position is in the proper position, so it is said to be flexible and in the proper position.

九五：王假有家，勿恤，吉。五天子，故曰王。假，《釋文》更白反，注至也。案《虞書》格子上下，傳：格，至也，是王弼、陸德明皆讀假為格，與《萃》之王假有廟同。王假有廟，言王以至誠感神明；王假有家，言王以至德威格家人，無有不正，故無所憂而吉也。象曰：王假有家，交相愛也。交相愛，謂二五交孚，即釋格義。諸家皆釋假為大，與交相愛之義相去甚遠，故唯王注為得也。

The fifth line statement says: The king moves in harmony with his family, there is no need to worry, and it is auspicious. Shang's interpretation: Five represents the Son of Heaven, so it is called the king. "Jia" is explained as "ge" in the "Classic Interpretation," which means "to reach." According to the "Book of Yu," there is "ge yu shangxia," and Kongzi explained "ge" as "to reach." Thus, Wang Bi and Lu Deming both read "jia" as "ge," which is the same as in the "Cui" hexagram "Wang ge you miao." "Wang ge you miao" means the king reaches the spirits through sincere virtue; "Wang ge you jia" means the king reaches his family through virtue, making all within the family upright, so there is no cause for worry and it is auspicious. The small image commentary says: The king reaches his family, meaning mutual love. Shang's interpretation: Mutual love refers to the mutual trust between lines two and five, which is explaining the meaning of "ge." All other interpretations take "jia" as "da," which is far from the meaning of "mutual love," so only Wang Bi's commentary is correct.

上九：有孚，威如，終吉。上九居家之上，為全家所戴，故曰有孚，曰威如。上居卦終，故曰終吉。象曰：威如之吉，反身之謂也。巽究成震，震為威，言震巽相反覆，故曰反身。虞翻命三變成陰，以說反身，三當位，胡能使變。乃惠棟不知其強說，謂《蹇》上六志在內為反身。夫《蹇》三上皆當位有應與，若《家人》則三上皆陽，艮傳所謂敵應也，上胡能反三哉。

The line statement for the top line (上九): There is sincerity and authority, ultimately leading to good fortune. Shang's interpretation: The top line is at the top of the hexagram, supported by the whole family, hence there is sincerity and authority; the top line is at the end of the hexagram, hence it leads to good fortune. The small image commentary says: The good fortune of authority comes from self-reflection. Shang's interpretation: "Xun" (wind) reaches its extreme and becomes "Zhen" (thunder), and "Zhen" represents authority; this indicates that "Zhen" and "Xun" are opposite to each other, hence self-reflection. Yu Fan explains "self-reflection" by changing the third line to a yin line; the third line was originally in the correct position, so changing it is forced. Hui Dong did not realize this was a forced interpretation, and he also said that the line "the mind is within" in the "Jian" hexagram's top line refers to self-reflection. In the "Jian" hexagram, the third line and the top line are both in the correct position and have mutual correspondence, but in the "Jia Ren" hexagram, the third line and the top line are both yang lines, which is exactly the situation described in the "Gen" hexagram's commentary as opposing correspondence. How could the top line seek the third line for self-reflection?

睽，對事吉。《歸藏》作瞿，《說文》鷹隼視也，《禮·玉藻》視容瞿瞿，注：驚視不審貌。夫驚而懼，視而不審，則視象必至乖違明矣。至《周易》日睽，義與瞿略同。睽，乖也，《說文》目不相聽也。卦三至五兩目相背，相背則視乖。聽，從也，不相從，則一目視為彼，一目視為此，如三上所言是也。蓋卦之得名，全以卦象。《六書故》：睽，反目也。與《說文》義同。自反目之義失，舊解於三上爻辭皆莫詳其故矣。小謂陰，六五得中有應，故小事吉也。

The Hexagram of Kui states: "Minor matters bring good fortune." Shang's interpretation says: In the "Guicang" version of the Book of Changes, this hexagram is called "Qu." The "Shuowen" explains that "Qu" refers to a hawk or falcon staring with wide open eyes. The "Zi Zhuang" in the "Liji" says "looking with a startled gaze," and Zheng's commentary explains that this is a look of alarm and unclear vision. If one is both startled and fearful, and sees without clarity, then the vision must be distorted, which is clear. When the Zhou Changes changed the name to "Kui," its meaning is roughly the same as "Qu." "Kui" means to be estranged or to be out of harmony. The "Shuowen" says that "Kui" refers to the eyes not looking in the same direction. The lines three to five of this hexagram represent the image of two eyes looking in opposite directions. When they look apart, their vision becomes separated. "Listening" means following; when the eyes do not look in the same direction, one eye looks here and the other looks there, which is exactly the situation described in the line statements of line six in the third position and line nine at the top. This shows that the name of this hexagram comes entirely from its symbolic image. The "Liu Shu Gu" says "Kui" means to turn one's back, which is the same meaning as in the "Shuowen." Since the meaning of "turning one's back" has been lost, the old commentaries have failed to explain the line statements of line three and the top line. "Minor" refers to the yao (line) of yin, and line five, which is in the center and has a proper response, thus brings good fortune in minor matters.

象曰：睽，火動而上，澤動而下，二女同居，其志不同行。說而麗乎明，柔進而上行，得中而應乎剛，是以小事吉。天地睽而其事同也，男女睽而其志通也，萬物睽而其事類也，睽之時用大矣哉。火性炎上而即居上，水潤下而即居下，愈去愈遠，故二女同居不同行。坎為志也。然所以睽者，以同為女也。若夫天地男女，其形雖睽隔，而其功用，無不和合而同也；其心志無不相感而通也。即推而至於萬物，若繁賾不可計數矣，然只有物即有陰陽，有牝牡，陰陽牝牡，則必合而為類無疑也。故睽亦有時有用也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram of parting is characterized by fire moving upward and marsh moving downward. Two women living together have different aspirations. They are joyful and attached to brightness. The flexible lines ascend to a position of honor, achieving the center and responding to the strong, thus achieving good results in minor matters. Heaven and earth are separated but their nurturing functions are the same; men and women are separated but their aspirations are connected; all things are separated but they follow their own kinds. The use of parting is indeed great. Shang's interpretation says: Fire naturally rises upward and is already in the upper position; water naturally flows downward and is already in the lower position. The more they are separated, so to speak, the more they are said to be two women living together but not walking together. "Kan" represents aspirations. However, the reason for separation is that both are women. As for heaven and earth and men and women, although their forms are separated, their functions are harmonious and unified, and their aspirations are mutually responsive. Extending this to all things, although they are numerous and varied, there is always yin and yang, and male and female. Where there is yin and yang and male and female, there must be a classification and combination, which is certain. Therefore, "parting" also has its time and its function.

象曰：上火下澤，睽。君子以同而異。同者同為女，異者不同行。君子法之，不拘於一。初九：悔亡，喪馬，勿逐自復，見惡人，無咎。震為馬，兌二折震，震毀，故曰喪馬。震為復，二必升五，升五則下成震，故曰自復。離為惡人，初前遇之，兌見，故曰見惡人。蓋初居潛龍之位，勿用之時，居易俟命，無所動作，故悔亡而無咎也。象曰：見惡人，以辟咎也。

The Great Image Commentary says: Above is fire, below is marsh, which is the hexagram of Kui. The gentleman takes it as a model, maintaining small differences within great harmony. Shang's interpretation: "Same" refers to both being women, "different" refers to differing aspirations; the gentleman follows this, not being confined to one aspect. The line statement for the first line: Regret disappears, losing a horse, there is no need to chase, it will return by itself; encountering an evil person, there is no blame. Shang's interpretation: "Zhen" represents a horse, and "Dui" at the second line breaks "Zhen," indicating the image of destruction, so losing the horse. "Zhen" represents return, and the nine at the second line must ascend to the fifth position. After ascending to the fifth, the lower part again becomes "Zhen," so it returns by itself. "Li" represents an evil person, and the first line moving forward meets it. "Dui" represents seeing, so encountering an evil person. The first line is in the position of a hidden dragon, which is a time of non-action. It remains in a peaceful state, waiting for the mandate of heaven, taking no action, so regret disappears and there is no blame. The Small Image Commentary says: Meeting an evil person is to avoid calamity.

九二：遇主于巷，無咎。五為卦主，《豐》九四云遇其夷主是也。二應之，離為巷，故曰遇主于巷。有應得中，故無咎。離巷象失傳。《易林》《無妄》之《小畜》云：魷蝦去海，遊於枯裡，街道迫狹，不得自在。小畜上巽為魚，故曰魷蝦；乾為海，巽在外，故曰去海；離為桔為裡為街巷，《說文》巷，裡道；《詩·鄭風》巷無居人，傳曰巷裡塗。離上下陽，中虛，儼然里巷也。巷為裡道，故象曰未失道。巷象失傳，故舊解無不誤，不足怪也。象曰：遇主于巷，未失道也。得應，故曰未失道。

The line statement for the second line (Nine in the Second): encountering the master in the alley, there is no fault. Shang's interpretation says: the fifth line is the main line of the entire hexagram. In the hexagram of Fullness, the fourth line says "meeting the夷master," which is used in this way. The second line corresponds with it. "Li" represents the alley, so it says meeting the master in the alley. Because it has a correct correspondence and is in the central position, there is no fault. The image of "Li" as an alley has been lost. In "Jiao's Forest of Changes," the hexagram of No Deceit and the hexagram of Small Increase says: "Shrimp and fish leave the sea, moving in the dry alley, the streets are narrow, they cannot be free." The upper trigram of Small Increase is Xun, representing fish, so it refers to shrimp and fish; "Qian" represents the sea, and Xun is in the outer trigram, so it refers to leaving the sea; "Li" represents dryness, alley, and street. The "Shuo Wen" says that an alley is the path within a li. The "Book of Songs, Zheng Feng" has "the alley has no inhabitants," and Mao's commentary says that an alley is the path within a li. The hexagram of Li has yang above and below, with the middle empty, which clearly resembles an alley. Since an alley is the path within a li, the small image commentary says "has not lost the way." The image of the alley has been lost, so old interpretations are not accurate, which is not surprising. The small image commentary says: meeting the master in the alley, has not deviated from the correct path. Shang's interpretation says: because it has a correct correspondence, it says has not lost the way.

六三：見輿曳，其牛掣，其人天且劓，無初有終。兌為見，坎為輿，為曳，坎輿在前，而三居坎後，故曰見輿曳。五離為牛。掣鄭作，雲牛角皆踴也，踴，起也。《說文》作獎，雲角一仰一俯；子夏傳作獎，雲一角仰。案契、契（下加解）同字，皆音摯，義皆同。又《易林》《大言》之《睽》云：傷破妄行，觸壁契（下加解）牆。亦以角踴為說，不以滯隔為訓。只王弼作掣，音與諸家同，義與諸家異，非也。其牛契（？）者，言牛角騰踴上出也。

The line statement for the sixth line in the third position: seeing a large cart being dragged, the ox's horns are raised up, and the person has been subjected to the punishment of branding and nose-cutting, initially not smooth but eventually resulting in something. Shang's interpretation says: "Dui" represents seeing, "Kan" represents a cart and dragging; the cart is in front and the sixth line is behind Kan, so it is said to see the cart being dragged. The fifth line is in the body of Li, "Li" represents an ox. The character "chē" is interpreted by Zheng Xuan in another way, saying that all the ox's horns are raised up, "yǒng" means rising. The "Shuowen" gives another character, saying that one horn is raised and the other is lowered; Zi Xia's commentary also uses that character, saying that one horn is raised. These two characters originally are the same, both read as "zhì," and their meanings are the same. Also, in "Jiao's Forest of Changes" under "Dàyǒu" and "Kuí," it says, "Injury and reckless movement, hitting a wall and pulling against a wall," which refers to the horns being raised up, not as an obstruction. Only Wang Bi uses "chē," which is pronounced the same as the other interpretations, but his meaning differs from the others, which is incorrect. "Its ox is pulling," refers to the ox's horns rising up.

天。馬融雲契（？）鑿其額曰天，虞翻雲黥額為天，割鼻為劓，鯨即古之墨刑，馬云鑿殆誤也。艮為額為鼻，艮伏不見，故曰劓；兌上毀缺，故曰天。惟古刑無名天者。俞越（左　）云：天為兀字，古文天作兀（下再加兀），以形近，故兀訛為天。《莊子》云魯有兀者，《釋文》云刖足曰兀。其人兀且劓，猶《困》九五曰劓刖也。按三震象半見，故曰刖足，俞氏之說或是也。

Now talking about the character 「天」. Ma Rong said that carving the forehead was called 「天」. Yu Fan said that tattooing the forehead with ink was called 「天」, and cutting off the nose was called 「劓」. Qing (黥) is the ancient name for tattooing. Ma Rong said 「凿」 (carving) might be wrong. 「艮」 refers to the forehead and the nose; since 「艮」 is hidden and not visible, it is said to be 「劓」. 「兑」 is on top and has the appearance of something broken, so it is called 「天」. However, there was no name called 「天」 in ancient punishments. Yu Yue said: 「天」 is actually the character 「兀」. The ancient form of 「天」 was similar to 「兀」, so 「兀」 was mistakenly written as 「天」. The book 「Zhuangzi」 says 「Lu had a person who was hunchbacked」, and 「Classic of Phonology」 says cutting off the foot was called 「兀」. 「His person was hunchbacked and had his nose cut off」, which is similar to the line 「劓刖」 in the 「Guan」 hexagram's line nine in the fifth position. Shang said: Line six in the third position is in the middle of the appearance of 「震」, so it is said to be amputating the foot. Yu's explanation might be correct.

又胡安定云：天當作而，古文相類，傳寫遂誤。在漢法臉罪，無髡其鬢髮日而。又《周禮》梓人作其鱗之而，亦謂髡其鬢髮。按之而，注訓為頰版，《釋文》云禿也，《玉篇》亦訓頎為禿，賈疏亦無髡其鬢髮之解，然版之為禿，字書皆同，則而者禿也。禿則天然無發，不必受刑，似胡說不如俞說優也。三不當位，故初不吉；有應承陽，故曰有終。

Hu Yuan said: The character "tian" should be read as "er". In ancient texts, the two characters are similar in form, and errors occurred during copying. In the Han dynasty legal system, the髡刑 (kun刑) punishment involved shaving the side hair, called "er". The "Zi Ren" section of the "Zhou Li" mentions "zuo qi lin zhi er", which also refers to shaving the side hair. Shang氏 noted: "zhi er", Zheng's annotation interprets it as the armor plate on the cheek, the "Classic Explanation" says it means bald, the "Yu Pian" also interprets the character as bald, and Jia Gongyan's commentary does not explain it as shaving the side hair. However, if "ban" is interpreted as bald, all the dictionaries agree, so "er" means bald. Since baldness is naturally hairless, there is no need for punishment. Therefore, Hu's interpretation seems less appropriate than Yu's. The sixth line in the third position is not in the correct position, so the initial situation is not auspicious; there is a correct response and it is supported by a yang line above, so it is said to have a final outcome.

象曰：見奧曳，位不當也；無初有終，遇剛也。位不當故無初，遇剛故有終。九四：睽孤，遇元夫，交孚，厲無咎。坎為孤為夫。虞翻強令四變成震，以取夫象。豈知《左傳》襄二十四年筮遇困之大過，坎變巽，曰夫從風，以坎為夫也。坎者乾元之精，故曰元夫；比曰元永貞，是其義也。四上下皆陰，故曰交孚。坎險故曰厲，交孚則志行，故厲無咎。象曰：交孚無咎，志行也。坎為志。志行，言陽得陰則孚也。此爻舊解皆用虞氏交變，取夫象，信漢儒不信左氏，豈不異哉。

The Small Image explains the line nine in the third: the chariot is held back, the ox is pulled, because line six in the third is yin and flexible in a yang position, which is inappropriate. Initially it meets resistance but eventually achieves harmony, because it corresponds with line nine at the top, which is yang. The position is inappropriate so there is no beginning, but meeting yang leads to a successful conclusion. The line four statement says: isolated and in conflict, yet encountering the 'original husband', they communicate with sincerity, though in a dangerous situation, there is no fault. 'Kan' is both 'isolated' and 'husband'. Yu Fan forced line four to change into 'Zhen' to form the image of 'husband', but did not realize that in the 'Zuo Zhuan' of the twenty-fourth year of Duke Xiang, Cui Zhu divined for marrying Tang Jiang, and encountered 'Kun' changing into 'Da Guo', which was the lower trigram 'Kan' changing into 'Xun'. The divination statement said 'the husband follows the wind', showing that before the Han dynasty, 'Kan' was already considered as 'husband'. The single yang in 'Kan' is the essence of 'Qian' yuan, so it is called 'original husband'. The 'Bi' hexagram statement 'original enduring sincerity' has the same meaning. Line four is surrounded by yin above and below, so yin and yang meet and trust each other, hence it is said 'mutual trust'. 'Kan' represents danger, so it is said 'dangerous'. Since mutual trust has already been achieved, the mind is connected, so even though dangerous, there is no calamity. The Small Image says that mutual trust leads to no fault because the will is carried out, because 'Kan' is also 'will'—when a yang line meets a yin line, they can trust each other. Old annotations universally used Yu Fan's line change theory to form the image of 'husband', preferring the Han Confucian rules rather than the actual records in the 'Zuo Zhuan', which is really strange.

六五：悔亡，厥宗噬膚，往何咎。同人六二云「同人于宗」，以五陽為宗，宗主也，坤先述後得主是也。茲以九二為宗。艮為膚，以剛在外也，故離亦為膚。二兌體，兌口逼近離膚，故曰厥宗噬膚。然二為正應，二五相上下，各得位，故往無咎。離膚象，《易林·師之井》云「范子妙材，戮辱傷膚」，井互離，兌毀折，故曰戮辱；離兌連體，故傷膚，是焦氏以離為膚也。井中爻亦睽也。象曰：厥宗噬膚，往有慶也。得陽應，故曰有慶。

The line statement of the fifth line says: regret disappears, the person from the same clan bites through the skin, going forward, is there any calamity? The line statement of the second line in the hexagram of 'Following' says 'following the clan,' so the yang line of the fifth line is taken as 'clan,' and 'clan' means the main one. The hexagram statement of 'Earth' first says 'first being lost' and then 'finding the main one,' which is the same meaning. Here, however, the yang line of the second line is taken as 'clan.' The hexagram 'Mountain' has the image of 'skin,' taking the outer yang line as skin covering the body. 'Fire' is also taken as 'skin,' because its outer part is strong and its middle is empty. The second line is in the lower part of 'Lake,' which is mouth. The mouth is adjacent to 'Fire,' which represents skin, so it is said 'the main one bites through the skin.' The second line and the fifth line are originally in a correct correspondence, each occupying their proper position, so going forward brings no calamity. As for the evidence that 'Fire' represents 'skin,' the 'Forest of Changes' by Jiao Yanshou, in the hexagram 'Well' from 'Army,' says 'Fan Zi is a talented man, punished and disgraced, injuring the skin.' The second to fourth lines of the 'Well' hexagram form the 'Fire' hexagram, and 'Lake' represents destruction, so it is said 'punished and disgraced.' 'Fire' and 'Lake' are connected, so it is said 'injuring the skin,' showing that Jiao Yanshou indeed took 'Fire' as 'skin.' The middle line of the 'Well' hexagram also forms the hexagram 'Strife.' The 'Small Image' says that the main one biting through the skin going forward brings joy, because the fifth line receives the yang line of the second line, so it is called 'joy.'

上九：膜孤，見豕負塗，載鬼一車，先張之弧，後說之壺，匪寇，婚媾，往遇雨則吉。睽為反目，目反故所見不同：一日見為豕，一見為鬼；一目見張弧而懼，一見說壺而喜；一見為寇，一見為婚媾也。見字統全爻而言，反目之精神全出。舊解若只見豕負塗者，由不知睽之取象，在反目也。

The line statement for the top nine: separated and isolated, seeing a pig carrying mud on its back, seeing a cart carrying ghosts, first drawing the bow to shoot, then putting down the bow; the one coming is not a robber, but a suitor; if going forward and encountering rain, it is auspicious. The imagery of the hexagram "Kui" is "turning back," meaning the two eyes look in different directions, so although it is the same object, the two eyes see it differently: one sees a pig, the other sees a ghost; one sees drawing the bow and feels fear, the other sees putting down the bow and feels joy; one sees a robber, the other sees a marriage proposal. The character "see" in the line statement encompasses the entire line, fully expressing the spirit of conflicting eyes. Old interpretations that take "seeing a pig carrying mud" as literally seeing a muddy pig do not understand the fundamental imagery of the hexagram "Kui," which lies in "turning back."

離為見，互坎為豕、為塗、為車、為鬼。坎數一，故曰一車。坎為弧為矢，張弧則欲射我矣。離為壺，說遺也，而坎為酒，遺我以壺酒，則意善也。坎為寇，三雖坎體，而應上九，則婚媾也，寇則非矣。兌為雨，上往居三，故曰遇雨。三上相上下，各當位，故吉。之上內，宜曰來，然賽五往外也曰朋來，需三往上也曰三人來，蓋自本位言則曰來，去本位言則曰往，不能執也。壺，王弼作弧，茲從京、馬、鄭、王肅、翟子玄。說，《釋文》始銳反，音稅。象曰：遇雨之吉，君疑亡也。坎為疑，疑之故全在坎。上往三成大壯，天雷一震，坎象消釋，故曰群疑亡。坎為眾，故曰群疑，即上所見諸象也。

The trigram "Li" represents the eye, hence it signifies "seeing." From the third to the fifth lines, the trigrams form an inner "Kan," which has various symbolic meanings such as "pig," "mud," "chariot," and "ghost." The number of "Kan" is one, so it is said "one chariot." "Kan" also represents bow and arrow, and drawing the bow implies the intention to shoot at me. "Li" is hollow in the middle, hence it signifies "vessel." "Shuo" means to give as a gift; "Kan" represents wine, so when someone gives a vessel of wine as a gift, it signifies goodwill. "Kan" also represents bandits; although the sixth line in the third position belongs to the "Kan" trigram, it corresponds with the top line, which signifies a marriage, not banditry. "Dui" represents rain, and the top line descending to the third position signifies "meeting rain." The third line and the top line correspond internally and externally, and each is in its proper position, hence it is auspicious. The top line descending to the inner trigram, by its own position, should be said "coming"; however, in the hexagram "Zhan," the ninth line of the fifth position refers to "companions coming," and in the hexagram "Xu," the ninth line of the third position refers to "three people coming." This shows that when focusing on the original position, it is said "coming," but when considering movement away from the original position, it is said "going," and one should not be rigid in this regard. The character "hu" in Wang Bi's version is written as "hu," following the interpretations of Jing Fang, Ma Rong, Zheng Xuan, Wang Su, and Zhai Zi Xuan. The character "shuo" is pronounced "shui" according to the "Shi Wen" commentary. The "Xiao Xiang" explains the auspiciousness of meeting rain as the elimination of doubts. "Kan" represents doubt, and the generation of doubt within one line is due to the mutual "Kan" trigram. The top line descending to the third position forms the hexagram "Da Zhuang," with thunder moving in the sky, and the "Kan" image dissipates, hence it is said "doubts vanish." "Kan" also represents the multitude, hence "group" doubt refers to the series of illusory images seen earlier, such as the pig, ghost, bow, and bandits.

蹇：利西南，不利東北，利見大人，貞吉。重坎故日蹇。坤在西南，五往居坤中，得中有應，放曰利西南。艮居東北，三陽窮於上而多凶，故不利東北。大人謂五，往得尊位，故利於出見，傳所謂往有功也。往五當位居中，故貞吉。

The hexagram "Jian" (Obstruction) states: It is advantageous to go to the southwest, but not to the northeast; it is advantageous to see a great person, and to maintain correctness brings good fortune. This hexagram has "Gen" (Mountain) below and "Kan" (Water) above. The second to fourth lines also form an intercalated "Kan," and together with the upper trigram "Kan," it forms a double "Kan," indicating danger upon danger, hence the name "Jian" (which means stumbling or difficulty in advancing). In the Later Heaven trigrams, "Kun" (Earth) is located in the southwest. The line nine two moves to occupy the central position of "Kun," thus attaining the center and having a responding line, hence it is advantageous to go to the southwest. "Gen" (Mountain) is located in the northeast. The line nine three, being yang, is blocked by the upper trigram and faces many dangers, hence it is not advantageous to go to the northeast. "Great person" refers to line nine five. When line nine two moves towards it, it attains the position of honor, hence it is advantageous to go out and meet it. The "Commentary on the Judgment" says "going brings merit," which is exactly this meaning. When the line moves to the fifth position, it is both in the correct position and in the center, hence "correctness brings good fortune."

彖曰：蹇，雞也，險在前也。見險而能止，知矣哉。蹇利西南，往得中也。不利東北，其道窮也。利見大人，往有功也。當位員吉，以正邦也。蹇之時用大矣哉。坎險又止，故曰見險而能止，此卦義也。虞翻於利不利之故，蓋茫然莫解，復以《參同契》月出庚之說解利西南，月滅癸之說解不利東北。豈知茲所謂西南確指坤位，坤為邦，五居坤中，故曰正邦。而翻則曰月生西南，夫月於三日出庚，庚豈西南哉，真管輅所謂美而偽也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Jian" means difficulty, with obstacles in front. Seeing danger and stopping without advancing is truly wise. "Jian is favorable to the Southwest" refers to the Nine in the Second position moving forward to reach the central position. "Unfavorable to the Northeast" means that path has reached its end. "Favorable to see a great man" means that moving forward can achieve success. "Being in the correct position and maintaining sincerity brings good fortune" means using this to correct the state. The function of the "Jian" hexagram is indeed great. The upper trigram "Kan" represents danger, and the lower trigram "Gen" represents stopping, so it is said "seeing danger and being able to stop," which is the main meaning of the entire hexagram. Yu Fan was actually confused about why it is favorable to the Southwest and unfavorable to the Northeast. He even cited the "Zhou Yi Cangtongqi" saying "the moon arises in Geng" to explain "favorable to the Southwest," and "the moon disappears in Gui" to explain "unfavorable to the Northeast." He had no idea that the Southwest here actually refers to the "Kun" position. "Kun" represents the state, and the Nine in the Fifth is in the central position of "Kun," so the Commentary on the Judgment says "correcting the state." Yu Fan, however, said the moon arises in the Southwest — the moon appears on the third day in the Geng direction, which is the west, not the Southwest. This is truly what Guan Lu criticized as "beautiful but false."

象曰：山上有水，蹇。君子以反身修德。見險而止，反身修德，以俟之而已。文言云「進德修業」，乾三云「君子終日乾乾夕惕若」，修德之事也。艮為身，反身者反而求諸己，不徒止而不前也。艮身象，艮彖云「艮其背不獲其身」，以艮為身也。故《易林·需之坎》云「名困身辱，勞無所得」，坎中爻艮，艮為名、為身，坎隱伏，故名困身辱。虞翻用卦變，以坤為身，不知艮亦為身也。

The Great Image says: mountains with water on top represent the hexagram of Difficulty; thus, the gentleman understands the need to examine himself and cultivate virtue. When danger is seen, one should stop and turn back to cultivate one's virtue, waiting for the right opportunity. The "Wenyan" section of the "Qian" hexagram says "cultivating virtue and developing one's career," and the "Nine in the Third" of the "Qian" hexagram says "the gentleman remains diligent all day and remains cautious at night," both referring to the cultivation of virtue. The hexagram "Gen" has the image of the body, meaning "turning back to oneself" refers to seeking virtue within oneself, not merely stopping and not moving forward. The association of "Gen" with the body is well established: the hexagram statement of "Gen" says "keeping still on the back, not obtaining the body," which clearly uses "Gen" to represent the body. Therefore, in the "Jiao's Forest of Changes · Xu Zhì Can," it says "fame is confined and the body is disgraced, labor yields nothing," because the second to fourth lines of the "Can" hexagram form "Gen," which represents both "fame" and "body," and "Can" signifies concealment and obscurity, hence fame is confined and the body is disgraced. Yu Fan interpreted this by using hexagram transformation, taking "Kun" as the body, but did not realize that "Gen" itself represents the body.

初六：往黎，來譽。四不應，二至四坎，初臨之，故往蹇；來居初，靜而不動，則有譽也。又為名，故曰譽。象曰：往蹇來譽，宜時也。宜時，正義作宜待，釋文云張氏作宜時，鄭本作宜待時，虞同，茲從張氏。艮為時，宜時者，謂時宜如此也。阮校云：石經待也二字漫漶，而不言上有宜宇，可見鄭虞讀似非。

The Line Statement for the first line (Initial Six): going forward is difficult, but returning brings reputation. The first line and the fourth line are both yin lines and do not correspond with each other. The lines from two to four form the trigram "Kan" (Water), symbolizing danger. The first line is adjacent to this dangerous situation, so going forward is difficult. Retreating to the initial position and remaining still brings reputation. The trigram "Gen" (Mountain) also represents "name" or "reputation," hence the term "reputation" is used. The "Small Explanation" says: going forward is difficult, returning brings reputation, which is appropriate for the time. The phrase "appropriate for the time" is in the "Correct Meaning of the Zhou Changes" by Kong Yingda as "appropriate to wait." Lu Deming's "Commentary on the Classics" says that the Zhang version reads "appropriate for the time," Zheng Xuan's version reads "appropriate to wait," and Yu Fan and Zheng Xuan are the same. Here we follow the Zhang version. "Gen" represents "time," so "appropriate for the time" means that the situation naturally calls for this. Yuan Ruan's "Notes on Textual Criticism" says that the Tang stone inscription's "wait" is blurred and indistinct, but it did not mention the presence of the character "appropriate" above it, suggesting that the reading of Zheng Xuan and Yu Fan may not be correct.

六二：王臣蹇蹇，匪躬之故。艮為臣，五為王，二應五，故曰王臣。艮為憧僕，古臣僕不分，故艮亦為臣。二臨重坎，故曰王臣蹇蹇，蹇蹇言劬勞也。艮為躬，匪躬之故，言所以劬勞如此者，乃從王事，匪為私也。艮臣象，損上九云「得臣無家」，小過六二云「遇其臣」，遁六三云「畜臣妾吉」，皆以艮為臣也。象曰：王巨蹇蹇，終無尤也。有應故無尤。尤古音信，詩部風「大夫君子，無我有尤」，與下之協；此與上時下之協，與詩同，故正義上象作宜待非。

The line statement for the second line says: The king's minister toils with great difficulty, not for his own sake. "Gèn" represents a minister, and "nine in the fifth" represents the king. The second line corresponds with the fifth line, so it is said "the king's minister." "Gèn" also represents a servant, and in ancient times, ministers and servants were not distinguished, so "Gèn" also represents a minister. The second line is in the position below "Kǎn," so it is said "the king's minister toils with great difficulty." "Jiǎnjiǎn" describes tireless toil. "Gèn" also has the meaning of "gōng" (self), so "fěi gōng zhī gù" means that he toils like this for the sake of the king's affairs, not for his own benefit. There is further evidence that "Gèn" represents a minister: the upper ninth line of "Sǔn" says "obtaining a minister without a family," the second line of "Xiǎo Guò" says "meeting his minister," and the third line of "Dùn" says "keeping servants and concubines is auspicious," all of which take "Gèn" as a minister. The small commentary says: The king's minister toils with great difficulty, ultimately without blame. The second line has a proper correspondence, so there is no blame. The character "yóu" in ancient pronunciation rhymes with the "zhī" rhyme class. In the "Poetry · Bèi Fēng" (now in "Yōng Fēng · Zài chí"), "dàfū jūnzi, wú wǒ yǒu yóu" rhymes with the "zhī" in the following line. Here, "yóu" rhymes with "shí" in the previous small commentary and "zhī" in the following text, just like in the Poetry. This shows that the "Zhou Yi Zhenyi" is incorrect in writing the previous small commentary as "yí dài."

九三：往蹇，來反。往遇險，反據下二陰則利也，故曰往蹇來反。象曰：往蹇來反，內喜之也。內謂下二陰，陰欲承陽，故曰內喜之，釋來反之故也。六四：往蹇，來連。正義馬云「連亦難也」，王弼云「往來皆難」，是亦訓連為難。蓋四居上下坎之間，故往來皆難。荀爽謂與至尊相連，朱子謂連於九三者皆非也。又屯上六云「泣血漣如」，淮南子引作連如，蓋與此義同，亦連為難之一證。

The line statement for the third line (nine in the third): going forward is difficult, but returning brings support. The third line moves upward and encounters the danger of the "Kan" trigram, but returning brings it to the support of the two yin lines below, the initial line and the second line, which is advantageous. Therefore it says "going is difficult, returning is favorable." The small commentary says: "going is difficult, returning is favorable," refers to the joy within. "Within" refers to the two yin lines below, which naturally wish to support the yang line, so the inner yin lines welcome it, explaining why "returning is favorable." The line statement for the fourth line (six in the fourth): going forward is difficult, and returning also involves difficulty. The "Zhou Yi Zhenyi" cites Ma Rong who says "connected is also difficult," and Wang Bi says "both going and returning are difficult," showing that they both interpret "lian" as "difficult." The fourth line is sandwiched between the upper "Kan" and the interacting "Kan," so both going and returning are difficult. Xun Shuang says "lian" refers to being connected to the supreme position, and Zhu Xi says it refers to being connected to the third line, both of which are incorrect. Additionally, the upper sixth line of "Zun" says "crying blood with tears," which the "Huainanzi" cites as "lian ru," which has the same meaning, providing further evidence that "lian" is interpreted as "difficult."

象曰：往蹇來連，當位實也。坎為實，當位實者，言四位當，惟所值上下皆實，故進退難也。坎剛中故為實。《易林·屯之師》云「李梅冬實」，師震為李梅，坎為冬為實也。舊解皆以乾為實，致此句義不明瞭。豈知此賓字謂坎，上下坎，方能明來往皆難之義也。

The Xiao Xiang says: "Going on the difficult path and coming with connection, this is the situation of being in the right position and being solid." "Kan" has the image of "solidity." What is meant by "being in the right position and being solid" is that the sixth line in the fourth position, being a yin line in a yin position, is originally in the right place, but the lines above and below it are both "Kan," which represents "solidity," hence the difficulty of moving forward or backward. "Kan" has one yang line in the center and is strong, hence it is called "solid." The Jiao's Forest of Changes, in the section on "Zun" changing into "Shi," says "Plum and peach bear fruit in winter." — The lower trigram of "Shi" is "Zhen," which represents plum and peach, and the upper trigram is "Kan," which represents winter and fruit. Old interpretations all took "Qian" as "solidity," making this sentence hard to understand. They did not realize that the character "solid" here refers to "Kan." Only by recognizing that both above and below are "Kan" can the difficulty of moving forward or backward be clearly explained.

九五：大蹇，用來。當位居尊，故曰大蹇。陰以陽為朋，陽往陰中，故曰朋來。虞翻以下卦伏兌為朋，豈知象傳曰中節，即謂五居坤中，如合符節，釋朋義也。象曰：大蹇朋來，以中節也。言五在陰中，陰陽相遇，如符節之合。

The Line Statement of the Fifth Line (Nine Five): In great difficulty, companions come. Nine Five, with a Yang line in a Yang position, is in the proper place and holds a high position, so it is said 'great difficulty'. Yin takes Yang as 'companions', and a Yang line moving among a group of Yins is said 'companions come'. Yu Fan took the hidden 'Dui' within the Lower Trigram 'Gen' as 'companions', but did not understand the 'Small Image' which says 'it is in the middle and proper'. This is precisely referring to Nine Five being in the middle position of 'Kun' (the group of Yins), like two halves of a seal fitting together perfectly. The statement itself is explaining the meaning of 'companions'. The 'Small Image' says: 'Great difficulty, companions come, because it is in the middle and proper.' It means that Nine Five is in the midst of many Yins, where Yin and Yang meet, like a seal fitting perfectly without any gap.

上六：往蹇，來碩，吉，利見大人。上窮故往蹇。來碩謂應三，三陽故曰碩。爾雅釋詁「碩，大也」，陽大故曰碩。利見大人，謂順五，五為大人。象曰：往蹇來頂，志在內也；利見大人，以從貴也。應三故曰在內，三體坎，故曰志在內。五天子位，故曰從貴。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: going forward is difficult, but returning brings great gain, which is auspicious and favorable for meeting a great person. The sixth line at the top has reached the end of the entire hexagram, and going further is impossible, hence it is said 'going is difficult.' 'Coming and gaining' refers to its correspondence with the third line, which is a yang line. Yang represents greatness, hence it is said 'great gain.' The Er Ya says 'suo means great,' and since yang lines represent greatness, it is called 'great.' 'Favorable for meeting a great person' refers to the sixth line following and supporting the fifth line, which is called 'the great person.' The Xiao Xiang says: going is difficult and coming brings great gain, indicating the mind is within; favorable for meeting a great person, because it follows the noble. The sixth line corresponds with the third line, which is within the inner trigram, hence 'within'; the third line also belongs to the mutual 'Kan' trigram, 'Kan' represents 'mind,' hence 'mind is within.' The fifth line is the position of the Son of Heaven, hence 'following the noble.'

解：利西南，無所往，其來復吉；有攸往，夙吉。震出險故曰解。歸藏作荔，荔與離通。上林賦「答（上草）還離支」，離支即荔支；千祿字書「離支，俗作荔支」，是離荔音同通用。離即解也，義與周易同。坤位西南，四居坤初，前臨重陰，陽得陰則通，故利西南。五得敵，故不利往，來復於二，各當其位，故曰其來復吉。有攸往，謂二往五。夙，早也。禮記孔子間居「夙夜基命有密」，疏「夙即聽也，聽明也」。二坎為夜，五震為晨，二往五則由夜及晨而天明矣，明故吉也。舊解于吉之故，皆言早往得位故吉，而王注詁夙為速尤誤。豈知詩書皆以夙與夜對言，夙為早者，言早晨也，非速也。

The hexagram statement of "Jie" (Release) says: it is favorable to go to the southwest; if there is no place to go, returning to the original position is auspicious; if there is a place to go, going early is favorable. The upper trigram "Zhen" (Thunder) moves out from the lower trigram "Kan" (Water) danger, thus called "Jie" (Release). In the "Guicang," this hexagram is called "Li," which is the same as "Li" (Fire). The "Shiji" (Records of the Grand Historian) mentions "Da te li zhi," which refers to "li zhi" as lychee; the "Ganlu Zishu" by Yan Yuansun says "li zhi" is commonly written as "li zhi." This shows that "li" and "li" are pronounced the same and can be used interchangeably. "Li" is the same as "Jie," which aligns with the meaning of the hexagram in the "Zhouyi." The trigram "Kun" is located in the southwest; the line nine four is at the beginning of the upper trigram's yin lines. It faces two yin lines ahead, and yang meeting yin leads to communication, hence it is favorable to go to the southwest. The line nine five and nine four are both yang, which is "getting an opponent," so it is not favorable to go forward; returning to the second position, each line is in its proper place, hence "coming back is auspicious." "You you wang" refers to line nine two moving to the fifth position. "Su" means early. In the "Liji" (Book of Rites), "su ye ji ming you mi," the commentary by Kong Jun says "su is xin, xin is morning." The lower trigram "Kan" represents night, the upper trigram "Zhen" represents morning, and line nine two moving up to the fifth position is moving from night to morning, hence the light of day. Old commentaries explain this "auspiciousness" as going early to gain a position, hence auspicious. Wang Bi's commentary interprets "su" as "quick," which is even more incorrect. They fail to consider that in the "Shijing" (Book of Songs) and "Shangshu" (Book of Documents), "su" is always paired with "ye" (night), and "su" meaning early refers to morning, not speed.

彖曰：解，險以動，動而免乎險，解。解利西南，往得眾也。無所往，其來復吉，乃得中也。有攸往夙吉，往有功也。天地解而雷雨作，雷雨作而百果草木皆甲坼，解之時大矣哉。坎險震動，震在外，動而出險，故曰解。六五前遇陰，故曰無所往；來居二，居中當位，故吉。九二往居五，故有功。雷震坎雨，是天地解也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram of "Release" has a lower trigram of Kan (Water), representing danger, and an upper trigram of Zhen (Thunder), representing movement. When movement occurs, one escapes from danger, hence the meaning of "Release." "Release is favorable to the southwest" means that going in that direction brings the support of the yin lines. "If there is no place to go, returning is auspicious" means that returning brings one to the central position. "If there is a place to go, going early is auspicious" means that going forward leads to success. When the qi of heaven and earth is released, thunder and rain arise; when thunder and rain occur, the husks of all fruits and grasses burst open. The meaning of the hexagram of "Release" being in harmony with the time is indeed great. The lower trigram Kan represents danger, and the upper trigram Zhen represents movement. Since Zhen is outside, movement leads one out of danger, hence it is called "Release." The sixth line above the fifth line is a yin line, and since the fifth line is also yin, they repel each other, hence "there is no place to go." Returning to the second position brings both centrality and proper position, hence auspiciousness. The ninth line in the second position moves upward to the fifth position, hence "going forward leads to success." Zhen represents thunder, and Kan represents rain. When thunder and rain occur together, it signifies the release of the qi of heaven and earth.

震為春，為百果草木。離為甲，孫星衍云「甲，皮也」。震動故甲拆，訴說文「裂也」。言草木當春，得雷雨胚胎迸裂，蓓蕾怒發，芽　潛滋，而外甲訴也。史記律書「甲者言萬物剖符甲而出」。又禮月令「其日甲乙」，鄭注云「時萬物，皆解孚甲」，皆甲拆之的解也。

"Zhen" represents spring and also signifies all fruits and plants. The second to fourth trigrams are "Li," which symbolizes "Jia" (the outer shell). Sun Xingyan said "Jia is the skin." "Zhen" signifies movement, so the outer shell bursts open; the character "che" is explained in the "Shuowen Jiezi" as "to split." This refers to plants in spring receiving the nourishment of thunder and rain, with their embryos splitting open, blossoms bursting forth, and tender shoots growing secretly beneath the soil, causing the hard outer shell to crack. The "Records of the Grand Historian: The Book of the Laws" says "Jia means that all things split open their shells to grow." The "Liji: Monthly Orders" says in spring "its day is Jia and Yi," and Zheng Xuan's commentary says "at this time, all things break open their hard shells." These are all accurate explanations of the term "Jia Che."

乃馬陸皆讀訴為宅，雲根也。愚以為訴宅音同，故通用；若以宅為根，則古無此訓，且草木未得雷雨之先，豈皆無孚甲無根乎。鄭康成蓋讀與馬陸同，而知其難通，故又曰「皆讀如人倦之解，以濟其窮」。若曰皆甲宅，即解甲宅也，豈知甲宅即甲訴，不必如是穿鑿。且甲可解，根如何解哉，是仍不通也。然由鄭說，可悟以宅為根之非矣。

However, Ma Rong and Lu Deming both read "chè" as "zhái," saying "zhái" means root. I think "chè" and "zhái" are homophones, so they can be used interchangeably; but if "zhái" is interpreted as root, there is no such explanation in ancient texts. Moreover, before grass and trees receive thunder and rain, could they not have shells or roots? Zheng Xuan probably read "chè" and "zhái" the same way as Ma and Lu, but realizing his explanation did not make sense, he then said the character "jiē" should be read as the "jiě" in "person's fatigue," to save the situation. According to his interpretation, "jiē jiǎ zhái" becomes "jiě jiǎ zhái." But in reality, "jiǎ zhái" is the same as "jiǎ chè," so there is no need for such forced interpretations. Moreover, how can roots be unfastened? It still does not make sense. Nevertheless, through Zheng Xuan's complicated reasoning, it can be seen that taking "zhái" as root is wrong.

乃雅麗堂刻本從惠棟校，竟改集解甲拆為甲宅。豈知苟注本作甲坼，故曰草木萌芽，萌芽即釋拆義也。若作宅，苟胡以不釋，且釋文早言之矣，明本集解可證也。陸道平作纂疏，不顧荀注義如何，亦改作宅，致傳文與注不相應，真可異已。釋文只雲馬陸作宅，後集荀注者，如孫堂如馬國翰，皆改苟注作宅，可謂盲從。

However, the Yayu Hall edition, following Hui Dong's corrections, changed Li Dingzuo's "甲拆" in the "Collected Explanations of the Zhou Changes" to "甲宅." It is important to note that Xun Shuang's original annotation was "甲坼," and in his commentary he said, "grass and trees sprout," where "sprout" explains the meaning of "坼." If the original text had been "宅," why didn't Xun Shuang provide an explanation? Moreover, the "Classic Interpretation" has already clarified this, and the Ming edition of the "Collected Explanations" can also serve as evidence. Lu Daoping, in his "Zhu Shu of the Collected Explanations," regardless of the meaning of Xun's annotations, also changed them to "宅," causing a mismatch between the main text of the "Commentary on the Judgment" and its annotations, which is indeed strange. The "Classic Interpretation" only mentions Ma Rong and Lu Ji as having used "宅," but later editors of Xun Shuang's annotations, such as Sun Tang and Ma Guohan, all changed them to "宅," which can be considered blind following.

象曰：雷雨作，解。君子以教過宥罪。坎為罪過，震為解，故赦過宥罪。初六：無咎。承陽有應，雖失位，得無咎也。象曰：剛柔之際，義無咎也。際，交也。言初承陽，剛柔交際，故義得無咎。

The Great Image says: Thunder and rain arise, which is the image of the Hexagram of Release; thus, the gentleman understands that he should pardon mistakes and forgive offenses. The lower trigram Kan represents 'misfortune' and the upper trigram Zhen signifies 'release'; when these two images combine, it is said that one should pardon mistakes and forgive offenses. The line statement of the first line says: There is no fault. The first line is above the second line of yang and corresponds with the fourth line. Although it is a yin line in a yang position, it still avoids misfortune. The Image Commentary says: At the meeting of yang and yin, there is no blame. 'Interconnection' refers to meeting. It means that the first line is above a yang line, and at this point of meeting between yang and yin, by principle there is no fault.

九二：田獲三狐，得黃矢，貞吉。坎為狐，坎陷故為獲。二應在五，五震為田獵，數三，故曰田獲三狐。坎為矢，互離色黃，故曰得黃矢。貞吉者，卜問吉也。諸家皆以離為矢，離雖為甲兵，然若斧象則專屬兌，矢則專象坎。坎為棘、為匕、為直、為穿，故為矢，經從未以離為矢。象曰：九二貞吉，得中道也。離為道，二中位，故曰中道。

The line statement for line two: hunting in the fields and capturing three foxes, obtaining a bronze arrowhead, the divination is auspicious. "Kan" has the image of "fox," and "Kan" also represents a trap, hence "capture." Nine two corresponds to nine five, and nine five is in the "Zhen" trigram, "Zhen" represents hunting, and the number of "Zhen" is three, hence "hunting and capturing three foxes." "Kan" represents arrows, and lines two to four form "Li," "Li" has the color yellow, hence "obtaining a yellow arrow." "Zhen Ji" means the divination is auspicious. All schools assign "arrow" to "Li"; although "Li" is indeed associated with armor and weapons, the image of axes and halberds belongs specifically to "Dui," and the image of arrows belongs specifically to "Kan." "Kan" represents thorns, dagger, straightness, and penetration, hence "arrow." The text of the "Zhou Yi" has never assigned "Li" to "arrow." The "Xiao Xiang" says: Nine two's divination is auspicious because it attains the middle path. The inter-trigram "Li" represents "path," and nine two is located in the middle position of the lower trigram, hence "middle path."

六三：負且乘，致寇至，貞吝。三不當位，坎為車，三在車上，故曰乘。上震向外視之艮，艮為負何，故曰負且乘。坎為寇，三上下皆坎，故曰致寇至。古者君子方得乘車，若負戴則為小人之事，今負且乘焉，望之不似，則盜賊從而生心，故曰致寇至，言招致使來也。致卜問吝矣，貞吝與上貞吉為對文，故夫從虞氏以貞吉為之正者非也。象曰：負且乘，亦可且也；自我致戎，又誰咎也。說文「戎，兵也」，寇至故謂致戎。

The third line statement says: carrying burdens while riding in a carriage, which brings about bandits, and the divination indicates a sense of regret. The sixth line in the third position is a yin line in a yang position, thus not in the proper place. The lower trigram is 'Kan' (Water), which represents a carriage, and the sixth line is sitting on the carriage, so it is said 'riding'. The upper trigram is 'Zhen' (Thunder), which when viewed from outside in reverse becomes 'Gen' (Mountain), and 'Gen' symbolizes carrying burdens, so it is said 'carrying and riding'. 'Kan' also represents bandits, and the sixth line is surrounded by 'Kan' trigrams above and below, so it is said 'inviting bandits to come'. In ancient times, only gentlemen could ride carriages, while carrying burdens was the task of commoners; now carrying and riding together appears inappropriate, so bandits take notice, hence 'inviting bandits to come'—'inviting' means to attract them. Divination indicates regret. 'Zhen' and 'Ji' in the previous line are contrasting terms, so those who interpret 'Zhen' as 'the correct state of the changing line' are incorrect. The 'Small Image' says: carrying and riding, indeed quite disgraceful; bringing about warfare, who can blame you? The 'Shuo Wen Jie Zi' says 'Rong means military force', so when bandits come, it is called 'inviting military force'.

九四：解而拇，朋至斯孚。拇，陸績云「足大指也」，王肅云「手大指」。手指於震象不合，故陸注是也。震為足，四前遇重陰，陽遇陰則通，故曰解而拇，言利往也。復家云「朋來無咎」，陰以陽為朋。九四前遇重陰，下乘陰，陰孚於陽，故曰朋至斯孚，言上下陰其共於四也。彖傳謂往得眾，指此爻也。舊解皆從虞翻說，謂四陽從初，下兌故朋至斯軍，致孚義全晦。象曰：解而拇，未當位也。解而拇，前進也，四失位，進至五則當位矣，申解而拇之故也。

The line statement for the fourth line says: "Loosen your big toe, and when friends come, they will be trustworthy." The character "拇" is explained by Lu Ji as the big toe of the foot, and by Wang Su as the big finger of the hand. Fingers do not match the symbolic meaning of "Zhen" (Thunder), so Lu Ji's explanation is correct. "Zhen" represents the foot, and the fourth line meets two yin lines, the sixth and the top, before it. When yang meets yin, it moves smoothly without obstruction, so it says "Loosen your big toe," meaning it is favorable to go forward. The "Commentary on the Judgment" of the "Fu" hexagram says "friends come without blame," indicating that yin takes yang as its "friends." The fourth line is preceded by two heavy yin lines and is also covered by the yin line at the third position below. All the yin lines are trustworthy toward yang, so it says "friends arrive and thus become trustworthy," meaning that the yin lines above and below all turn to the fourth line. The "Commentary on the Judgment" says "going forward gains the support of the people," referring precisely to this line. Old interpretations all follow Yu Fan's view, saying that the yang of the fourth line must descend to follow the first line, forming the "Dui" trigram below, so "friends arrive and thus become trustworthy." This has obscured the meaning of the character "fu" (trustworthy). The "Small Commentary" says: "Loosen your big toe, it is not in the proper position." "Loosen your big toe" means to go forward; the fourth line, being yang in a yin position, is originally not in the proper position. When it moves forward to the fifth position, it becomes proper, which explains the meaning of "Loosen your big toe."

六五：君子維有解，吉，有孚于小人。震為君子謂四。君子維有解，言四宜升五，當位而吉。小人謂陰，四升五成坎，坎上下皆陰，有孚維心亨，故曰有率於小人。象曰：君子有解，小人退也。君子有解，謂九四升五；小人退，謂五退居四。釋爻義可謂至明白矣。

The Line Statement for the fifth line says: A gentleman is fortunate if he is released from difficulties; this is also true for a petty person. "Zhen" represents the gentleman, referring here to the Nine in the Fourth. "The gentleman is released" means that the Nine in the Fourth should ascend to the fifth position, thus being in the correct position and achieving good fortune. "Petty person" refers to a yao of the yin type. When the Nine in the Fourth ascends to the fifth position, the upper part becomes "Kan," which has yin lines both above and below. This corresponds to the Hexagram Statement of "Kan" which says "With sincerity in the heart, the way is smooth," hence the phrase "having sincerity toward the petty person." The "Small Image" says: The gentleman is released, the petty person retreats. "The gentleman is released" refers to the Nine in the Fourth ascending to the fifth position; "the petty person retreats" refers to the original Six in the Fifth descending to the fourth position. This explanation of the line meaning is made very clear.

上六：公用射隼于高墉之上，獲之無不利。震為公為射為隼，伏龔為塘為高，六居賣上，故射隼于高墉之上。蓋卦為重坎，上六履重坎之上，動作如意，故獲之無不利也。震射，左氏象；震為鴻鵠故為隼，俱見易林，詳焦氏易詁。象曰：公用射隼，以解體也。坎為悖，上六居重坎之外，故曰解悻。

The line statement for the sixth line above the upper trigram is: The king and duke shoot falcons from a high wall, and with one shot he captures them, and there is no disadvantage. "Zhen" has the image of a duke, and also represents shooting and falcons; the upper trigram "Zhen" contains the hidden trigram "Xun," which represents walls and height. The sixth line is situated on top of the wall, so it is said "shooting falcons from a high wall." The entire hexagram has "Kan" below and the trigrams three to five interrelated as "Kan," forming a repetition of "Kan." The sixth line stands outside the repeated "Kan," and its actions are carried out smoothly, so it is said "capturing them without any disadvantage." "Zhen" represents shooting, which is an image found in the "Zuo Zhuan" examples; "Zhen" also represents the great bird, hence falcons, as mentioned in "Jiao's Forest of Changes." Detailed arguments are presented in my work "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes." The "Xiao Xiang" says: The duke uses shooting falcons to resolve contradictions. "Kan" has the image of contradiction (discord), and the sixth line is situated outside the repeated "Kan," so it is said "resolving contradictions."

損：有孚，元吉，無咎，可貞，利有攸往。曷之用，二簋可用亨。貞我悔彼，以我之陽，益彼之上，故曰損。歸藏作員，朱彝尊謂即損卦。然歸藏以益為誠，則此未必取義於損。按員古作云，商頌「景員維何」，箋「員古文作雲」，以此例之，歸藏必原作雲也。說文「云，山川氣也，象迴轉形」，後人加雨作云，是雲即雲字。卦上艮下兌，說卦由澤通氣，氣即雲；中互坤，坤正為雲。卦二至上正反震，震為出，雲出澤中，至上而反，正迴轉之形，與說文合，與卦象合。

The hexagram "Loss" states: With sincerity, great good fortune, no mistakes, it is favorable to maintain the right path and to go somewhere. What should be offered in sacrifice? Two bowls of simple food may be used for sacrifice. Following the example of the eight trigrams' yin and yang, the inner trigram "Zhen" represents the self, and the outer trigram "Hui" represents the other. This hexagram involves taking a yang line from the lower part of the self to add to the upper part of the other, hence it is called "Loss." In the "Guicang," this hexagram is called "Yuan," and Zhu Yizun believes it refers to the hexagram "Loss." However, in the "Guicang," "Benefit" is called "Yan," so this hexagram may not necessarily derive its meaning from reduction. The character "Yuan" was written as "Yun" in ancient texts. In the "Book of Songs, Shang Songs, Xuan Niao," it says "Jing Yuan wei he," and Zheng's commentary explains "Yuan, in ancient texts is written as Yun." Following this logic, the original text of the "Guicang" must have been written as "Yun." The "Shuowen Jiezi" says "Yun, the vapor from mountains and rivers, the character shape resembles the turning of vapor," later people added a "rain" radical above to form "Yun." Thus, "Yun" is the same as "Yun." The upper trigram "Gen" represents mountain, and the lower trigram "Dui" represents marsh. The "Shuogua" says "mountain and marsh communicate through vapor," and this vapor is cloud. The middle interacting trigram "Kun" is exactly cloud. The lines two to top form two inverted "Zhen" trigrams, "Zhen" represents movement, and the cloud rises from the marsh, reaching the top line and then turns back, forming the shape of turning, which matches the explanation of the character "Yun" in the "Shuowen Jiezi," and also corresponds to the image of this hexagram.

六爻皆有應，故曰有孚。二陽遇陰，乾元通，故曰元吉。可貞，言二不宜升毛再損也。利有攸往謂上也，上九下乘重陰，頤曰利涉大川，利涉即利往也。爾雅釋詁「曷，止也」，而曷與曷（左心）通。詩大雅「汽可小曷（左心）」，傳「曷（左心），息也」，息止義同，故集韻云「曷（左心）或作曷」也。而曷（左心）與甜通，詩甘棠篇「召伯所矩」，釋文「慈本又作曷（左心）」。曷之用，言憩息之時也。上卦艮，故云憩。

This hexagram has six lines that correspond in pairs, so it is said "there is sincerity." Nine in the Second (nine two) is yang and encounters a yin line before it, allowing the qi of the Qian trigram to flow through, hence "great good fortune." "It is advantageous to maintain the correct position" means that nine two should remain in its original position and should not rise to the fifth position, which would cause further damage to the lower part. "It is advantageous to go somewhere" refers to nine at the top. Nine at the top is below the two yin lines of six five and six four. The upper line of the Yi hexagram says "it is advantageous to cross a great river," and "advantageous to cross" is the same as "advantageous to go." The character "曷" is explained in the Er Ya as meaning "to stop." "曷" is also interchangeable with "愒." In the poem Da Ya, Min Lao, "qi ke xiao qian" is explained by Mao as "qian means rest," and "rest" is synonymous with "stop," so the Ji Yun says "qian can also be written as曷." "Qian" is also interchangeable with "憩." In the poem Zhao Nan, Gan Tang, "Zhao Bo suo qi" is explained in the Jing Jing Shi Wen as "qi can also be written as qian." Therefore, "曷之用" means the time when it is appropriate to rest and stop. The upper trigram is "Gen," which means "to stop," hence "rest."

震為簋，坤數二，故曰二簋。況為亨，亨饗通，左傳成十二年「享以訓恭儉」，釋文「享本亦作饗」；又莊四年「止而饗之」，周語「大臣饗其祿」，注皆訓饗為食。易之用二簋可用享，言當休暇之時，可以二簋為亨；二籃雖儉，然處損時，亦可也。清儒承荀氏舊說，見言簋即以為祭宗廟，侈陳禮制。豈知儀禮公食大夫扎「宰夫啟簋」，詩秦風「於我乎食四簋」，凡宴享皆用簋，非必祭宗廟始用也，且於易義之謂何矣。崔憬以曷為何，荀爽等只說二簋可用享，不及曷義。於是清儒如惠棟焦循張惠言孫星衍等，亦不釋曷義，只一姚配中襲崔憬說，疑非也。

"Zhen" has the image of a "gui," and "Kun" has the number two, so it is said "two gui." "Dui" represents "xiang"; "xiang" and "xiang" are homophones. The "Zuo Zhuan" from the twelfth year of Chenggong in the State of Chu says "xiang to teach reverence and frugality," and the "Shi Wen" explains "xiang, originally also written as xiang." In the fourth year of Zhuanggong, it says "stop and xiang him," and in the "Guoyu · Zhou Yu," it says "senior ministers xiang their salaries," with annotations all interpreting "xiang" as eating. The "Sun" hexagram says "two gui can be used for xiang," meaning that during proper rest and leisure, one can use two gui of simple food for a banquet; although two gui are meager, they are sufficient in the context of "Sun" (loss). Qing scholars followed Xun Shuang's old interpretation, seeing the character "gui" and immediately assuming it refers to ancestral worship, thus extensively discussing ritual systems. They never considered that the "Yili · Gong Shi Da Fu Li" mentions "the chef opens the gui," and the "Poetry · Qin Feng · Quan Yu" mentions "at me, every meal has four gui," indicating that gui was used in all banquets, not only in ancestral worship; moreover, such interpretations have little to do with the meaning of the "Yi." Cui Jing interpreted "he" as "he," while Xun Shuang and others only discussed "two gui can be used for xiang," without involving the meaning of "he." Thus, Qing scholars such as Hui Dong, Jiao Xun, Zhang Huiyan, and Sun Xingyan did not explain the character "he," while only Yao Peizhong followed Cui Jing's interpretation, which may also be incorrect.

象曰：損，損下益上，其道上行。損而有孚，元吉，無咎，可貞，利有攸往。曷之用，二簋可用享，二簋應有時，損剛益柔有時，損益盈虛，與時偕行。貞我悔彼，內與外、上與下，其親疏迥不相同，故夫以內陽益外，則我損矣，上下即內外也。泰三往上，故曰其道上行。震為應，二至四震，乃上卦震覆，若反聲相應者，故曰二簋應，與中孚之鶴鳴子和理同也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "Loss" refers to reducing the lower part and increasing the upper part; its way is to go upward. There is a reduction but still maintaining sincerity, which brings great good fortune, without fault, and is favorable for maintaining the correct path and moving forward. What is used for this? Two bowls of simple food are sufficient for sacrifice. However, the offering of two bowls must correspond with the time; reducing a strong line and increasing a flexible line also occur at their proper times. Loss and gain, fullness and emptiness, all shift in accordance with the situation. Following the example of the firm and the regretful, the inner trigram represents me and the outer trigram represents the other; the inner and outer, the upper and the lower, differ greatly in terms of intimacy and distance. Therefore, when a yang line in the inner trigram is used to increase the outer trigram, it is a loss on my side—upper and lower correspond to inner and outer. The hexagram "Loss" comes from "Great Communication." In "Great Communication," the line nine in the third position moves upward, hence it is said, "its way goes upward." The trigram "Zhen" has the image of "response": lines two to four form the trigram "Zhen," which is exactly the inverted image of the upper trigram "Gen," like an echo responding. Hence it is said, "two bowls respond," which is the same principle as the line nine in the second position of "Middle Trust," "the crane calls in the shade, its young respond."

二簋應有時，言時當曷（左心）息，用二簋享，正與時應也。泰極還否，損者泰之終、否之始。損剛益柔有時者，按卦氣，損為七月卦，時已當否，陽日減，陰日增，正損剛益柔之時，不可不預知也。時當益則益，時當損則損；益則盈，損則虛，乾盈坤虛，應時而行，所謂窮則變、變則通也。

"Two bowls of food should be offered at the right time," meaning that when the situation calls for rest and cessation, offering a simple meal is in harmony with the time. When the hexagram Tai reaches its peak, it turns back into the hexagram Po. The hexagram Shen is precisely the end of Tai and the beginning of Po. The saying "at times one should reduce the strong and increase the flexible" refers to the Han dynasty's theory of hexagram qi. The hexagram Shen corresponds to the seventh month, and the seasonal changes are approaching Po. The yang energy is gradually decreasing while the yin energy is increasing, which is exactly the time to reduce the strong lines and increase the flexible ones. It is essential to be aware of this. When the situation calls for increase, one should increase; when it calls for reduction, one should reduce. Increasing leads to fullness, and reducing leads to emptiness. The hexagram Qian represents fullness, and the hexagram Kun represents emptiness. Acting in accordance with the situation is what the Great Treatise says, "when things reach their limit, they change; when they change, they become unblocked."

象曰：山下有澤，損。君子以懲忿窒欲。震為決躁，為武人，故為忿。乃上卦震覆為艮，艮止故曰懲忿。二至上正覆震，震為口，有爭食象，坤閉故曰窒慾。學易之君子，因以取法焉。

The Great Image Commentary says: A mountain below a marsh represents the image of the Hexagram of Loss. The gentleman learns from this to restrain anger and suppress desires. "Zhen" signifies decisive action and restlessness, and also represents warriors, hence the image of anger. The upper trigram "Gen" is the inverted form of "Zhen," and "Gen" signifies stillness, thus restraining anger, which is called "restraining anger." The entire hexagram has two "Zhen" trigrams, one upright and one inverted, from the second to the top. "Zhen" represents the mouth, and two mouths facing each other symbolize contention over food. The inner trigram "Kun" signifies concealment and closure, thus closing the mouths of contention, which is called "suppressing desires." The gentleman who studies the Book of Changes takes this as a model.

初九：已事這往，無咎，酌損之。已虞作祀，晁氏云「巳古文祀宇」。按金文沈子它敦銘「用饗響已公」，已公即祀公。初應在四，四震為祭祀，兌為晌，遺速也。祀事遺往者，言宜往應四也。當位故無咎，所應為陰，故曰酌損。象曰：已事遙往，尚合志也。尚上同，上謂四，初四婚媾，故曰合志。四坤為志，其用卦變以坎為志者，非也。

The line statement for the initial yang line (Chu Ji) says: hurry to perform the rites, there is no fault, and consider reducing appropriately. The character "已" in Yu Fan's version is "祀", and Zhao Shuo Zhi said "Si is the ancient form of the character for rites." According to the bronze inscription of the Shen Zi Ta Gui, there is "use to offer sacrifices to the public ancestor," and "sacrifice to the public ancestor" refers to the rites for the ancestors. The initial yang line corresponds with the sixth yao in the fourth position, which is in the "Zhen" trigram, and "Zhen" represents rites. The lower trigram is "Dui," which represents offerings. "Chuan" means to hurry. "Sire rites hurry to go" means that the initial yang line should hurry to correspond with the sixth yao in the fourth position. The initial yang line is a yang line in a yang position, so there is no fault. The sixth yao in the fourth position is a yin line, and a yang line coming to benefit a yin line involves some reduction, so it says "consider reducing." The "Xiao Xiang" says: "Hurry to perform the rites," which shows harmony of intention. "Shang" is the same as "Shang," meaning "upper," referring to the sixth yao in the fourth position. The initial and the fourth are in a proper correspondence like a marriage, so it says "harmony of intention." The sixth yao in the fourth position is in the middle of the trigram "Kun" formed by the third to fifth lines, and "Kun" represents "intention." Those who use changing trigrams and transform a line into "Kan" to seek the image of "intention" are incorrect.

九二：利貞，征凶，弗損益之。三已損矣，二不宜再損，故利於貞定也。震為征，二陽臨重陰，更利於徵，然二往五則下愈損，故征凶也。弗損者，即貞於二不動，不再損下也；弗損即益二矣，故曰益之。夫貞我侮彼，泰三陽三陰，而陽全在我，此所以為泰也。損我一陽以益外，已非善徵，若損之不已，則成否矣。否天地閉，賢人隱，故於二爻著以為戒，曰利貞，曰征凶。

The line statement for Nine in the Second says: It is advantageous to maintain the correct position; going to war would be ominous; not reducing, but rather increasing. Six in the Third has already reduced, so Nine in the Second should not reduce again, thus it is advantageous to remain in its proper position. "Zhen" represents movement, and Nine in the Second, being a yang line, is situated above a heavy yin, so by convention it should move forward. However, once Nine in the Second moves up to the fifth position, the lower trigram will suffer greater reduction, hence it says "going to war is ominous." The phrase "not reducing" means remaining in the second position without moving, thus not reducing the lower trigram. Not reducing the lower trigram is equivalent to increasing Nine in the Second itself, hence it says "increasing." According to the principle of贞悔, the inner trigram is me and the outer trigram is the other. The卦 of Tai has three yang lines and three yin lines, and the three yang lines are all on my side, thus forming the卦 of Tai. Now, by reducing one yang line from me to increase the outer trigram, it is already an ominous sign; if further reduction occurs, it will become the卦 of Pi. The卦 of Pi is a time when heaven and earth are closed off and the virtuous retreat, so this line specifically warns, saying "advantageous to maintain the correct position" and "going to war is ominous."

舊解惟王弼能識二之不宜往五，謂剛全上則剝道成。若虞翻則謂二不征之五則凶，故反經為說。豈知二陽得五陰為應，利往誠為常例，獨損二因其利往，再損內也，故因以為戒。乃後世如惠棟張惠言等，多祖述其說；獨姚配中識虞義之反經，乃又以利貞為之正，二之正成陰，陰與陰不相應，故征凶，仍以卦變為穿鑿。然則不獨易象失傳，易理之失傳更甚也。象曰：九二利貞，中以為志也。中謂二，言志貞於二，不前進也，故曰中以為志。舊解無不誤者。

In old commentaries, only Wang Bi noticed that the Nine in the Second (nine two) should not go up to the fifth position, saying that if all the yang lines move upward, the situation of "Splitting" (Bao) would be formed. Yu Fan, however, said that the Nine in the Second would be dangerous only if it did not go to the fifth position, completely reversing the meaning of the text. He did not realize that a yang line receiving a yin line in the fifth position is a proper correspondence and is favorable for movement, which is the general rule. However, in the "Loss" (Sun) hexagram, the Nine in the Second is said to be favorable for movement, but this would cause further loss to the inner trigram, so it is used as a warning. Later scholars such as Hui Dong and Zhang Huiyan mostly followed Yu Fan's interpretation. Only Yao Peizhong realized that Yu Fan had reversed the meaning, yet he interpreted "favorable constancy" (li zhen) as "correct transformation," saying that when the Nine in the Second transforms into a yin line, it becomes a yin line, and yin and yin do not correspond, so movement is dangerous. He still used the transformation of the hexagram to force an explanation. It is evident that not only has the imagery of the Book of Changes been lost, but also its principles have been seriously lost. The "Small Image" says: "The Nine in the Second is favorable for constancy, because it holds to the middle as its will." "Middle" refers to the second position, meaning that the mind remains fixed at the second position and does not move forward, hence "holding to the middle as its will." None of the old commentaries are entirely correct.

六三：三人行則損一人，一人行則得其友。乾為人，泰三陽原為三人，今成兌，損一人矣。損三以益上，上乘重陰，陽以陰為友，故曰一人行則得其友，友謂四五。舊解以下應兌為友，故於三則疑之故，無有通者。象曰：一人行三則疑也。三陽上行則成否，否上九為四五所阻格，所謂敵也；敵則相疑相忌，而不相友矣，釋得友之故也。易於陰陽相遇為朋友之故，言之可謂明白矣。乃自荀虞以來，以兌二陽房二陰為朋友，相承至今。豈知陽遇陽陰遇陰，艮謂之敵應，中孚謂之得敵哉。

The line statement for the third line says: When three people go together, one should be reduced; when one goes alone, one will gain a friend. "Qian" represents people. The lower trigram of the "Tai" hexagram originally had three yang lines, which symbolize three people. Now, one yang line is reduced, turning into "Dui," which means one person has been reduced. By reducing the third line (a yang line) to benefit the top line (a yang line), the top line is below the two yin lines of the fifth and fourth lines. Yang is considered to have yin as a friend, so it is said that "when one goes alone, one gains a friend," where "friend" refers to the fourth and fifth yin lines. Old interpretations took the lower trigram "Dui" as "friend," hence the phrase "three people are doubtful," but none of the interpretations make sense. The "Xiao Xiang" says: "One person going alone, three people are doubtful." When the three yang lines move upward together, it becomes "Po." In "Po," the top line is blocked by the fourth and fifth lines, which is called "enemy." Once there is an enemy, mutual suspicion and fear arise, and friendship cannot be achieved, which explains the meaning of "gaining a friend." The "Zhou Yi" clearly states that meeting of yin and yang is called friendship. However, since Xun Shuang and Yu Fan, people have considered the two yang lines and two yin lines of "Dui" as friends, and this view has continued to the present day. They do not realize that yang meeting yang and yin meeting yin are called "enemy response" in "Gen" and "Zhong Fu" as "gaining an enemy."

六四：損其疾，使遄有喜，無咎。坤為疾，四得陽應，故曰損其疾。遄，往也。坤為憂，乾為喜，使遺有喜者，言往得陽應而喜也。坤疾象失傳，舊解故多不當。象曰：損其疾，亦可喜也。疾損故可喜。

The Line Statement of the Fourth Line: Reduce his illness, let him come quickly and there will be joy, with no fault. "Kun" has the image of illness, and the Fourth Line (Six in the Fourth) corresponds to the Initial Nine (Nine at the Beginning), so it says "reduce his illness." "Chuan" means to go. "Kun" represents worry, and "Qian" represents joy; "let him go and have joy" means going and receiving a corresponding Yang line, thus producing joy. The image of "Kun" as illness has long been lost, so most old interpretations are not accurate. The "Small Explanation" says: "Reduce his illness, which is also joyful." Once the illness is reduced, it is naturally joyful.

六五：或益之十朋之龜，弗克違，元吉。艮為龜，漢書食貨志注蘇林曰「兩貝為朋，朋值二百一十六，元龜十朋」。艮為朋友，坤數十，故曰十朋之龜。言陽在上五得承之，若大寶之益也。陰順陽，故曰弗克違。五卦位最尊尊，故曰元吉。艮龜象失傳，侯果謂內柔外剛龜之象，豈知艮即為龜。象曰：六五元吉，自上佑也。

The Line Statement of the Fifth Line (Six in the Fifth): Someone gives him a large turtle worth ten pings, which he cannot refuse, resulting in great good fortune. "Gen" (Mountain) has the image of a turtle. The annotation in the "Book of Han · Food and Goods Annals" cites Su Lin as saying, "Two shells make one ping, one ping is worth 216 coins, and a large turtle is worth ten pings." "Gen" represents friends, and "Kun" (Earth) has the number ten, so it is said "a turtle worth ten pings." This means that the yang of the top line is above, and the fifth line is able to receive it, like gaining a valuable treasure. Yin follows Yang, so it is said "he cannot refuse" (unable to defy). The fifth line is the most honored position in the entire hexagram, so it is said "great good fortune." The image of the turtle in "Gen" has been lost for a long time, so Hou Guo could only say that the inner yin and outer yang represent the turtle's appearance. How could he know that "Gen" itself is the turtle? The "Small Image" says: The great good fortune of the fifth line is due to being aided from above.

益：利有攸往，利涉大川。貞我悔彼，以彼之陽，下來益我，故曰益也。歸藏曰誠，說文「誠，和也」。書召誥「其丕能誠於小民」，注亦訓誠為和。風雷同聲相應，和之至也。是周易以陽爻上下言，故曰益；歸藏合上下卦言，曰誠也。利有攸往，謂五，五既中且正，傳所謂中正有慶也。利涉大川謂初，坤大川，震為舟，初陽遇陰而通，故曰利涉，傳所謂術道乃行也。

The Hexagram Yi Statement says: It is advantageous to go somewhere, it is advantageous to cross a great river. According to the principle of zhen and hui, the inner trigram represents me and the outer trigram represents the other; this hexagram involves a yang line from the upper trigram moving down to increase the lower trigram, hence it is called "Yi" (Benefit). The Guicang refers to this hexagram as "Xun," and the Shuowen Jiezi says "Xun means harmony." The Shangshu Zhao-gao says "He will greatly harmonize with the people," and the commentary also interprets "Xun" as harmony. Above is "Xun" representing wind, and below is "Zhen" representing thunder; wind and thunder respond to each other in harmony, which is the highest form of harmony. This shows that the Zhouyi focuses on the movement of yang lines, hence it is called "Yi"; the Guicang focuses on the harmony between the upper and lower trigrams, hence it is called "Xun." "It is advantageous to go somewhere" refers to the nine in the fifth position. The nine in the fifth is both central and upright, as stated in the Commentary on the Judgment, "Central and upright bring good fortune." "It is advantageous to cross a great river" refers to the nine at the beginning. "Kun" represents a great river, and "Zhen" represents a boat. The yang line of the nine at the beginning meets a yin line ahead and proceeds smoothly, hence it is said to be advantageous to cross. The Commentary on the Judgment says, "The way of wood is then established."

象曰：益，損上益下，民說無疆。自上下下，其道大光。利有攸往，中正有慶。利涉大川，木道乃行。益動而巽，曰進無疆。天施地生，其益無方。凡益之道，與時偕行。坤為民，震為樂，故曰民說。坤為廣，故曰無疆。否四來居下卦之下，故曰自上下下。震為玄黃，故曰大光。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram of Gain reduces the upper part and increases the lower part, making the people rejoice without limit; the superior position humbles itself to the lower position, and its way is vast and bright. "It is advantageous to go somewhere" because nine five is upright and has blessings; "It is advantageous to cross a great river" because the way of boats and rafts is made possible. The hexagram of Gain has the lower trigram of movement and the upper trigram of wind, advancing day by day without limit; heaven spreads its qi, and earth brings about generation, so its gain has no fixed direction. All ways of gain must follow the trend of the times. "Kun" represents the people, "Zhen" represents joy, so it says "the people rejoice"; "Kun" is vast, so it says "without boundary." The hexagram of Gain comes from the hexagram of Not Being, and in the hexagram of Not Being, nine four descends to the lowest position of the lower trigram, so it says "from above to below." "Zhen" represents the colors of dark yellow, so it says "great brightness."

利有攸往，中正有慶，謂五。利涉大川，木道乃行，謂初。震為舟故曰木，古刳木為舟，故謂舟為木。渙曰乘木有功，中孚曰乘木舟虛，皆以木為舟。利涉大川，故曰木道乃行，言舟行水上，舟楫之利用溥也。此純釋利涉之義。坤為水，震為舟，故曰木曰行。程子不知本即為舟，改木為益，野文之害，至斯而極。

"The phrase 'favorable for going somewhere, the center and uprightness bring joy' refers to the Nine in the Fifth position; 'favorable for crossing great rivers, the way of wood is then established' refers to the Nine at the Beginning. 'Zhen' represents a boat, so it is called 'wood'—ancient people hollowed out entire pieces of wood to make boats, hence they referred to boats as 'wood.' The 'Commentary on the Judgment' of the 'Huan' hexagram says 'riding on wood brings merit,' and the 'Zhongfu' hexagram says 'riding on a wooden boat is empty,' both using 'wood' to refer to a boat. Since it is favorable to cross great rivers, it is said 'the way of wood is then established,' meaning that boats travel on water and the utility of boats is widely applied. This sentence is purely explaining the meaning of 'favorable to cross.' 'Kun' represents water, 'Zhen' represents a boat, so 'wood' and 'movement' are mentioned. Cheng Yi did not understand that 'wood' itself refers to a boat, and he mistakenly changed 'wood way' to 'benefit way,' demonstrating the extreme harm of careless and arbitrary alterations to classical texts."

陽自外來，故曰天施。震為生，坤為地，故曰地生。益者否之終、泰之始。太玄云「巳用則賤，當時則貴」，艮為時，與時偕行者，言時而當益，不能不益也。象曰：風雷益。君子以見喜則遷，有過則改。乾力善，坤為過，乾來初，得值得民，是遷善也；乾來初成震，坤象滅，是改過也，故學易之君子法之。

Heavenly lines coming down from the outer trigram signify "heaven's giving." "Zhen" represents life, and "Kun" represents earth, so it is said "earth produces." The hexagram "Yi" is the end of "Pu" and the beginning of "Tai." Yang Xiong in "Tai Xuan" says "what has already been used becomes cheap, and what is at the right time becomes valuable." "Gen" represents time, meaning "to move in harmony with the times." This means when the time for increase comes, one cannot avoid it. The "Great Image Commentary" says wind and thunder interacting is the image of the hexagram "Yi." A gentleman thus understands that when he sees good conduct, he should follow it, and when he has a fault, he should correct it immediately. "Qian" represents good, and "Kun" represents fault. When "Qian" yang line descends to the first position, it gains its proper place and the people's support, which is "changing to good." When "Qian" yang line reaches the first position and becomes "Zhen," the original "Kun" image disappears, which is "correcting faults." Therefore, gentlemen who study the "Yi" take this as a model.

初九：利用為大作，元吉元咎。虞翻云「大作謂耕播未來之利」。按虞書「平秩東作」，注「歲起於東，而始就耕，謂之東作」；禹貢「恆衛既從，大陸既作」，注「二水巳治，從其故道，大陸之地已可耕作」，是作即耕也。震為春，為耕，至春民盡耕，故曰大作。陽遇陰故利，乾元通，故元吉無咎。象曰：元吉無咎，下不厚事也。震健而決躁，故左氏以為射，言其速也。厚，餘也，行速故無餘事。坤為事，言初雖在下，往利無阻，事無積滯，仍利涉大川之意也。

The line statement for the initial yang line (Chu Jiū) says: It is advantageous to greatly promote agricultural activities, great good fortune, and no fault. Yu Fan said, "Great action refers to plowing and sowing, and planning for future harvests." According to the "Book of Documents · Yao's Classic" "Ping Zhi Dong Zuo," the annotation says, "The year begins in the east, and from this time on, farming begins, which is called Dong Zuo." The "Book of Yu's Tribute" says, "The Heng River and Wei River have already been restored to their original courses, and the land of the Great Plain is now suitable for farming," and the annotation says, "These two rivers have been properly managed and have returned to their old paths, and the land in the Great Plain is now suitable for farming." This shows that "Zuo" means farming. "Zhen" represents spring and farming, and when spring comes, the people all go to the fields, so it is called "great action." The yang of the initial line is preceded by a yin line, so it is advantageous. The primordial energy of Qian penetrates through, so it is great good fortune with no fault. The "Small Image" says: "Primordial good fortune without fault, because the lower does not accumulate tasks." "Zhen" is characterized by strength and decisiveness, and is impetuous, so the "Zuo Zhuan" example uses "Zhen" to represent shooting, because of its speed. "Hou" means excess; acting quickly, so there is no accumulated task. "Kun" represents affairs, meaning that although the initial line is in a low position, it proceeds smoothly without obstruction, and affairs will not be delayed, which still means "advantageous to cross a great river."

六二：或益之十朋之龜，弗克違，永貞吉，王用亨於帝吉。艮為龜為朋友，坤數十，故曰十朋之龜。二應在五，五又故以十朋之龜益二也。二得陽應，故曰弗克違。二當位，故永貞於二吉。震為帝，王謂五，震為祭祀，故曰享。王用享于帝吉者，言五應二，則二吉也。象曰：或益之，自外來也。外謂九五，恐人疑為初。

The line statement for the second line says: Someone gives her a tortoise worth ten strings of pearls, which she cannot refuse; if she remains steadfast in the right position for a long time, it will be auspicious. The king uses it to worship the supreme deity, which is auspicious. The trigrams from the third to the fifth lines form 'Gen' (Mountain), which represents a tortoise and friends. 'Kun' (Earth) corresponds to the number ten, so it is said 'a tortoise worth ten strings of pearls'. The second line corresponds with the fifth line, so the fifth line gives the tortoise worth ten strings of pearls to the second line. The second line receives a yang line in correspondence, so it is said 'she cannot refuse'. The second line, being flexible and in the right position, remains steadfast in the second position and thus is auspicious. 'Zhen' (Thunder) represents the supreme deity, and 'wang' refers to the fifth line. 'Zhen' also represents worship, so it is said 'to offer'. 'The king uses it to offer to the supreme deity and it is auspicious' means that the fifth line responds to the second line, so the second line gains auspiciousness. The 'Small Explanation' says: 'It is an addition from outside.' 'Outside' refers to the fifth line—this is to prevent confusion with the first line, so it is specially mentioned.

六三：益之用凶事，無咎，有孚中行，告公用圭。三居坤中，坤為凶，為事。益之用凶事，言上來益三，為五所阻，大畜初九所謂有厲也，故曰凶事。二三四陰爻皆承五，九云「中行無咎」，泰二云「得尚于中行」，中行謂五。有孚中行者，言三與二四，同孚於五也。震為言，故為告；為王故為圭。坤為眾，故曰公，公共也。三震為諸侯，告公用圭者，言約同諸侯執圭，共往朝五也。圭者天子所錫子，今朝天子，故執以為信。

The line statement for the sixth line: benefiting others should be used in dangerous matters, without fault; with sincere faith and following the middle path, when reporting to the prince, one holds a jade bi. The sixth line is in the middle of the mutual 'Kun' trigram, 'Kun' represents danger and affairs. 'Benefiting through dangerous matters' refers to the top nine coming down to benefit the sixth line, but being blocked by the fifth nine, which is the same as the initial line of 'Da Xu' saying 'there is danger', hence called 'dangerous matters'. The second, third, and fourth lines, all yin lines, are above the fifth nine: 'Guai' fifth nine says 'acting in the middle without blame', 'Tai' second nine says 'attaining the middle path', 'middle path' refers to the fifth position. 'Having sincerity and acting in the middle' means the sixth line, along with the second and fourth lines, sincerely trust the fifth nine. 'Zhen' represents speech, so it is 'reporting'; 'Zhen' represents the king, so it is 'bi'. 'Kun' represents the people, so it is called 'prince', 'prince' means common. The sixth line is in the 'Zhen' trigram, 'Zhen' represents the feudal lords; 'reporting to the prince with bi' means gathering the feudal lords, holding bi, going together to pay homage to the fifth nine. Bi is granted by the Son of Heaven, now going to pay homage to the Son of Heaven, so holding bi as a token of trust.

舊解以凶事為凶喪，或為凶荒，則告之天子，告之友邦，而受其碑隧（左　）。告必將儀，或執壁，或用圭，如臧文仲以紀獻工告曜（左上入左下米）於齊。豈知告公用圭，即申有孚中行之義，與上之凶事無涉，是皆以他經例易，不知易文上下旬不必相屬也。象曰：益用凶事，固有之也。言陰遇陰，陽遇陽，近而不相得故凶，乃易理當然之事，故曰固有。

Old commentaries interpreted "凶事" as funerals or mourning events, or as years of disaster and famine, thus saying that one should report to the Son of Heaven, inform friendly states, and accept gifts of condolence from others. Reporting required presenting a gift, either a jade璧 or a jade圭, for example, as seen in the "Zuo Zhuan" where Zang Wenzhong took a cooking vessel and a jade磬 from the state of Ji to purchase grain in the state of Qi. They did not realize that "告公用圭" precisely explains the meaning of "有孚中行," and it has nothing to do with the previous mention of "凶事." This is all taking examples from other classics to compare with the Book of Changes, not understanding that the sentences in the Book of Changes are not necessarily connected. The "Xiao Xiang" says: "益用凶事, 固有之也." This means that when yin meets yin and yang meets yang, although they are close in position, they do not harmonize, hence the occurrence of misfortune. This is a natural occurrence in the principles of the Book of Changes, hence it is said "固有."

六四：中行告公從，利用為依遷國。中行謂五，震為告，坤為臣，為眾，從謂順五。告公從者，言下三陰宜共同承五也。坤為國，震動，故曰遷國；艮止故曰依。左傳隱六年「我周之東遷，晉鄭焉依」，說文「依，椅也」。利用為依遷國者，言坤國播遷，至五艮而止，依以建國也。陰從陽故利，巽為利也。象曰：告公從，以益志也。坤為志，公從九五，陽益陰，故曰益志。自坤志象失傳，遂令某爻變成坎，以求志象矣。

The statement for the fourth line (Six in the Fourth) says: proceeding along the middle path, informing the prince and having the people follow, it is advantageous to rely on a place for the relocation of the capital. "Middle path" refers to the fifth line (Nine in the Fifth); "Zhen" signifies communication; "Kun" represents ministers and the people; "following" means obedience to the fifth line. "Informing the prince and following" means that the three yin lines should jointly serve the fifth line. "Kun" represents the state, "Zhen" signifies movement, so it is said "migrate the state." The interaction between the third to fifth lines forms "Gen," which signifies stopping, hence "relying on." The "Zuo Zhuan" states in the sixth year of Hiding Gong that "our Zhou royal house moved east, relying on Jin and Zheng." The "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" says "yi means to lean on." "Advantageous to rely on for migrating the state" means that the state represented by "Kun" has been migrating and wandering, and only when it reaches the fifth line "Gen" does it stop, relying on this place to rebuild the state. Yin following Yang is advantageous, and the upper trigram "Xun" also signifies advantage. The "Xiao Xiang" says: informing the prince and following, to increase the will. "Kun" represents will, the prince following the fifth line, is Yang increasing Yin, hence "increasing the will." Since the image of "Kun" as "will" has been lost, commentators have had to let a certain line change into "Kan" to seek the image of "will."

九五：有孚惠心，勿問元吉，有孚惠我德。爾雅釋言「惠，順也」。坤為順為心，有孚惠心，言五孚於下坤而順我也。震為問，五震覆，故曰勿問。五位尊，故曰元吉。勿問元吉者，言五乘重陰而大吉也。乾為德，有孚惠我德，言下三陰皆承順我而有軍也。象曰：有孚惠心，勿問之矣；惠我德，大得志也。坤為志，陽為大，陽五下乘重陰，故曰大得志。管子度地「天下之人皆歸其德而惠其義」，注「惠，順也」，正說此也。

The Line Statement of the Fifth Line: With sincerity and following the people's will, there is no need to consult and it is most auspicious; with sincerity and following my virtue. The "Er Ya · Xieyan" says "Hui means to be obedient." "Kun" represents obedience and the heart; "having sincerity and a kind heart" means that the Fifth Line is in harmony with the lower trigram "Kun" and follows my virtue. "Zhen" represents inquiry, and since the upper trigram of the Fifth Line is "Zhen" covered over, it is reversed to mean not inquiring, hence "do not inquire." The Fifth position is a position of honor, hence "great auspiciousness." "Do not inquire, great auspiciousness" means that the Fifth Line is below three heavy yin lines and thus is very auspicious. "Qian" represents virtue; "having sincerity and a kind heart toward my virtue" means that the three yin lines below are all in harmony with me. The "Xiao Xiang" says: having sincerity and a kind heart, there is no need to inquire further; following my virtue is a great realization of the will. "Kun" represents the will, and yang represents greatness; since the yang of the Fifth Line is below three yin lines, it is said "great realization of the will." The "Guanzi · Du Di" says "all people in the world are attached to his virtue and follow his righteousness," and the commentary says "Hui means to be obedient," which is exactly the usage here.

上九：莫益之，或繫之，立心勿恆，凶。上與五為敵，故曰莫益，言益三也。上應在三，然上若益三，則為五所忌，而或繫之。五艮體，艮為手為繫也。坤為心，上應在坤，下虛，處巽上，風隕，進退不果，故曰立心勿恆，凶。恆九三云「不恆其德」，益上九與恆九三同為賣上，故亦曰勿恆，緣巽下撓，故義同也。

The line statement for the top yang line (上九) says: No one comes to benefit him, instead someone comes to bind him; his determination is not constant, resulting in misfortune. The top yang line (上九) and the fifth yang line (九五) are both yang lines and thus in opposition, so it is said "no benefit" — here "益" refers to the top line (上九) trying to benefit the sixth line (六三). The top line (上九) should ideally benefit the sixth line (六三), but if it actually does so, it would be opposed by the fifth line (九五), hence "or bind it." The fifth line (九五) is in the mutual "Gèn" trigram, "Gèn" represents hands and binding. "Kūn" represents the heart, and the sixth line (六三) that the top line (上九) corresponds to is within the mutual "Kūn" trigram. The sixth line (六三) is yin and weak, not solid, and the top line (上九) is above the "Xùn" trigram, "Xùn" represents wind, which has the image of falling, and "Xùn" also has the nature of being indecisive and hesitant, hence "determination is not constant, resulting in misfortune." The line statement for "Héng" (恒) at the third line says "not constant in virtue," and the top line (上九) of "Yì" (益) and the third line (九三) of "Héng" are both above the "Xùn" trigram, so it also says "not constant" — because "Xùn" means to cut off and bend, which has the same meaning.

象曰：莫益之，偏辭也；或繫之，自外來也。恐其被繫，戒以莫益，故曰偏辭。左傳襄三年「君子謂奚舉其偏而不嘗」，注「偏，屬也，猶私也」。外謂五，五為上敵。下繫云「幾易之情，近而不相得則凶，或害之」，故上欲應三，五或繫之。五在外，言繫之者仍在外也。同人九三曰敵剛，中孚六三云得敵，子夏傳「三與四為敵」，是陽遇陽，陰遇陰，愈近而愈不相得。舊解自虞翻以來，皆不知此為周易根本定例，故說或繫之，皆不知繫上九者為何爻，而無不誤矣。

The Xiao Xiang says: "Mo Yi Zhi, biased words; or Xi Zhi, from outside." Because it fears being tied down, "Mo Yi" is used as a warning, which is called "biased words." The Zuo Zhuan, Xiang Gong San, says, "The gentleman says Qi Xi recommended his own subordinate without partiality," and the annotation says, "partiality refers to a subordinate, like private matters." "Outside" refers to the nine in the fifth position. The nine in the fifth position is the opposing line of the nine at the top. The Xì Cì Xià Zhuàn says, "In general, the situation of the Yi is that when positions are close but not harmonious, it is ominous, or when they harm each other." Therefore, the nine at the top wants to respond to the six in the third, but the nine in the fifth comes to tie it down. Since the nine in the fifth is outside the nine at the top, the force that ties down the nine at the top still comes from outside. The Tong Ren nine in the third says, "opposing yang," the Zhong Fu six in the third says, "meeting the enemy," and the Zi Xia Zhuàn says, "the third and fourth lines are opposing each other." This shows that when yang meets yang and yin meets yin, the closer they are, the less they harmonize. Old annotations since Yu Fan have not understood this fundamental principle of the Zhou Yi. Therefore, when explaining "or Xi Zhi," no one can correctly identify which line is tying down the nine at the top.

按否泰者，天道之自然，為運會所必有，故以次於上經十卦之後；損益者，人事之進退，為人為之所關，故以次於下經第十卦之後。十者數之終，終則變，變則否泰迭更，損益互見，此其義也。又損者泰之終，以見否泰雖屬無道，而由否而奉，由泰而否，損之益之，推輓之權，則在人為，有定而無定也。此上下經天人之分，動靜之別，非參育之聖人，固不能知其故也。故於上經之否泰，自為一卷；下經之損益，自為一卷，以見此四卦為全經之樞紐，與他卦絕不同也。

Shang's commentary: The hexagrams of "Obstruction" and "Supreme Goodness" discuss the natural course of heaven, which is an inevitable occurrence in the flow of qi and time, so they are placed after the tenth hexagram of the Upper Canon. The hexagrams of "Loss" and "Gain" deal with human affairs and the movement of people's actions, so they are placed after the tenth hexagram of the Lower Canon. Ten is the end of a number, and when reaching the end, change occurs. A change leads to the alternation of "Obstruction" and "Supreme Goodness," and the mutual appearance of "Loss" and "Gain," which is the meaning of these hexagrams. Moreover, "Loss" comes after "Supreme Goodness," indicating that although "Obstruction" and "Supreme Goodness" belong to the natural course of heaven, the transition from "Obstruction" to "Supreme Goodness" and from "Supreme Goodness" to "Obstruction," involving loss or gain, is actually controlled by human action. It seems fixed, but in reality, it is not. This is the distinction between heaven and humanity, stillness and movement, in the Upper and Lower Canons. Without the sage who can participate in and assist the workings of heaven and earth, one could not understand the reason behind this. Therefore, the hexagrams of "Obstruction" and "Supreme Goodness" in the Upper Canon form their own section, and the hexagrams of "Loss" and "Gain" in the Lower Canon form their own section, to show that these four hexagrams are the key to the entire book, differing distinctly from the other hexagrams.

決（無左）：揚子王庭，孚號有厲，告自邑，不利即戎，利有攸往。王育云「夾即古文塊（左王）字」。按禮內則「右佩塊（左王）」，釋文「本又作決」；詩小雅「決（左水）拾既飲」是也。而決（左無）決，故決（左無）與決（左王）同。說文「玉佩也」，廣韻「合同似環而有缺」。決（左無）乾為玉為圜，兌上缺，儼然塊（左王）形也。而決者絕也，左傳晉獻公賜太子申生塊（左王），以示決絕。卦以五陽決一陰，故謂之決（左無）也。

The Hexagram of Gua states: To openly proclaim in the royal court, to call out with sincerity yet face danger; to issue warnings from one's own city, it is not favorable for military campaigns but favorable for going somewhere. The character "Gua" is explained by Wang Yu as being the ancient form of "Jue." According to the "Inner Classic: Rules of Etiquette," one wears a "Jue" on the right side. The "Classic Interpretation" says "Jue" can also be written as "Jue." In the "Small Ya" of the "Shi Jing," "Jue Shi Ji Ce" refers to the same character. "Gua" and "Jue" are interchangeable, hence "Gua" and "Jue" are the same. The "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" says "Jue" is a jade ornament, and the "Guang Yun" says it resembles a ring with a缺口. The lower trigram of this hexagram is "Qian," representing jade and roundness, while the upper trigram is "Dui," which has a missing part at the top, exactly resembling the shape of a jade "Jue." Additionally, "Jue" also means to cut off or decide. The "Zuo Zhuan" records that Duke Xian Gong of Jin gave his son Sheng a jade "Jue" to signify a decisive decision. This hexagram, with five yang lines deciding to remove one yin line, is called "Gua."

歸藏以決（左無）為規，規圜也。決（左無）重乾，乾圜故為規；決（左王）亦圜，然上缺，是周易取象，與歸藏同而更切也。乾為王，伏艮為庭，一陰履五陽之上，故曰揚于王庭。兌口為號，厲危。孚號有厲者，言陰雖孚於陽，為陽所說，然窮處於上，須危厲自警也。

The *Guicang* refers to the *Gua* "Guaie" as "Gui," which means circle. The *Gua* "Guaie" has two to four and three to five all "Qian," and "Qian" represents circle, so it is called "Gui." A jade ring is also circular, but it has a缺口. This shows that the imagery used in the *Zhouyi* is the same as in the *Guicang*, and even more accurate. "Qian" represents the king, the upper part "Dui" which covers "Gen" represents the courtyard, and a single yin line is on top of five yang lines, so it is said "to proclaim in the king's court." "Dui" represents mouth, so it is called calling out; "Lai" means danger. "Fu hao you lai" means the yin line at the top, although it is in harmony with the yang below and is pleasing to yang, is isolated and in the highest position, so it must be self-alerted to danger.

兌口故曰告，兌為斧鉞，故曰戎。說文「戎兵也」，禮月令「以習王戎」，注「弓殳矛戈戰」。伏艮為邑。告自邑，不利即戎者，言一陰危處於上，告誡國人，不可妄動也，皆指上六言也。利有攸往，謂五。決（左無）本陽息卦，五息而往則陰盡。決（左無）者決也，決者絕也，陽決陰也。

"Duì" represents the mouth, so it is said to mean "to inform" or "to announce"; "Duì" also represents axes and weapons, so it is said to mean "military force." The "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" says "Rong means weapons." The "Liji · Yueming" mentions "practicing the five types of military equipment," and Zheng's annotation lists them as bow, staff, spear, halberd, and lance. The upper trigram "Duì" covers the trigram "Gen," which represents a city. "Announcing from the city, it is not advantageous to engage in military action" refers to a yin line that is in a dangerous position at the top, indicating that one should only warn the people not to act rashly—these statements are all referring to the upper sixth line. "It is advantageous to go somewhere" refers to the ninth fifth line. The hexagram "Guai" originally represents the message of the growth of yang energy. When the ninth fifth line continues to grow upward, the yin lines are completely eliminated. "Guai" means "to decide," and "decide" means to cut off, referring to yang energy cutting off yin energy.

象曰：決（左無），決也，剛決柔也。健而說，決而和。揚于王庭，柔乘五剛也。孚號有後，其危乃光也。告自邑，不利即戎，所尚乃窮也。利有攸往，剛長乃終也。下健上說，說故和。其危乃光者，危謂陰退，陰退則陽長，陽長故光。所尚乃窮，申不利即戎之故也。陽長乃終，終謂陰盡也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Guai" means to decide, which is when a strong line decisively removes a weak line. The lower trigram is strong and vigorous, and the upper trigram is harmonious and pleasant, thus making a decision without losing harmony. "Proclaiming in the royal court" refers to a weak line dominating five strong lines. "Believing and calling out with danger" means knowing the danger can lead to great success. "Warning from the city, not favorable for military action" means valuing military force leads to a dead end. "Beneficial to go somewhere" means the strong line has reached its peak. The lower trigram "Qian" represents strength and vigor, and the upper trigram "Dui" represents joy and harmony. Joy brings harmony. "Its danger brings brightness" refers to "danger" meaning the retreat of a yin line. When yin retreats, yang grows, and thus brightness arises. "The thing pursued reaches its end" explains why military action is not favorable. "Strong line reaching its peak" means "end" refers to the complete disappearance of yin lines.

象曰：澤上於天，決（左無）。君子以施祿及下，居德則忌。祿謂恩澤，澤在天上無用，故君子思以下施。乾為富，故為德，德得同。苟子禮論篇「貴始得之本也」，注「得當為德」。居，積也。下乾，二至四，三至五，皆乾，乾多故曰居德。居德則忌者，言蓄積大多，多藏厚亡，為人所忌也。象辭每相反以取義，此亦其一也。

The Great Image Commentary says: The marsh rising to the heavens is the image of the Hexagram 49, Gua. The gentleman thus understands that he should distribute hisofficial stipend to the people below, while accumulating virtue should be cautious. "Lù" refers to grace or favor; water and marsh stored in the heavens cannot be used, so the gentleman thinks of distributing it downward. "Qian" represents wealth, hence virtue, and "de" and "de" are synonymous. In the "Book of Xunzi, the Chapter on Rites," it says, "Valuing the beginning, the root of obtaining," with a note stating, "de should be read as de." "Ju" means accumulation. This hexagram's lower trigram is "Qian," and the second to fourth lines, as well as the third to fifth lines, are also "Qian." Since "Qian" is frequent, it is said "ju de." "Ju de zhe ji" means that accumulating too much leads to excessive loss and invites resentment. The words of the Great Image often take meaning from the opposite side, and this is another example.

初九：壯于前趾，往不勝為咎。初震爻，震足故曰趾，震動故曰前趾。壯，傷也。陽遇陽得敵，故傷於前趾，故往不勝而有咎矣。趾荀作止，晁氏云「止古文」。按說文有止無趾，止即足之象形字，加足者非也。象曰：不勝而往，咎也。前有重陽，所遇皆敵，不勝必矣。明知不勝而往，宜其有咎。

The Line Statement for the first line (Initial Nine): Injury to the tip of the toe, going forward cannot lead to victory, and there will be a fault. The first line is the line of "Zhen" (Thunder), and "Zhen" represents the foot, hence "toe"; "Zhen" signifies movement, hence "tip of the toe." "Zhuang" means injury. A yang line encountering another yang line ahead is called "getting an enemy," so the injury is at the tip of the toe, thus going forward cannot lead to victory and there is a fault. The character "Zhi" (toe) in Xun Shuang's version is written as "Zhi" (to stop), and Chao Yue Zhi said "Zhi is the ancient form." According to the "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" (Explanations of Characters), there is only "Zhi" (to stop) and not "Zhi" (toe). "Zhi" is the original form of the character for foot, and adding the "foot" radical later is incorrect. The "Xiao Xiang" (Small Image) says: going forward without being able to win, there is a fault. The first line is preceded by multiple yang lines, and all encountered are enemies, so it is certain that victory cannot be achieved. Knowing that one cannot win yet still going forward, having a fault is appropriate.

九二：惕號，莫夜有戎，勿恤。乾為惕為言，故曰惕號，言有所警戒也。二應在五，五兌，兌為昧谷，故為莫為夜；兌為兵戎，故曰莫夜有戎，言有寇警也。然五不應二，故雖莫夜有戎，無憂也。乾為惕故為憂。舊解因不知勿恤之故何在，故用象皆誤。豈知隨象云「君子以晌晦人宴息」，晌晦即謂兌。然則兌為莫夜，易有明象，而兌五不應二，故雖有虛驚，實不足憂恐也。象曰：有戎勿恤，得中道也。乾為道，二中位。

The Line Statement for the Second Line (Nine in the Second): Be vigilant and call out, there will be an alarm of military conflict in the evening, but there is no need to worry. "Qian" represents vigilance and speech, so it is said "vigilant call," meaning to be on guard. The Second Line corresponds with the Fifth Line, which is in the "Dui" trigram. "Dui" is associated with the western position of the fading valley, so it represents "mo" (evening) and "ye" (night). "Dui" also represents military weapons, so it is said "there is an alarm of military conflict at night," meaning there is an alert of enemy activity. However, since the Fifth Line and the Second Line are both yang lines and do not correspond, although there is an alarm at night, there is no cause for worry. "Qian" represents worry, hence the need for caution. Old interpretations failed to understand why "do not worry" is appropriate, leading them to misinterpret the symbolic meanings. They did not consider that the "Great Image" of the "Zui" hexagram says "the gentleman follows the dusk and retires to rest," where "follow the dusk" clearly refers to "Dui." This shows that "Dui" represents evening and night in the "Book of Changes." Since the "Dui" in the fifth position does not correspond with the second, although there may be a false alarm, it is indeed not worth worrying about. The "Small Image" says: "there is an alarm but do not worry, because it is in the middle path." "Qian" represents the path, and the Second Line is in the middle position of the lower trigram.

九三：壯於頂，有凶。君子決決（左無）獨行，遇雨，若儒，有慍，無咎。顧（左九）面顴也。三居下卦之上，故曰頒（左九）；而四五皆陽，故傷及於頎（左九），傷頎（左九）故凶。乾為君子，承乘皆陽遇敵，故決決（左無）獨行；而應在上，上兌為雨，故曰遇雨，曰若濡。濡，雨（下沾）溼也。乾為衣，衣濡故溫，然究為正應，亦無咎也。象曰：君子決決（左無），終無咎也。決決（左無）獨行狀。三於四五雖遇敵，於卜獨有應，故曰終無咎。終謂上。

The third line statement says: Injury occurs on the cheekbone, which is ominous. The gentleman decisively acts alone, encountering a heavy rain, becoming completely soaked, with anger in his heart, yet without fault. "Qiu" refers to the cheekbone. The third line is at the top of the lower trigram, hence it is called "Qiu." The fourth and fifth lines are all yang lines, so the injury affects the cheekbone, and thus the omen is ominous. "Qian" represents the gentleman; the third line is surrounded by yang lines above and below, encountering enemies everywhere, hence the gentleman decisively acts alone. It has a correct correspondence with the sixth line above. The upper trigram "Dui" represents rain, so it is said to "encounter rain" and "be soaked by rain" — "ru" means to be wet from rain. "Qian" represents clothing, and the clothes being soaked cause anger; however, the sixth line is its correct correspondence, so ultimately there is no fault. The "Xiao Xiang" says: The gentleman decisively acts, ultimately without blame. "Duan Duan" describes the manner of decisively acting alone. Although the third line encounters enemies with the fourth and fifth lines, it has a correct correspondence with the sixth line, hence it is said "ultimately without blame" — "ultimately" refers to the top line.

九四：臀無膚，其行次且，牽羊悔亡，聞言不信。伏艮為膚，為尾，故為臀，臀尾閭也，艮伏故曰元膚。乾為行，承乘皆陽，失位，故其行次且。次且，馬云「卻行不前也」。兌為羊，玉篇「牽速也」，娠九三云「行未牽也」，亦以奉為速。次且行緩，速則無悔。牽羊悔亡者，言四宜隨五，速進決陰，陰決則當位居五，故曰悔亡。舊說皆不知悔亡之故何在，則以牽字失詁也。

The statement for the fourth line (九四爻辞) says: The buttocks have no skin, and movement is hesitant and slow; if one leads a sheep, regret disappears, but if one hears advice, one does not believe it. The upper part, which is '兑' (Lake), contains '艮' (Mountain) that symbolizes 'skin' and 'tail,' hence it is called 'buttocks'—the buttocks are where the tail root is located. '艮' is hidden and not visible, so it is said 'no skin.' '乾' represents movement; since nine four is a yang line that is above and below with other yang lines, and it is a yang line in a yin position, it is said 'its movement is hesitant.' 'Hesitant movement' is interpreted by Ma Rong as 'retreating and not advancing.' '兑' represents a sheep; the 'Zuoyue' says 'to lead is to move quickly,' and the 'Xiaoxiang' of 'Gou' nine three also says 'movement has not yet been led,' which also interprets 'lead' as quick movement. 'Hesitant movement' refers to slow movement, and if one moves quickly, regret disappears. 'Regret disappears by leading a sheep' means that nine four should follow nine five and move quickly to remove the yin of upper six. Once the yin is removed, nine four moves into the fifth position and becomes appropriate, hence 'regret disappears.' Old interpretations did not understand the reason for 'regret disappears,' because the meaning of the word 'lead' was lost.

兌為耳，故曰聞。乾為言為信，兌口亦為言。聞言不信者，兌言向外，與乾言相背，故不信也。兌耳象，鼎傳云「翼而耳目聰明」，目謂上離，耳謂互兌也。象曰：其行次且，位不當也；聞言不信，聰不明也。兌為耳，為黯昧，故曰不明。不明猶不審，俗所謂不清。虞氏以離目當之，非。

"De" represents the ear, so it is said "to hear." "Qian" represents speech and trust, and "De" also represents the mouth and speech. "Hearing but not believing" means that the speech of "De" goes outward, conflicting with the speech of "Qian," hence the lack of trust. "De" representing the ear is supported by the "Commentary on the Judgment" of the "Ding" hexagram, which says "Xun is flexible and the ears and eyes are clear." Here, "eyes" refer to the upper trigram "Li," and "ears" refer to the second to fourth lines, which form the trigram "De." The "Small Image" says: "Its movement is hesitant, because its position is inappropriate; hearing but not believing, because its hearing is not clear." "De" representing the ear also implies darkness, hence "not clear." "Not clear" is like not careful, as the common saying goes, hearing unclearly. Yu Fan's interpretation using the "eye" aspect of "Li" is incorrect.

九五：覓陸決決（左無），中行無咎。盂喜云「覓陸獸名」，決（左無）有兌，兌為羊也，說文亦云「崑山羊細角」。諸家說此二字，人人異辭，獨孟氏於象密合。凡五皆謂中行，又決決（左無）於羊行貌獨切。鄭虞等訓克陸為草屬，草焉有決決（左無）之象哉。象曰：中行無咎，中未光也。兌黯昧，故未光。

The line statement of the fifth line says: "A sheep from Xianlu moves forward decisively, walking in the middle path without fault." Meng Xi said, "Xianlu is the name of an animal." ——The upper trigram of the hexagram "Gua" is "Dui," which represents a sheep. The "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" also says, "Xian is a mountain sheep with fine horns." Different scholars have given different interpretations of these two characters, but only Meng Xi's explanation fits well with the hexagram's symbolism. All lines in the fifth position are called "middle path." The two characters "Gua Gua" are used to describe the gait of a sheep, which is especially appropriate. Zheng Xuan and Yu Fan, among others, interpreted "Xianlu" as a type of grass. Grass cannot have the appearance of moving "Gua Gua." The "Xiao Xiang" says: "Walking in the middle path brings no fault, because the middle is not yet bright." "Dui" represents obscurity, so it is said "not yet bright."

上六：無號，終有凶。一陰在上，為陽所推，不能久也。兌為口故曰號。無號終有凶者，言不必號號眺（左口），必消滅也。象曰：無號之凶，終不可長也。不可長，言不能長久。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: There is no need to cry out, ultimately there will be misfortune. A single yin line is isolated at the top and pushed by the five yang lines below, so it cannot last long. "Dui" represents the mouth, so it is said "cry out." "Without crying out there is still misfortune" means there is no need to wail and cry, for it will inevitably be destroyed. The "Small Image" says: The misfortune of not crying out is that it cannot last. "Cannot last" means it cannot exist for long.

垢（左女）：女壯，勿用取女。歸藏曰夜，古娶必以夜，故曰昏。後陰遇陽，即女遇男，亦婚垢（左女）也，是夜與垢（左女）義同也。女謂陰，虞翻云「壯傷也」，陰傷陽，柔消剛，故曰女壯。勿用取女，戒詞也。

The Hexagram Gou Statement says: A strong woman is not suitable to marry. The book Guicang refers to this hexagram as "Night" — in ancient times, marriage was held at night, so the ceremony was called "hun" (昏). When yin meets yang, it represents a woman meeting a man, which is marriage. Thus, "Night" and "Gou" have similar meanings. "Woman" refers to the yin line. Yu Fan says "strong means injury," meaning that yin injures yang, and softness erodes strength. Therefore, it is said "a strong woman." "Do not take a wife" is a warning.

象曰：尼（左木），遇也，柔遇剛也。勿用取女，不可與長也。天地相遇，品物咸章也。剛遇中正，天下大行也。垢（左女）之時義大矣哉。消息卦乾盈於巳，盈則必虧，故至午而一陰生於下，陰遇陽，故曰天地相遇。時當五月，萬物潔齊，而巽為草木，為高，為長，故曰品物咸章。荀爽以南方夏位說品物咸章，於象亦切也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram Gou signifies meeting, specifically a soft line meeting a strong line. "Do not take her as a wife" means one should not maintain a long-term relationship with her. When heaven and earth meet, yin and yang, all things become evident and radiant. When a strong line meets the central and upright position, teaching can spread throughout the world. The hexagram Gou is a great example of meeting in accordance with the right time. According to the twelve zodiacal hexagrams, the hexagram Qian, which is entirely yang, is full in the fourth lunar month, and when it is full, it must decline, so in the fifth lunar month, a yin line arises from below. The meeting of yin and yang is called "heaven and earth meeting." At this time, which is the fifth lunar month, all things are clean and orderly, and the upper trigram Xun represents grass and trees, height, and growth, so it is said "all things are clearly manifested." Xun Shuang explained "all things are clearly manifested" by referring to the southern summer position, which is also a fitting symbolic interpretation.

五剛既中且正，教化天下，命令大行，如風之博遍。垢（左女）五月卦，故曰時。天地相遇，歲功方成，故曰時義大也。鄭玄謂垢（左女）一女當五男，非禮之正，故謂之振；女壯以淫，故不可取。而朱子喜用其說，便謂女德不貞，於易理太不類也。

The Nine in the Fifth is both central and upright, teaching and governing the world, with commands spreading without obstruction, like wind sweeping through all places. The hexagram "Gou" is associated with the fifth month, hence the term "time." When heaven and earth meet, the harvest of the year is completed, hence the statement "the meaning of time is great." Zheng Xuan said that "Gou" represents a woman encountering five men, which is against the proper way of propriety, hence the name "Gou"; he also said that a woman's strength comes from indulgence, so she should not be married. Zhu Xi favored this interpretation and explained it as the lack of chastity in women. This is entirely inconsistent with the principles of the Book of Changes.

象曰：天下有風，尼（左木）。后以施樹四方。復冬至，垢（左女）夏至。易林復之履云「先王日至，不利出城」，又晉之解云「二至之戒，家無凶禍」。故復象云「先王以至日閉關，商旅不行，后不省方」。至日，王弼孔穎達皆謂二至。又漢書薛宣傳「至日休吏」，由來已久，注「至日夏至冬至也」。蓋古時視二至最重，自周訖南宋，可考見者，至日皆停止工作。乾為後，巽為命，伏坤為四方。后以施命浩四方者，言君以夏至之日，施命令止四方行旅也。後漢魯恭傳說此，最合古義，詳焦氏易詁中。

The Great Image Commentary says: Heaven has wind, which is the image of the Hexagram Gou; the sovereign issues commands to inform all directions. The Hexagram Fu corresponds to the winter solstice, and the Hexagram Gou corresponds to the summer solstice. Jiao's Forest of Changes, in the section Fu to Lu, says, "The former kings on the solstices were not favorable for leaving the city." In the section Jin to Jie, it also says, "Carefully observing the taboos of the solstices, the family will not suffer misfortune." Therefore, the Great Image of Fu says, "The former kings closed the gates on the solstices, and merchants did not travel, and the sovereign did not visit the regions." This term "solstice" is interpreted by Wang Bi and Kong Yingda as referring to both the summer and winter solstices. The Han Shu, in the biography of Xue Xuan, mentions "on the solstices, officials were given rest," showing that this practice has a long history. The annotation says, "the solstices refer to the summer and winter solstices." Generally, in ancient times, the two solstices were most valued; from the Zhou dynasty to the Southern Song dynasty, all instances that can be verified show that on the solstices, work was suspended. "Qian" represents the sovereign, and "Xun" represents command. "Xun" conceals "Kun," which represents the four directions. "The sovereign issuing commands to all directions" refers to the sovereign issuing commands on the summer solstice, prohibiting travel in all directions. The Hou Han Shu, in the biography of Lu Gong, explains this most accurately, as detailed in my work Jiao's Glosses on the Changes.

初六：繫於金尼（左木），貞吉，有攸往，見凶，贏豕孚摘（左足）躅。巽為繩，故曰繫；巽木乾金，故曰金尼（左木）。馬融云「尼（左木）在車下，所以止輪」，釋文廣雅云「止也」。說文作稱（左木），云「絡絲趺」。按今本說文，跌訛為稱（左木），云「人木稱（左木）聲，讀若尼（左木）」。

The Line Statement for the first line (Initial Six): A pig is tied to a metal brake, and the divination yields a favorable omen; if one proceeds, there will be misfortune; a weak sow will certainly be restless. This hexagram has "Xun" below and "Qian" above: "Xun" represents a rope, hence "to tie"; "Xun" also represents wood, and "Qian" represents metal, so a wooden object decorated with metal is called "metal brake." As for what "brake" is, Ma Rong says it is a device attached to the axle of a chariot, used to stop the wheels. The "Classic of Phonetics and Meaning" cites the "Guangya" which also interprets "brake" as "to stop." In the "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" (Explanations of Characters), the character is written as "yin," explained as "the base of a silk frame," meaning the base beneath the silk frame. According to the current edition of the "Shuo Wen," the character "fu" was mistakenly written as "yin," so the explanation became "composed of 'wood' and 'yin' sound, read like 'brake'," which makes the meaning unclear.

陶廬云「古從爾從尼（左木）之字，同音通用」。毛詩「飲餞於爾（左 ）」，韓詩作坭；書「典祀勿，豐於呢」，釋文引馬云「考也，謂稱廟也」。然則尼（左木）稱（左木）古通用，後儒必謂爾（左木）是者非也。況馬君訓作止車木，可證古文原作尼（左木）；若為爾（左木），馬君能有異說哉。

Tao Fangqi said, "In ancient times, characters that were pronounced with the sound of 'er' or 'ni' were homophones and could be used interchangeably." For example, in the "Mao Shi" (Book of Songs), it is written as "yin jian yu Mi," while the "Han Shi" (Han Poetry) writes it as "Ni." In the "Shang Shu · Gao Zong Rong Ri" (Book of Documents · Gao Zong's Second Day of Sacrifice), it says "dian si wu feng yu Ni," and the "Jing Jing Shi Wen" (Commentary on the Classics) cites Ma Rong's explanation that "Ni" refers to "Kao," meaning the father's temple — the same character with two different forms. Therefore, "Ci" and "Yi" could be used interchangeably in ancient times. Later scholars insisting that only "Yi" is correct is wrong. Moreover, Ma Rong explained this character as meaning the wooden block that stops the chariot wheel, which proves that the original text was "Ci." If the original text had been "Yi," meaning the frame for winding thread, how could Ma Rong have given such a different explanation? Once the character form is determined, the following sentence "xi yu jin Ci" can be understood as meaning "to stop" with the meaning of "Ci."

按絡絲者，絡絲之器，王肅所謂尼（左木）織績之器，婦人用者是也。趺者橫木，安絡器下，以防欹側，在下似足，故謂之跌。唐陰宏道云「絡器，關西謂之絡垛，梁益謂之絲登，其下附（左木）即尼（左木）也」。按陰氏所謂附（左木），即說文之趺，故玉篇即作絡絲附（左木）。陳壽棋云「附（左木）趺同字」。絡，縛也，與繫同義。

According to the term "luo si," it refers to the tool used for winding thread, which is the same as the item mentioned by Wang Su as "ni, a tool used in weaving and spinning hemp, used by women." "Fu" is a horizontal wooden piece placed beneath the winding tool to prevent it from tilting or falling over; since it is located below like a foot, it is called "fu." Yan Hongdao of the Tang dynasty said, "The tool for winding thread is called 'luo duo' in Guanxi, and 'si deng' in Liangzhou and Yizhou; the part beneath it is called 'ni.'" The "ni" mentioned by Yan is the same as "fu" in the "Shuowen Jiezi," so the "Zhuangyuan" directly writes it as "luo si ni." Chen Shouqí said, "Ni and fu are the same character." "Luo" means to wrap or bind, and it is synonymous with "xi" in the line statements.

繫於金尼者，言以絲縛於金尼（左木）之上，止而勿動，以喻陰不宜動而消陽，故下雲往見凶，是其義也。貞吉者，卜問吉；往見凶者，進則凶也。巽為贏（下中羊）為豕，巽進退，故滴（左足）躅。羸，釋文陸讀為累，鄭力追反，是仍讀為累，與大壯同，累纏繞也，羸累累音同通用。巽為繩故為贏，巽伏故亦為豕。滴（左足）躅，動也。羸豕孚滴（左足）躅者，言豕雖拘贏，然滴（左足）躅前進，信其必然，不可忽也，喻陰雖微，後必長也。巽豕象失傳，詳焦氏易詁易象補遺。

"The phrase 'attached to the golden brake' refers to binding a silk rope to the golden brake to stop it from moving, symbolizing that a yin line should not recklessly move to consume a yang line. Therefore, the following text says 'if one goes forward, there will be misfortune,' which conveys this meaning. 'Zhen Ji' means that the divination result is auspicious; 'going forward leads to misfortune' means that proceeding further will result in misfortune. 'Xun' represents a weak animal and a pig. The nature of 'Xun' is indecisive, hence the image of 'treading back and forth' (restless movement). The character 'lai' is read as 'lei' by Lu Ji according to the 'Shi Wen,' and Zheng Xuan's annotation also reads it as 'lei,' which is the same as in the 'Dazhuang' hexagram. 'Lei' means entanglement, and the characters 'lai,' 'lei,' and 'lei' are homophones and can be used interchangeably. 'Xun' represents a rope, hence 'lai' (entanglement); 'Xun' also represents concealment, hence 'pig.' 'Treading back and forth' refers to restlessness. 'A weak pig with faith treading back and forth' means that although the mother pig is bound, it still treads back and forth forward, indicating that it will inevitably do so, and should not be underestimated—this metaphorically represents that although a yin line is currently weak, it will inevitably grow stronger in the future. The image of 'Xun' as a pig has long been lost. For details, see my works 'Jiao's Glosses on the Changes' and 'Supplement to the Images of the Changes.'"

象曰：繫於金尼（左木），柔道牽也。玉篇「牽速也」。下九三象釋其行次且，曰行未牽也，是象傳亦訓牽為速。柔道牽者，言柔之為道，消陽甚速，故以金尼（左木）止之。諸家皆謂柔牽於二，失經旨。經旨恐陰進危陽，故止其動；象釋為柔道牽，申繫於金尼（左木）之故也。牽速之象取風疾，兼取巽繩。

The Xiao Xiang says: "Bound by the golden brake, the soft path is pulling." The Yu Pian says "qian means quick." The Xiao Xiang explanation for line nine three says "its movement is halting," explaining "movement has not yet been pulled." This shows that the Xiao Xiang also interprets "qian" as quick. "Soft path pulling" means that the soft path erodes the yang quickly, so the golden brake is used to stop it. All scholars say it refers to the yin being pulled by nine two, which misses the original meaning of the text. The original meaning of the text is to fear the ascending yin line harming the yang line, so it stops its movement. The Xiao Xiang's explanation of "soft path pulling" precisely explains why "bound by the golden brake" is used. "Qian" has the meaning of quickness, which is taken from the image of "Xun" wind's speed, and also takes "Xun" as a rope.

九二：苞有魚，無咎，不利實。苞今本作包，書禹貢「草木漸包」，釋文「或作苞」，是包苞古通，故虞氏作苞，見釋文。虞云「巽為白茅」，詩「白茅苞之」。巽為魚，二據陰居中，故曰苞有魚。巽為賓客，不利賓者，賓指上四陽，言初為二所據，四陽不能及初也。子夏傳作庖，而荀爽則作胞，胞 通，是皆以庖廚為義，然卦元是象，故虞氏合也。象曰：苞有魚，義不及賓也。二近，賓遠，故義不及。

The line statement for the second line says: "There is a fish in the bundle, no fault, but it is not favorable for the guests." The character "苞" in the present text is written as "包"; in the "Book of Documents · Yu Gong," it says "grass and trees gradually cover," and the "Shi Wen" explains that "it may also be written as '苞'." This shows that "包" and "苞" were interchangeable in ancient times, so Yu Fan's version uses "苞," as noted in the "Shi Wen." Yu Fan says "Xun represents white reed grass," and in the "Poetry · Zhao Nan · Wild Dead Roe Deer," there is a line that says "white reed grass covers it." "Xun" represents fish; since the second line occupies the yin of the first line and is in the central position of the lower trigram, it is said "there is a fish in the bundle." "Xun" represents guests; "not favorable for the guests" refers to the "guests" meaning the four yang lines above. This indicates that the first line has already been occupied by the second line, and the remaining four yang lines cannot reach the first line. The "Zi Xia Zhuan" writes this character as "庖," and Xun Shuang's version uses "胞." "Bao" and "pao" are interchangeable, and both derive their meaning from the kitchen; however, since this hexagram originally has the image of fish, Yu Fan's interpretation aligns better with the hexagram's imagery. The "Xiao Xiang" says: "There is a fish in the bundle, the meaning does not reach the guests." The second line is close to the first line, while the other guests are far away, so by reason they cannot reach it.

九三：臀無膚，其行次且，厲，無大咎。三居下卦之末，故亦曰臀。初陰爻，下爛，故曰無膚。乾為行，三得敵，故次且不前。然三當位，故雖危厲而無大咎也。舊解皆不知次且之故何在，而以復震為行為說，失之遠矣。象曰：其行次且，行未牽也。行未牽，即行未速，次且者卻行未前，故日未速。

The Line Statement for Nine in the Third Line says: The buttocks have no skin, walking is hesitant and not forward, there is danger and hardship, but there is no great fault. Nine in the Third is at the end of the Lower Trigram, so it is also called "buttocks." The First Line is yin, and below it there is a break and emptiness, so it is said "no skin." "Qian" represents movement; Nine in the Third meets both yin and yang lines above and below, which is "meeting an opponent," hence the hesitation and inability to move forward. However, Nine in the Third is a yang line in a yang position, so although there is danger and hardship, there is no great misfortune. Old annotations did not understand the reason for "ci ju," yet they used covering "Zhen" as movement to explain it, which is very far from the truth. The "Small Image" says: "Its movement is hesitant," meaning movement is not swift. "Hesitant" means retreating and not moving forward, so it is said to be not swift.

九四：苞無魚，起凶。四應初，疑於有魚，豈知初已為二所據，實無魚也。無魚則勿動，動應初則為二三所害，故凶。起，作也。象曰：無魚之凶，遠民也。陰為民，言四距初遠，故無魚也。

Nine in the Fourth Line Statement: There is no fish in the bag, and any movement will bring misfortune. Nine in the Fourth is in correspondence with Six at the Beginning, and it seems it should have fish; but in fact, Six at the Beginning has already been occupied by Nine in the Second, so there is really no fish. Since there is no fish, it should not move recklessly. Once it moves to correspond with Six at the Beginning, it will be harmed by Nine in the Second and Nine in the Third, hence the misfortune. 'Qi' means to act or move. The 'Small Image' says: The misfortune of having no fish is due to being distant from the people. The Yin line represents the people, meaning Nine in the Fourth is too far away from Six at the Beginning, so it cannot obtain the fish.

九五：以把苞瓜，含章，有隕自天。下巽為杞，上乾為圜，為瓜。孟子告於曰「以人性為仁義，猶以杞柳為否（左木）卷（左木）」，說文「否（左木）？也」，「卷（左木）屈木盂也」。以杞苞瓜者，言以杞柳之器盛瓜也。乾為大明，故曰章；瓜為所苞，故曰含章。五承乘皆陽，行窒，故含章自守。五天位，巽為隕，有隕自天者，言不久明消至二，五與為應，有隕落之險也。知其險而預為之備，則得矣，此聖人防微慮遠之意也。

The Line Statement of the Fifth Line: Using vessels made from杞柳 to hold gourds, which implies a subtle display of elegance, with something falling from the heavens. The lower trigram is 「巽」, representing杞, and the upper trigram is 「乾」, representing roundness and gourds. The Book of Mencius, in the section on the Son of Heaven, says, "Using human nature to practice benevolence and righteousness is like using杞柳 to make cups and bowls." The Shuowen Jiezi says, "桮 is a vessel," and "棬 is a bowl made by bending wood." "Using杞 to wrap the gourd" refers to using vessels made from杞柳 to hold gourds. 「乾」 represents great brightness, so it is said "to have a chapter" (i.e., to display elegance); the gourd is enclosed within, so it is said "to contain elegance." The fifth line is above the fourth and below the sixth, both of which are yang lines, so the path is obstructed, hence the need to contain elegance and remain in one's position. The number five is the heavenly position, and 「巽」 has the image of falling; "something falling from the heavens" indicates that the yin force will soon grow to the second position, and since the fifth line corresponds with the second, there is a danger of falling. Knowing the danger and preparing in advance is appropriate—this is the intention of the sage to prevent small problems from growing and to consider matters deeply.

自荀虞以來，皆不知左傳有風隕象，因之清儒亦皆不知，於是虞氏令四隕初之說，沿襲至今，而經義全晦。復六五曰敦復無侮，待陽息至二，五有應而古；此則廬陽消至二，五應之而凶。象曰：九五含章，中正也；有隕自天，志不時也。巽為命，舍命謂任命也。志不舍命者，言知其後有隕落之險，不任命而預防之也。

Since Xun Shuang and Yu Fan, no one has understood the example in the "Zuo Zhuan" that the trigram "Xun" (Wind) signifies falling objects, so Qing Dynasty scholars also remained unaware of this. Thus, Yu Fan's idea of letting the nine in the fourth position fall to the initial position has been passed down to the present day, completely obscuring the meaning of the classics. In the "Fu" hexagram, the six in the fifth line says "Dun Fu Wu Hui," which refers to the growth of yang energy reaching the second position, with the six in the fifth line having a corresponding line and thus being auspicious. Here, however, it is the decline of yin energy reaching the second position, and the nine in the fifth line corresponding with it leads to misfortune. The "Xiao Xiang" says: "The nine in the fifth line contains virtue, being central and upright; falling from the heavens, the mind does not abandon destiny." "Xun" represents destiny, and "abandoning destiny" means submitting to heavenly fate. "The mind does not abandon destiny" means that the nine in the fifth line, although aware of the danger of falling in the future, refuses to submit to fate and instead takes preventive measures in advance.

上九：尼（左木）其角，吝，無咎。乾為首，上九居乾之上，角之象也，故曰垢（左女）其角，然亦無大咎也。象曰：尼（左木）其角，上窮吝也。處亢龍之位，故窮吝。

The line statement for the topmost line (上九) says: meeting at the horn, there is hesitation, but no fault. "Qian" (Heaven) is the first, and the topmost line of the "Qian" hexagram is at the very top, symbolizing the image of a horn growing on the head, hence it is said "meeting at the horn." However, there is no great calamity. The "Small Commentary" says: meeting at the horn, it is the extreme of limitation. The topmost line is in the position of "the dragon soaring high brings regret" in the "Qian" hexagram, so it is both extreme and limited.

萃：王俊有廟，利見大人，亨利貞，用大牲吉，利有攸往。蘋聚也，坤為萬物，聚於澤中，故曰萃。王謂五，艮為廟，假格通至也，巽為人。王假有廟，言王以至誠，格於宗廟而有事也。九五得位，故曰利見大人；二五應予，故曰亨利貞。兌為羊，巽為豕，坤為牛，皆大牲，有事於宗廟用之而吉也。利有攸往，謂二應五，五天位，故傳曰順天命。

The hexagram "Cui" (Gathering) states: The king comes to the ancestral temple, it is favorable to see a great man, it is prosperous and favorable to maintain the correct path, using oxen and sheep for sacrifice brings good fortune, and it is favorable to go somewhere. "Cui" means gathering. The lower trigram "Kun" represents all things, gathered in the upper trigram "Dui" (Lake), hence called "Cui." "Wang" refers to the nine in the fifth position. The trigrams three to five form "Gen" (Mountain), which represents the ancestral temple. "Jia" and "Ge" are synonymous, meaning to arrive. The trigrams two to four form "Xun" (Wind), which represents people. "Wang jia you miao" means the king arrives at the ancestral temple with sincere devotion to perform the sacrifice. The nine in the fifth position, being yang in a yang position, is said to be favorable to see a great man. The six in the second position corresponds with the nine in the fifth, hence it is prosperous and favorable to maintain the correct path. "Dui" represents sheep, "Xun" represents pigs, and "Kun" represents oxen, all large sacrificial animals, which are used in the ancestral temple to bring good fortune. "Li you xiang" refers to the six in the second position corresponding with the nine in the fifth. The fifth position is the heavenly position, so the "Commentary on the Judgment" says "following the mandate of heaven."

象曰：萃，聚也，順以說，剛中而應，故聚也。王假有廟，致孝享也；利見大人亨，聚以正也；用大牲吉，利有攸往，順天命也。觀其所聚，而天地萬物之情可見矣。五天位，巽為命，坤順，順天命，謂二順五也。艮為觀，坤為萬物，天地萬物，陰陽而已，有陰陽即有情咸，可見而知也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "Cui" means gathering. The lower trigram is in harmony and the upper trigram is joyful, with nine five being strong and in the center and having a proper response, thus it can gather. "The king goes to the temple to offer sacrifices" refers to fulfilling filial piety through ancestral worship. "It is advantageous to see a great man and to have success" refers to gathering in accordance with the right way. "Using great sacrifices is auspicious, and it is advantageous to go somewhere" refers to following the mandate of heaven. Observing the principle of gathering things, one can see the true nature of all things in heaven and earth. Five is the position of heaven; the interacting trigram "Xun" represents destiny, and the lower trigram "Kun" represents obedience. So "following the mandate of heaven" means that six two obeys nine five. The interacting trigram "Gen" represents observation, and "Kun" represents all things. Heaven and earth and all things are no more than yin and yang. With yin and yang there is mutual affection and interaction, thus they can be observed and known.

象曰：澤上於地，萃。君子以除戎器，戒不虞。戎兵也，月令「以習五戎」，注「五戎弓殳戈矛戰也」。兌為斧鉞，艮為刀兵，除治也。君子觀於革象，因以治戎器而戒不虞。坤為亂，艮為止，止亂，故曰戒不虞，言防意外也。

The Great Image Commentary says: Water overflowing from a marsh onto the land is the image of the hexagram "Cui"; thus, the gentleman understands the need to repair weapons in preparation for unforeseen events. "Rong" refers to weapons. The "Book of Rites · Monthly Orders" states "to practice the five types of weapons," with the commentary explaining that the five weapons are the bow, the halberd, the spear, the spear, and the spear. The upper trigram "Dui" represents axes and halberds, and the interacting trigram "Gen" represents weapons. "Chu" means to repair. The gentleman sees this image and thus repairs weapons to guard against unexpected occurrences. "Kun" represents disorder, and "Gen" represents stopping; stopping disorder means preventing calamity, hence "ji bu yu," which means guarding against unforeseen events.

初六：有孚，不終，乃亂乃萃，若號，一握為笑，勿恤，往無咎。四有應，故曰有孚。乃初為二三所阻格，難於應四，故曰不終。乃亂乃蘋，坤為亂，為聚，言亂萃於下也。四巽為號，艮手為握。若號者，言四召初與相上下也。四下來初，則初四相握手，下卦成震，震為笑，故曰一握為笑也。坤為憂，有應故勿憂。初之四得正，故往無咎。象曰：乃亂乃萃，其志亂也。坤為志為亂。

The line statement for the first line (initial six): There is sincerity but it cannot reach the end, thus there is confusion and gathering; if one calls out, a single handshake brings joy; there is no need to worry, going forward brings no fault. The first line corresponds with the fourth line, so it is said 'there is sincerity'. However, the first line is blocked by the second and third lines, making it difficult to correspond with the fourth line, hence 'not reaching the end'. 'Confusion and gathering' — 'Kun' represents confusion and also gathering, indicating that the group of yin lines are confused and gathered below. The fourth line is in the middle of the trigrams three to five 'Xun', which represents calling out; the trigrams two to four 'Gen' represent the hand, hence 'handshake'. 'If one calls out' refers to the fourth line calling the first line to correspond above and below. When the fourth line moves down to the first position, the first and fourth lines shake hands, and the lower trigram becomes 'Zhen', which represents laughter, hence 'a single handshake brings joy'. 'Kun' represents worry, but since there is a correct correspondence, there is no need to worry. The first line moving to the fourth position is correct, hence 'going forward brings no fault'. The 'Small Commentary' says: 'Confusion and gathering' indicates that their intentions are confused. 'Kun' represents both intention and confusion.

六二：引吉，無咎，孚乃利用侖（左 ）。引進也，禮檀弓「兄弟之子猶子也，蓋引而進之也」。引吉無咎者，言進應五則吉而無咎也。侖（左 ）薄祭也。二孚五，五兌為享，而坤為吝嗇，故曰孚乃利用侖（左 ），侖（左 ）夏祭，互巽為夏也。象曰：引吉無咎，中未變也。進應五仍中位，故曰中未變。

Line 62: If it moves upward, it is auspicious, without blame, and if there is sincerity, it is beneficial for a simple sacrifice. "Yin" means to advance. The "Rites of the Son of Heaven" says, "The sons of brothers are treated as one's own sons, which is advancing." "Yin jí wú jiù" means that when line 62 advances to respond to line 95, it is auspicious and without blame. "Yue" refers to a simple sacrifice. Line 62 is sincere toward line 95, and line 95 is in the "Dui" trigram, which represents enjoyment; while "Kun" is characterized by frugality and restraint, hence "fu nai li yong yue." "Yue" is a summer sacrifice, and the trigram "Xun" from the third to fifth lines represents summer. The "Small Commentary" says: "Yin jí wú jiù," the middle has not changed. Line 62 advances to respond to line 95, and line 5 remains in the middle position, hence "zhong wei bian."

六三：萃如嗟如，無攸利，往無咎，小吝。三無應失位，而巽為嗟，故曰嗟如。巽為利，失位無應，故無所利。三前遇重陽，故往無咎；然上無應，故往小吝也。象曰：往無咎，上巽也。巽順也，上巽言上順四五，四五陽，故無咎。虞氏謂動之四故上賣，誤之遠矣。

The third line statement says: gathering together and then dispersing again, sighing and lamenting continuously, there is no benefit; going forward brings no fault, but there is only a small regret. The sixth line three and the sixth line at the top are both yin and do not correspond with each other, and since the third line is yin in a yang position, it is not in the correct place. From line three to line five, the trigram is 'Xun' (wind), which represents sighing and lamenting, hence the phrase 'sighing and lamenting'. 'Xun' also represents benefit; however, since the third line is not in the correct position and has no corresponding line, there is no benefit. The third line encounters two yang lines, the fourth and fifth lines, ahead of it. Yin meeting yang leads to communication, so going forward brings no fault; but since it does not correspond with the sixth line at the top, there is still a small regret. The 'Small Image' says: going forward brings no fault, because of the upper 'Xun'. 'Xun' means following. 'Upper Xun' refers to the third line following and supporting the fourth and fifth lines, which are both yang lines, hence no fault. Yu Fan said that the third line needs to move to the fourth position to form the upper 'Xun', which is too far off.

九四：大吉無咎。下乘三陰，故大吉；失位故無咎，無咎者僅免於咎也。象曰：大吉無咎，位不當也。繫辭云「無咎者善補過者也」，故無咎非全美之辭。九五：萃有位，無咎，匪孚，元永貞，悔亡。得位居中，故有位無咎。五孚於二，乃為四所阻，難於應二，故曰匪罕。然乾元永貞於五，居高臨下，亦無悔也。象曰：萃有位，志未光也。兌為黯昧，艮為光明，艮伏故志未光。巽為志。

The line statement for the fourth line (Nine in the Fourth): Great fortune, no blame. Nine in the Fourth is below three yin lines, with the yin lines converging, hence great fortune; yet it is a yang line in a yin position, so it only says 'no blame'—'no blame' is merely a forced avoidance of misfortune. The 'Small Commentary' says: Great fortune with no blame, because the position is inappropriate. The 'Great Treatise' says 'no blame means being good at remedying mistakes,' showing that 'no blame' is not a perfect conclusion. The line statement for the fifth line (Nine in the Fifth): Gathering in a high position, no blame; not fully trusting, but maintaining firmness for a long time, regret disappears. Nine in the Fifth is in the proper position and in the center, so it says 'has a position, no blame.' Nine in the Fifth originally could fully trust six in the Second, but is blocked by Nine in the Fourth, making it difficult to respond to six in the Second, hence 'not fully trusting.' However, the virtue of the creative power remains firm in the fifth position, so there is no regret. The 'Small Commentary' says: 'Gathering in a high position, the will is not yet bright.' 'Dui' represents obscurity, 'Gen' represents brightness, and the intercalated 'Gen' in this hexagram is hidden and not visible, hence 'the will is not yet bright'; the intercalated 'Xun' also represents the will.

上六：諮涕夷（左水），無咎。兌為口，故諮，釋文「齊諮嗟嘆之辭」，鄭同，馬云「悲聲怨聲」。兌為澤，故涕夷（左水）。玉篇「目計出曰涕」，說文「演鼻液也」。上乘陽，三無應，故悲哀若是，然當位亦無大咎也。虞翻作齊資，云「齊持資膊也」，即持賻助喪也，非。象曰：齊諮涕夷（左水），未安上也。言不安於窮吝。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: lamenting and weeping, tears and snot flowing down together, there is no fault. "兑" represents the mouth, so there is the lamentation called "咨"; the "Classic Interpretation" says "zi ci is the expression of lamentation," which Zheng Xuan agrees with; Ma Rong says it refers to "sad or resentful sounds." "兑" also represents a marsh, so there is the weeping and snot. The "Ziwen" says "the water flowing from the eyes is called tears," and the "Shuowen" says "the mucus from the nose is called snot." The sixth line is below the fifth line which is yang, and it shares the same nature as the third line without a corresponding line, so it reaches this level of sorrow; however, since it is a yin line in a yin position, it does not bring great calamity. Yu Fan wrote "qi zi," saying "qi means to hold, and zi means to offer condolences," meaning to bring money and goods to help with funeral expenses, which is incorrect. The "Xiao Xiang" says: "carrying lamentations and weeping, not secure in the upper position." This means it is not at ease in its situation of hardship and distress.

升：元亨，用見大人，勿恤，南征吉。陽遇陰則通，故名曰升。歸藏曰稱，牧誓「稱而戈」，注「稱舉也」；又譽人曰稱揚。升者升而上，舉者亦揚之使上，故歸藏曰稱，周易曰升，其義並同。陽上升，故元亨，元謂乾元也。大人謂二，二為三所阻格，故不曰利見大人，而曰用見，言二宜升五也。

The Hexagram Statement of "Ascending" says: It is greatly smooth and favorable to see a great person, without worry, and it is auspicious to move southward. A yang line meets a yin line ahead, thus there is unimpeded passage, so the hexagram is named "Ascending." In the "Guicang," this hexagram is named "Cheng": In the "Book of Documents · Mu Shi," it says "Cheng your spear," with the annotation explaining "Cheng means to lift up"; also, praising someone is called "Chengyang." "Ascending" means going upward, and "lifting" also means raising something up so that it goes upward, so the "Guicang" calls it "Cheng" and the "Zhou Yi" calls it "Ascending," meaning the same thing. Yang energy ascends, so "Yuan Heng" ("greatly smooth"), "Yuan" refers to Qian Yuan. "Great person" refers to Nine Two; Nine Two is blocked by another yang line, Nine Three, so instead of saying "favorable to see a great person," it says "use to see," meaning Nine Two should ascend to the fifth position.

坤為憂為恤，二升五大人得位，故曰勿恤。震為南，為徵，三臨群陰，故南征吉。左傳成十六年，晉筮遇復，曰南國戚（左足），以震為南；明夷九三曰南狩，亦以震為南。自震南象失傳，清儒皆用虞氏法，以二升五互離為南。象曰：柔以時升，巽而順，剛中而應，是以大亨。用見大人，勿恤，有慶也；南征吉，志行也。二升五，故有慶。坤為志，三臨重坤，故曰志行。

"The trigram 'Kun' represents worry and care; when the second line (Nine Two) ascends to the fifth position, the great person is in the proper position, hence it is said 'do not worry.' The trigram 'Zhen' represents the south and movement; the third line (Nine Three) is located within the intercalated 'Zhen' trigram from the third to the fifth positions, and is above a group of yin lines, hence it is said 'a southern campaign is auspicious.' The 'Zuo Zhuan' records that in the sixteenth year of Chenggong, a person divined the hexagram 'Fu,' and the divination said 'the southern state is squeezed,' which uses 'Zhen' to represent the south. The line 'Nan Shou' in the hexagram 'Mingyi' also uses 'Zhen' to represent the south. Since the image of 'Zhen' representing the south has been lost, Qing dynasty scholars generally followed Yu Fan's method, saying that after Nine Two ascends to the fifth position, the intercalated trigrams form 'Li,' which represents the south. The 'Commentary on the Judgment' says: the flexible and yielding line rises in accordance with the time, descending into 'Xun' and ascending into 'Kun,' with Nine Two being strong and in the center with a responding line, hence great success. 'Using to see the great person, do not worry' indicates good fortune; 'a southern campaign is auspicious' indicates the realization of one's aspirations. Nine Two ascending to the fifth position brings about good fortune. 'Kun' represents the will, and Nine Three being above multiple 'Kun' yin lines indicates the realization of the will."

象曰：地中生木，升。君子以順德，積小以高大。巽為高為長，故為高大；坤為小為積。積小以高大者，言以坤陰柔順之德，積累以成其高大也。象卦形也。初六：允升，大吉。允施氏作A，說文同，云「A 進也」。晉六三云「眾A」，即眾進也；茲曰A升，仍前進而升也。進遇陽，故大吉。

The Great Image says: trees growing out of the earth represent the image of the Hexagram of Ascending; thus, the gentleman understands that he should cultivate virtue in a smooth and harmonious way, accumulating small things to achieve great results. "Xun" represents height and length, so it signifies "great height"; "Kun" represents smallness and accumulation. "Accumulating small things to achieve great height" means using the gentle and yielding virtue of "Kun," gradually accumulating to attain great height. Here, the term "image" refers to the form of the hexagram. The line statement for the first line: sincere and trustworthy ascent brings great good fortune. The character "允" is in the Shichao version written as "㽙," which the Shuowen Jiezi says is the same, meaning "to advance." The line statement for the sixth line of the Hexagram of晋 says "the people all agree," meaning all people advance together; here, "allowing ascent" still means advancing forward and ascending. The first line advances and meets the yang of the second line, thus bringing great good fortune.

象曰：允升大吉，上合志也。上謂二三，九家謂上交，非。巽伏故為志。九二：孚乃利用尼（左木），無咎。二孚五，五坤為吝嗇，故曰掄。侖（左示）夏日薄祭敢。兌為祭，巽為夏，故曰軍乃利用掄，無咎矣。象曰：九二之孚，有喜也。升五故有喜。

The Xiao Xiang says: "True faith leads to great good fortune, because it aligns with the will above." "Above" refers to the lines nine two and nine three. The Nine Families' commentary says it refers to interaction with the superior position, which is incorrect. "Xun" signifies concealment, hence it is called "will." The line statement of nine two says: "With sincere faith, it is advantageous to perform the thin summer sacrifice, without fault." Nine two shows sincere faith to six five, and six five is in the "Kun" trigram. "Kun" is characterized by frugality and restraint, hence it is called "thin sacrifice." "Thin sacrifice" refers to a simple offering in summer. "Dui" represents sacrifice, and "Xun" represents summer, hence it says "With sincere faith, it is advantageous to perform the thin summer sacrifice, without fault." The Xiao Xiang says: "The sincere faith of nine two brings joy." Nine two is able to ascend to the fifth position, hence there is joy.

九三：升虛邑。馬雲虎丘也。按左傳僖二十八年「晉侯登有莘之虛」，詩衛風「升彼虛矣」。虛者高丘，巽為高，故曰虛；坤為邑。升虛邑者，言升邑之高處也，正巽上象也，與同人九四之乘其庸，取象正同。荀爽作空虛解，後來諸家，以虛為坤象，多宗荀說，非。象曰：升虛邑，無所疑也。坤為迷為疑，陽遇陰，故無所疑。

The line statement for the third line (Nine in the Third) says: "Ascending the high hill city." Ma Rong said, "Empty refers to a high hill." According to the "Zuo Zhuan" from the 28th year of Duke Xian, "The Duke of Jin ascended the old ruins of Shensheng," and in the "Poetry · Yong Feng · Ding Zhi Fang Zhong," it says, "He ascended the high hill." "Empty" refers to a high hill; "Xun" represents highness, so it is called "empty"; "Kun" represents a city. "Ascending the empty city" means ascending the high part of the city, which is exactly the meaning of "Xun" being below and its image rising upward. This is entirely the same as the imagery in "Tong Ren" Nine in the Fourth, "Riding upon the city wall." Xun Shuang interpreted "empty" as empty, and later scholars took "empty" as the empty image of "Kun," mostly following Xun's interpretation, but this is actually incorrect. The "Xiao Xiang" says: "Ascending the empty city, there is no doubt." "Kun" represents confusion and doubt; the yang line of Nine in the Third meets the preceding yin line and becomes connected, hence there is no doubt.

六四：王用亨於歧山，吉，無咎。震為王，兌為亨。震為陵為皈，而形上歧，故曰歧山。王用亨於歧山者，言望二升五，四得承陽，陰順陽，猶臣事君。望二升五，猶望工至歧山，而有所亨獻也。象曰順事，順承也。二若不升五，四如何得承陽哉，故望之也。

The Line Statement of the Fourth Line: The king holds a sacrificial offering at Qishan, which is auspicious and without fault. The interacting trigram 'Zhen' represents the king, and 'Dui' represents the sacrificial offering. 'Zhen' signifies hills and mountains, and its upper part is divided, hence called 'Qishan'. 'The king uses sacrificial offerings at Qishan' means that the Fourth Line (six in the fourth) hopes that the Second Line (nine in the second) will ascend to the fifth position, so that it can receive the yang line. Yin follows yang, just as a subject serves the ruler. Hopes for the Second Line to ascend to the fifth position is like hoping the king will personally come to Qishan to make offerings. The 'Small Image' says 'following the service', 'following' means receiving. If the Second Line does not ascend to the fifth position, how can the Fourth Line receive the yang line? Therefore, it hopes for it.

此正文王服事殷之本旨。乃後儒謂文王作爻辭，不合自稱為王；若為殷王，又無至歧山之理，以爻辭為周公作。此無訟易辭皆由象生，故韓宣子不謂為易辭，而曰易象。即只以人事言，紂尚能國文王，何不可到歧山。且文王於此事數言之，服事忠誠，溢於言表，又豈必實有其事。乃謂王為文王，無理甚矣。李過西谷易說云「若以此王為文王，則王用三驅、王假有廟，亦文王耶」，駁舊說至詳盡。象曰：王用亨於歧山，順事也。坤為順，言二升五，四得承陽，故曰順事。

This is exactly the original intention of King Wen in serving the Shang dynasty. Later scholars, however, argued that King Wen could not have written the line statements since he referred to himself as "Wang" (king). If they claimed it was the Shang king, then it would not make sense for him to have gone to Qishan. Therefore, they concluded that the line statements were written by the Duke of Zhou. In fact, regardless of whether the statements of the Book of Changes come from the hexagram images (so when Han Xuanzi saw it in Lu, he called it "Yi Xiang" instead of "Yi Ci"), if we consider only human affairs, King Zhou was still able to imprison King Wen. Why then could King Wen not go to Qishan? Moreover, King Wen repeatedly mentioned this matter, clearly expressing his loyalty to the Shang dynasty. Why must there be an actual event? To force the term "Wang" to refer to King Wen is unreasonable. Li Guo's "Xi Xi Yi Shuo" says, "If we take this 'Wang' as King Wen, then 'Wang yong san qu' and 'Wang jia you miao' would also be King Wen?" This refutes the old view most thoroughly. The "Xiao Xiang" says: "Wang yong xing yu qi shan," which means "the king used to offer sacrifices at Qishan," indicating a proper and harmonious action. "Kun" represents harmony, meaning that the second line rises to the fifth position, allowing the fourth line to support the yang line. Therefore, it is called "hui shi" (proper action).

六五：貞吉，升階。貞吉，卜問吉也。坤為土為重，故有階級之象。升階言二升五也。五陽，故象曰大得志。象曰：貞吉升階，大得志也。坤為志，陽升五，故大得志。上六：冥升，利于不息之貞。坤為晦冥為夜，故曰冥升；得陽應，故曰利于不息之貞，與利永貞同偕。蓋上六為同性之四五所格，不能應三，故有此象。象曰：冥升在上，消不富也。坤消故不富。

The line statement for the fifth line says: the divination is auspicious, ascending steps. 'Zhen Ji' means the divination result is auspicious. 'Kun' represents earth and overlapping, thus symbolizing steps and levels. 'Ascending steps' refers to the nine in the second line rising to the fifth position. The fifth position is yang, so the 'Small Commentary' says 'greatly fulfilling one's will.' The 'Small Commentary' says: 'Zhen Ji' and 'ascending steps' mean 'greatly fulfilling one's will.' 'Kun' represents will, and a yang line rising to the fifth position thus greatly fulfills its will. The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: ascending in darkness, favorable to maintaining uprightness without ceasing. 'Kun' represents darkness and night, so it is said 'meditating on ascent.' The sixth line at the top receives the yang of the third line below, so it is said 'favorable to maintaining uprightness without ceasing,' which is the same meaning as 'favorable for enduring uprightness.' Probably the sixth line at the top is blocked by the similarly yin sixth line four and fifth, so it cannot smoothly correspond with three, hence this line statement. The 'Small Commentary' says: 'ascending in darkness at the top, not rich.' 'Kun' signifies reduction, so it is said 'not rich.'

困：亨，貞，大人吉，無咎，有言不信。二五剛得中，處險能說，故亨。貞，占也。二五為大人，故貞大人吉也。兌口為言，三至上正反兌，所向不同，故有言不信。此其義始見於《左傳》。《左傳》昭五年明夷之謙曰：於人為言，敗言為讒。謂謙上震為人為言，下艮為反震，故曰敗言。是以正反震為讒。《易林》承其義，於訟之困云：心與言反。正釋此語也。坤之離云：齊魯爭言。離二至五正反兌，故曰爭言，爭言即不信。離二至五，與困三至上同也。舊解皆誤，詳《焦氏易詁》。

The Hexagram of Being Impeded: It is favorable; when questioned, it is auspicious for the "Great Man" of virtue and position, without error; although one speaks, one is not believed. Nine Two and Nine Five both have yang strength in the central positions of the upper and lower trigrams. The lower trigram is Kan, representing danger, and the upper trigram is Dui, representing joy. Being in a dangerous situation yet maintaining joy, thus it is said "favorable." "Zhen" here means to question. The lines Two and Five are the positions of the Great Man, so questioning is auspicious for the Great Man. Dui represents the mouth, and the mouth can speak, so Dui has the image of "speech." The hexagram from line Three to the top line is a correct Dui stacked upon an inverted Dui, two mouths facing opposite directions, each holding a different opinion, thus it is said "there is speech but it is not believed." This example of taking images is first found in the "Zuo Zhuan": in the fifth year of Duke Zhao, it mentions "Mingyi's Qian," saying "speech is for people, false speech is slander." The lower trigram of Qian is Zhen, representing people and speech, and the upper trigram is Gen, which is the inverted image of Zhen, thus called "false speech," showing that a correct Zhen stacked upon an inverted Zhen is slander. The "Jiao's Forest of Changes" follows this meaning: in the hexagram "Song" and "Kun," it says "the heart and speech are opposite," explaining "there is speech but it is not believed." In the hexagram "Kun" and "Li," it says "Qi and Lu contend in speech," because the lines Two to Five of Li are also a correct Dui stacked upon an inverted Dui, thus called "contention in speech," which is mutual disbelief. The structure of lines Two to Five in Li is the same as lines Three to the top in Kui. Old interpretations have all misunderstood this, as detailed in Shang's "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes."

象曰：困，剛B也，險以說，困而不失其所亨，其唯君子乎。貞大人吉，以剛中也。有言不信，尚口乃窮也。坎剛B，三至上剛B，陽陷陰中故困。因而不失其所亨，唯君子能之。君子即大人，若小人即不堪矣。兌為口，三至上正反兌，故曰尚口。尚口乃窮者，言徒尚口說，必有相反而不信者，故窮也。象曰：澤無水，困。君子以致命遂志。水在澤下，則澤竭矣，故曰無水。巽為命，而兌為反巽，為毀折，故曰致命。坎為志，二人於淵不出，故曰遂志。學易之君子以之。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "困" represents the situation where yang is concealed by yin, and is in a dangerous situation yet remains harmonious, being trapped in difficulty but still maintaining the way of success. Only a gentleman can achieve this. "Zhen Da Ren Ji" is because the second and fifth lines are yang in the center. "You Yan Bu Xìn" means that relying solely on words leads to a dead end. The lower trigram is Kan, which is one yang concealed by two yins. The third line to the top line is also yang concealed by yin, yang being trapped within yin, hence called "困." Being in a difficult situation yet maintaining success, only a gentleman can do so; here, "gentleman" refers to the "adult" mentioned in the hexagram statement. A petty person would not be able to endure it.兑 represents the mouth, and the third line to the top line is the upright兑 and inverted兑 overlapped, two mouths facing each other, hence "shang kou" (relying on words). "Shang kou nai qiong" means that relying solely on verbal ability will inevitably lead to adverse comments and lack of belief, thus reaching a dead end. The Great Image Commentary says: A marsh without water, this is the hexagram "困." A gentleman learns from this to be willing to sacrifice his life to fulfill his aspirations. Water should be stored in the marsh, but now it leaks out below the marsh, causing the marsh to dry up, hence "wu shui" (no water). 巽 represents destiny, and兑 is the inverted image of 巽, also implying destruction, hence "ming zhi" (sacrificing one's life). Kan represents aspirations, and the yang in Kan sinks to the bottom of the abyss without emerging, hence "sui zhi" (fulfilling one's aspirations), meaning aspirations are held firm to the end. A gentleman who studies the Book of Changes should take this as a model.

初六：臀困于株木，入于幽谷，三歲不覿，凶。初在下，故曰臀，與決（左無）九四同。株木謂坎。言初欲應四，坎陷為阻，故困于株木。株乾也，《韓非子》守株待兔，而坎為棟，故為株木。坎為幽，坎陷為谷，初在下，故人於幽谷。離伏故不覿。三歲言其久。蓋初失位，處坎下，故其象如此。茹敦和以坎為三歲，王昭素謂初至三三爻為三歲，以坎上六證之，茹說是也。象曰：入于幽谷，幽不明也。離伏坎夜，故幽不明。

The first line statement says: The buttocks are trapped on a dry tree stump and fall into a deep valley, not seeing anyone for three years, which is dangerous. The first line is at the very bottom of the entire hexagram, so it takes the image of the buttocks, similar to the case of the fourth line in the hexagram Guai. "Struck by a tree stump" refers to the lower trigram Kan. The first line originally intended to correspond with the fourth line, but the danger of Kan blocks the way, hence "trapped by the tree stump." "Struck" refers to a tree stump, as there is a story in the Hanfeizi about waiting by a tree stump; Kan also has the image of a beam, which is a wooden structure, so Kan can represent a tree stump. Kan represents darkness, and the dangerous situation of Kan is like a deep valley. Since the first line is at the bottom, it says "falling into a dark valley." Li represents eyes and sight, but in this hexagram, the image of Li is hidden and not visible, hence "not seeing," meaning not seeing people. "Three years" is used to describe the length of time. Basically, the first line is a yin line in a yang position and is out of place, and it is located below the dangerous trigram Kan, so the image is like this. Ru Dunhe interprets the three years as referring to Kan, while Wang Zhao Su says it is because the first line to the third line together make up three lines, hence three years. Using the statement of the sixth line of the hexagram Kan to verify, Ru's interpretation is correct. The Small Image Commentary says: Falling into a dark valley is because of darkness and lack of clarity. Li is hidden, and Kan represents night, so it is dark and unclear.

九二：困于酒食，朱紱方來，利用亨祀，征凶，無咎。坎為酒食，需九五需于酒食是也。二居坎中，故困于酒食。巽為繩為級，坎為赤，巽在二前，故日朱龍（左言）方來，言將膺錫命也。《博雅》紱綬也。朱級貴人所服，以祭宗廟者，故用以亨祀則利也。然五不應故征凶，得中亦無咎。象曰：困于酒食，中有慶也。居陰中，故有慶。

The line statement for the second line says: Being trapped by wine and food, a red sash is about to be presented, which is suitable for holding a worship ceremony; traveling is dangerous, but there is no mistake. The trigram Kan represents wine and food, and the line statement of the fifth line in the hexagram "Need" says "waiting by wine and food," which corresponds to this image. The second line is located within the trigram Kan, so it says "trapped by wine and food." The trigram Xun represents a rope and a sash, and Kan represents the color red. Since the trigram Xun is before the second line, it says that a red sash is about to be presented, meaning that one is about to receive a royal appointment. The "Boya" says: "Fu" is a sash. A red sash is worn by the nobleman and used in the worship of the ancestral temple, so using it for worship is beneficial. However, the fifth line and the second line are both yang lines and do not correspond, so traveling is dangerous; but since the second line is in the middle, there is no mistake. The "Small Image Commentary" says: Being trapped by wine and food, being in the middle brings joy. The second line is between the first line and the third line, which are both yin lines, and is in the middle position, so there is joy.

六三：困于石，據于蒺藜，入于其宮，不見其妻，凶。巽為石，坎為蒺藜。三前臨巽，故困于石；下據坎，故據于蒺藜。石堅剛不可人，蒺藜刺人，不可踐也。巽為人，坎為宮，故人於其官。巽為齊，妻者齊也，故巽為妻。巽為伏，又上無應，故人宮而不見妻也。象而如是，凶可知也。巽石象，宋邵雍用之，後儒怪駭。豈知《焦氏易林》同人之小畜云：戴石上山，步跌不前。小畜小巽為石，下乾為山為首，石在首上，故曰戴石。餘證尚多，詳《焦氏易詁》卷一。

The line statement for the third line (sixth in the third) says: Being trapped by a big stone, stepping on thorns, returning to one's house, yet not seeing one's wife, it is dangerous. The trigram Xun represents stone, and Kan represents thorns. The third line is immediately adjacent to the trigram Xun, hence "trapped by a stone"; below it is the trigram Kan, hence "stepping on thorns." Stone is hard, so one cannot enter; thorns have prickles, so one cannot step on them. Xun represents entering, and Kan represents a house, hence "entering one's house." The ancient pronunciation of Xun is similar to "qi," and "wife" means being equal with the husband, hence Xun also represents "wife." Xun also has the meaning of concealment. Since the third line and the top line are both yin lines without a proper response, one enters the house but does not see the wife. Given the line's image, danger is evident. The image of Xun as stone is an unusual interpretation, which Shao Yong of the Song dynasty once used. Later scholars were surprised, but they did not realize that in "The Forest of Changes" by Jiao, in the hexagram Tongren and Xiaoxu, it says, "Wearing a stone on the mountain, stepping back and unable to move forward." In "Xiaoxu," the lower trigram is Xun, which is stone, and the lower trigram Qian represents the mountain and the head, so the stone is on top, hence "wearing a stone." There are many such supporting examples, see volume one of "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes."

象曰：據于蒺藜，乘剛也；入于其宮，不見其妻，不詳也。《釋文》云：蒺藜茨草。虞翻謂為木名似非。《釋估》茨蒺藜。注：布地蔓生，有子，三角刺人。《詩·庸（右邑）風》牆有茨。傳：茨蒺藜。孔疏：蒺有刺，不可踐者是也。惟不可踐，故以喻乘剛，若為木則不合矣。《正義》作藜，然《爾雅》及《毛詩》傳皆作藜，藜藜通用。阮校必謂藜是，似亦無確證，詳善也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "Walking on thorned plants is because the line six in the third is riding over the line nine in the second yang; entering the door and not seeing the wife is an omen of misfortune." Lu Deming in his "Commentary on the Classics" says that thorned plants are a type of wild gourd plant. Yu Fan thought it was a type of wood, but that seems incorrect. The "Er Ya · Interpretation of Plants" says that "tsi" is the same as thorned plants, and the annotations explain that it grows along the ground, spreads out, and produces fruits with three horns that can prick people. The "Book of Songs · Song Wind" contains the line "The wall has thorned plants," and the Mao Commentary interprets "tsi" as thorned plants. Kong Yingda's commentary explains that thorned plants have prickly spikes and cannot be stepped on, which fits this line perfectly. Because they cannot be stepped on, they are used as a metaphor for the danger of line six in the third riding over yang. If it is considered a tree, the meaning does not fit. The "Correct Meaning of the Zhou Changes" writes it as "li," while both the "Er Ya" and the Mao Commentary on the "Book of Songs" also write it as "li," indicating that the two characters are interchangeable. Yuan Ruan's "Notes on Textual Criticism" insists that it should be written as "li," but there is no conclusive evidence for this, and further examination is needed.

九四：來徐徐，困于金車，吝，有終。來應初為二所阻，故曰徐徐。二坎為車，離色黃外堅，故曰金車。困于金車，申來徐徐之故也。仍陰於險，不得應初也。然與初為正應，初吝終合，故曰有終。象曰：來徐徐，志在下也；雖不當位，有與也。坎為志，志在下，言應初。

The statement for the fourth line says: Coming slowly and gradually, being trapped by a chariot decorated with bronze, there is some reluctance, but ultimately there will be a good outcome. The fourth line comes down to correspond with the first line, but is blocked by the second line, hence it is said 'coming slowly'. The second line is in the body of Kan, which represents a chariot, so there is an image of a chariot. The color of Li is yellow and its exterior is hard, so the meaning of 'metal' is taken, combining to form 'golden chariot'. 'Trapped by the golden chariot' is precisely explaining 'coming slowly'—the fourth line is still trapped in difficulties and cannot correspond with the first line. However, the fourth line and the first line have corresponding yin and yang, originally a proper correspondence. Although there is initial reluctance and obstruction, in the end they will surely meet, hence it is said 'there is a conclusion'. The Small Image Commentary says: Coming slowly is because the mind is focused on the lower position. Although the fourth line is a yang line in a yin position, which is improper, it has a corresponding partner. Kan represents the mind, 'the mind is in the lower position' means the mind is focused on corresponding with the first line.

九五：劓月（右 ），困于赤紱，乃徐有說，利用祭祀。艮伏鼻不見，故曰劓。兌折震足象毀，故曰別。坎為赤，巽為紱，故曰赤紱。乃二爻坎為不應，故困于赤紱。上遇陰利往，故有說。兌為食，故利用祭祀。象曰：劓月（右 ），志未得也；乃徐有說，以中直也；利用祭祀，受福也。坎為志，二無應，故志未得。坎五曰受福，茲與之同，傳所謂祭則受福也。

The line statement for the fifth line says: having suffered the punishments of nose-cutting and foot-cutting, being trapped by a red sash, gradually there is a turning point, and it is appropriate to hold a worship ceremony. The trigram Gen represents the nose, and since this hexagram has the trigram Gen in its image, it signifies concealment, and the nose is missing, hence the term "nose-cutting." The trigram Dui signifies breaking, and the trigram Zhen represents the foot. Dui breaking Zhen indicates the foot is broken, hence the term "foot-cutting." The trigram Kan represents red, and the trigram Xun represents a sash, hence "red sash." However, the second line is also a yang line, and it does not correspond with the fifth line, hence "trapped by the red sash." The fifth line meets the sixth line above, which is yin, and when yang meets yin, there is communication, hence it is appropriate to move forward, thus "gradually there is a turning point." The trigram Dui represents mouth and food, hence it is appropriate to hold a worship ceremony. The Small Image Commentary says: suffering the punishments of nose-cutting and foot-cutting indicates that the mind's aspirations have not yet been realized; gradually there is a turning point because the fifth line is in the center and upright; it is appropriate to hold a worship ceremony because it can receive blessings. The trigram Kan represents the mind, and the second line does not correspond with it, hence the mind's aspirations have not yet been realized. The fifth line's statement in the trigram Kan mentions "receiving blessings," and this is similar to that, which is exactly what the Great Treatise says: holding a worship ceremony brings blessings.

上六：困於葛C？（3田上草），於D E？，曰動悔有悔，征吉。巽為葛C，三至上正反巽，而三不應上，故困於葛C。D E？，危險不安之貌。上乘剛，元應，故有是象。兌為口，曰者自警也。言處此D E？之境，時時以動海有悔自警。動海者言動而應三，三不應故侮。有悔者言下乘陽又有悔也。征吉謂三，言三往四，上得陽應而吉也。此二句向天的解，姑測其義如是。象曰：用於葛C？，未當也；動悔有悔，吉行也。未當者，言上不宜乘陽也。吉行者，三之四上得陽應，故吉也。

The line statement for the top line says: being entangled by vines and creepers, in a dangerous and unstable situation, it says, "One movement brings regret, and indeed there is regret." Moving forward is auspicious. Xun represents vines and creepers, and the primary hexagram's third line to top line forms a correct Xun on top and an inverted Xun below, with the vines crossing each other. Moreover, the sixth line does not correspond with the third line, hence "being entangled by vines." "Nianwu" refers to a state of danger and instability. The top line is overreaching the yang of the fifth line, and there is no corresponding line, hence this image. Dui represents the mouth, "yu" is a self-warning expression, meaning that in such a dangerous situation, one should constantly remind oneself, "One movement brings regret, and indeed there is regret." "Movement and regret" refers to the movement to respond to the third line, but the third line does not respond, hence regret. "Indeed there is regret" refers to the top line being below and overreaching the yang of the fifth line, and itself having regret. "Auspicious movement" refers to the third line moving to the fourth position, so the top line gets a corresponding yang line and thus is auspicious. These two sentences have not had an appropriate explanation before, so I make this tentative interpretation. The Small Image Commentary says: being entangled by vines is due to improper position; one movement brings regret and indeed there is regret, moving forward is auspicious. "Not appropriate" refers to the top line not being suitable for overreaching the yang. "Auspicious movement" refers to the third line moving to the fourth position, so the top line gets a corresponding yang line, hence auspicious.

井：改邑不改井，無喪無得，往來井井，訖至亦未橘（左絲）句井，羸其瓶，凶。水在澤下，澤竭故困。水在澤中，汲之不窮，故兌為並。《易林》復之旅云：井沸釜鳴。以旅互兌為井。鄭玄以巽木為桔槔，汲水以取並象，格槔焉有在井下者乎。

The hexagram "Well": Changing the city but not the well, the well water neither decreases nor increases, and people coming and going all draw water from the well. The rope is almost reaching the bottom of the well, yet the jar cannot be lifted up, and the jar is stuck against the well wall, which is dangerous. Water leaking into the marsh below causes the marsh to dry up, which is the hexagram "Obstruction"; water stored in the marsh is inexhaustible, so the trigram "Joy" has the image of a well. The "Forest of Changes" by Jiao says "the well boils and the pot makes a sound," taking the trigram "Joy" from the interacting trigrams of the hexagram "Travel" as the well. However, Zheng Xuan uses the trigram "Wind" as the lever used for drawing water, taking the image of the well from the water-drawing tool. But how can a lever be placed at the bottom of the well?

兌為井，坤為邑，泰初往坤中，故改邑。二至四仍兌，與泰體同，故不改井。不改故無喪得。初至四正反兌，故曰往來井井。《易林》益之萃云：往來井井。即以蘋三至上正反兌，為往來井井。荀云：訖竟也。訖至者，言更（左絲）繫至並底而盡也。譎（左絲）綆也。亦未譎（左絲）者，言巽繩在下，尚未譎（左絲）瓶使上也。

The trigram Dui represents a well, and the trigram Kun represents a city. The hexagram Well comes from the hexagram Tai. In the hexagram Tai, the first line, Nine at the Beginning, moves into the body of Kun, hence it is said "changing the city." However, the second to fourth lines remain Dui, and the structure is the same as in the hexagram Tai, hence it is said "not changing the well." Since the well does not change, there is no loss or gain. The first to fourth lines consist of a correct Dui and an inverted Dui, moving one way and returning the other, hence it is said "the well is continuously drawn." The Forest of Changes in Jiao's commentary on the Book of Changes mentions "the well is continuously drawn," which uses the reverse and correct Dui trigrams from the third to top lines of the hexagram Cui to illustrate the image of "the well is continuously drawn." Xun Shuang says: "Qì" means completion. "Qì zhì" refers to drawing the rope all the way down to the bottom of the well. "Jù" is the rope used for drawing water, and "yì wèi jù" means the rope of Xun is still at the bottom, and the bucket has not yet been drawn up.

其以訖為幾，渭瓶幾至井口而覆者非也。經明曰未譎（左絲），若至井口，則已譎（左絲）矣。中爻離為瓶，正當毀折之地，而巽為繩，故曰羸。羸累通。井羸其瓶者，言瓶為井闢（下瓦）所拘羸鉤掛也。瓶既為井所掛礙，非覆即破，故凶。

Someone reads 「讫」 as 「几」, saying that the jar almost reached the well mouth before it overturned, which is incorrect. The text clearly states 「未繘」, meaning it had not yet been drawn up. The trigram Li (Fire) represents the jar, which is located at the position of Dui (Lake) metal, indicating destruction. The trigram Xun (Wind) represents the rope, so it is said 「羸」. 「羸」 is synonymous with 「累」. 「井羸其瓶」 means the jar is caught and hung by the bricks of the well wall. Since the jar is obstructed by the well wall, it is either overturned or broken, hence the danger.

揚子雲《酒箴》云：子猶瓶矣，居井之湄，不得左右，牽於纏徵，一旦F？礙，為裳所車（右3田）。注：F？縣也。G？並以磚為秋（下瓦）也。車（右3田）繫也。言瓶縣為井磚所掛礙，而瓶受繫也。是揚子讀並羸其瓶，井不屬上讀。後荀爽襲子云，亦以井屬下讀。其以譎（左絲）井為名者，則下文之羸其瓶，莫詳其故矣，非也。

Yang Xiong's "Jiu Zhen" says: You are like a water jar hanging by the well, unable to move left or right, tied by a rope. Once it is hanging and bumps against something, it is caught by the well's bricks. The annotation explains: "xuan" means to hang; "jing" is a well made of bricks called "gou"; "zhuai" means to pull or tie. The meaning is that the jar is hanging and caught by the well's bricks, thus suffering trouble. This shows that Yang Xiong read "jing" and "ying" as a continuous phrase, with "jing" not belonging to the previous sentence. Later, Xun Shuang followed Yang Xiong and also read "jing" as belonging to the next sentence. As for those who take "ju jing" as a single word, the reason for "ying qi ping" in the following sentence becomes unclear, so their interpretation is wrong.

贏，《易林》家人之頤云：長股贏戶。長股即簫（左蟲）蛸。贏戶者，言以比絲纏繞於戶上也，是以贏為累。故荀訓為拘贏，虞釋為鈞贏。他若陸績、蜀才作累，王肅作縹，王肅作縲，其字雖異，其音皆同，其義如一。

The character 「赢」 is discussed in the 「Jiao's Forest of Changes」 under the hexagram 「Family」 and 「Nourishing the Elderly」, which says 「long legs and entangled doors」. 「Long legs」 refers to a spider with long legs, known as 「xiao shao」; 「entangled doors」 means it uses silk to wrap around doors. This shows that 「赢」 originally meant entanglement. Therefore, Xun Shuang interpreted it as being bound, and Yu Fan explained it as hooking and winding. Other versions, such as those from Lu Ji's edition and Shu Cai's edition, use 「lui」, while Wang Su's edition uses 「piao」 and also 「lei」. Although the characters differ in form, they all have the same pronunciation and the same meaning.

象曰：巽乎水而上水，井。井養而不窮也。改己不改井，乃以剛中也。訖王亦未譎（左絲），來有功也。井羸其瓶，是以凶也。句依荀讀，故汲古閣所刊李氏《集解》，及雅麗堂刊本，皆井字屬下。坎在上故曰上水。巽人也，巽乎水而上水，言以瓶人水，汲水使上也。水所以養人，取之不竭，故養而不窮。二五皆剛，故不改。未譎（左絲）故無功。井拘累其瓶使水覆，故凶。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: entering the water by means of wind and lifting the water up, this is the Hexagram of the Well. Well water nourishes people without end. Changing cities but not changing the well, is because the second and fifth lines are yang and in the center. Drawing the rope to the end but still not bringing up the jar, is because it has not yet succeeded. The well wall holds the jar, so there is danger. The punctuation follows Xun Shuang's reading, so the edition of Ji Gu Ge published by Li Dingzuo in the Collected Explanations of the Zhou Changes and the Ya Li Tang edition both attribute the word "well" to the following sentence. The trigram Kan is in the upper trigram, so it is said "upper water." Xun represents entering, "entering the water and lifting the water up" means putting the jar into the water and drawing the water up. Water is used to nourish people, and it is inexhaustible, so it is said "nourishing without end." The second and fifth lines are both yang and in the center, so it is said "not changing." Not being able to draw up the jar, so it has not succeeded. The well wall holds the jar and causes the water to overflow, so there is danger.

訖至亦未簫（左蟲），荀注云汽竟也。譎（左絲）所以出水通井，今居初未得應五，故未譎（左絲）也，不與井連文。井羸其瓶，荀注云：井謂二，瓶謂初，初欲應五，為二所拘羸。以井屬下讀，與揚子同，故從之。象曰：木上有水，井。君子以勞民勸相。坎為眾為民為勞卦，故曰勞民。《釋詁》相導也。兌為言，故曰勸相，言以言語勸導，使有所勉也。

Regarding the phrase 「讫至亦未繘」, Xu Shuang's commentary says: 「汔」means to reach the end. 「繘」is a tool used to draw water from a well, and now the first line has not yet responded to the fifth line, so it is said 「未繘」. This sentence is not read together with the character 「井」. As for 「井羸其瓶」, Xu Shuang's commentary says: 「井」refers to the second line, and 「瓶」refers to the first line. The first line wishes to respond to the fifth line but is restrained by the second line. He reads the character 「井」as part of the following sentence, which is the same as Yang Xiong's interpretation, so his view is adopted. The Great Image says: wood has water on it, which is the image of the Well; thus, the gentleman understands the need to comfort the people and encourage them to help each other. Kan represents the people and also signifies labor, so it is called the labor卦. The Er Ya · Xigǔ says: 「相」means to guide. Dui represents speech, so it is said 「劝相」, meaning to use words to guide and encourage the people.

初六：井泥不食，舊井無禽。初在井下，故曰泥。兌口為食，兌覆故不食。並原以汲水，今無水而泥，其為舊井無疑也。禽獲也，無水故無所得，其以禽鳥為詁者非。又按舊井者廢井也，兌為井，兌覆為巽，故井廢。象曰：井泥不食，下也；舊井無禽，時舍也。舍，棄也。

The line statement for the first line (Initial Line) says: The well at the bottom is full of mud, and cannot be used for drinking; this is an old well that yields nothing. The first line is at the very bottom of the well, hence it is called 'mud'. The trigram Dui represents the mouth, which is used for eating, so Dui represents food; however, in this case, the trigram Dui is inverted, hence 'not eating'. A well is originally used for drawing water, but now there is no water only mud, so it is certainly an old well. 'Qin' means to capture or obtain, but since there is no water in the well, there is nothing to obtain; those who interpret 'qin' as birds are incorrect. Moreover, 'old well' refers to a well that has been abandoned; Dui represents the well, and when inverted it becomes Xun, indicating the well's image has been destroyed, hence it is an abandoned well. The Small Image Commentary says: The mud at the bottom of the well cannot be used for drinking because it is in the lowest position; the old well yields nothing because it has been abandoned. 'She' means to abandon or discard.

九二：井編鮒，雍（下瓦）敝漏。二後兌體之下，故曰並谷。巽為魚，故曰鮒，《子夏傳》蝦H？也。伏震為射，蝦G？穴居水際，故曰並谷射鮒。伏震為雍（下瓦），巽下缺，雍（下瓦）無當，故敝漏。夫井內之穴，井矢所能加，雍（下瓦）漏則水洩，而失其用。以二前遇陽，應亦陽，故動靜皆不適也。象曰：井谷射鰍？？，無與也。言五元應與。

The line statement for the second line says: The well has a side hole, and small fish are seen darting through it; the jar used for drawing water is broken and leaking. The second line is below the trigram Dui, so it is said 'well valley'. Xun represents fish, so it is said 'small fish'. The transmission of Zi Xia says it refers to frogs. The hidden trigram Zhen has the image of shooting, and frogs of this kind live in holes by the water, so it is said 'well valley with darting small fish'. The hidden trigram Zhen also represents the jar, and the lower line of Xun is empty and defective, so the jar's bottom is not solid, hence it is broken and leaking. The side hole in the well is not within the range of the arrow; once the jar leaks, the water flows away, and the function of drawing water is lost. Because the second line meets the third line which is yang, and the line it should correspond to, the fifth line, is also yang, yang meeting yang causes obstruction, so whether moving or still is not appropriate. The small image commentary says: Well valley with darting small fish, there is no corresponding partner — meaning that the fifth line does not correspond with it.

九三：井渫不食，為我心惻，可用汲，王明，並受其福。三應在上，上居坎水上，故曰井渫。《漢書·王莽傳》潰（左示）毛（左目）不渫。注：渫徹也，通出。揚子《方言》渫歇也。茲曰井渫，謂井水渾蜀沉歇而清徹也。初為促則上為渫，正上居坎水上之象也。

The Line Statement for Nine in the Third says: The well has been cleaned and washed clean, yet no one comes to drink from it, which causes me inner sorrow. This well is usable, and if the ruler is enlightened, all people can benefit from it. Nine in the Third corresponds to Six at the Top. Six at the Top is located above the Water Trigram, so it is said 'the well is cleaned.' The Han Shu, Wang Mang Zhuan mentions 'not cleaned,' with the annotation explaining 'cleaned' as thorough and unobstructed. Yang Xiong's Fangyan says 'cleaned' means to stop. Here, 'the well is cleaned' refers to the turbid water of the well having settled and stopped, thus becoming clear. Initial Six is the mud, while Six at the Top is the clarity, which corresponds to the image of Six at the Top being above the Water Trigram.

夫水潔（左無）宜食矣，乃竟不食者，以五亦陽為阻三不得應上也。兌為食，為使也。坎為心為憂。為我心惻者，言三被阻，不能汲上，使我心優也。然三與上究為正應，上水既渫而清，三僅可汲，五豈能終阻之。王謂五，五坎為隱伏，故不明。然王終有明時，王明則三上汲引，養而不窮，天下普受其福矣。

The water has already become clean and is fit for drinking, yet no one comes to drink it. This is because the Nine in the Fifth line is also a yang line, blocking in the middle and preventing the Nine in the Third line from connecting with the Six at the Top. The trigram Dui represents food and messengers, while Kan represents the heart and worry. "For my heart is pained" indicates that the Nine in the Third is blocked and cannot draw up the clear water from above, causing me sorrow. However, the Nine in the Third and the Six at the Top are still in a proper correspondence. Since the well water has already become clear, the Nine in the Third can draw it up. How could the Nine in the Fifth block it forever? "The king" refers to the Nine in the Fifth, which is in the Kan trigram, representing concealment. Therefore, it is said "not clear." But the king will eventually become clear-sighted. Once the king becomes clear-sighted, the Nine in the Third and the Six at the Top can connect and draw water, benefiting people without exhausting it. Thus, all under heaven will universally benefit from it.

凡爻有正應者，初雖有阻，終必相合。同人九五曰：先號眺（左口）而後笑，大師克相遇。言五克去三四之阻，終能遇二也。漸九五曰：終莫之勝吉，得所願也。盲五終能勝三，與二相合也。茲害三者五，五君位尊，三不敢言克言勝，只冀王明而已。王明則三上終相遇也。

Whenever a line has a proper correspondence, initially there may be obstacles, but ultimately they will be resolved. In the hexagram "Tong Ren" (Union), line nine in the fifth position says, "First wailing and weeping, then laughing and rejoicing; the great army overcomes and meets," meaning that line nine overcomes the obstacles of lines three and four and eventually meets line six in the second position. In the hexagram "Jian" (Gradual Progress), line nine in the fifth position says, "Ultimately, none can overcome it, which is auspicious," and the "Small Image Commentary" says, "It attains the desired outcome," meaning that line nine ultimately overcomes line nine in the third position and meets line six in the second. Here, the obstacle to line three is line five. Line five holds the position of the sovereign and is noble, so line three does not say "overcome" or "victory," but can only hope for the sovereign's discernment. When the sovereign is discerning, line three and line six at the top will eventually meet.

文王服事忠誠，情見乎辭，因五為阻，故呼王明。舊解不知不食之故，在五敵為阻，又不知王明並受其福，即言三上終能應與，特以五而變其辭耳，故無一得解者。象曰：井渫不食，行惻也；求王明，受福也。不食之故，其咎在五，故曰求王明。

King Wen was loyal and cautious in serving the Yin dynasty, and this sentiment is expressed in the line statements. Since the obstruction comes from the Nine in the Fifth, the text only calls for "a wise king." Old interpretations failed to understand why the well's water is clear but not drunk, because the Nine in the Fifth, being a Yang line, forms an opposing obstruction. They also failed to realize that "a wise king, and all will receive his blessing" refers to the eventual correspondence between the Nine in the Third and the Six at the Top, though the latter holds the position of the ruler, hence the different wording. Thus, none of the interpretations make sense. The Small Image Commentary says: The well has been thoroughly drawn but no one drinks from it, and a traveler feels sorrow for it; the appeal to a wise king is to receive his blessings. The reason the well's water is not drunk is due to the Nine in the Fifth, so it says "appeal to a wise king."

六四：井患，無咎。以瓦甓砌井曰秋（下瓦）。兌為井，六四居兌上，則井將修成，故無咎。象日：井秋（下瓦）無咎，修井也。秋（下瓦）修也。九五：井冽寒泉，句食。冽甘也。坎為寒為泉，泉既甘冽，故可食。象曰：寒泉之食，中正也。五雖無應，然位正中，故可食。

The line statement for the fourth line says: Using bricks and tiles to build the well wall does not result in error. Using bricks and tiles to build a well is called "zhuo." The trigram Dui represents the well, and the fourth line is located above the Dui trigram, meaning the well is nearly completed, so there is no error. The Small Image Commentary says: Building the well wall without error is about repairing the well. "Zhuo" means repairing. The line statement for the fifth line says: The well water is cold and sweet, suitable for drinking. "Lie" means sweet. The trigram Kan represents cold and spring water, and spring water is both sweet and cold, so it is suitable for drinking. The Small Image Commentary says: Cold and sweet spring water is suitable for drinking because the fifth line is in the center and upright. Although the fifth line does not have a corresponding line, its position is upright and central, so it is suitable for drinking.

上六：井收勿幕，有孚元吉。收成也，幕蓋也，覆也。坎為隱伏，故為蓋覆。六居坎上故勿幕，言井既成，以出水為功，不宜蓋覆也。三得陽應，故有孚而吉。象曰：元吉在上，大成也。成即收也。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: The well has been completed, do not cover the well mouth, with sincerity in heart, it is greatly auspicious. "Shou" means completion, and "mu" means covering. Since Kan represents concealment, there is an image of covering; the sixth line at the top is located above the body of Kan and has already gone beyond the covering, hence it says "do not cover." This means that since the well has already been completed, it should be used for drawing water to benefit people, and should not be covered again. The sixth line at the top corresponds with the third line by yin and yang, thus having sincerity and being auspicious. The Small Image Commentary says: Great auspiciousness at the top position, indicating great success. "Cheng" is the same as "shou."

息長也，言更代用事也。但兌離皆陰卦，易之道陰遇陽，陽遇陰方志得。若陰遇陰，陽遇陽，則為敵矣。中孕六三曰得敵，艮彖曰敵應，是也。故其志不相得。巽為志，二至上正反巽，故不相得。己中央土，仁義禮智信，信亦隸中央，故曰己日乃孚。革而信之，信故無悔。四時相代實相革，期無或爽，信也。湯武革命，天人皆應，亦信也。不信則不能革，故時之所關甚大，此其義也。

The original text concludes the Upper Sixth Line of the Well Hexagram directly here, and the Hexagram Statement of the Revolution Hexagram, "On the sixth day, trust is established; the beginning is prosperous, advantageous, and beneficial, with no regret," along with the section from the Commentary on the Judgment, "Water and fire alternate, two women living together, their aspirations not in harmony," is entirely missing. Only Shang Binghe's commentary on the Judgment remains. Now, following the original text accurately, I do not substitute with the commonly used version. "Xí" means growth, indicating that water and fire take turns being dominant, alternating and replacing each other. However, Dui and Li are both yin hexagrams. In the Yi, the general rule is that yin meets yang and yang meets yin in order to fulfill their aspirations; if yin meets yin and yang meets yang, they become adversaries. The Sixth Line of Zhongfou Hexagram mentions "meeting an adversary," and the Commentary on the Judgment of Gen Hexagram says "adversary responding," which means exactly this. Therefore, the Commentary on the Judgment says that two women living together have "their aspirations not in harmony." Xun represents aspirations, and in the main hexagram, the Second Line to the Top Line forms a correct Xun stacked with an inverted Xun, with opposite directions, hence the aspirations are not in harmony. The Heavenly Stem "Ji" belongs to the central earth, and among the Five Constants—Ren, Yi, Li, Zhi, Xin—"Xin" (trustworthiness) also belongs to the central earth. Therefore, the Hexagram Statement says "On the sixth day, trust is established"—only on the sixth day is trust established. Change leading to trust, with trust, there is no regret. The changing of the four seasons is essentially mutual transformation, never failing to occur on time, which is trust; the revolution of Shang Tang and King Wu of Zhou, where heaven and people both responded, is also trust. Without trust, there can be no change, so "time" here is of great importance. This is the meaning of the Revolution Hexagram.

象曰：澤中有火，革。君子以治曆明時。歷者日月星辰之所歷，識其處以定四時。《書》所謂敬授民時，《大戴記》之《夏小正》，《小戴記》之《月令》皆歷也。卦上兌為月，下離為日，乾為寒，離為暑，兌雨巽風皆備，故君子法之，以治曆明時。

The Great Image Commentary says: There is fire in a marsh, which is the Hexagram of Revolution; thus, the gentleman understands the need to reform the calendar and clearly discern the seasons. The term "calendar" refers to the path traced by the sun, moon, and stars, recording their positions to determine the four seasons. The "respecting and imparting the proper time to the people" mentioned in the Book of Documents, the Xia Xiao Zheng in the Da Dai Li Ji, and the Yuesheng in the Xiao Dai Li Ji all belong to the category of calendars. The primary hexagram has the upper trigram Dui representing the moon and the lower trigram Li representing the sun; Qian represents cold, Li represents heat; Dui represents rain, Xun represents wind—thus, the sun, moon, cold, heat, rain, and wind are all present, so the gentleman takes this as a model to reform the calendar and discern the seasons.

初九：鞏用黃牛之革。離外則故曰鞏，鞏固也。離為牛，《左傳》曰純離為牛。離六二云黃離，故曰黃牛。乃虞翻則謂離無牛象，干寶謂離父本坤，故曰黃牛，皆非也。離外堅為甲故為革，革皮去毛者也。固莫團於牛革，言初當勿用之時，不可妄動，宜固守也。牛革所以喻其固也。象曰：鞏用黃牛，不可以有為也。初潛龍勿用，故不可以有為。又上無應，即不信也，不信即不可革。

The first line statement says: Use yellow ox hide to bind firmly. The outer line of the Li hexagram is strong and solid, so it is said "gong" (to bind), meaning firm. The Li hexagram represents an ox, as the Zuo Zhuan example states that a pure Li hexagram represents an ox. The line statement of the second line of the Li hexagram says "yellow Li," so it is called "yellow ox." Yu Fan, however, says that Li does not represent an ox, and Gan Bao says that the parent hexagram of Li is K'un, hence the yellow ox. Both views are incorrect. The outer line of Li is hard like a shell, so it has the image of "ge" (to change), meaning the hide of an animal without hair. There is no material more firm than ox hide, which means that the first line is at a time when it should not act, and should not act rashly, but should remain firm. Using ox hide as a metaphor for its firmness. The Small Image Commentary says: Using yellow ox hide to bind, it is not appropriate to act. The first line is like the first line of the Qian hexagram, "the hidden dragon does not act," so it is not appropriate to act; moreover, there is no corresponding line above, which means there is no sincerity, and without sincerity, there can be no change.

六二：己日乃革之，征吉，無咎。二離主爻，離貞己，故曰己。二有應，故曰己日乃革。二遇陽，故拉吉而無咎也。按二為日中，王弼以過往詁己日，故決知其非是。象日：已日乃革之，行有嘉也。乾為嘉，行有嘉，謂二征則遇陽，遇陽故人。

The line statement for the second line says: It is only on the day of Ji that change is implemented, going forward is auspicious and there will be no error. The second line is the main line of the Li hexagram. In the method of Najia, the Li hexagram is associated with the heavenly stem Ji, hence it is said 'Ji'. The second line corresponds with the fifth line, hence it is said 'on the day of Ji, change occurs'. The second line moving forward meets a yang line; yin meeting yang leads to communication, hence it is auspicious and there will be no error. Since the second line is in the central position of the lower trigram, it corresponds to the central position of the day, but Wang Bi interprets 'Ji day' as a day that has already passed, thus it can be determined that his interpretation is wrong. The Small Image Commentary says: Change is implemented on the day of Ji, going forward will bring beauty. Qian represents beauty, 'going forward with beauty' refers to the second line meeting a yang line, and meeting yang leads to mutual communication.

九三：征凶，貞厲，革言三就，有孚。三臨重陽，陽遇陽則窒，故征凶。卜問厲也。然三應在上，上兌為言，而兌為毀折，故曰革言。就即也，遇也。革言三就有孚者，言三雖得敵，不能應上，若上六即三，則甚順利而有孚也。

The statement for the third line (Nine in the Third) says: going forward brings danger, and divination shows peril; there are three proposals for change coming forward, with sincerity in heart. The third line is closely adjacent to the fourth and fifth lines, both of which are yang lines. Yang meeting yang causes blockage, hence going forward brings danger. "Zhen Li" means the result of divination is perilous. However, the third line corresponds to the sixth line above. The upper trigram is Dui, meaning speech, and Dui also signifies breaking and breaking the old to make way for the new, which is change. Therefore, it is said "change in speech." "Jiu" means approaching or meeting. "Change in speech, three times meeting with sincerity" means: although the third line meets a yang line and becomes an opponent, unable to correspond above, if the sixth line comes down to approach the third line, it will be very smooth and sincere.

兌為言，乾亦為言，言多故曰三就。又三在三爻，損六三云三人行，需上六云三人來，皆以在三交，取數於三。三就者三遇也，謂革言來之多也。有孚者上孚於三也。易理失傳，舊解於征凶之故，莫有明者。豈知征凶貞厲，謂陽遇陽；下二句謂上應三，義不相屬也。象曰：革言三就，又何之矣。之往也。又何之者，言上六即三，不必他往也。蓋革言日至則孚者眾，而事已審，革之而已，勿再猶豫不定也。

Heavenly Stems: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui Earthly Branches: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai Trigrams: Qian (Heaven), Dui (Lake), Li (Fire), Zhen (Thunder), Xun (Wind), Kan (Water), Gen (Mountain), Kun (Earth) Glossary: Xiao Xiang Zhuan = Small Image Commentary Xiang Zhuan = Image Commentary San Yao = Third Line Jiu San = Nine in the Third Liu San = Six in the Third Shang Liu = Six at the Top Dui represents speech, as does Qian. The image of speech is complex and overlapping, hence the phrase "three approaches." Furthermore, the Nine in the Third is itself located at the Third Line. In the hexagram "Xun," the Six in the Third says "three people are walking," and in the hexagram "Xu," the Six at the Top says "three uninvited guests come," both because the lines are at the Third position and thus take the number three. "Three approaches" means threefold meeting, describing the continuous emergence of change. "Having sincerity" means that the Six at the Top has sincere intentions toward the Nine in the Third. The principles of the Book of Changes have long been lost, and old interpretations have not clearly explained the reason for "dangerous journey." How could one know that "dangerous journey, sincerity and danger" refers to the meeting of Yang with Yang as enemies, while the next two lines refer to the response of the Six at the Top to the Nine in the Third, and these two meanings are not connected. The Small Image Commentary says: the proposals for change approach three times, where can they go? "Zhi" means to go. "Again, where to go?" means that the Six at the Top is now close to the Nine in the Third, and there is no need to go elsewhere. Generally, proposals for change come every day, and those who agree are many. The matter has been clearly examined, so it is time to take action and change, without further hesitation.

九四：悔亡，有孚，改命吉。四失位，宜有悔，無應予則無孚。然九四居乾之中，乾為信，故無悔而有孚。巽為命，四至上巽覆，是改命也。《易林》人畜之決（左無）也：太子扶蘇，出於遠郊，佞幸成邪，改命生憂。即以決（左無）上兌為改命本此也。改命則革也。蓋初以時未至而固守，二孚於天時，三孚於人事，至四遂實行改革矣。乾四雲或躍在淵，與此理同也。自覆象失傳，舊解皆以四變陰成既濟為改命。既濟者終正，何吉之有哉，非也。

The line statement for the fourth line (nine at the fourth): regret disappears, the mind is sincere, and changing the heavenly mandate brings good fortune. The fourth line is a yang line in a yin position, thus it is out of place and should bring regret. Also, it has no corresponding line, so it should not be sincere. However, the fourth line is located within the trigram Qian, formed by lines three, four, and five. Qian represents sincerity, so regret disappears and sincerity is present. The trigram Xun represents destiny, and the lines from four to the top form an inverted Xun. The Xun trigram has already collapsed, which is the image of changing destiny. The "Forest of Changes" by Jiao says, "The crown prince Fu Su comes from the distant outskirts, flatterers become corrupt, changing destiny brings worry," using the upper trigram Dui of Guai as an inverted Xun to represent changing destiny. The origin of this image is here. Changing destiny is equivalent to transformation. Generally, the first line holds firm because the time is not yet ripe, the second line responds to the heavenly timing, the third line responds to human affairs, and by the fourth line, actual reform begins. The line "or leap into the abyss" in the Qian hexagram is based on the same principle. Since the method of taking the inverted image has been lost, old interpretations have regarded the fourth line turning into a yin line to form Ji Ji as "changing destiny." However, Ji Ji represents all things being settled in their proper places, so how can there be "good fortune"? Therefore, this is incorrect.

象曰：改命之吉，信志也。巽為志，改命則實行革命，故曰伸志，言得行其志也，志行故吉。九五：大人虎變，未占有孚。乾為大人為虎。大人虎變者，喻大人履九五之尊，威德誕敷，崇高巍煥，改易舊觀，故曰虎變。下有應，故未占而有孚也。乾虎象失傳，後惟茹敦和、俞樾知之。虞翻以坤為虎，宋衷以兌為虎，皆非。象曰：大人虎變，其文炳也。五應二，二離為文，故其文炳。

The Small Image Commentary says: Changing and transforming the heavenly mandate brings good fortune because the mind and will can be fully expressed. Xun represents the will, and changing the mandate means actually carrying out a revolution, so it is said "extending the will," meaning the ability to realize one's aspirations. When the will is realized, it is therefore auspicious. The line statement of the fifth line says: The great man transforms like a tiger, without needing to consult omens, there is already trust. Qian represents the great man, and Qian also represents the tiger—the tiger image is not found in the Sayings on the Hexagrams, but was recovered by Shangshi from the Forest of Changes by Jiao. "The great man transforms like a tiger" metaphorically describes the great man ascending to the exalted position of the fifth line, with his prestige and virtue widely spreading, lofty and brilliant, completely transforming the old situation, hence "tiger transformation." The second line, which is yin, corresponds with it, so there is already trust without needing to consult omens. The image of the tiger as Qian has long been lost, and only Ru Dunhe and Yu Yue understood it. Yu Fan took Kun as the tiger, and Song Zhong took Dui as the tiger, which is incorrect. The Small Image Commentary says: The great man's tiger transformation is because his literary brilliance shines brightly. The fifth line corresponds with the second line, and the second line is in the body of Li, which represents literary brilliance, hence the brilliance of literary achievement.

上六：君子豹變，小人革面，征凶，居貞吉。伏艮為君子，為豹。君子豹變者，謂革命後住命之動，皆得封拜而有茅土，尊顯富貴，易世成名，故曰豹變。陰稱小人，民為面，艮伏故革面。小人革面者，謂革命之後，除舊佈新，小民皆改易其視向也。面向也，《史記·項羽本紀》馬童面之，是也。上六當位，不宜動宜靜，故征凶居吉。艮面象，《易林》遁之蒙云：雲過吾面。以蒙坎為雲，艮為面。虞氏謂面指四，非。象曰：君子豹變，其文蔚也；小人革面，順以從君也。下應三，離為文。面向也，故曰順以從君，言下順乾也。

The line statement for the sixth line above: A gentleman is like a leopard, suddenly transformed, while the petty person also changes his face and direction; going forward brings danger, but staying in place and maintaining correctness brings good fortune. The primary hexagram has a hidden image of the mountain, representing the gentleman and the leopard. "A gentleman's leopard transformation" refers to after a revolution, those who follow and serve are rewarded with fiefs, becoming noble and prosperous, achieving status through a change of dynasty, hence called "leopard transformation." A yin line is called a petty person, and the mountain represents the face. Here, the mountain image is hidden, so it is said "changing the face." "A petty person changing his face" refers to after a revolution, removing the old and establishing the new, common people change their direction. "Face" means direction. In the "Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Xiang Yu," Lü Mating turned his face toward Xiang Yu, using this meaning. The sixth line is a yin line in a yin position, originally proper, so it should not act recklessly but remain still; thus, going forward brings danger, but staying in place brings good fortune. The image of the mountain as the face is found in "Jiao's Forest of Changes" in the hexagram Duan changing to Meng, "clouds passing over my face," using the image of the cloud from Kan in Meng and the mountain as the face. Yu Fan's assertion that "face" refers to the fourth line is incorrect. The "Small Image Commentary" says: "A gentleman's leopard transformation" refers to his literary excellence; "a petty person changing his face" refers to obedience and following the sovereign. The sixth line responds to the third line, which is in the body of Li, and Li represents literature; "face" means direction, so it refers to obedience and following the sovereign, meaning those below obey the Yang of Qian.

象曰：木上有火，鼎。君子以正位凝命。鼎偏倚則勢危，故貴正，不正則束（左食）覆。鼎斂實於內，故貴凝，不凝則實漫矣，故君子取之，以正位凝命。初六：鼎顛趾，利出否，得妾以其子，無咎。震為趾，震伏巽隕，故曰顛趾。巽為臭腐，故曰否，否惡也汙也。初在下卑汙之地，出之四則各當位而利矣。四，兌為妾，四來初是得妾也。初之四體震，震為子，是得妾兼得子也，故利出也。

The original text finishes the statement of the Sixth Line of the Hexagram of Revolution and directly proceeds to the Great Image of the Hexagram of Cauldron, omitting the Hexagram Statement of the Cauldron, which begins with "Original Goodness, Smoothness," and the Commentary on the Judgment, which says, "Cauldron is an image. It is wood with fire, used for cooking." This includes the annotations. Only the Great Image and following sections are retained. According to the original text, without relying on the commonly circulated version for supplementation. The Great Image Commentary says: Wood with fire on top, this is the Cauldron. The gentleman learns from this to maintain proper position and consolidate his mission. Once the Cauldron is tilted, the situation becomes dangerous, so it is important to maintain proper position. If it is not properly positioned, the food in the Cauldron will spill out. The Cauldron contains the food within, so it is important to consolidate, and if it is not consolidated, the food will overflow. Therefore, the gentleman takes this as a model, maintaining proper position and consolidating his mission. The statement of the First Line says: The foot of the Cauldron is upside down, thus spilling out the filth inside. Marrying a concubine and having a son through her does not result in fault. The Zhen trigram represents the foot, and here the Zhen trigram is hidden, while the Xun trigram has the meaning of falling, hence it is said "upside down foot." The Xun trigram represents stench, hence it is said "no." "No" refers to filth and corruption. The First Line is in the lowest and most despicable position, but if it is moved to the Fourth Position, both the First and Fourth Lines will be in proper positions and thus beneficial. The Fourth Line is represented by the Dui trigram, which is a concubine, and when the Fourth Line moves down to the First Position, it is "acquiring a concubine." When the First Line moves up to the Fourth Position, it forms the Zhen trigram, which represents a son. Thus, acquiring a concubine and a son, it results in spilling out the filth, which is beneficial.

象曰：鼎顛趾，未體也；利出否，以從貴也。停逆也，初陰順陽，故曰未悖。初承陽應四，故曰從貴。九二：鼎有實，我仇有疾，不我能即，吉。乾為實，仇匹也，指五。五乘陽勢逆，不能即二，故曰有疾。豫六五乘剛曰貞疾，茲與之同。我謂二，二為三四所隔，既不能即五；五因乘剛有疾，亦不能即二。然我與我仇，究為正應，始雖阻，終必合也，故結之曰吉。象曰終無尤，即謂二五終合也。

The Small Image Commentary says: The tripod overturns, but this is not yet considered contrary to the norm; pouring out filth is to follow the noble. "Contrary" means to be rebellious. Initially, the line six, being yin, follows the yang line, so it is said "not contrary." Line six above follows the yang line and corresponds with nine four, so it is said "to follow the noble." The line statement of nine two says: The tripod is full of food, my opponent is sick and cannot approach me, which is auspicious. The trigram Qian represents reality, "opponent" means matching or adversary, here referring to line six five. Line six five, being yin, oversteps the yang line nine four, its situation is contrary and not harmonious, so it cannot approach nine two, hence "has illness." In the hexagram Yu, line six five oversteps the strong and says "upright illness," which is the same example here. "I" refers to nine two, which is separated by lines three and four, so it cannot approach line six five; line six five, because of overstepping the strong, is sick and cannot approach nine two. However, "I" and "my opponent" are ultimately in proper correspondence, although there was initially an obstacle, they will eventually meet, so the conclusion says "auspicious." The Small Image Commentary says "eventually without blame," precisely referring to the eventual meeting of lines two and five.

象曰：鼎有實，慎所之也；我仇有疾，終無尤也。之往也。二前臨重陽，行不利，故慎所之。二五終合，故終無尤。按此爻舊解，鮮有當者，一仇字失詁。虞翻謂二據四婦，四為仇；朱子以仇為初。陽遇陽為敵之義，自漢失傳，故慎所之三字，皆莫知所謂。清儒以漢為步趨，漢儒誤遂無不誤矣。

The Small Image Commentary says: There is food in the tripod, so one should be cautious about the direction one goes; my opponent is sick, and in the end there will be no mistake. "Zhi" means to go. Nine in the Second is immediately followed by Nine in the Third and Nine in the Fourth, two yang lines, so moving forward is not favorable, hence one should be cautious about the direction one goes. Two and Five will eventually meet, so in the end there will be no mistake. According to the old interpretations of this line, few have been correct, and the problem lies entirely in the incorrect interpretation of the character "chou" (opponent): Yu Fan said that Nine in the Second occupies Nine in the Fourth, which is the "wife," thus taking Four as the opponent; Zhu Xi took "chou" as the initial line. The principle that yang meets yang to form an opposing relationship has been lost since the Han dynasty, so the phrase "be cautious about where you go" is now meaningless to everyone. Qing dynasty scholars took Han scholars as their model, and since Han scholars made a mistake, later scholars could not be correct.

九三：鼎耳革，其行塞，雉膏不食，方雨虧悔，終吉。三至五兌為耳，巽隕落，故曰耳革。行，道也。《易林》復之中孚云：鼎煬其耳，熱不可舉，大路壅塞，旅人心苦。以行為道路。蓋三承乘皆陽，陽遇陽故其行塞。上離為雉，兌為膏，雉膏在上，乃上不應三，故雉膏不食。

The third line statement says: The handle of the tripod breaks off and changes shape, movement is obstructed, and one cannot eat the delicious wild fowl; when rain comes, loss and regret will be resolved, and finally it will be auspicious. The interaction between the third and fifth lines forms the trigram Dui, which represents the ear. The trigram Xun has the meaning of falling, so it is said 'ear changes,' meaning the handle of the tripod falls off. 'Travel' here refers to a road. The 'Forest of Changes' by Jiao says 'the tripod's handle is scorched, too hot to lift, the great road is blocked, travelers' hearts are distressed,' taking 'travel' as a road. Generally, the third line is above the fourth line and below the second line, both being yang lines. Yang meeting yang causes obstruction, hence the road is blocked. The upper trigram is Li, representing the wild fowl, and Dui represents the fat and grease. The delicious wild fowl is above, but the upper line is also a yang line and does not correspond with the third line, so the fat and grease of the wild fowl cannot be obtained.

兌為雨，為昧，故曰虧悔，虧悔不明也。吳先生雲悔晦也。按《易林》復之云：陰霧作匿，不見白日。不見白日，虧也。《於虛賦》日月蔽虧，江淹詩金峰各虧日，是也。陰霧作匿晦也，吳讀與《易林》同也。終吉者，初之四則三臨重陰，陽得陰則通，故吉。象曰：鼎耳革閱失其義也。義宜也。鼎之用全在耳，今耳革失其用，故曰失義。

The trigram Dui represents rain and also darkness, hence the phrase "kuai hui" which means darkness and confusion. Wu Rulun said that "hui" should be read as "huì" meaning darkness. According to the "Forest of Changes" by Jiao, the hexagram Fu says "dark mist obscures, no daylight is visible" — not seeing daylight is "kuai", as in "sun and moon obscured" from Sima Xiangru's "Zixu Fu", and "golden peaks each lose the sun" from Jiang Yan's poetry, all referring to this meaning. "Dark mist obscures" is "huì". Thus Wu's reading aligns with the "Forest of Changes". The phrase "eventually good" is because the line Six at the Beginning moves to the fourth position, and Nine in the Third is above two yin lines. Yang gains yin and becomes unobstructed, hence good fortune. The "Small Image Commentary" says: the handle of the tripod is broken, losing its proper function. "Yi" is "yi" meaning appropriate. The function of the tripod lies in its two handles; now the handle is broken, the tripod cannot be used, hence "losing appropriate function".

九四：鼎折足，覆公棘，其刑劇，凶。震為足，三至五兌，兌二折震，震象毀，故曰鼎折足。糞為束（左食），馬云鍵也，鄭云菜也。乃三至五巽覆，四為諸候、三公之位，故曰覆公束（左食）。

The line statement for the ninth line four says: The tripod's foot breaks, the food in the tripod spills out, and the king and ministers will suffer severe punishment, which is dangerous. Shaking represents the foot, and the interaction of lines three to five forms the trigram Dui (Lake). The yin line of Dui breaks the trigram Zhen (Thunder), which represents the shaking, so it is said 'the tripod's foot breaks.' The trigram Xun (Wind) represents 'food,' which is the food in the tripod; Ma Rong says it refers to meat soup, while Zheng Xuan says it refers to vegetables. The interaction of lines three to five forms an inverted Xun, indicating the collapse of the trigram Xun, and the fourth line is the position of the feudal lords and the three dukes, so it is said 'the food spills out.'

刑屋（右 ）王弼作形渥。古青同通用，《管子·心術下》云：意然後刑，刑然後思。注：意感其事，然後呈形。是刑形古通用，茲從各家。京云刑在頁（左九）為屋（右 ）。《漢書·敘傳》：底劇鼎臣。師古注劇（左屋）厚刑。又《周禮·秋官·司氏》：邦若屋誅。鄭注云：屋當讀為其刑劇之束（左食）。劇（左屋）誅謂不於市也。蓋四不當位，故象凶，如是賣束（左食）之象。

"The term 'xing zhi' is written as 'xing wo' in the Wang Bi edition. In ancient times, the characters 'xing' and 'xing' were used interchangeably. The 'Xiaoxiang' section of the 'Guanzi' says 'yi ran xing, xing ran si,' meaning that when the mind is formed, then form is manifested. The commentary explains that when the mind has a feeling, it then shows outward form. This shows that 'xing' and 'xing' were used interchangeably in ancient times. Here, we follow the readings of the scholars and take it as 'xing.' Jing Fang says: applying punishment on the head is called 'zhi.' The 'Hanshu·Xuyuan' mentions 'di zhi ding chen,' and Yan Shigǔ's commentary explains that 'zhi' refers to severe punishment. Also, the 'Zhou Li·Qiuguan' mentions 'bang ruo wu zhu,' and Zheng Xuan's commentary says that 'wu' should be read as 'qi xing zhi' in 'qi xing zhi,' meaning 'zhi' refers to execution not carried out in public but within a house. In general, the ninth line in the fourth position has a yang line in a yin position and is not in the proper place, so the yao is dangerous. This is like a cauldron overturned and food turned upside down."

按《易林》未濟之無妄云：求糜耕田。以無妄互巽為糜。而馬氏訓束（左食）為健，與《易林》同，鍵即糜也。鄭氏訓為菜，按《韓奕》之詩曰：其敕（上草）維何，維荀及蒲。疏引易曰鼎折足，覆公敕（上草）。是束（左食）與敕（上草）通用，而鄭訓與詩合，蓋皆巽象，可從。

According to Jiao's Forest of Changes, the hexagram Wufei (Without Attainment) discusses "seeking porridge to plow the field," taking the mutual trigram Xun (Wind) of the hexagram Wuxiang (Without Pretense) as porridge. Ma Rong interprets "tu" as "jian" (key), which agrees with the Forest of Changes, and "jian" refers to a type of porridge. Zheng Xuan interprets "tu" as vegetables. According to the Book of Songs, Da Ya, Han Yi, it says "what is the vegetable? It is bamboo shoots and calamus." Kong Yingda's commentary cites the Classic of Changes, "the tripod breaks its leg, covering the public's vegetable," showing that "tu" and "su" are interchangeable. Zheng Xuan's interpretation aligns with the Book of Songs. Both interpretations actually take the image of Xun, and both can be accepted.

九家云：三公調陰陽，猶鼎之凋五味，足折束（左食）覆，猶三公不勝其任，而覆天子之美，故受此重辜也。王弼以形渥為沾儒，程子謂為汗澀，豈知《下繫》云：德薄而位尊，鮮不及矣。謂及於刑辟也，即讀為刑劇（左屋）也。工程所釋，皆望文生義，非也。象日：覆公像信如何也。乾為信，信如何者，言行為如此，信仰失也。

The Nine Schools of the Book of Changes say: The three high officials harmonize yin and yang, just as a tripod harmonizes the five flavors. If the tripod's legs break and the food spills out, it is like the three high officials failing in their duties, overturning the king's virtuous governance, thus deserving such severe punishment. Wang Bi interprets "xíng wò" as being wet and damp, while Cheng Yi interprets it as sweating profusely. But they fail to realize that in the Great Treatise, Part Two, it says, "If one's virtue is shallow yet his position is lofty, few can escape punishment," where "jí" means to be subjected to punishment, and should be read as "xíng zì." Wang Bi and Cheng Yi's interpretations are mere guesswork based on the text's surface meaning and are incorrect. The Small Image Commentary says: Overturning the tripod's food for the prince, how can there be any credibility left? Qian represents trust, and "xìn rú hé" means that one's conduct has reached such a point that one's authority has been lost.

六五：鼎黃耳金鉉，利貞。兌為耳，離黃中，故曰黃耳。乾為金，故曰金鉉。鉉與扃同，《士冠禮》設局鼎（上加帽），鄭注扃今文為鉉，《釋文》扃鼎扛也，孔疏所謂貫鼎耳而扛之，是也。伏坎象也。六五得中，下有應，故利貞。利貞言二五應也。象曰：鼎黃耳，中以為實也。乾為實，九二云鼎有實，五得中應二，故中以為實。實指二。黃中色，故曰中以為實。

The line statement for the fifth line says: The tripod has a yellow ear and a metal handle, it is favorable to inquire. The trigram Dui represents the ear, and Li represents yellow, which is in the center, so it is said 'yellow ear'. The trigram Qian represents metal, so it is said 'metal handle'. 'Xuan' and 'Jiong' refer to the same object. The Book of Rites, the ceremony of the scholar's hat, mentions 'setting up Xuan and Mei'. Zheng Xuan's commentary says that 'Jiong' is written as 'Xuan' in the modern text. The Classic Interpretation says 'Jiong' is the horizontal bar used to carry the tripod. The Kong commentary explains that it is the bar through which the tripod is lifted, referring to this object. This is the hidden image of Kan. The line six in the fifth position is in the central position of the upper trigram, and below it is the corresponding line nine in the second, so it is favorable to inquire. 'Beneficial to hold firm' refers precisely to the correspondence between lines two and five. The Small Image Commentary says: The yellow ear of the tripod is because the central position is real. Qian represents reality, and line nine in the second says 'the tripod has something real'; line six in the fifth occupies the central position and corresponds to line nine in the second below, so it is said 'the center is real', and 'real' refers to line nine in the second. Yellow is the color of the center, so it is said 'the center is real'.

上九：鼎玉鉉，大吉無不利。乾為玉，上九陽為直，故象玉鉉。又上九以鉉舉鼎，動作自如，無有滯礙，故大吉無不利，與大畜上九義同。象釋曰剛柔節，以五陰為承也。象日：玉鉉在上，剛柔節也。上陽得五陰為承，故曰剛柔節。諸家多以三變應上成未濟，為剛柔節，豈知六爻獨三當位，胡可使其失正。且變而成未濟，六爻皆不安，胡能大吉。此自虞翻卦變伎倆，以濟其窮者，可復申述之乎。

The line statement for the topmost yang line (上九) says: The tripod is raised with a jade bar, which brings great good fortune and no obstacles. The trigram Qian represents jade, and since the topmost yang line is a yang line with a straight and strong nature, it is taken as the image of a jade bar. Furthermore, the topmost yang line uses the jade bar to lift the tripod, moving smoothly without any hindrance, thus resulting in great good fortune and no obstacles, which is the same meaning as the topmost yang line of the hexagram Daxu. The Small Image Commentary explains, "the regulation of yin and yang," because the topmost yang line receives the yin of line six in the fifth from below. The Small Image Commentary says: the jade bar is in a high position, indicating proper regulation between yin and yang. The yang of the topmost line receives the yin of line six in the fifth below, hence "the regulation of yin and yang." Many scholars believe that the change of the third line to correspond with the topmost line, resulting in the hexagram Weiji, is what is meant by "the regulation of yin and yang." But they do not realize that among the six lines of the original hexagram, only the third line is in the correct position, so how can it lose its proper position? Moreover, after changing to Weiji, none of the six lines are stable, so how can it be "great good fortune"? This is merely a trick used by Yu Fan in his theory of hexagram changes, to cover up his inconsistencies. Why should we still elaborate on this?

震：亨，震來A？，笑言啞啞，震驚百里，不喪匕鬯。震振也，動也。一陽伏二陰之下，陽必上升，故振動而為雷，為起。《歸藏》作釐，李過曰釐者理也，黃宗炎曰謂雷釐地而出以作聲。愚按震為笑樂，為喜，而釐與僖通，《史記》以魯僖公釐公，是其證。《說文》傅樂也，與喜同。

The Zhen hexagram: smooth and unimpeded; the sound of thunder strikes, causing fear, then one laughs and remains calm; the power of thunder shakes a hundred miles, yet the dagger and the wine in the hands of the priest remain undisturbed. "Zhen" means to stir up and to move. A single yang line is hidden beneath two yin lines, so the yang energy inevitably rises, thus causing vibration, becoming thunder, becoming movement. The Guicang Yi describes this hexagram as "Li," Li Guo says "Li" means to govern, Huang Zongyan says "Li" refers to thunder splitting the earth and making a sound. My view: Zhen has the image of joy and happiness, and "Li" is homophonous with "Xi," which means joy. The Records of the Grand Historian writes Lu Xi Gong as Lu Li Gong, which is evidence; the Shuowen Jiezi explains this character as meaning joy, with the same meaning as "xi."

又震為生為福，而釐亦為福，《前漢·文帝紀》祠官祝釐，如淳曰福也。是釐與震義多同，故《歸藏》作釐，《周易》作震。陽得出故亨。AA？恐懼貌，陽來居初，故日震來。雷之發也，萬物震恐，故震來A？A？。陽遇陰則通，故笑言啞啞。啞啞笑貌。

Furthermore, Zhen signifies the image of growth and blessings, and "li" also means blessing: The "Book of Han·Wen Di Ji" says that the officials in charge of sacrifices "zhù lī," and Zu Chun's commentary explains that "lī" means blessing. This shows that "lī" and "Zhen" share many similar meanings, so the "Guicang" uses "lī" while the "Zhou Yi" uses "Zhen." Yang energy emerges from the earth, thus achieving smoothness. "Xi xi" refers to the appearance of fear; when a yang line comes to the first position, it is said "Zhen comes." When thunder erupts, all things tremble in fear, hence "Zhen comes xi xi." The yang line at the beginning meets a yin line above, and when yang meets yin, it becomes smooth, hence "xiao yan ya ya"; "ya ya" refers to the sound of laughter.

震為百，艮為裡，坎為棘匕，為鬯。鬯櫃（左禾）酒也，震為黍，坎為酒，故曰鬯。震驚百里，不喪匕鬯者，言震雷雖威及百里，而不驚懼也。匕所以載牲，曾所以降神，皆祭祀之用，故傳曰可以守宗廟為祭主也。

The trigram Zhen represents a hundred, and Gen represents a village. Kan represents a thorny tree, and the knife used for ritual sacrifice is controlled by the thorny tree. "Chang" is a fragrant wine made from black millet. Zhen represents millet, and Kan represents wine, so together they form the image of "Chang." "Zhen zhong bai li, bu sàng bi chang" means that although the thunder's power shakes an area of a hundred li, the person performing the sacrifice remains calm and undisturbed. "Bi" is a vessel used to lift the sacrificial animal from the bronze tripod, and "Chang" is the fragrant wine used to worship the spirits. Both are ritual implements used in worship, so the Commentary on the Judgment says that such a person can guard the ancestral temple and serve as the chief sacrificer.

彖曰：震亨，震來，恐致福也；笑言啞啞，後有則也；震驚百里，驚遠而懼邇也；出可以守宗廟社稷，以為祭主也。震為福，故曰恐致福。則，法也，互坎為法則。震為後，後有則者，言陽復於下為陰主也。震為出，為祭，為主；艮為守，為社稷，為廟；震為長子。驚遠懼邇，能匕鬯不失，故可為祭主，而長守宗廟社稷也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram Zhen is亨通. Thunder sounds suddenly, causing fear, because knowing fear brings blessings; afterwards, one can talk and laugh freely, because there is order in conduct. The thunder's power shakes a hundred miles, causing distant people to be startled and nearby people to be frightened; the eldest son comes forth to take charge, able to protect the ancestral temple and state, and to preside over sacrifices. Zhen represents blessings, so knowing fear leads to blessings. "Then" refers to order, and the interacting lines contain the image of Kan, which signifies order. Zhen represents the ruler, "the ruler has order" means that the yang line returns to the lower position and becomes the master of all the yin lines. Zhen represents going out, sacrifice, and leadership; Gen represents guarding, the state, and the ancestral temple; Zhen also represents the eldest son. It can cause both distant and near people to be startled, yet in the midst of thunder, the wine and vessels remain undisturbed, so it can preside over sacrifices and guard the ancestral temple and state for a long time.

象曰：存（左水）雷震。君子以恐懼修省。存（左水）再也，上下震故曰存（左水）雷。困震而恐，因恐而修省。初九：震來AA？，後笑言啞啞，吉。陽在下，故曰後，言初雖AA？恐懼，後則樂也，陽遇重陰故也。象曰：震來AA？，恐致福也；笑言啞啞，後有則也。恐則修省，修省則致福。

The Great Image Commentary says: Thunder sounds continuously, which is the trigram Zhen; the gentleman thus understands the need to maintain vigilance and self-cultivation, reflecting on his mistakes. "Xian" means again or continuously, as both the upper and lower trigrams are Zhen, hence "Xian Thunder." Because of the thunder's shock, there is fear, and because of fear, one cultivates oneself and reflects on mistakes. The line statement for the first nine: Thunder strikes, causing fear, but then one remains calm and joyful, which is auspicious. A yang line in the lowest position is called "Hou," meaning that although the first nine initially feels fear, it later turns into joy, because it meets the overlapping yin lines above. The Small Image Commentary says: Thunder causing fear leads to awareness and thus brings blessings; remaining calm and joyful indicates that afterwards, one's actions are orderly. Maintaining vigilance leads to self-cultivation and reflection, and self-cultivation and reflection bring blessings.

六二：震來厲，億喪貝，濟（左足）于九陵，勿逐，七日得。來者復也。震來厲，言陽復初，二乘之，故危厲不安也。億噫通，《釋文》云本亦作噫，虞翻雲惜辭也。艮為貝，震者艮之覆，故喪貝。古以貝為貨幣，因厲喪貝。震為言，故曰惜辭。鄭作十萬解，似不如虞義也。

The line statement for the second line says: Thunder sounds come with danger, alas, the shell money is lost, ascending to the high hill nine times; there is no need to chase, after seven days it will be regained naturally. "Come" means return. "Zhen comes with danger" refers to the yang line returning to its original position, with the line six two resting upon it, thus causing danger and unease. "Yi" is the same as "yi," and the "Classic Interpretation" says some versions use "yi." Yu Fan explains this as an exclamation of regret. Gen represents shell money, and Zhen is the inverted image of Gen. When Gen is overturned, the shell money is lost, hence "loss of shell money." In ancient times, shells were used as currency, and due to the danger, the shell money was lost. Zhen represents speech, hence the expression of regret. Zheng Xuan interprets "yi" as ten thousand, which seems less appropriate than Yu Fan's explanation.

二至四艮，艮為陵，艮陽在上，陽老故曰九陵。震為臍，躍升也，而坎為盜，在艮陵上，言有人持貝，臍九陵以去也。然不必逐也。震為逐，數七，故曰七日。震為復，勿逐七日得者，言所喪之貝，不必追逐，至七日自然來復也。

The second line to the fourth line form the trigram Gen, which represents a hill. Gen has a yang line at the top, and yang numbers are considered old with nine, so it is called "nine hills." Zhen represents ascending, meaning to leap upward; Kan represents theft. Since the Kan trigram is above the Gen hill, it suggests that someone took the shells and climbed up the nine hills to escape. However, there is no need to chase. Zhen also means to pursue, and Zhen's number is seven, so it is said "seven days." Zhen also represents return, and "do not chase for seven days and it will return" means the shells do not need to be chased, and they will naturally return on the seventh day.

舊解皆以離為貝，《易林》剝之蒙云：齊貝贖狸。蒙上艮為齊為貝。又謙之蠱、訟之大畜，皆曰喪貝，亦皆以上艮為貝。蓋艮堅在外，與離同也。象曰：震來厲，乘剛也。乘剛故危。六三：震蘇蘇，震行無青。蘇蘇，鄭云不安也。坎為疾病，故為眚。蓋三不當位，故不安，然得陽為承，亦無眚也。象曰：震蘇蘇，位不當也。虞以蘇為死而復生，由象傳觀之，鄭釋為當。

Old commentaries all take Li as representing a shell, but actually in "Jiao's Forest of Changes," under the hexagram "Bao" changing into "Meng," it says "carrying a shell to redeem a cat," which takes the upper trigram Gen as representing both carrying and a shell. Also, in "Qian" changing into "Gu" and "Song" changing into "Da Xu," it says "losing a shell," which also takes the upper trigram Gen as representing a shell. Generally speaking, Gen is a hard shell on the outside, which is similar in nature to Li, which is externally firm and internally empty, so it can represent a shell. The "Small Image Commentary" says: Thunder coming brings danger, because the line six in the second is overpowering a yang line. Overpowering a yang line causes danger. The line six in the third says: Under the thunder, there is anxiety and unease, walking amidst the shaking without calamity. "Su su" is explained by Zheng Xuan as a state of unease. Kan represents disease, so there is an image of calamity. Generally speaking, the line six in the third is a yin line in a yang position and is not in the right place, so it is uneasy; however, it is above the line nine in the fourth, which is yang, and a yin line supporting a yang line is harmonious, so there is no calamity. The "Small Image Commentary" says: Unease is because of being in the wrong position. Yu Fan interprets "Su" as death followed by revival, but according to the "Small Image Commentary," Zheng Xuan's interpretation is more appropriate.

九四：震遂泥。遂隧之省文，隧即墜也。《論語》文武之道，未墜於地，石經作隊。又《列子》矢隧地而塵不揚，皆以隧為墜。遂古文隧之省。《荀子·理論篇》人焉而隧，楊驚注云隧古墜字，故荀爽作隧。四坎為泥，陷四陰中，故隧泥。震為行，隧泥則行難矣。象曰：震遂泥，朱光也。坎隱伏，故未光。

The fourth line statement says: Thunder strikes and falls into mud. "Sui" is a simplified form of "tui," which means to fall. The Analects of Confucius, in the chapter Zizhang, says, "The ways of Wen and Wu have not fallen to the ground," and in the Han stone classics, "fall" is written as "dui." The Liezi says that an arrow "tui through the ground without raising dust," using "tui" as meaning "fall." "Sui" is an ancient form of "tui." In the "Lisun" chapter of Xunzi, it says, "He who goes there and tui," and Yang Jing's commentary says "tui" is an ancient form of "dui." Therefore, Xun Shuang used "tui" for this line. The fourth line is in the Kan trigram, which represents mud, and it is trapped between the four yin lines above and below, so it falls into mud. Zhen represents movement, but when falling into mud, movement is blocked. The Small Image Commentary says: Thunder strikes and falls into mud, which means it has not yet become prominent. Kan represents concealment, so it has not yet become prominent.

六五：震往來厲，億無喪有事。往得敵，來乘陽，故往來皆危厲也。自陽遇陽陰遇陰為敵之理失傳，於是虞翻不知往厲之故在陰遇陰，只以乘剛為說。乘剛則來厲，於往無涉也。五得中位尊，匕鬯之事，故無喪也。象曰：震往來厲，危行也；其事在中，大無喪也。行，道也。大無喪即億無喪。

The line statement for the fifth line says: In the midst of thunder, going is dangerous, coming is also dangerous; however, there is no loss, and the rites of worship continue as usual. The sixth line moves upward and meets the sixth line above, both being yin lines, thus forming an opposing relationship. When it retreats, it overpowers the yang line nine in the fourth. Therefore, both going and coming are dangerous. Since the principle that 'yang meets yang and yin meets yin to become enemies' has been lost, Yu Fan did not understand that the reason for 'danger in going' is due to yin meeting yin. He only explained it as 'overpowering yang,' but 'overpowering yang' can only explain 'danger in coming,' and has nothing to do with 'going.' The fifth line occupies the central position in the upper trigram and is noble, thus presiding over the rites of worship, so there is no loss. The Small Image Commentary says: Thunder's movement in both directions is dangerous, indicating danger in the path; the matter it presides over is in the center, so there is no great loss. 'Path' here refers to the way. 'Greatly without loss' corresponds to the line statement's 'no loss.'

上六：震索索，視矍矍，征凶。震不于其躬，于其鄰，無咎。婚尼（左木）有言。索索，鄭云猶縮縮，足不正也。三在震上，蘇蘇不安，上亦同也。？？，鄭云目不正也。《說文》佳欲逸走也，徐曰左右驚顧也。震，目無上皆，故因恐懼而視矍矍也。

The line statement for the top six line: Below the thunder trigram, the feet are trembling and the eyes are frightened and looking around, indicating danger ahead. The thunder does not fall upon oneself but upon the neighbor, so there is no fault; however, matters of marriage may bring disputes. "Suo suo" is explained by Zheng Xuan as similar to "suo suo," indicating an unsteady gait. The six in the third line is above the trigram of thunder and is anxious and uneasy, just as the situation of the top six line is. "Jue jue" is explained by Zheng Xuan as an improper gaze. The "Sayuan" says "Qu" is the appearance of a bird startled and about to flee, and Xu Kai says it refers to looking around left and right. The trigram of thunder lacks one horizontal line, resembling an eye without an upper lid, hence the frightened gaze of both eyes.

《易林》訟之豫云：眵難無距，與鵲格鬥，翅折目盲，為鳩所傷。眵，《說文》目傷目（上此）也。豫上震，目無上目（上此），故日眵，曰盲，義即本此也。虞翻不知易用象之妙，以卦無視象，命三變成離取視象，易取象無此迂曲也。三無應，故征凶。震不于其躬于其鄰，仍驚遠懼邇之意。艮為躬，艮覆為震，故不于其躬于其鄰。

In Jiao's Forest of Changes, the hexagram Sun is interpreted as "a young chicken without a spur, fighting with a magpie, with broken wings and blind eyes, wounded by a dove." "Cing" is said in Shuo Wen to mean injury to the eyes with the eye sockets溃烂. The upper trigram of Yu is Zhen, which lacks one horizontal line at the top, resembling a broken eye socket. Thus, "Cing" and "blindness" are explained in this way. Yu Fan did not understand the subtle use of imagery in the Book of Changes, thinking that the primary hexagram lacks the image of "seeing," so he changed the third line of nine to Li to obtain the image of sight. The imagery used in the Book of Changes is not so roundabout. The sixth line at the top and the third line are both yin lines and do not correspond, so there is danger in moving forward. "Zhen does not strike itself but its neighbor" still expresses the meaning of the Commentary on the Judgment, "startled by distant things and fearful of nearby ones." Gen represents the body, and when Gen is inverted, it becomes Zhen. The image of the body has been inverted, so the thunder does not strike itself but its neighbor.

震為鄰，《易林》蹇之噬嗑云：不利出鄰，疾病憂患。噬嗑下震為鄰為出，出即與坎險遇，而有疾病憂患之苦，是明以震為鄰也。鄰仍謂三也。言三蘇蘇，即知其可懼而戒備也，知懼故無咎。

The trigram Zhen has the extraordinary image of "neighbor": In "Jiao's Forest of Changes," the hexagram Jian changing to Shihe says "unfavorable to go to the neighbor, illness and worries." The lower trigram of Shihe is Zhen, which represents neighbor and movement. When one moves out, they immediately meet the danger of Kan, thus causing illness and worries. This clearly treats Zhen as neighbor. The term "neighbor" still refers to the sixth line in the third position. It means that when one sees the sixth line in the third position being anxious and uneasy, the sixth line at the top knows the situation is dangerous and prepares in advance. Knowing caution, there will be no mistakes.

卦二至上正反震，故有言。有言者爭訟，與困之三至上正反兌有言不信同也。卦三男俱備，無一女象，故不能婚媾，如婚媾則必爭訟也。自覆象失傳，此句舊解二千年無一當者。只《易林》中孚之謙云：伯氏爭言。謙亦正覆震，與震二至上同。爭言即有言，震為伯也。象曰：震索索，中未得也；雖凶無咎，畏鄰戒也。在震上，故曰中未得。因畏而戒，故無咎。

The second line to the top line of the primary hexagram form a correct Zhen (Thunder) and inverted Zhen overlapping, thus producing the image of "having words." "Having words" refers to disputes, similar to the third line to the top line of the Guan (Obstruction) hexagram, which forms a correct Dui (Lake) and inverted Dui overlapping, resulting in "having words without trust." In the primary hexagram, Zhen represents the eldest son, Kan represents the middle son, and Gen represents the youngest son; all three sons are present, and there is no image of a woman, so marriage cannot be formed. If one forces marriage, disputes will certainly arise. Since the method of "reversed image" has been lost, none of the previous interpretations over the past two thousand years have been correct. Only the "Jiao's Forest of Changes" in the hexagram Zhongfu (Inner Truth) under the line Qian says "Brother Bo disputes in words." The Zhongfu hexagram also forms a correct Zhen and inverted Zhen overlapping, with the same structure as the Zhen hexagram from the second line to the top. "Disputing in words" is the same as "having words," and Zhen also represents Bo, meaning the eldest son. The "Small Image Commentary" says: both feet are drawn back, indicating that the middle path has not yet been attained; although there is danger, there is no fault, because one sees the shock of the neighbor and thus becomes cautious. The top line is at the top of Zhen but not in the middle, so it says "the middle is not attained." Due to fear and vigilance, there is no fault.

艮其背，不獲其身，行其庭，不見其人，無咎。《歸藏》作狠，狠《廣韻》很之俗宇。《說文》很不聽從也，一曰行難也。艮鄭云艮之言很也，是很艮義同。艮止也，震為行，震反故止。雜卦震起也，艮止也，即言正反之義也。舊說以陽在上為止，非其義也。艮為背為身為庭為人。艮其背，靜也。三至五互震，故又曰行其庭，行其庭動也。乃因無應與，靜則不獲身上手足之用，動則不見庭除應予之人。無動作無交際，故亦無咎也。

The hexagram "Gen" (Mountain): It signifies stopping at the back, feeling unaware of one's own body; walking in the courtyard, not seeing the people within it; there is no mistake. In the "Guicang Yi," this hexagram is called "Hen," and "Hen" in the "Guangyun" is a variant character for "Heン." The "Shuowen" says "Hen" means not obeying, and another interpretation says it refers to walking with difficulty. Zheng Xuan says "Gen" means "Hen," showing that "Hen" and "Gen" have the same meaning. "Gen" means stopping, while "Zhen" means movement. When "Zhen" is reversed, it becomes "Gen," hence meaning stopping. The "Zagua Zhuan" says "Zhen means movement; Gen means stopping," which refers precisely to the relationship between the upright Zhen and the reversed Zhen. The old interpretation that a yang line in the upper position signifies stopping does not conform to the original meaning. "Gen" represents the back, the body, the courtyard, and people. "Gen qi bei" signifies stillness. The third to fifth lines form the mutual relationship of Zhen, so it is also said "xing qi ting," meaning movement. "Xing qi ting" signifies action. Because the entire hexagram has opposing lines with no corresponding lines, when still, one does not feel the movement of one's limbs, and when moving, one does not see corresponding people in the courtyard. Since there is neither action nor interaction, there is no mistake.

象曰：艮，止也。時止則止，時行則行，動靜不失其時，其道光明。艮其止，止其所也。上下敵應，不相與也，是以不獲其身，行其庭不見其人，無咎也。艮為時，下艮，故曰時止則止。三至五互震，故曰時行則行。止則靜，行則動，動靜隨時，故其道光明。艮為道路，陽在上故光明。六爻無應予，故曰敵應。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "Mountain" represents stopping. When it is appropriate to stop, one stops; when it is appropriate to act, one acts. Motion and stillness both occur at the right time, thus the path is bright. "Stopping at the right place" means stopping where it should be stopped. The hexagram has upper and lower trigrams that are opposite to each other, and they do not harmonize with each other, so one does not feel one's own body, and when walking in the courtyard, one does not see people, thus there is no error. "Mountain" represents time; the lower trigram is "Mountain," so it says "when the time comes to stop, one stops." The third to fifth lines form the trigram "Thunder," so it says "when the time comes to act, one acts." Stopping is stillness, acting is motion; both motion and stillness follow the right time, so the path is bright. "Mountain" represents the path, and the yang line is in the upper position, so it is bright. None of the six lines correspond with each other, so it says "opposition and response."

陰陽相遇為朋為類，若陽遇陽，陰遇陰，則皆為敵。同人九三云敵剛，以比應皆陽，故曰敵剛，以陽遇陽為敵。中孚六三云得敵，《子夏傳》云四與三為敵，而不釋其義。荀爽解之曰：三四俱陰，故稱敵也。以陰遇陰為敵，此實易義之根本。

When yin and yang meet, they become friends and kindred; if yang meets yang or yin meets yin, they become adversaries. The line Nine in the Third of the hexagram Tongren says "enemy of yang," because it is compared and corresponds with yang lines, so it says "enemy of yang," which is yang meeting yang to become adversaries. The line Six in the Third of the hexagram Zhongfou says "meeting an enemy," and the Zixia Transmission states that the fourth and third lines are adversaries, but it does not explain the reason; Xunshuang explains that the third and fourth lines are both yin lines, so they are called adversaries. This is yin meeting yin to become adversaries. This principle is indeed the fundamental principle of the Book of Changes.

明乎此則屯二之十年乃字，此三之比之匪人，頤六二之失類、六五之不利涉，大壯初九之征凶，解九四這解而拇，決（左無）初九之往不勝、九四之其行次且，鼎九二之慎所之，震六五之往厲，皆可觀象而得其義，否則不知其所謂矣。此易義之所以終古長夜也。然觀《子夏傳》之解得敵，似此義韓嬰已知之，荀爽能釋之，然可以於上列各爻，任其失解，抑有解而採輯者不合其意而不錄歟。

Having understood this principle, one can find definite interpretations for the lines in the hexagrams such as the "ten years to write" in the second line of the Zhun hexagram, "comparing with the wrong person" in the third line of the Bi hexagram, "losing the class" and "not advantageous to cross a great river" in the second and fifth lines of the Yi hexagram, "dangerous to go forward" in the first line of the Da Zhuang hexagram, "loosing the big toe" in the fourth line of the Jie hexagram, "not victorious in going forward" and "moving slowly" in the first and fourth lines of the Guai hexagram, and "be cautious in where you go" in the second line of the Ding hexagram, and "danger in coming and going" in the fifth line of the Zhen hexagram. Otherwise, one would not know what they mean. This is precisely why the meaning of the Book of Changes has been like a long night for thousands of years. However, looking at the interpretation of "getting an enemy" in the Zhuxi transmission, it seems that Han Ying already understood this meaning, and Xun Shuang could also explain it. So why have these lines remained misunderstood in the examples listed above? Perhaps they had their own interpretations, but the compilers of the collected works found them unsatisfactory and did not include them.

象曰：兼山，艮。君子以思不出其位。艮為位，艮止故不出。坎為思，得中唯心亨，亦不出。學易之君子法之。九三：艮其限，列其夤，厲熏心。限，《說文》阻也，《玉篇》界也，即脊骨界左右也，故馬荀鄭虞皆訓為要。三居卦中，坎為要，故取象於限。坎為脊為肉，故取明於夤。夤，馬虞皆以為夾脊肉。

The Great Image says: two mountains overlapping, this is the hexagram Gen; the gentleman thus understands that his thoughts do not exceed his position. Gen represents position and also represents stopping, so thoughts do not go beyond one's proper place. Kan represents thought, and since Kan is in the central position, it is said "the mind is harmonious," also not going beyond. The gentleman who studies the Book of Changes takes this as a model. The line statement for the third line says: stopping at the waist, tearing the flesh between the spine, the danger and peril are like fire burning in the heart. "Limit," according to the Shuowen Jiebi is obstruction, and according to the Yüanpian is boundary, which refers precisely to the division of the spine between left and right. Therefore Ma Rong, Xun Shuang, Zheng Xuan, and Yu Fan all interpret it as the waist. The third line is in the central position of the entire hexagram, and Kan represents the waist, so the image is "limit." Kan represents the spine and flesh, so the image is "yin." "Yin" is considered by Ma Rong and Yu Fan to be the flesh on both sides of the spine.

脊骨居中為限，脊肉左右分列。列裂同，《墨子·明鬼下》云生列兕虎，《荀子·哀公問》云兩驂列兩服人廄，注皆作裂。脊肉裂分左右，脊界其中，故曰裂其夤，皆坎象也。艮為火，互坎為心，故厲熏心。

The spine is in the center, representing 'limit' or 'boundary,' while the flesh on both sides of the spine spreads out to the left and right. The term '列' is equivalent to '裂,' meaning 'to split' or 'to break apart.' The text in the 'Mokezi · Ming Gui Xia' mentions '生裂兕虎,' and in the 'Xunzi · Aigong Wen,' it says '两骖列两服入厩,' with the annotations using '裂.' When the flesh along the spine splits apart to the left and right, the spine remains in the middle, so it is said '裂其夤,' which is derived from the image of the Kan trigram. The Gen (the Mountain trigram) trigram represents fire, and the interacting trigram Kan represents the heart, hence the danger and peril are likened to fire scorching the heart.

自坎肉象失傳，後懦皆不知噬嗑三四五三爻之肉象，及此夤象何屬。自艮火象失傳，虞翻以艮為閽，讀紊為閽，謂古閽作熏字，並云馬吉熏灼其心。未聞易道以坎水熏灼人者，豈知艮為火，馬氏所詁，正與易合。

Since the image of坎 as flesh disappeared, later Confucian scholars did not know where the image of "flesh" in the third, fourth, and fifth lines of the 噬嗑 hexagram came from, nor did they know which hexagram the image of "yín" belonged to. Since the image of 艮 as fire disappeared, Yu Fan took 艮 as "hūn" (a gatekeeper), read "xūn" as "hūn", saying that the ancient character for "hūn" was written as "xūn", and also said that Ma Rong interpreted it as "xūn zhuó qí xīn" (burning the heart). No one has ever heard that the Book of Changes would use the water of 坎 to burn people's hearts. How could they know that 艮 was originally fire, and Ma Rong's interpretation actually matched the image of the Book of Changes.

至荀氏以熏為動，讀作動。來知德又云以三十年之功，始悟熏字之由於伏離。由斯證一象之失傳，可使名家易人人異詞，真可嘆也。艮火坎肉象，皆詳《焦氏易詁》。《易林》艮之無妄云：顛覆不制，痛熏我心。是焦亦作熏。象曰：艮其限，危熏心也。厲危也，故曰危熏心。

As for Xun Shuang taking "xun" as "dong," reading it as "movement"; Lai Zhide also said that he spent thirty years to realize that the character "xun" comes from the hidden fire of Li. This shows that the loss of a hexagram can lead to different interpretations by famous scholars of the Yi, each holding their own view, which is truly lamentable. The images of Gen representing fire and Kan representing flesh are both detailed in "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes." "Jiao's Forest of Changes" states in the hexagram Gen followed by Wuxiang: "Overturning without control, pain burns my heart," showing that Jiao Yanshou originally used "xun." The "Small Image Commentary" says: suppression in the waist, dangerous as fire burning the heart. "Lai" means danger, so it is said "danger burns the heart."

六四：艮其身，無咎。艮為身，見上彖。虞以坤為身為孕非也。初趾二腓，三要四身，按爻序自下而上，故象釋為躬。得位故無咎。象曰：艮其身，上諸躬也。艮為躬，躬即身也。三四居卦之中，故曰要，曰身，並無他義。虞氏謂五動乘四則妊身，以止諸躬為妊身，卦天離象，強命王爻變成離，惑亂學，莫此為甚。

The line statement for the fourth line says: restraining oneself, there will be no mistake. The trigram Gen represents the body, as explained in the previous commentary on the judgment. Yu Fan's interpretation, taking Kan as the body and as pregnancy, is incorrect. In the primary hexagram, the first line represents the toe, the second line the calf, the third line the waist, and the fourth line the body, arranged from bottom to top. Therefore, the small image commentary explains "body" as "gong" (self). The fourth line, being a yin line in a yin position, is in the correct place, so there will be no mistake. The small image commentary says: restraining oneself means restraining oneself. Gen represents gong, which is the body. The third and fourth lines are in the center of the hexagram, so they are called "waist" and "body," with no other meaning. Yu Fan, however, says that the fifth line changing and riding on the fourth line is "pregnancy," interpreting "restraining oneself" as pregnancy. The primary hexagram does not have the image of Li, yet he forcefully assigns the change of the fifth line to form Li, confusing and misleading scholars, which is the most serious mistake.

六五：艮其輔，言有序，悔亡。輔，《說文》人頰車也，在頰之上，與牙車相對。春秋僖五年輔車相依，注云車牙車。疏牙車，牙下骨之名，在頰之下。蓋幾物人口，皆賴牙車載之，故名曰車。人慾嚼物，或言語，則牙動而上與輔對，故曰輔車相依。

The Line Statement of the Fifth Line (Six in the Fifth): It restrains the mouth's cheekbone, speech becomes orderly, and regret disappears. "Cheekbone" is explained in the Shuowen Jiezi as the bone on the upper part of the face's cheek, opposite the "jawbone" (lower jaw). In the Spring and Autumn Annals, Volume 5 of Duke Xian, there is the phrase "cheekbone and jawbone rely on each other." Du Yu's annotation says that "jawbone" refers to the jawbone. Kong Yingda's commentary explains that the jawbone is the bone below the teeth, located on the lower part of the face. Generally, when food enters the mouth, it is carried by the jawbone, hence the name "jawbone." When a person chews or speaks, the jawbone moves up and down in relation to the upper cheekbone, hence the saying "cheekbone and jawbone rely on each other."

輔在上不動，故艮為輔，頤即用以取象。三至五震，震為言，上卦震反，故曰艮其輔。序者次也，言不紊也。三至五震，時而當言則言；四至上震反，時而不當言，則言止矣，故曰言有序。《詩·大雅》序賓以賢，言賓之位次，與其賢相當，秩然不亂也。言行君子之樞機，時言則言，時止則止，有序如是，故無悔也。虞氏易序作孚，言孚於上也。

The bone of support is located above and remains still, so the trigram Gen (Mountain) takes the image of "support." The hexagram Yi (Nourishment) uses this image. The trigrams from the third line to the fifth line form Zhen (Thunder), which represents speech; the upper trigram is the inverted image of Zhen, indicating that speech is stopped. Therefore, it is said "Gen its support." "Sequence" refers to order, meaning speech is not disorderly. The trigrams from the third to the fifth line form Zhen, indicating that speech should be made when appropriate; the trigrams from the fourth to the top form the inverted Zhen, indicating that speech should be stopped when inappropriate. Thus, it is said "speech has order." The Book of Poetry, Great Ya, "Xing Wei" says "sequence the guests according to their virtue," meaning the seating arrangement of guests corresponds to their virtue, orderly and not confused. Speech and action are the key points for a gentleman. When appropriate, speak; when appropriate, stop. Being orderly to this extent, there is no regret. Yu Fan interpreted the character "sequence" as "faith," meaning the sixth line gains trust from the top line.

象曰：且其輔，以中正也。五中而不正，正字或疑衍，又或作正中。然未濟九二傳中以行正也，大壯九二傳大者正也，大謂九二，似亦不拘。上九：敦艮吉。敦與頓通，頓止也。易凡言敦，皆有止義、待義，義詳敦臨敦復。敦艮者，頓止於上也，下履重陰，故吉。象曰：敦艮之吉，以厚終也。艮為山，故曰厚；而艮為終，故曰以厚終，唯厚故止也。

The Small Image Commentary says: Suppressing the mouth and cheeks is because it is in the center and upright. Although the Six in the Fifth is in the center, it is a yin line in a yang position and thus not properly upright, so some doubt whether the character "正" (upright) is a later addition, and some versions read "正中" (upright center). However, the Small Image Commentary of the Nine in the Second of the Upper Trigram says "being in the center enables uprightness," and the Small Image Commentary of the Nine in the Second of the Great Strength says "the great one is upright" (here "great" refers to the Nine in the Second). This suggests that the use of the character "正" in the commentary is not strictly confined. The line statement of the Upper Nine says: To suppress with sincerity and firmness is auspicious. "敦" is the same as "顿," and "顿" means to stop. In the Book of Changes, whenever "敦" is used, it implies stopping or waiting, as seen in the explanation of "敦临" in the卦 of Approaching and "敦复" in the卦 of Returning. "敦艮" means to stop at the upper position. The Upper Nine is below two yin lines, and a yang line stepping on a yin line is harmonious, hence it is auspicious. The Small Image Commentary says: The reason why "敦艮" is auspicious is that it can conclude with sincerity. Since "艮" represents a mountain, it is said "thick"; since "艮" also represents the end, it is said "to conclude with thickness" — precisely because of its thickness, it can stop.

漸：女歸吉，利貞。上下卦皆陰承陽，陰承陽即婦從夫，故曰日漸。漸進也，次也，言陰次於是，宜進而承陽也。巽為婦，艮止於下，有女歸之象。二五應，故利貞而吉。象曰：漸之進也，女歸吉也。進得位，往有功也。進以正，可以正邦也。其位，剛得中也。止而巽，動不窮也。五得位故有功。艮為邦，故曰正邦。象曰：山上有木，漸。君子以居賢德善俗。居積也，居賢德即積賢德也。坎為積，艮為賢，巽為風俗，有賢德故以善俗。居賢德善俗，皆非猝然可能之事，皆漸義也。

The hexagram "Gradual Progress" indicates that a woman going to marriage is auspicious and suitable for maintaining correctness. The primary hexagram has the yin lines above and below, all following the yang lines. Yin following yang represents the wife following the husband, hence it is called "Gradual Progress." "Gradual Progress" means advancing step by step in order, indicating that the yin lines are arranged in sequence, and should proceed in order to follow the yang lines. Xun represents the wife, and Gen represents stillness at the bottom, symbolizing a woman going to marriage. The line six in the second corresponds with nine in the fifth, so it is suitable to maintain correctness and auspicious. The Commentary on the Judgment says: "Gradual Progress" means advancing step by step, and a woman going to marriage is auspicious. Advancing and each attaining their proper position, going forward will bring merit; advancing with correctness can correct the state. The "proper position" refers to nine in the fifth being yang and in the center. Inner stillness and outer compliance, so action will not be obstructed. Nine in the fifth is in the correct position, thus bringing merit. Gen represents the state, so it is said "correcting the state." The Image Commentary says: Mountains with trees growing on them, this is the hexagram "Gradual Progress." The gentleman thus understands the need to accumulate virtue and improve customs. "Residing" means accumulating, "residing in virtue" means accumulating virtue. Kan represents accumulation, Gen represents virtue, and Xun represents customs. With virtue, one can improve customs. Accumulating virtue and improving customs are not things that can be done hastily, and both conform to the meaning of "Gradual Progress."

初六：鴻漸于干，小子厲，有言，無咎。鴻大雁也，艮為鴻。周公時訓，以雁北鄉當屯卦，是以坎為北，互艮為雁。故《易林》師之萃云：鴻雁啞啞，以水為家。以萃互艮為鴻也。需之遁云：去如飛鴻。亦以遁下艮為鴻。千水涯也，二至四坎水，初在坎下，故曰鴻漸于干。艮少故為小子。有言者爭訟，震為言，艮為反震，敗言，故曰有言。左傳云敗言為讒是也。有言故厲，然初為士，潛伏在下，亦無咎也。象曰：小子之厲，義無答也。初勿用，故義無咎。

The first line statement says: Wild geese gradually fly to the water's edge, young people are in danger and will encounter disputes, but they will not commit mistakes. "Wild geese" refer to large geese, and the trigram Gen (Mountain) has the image of wild geese. The "Book of Zhou Gong's Seasonal Instructions" associates the phenomenon of "geese facing north" with the hexagram Zun (Obstruction), using Kan (Water) as north and the interacting trigrams Gen (Mountain) as geese. Therefore, the "Forest of Changes" by Jiao says "wild geese cry, living by the water," using Gen (Mountain) in the hexagram Cui (Gathering) as geese. Similarly, the line statement of "Need" to "Dun" says "leaving like flying geese," using Gen (Mountain) in the lower trigram of Dun (Retreat) as geese. "Dry" refers to the water's edge, and the interacting trigrams from the second to fourth lines form Kan (Water), with the first line below Kan (Water), so the geese gradually fly to the water's edge. Gen (Mountain) represents a young man, hence "young person." "Having words" refers to disputes: Zhen (Thunder) represents speech, and Gen (Mountain) is the inverted image of Zhen (Thunder), so inverted speech becomes slanderous words, hence "having words." The presence of disputes brings danger, but since the first line is in a lower position, like a hidden person who has not yet acted, there will be no mistake. The "Small Image Commentary" says: the danger of the young person, by nature, does not involve mistakes. The first line is at the time of "not to use," so by nature, there is no mistake.

六二：鴻漸于盤，飲食行（中乾），吉。盤大石也，三艮為石，故漸於盤。二坎體，坎為飲食。行行（中乾），和樂也。二當位得中應五，故象吉如是。象曰：飲食行行（中乾），不素飽也。坎中實為飽，應在五，巽為白，故曰素飽。素飽猶素餐，不素飽，言得之以道也。

The line statement for the second line says: Wild geese gradually fly to the big stone, eating and enjoying themselves in comfort, which is auspicious. "Pán" means big stone. The third line is in the structure of Gen (Mountain), which represents stone, so it says gradually reaching the stone. The second line is in the structure of Kan (Water), which represents food and drink. "Kàn kàn" describes a joyful and harmonious state. The second line, being a yin line in a yin position and in the correct place and middle, also corresponds with the fifth line, so the line is auspicious. The Small Image Commentary says: Eating and enjoying oneself is not just idling. The middle line of Kan is yang, and the middle is full, so it is full. The corresponding fifth line is in the structure of Xun (Wind), which represents white, so it says "sù bǎo." "Sù bǎo" is similar to "sù cān," and "not sù bǎo" means the food comes from the right path.

九三：鴻漸于陸，夫征不復，婦孕不育，凶，利禦寇。馬云山上高平曰陸。艮為夫，在上，故不復。《易林》復之剝云：夫亡從軍，抱膝獨宿。以剝艮為夫也。孕，妊娠也；育生也。震為孕，《左傳》昭元年武王邑姜方震太叔是也。三震覆，故不育。郭璞《洞林》否之小過云：婦女胎反見華益。否三互巽，故知為婦女；二四互艮，世變良，艮為反震，是胎反也。胎亦孕也，義即本此也。

The line statement for the third line: Wild geese gradually fly to a high and level land, the husband is far away on a military campaign and does not return, the wife is pregnant but cannot give birth, which is dangerous; it is favorable to defend against thieves and bandits. Ma Rong said that a high and level place on a mountain is called "Lu." Gen represents the husband, and since Gen is present above and outside, the husband does not return. In "Jiao's Forest of Changes," the hexagram of "Bo" (Decay) says, "The husband dies in the army, sitting alone with his knees hugged," which uses the Gen trigram as representing the husband. "Yun" means to be pregnant, and "yu" means to give birth. Zhen represents pregnancy; in "Zuo Zhuan" (Commentary of Zuo), Year One of Zhao Gong Yuan, it says that the wife of King Wu, Yicang, was "zhen Taishi," meaning she was pregnant with Taishi, which is this image. The third line is in the reversed Zhen trigram, so the image of pregnancy is reversed, hence the inability to give birth. Guo Pu's "Dong Lin" (Forest of the Depths) says in the divination of "Pǐ" (Obstruction) changing into "Xiao Guo" (Minor Excess): "A woman's pregnancy is reversed." The third line of Pǐ is in the intercalated trigram Xun, so it is known to refer to a woman; the trigrams from the second to the fourth are Gen, and after the change, Gen becomes the reversed Zhen, which is exactly "a reversed pregnancy." "Tai" (pregnancy) is also "yun" (pregnancy), and its meaning is derived from this.

巽為寇，三下擁群陰，而艮為守禦，為堅，寇在外，守禦在內，使外寇不人，故利也。舊解皆以坎為寇，豈知坎之為寇，以其隱伏，巽亦為伏，故易亦以巽為寇。且以坎為寇，坎寇已在內矣，如何能御之。虞翻以坎為寇，謂自上御下，自上御下，其利在上，於三何與。一象失傳，使經義顛倒錯亂，至於如此，真可喂也。

Wind represents a bandit -- the upper trigram Wind is outside, which indicates an external bandit. The ninth line three is surrounded by a group of yin lines, while Mountain represents defense and firmness. The bandit is outside and the defense is inside, preventing the bandit from entering, hence it says "favorable for defending against bandits." Old commentaries all took Water as the bandit, but they did not realize that Water is considered a bandit because of its hidden nature. Wind also has the meaning of concealment, so the Book of Changes also uses Wind to represent a bandit. Moreover, if Water is taken as the bandit, since Water is in the mutual trigrams from line two to four, the bandit is already inside, how can one defend against it? Yu Fan took Water as the bandit, saying that defense is from above to below. However, if defense is from above to below, the benefit is to those in the upper position, which has nothing to do with line nine three. The loss of one hexagram has led the meaning of the classic to be so confused, which is truly regrettable.

象曰：夫征不復，離群五也；婦孕不育，失其道出；利用御冠，順相保也。坤為眾為丑，丑眾也，《詩·小雅》執訊獲五是也。高附離也。群丑謂下二陰，言三陽繫戀於下二陰，故不復也。諸家訓離為去，與下順相保之義不合，非也。艮為道，坎為失，故失道不育。下二陰順三陽，以為保守，故曰順相保。

The Small Image Commentary says: The husband goes on a distant campaign and does not return, indicating separation from the group; the wife becomes pregnant but does not give birth, indicating deviation from the right path; it is advantageous to resist bandits, indicating harmony between superior and inferior and mutual protection. The trigram坤 represents the people and ugliness, and "ugliness" refers to the people. The Book of Songs, Xiao Ya, "Chu Che" says "Zhi Xun Huo Chou," which means this. "Li" means attachment. "Group of wicked people" refers to the two yin lines below the Nine in the Third, indicating that the yang line of Nine in the Third is attached to the two yin lines below, hence it does not return. Various interpretations take "Li" as departure, which is inconsistent with the meaning of the following sentence "mutual protection," and thus is incorrect. The trigram Gen represents the path, and Kan represents loss, so it is said to be losing the path and not giving birth. The two yin lines below are obedient to the yang of Nine in the Third, thus protecting themselves, hence it is said "mutual protection."

六四：鴻漸于木，或得其桷，無咎。巽為鴻，九家逸象巽為鸛，鸛鴻皆水鳥，故亦為鴻。周公時訓以鴻雁來當巽卦，是以巽為鴻。故《易林》中孚之同人云：鴻飛遵陸。以同人互巽為鴻。又大畜之兌云：鴻盜我襦，逃于山隅。兌互巽為盜為鴻。舊以離為鴻非也。巽為木為桷，《說文》椽方曰桷。得桷言安也。四當位承陽，故無咎。象日：或得其桷，順以巽也。言順承五上二陽。

The fourth line statement says: Wild geese gradually fly up to the trees, perhaps they can find a straight wooden beam to rest on, and there will be no mistake. The trigram Xun also has the image of 'wild geese': The extraordinary image in the Nine Schools Commentary on the Book of Changes says that Xun represents the stork, and since the stork and wild goose are both water birds, Xun can also represent the wild goose. The "Book of Zhou Gong's Seasonal Instructions" associates the phenomenon of 'wild geese arriving' with the trigram Xun, which is why Xun is taken as representing the wild goose. Therefore, in the Forest of Changes by Jiao, the line 'wild geese fly along the land' in the卦 of Zhongren uses the mutual trigrams of Zhongren to represent Xun as the wild goose; and the line 'wild geese steal my robe, fleeing to the mountain corner' in the卦 of Daxu uses the mutual trigrams of Daxu to represent Xun as both thief and wild goose. Previous interpretations taking Li as representing the wild goose are incorrect. Xun represents wood and the beam called 'jue' in the Shuo Wen, which says that a square wooden beam is called 'jue'. Finding a 'jue' beam means having a stable place to rest. The fourth line is a yin line in a yin position and is in the correct place, and it also follows the yang line of the fifth line above, so there will be no mistake. The Small Image Commentary says: Perhaps obtaining the 'jue' beam, is being gentle and humble. This means that the fourth line is obedient and follows the two yang lines above it, the fifth and the top lines.

九五：鴻漸于陵，婦三歲不孕，終莫之勝，吉。巽為高，五應在二，二艮體，五居艮上，故漸於陵。巽為婦，震為孕，震伏，下敝漏，故不孕。又五應在二，為三所阻，不能應二，故三歲不孕。坎為三歲，言其久。然五與二為正應，三豈能終阻之，故終勝三，得所願而吉也。莫之勝，言三不能勝五也。象曰：終莫之勝吉，得所願也。五終能應二，故得所願。舊解皆從虞氏以成既濟定為說，強命初上變，非。

The line statement for the fifth line says: Wild geese gradually fly up to the high hill, a woman is unable to conceive for three years, but ultimately no one can surpass it, which is auspicious. Wind represents high ground, and the fifth line corresponds to the second line. The second line is in the earth element, and the fifth line is above the earth element, so it is said to gradually reach the high hill. Wind represents a woman, and Thunder represents pregnancy; here the Thunder image is hidden, and the lower part has a deficiency, so there is no conception. Moreover, the fifth line corresponds to the second line, but is blocked by the third line, so it cannot correspond with the second line, hence the three years of infertility. The trigram Kan represents three years, indicating the length of time. However, the fifth line and the second line are originally in a proper correspondence, so how can the third line block them forever? Therefore, ultimately surpassing the third line, fulfilling the wish and being auspicious. "No one can surpass it" means that the third line cannot surpass the fifth line. The Small Image Commentary says: Ultimately, no one can surpass it and it is auspicious, meaning the wish is fulfilled. The fifth line ultimately corresponds with the second line, so the wish is fulfilled. Old interpretations all follow Yu Fan's explanation of "completing the final completion," forcing the first line and the top line to change, which is incorrect.

上九：鴻漸于陸，其羽可用為儀，吉。在卦上，與三同，故仍漸于陸。巽為羽，儀飾也。其羽可用為儀者，巽為高為白，言上居高明之地，羽毛鮮潔，故可用以為儀，賁一切也。巽羽之象，《易林》隨之小畜云：奮翅鼓翼。以小畜上巽為翼。又頤之兌六翮長翼，亦以兌互類為翼。象曰：其羽可用為儀吉，不可亂也。儀型萬方，秩然不紊，故不可亂。

The line statement for the topmost yao, Upper Nine: Wild geese gradually fly to high land, their feathers can be used for ceremonial adornment, which is auspicious. Upper Nine is at the top of the entire hexagram, and is in the same position as Nine in the Third, so it still says 'gradually moving to land.' The trigram Xun represents feathers, and 'ritual adornment' refers to ornamentation. The statement that feathers can be used for ritual adornment is because Xun represents highness and whiteness, meaning that Upper Nine is in a lofty and bright position, and its feathers are white and bright, so they can be used for adornment to embellish everything. The image of Xun as feathers is found in the 'Forest of Changes' under the hexagram following the hexagram of following and nurturing, where it says 'spreading wings and flapping wings,' using the upper trigram Xun as wings. Also in the hexagram of nourishment and joy, it says 'six primary feathers and wings,' using the interacting trigram Xun as wings. The 'Small Image Commentary' says that feathers can be used for ritual adornment and are auspicious, which is not to be disturbed. They can serve as a model for the world, with order and propriety, so they must not be disturbed.

歸妹：征凶，無攸利。兌為少女，故曰妹。震為歸，婦人謂嫁曰歸，故曰歸妹。震類長女從長男為恆，則曰利有攸往。茲少女從長男，與恆同耳，乃彖義則與恆相反，曰征凶無攸利何為也。

The hexagram "Gui Mei" (Return of the Younger Sister) says that going forward is dangerous and brings no benefit. The trigram Dui represents the young girl, hence the term "Mei" (younger sister). The trigram Zhen represents returning, and for a woman, going out to marry is called "Gui" (return), hence the name "Gui Mei" (Return of the Younger Sister). Zhen represents the elder son, and when the elder son is paired with the elder daughter, it forms the hexagram "Heng" (Permanence), which says "It is advantageous to go forward." Here, the younger sister follows the elder son, which is similar to "Heng." However, the meaning of the "Tuan" (Judgment) of "Gui Mei" is opposite to that of "Heng," stating "Going forward brings danger, and there is no benefit." Why is this so?

曰恆下巽，巽陰承陽，與上震無一爻不相應，故利有攸往。歸妹則巽覆為兌，陰乘陽，初三皆失應，故征凶。巽為利，巽覆故無攸利。又中四爻皆不當位，貞靜自守，尚恐有咎，動則悔吝生矣，故征凶不利也。

Answer: The lower trigram of the Hexagram of Constancy is Xun, whose yao is yin and lies below to receive the yang yao, corresponding with the upper trigram Zhen's six yao in pairs, so there is no yao that does not correspond, hence "favorable to go somewhere." The Hexagram of the Maiden, however, has Xun inverted into Dui, with the yin yao above the yang yao, forming "riding over," and both initial nine and nine in the third position lose their correspondence, hence "dangerous to go forward." Since Xun is favorable but has now overturned, it becomes "unfavorable to go anywhere." Moreover, the four middle yao are not in the proper position; even if they remain quiet and self-restrained, they may still be wrong, and once they move, they will bring regret and regret, hence "dangerous to go forward, nothing is favorable."

下繫云：其為道也屢遷，變動不居，周流六虛，上下無常，剛柔相易，不可為典要，唯變所適。正謂此。恆與歸妹，上卦同也，下卦同為二陽一陰也，乃巽則如彼，巽覆則如此，唯變所適也。唯變所適，謂甲卦與乙卦，一爻變動，則吉凶相反，非謂卦無是象，強命某爻變，以成其象也。自漢以來，因誤解變動不居、唯變所適二語，援為護符，浪用爻變，以濟其窮，前有虞翻，後有焦循，其尤也。

The Great Treatise says: The principles of the Book of Changes are constantly shifting and changing, never staying in one place, flowing through the six lines of the hexagram's empty positions. There is no fixed upper or lower position; yin and yang change into each other, and cannot be regarded as fixed rules. Instead, they adapt to the changes. This describes exactly such a situation. The hexagram "Heng" and "Gui Mei" have the same upper trigrams, and the same lower trigrams of two yang lines and one yin line. However, when the lower trigram is Xun, it becomes "Heng," and when Xun is reversed to become Dui, it becomes "Gui Mei." This is called "only adapting to the change." What is meant by "only adapting to the change" is that if there is only one line different between hexagram A and hexagram B, their fortune and misfortune will be opposite. It does not mean that the hexagram originally does not have that image, and then one can arbitrarily point to a line changing to create that image. Since the Han dynasty, people have misunderstood the phrases "changing constantly" and "only adapting to the change," and have used them as a talisman, misusing the changing of lines to cover up their own unclear explanations. Yu Fan in the past and Zhao Xun in the later period were the most prominent among them.

彖曰：歸妹，天地之大義也。天地不交，而萬物不興。歸妹，人之終始也。說以動，所歸妹也。征凶，位不當也。無攸利，柔乘剛也。歸妹而後有夫婦，天地者夫婦之義，天地交而後有萬物，故歸妹為女之終，生人之始。中爻皆不當位，三五皆以柔乘剛，故征凶無攸利也。象曰：澤上有雷，歸妹。君子以水終知敝。女歸則永終，兌毀折，故以知敝為戒。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "Return of the Maiden" discusses the great principles of heaven and earth. When the energies of heaven and earth do not interact, all things cannot arise. Marrying a daughter is the conclusion and beginning of human relationships. Acting out of joy, one marries a maiden. "Going forward brings danger" is because the lines are not in proper position; "no benefit is obtained" is because the yin lines overpower the yang lines. Only through marriage do husband and wife come into being; heaven and earth are the origin of the principle of husband and wife. When heaven and earth interact, they generate all things, so marrying a daughter marks the end of a woman's life in her family and the beginning of human reproduction. The four middle lines of this hexagram are not in proper position, and both the sixth line in the third position and the sixth line in the fifth position are yin lines overpowering yang lines, hence it is said that going forward brings danger and there is no benefit. The Great Image says: Thunder over a marsh, this is the hexagram "Return of the Maiden"; the gentleman thus understands that he should seek a lasting end and foresee decline and failure. A woman, once married, should remain faithful to one husband; the trigram兑 (Dui) has the meaning of destruction, so one should foresee decline and failure as a warning to oneself.

初九：歸妹以娣，破能履，征吉。初在兌下，故曰梯。娣者嫡之女弟也。《公羊傳》諸侯一聘九女，嫁者一娣一侄（左女），騰者皆有至娣。嫁者謂嫡，嫡及兩媵六娃娣共九女。兌折震故跛，然二升五則下成震，震為足，故曰跛能履，征吉也。象曰吉相承，即承二升五而吉也。

The line statement for the initial line (Initial Nine): A daughter is married with her younger sister as a secondary bride, and although she has a limp, she can still walk, and going forward is auspicious. The initial line is at the very bottom of the trigram of兑 (Lake), so it is called "娣" (younger sister). "娣" refers to the younger sister of the main wife. The "Gongyang Zhuan" says that a prince would marry nine women at once, and the main wife would bring one娣 and one侄 (younger cousin), while the secondary brides (媵) would each bring one侄 and one娣; "嫁者" refers to the main wife, and the main wife plus two媵 and six侄娣 make up nine women.兑 has the meaning of breaking, and it breaks the trigram of震 (Thunder), which represents the foot; the foot is broken, so there is a limp. However, the line Nine Two rises to the fifth position, and the lower part becomes震 (Thunder), which represents the foot, so the foot can now walk, hence it is said "a limp can walk, going forward is auspicious." The "Xiao Xiang Zhuan" says "auspicious succession," which refers to the auspiciousness gained by the line Nine Two rising to the fifth position.

象曰：歸妹以娣，以恆也；跛能履，吉相承也。按初無應，二陽為阻，不能前進，有凶無吉。茲曰吉相承，謂二升五下卦成震，初臨重陰，相隨而吉。相承者謂二升五吉，初承其後仍吉也。虞翻求其義而不得，強命初爻變陰承陽為說。夫初當位，胡能使變。經義之不明，此等曲說亂之也。以恆蓋謂女嫁隨娃梯，乃娶婦之常道。說者動以恆卦為解，非。

The Small Image Commentary says: When a daughter is married off, she is accompanied by her younger sisters as attendants, following the established way; a lame person can still walk, which is a fortunate continuation. Initially, the first line and the fourth line are both yang lines and do not correspond with each other, and are blocked by the yang line at the second position, so they cannot advance, which should be ominous rather than auspicious; yet it says "auspicious continuation." This is because after the second line rises to the fifth position, the lower trigram becomes Zhen (Thunder), and the first line faces a double yin line above it. Yang meets yin and thus becomes connected, resulting in auspiciousness. "Continuation" refers to the second line ascending to the fifth position and gaining auspiciousness, and the first line following it also becomes auspicious. Yu Fan sought the meaning but failed to understand it, so he forced an interpretation that the first line changes to a yin line to continue the yang line. However, the first line is already in its proper position, how could it change? The confusion in the meaning of the classic is precisely due to such forced interpretations. "With constancy" probably refers to the custom of a bride being accompanied by her younger sisters when she marries, which is the usual practice in marriage. Those who interpret the classics often arbitrarily cite the Hexagram of Constancy, which is incorrect.

九二：眇能視，利幽人之貞。二三米高，故曰眇。《說文》眇一眇也。能者，以互離也。二應國五，五展為人，克為昧，故曰幽人。利幽人之貞，言利與互相上下，各當位也。象曰：利幽人之貞，未變常也。未變常，言二五相應與乃常道也。

The line statement for line two: A person with one eye blind but still able to see, is suitable for a reclusive person to maintain uprightness. Nine two is located in the middle of the lower trigram, and its position is not high, hence it is said 'blind in one eye.' The Shuo Wen says 'blind in one eye' refers to one eye being smaller and the other eye alone seeing. Yet it is still said 'able to see,' because the interaction of lines two to four forms the trigram Li, which represents the eye. Nine two corresponds above to line five, which is in the trigram Zhen, representing people; while the trigram Dui represents confusion, hence it is called 'reclusive person.' 'Beneficial for the reclusive person to maintain uprightness' means that nine two and line five are suitable for mutual correspondence and each being in their proper position. The Small Image Commentary says: Beneficial for the reclusive person to maintain uprightness, is without changing the constant way. 'Not changing the constant' means that the correspondence between lines two and five is originally the constant way.

六三：歸妹以須，反歸以娣。須，《說文》面毛也。歸嫁也。歸妹為嫡，今以須之故，反嫁為娣也。伏艮為須，《易林》同人之否云：牽於虎鬚。否互艮為虎為須。虞氏訓須為需，需待也。六三若有待義，與九四之有待義復矣。《易林》渙之歸妹云：妹為貌執（下心），敗君正色。莊子田子子方老聃新沐，方將被髮而乾，華然似非人，華言可怖也。是焦氏亦訓須為面毛也，故曰貌華。

The line statement for the third line says: A girl who has facial hair is married off as a secondary wife. "Xu" is explained in the Shuo Wen as facial hair. "Gui" means to marry. The hexagram Gui Mei should represent the main wife, but because of the facial hair, she is reduced to being a secondary wife. The hidden艮 (mountain) represents the facial hair. In the Forest of Changes, the hexagram Tong Ren (Following) in the hexagram Po (Obstruction) says "bound by the tiger's beard," using the hidden艮 (mountain) of Po as the tiger and the beard. Yu Fan interprets "xu" as "xu" meaning waiting. However, if the third line also means waiting, it would overlap with the fourth line's "qian qi" (delayed period) meaning waiting. In the Forest of Changes, the hexagram Huan (Dispersing) transforming into Gui Mei says "the younger sister has a fearsome appearance, undermining the ruler's proper demeanor." In the Zhuangzi, Tian Zi Fang describes Lao Dan just finishing washing his head, with his hair hanging loose and drying, looking lifeless and inhuman—"zhan" means a fearsome appearance. This shows that Jiao Yanshou also interpreted "xu" as facial hair, hence saying "fearsome appearance."

象曰：歸妹以須，未當也。未當言不宜有是惡象也。困上六當位矣，象曰未當也，義與此同。革傳曰革而當，義皆同宜。後雅麗堂集解本見虞注作位未當，竟於象傳添一位字。豈知正文若作位未當，《釋文》早言之矣，今《釋文》無有，可證虞本亦無位字。雅麗本皆從惠棟校，改字甚多，昔人謂惠氏亂經，茲更添字，宜罪之者多也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "Marriage with a daughter who has long hair is not appropriate." "Not appropriate" refers to the fact that such an unfavorable sign should not exist. In the sixth line at the top of the Hexagram of Strife, the Small Image Commentary also says "not appropriate," using the phrase in the same way as here. In the Commentary on the Judgment of the Hexagram of Revolution, it says "Revolution at the right time," where "right time" is equivalent to "appropriate." Later, the Yali Tang edition of the Collected Explanations of the Zhou Changes saw Yu Fan's annotation as "position not appropriate," and added the character "position" to the main text of the Small Image Commentary. But they did not realize that if the original text had indeed been "position not appropriate," the Classic Interpretation Commentary would have recorded it. Since the Commentary does not mention this, it can be proven that Yu Fan's version also did not include the character "position." The Yali Tang edition followed Hui Dong's textual corrections, and many characters were altered. Earlier scholars had already criticized Hui Dong for disrupting the text, and here he added more characters, which is why he has been criticized so much.

九四：歸妹愆期，返歸有時。震為時，坎陷故愆期。愆過也，愆期故遲歸待時，待升五也。又下無應，亦衍期之一因。卦四時俱備，故曰有時。升五則時至矣。象曰：想期之志，有待而行也。坎為志，震為行，有待而行者，待升五也。

The line statement for the fourth line says: A girl who is to be married has missed her wedding date, and her marriage is delayed until the proper time. Zhen represents time, and Kan represents danger or difficulty. Because of the difficulty, the marriage is delayed, hence "愆期." "愆" means error or missing; missing the wedding date, so the marriage is postponed in order to wait for the right time, which is ascending to the fifth position. Moreover, the fourth line, along with the first line, is a yang line and does not correspond, which is another reason for the delay. The primary hexagram has Zhen representing spring, Li representing summer, Dui representing autumn, and Kan representing winter; all four seasons are present, so it is said "there is a time." Ascending to the fifth position means the time has arrived. The Small Image Commentary says: The intention of delaying the time is to wait before acting. Kan represents intention, and Zhen represents action; "waiting before acting" refers to waiting for the ascent to the fifth position.

六五：帝已歸妹，其君之袂，不如其娣之袂良，月既望吉。震為帝，故曰帝乙。帝乙湯也。京房易載基嫁妹之辭，是湯曾嫁妹，故曰帝乙歸妹。震為君為袂，而震亦為口，袂袖口也。袂在五震，故日君袂；在二兌，故曰棵袂，皆取象於口。乃五陰二陽，故君袂不如姊良。

The Line Statement of the Fifth Line: The Emperor Yi married off his younger sister, and the wife's sleeve was less beautiful than the sleeve of the younger sister who accompanied her as a bride; when the moon is about to be full, it is auspicious. Zhen represents the Emperor, so it is said 'Emperor Yi'. Emperor Yi is Shang Tang. Jing Fang's commentary on the Book of Changes mentions the phrase of Shang Tang marrying his sister, indicating that Shang Tang indeed married his sister, hence 'Emperor Yi marries his sister'. Zhen represents the ruler and the sleeve, and also the mouth. 'Sleeve' refers to the opening of the sleeve. 'Sleeve' in the Zhen trigram of the Fifth Line is called 'the ruler's sleeve'; in the Second Line of the Dui trigram, it is called 'the younger sister's sleeve'—both are derived from the image of the mouth. However, the Fifth Line is a yin line while the Second Line is a yang line. Yin is empty and yang is full, so the wife's sleeve was less beautiful than the sleeve of the younger sister who accompanied her.

坎為月，為中，震東兌西，坎月離日，東西相望，正望日也。惟五居坎末，時已過中，故曰既望。既望從孟荀讀，虞作幾，京作近。晁說之雲古文近既讀同，孟云既望者，十六日也。五得中有應故吉。震君震袂震口象皆失傳，說詳《焦氏易詁》。象曰：帝已歸妹，不如其梯之袂良也；其位在中，以貴行也。雖不正而得中，中五位尊，故曰貴。

The trigram Kan represents the moon and the center, while Zhen is in the east and Dui in the west. Kan represents the moon, and Li represents the sun. When the sun and moon are opposite each other in the east and west, this is the "wan" day, when the moon is full. However, the line six in the fifth is at the end of the trigram Kan, indicating that the time has passed the full moon. Therefore, it is called "ji wan." According to Meng Xi and Xun Shuang, it is read as "ji wan." Yu Fan reads it as "ji wan," while Jing Fang reads it as "jin wan." Chao Shuo Zhi says that in ancient texts, "jin" and "ji" were pronounced the same. Meng Xi says "ji wan" refers to the sixteenth day of each month. The line six in the fifth occupies the central position and has a corresponding line, hence it is auspicious. The images of Zhen representing the ruler, the sleeve, and the mouth have long been lost; details are explained in "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes." The "Small Image Commentary" states: When King Yi married his sister, the main wife's sleeve was not as beautiful as that of the younger wife who accompanied her. She was in the central position, hence her noble status. Although the line six in the fifth is a yin line in a yang position, which is not correct, it is in the central position. The central position is also the noble position, hence it is called "gu."

上六：女筐無實，士圭（右刀）羊無血，無攸利。下兌為女，震為筐，女在下，筐在上，故曰女承筐。乃上不應三，故無實。震為虛，亦無實也。震為士，兌為羊，為斧，為毀折，故曰士圭（右刀）羊。乃三不應上，故無血。坎為血，三體離，坎伏，故無血。此與失九二，因爻無應，即就無應取義。舊解坐不知此，故說之永不能通。巽為利，巽伏上下失應，故無攸利。震虛象失傳，虞翻用卦變成坤，取虛象。豈知震為蒼茛竹為葦，皆取其中虛。況象傳曰虛筐，亦以震為虛。象曰：上六元實，承虛筐也。象明言震虛，故知虞氏非。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: A woman holds a bamboo basket that is empty, a man slaughters a sheep but there is no blood, and there is no benefit. The lower trigram is Dui, representing a woman, and Zhen, representing a basket; a woman is below and a basket is above, so it is said 'the woman holds the basket.' However, the sixth line at the top and the sixth line in the third position are both yin lines and do not correspond, so the basket is empty. Zhen itself has the image of 'emptiness,' which also means there is nothing real. Zhen represents a gentleman, Dui represents a sheep, a斧 (axe), and destruction, so it is said 'the gentleman slaughters the sheep.' However, since the sixth line in the third position does not correspond with the sixth line at the top, the sheep is pierced but there is no blood. Kan represents blood, the sixth line in the third position is in the body of Li, and Kan's image is hidden, so there is no blood. This line is the same as the second line of the primary hexagram, because the line position does not correspond, so it takes meaning directly from 'no correspondence.' Old annotations failed to understand this, so they could not explain it properly. Xun represents benefit, but Xun's image is hidden and the upper and lower parts have lost correspondence, so 'there is no benefit.' The image of emptiness from Zhen has long been lost, so Yu Fan used the transformation into Kun to get the image of emptiness; but he did not realize that Zhen represents young bamboo and reeds, both of which take the meaning of being hollow in the middle. Moreover, the Small Image Commentary clearly says 'empty basket,' which also takes the meaning of emptiness from Zhen. The Small Image Commentary says: the sixth line at the top gains nothing, holding an empty basket. The Small Image Commentary clearly states that 'emptiness' comes from Zhen, so Yu Fan's interpretation is incorrect.

象曰：雖旬無咎，過旬災也。旬者盈數，過旬災，仍月盈則食之意也。六二：豐其部，日中見斗，往得疑疾，有孚發若，吉。二至五五大坎，坎為隱伏，故中四爻象皆閻昧。部（上草），虞翻雲日蔽雲中稱部（上草）。虞未申其義，然坎雲在離日之上，正日蔽雲中也。離為星，故日斗。又震亦為斗，斗七星也，言離日有障蔽，日隱而星見也。

The original text finishes the hexagram of "Gui Mei" at the line "Shang Liu" and directly proceeds here: the hexagram statement of "Feng" says, "It is favorable to cross, the king comes to it, there is no worry, it is appropriate to be at noon." The "Tuanguan" commentary, the "Daxiang" commentary, which says, "Thunder and lightning both arrive, this is Feng. The gentleman thus decides cases and applies punishment," and the line statement of "Chu Jiū" which says, "Meeting its matching master, although for a full ten days there is no blame, going forward is commendable," along with their respective annotations, are all missing. Only the "Xiaoxiang" commentary of "Chu Jiū" remains. According to the original text, we follow what is actually included, not substituting from the commonly used version. The "Xiaoxiang" commentary says: although matching with the other side without blame, exceeding the limit brings disaster. "Shun" refers to the number of fullness, and exceeding fullness brings disaster, which is still the meaning of the "Tuanguan" saying, "When the moon is full, it is eaten." The line statement of "Liū Èr" says: the covering is great, yet at noon the Big Dipper is seen; going forward will bring suspicion and illness; with sincerity and effort, it is auspicious. The lines from "Er Yao" to "Wu Yao" form the shape of a great "Kan." "Kan" represents concealment, so the images of the four middle lines are all dark and unclear. "Bu," Yu Fan says that when the sun is obscured by clouds, it is called "Bu." Yu Fan did not explain the reasoning behind the imagery, but in fact, "Kan" represents clouds, and clouds are above the "Li" (fire) which represents the sun, so the sun is obscured by clouds. "Li" represents stars, so it is said "Dǒu" (Big Dipper); "Zhen" also represents "Dǒu," and the Big Dipper consists of seven stars. This means the sun is obscured, the sunlight is hidden, while the stars become visible.

二巽體，巽為疑為疾，巽初六象曰進退志疑是也。五不應，故往得疑疾。然二承重陽，手於三四，發若者，言其順利也。陰孚陽故吉。離星巽疑象詳《焦氏易詁》。象曰：有孕發若，信以發志也。有孚故信，巽為志。信以發志者，言陰孚於陽，得行其志也。

Six in the Second is within the trigram Xun, which represents doubt and movement. The Small Image Commentary of the Xun hexagram says, "Advancing and retreating, indicating doubt," which reflects this image. Six in the Fifth and Six in the Second are both yin lines that do not correspond, so moving forward would invite suspicion and disorder. However, Six in the Second is above the two yang lines Nine in the Third and Nine in the Fourth, and thus gains trust from them. "Proceeding smoothly" indicates that things will go well. A yin line gaining trust from a yang line leads to good fortune. The images of Li (Fire) representing stars and Xun (Wind) representing doubt are detailed in Jiao's Glosses on the Changes. The Small Image Commentary says: holding sincere intentions and striving forward, thus sincerity stimulates the will. Because of sincerity, it is said "trust," and Xun represents the will. "Trust stimulates the will" means that a yin line gains trust from a yang line, thus being able to carry out its own aspirations.

九三：豐其沛，日中見沫，折其右肱，無咎。沛大雨貌，《孟子》沛然下雨。《易林》泰之豐云：龍蛇所聚，大水來處，滂滂沛沛，使我無賴。九家雲大暗謂之沛。沫，《子夏傳》星之小者。日中見沫者，言當日中而昏暗見小星也。三兌體，兌為雨，故曰沛。兌為晦，故曰見沫。艮為肱，三應在上，上艮覆，故折其右肱。兌為右為折也。然三當位有應，故無咎。

The line statement for the third line (Nine in the Third): It is like a heavy rain falling, yet at noon small stars are visible, and the right arm is broken, but there is no fault. "沛" describes the appearance of heavy rain. The "Mencius" says "the rain falls in a torrent." In "Jiao's Forest of Changes" under the hexagram Tai to Feng, it says "dragons and snakes gather, great water comes, pppppppp, making me helpless." The "Nine Schools Commentary on the Changes" says that great darkness is called "沛." "沫" is said by "Zi Xia's Commentary" to be a small star. "Seeing a star at noon" means that at the middle of the day, the sky is dark but small stars can be seen. The third line is in the structure of Dui, which represents rain, so it is said "沛"; Dui also represents darkness, so it is said "seeing a star." Gen represents the arm, and the third line corresponds to the sixth line above. The sixth line is a reversed Gen, so the arm is broken, hence "breaking the right arm." Dui represents the right and also destruction. However, the third line is a yang line in a yang position and is in the correct place, and it has a corresponding line, so there is no fault.

象曰：豐其沛，不可大事也；折其右肱，終不可用也。三遇敵，不利往，所應為陰，陰小故不可大事。三雖有應而折肱，故終不可用。虞氏以二至五大過死解，似非。九四：豐真部（上草），日中見斗，遇其夷主，吉。《易林》升之臨云：據斗運樞。以震為斗。茲震在日上，以為障蔽，故仍曰豐其部（上草），日中見斗。主謂五，五柔爻，故曰夷主。《詩·周頌》有夷之行，毛傳夷易也。陽遇陰則通，故曰易曰，曰吉。

The Small Image Commentary says: Obstruction is like a heavy rain, so it is not suitable to undertake great affairs; breaking the right arm means ultimately being unable to act effectively. Nine in the Third meets Nine in the Fourth, both being yang lines, forming an opposing relationship, which is unfavorable for moving forward; the corresponding line is Six at the Top, which is a yin line, and yin represents smallness, so great affairs cannot be accomplished. Although Nine in the Third has a corresponding line, it has broken its arm, so it ultimately cannot act effectively. Yu Fan uses the mutual relationships of lines two to five to form the Great Excess, interpreting it as 'death,' which seems incorrect. The line statement of Nine in the Fourth says: Obstruction is great, seeing the Big Dipper at noon, meeting a compatible superior, which is auspicious. The Forest of Changes by Jiao says 'ascending to the approach' and mentions 'holding the Big Dipper's pivot,' taking Zhen as the Big Dipper. Here, Zhen is located above the sun, becoming the obstruction, so it still says 'enlarging the covering, seeing the Big Dipper at noon.' 'Superior' refers to Six in the Fifth, which is a yin line, so it is called 'the gentle superior.' The Book of Songs, Zhou Songs, has 'a gentle way,' and Mao's commentary says 'gentle' means level. Yang meeting yin leads to communication, so it is called 'gentle' and 'auspicious.'

象曰：豐其部（上草），位不當也；日中見牛，幽不明也；遇其夷主，吉。《易林》升之臨云：據斗運樞，以震為斗。茲震在日上，以為障蔽，故仍日半其部（上草），日中見斗。主謂五，五柔爻，故曰夷主。《詩·周頌》有夷之行，創傳夷易也。陽遇陰則通，故曰易，日吉。象曰：半其部（上草），位不當也；日中見斗，幽不明也；遇其夷主，吉行也。兌為昧，故幽不明。陽遇陰故志行。郭京舉正行上脫志字，宜從。

The Small Image Commentary says: A great obstruction is due to improper position; seeing the Big Dipper at noon indicates darkness; encountering a suitable master brings good fortune. The following passage repeats the previous one: Jiao's Forest of Changes says "according to the movement of the Big Dipper" in the hexagram "Ascending to Meet," taking Zhen as the Big Dipper. Here, Zhen is above the sun, forming an obstruction, so it still says "a great obstruction, seeing the Big Dipper at noon." "Master" refers to line six in the fifth position, which is a yin line, so it is called "夷主." The Book of Songs, Zhou Songs, has "there is a path of yi," and Mao's commentary says "yi" means level. Yang meets yin and thus communicates, so it is called "yi," and thus "good fortune." The Small Image Commentary says: A great obstruction is due to improper position; seeing the Big Dipper at noon indicates darkness; encountering a suitable master brings good fortune. Dui represents confusion, so darkness is indicated. Yang meets yin and thus communication occurs, so the mind can proceed. Guo Jing's Corrections to the Zhou Changes says that the character "行" is missing the character "志" above it, and it should be followed.

六五：來章，有慶譽，吉。呼九四來五，當位居中，彖所謂日中也，故曰章。五得位，故有慶譽吉。或謂四往五不能曰來，豈知六五呼四，當然曰來。況睽上九云往遇雨則吉，是上來內，易有時亦言往也。需上曰有不速之客三人來，是三往上亦曰來也。蹇五大蹇朋來，是陽往五亦曰來也。上曰來章，又何疑乎。象曰：六五之吉，有慶也。慶謂陽升五得位。

The line statement for the fifth line says: attracting brightness and elegance, there is joy and reputation, and it is auspicious. This refers to the nine in the fourth coming up to the fifth position. When the nine in the fourth reaches the fifth position, it is in the correct position and in the center, which is exactly what the commentary on the judgment calls "midday." Therefore, it is called "chapter." The fifth position is correct, so there is joy and reputation, and it is auspicious. Some people say that the four going to the five should be described as "going," not "coming." But they do not realize that it is the six in the fifth that is calling the nine in the fourth, so naturally it should be said "coming." Moreover, the upper line of the卦 of Kui says "meeting rain on the way is auspicious," which refers to the upper line returning to the inner trigram, showing that the Book of Changes sometimes describes such a situation as "going." The upper line of the卦 of Xu says "three unexpected guests come," which refers to the three lower lines moving upward, and it is also called "coming." The nine in the fifth of the卦 of Jian says "great difficulty with friends coming," which refers to a yang line moving to the fifth position and is also called "coming." Here it says "coming and chapter," so what is there to doubt? The small image commentary says: the six in the fifth is auspicious because there is joy. The joy refers to a yang line rising to the fifth position and achieving correctness.

上六：豐其屋，部（上草）其家，窺其戶，闃其無人，三歲不覿，凶。屋家戶，後儒不知其象，穿鑿百出，愈說愈晦，此覆象失傳之故也。按虞注云從外窺三。又九家說重門繫柝云：豫不艮，從外示之。上震復為艮，豐上六從外示內，亦艮也。

The line statement for the sixth line at the top says: building a house high but covering up one's own dwelling; peering in through the door crack, it is quiet and no one is there, for three years no one is seen, which is ominous. The images of house, family, and door have been misunderstood by later Confucian scholars, leading to endless speculative interpretations, making things more confused. The root of the problem lies in the loss of the 'covering image.' According to Yu Fan's commentary, it refers to looking from outside at the third line. The Nine Schools Commentary explains the passage in the Great Treatise about 'double doors and the sound of sticks' by saying that the lower trigram of Yu is not艮but an inverted艮, meaning showing to others from outside. The upper trigram Zhen reversed becomes艮, and the sixth line at the top of the Feng hexagram looking inward also uses this inverted艮.

艮為屋為家為戶，中爻大坎，故障蔽其家。艮為觀，下視，故曰窺其戶。震為人，上應在三，三巽伏，故闃寂無人。闃虞云空也，鄭云無人兒。震為歲，數三，故曰三歲不覿而凶也。闃孟喜作室，窒古與空通用。《列子·黃帝篇》玉人潛行不空，《莊子·達生篇》引作室，然則孟虞之詁同也。

The trigram Gen represents a house, a family, and a door. The four lines in the middle form a large Kan trigram, which represents concealment, so it obscures the family. Gen also represents observation and looking down, hence the phrase "peeking through the door." The trigram Zhen represents people. The line at the top, Six, corresponds to the line Six in the Third. The line Six in the Third is within the hidden trigram Xun, which represents concealment, so it is quiet and empty. "Qù" is interpreted by Yu Fan as empty, and by Zheng Xuan as empty appearance. Zhen also represents years, and its number is three, hence the phrase "three years without seeing people" indicating danger. The character "qù" in Meng Xi's version is written as "zhì," which in ancient times was used interchangeably with "kong" (empty). The "Zhuangzi" text refers to it as "zhì," showing that Meng Xi's and Yu Fan's interpretations are essentially the same.

象曰：豐其屋，天際祥也；窺其戶闃其無人，自藏也。五天位，上在五外，故曰天際。《說文》祥福也善也。徐肱曰凡吉凶之先見其兆者，皆曰祥，故孟喜曰天際祥，天降下惡祥也。自藏謂三，三宜應上，而巽為伏，故曰自藏，釋無人之故也。祥從鄭本，《正義》作翔，翔樣音同通用。

The Small Image Commentary says: Building a house high is a sign of reaching the heavens; peeking through a door crack while being quiet and empty is a sign of self-concealment. Five is the heavenly position, and the sixth at the top is outside five, so it is called "heaven's edge." The Shuo Wen says "xiang" means blessing and goodness. Xu Kai says that any sign indicating good or bad fortune in advance is called "xiang," so Meng Xi says "heaven's edge xiang" is an ill omen from heaven. "Self-concealment" refers to the sixth in the third: the sixth in the third should correspond to the sixth at the top, but it is in the hidden Xun structure, so it is called "self-concealment," which explains the reason for being empty. The character "xiang" is based on Zheng Xuan's version, while the Zhou Changes Justice uses "xiang," which is pronounced the same and can be used interchangeably.

此卦舊解，因易理失傳，不知二五為卦主，於是遇其配主，遇其夷主，皆以震為主，權櫟不合。因卦象失傳，於是爻變卦變，雜然並用，以求其象。學者只涵泳白文，或尚能明其一二；若即舊解求之，則愈茫昧疑惑，真可慨也。

The old commentaries on this hexagram, due to the loss of the principles of the Book of Changes, did not realize that six two and six five are the main lines of the entire hexagram. Therefore, they took the "master" in the initial line "meeting its paired master" and the fourth line "meeting its夷 master" as Zhen, leading to contradictions among themselves. Also, due to the loss of the hexagram images, various methods such as changing lines and changing hexagrams were all used to fit the images they desired. Scholars who merely repeatedly contemplate the original text may still understand something; but if they follow the old commentaries to seek understanding, they will only become more confused and puzzled, which is truly regrettable.

旅。小亨，旅貞吉。旅之卦義，先儒皆以行旅為說。然卦名皆由卦象生，火山何以為旅？侯果、孔疏皆以火在山上，勢難久留，故為旅。如所詁火在山上，不久即滅耳，安見其為行旅？按《易林》剝之旅云：「居正不安，大盜為咎。」大畜之旅云：「安其室廬，傳母何優。」是皆以居家為說，於行旅之義正相反。

The hexagram of Travel, though slightly prosperous, is favorable when one travels while maintaining integrity. Regarding the meaning of the hexagram of Travel, previous scholars have all interpreted it in terms of "traveling outside." However, the name of a hexagram arises from its imagery. The upper trigram is Li (Fire), and the lower trigram is Gen (Mountain), with fire on a mountain. Why then is it called "Travel"? Hou Guo and Kong Yingda in The Correct Meaning of the Zhou Changes both say that fire burning on a mountain necessarily cannot stay long, hence the name "Travel." But according to their interpretation, fire on a mountain will soon go out, so how can one see that it refers to being away from home? Now looking at Jiao's Forest of Changes: the hexagram of Pei (Decrease) in Travel says "dwelling in the right place is unstable, great thieves are the fault," and the hexagram of Da Xu (Great Accumulation) in Travel says "resting in his house, why should the mother worry?" These all speak of staying at home, which is exactly opposite to the meaning of "travel."

履之旅云：「鳥子鵲雛，常與母俱，願慕群旅，不離其巢。」又晉之旅云：「逐旅失群。」是以旅為伴旅。卦二陰隨二陽，一陰隨一陽，陽前陰後，有若伴侶，疑焦氏所詁者於卦象為切。又《釋詁》：旅，眾也。卦離火，艮亦為火，火多故眾，伴旅亦眾也。九三象云：「以旅與下。」以眾與下也。若作行旅，此句難通矣。

The commentary on the hexagram "Travel" by Liu Yu says, "Birds and their young, often stay with their mothers, wish to be with the flock, and do not leave their nests," and the commentary by Jin Yu says, "Following the group and losing the flock." Both treat "travel" as "companions traveling together." From the hexagram's image, the hexagram "Travel" has two yin lines each following a yang line, one yin following one yang, with the yang in front and the yin behind, just like companions traveling together. Therefore, Jiao Yanshou's interpretation is more consistent with the hexagram's image than previous interpretations. Moreover, the "Er Ya · Xigǔ" says, "Travel means a crowd." The upper trigram of this hexagram is Li (Fire), and the Han dynasty's lost image, which Shang氏 relied on, also has Gen (Mountain) as fire. Since fire is abundant, it is called "a crowd," and traveling in groups itself is a "crowd." The "Xiaoxiang" of line nine three says, "To entrust the crowd to the underlings," which means delivering the people to the subordinates. If "travel" is interpreted as traveling on the road, this sentence would not make sense.

又初交旅瑣瑣，斯其所。斯，離也。行旅往來，有不離其所者哉？於行旅之義尤不合，故疑焦義是也。六五得尊位，故小亨、貞吉。彖曰：旅，小亨，柔得中乎外而順乎剛，上而麗乎明，是以小亨，旅貞吉也。旅之時又大矣哉。六五上下皆陽，故曰順乎剛。離六五云「離王公」，即順乎剛也。旅五月卦，當中夏，故曰時。

Now looking at the line statement of the first line, "Traveling in a petty way, thus he departs," the word "斯" means to leave. If we really take this as referring to traveling and coming and going, how could one not leave his dwelling? Clearly, interpreting this hexagram through the lens of travel is even less appropriate. Therefore, I believe Jiao Yanshou's interpretation of "travel" as meaning companion or multitude is correct. The fifth line is in a position of honor, so the hexagram statement says "smallly prosperous" and "upright good fortune." The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram of Travel is small prosperity, because the flexible line six in the fifth position is in the outer trigram and is in the center, thus following and supporting the strong line. It ascends and adheres to the luminous body of the trigram Li, hence "small prosperity." Traveling while maintaining uprightness brings good fortune. The situation corresponding to the hexagram of Travel is indeed significant. The fifth line is flanked by two yang lines, so it is said to "follow the strong." The Commentary on the Small Image of the trigram Li says "Li corresponds to the prince and duke," which also refers to following the strong line. The hexagram of Travel is the hexagram of the fifth month, which is the middle of summer, so the Commentary on the Judgment refers to "time."

象曰：山上有火，旅。君子以明慎用刑，而不留獄。大象以相反見義，此亦其一也。離為明，君子不敢待其明，故用刑必慎。艮為慎，兌為刑也。艮為止，君子不敢怠於事，故不留獄。艮為拘繫、為獄也。

The Great Image Commentary says: Mountains with fire on top, this is the hexagram of Travel; the gentleman thus understands that in adjudicating criminal cases, one must be clear-sighted and cautious, and must not allow cases to remain unresolved for a long time. The Great Image Commentary often derives meaning from the opposite aspect of the hexagram, and this is an example of that: Li represents brightness, yet the gentleman does not rely on his own clarity, so he must be cautious in administering justice; Gen in its tranquil aspect signifies 'caution,' and the interacting trigram Dui signifies 'judicial punishment.' Gen also signifies 'rest,' yet the gentleman does not therefore slacken in his governance, so he does not let lawsuits remain pending; Gen also has the meaning of 'confinement' and 'prison.'

初六，旅瑣瑣，斯其所，取災。瑣瑣，陸績、鄭玄皆訓為小，馬云疲弊視貌。按《爾雅·釋詁》：瑣瑣，小也。注舍人曰：瑣瑣，計謀褊淺之貌。《詩·節南山》「瑣瑣姻姬」，蓋往來猥瑣、勞弊不安也。斯，《釋言》：離也。斯其所，言離其所欲應四也。二得敵，故取災，離為災。蓋初六不當位，而得敵在下，宜靜不宜動，故《易林》復之旅云：「二人輦車，徒去其家，井沸釜鳴，不可以居。」徒去其家，即離其所；並沸釜鳴，即取災也。義詳《焦氏易詁》。象曰：旅瑣瑣，志窮變也。初不當位，二得敵，不能應四，故曰志窮。

Initial Line Six: In the midst of travel, one is petty and trifling, having left one's proper place and thus inviting calamity. The term '琐琐' is interpreted by Lu Ji and Zheng Xuan as 'small,' while Ma Rong says it refers to being weary and exhausted. The Shang Yan says '琐琐' means 'small,' and Guo She Ren's commentary says it refers to shallow schemes. The Book of Poetry, 'Jie南山,' contains the phrase '琐琐姻娅.' Taken together, this means being petty and trifling in movement, and experiencing weariness and unrest. The character '斯' is interpreted in the Shang Yan as 'to leave,' so '斯其所' means that line six is leaving its proper place to respond to line four. However, line two and line six are both yang lines and are in opposition, forming a situation of 'meeting an enemy,' which brings about calamity. The term '离' also has the image of calamity. Line six is originally not in the correct position, and it encounters an enemy in the lower trigram, so it should remain still and not act recklessly. Therefore, the Jiao Forest of Changes, in its commentary on the Travel hexagram, says, 'Two people in a cart, leaving their home, the well boils and the pot clatters, making it impossible to stay.' 'Leaving their home' corresponds to '斯其所,' and 'the well boils and the pot clatters' corresponds to 'inviting calamity.' This meaning is detailed in the Jiao Glosses on the Changes. The Small Image Commentary says: traveling in a petty and trifling manner indicates a situation where one's aspirations are exhausted and thus change. Line six is not in the correct position, and line two is also in opposition to it, making it impossible to respond to line four. Therefore, it is said 'aspirations are exhausted.'

六二，旅即次，懷其資，得僮僕，貞。舉正作員吉，宜從。艮為舍，次，舍也；即次，言就舍也。資，財也，巽為利居中，故懷其資。艮為僮僕，二得位承陽，故得僮僕。貞下宜依舉正增吉字，貞吉與下貞厲為對文。象曰：得僮僕貞，終無龍也。即次身安，懷資用足，得僮僕役使有人，故終天尤。艮初象云志疑也，即以巽為志。雜卦云：巽伏也。心志伏在內，故巽象之。舊解命四變成坎取心象，非。

Line Six in the Second: In the course of a journey, he stays in an inn, carries wealth, and has servants to attend to him, maintaining correctness. Tang Guo Jing's "Corrections to the Zhou Changes" here reads "Zhen Ji," which can be followed. The trigram Gen represents a dwelling, so "ci" (to stay) means to stay in a lodging. "Ji ci" means to stay in an inn. "Zi" refers to wealth, and the trigram Xun represents benefit, with Six in the Second occupying the central position, hence "hui qi zi" (carrying his wealth). Gen also symbolizes servants, and since Six in the Second is in a proper position and supports Nine in the Third, it is said "de tong pu" (obtains servants). The character "Zhen" should be supplemented with "Ji" according to "Corrections to the Zhou Changes," making "Zhen Ji," which corresponds well with the "Zhen Lei" (maintaining correctness) in the Third Line's statement. The "Small Image Commentary" says: obtaining servants and maintaining correctness, ultimately without fault ("zong wu long," where "long" is a corruption of "you"). Staying in an inn ensures safety, carrying wealth ensures sufficient resources, and having servants ensures someone to serve, so there is no fault throughout. The "Small Image Commentary" for the first line of Xun says "zhi yi ye" (doubtful intent), using Xun to represent "heart intent." The "Miscellaneous Trigrams Commentary" says "Xun, fu ye" (Xun is concealment), with heart intent hidden within, hence using Xun to symbolize it. Old annotations suggest that the fourth line changes to Kan, taking the "heart" image from Kan, which is incorrect.

象曰：旅于處，未得位也；得其資斧，心未快也。凡九四比六五，例終升五。歸妹九四曰「有待而行」，待升五也。豐九四曰「遇其夷主吉行也」，六五曰「來章」，亦言回來五也。茲曰未得位，因未得五位，故處以俟也。下六五曰「終以譽命」，即謂四終升五也。

The Small Image Commentary says: temporarily resting during a journey is because one has not yet attained the proper rank; although one has obtained wealth and weapons, the heart is still not at ease. Whenever nine in the fourth is adjacent to six in the fifth, according to the established pattern, it will ultimately ascend to the fifth position. The Small Image of the line nine in the fourth of the hexagram Guī Mèi says "waiting for something before proceeding," which means waiting to ascend to the fifth position. The line nine in the fourth of the hexagram Fēng says "meeting the夷主, which is a fortunate journey," and the line six in the fifth says "coming with commendation," which also refers to returning to the fifth position. Here, it says "not yet in position" because the fifth line has not been attained, so one temporarily rests and waits for the right time. The line six in the fifth says "ultimately receiving a good name and command," which precisely means that nine in the fourth will ultimately ascend to the fifth position.

六五，射雉，一矢亡，終以譽命。離為雉，兌毀折，故射雉。射必以矢，坎為矢，乃坎伏不見，故一矢亡，坎數一也。譽，令聞也，艮為譽。命，爵命也，巽為命。終以譽命者，言巽命在二，雖不應五，然四必得位升五；四升五，二應之，是譽命終及於五也。象曰：終以譽命，上違也。逮，及也。上逮，謂二終上應五也。

Six in the Fifth: Shooting a pheasant on the mountain, losing one arrow, but ultimately gaining fame and a title. The trigram Li represents the pheasant, and Dui signifies destruction, so it is said 'shooting the pheasant'. Shooting requires an arrow, and Kan represents the arrow, but in the hexagram of Travel, the trigram Kan is hidden and not visible, hence 'losing one arrow'. Since Kan corresponds to the number one, it is only mentioned as one arrow. 'Fame' refers to a good reputation, and Gen represents 'fame'. 'Title' refers to a noble title, and Xun represents 'title'. The phrase 'ultimately gaining fame and title' means that the image of a noble title in Xun is associated with Six in the Second. Although Six in the Second is of the same type as Six in the Fifth and thus not in harmony, Nine in the Fourth will certainly take its proper position and ascend to the fifth position. When Four ascends to the fifth position, Six in the Second will then be in harmony with it, and thus the fame and title will ultimately belong to the fifth position. The Small Image Commentary says: 'ultimately gaining fame and title' is because it reaches upward (the original text says 'upper violation', 'violation' is likely a mistake for 'reaching'). 'Reaching' means to reach, and 'upper reaching' means that Six in the Second ultimately harmonizes with the fifth line.

上九，鳥焚其巢，旅人先笑後號兆（左口），喪牛于易，凶。離為鳥，中虛故為巢，巽風搧火於下故焚巢。上履陰，兌悅故先笑；三巽體，男為兆（左口）；三不應上，故後號兆。左傳昭五年「純離為牛」，兌毀折，故喪牛。艮為田為易，易，田畔電。牛在艮外，故喪牛于田畔。焚巢喪牛故凶。晁說之云：易，古文場字，《詩·小雅》「疆場有瓜」是也。

The topmost line nine says: The nest of a bird is burned, the traveler first laughs, then wails, and loses a cow by the field, which is ominous. The hexagram Li represents birds, and the middle line of Li is empty, so it also represents a bird's nest. The lower trigram is Xun, which represents wind, and wind at the bottom fans the fire, so the nest is burned. The topmost line nine is directly below the fifth line six, which is yin, and the trigram Dui represents joy, so it is said 'first laughing'. The third line six belongs to the trigram Xun, which has the image of wailing. The third line six and the topmost line nine are both yin and yang not in harmony, so it is said 'then wailing'. The "Zuo Zhuan" says 'pure Li represents a cow', and Dui represents destruction, so 'losing a cow'. The trigram Gen represents a field and 'easy', 'easy' is the field; the cow is outside the trigram Gen, so it is said 'losing a cow by the field'. The nest is burned and the cow is lost, hence the ominous outcome. Zhao Shuo Zhi says: 'easy' is the ancient character for 'field', as in the "Book of Songs, Xiao Ya" 'the field has melons', where 'field' is used.

象曰：以旅在上，其義焚也；喪牛于易，終莫之聞也。旅，眾也。在上者眾，不自斂抑，則高亢為禍。左傳隱四年「兵猶火也，不戢將自焚」，是其義也。坎為耳，坎伏故莫之聞。虞翻用爻變取震象，謂震為筐故為巢，後儒多從之。按《易林》離之需云「高木腐巢」，需坎為木，在上故曰高木；互離為巢，在澤水中，故曰腐巢。訟之解云「南徒無廬，鳥破其巢」，解上震，震為南為徒，下坎為室，震在坎外，故曰南徒無廬；互離為鳥為巢，而坎為破，故曰烏破其巢。以離為巢，庶得真解。

The Small Image Commentary says: To be in a position of authority with a multitude, one is bound to be burned; losing a cow by the field, in the end no one will hear about it. "Travel" refers to a multitude, and when a multitude is in a position of authority and has great power, if one does not know when to restrain oneself and continues to be overly exuberant, calamity will follow. The Zuo Zhuan, Year 4 of Hiding Prince, says, "War is like fire; if not contained, it will eventually consume itself," which is exactly the same principle. Kan represents the ear, and in this hexagram, the Kan image is hidden, hence "no one hears." Yu Fan used the changing line to take the Zhen image, saying that Zhen represents a bamboo basket and thus a nest, and later scholars mostly followed him. In fact, the Jiao's Forest of Changes, in the Li hexagram, says "high tree with rotten nest"—the Need hexagram has Kan above, representing wood, and being above, it is called "high tree," while the interacting lines form Li, representing a nest, and the nest is in the marsh water, hence "rotten nest." In the Song hexagram, it says "moving south without a dwelling, birds breaking their nests"—the Jie hexagram has Zhen above, representing south and movement, and Kan below, representing a house, with Zhen outside Kan, hence "moving south without a dwelling," while the interacting lines form Li, representing birds and nests, and Kan represents breaking, hence "birds breaking their nests." It is evident that taking Li as the nest is the correct interpretation.

巽。小亨，利有攸往，利見大人。初四皆承陽，故曰巽。巽，順也，順陽故小亨。往遇陽故利。陽居二五得中，故利見大人。彖日：重巽以申命，剛巽乎中正而志行，柔皆順乎剛，是以小亨，利有攸往，利見大人。巽為命令，虞書「申命義叔」，傳：申，重也。重巽以申命者，謂工者一再宣佈命令，以示鄭重也。巽為風，行莫疾於風，命令一出，傳達天下，有若於風，故巽為命也。二五中正，下陰順承，故志行。象曰：隨風，巽。君子以申命行事。重巽故曰隨風，隨，繼也、從也，言後風之隨前風也。令出惟行，萬事以治，故君子以之。

The hexagram "Xun" (Wind) indicates slight success and is favorable for going forward and meeting a great person. Both the first line and the fourth line are above the yang lines, hence the name "Xun." Xun means to be obedient; since the yin lines obey the yang lines, it is "slightly successful." Going forward meets yang lines, hence "favorable for going forward." The yang lines are in the second and fifth positions, which are central and upright, hence "favorable for meeting a great person." The "Commentary on the Judgment" says: the repeated Xun image is used to reiterate orders. The yang lines are obedient and in central and upright positions, so their aspirations are realized. The yin lines all obey the yang lines, hence slight success and favorable for going forward and meeting a great person. Xun represents orders. The "Book of Documents, Yu Annals" says, "Issue orders to Xi Shu," and Confucius explains that "issue" means to repeat. "Repeated Xun to issue orders" means the king issues orders repeatedly to show seriousness. Xun represents wind; nothing moves faster than wind across the world. When an order is issued, it spreads throughout the world like wind, hence Xun has the image of "orders." The second and fifth lines are central and upright, with the yin lines below obeying them, hence "aspirations are realized." The "Image Commentary" says: wind follows wind, this is Xun. The gentleman thus repeatedly issues orders and carries out affairs. Both upper and lower are Xun, hence "following the wind." "Following" means succession and following, meaning the subsequent wind follows the previous wind. When orders are issued and carried out, all things are thus governed, hence the gentleman imitates it.

初六，進退，利武人之貞。初臨重陽得主，故宜於進；而四無應與，故進而又退。象釋曰志疑，疑四無應也。震為武人，此巽卦也，何以利武人之占？因震巽相反覆，巽究則為震，易貴將來，故武人利也。象曰：進退，志疑也；利武人之貞，志治也。巽不果，故志疑；返震故志治，言得行其志以治天下。

Initial Line Six: Being hesitant to advance or retreat, it is advantageous for a warrior to hold firm and maintain correctness. Initially, the line is above two yang lines, thus receiving support and should advance; however, since line four is also a yin line, there is no corresponding support, so it advances and then retreats. The Small Image Commentary explains this as 'doubtful intent,' which refers to the doubt that line four does not respond. The trigram Zhen represents a warrior, but this hexagram is Xun rather than Zhen. So why does the line statement say it is advantageous for a warrior? Because Zhen and Xun are reverses of the same hexagram. When Xun is examined to its extreme, it becomes Zhen. The Zhou Changes emphasize future development, hence it is advantageous for a warrior. The Small Image Commentary says: 'Hesitation in advancing and retreating' indicates doubt in the mind; 'advantageous for a warrior to maintain correctness' indicates the mind's intent to govern. Xun is flexible and indecisive, hence 'doubtful intent'; once it returns to Zhen, it becomes strong and active, hence 'intent to govern,' meaning the ability to carry out one's will to govern the world.

九二，巽在床下，用史玉紛若，吉，無咎。巽為床，初順二，故曰巽在床下。初至四正覆兌，兌口多，故曰用史巫紛若。按周禮內史云：凡命諸侯孤卿大夫，則策命之；凡四方之事書，內史讀之。儀禮云：辭多則史。又司巫云：男巫女巫，凡邦之大栽，則歌哭而請。是史巫皆以口舌為用。而二居正反兌之間，故曰紛若，紛若言不一也。二得中故吉無咎。此義先儒無知者，只茹敦和云：巽初之陰，伏於床下，震也，於是乎用史巫以祛之，史巫雲者互兌也。象始大明。而茹氏仍不知初至三為覆兌，故紛若不得解。象曰：紛若之吉，得中也。二無應、失位、遇敵，然下孚於陰得中故吉。

Nine Two: Humility leads to being hidden beneath the bed, employing diviners and shamans to perform rituals and prayers, which brings good fortune without fault. Xun represents the bed, and initial line Six follows Nine Two, hence the phrase 'Xun is beneath the bed.' The first line to the fourth line form a combination of the upright Dui trigram and the inverted Dui trigram. Dui represents the mouth, and with many mouths, hence the phrase 'using diviners and shamans in a flurry.' The 'Rites of Zhou' states that the internal historian is responsible for issuing mandates to princes, marquises, and great officials using bamboo slips, and for reading documents from all directions. The 'Rites of Ji' says that those who speak much are called historians. The official in charge of shamans says that male and female shamans perform songs and lamentations during great calamities. Thus, diviners and shamans all rely on speech. Nine Two is located between the upright and inverted Dui trigrams, hence 'flurry.' 'Flurry' refers to a state of confusion and disorder. Nine Two is in the central position, hence it is auspicious without fault. This meaning was unknown to previous scholars, except for Ru Dunhe, who said that the hidden Yin line of Xun at the beginning is the Zhen trigram, so using diviners and shamans to remove it. The term 'diviners and shamans' refers to the Dui trigram in the interacting trigrams. The meaning of the image becomes clear at this point. Unfortunately, Ru still did not understand that the lines from the first to the third form the inverted Dui trigram, so he could not explain the term 'flurry.' The 'Small Image Commentary' says that the auspicious result from numerous prayers and rituals is due to being in the central position. Nine Two has no corresponding line, is out of position, and is in conflict with Nine Three, yet it harmonizes with the Yin line of the first line below and is in the central position, hence it is auspicious.

九三，頻巽，吝。王弼云：頻，頻蹙不樂。按玉篇顰下云：易本作頻。是頻即古文顰字。三居巽上，雖當位而下撓，故頻蹙不安而吝也。象曰：頻巽之吝，志窮也。巽為心志，上無應，下乘陽，故曰志窮。六四，悔亡，田獲三品。當位承陽，故悔亡。伏震為田獵，兌羊離牛巽豕，故田獲三品，離卦數三也。凡陰遇重陽多吉。象曰：田獲三品，有功也。有所獲，故有功。

Nine Three: He frowns repeatedly and submitswith difficultyly, feeling regret. Wang Bi says: "Freq" means furrowing the brows and being unhappy in heart. The "Pin" character in the "Yu Pian" says that the original text of the "Zhou Yi" uses "Pin," showing that "Pin" is the ancient form of "Pin." Nine Three is above the lower Xun, although it is in the proper position, but it is disturbed by the Yin line below, so it frowns anxiously and feels regret. The "Small Image Commentary" says that frequent frowning and submissive behavior lead to regret, indicating a state of mental distress. Xun represents the mind, and Nine Three has no corresponding line above, and is below a Yang line, so it is said "the mind is exhausted." Six Four: Regret disappears, hunting yields three types of game. Six Four is in the proper position and above Nine Five's Yang, so regret is gone. The hidden Zhen trigram represents hunting, Dui represents sheep, Li represents cattle, and Xun represents pigs, so it is said "hunting yields three kinds of game," with Li representing the number three. Generally, when a Yin line meets two Yang lines, it is usually auspicious. The "Small Image Commentary" says that hunting yields three kinds of game, indicating effectiveness. There is a harvest, so it is said to have merit.

九五，貞吉，悔亡，無不利，無初有終，先庚三日，後度三日，吉。九五得位，下孚於陰，故貞吉悔亡。巽為利，故無不利。震巽相反覆，無初者，言巽之初為震，震納庚，一爻當一日，故曰先庚三日。今震究為龔，故無初。有終者，言巽之究仍為震，終即後也，故曰後庚三日。以其終為震，故曰有終。震陽復故吉。先庚三日，言巽之先；後庚三日，言巽之究。與蠱之先甲三日、後甲三日義同；無初有終，與蠱之終則有始義亦同。象曰：九五之吉，位正中也。九五既中且正，故吉。

Nine Five: Maintaining correctness brings good fortune, regret disappears, there is no disadvantage, initially not smooth but ultimately successful. Three days before the day of Geng and three days after the day of Geng are auspicious. Nine Five is in the correct position, and it harmonizes with the yin line below, so 'Zhen Ji Hui Wang' (the divination is auspicious and regret disappears). Wind is favorable, so 'wu bu li' (there is no disadvantage). Thunder and Wind are reciprocal trigrams: 'wu chu' (no beginning) refers to the initial state of Wind being Thunder. Thunder in the system of Najia is paired with Geng, and one line corresponds to one day, so it is said 'xian Geng san ri' (three days before Geng). Now that Thunder has been transformed into Wind, it is said 'wu chu'. 'You zhong' (has an end) refers to Wind ultimately returning to Thunder. 'Zhong' means 'after', so it is said 'hou Geng san ri' (three days after Geng). Because it ultimately returns to Thunder, it is said 'you zhong'. Thunder's yang energy returns, so it is auspicious. 'Xian Geng san ri' refers to before Wind, 'hou Geng san ri' refers to the ultimate state of Wind. This is similar to the meaning in the 'Gǔ' hexagram of 'xian jia san ri, hou jia san ri'. 'Wu chu you zhong' is similar in meaning to the 'Commentary on the Judgment' of the 'Gǔ' hexagram 'zhong ze you shi'. The 'Small Image Commentary' says: Nine Five is auspicious because it is both in the correct position and in the center. Nine Five is both in the center and in the correct position, so it is auspicious.

上九，巽在床下，喪其資斧，貞凶。巽，順也，謂四。巽在床下，言順我者在下。上九失其輔助，故曰喪其資斧。斧、輔通用，兌為斧亦為輔，上卦兌覆，故曰喪失也。說詳旅卦。象曰：巽在床下，上窮也；喪其資斧，正手凶也。九窮於上而下撓，故貞凶。象仍釋貞為正，其義不協。

Upper Nine: It is in a position of compliance hidden beneath the bed, losing wealth and the axe. To hold to this is ominous. "Xun" means compliance, here referring to Six in the Fourth. "Xun in the bed below" indicates that those who are compliant are beneath me. Upper Nine has lost its support, hence it is said "to lose wealth and the axe." "Ax" and "support" were used interchangeably in ancient times. The trigram "Dui" represents both the axe and support. Since the upper trigram is an inverted "Dui," it is said "to lose." This interpretation was already explained in the Upper Nine of the "Travel" hexagram. The "Small Image Commentary" says: compliance hidden beneath the bed indicates being at the top and reaching the extreme; losing wealth and the axe, it is ominous for the correct position. Nine is at the top and has reached the extreme, while below it is disturbed by yin lines, hence "upright omen is ominous." The "Small Image" still interprets "Zhen" as "correct," which is inconsistent with the meaning.

兌。亨牙貞。兌，悅也。兌何以悅？以一陰見於二陽之上，陽得陰而悅也。剛中柔外，與泰義合，故亨。陰陽相遇，故利貞。彖曰：兌，說也。剛中而柔外，說以利，是以順乎天而應乎人。說以先民，民忘其勞；說以犯難，民志其死。說之大，民功矣哉。

The hexagram of Dui is favorable, beneficial for maintaining the correct path (the original text says "hen ya zhen," where "ya" is a mistake for "li"). Dui represents joy. Why does Dui represent joy? Because a yin line appears above two yang lines, and when yang receives yin, joy is generated. The strong is within and the flexible is outside, which aligns with the meaning of the hexagram Tai, hence it is favorable. The meeting of yin and yang makes it beneficial to maintain the correct path. The Commentary on the Judgment says: Dui is joy. The strong is in the center and the flexible is outside, achieving benefit through joy, so above it follows the heavenly way and below it responds to human hearts. Leading the people with the way of joy, the people forget their toil; facing danger with the way of joy, the people forget death. The way of joy is indeed great, and the people are thus encouraged.

陰陽相遇故悅，悅故利貞，所謂保合太和、各正性命也。五天位，上順之，故日順乎天，互巽為順也。三人位，巽於二，故日應乎人，互巽為應也。三至上大坎，坎為民、為勞、為險難、為棺郭（左木），故為死。而三至上正反兌，坎民來往，皆在兌說之中，故役之而忘勞，犯難而不知死也。兌見在上，故曰先民。先民說，先使民悅也，故民勸。

Yin and yang meeting brings joy, and joy brings benefit to maintaining the right path, which is what the Commentary on the Judgment of the Qian hexagram says: "Preserve the great harmony, and each establishes its own destiny." The number five represents the heavenly position, and the upper sixth line follows it, so it is said "following heaven." The interacting lines form the hexagram Xun, which signifies following. The number three represents the human position, and the sixth line in the third position is humble and follows the ninth line in the second position, so it is said "responding to humanity." The interacting lines also form Xun, which signifies response. The third line to the top line forms a great Kan, which represents the people, labor, difficulties, and coffins, so it also represents death. The third to the top line also forms a great Dui and an inverted Dui, with Kan representing the people moving in and out, entirely within the joy of Dui. Thus, employing them makes them forget their labor, and sending them to face difficulties makes them disregard life and death. Dui appears at the top, so it is said "the people before." "First making the people joyful" means first making the people happy, and the people are thus encouraged.

象曰：麗澤兌，君子以朋友講習。玉篇：麗，偶也。周禮夏官校人「麗馬一口（內辛）」，注：麗，耦也。又士冠禮「主人酬賓，束帛儷皮」，注：儷皮，兩鹿皮。古文儷作離，離傳云「離，而也」，是麗一儷通，仍耦也。重兌故曰麗澤，猶重巽日隨風。其以互離為義者，非也。

The Great Image Commentary says: Two lakes connected, this is the Hexagram of Dui; the gentleman thus studies and discusses with friends. The "Yu Pian" says "Li, evenness." The "Rites of Zhou · Summer Officials · Xiao Ren" mentions "Li Ma Yi Yu," and Zheng's commentary explains "Li, couple." The "Rites of the Youth · The Ceremony of the Adult Rite" states "the host presents a bundle of silk and two deer hides," and the commentary explains "Li Pi" refers to two deer hides. In ancient texts, "Li" was written as "Lv." The "Commentary on the Judgment" of the Hexagram of Li says "Li, evenness" — this shows that "Li" and "Lv" are synonymous, both meaning paired or even. Since both upper and lower parts are Dui, it is called "Li Ze," just as both upper and lower parts are Xun and it is called "Sui Feng." Some people use the mutual trigrams of Li to explain "Li," which is incorrect.

陰陽相遇相悅為朋友，兌口故曰購習。初至五正反兌相對，正朋友互相講習之象，故君子法之。虞翻謂兌二陽同類為朋。夫陽遇陽，陰遇陰，則為害為敵，昆與中孚皆言之，豈得為朋友？又云伏艮為友，蓋取義於損六三「一人行則得其友」。豈知艮之為友，以一陽上行，遇二陰為友，與兌之以一陰下降，遇二陽為朋友同，皆取義於陰陽相遇。朋友之詁既誤，於是卦無艮兌而言朋者，必百計變動以求兌象，甚至用參同契納甲之法，謂八日兌象月見了，以解坤彖之得朋，凡易之言朋者，無不誤矣。

When yin and yang meet and harmonize, that is called "friendship." The trigram Dui represents mouth, so it is said "to speak and study." The first line to the fifth line, the trigram Dui and its inverted form are opposite to each other, which symbolizes friends discussing and studying with each other. Therefore, the gentleman takes this as a model. Yu Fan said that the two yang lines in Dui are of the same type and are called "friends." However, yang meeting yang and yin meeting yin only cause harm and conflict. Both the trigram Gen and the hexagram Zhongfū mention this. How can they be called friends? He also said that the hidden Gen trigram is "friend," probably taking the meaning from the line statement of the hexagram Shen, line six three, "if one person travels, he will find his friend." But he did not realize that the reason Gen is called "friend" is because a yang line rises and meets two yin lines. This is similar to the reason Dui is called "friend," which is because a yin line descends and meets two yang lines. Both are based on the meeting of yin and yang. If the explanation of "friend" is wrong, then whenever a line statement mentions "friend" in a hexagram that does not contain Gen or Dui, commentators will try every means to adjust the hexagram and its lines to fit the image of Dui. They even resort to the method of Najia from the "Cantongqi," saying that on the eighth day of the first month, the image of Dui appears at the position of Ding, to explain the line statement of the hexagram Kun, "to gain a friend." In this way, all instances of "friend" in the "Zhouyi" are made correct.

初丸，和兌，與二並行，故曰和。當位故吉。初與二本為敵，卦以兌說為義，和以處之，自然吉矣。象曰：和花之吉，行未疑也。初得敵，故疑於二；和以處之，故行不疑。損三云「三則疑也」，易於陽遇陽相疑相忌之故，言之至為明白矣，乃失傳何哉。

Initial Nine: It is joyful to get along harmoniously (the original text says 'initial丸' which should be 'initial Nine'). Initial Nine and Nine Two walk together, so it is said 'harmonious'; Initial Nine is in the proper position, so it is auspicious. Initially, Initial Nine and Nine Two were both yang lines and thus opposed, but this hexagram establishes its meaning through the joy of the trigram Dui (Lake). By approaching each other with harmonious and gentle attitudes, it naturally becomes auspicious. The Small Image Commentary says: Joyful harmony brings auspiciousness, indicating no doubts in action. Initial Nine meets an opponent, so there is doubt towards Nine Two; by using harmonious interaction, there is no doubt in action. In the hexagram 'Loss', the Small Image Commentary says 'Three is doubtful', and the Zhou Changes clearly explain the principle that when two yang lines meet, they are suspicious and jealous of each other. How could this principle have been lost in later generations?

九二，孚兌吉，悔亡。孚於三，陽遇陰故吉；得中，故悔亡。象曰：孚兌之吉，信志也。陽遇陰故志得伸。巽為志，三巽主爻，二遇之，故信志。六三，來兌凶。在內稱來，來就二陽以為悅，行為不正則有之，無所謂凶。但三本多凶，又不當位，來而不正遂不宜矣。象曰：來兌之凶，位不當也。來而不當位，故凶。

Nine Two: By being sincere and trustworthy, one finds joy, and regret disappears. Nine Two above is in harmony with Six Three, and since a yang line meets a yin line, it is auspicious. Also, since it is in the central position, regret vanishes. The Small Image Commentary says: Being sincere and trustworthy brings joy, because the heart's aspirations are fulfilled. When a yang line meets a yin line, the heart's aspirations are fulfilled. Xun represents the heart's aspirations, and Six Three is the main line of the Xun trigram. Nine Two meets it, so it is said 'trustworthy aspirations'. Six Three: Coming to seek joy, it is凶. Within the inner trigram, this is called 'coming'. Six Three comes down to be close to the two yang lines in order to seek joy, but its actions are not proper. It would not naturally be凶. However, the third line is usually凶, and Six Three, being yin in a yang position, is not in the right place. Coming to seek joy but acting improperly, thus it is not appropriate. The Small Image Commentary says: Coming to seek joy leads to凶, because it is not in the right position. Coming but not in the right position, thus it is凶.

九四，商兌未寧，介疾有喜。四不當位，無應，前又遇陽，似不吉。然而有喜者，以下履陰也。小畜九五曰有孚，履九四曰志行，皆以下遇陰而吉，此與之同。商，量度也。商兌者，以初至五正反兌相對，而四若與下對語者，故曰商兌，講習之象亦以此也。三至五巽，進退不果，故未寧。互大坎為疾，乃四獨履陰，志行，是疾去也。介，助也，詩以介眉壽是也。介疾有喜者，言助疾使愈，兌悅故有喜也。象曰：九四之喜，有慶也。九四獨履陰，履陰故有喜，故曰有慶。

Nine in the Fourth: It repeatedly deliberates on whom to please but remains unsettled; it assists the sick and brings joy. Nine in the Fourth is a yang line in a yin place, thus not in the right position, and has no responding line. Moreover, it is preceded by Nine in the Fifth, a yang line, which seems unfavorable. Yet it still brings joy, because it is below Six in the Third, a yin line. The Nine in the Fifth of the hexagram Xiao Xu says 'having sincerity,' and the Nine in the Fourth of the hexagram Li says 'will is carried out,' both because they meet a yin line below and thus achieve good fortune. This line is similar in principle. 'Shang' means deliberation and consideration. 'Shang Dui' refers to the fact that the first line to the fifth line forms two pairs of the hexagram Dui (Lake) and its reverse, and Nine in the Fourth seems to be conversing with the line below, hence 'Shang Dui.' The meaning of 'talking and learning' in the Great Image also comes from this. The lines three to five form the trigram Xun (Wind), which is indecisive in advancing and retreating, hence 'not settled.' The mutual trigram is Great Kan (Water), which represents illness, but Nine in the Fourth alone is below a yin line, thus its will is fulfilled, which means the illness departs. 'Jie' means assistance. The 'Jie' in the Book of Poetry, as in 'Jie Mei Shou,' means this. 'Jie Ji You Xi' means assisting the sick to recover, and Dui (Lake) represents joy, hence there is joy. The Small Image Commentary says: the joy of Nine in the Fourth brings good fortune. Nine in the Fourth alone is below a yin line, thus it steps on yin and brings joy, hence it is said 'there is celebration.'

九五，孚于剝，有厲。陽遇陰則通，故二五皆孚於三上。然吉凶不同者，兌為秋，六三當正秋，萬物成熟，故二孚之而吉。若上六則為季秋，其辰在戌，其卦為剝，雜卦云「剝，爛也」，當此時萬物荒落，陽氣為陰所剝將盡矣，九五若再享於是，必為所剝無疑也，故曰有厲。象曰：孚于剝，位正當也。以人事言，上六處悅之極，是小人佞悻之尤；九五當人君之位，而見近此等小人，其為禍有不可勝言者。象曰位正當，言正當人君之位，不可與上六近也。上六，引兌。引，開弓視的也。伏艮為手，故引兌，言上六來就五陽以為悅，猶射者之志於的也。象曰：上六引兌，未光也。兌門（內音）昧，故未光。

Nine Five: Trusting in the upper sixth, which is about to fall away, brings danger. Yang meets Yin and they should be in harmony, so Nine Two and Nine Five each connect with Six Three and Upper Six respectively, yet their outcomes differ. Dui represents autumn, and Six Three is at the middle of autumn when all things are mature, so Nine Two connects with it and gains good fortune. Upper Six, however, corresponds to late autumn, with its stem being Xu and its hexagram being "Pei," which the "Zaguan Zhuan" says means "decaying." At this time, all things wither, and Yang energy is nearly completely eroded by Yin. If Nine Five still trusts Upper Six, it will certainly be harmed, hence the warning of "danger." The "Xiaoxiang Zhuan" says: Trusting in something that is decaying is because the position is appropriate. In terms of human affairs, Upper Six is at the peak of joy and is the most cunning and deceitful of small people. Nine Five, who holds the position of a ruler, yet draws near such a person, will face incalculable misfortune. The "Xiaoxiang Zhuan" says "position is appropriate," meaning that Nine Five is in the proper position of a ruler and should not be close to Upper Six. Upper Six: Drawing joy. "Drawing" means drawing a bow and aiming at the target. Hidden Gen represents the hand, so "drawing Dui" means that Upper Six comes down to approach the five Yang lines in order to gain joy, like a bowman focusing entirely on the target. The "Xiaoxiang Zhuan" says: Upper Six draws joy, but its way is not broad. Dui represents darkness, hence "not bright."

渙。亨，王假有廟，利涉大川，利貞。舊解皆以風行水上，渙散為說。然如渙王居、渙其躬等爻辭，散義皆不通。按太玄擬渙為文，司馬光云：揚子蓋讀渙為煥。案渙即有文義。淮南子說山訓「夫玉潤澤而有光，渙乎其有似也」，注：文采似君子也。後漢書延篤傳「渙爛其溢目」，注：渙爛，文章貌。是渙本有文義，故歸藏作奐。禮檀弓「美哉奐焉」，釋文：奐本亦作煥。是揚子之讀，與古訓合。卦坎為赤，震為玄黃，巽為白，而風行水上，文理爛然，故為文也。為文則於爻辭無扦格矣。震為王，艮為廟，假，至也，言王有事於宗廟。震為舟，在水上，故利涉，皆中爻象。

The Hexagram of Dispersal is smooth, the king personally goes to the ancestral temple, it is favorable to cross a great river, and favorable to maintain the right path. Old interpretations all use "wind moving on water, dispersing" to explain this hexagram, but phrases like "the king resides in dispersal" and "his body disperses" do not make sense if taken to mean "disperse." According to Yang Xiong's "Ta Xuan," he took "Huan" as "Huan," meaning brilliance. The character "Huan" originally contains the meaning of literary brilliance. The "Huainanzi · Shuo Shan Xun" says, "The jade is moist and lustrous, like Huan, which resembles it," and the annotation says that "Huan" refers to the literary brilliance of a gentleman. The "Later Han Shu · Yan Du Zhuan" says, "Huan lan its overflowing eyes," and the annotation says "Huan lan" means the literary brilliance shining brightly. This shows that "Huan" originally had the meaning of literary brilliance, so the "Gui Cang" hexagram uses "Huan." The "Liji · Tan Gong" says, "Beautiful is Huan," and the "Classic Xisheng" says "Huan" is also written as "Huan." This shows that Yang Xiong's reading agrees with ancient interpretations. In terms of the hexagram's image, Kan represents red, the interacting Zhen represents black and yellow, and Xun represents white, while wind moving on water creates bright ripples, hence "literary brilliance." Interpreting it as "literary brilliance" makes all the line statements make sense. Zhen represents the king, Gen represents the temple, "ji" means to arrive, meaning the king personally goes to the ancestral temple for worship; Zhen represents a boat, which moves on water, hence "favorable to cross a great river" — these are all derived from the images of the middle lines.

彖曰：渙亨，剛來而不窮，柔得位乎外而上同。王假有廟，王乃在中也。利涉大川，乘木有功也。剛來居二，臨一陰則陷，二陰則通，故曰不窮。四當位，上承一陽固吉，承二陽尤吉。上同者，與小畜六四、升初六之上合志同也，言孚於五上也。震為舟，古刳木為舟，五乘之，故曰乘木，乘木即乘舟。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "Dispersing" is smooth because the yang lines descend to the second position without reaching a state of hardship, and the yin lines in the outer trigram are in proper positions and align with the superior trigram. "The king comes to the temple" means the king is in the central position. "It is advantageous to cross a great river" means riding on a wooden boat and achieving success. A yang line descending to the second position, if only adjacent to one yin line, would be in danger, but if adjacent to two yin lines, it becomes smooth, hence it is said "not exhausted." The line six in the fourth is in a proper position; it is auspicious to support one yang line above, and even more auspicious to support two yang lines. The term "upper harmony" refers to the same concept as "upper alignment of will" mentioned in the small image of the hexagram "Small Accumulation" line six and the hexagram "Ascending" line one. It means to be sincere and in harmony with the nine in the fifth and the nine at the top. Zhen represents a boat; ancient people carved large wood into boats, and the nine in the fifth rides on it, hence "riding on wood," which means "riding on a boat."

象曰：風行水上，渙。先王以享于帝立廟。亨帝則禮儀繁盛，立廟則楹桷巍煥，皆屬於文，正釋卦義也。初六，用拯馬壯吉。震為馬，初承之，故曰拯馬。鄭云拯承也。拯馬即承陽，震健故壯吉。此與明夷六二象同，故辭同，故象傳皆以順釋之，拯順也。象曰：初六之吉，順也。言陰順陽，以順釋拯義也。

The Great Image Commentary says: Wind moves upon the surface of water, which is the meaning of the hexagram "Dispersing." The ancient kings used this principle to worship the heavenly deities and establish ancestral temples. Worshiping the heavenly deities involves elaborate rituals, and establishing ancestral temples involves lofty and bright beams, both of which belong to "culture" or "civilization," thus explaining the meaning of the hexagram's name. The line statement for the first line says: A strong horse used for rescue is auspicious. Zhen represents a horse, and the first line is above Zhen, so it is called "rescue horse." Zheng Xuan says "rescue" means "to support." "Rescue horse" refers to supporting the yang. Zhen is characterized by strength and vigor, so it is called "strong and auspicious." This line shares the same symbolic meaning as line two of the hexagram "Darkness over the Sun," so the line statement is the same. Both the Small Image Commentaries use "smoothness" to explain it, and "rescue" is interpreted as "smoothness." The Small Image Commentary says: The first line is auspicious because it is smooth. This refers to the yin following the yang, using "smoothness" to explain the meaning of the character "rescue."

九二，渙奔其機，悔亡。焦循云：漢百官公卿表虎賁郎注「賁讀與奔同」，據是奔賁古通，奔其機即賁其機。按機即几筵之幾，廟中所用物；賁，文飾也。艮為幾，震為玄黃，故賁其機。得中，遇陰，故侮亡。象曰：渙奔其機，得願也。陽遇重陰志行，故曰得願，舊解無有知其故者。六三，渙其躬，無悔。艮為躬，渙其躬，即行有文也。得陽應，故渙其躬無悔。象曰：渙其躬，志在外也。巽為志，應在上，故志在外。

Nine in the Second: He decorates his table, and regret disappears. Zhao Xuan said: The annotation of "Huaben Lang" in the "Book of Han" states that "Ben" is read the same as "Ben." Therefore, the characters "Ben" and "Ben" were interchangeable in ancient times. "Ben its machine" is equivalent to "Ben its machine." "Machine" refers to the "ji" in "ji yan," which is an object used in ancestral temples. "Ben" means decoration. Gen represents the table, and Zhen represents the colors of dark yellow and dark blue, so it is said that he decorates his table. Nine in the Second is in the center and meets a yin line, so regret disappears. The Small Image Commentary says: Decorating the table is fulfilling his wish. A yang line meeting two yin lines allows his aspirations to be realized, so it is said "he gets his wish"; none of the old annotations understood the reason. Six in the Third: He decorates himself, and there is no regret. Gen represents the body, and "Huan its body" means acting with elegance. Six in the Third receives the yang line from Upper Nine, so he decorates himself without regret. The Small Image Commentary says: Decorating himself means his aspirations are external. Xun represents aspirations, and Six in the Third corresponds to Upper Line, so it is said "aspirations are external."

六四，渙其群，元吉，渙有丘，匪夷所思。坎為眾為群，四體艮，艮為光明，在坎上，故渙其群。承陽故元吉。艮為丘，丘陵所以設險，今去坎險而復遇山險，故曰匪夷所思。夷，平也、常也，言為恆常所不料也。象曰：渙其群元吉，光大也。遇陽故光大。按象曰光大，亦釋渙為文。

Six Four: It brings the people to be radiant with culture, resulting in great good fortune; within this radiance there are hills and ridges, which is not something ordinary people can imagine. Kan represents the people and the crowd, and Six Four belongs to the structure of Gen, which represents brightness. It is located above the water of Kan, so it is said 'to disperse the crowd'; Six Four is supported by the yang of Nine Five, so it is said 'original good fortune'. Gen also represents hills, and hills and ridges are used to set up barriers and dangers. Now that it has just left the danger of Kan water, it encounters the danger of mountain ridges, so it is said 'not something ordinary people can imagine'. 'Yi' means level and ordinary, meaning this is not something that can be predicted in the ordinary way. The Small Image Commentary says: making the people radiant and achieving great good fortune is because of the great brightness. Six Four meets yang, so it is great and bright. The Small Image says 'great and bright', which also interprets 'huan' as cultural brilliance.

九五，渙汗其大號，渙王居，無咎。吳先生曰：汗，連綿字。愚按上林賦「采色皓（左水）汗」，注：玉石符采映耀也。渙汗益與汗同，與渙爛亦同。巽為號令，渙汗其大號，即頒佈光顯其號令，如風之無不屆也。艮為居，五君位，故曰王居。渙王居，言工居巍煥也。五履萬民之上，故光大如此也。得中故無咎。象曰：王居無咎，正位也。五位中正，故曰正位。五無應，然無咎者，以得中也。

Nine Five: The great decree is issued clearly and brilliantly, the king's dwelling shines brightly, and there is no fault. Wu said: "Huanhan" is a compound word. I follow the "Shanglin Fu" which mentions "caise hao han," with a note explaining that it refers to the interplay of the colors of jade; "huanhan" has the same meaning as "hao han," and also the same meaning as the previously cited "huan lan." Xun represents commands, so "huanhan qi da hao" means issuing the decree with brilliance and clarity, like wind that reaches everywhere. Gen represents dwelling, and five is the king's position, so it is said "wang ju" (the king's dwelling); "huan wang ju" means the king's dwelling is lofty and brilliant. Nine Five is high above the people, so it shines so greatly. Nine Five is in the center, so there is no fault. The Small Image Commentary says that the king's dwelling has no fault because the position is correct. Nine Five is in the central and upright position, so it is said "zheng wei" (correct position). Nine Five originally has no responding line, yet still has no fault, because it is in the center.

上九，渙其血去逖出，無咎。血古文恤字，逖與惕音同通用。小畜六四「血去惕出」，與此同也。詁選為遠者非。應在三，坎為憂惕。王國維云：古易狄同字，山海大荒東經井竹書皆云王亥乇（左言）於有易，而楚辭天問作有狄；又簡狄古今表作簡遏。按漢書王商傳「車無怵愁憂」，師古云：狄（下心），古惕字。故虞翻注云：逖，憂也。與小畜六四詁惕為憂同，是虞即以邀惕同字。

Upper Nine: The brightness is clear, the concern and anxiety depart, and there is no fault. "Blood" is an ancient form of "xu" meaning concern; "ti" is homophonous and interchangeable with "ti." In "Xiao Xu" Six Four, "xue qu ti chu" is used in the same way. The interpretation of "ti" as "far" is incorrect. Upper Nine should correspond to Six Three, where Kan represents anxiety and vigilance. Wang Guowei said: In ancient times, "Yi" and "Di" were the same character. Both "Shanhai Jing·Dahuang Dong Jing" and "Zhu Shu Ji Nian" say "Wang Hai tuo yu you yi," while "Chu Ci·Tian Wen" writes it as "you di." Also, "Jian Di" in "Jin Gu Ren Biao" is written as "Jian E." In "Han Shu·Wang Shang Zhuan," there is "che wu chu ti you," and Yan Shiguan said "xi" is an ancient form of "ti." Therefore, Yu Fan's commentary says "ti, worry," which is the same as interpreting "ti" as worry in "Xiao Xu" Six Four. This shows that Yu Fan also regarded "ti" and "ti" as the same character. Wang Guowei cited these different texts to prove that the ancient pronunciations of "Yi," "Di," and "Ti" were close and interchangeable. Therefore, the "ti" in this line should be read as "ti," referring to inner vigilance, not the meaning of "far."

上九應在三，三坎為憂惕，而上九高出卦上，去坎險即遠，又不為互艮所止，與大畜上九義同。渙，其光明貌。渙其恤去惕出，言光明在上，憂患自免也。句法與論語渙乎其有文章同。象曰：渙其血，遠害也。坎為害，上去三遠，故曰遠害。

The upper ninth line corresponds to the sixth line in the third position. The sixth line in the third position belongs to Kan, representing worry, fear, and vigilance. However, the upper ninth line is at the top of the entire hexagram, far away from the danger of Li and Kan, and is not obstructed by the interacting element Gen. This is similar to the meaning of the upper ninth line in the hexagram Da Xu. "Huan" means radiance or brilliance. "Huan qi xu qu ti chu" means that when there is radiance above, worries and fears naturally disappear. This sentence structure is similar to the phrase "Huan hu qi you wen zhang" in the Analects. The Small Image Commentary says: bright and the worries depart, indicating the removal of harm. Kan represents harm, and since the upper ninth line is far from the sixth line in the third position, it is said "far from harm."

節。亨，苦節不可貞。坎居西方，兌又居西，合為一處，故曰節。節，信也。古剖竹為符，合以取信，故說文云：節，竹約也。序卦云：物不可以終離，故受之以節。節之用在合，故與離對文。又曰節而信之，是序卦即以節為符信也。凡卦名皆從卦象生，震為竹，而二至五正反震，兩竹相合，則信成矣，而坎為信也。

The hexagram "Jie" (Restraint) is smooth and unimpeded. Excessive and harsh restraint should not be adhered to. The trigram Kan (Water) is located in the west, and the trigram Dui (Lake) also resides in the west; both are combined in one place, hence the hexagram is named "Jie." "Jie" refers to a symbol of trust. In ancient times, people would split bamboo into two parts as a symbol, and the two halves would be joined together to signify trust, as stated in the "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" ("Explanation of Characters") which says, "Jie, bamboo tied together." The "Xu Gua Zhuan" ("Sequence of Hexagrams") says, "Things cannot remain separated forever, hence it is followed by Jie." The function of Jie is "to join," so it is paired with Li (Fire) as its opposite. The "Xu Gua Zhuan" also says, "Jie and trust," indicating that the "Xu Gua Zhuan" indeed treats Jie as a symbol of trust. All hexagram names arise from their trigrams: Zhen (Thunder) represents bamboo. In this hexagram, the second line to the fifth line form a correct Zhen trigram and an inverted Zhen trigram, which are two bamboo symbols joined together, thus establishing the symbol of trust. Additionally, Kan itself has the image of trust.

苦節向無通詁。虞翻命三變成離，火炎上作苦，以說苦節，而後儒多從之，誠以詁苦為甚為過，皆不安也。按周禮考工記「辨其苦良」，史紀五帝紀「舜陶於河濱，器皆不苦窳」，皆以苦為惡。節所以取信，苦窳則以持久，不能符合，故曰苦節不可貞。自先天象失傳，節字失詁，於是苦節之義，遂亦失矣。又坎為破，兌毀折，按卦象節易苦窳，戒之所以慎始也。

The terms "bitter restraint" (ku jie) have never been adequately explained. Yu Fan interpreted the third line as changing into Li (Fire), using the idea of fire rising upward to produce a bitter taste to explain "苦节." Later scholars mostly followed his interpretation because interpreting "ku" as "very" or "excessive" seemed unstable. According to the "Zhou Li · Kao Gong Ji," there is a mention of the phrase "bian qi ku liang" (distinguishing good from poor), and in the "Shi Ji · Wu Di Ben Ji," it says "Shun made pottery by the riverbank, and all the vessels were not coarse or bad," both using "ku" to mean coarse or poor quality. The purpose of a seal is to establish trust; if the seal is coarse or poor, it is difficult to last, and the two halves cannot fit together, hence the saying "ku jie bu ke zhen" (bitter restraint cannot be held firm). Since the earlier heaven's hexagram positions (positions) have been lost, the meaning of "jie" (restraint) has been lost, and so has the meaning of "ku jie." Moreover, Kan represents breaking, and Dui represents destruction, so according to the hexagram images (images of the hexagrams), seals are inherently prone to damage and coarseness, hence the warning to be cautious from the beginning.

象曰：不出戶庭，知通塞也。初應在坎，坎為通；二遇敵，不能應四，故曰塞。知其塞不出戶庭，以求通，故曰知通塞。吳先生曰：易以陽在前為塞，陰在前為通。初之不出，以九二在前，故曰知通塞。二則可出而不出，故有失時之凶也。

The Small Image Commentary says: Not going out of the gate or courtyard is understanding the difference between openness and blockage. Initially, the first line is in the坎 (water) trigram, which represents openness; the second line is of the same type and opposes it, preventing it from corresponding with the fourth line, so it is called "blockage." The first line knows that the path is blocked, so it stays within the gate and courtyard waiting for the time of openness, hence it is said "knowing openness and blockage." Master Wu said: The Zhou Changes take a yang line in front as blockage and a yin line in front as openness. The first line does not go out because the second line is blocking the way, so it is called "knowing openness and blockage"; the second line is able to go out but does not, hence there is the danger of missing the right time.

九二，不出門庭，凶。互艮為門庭，二比重陰，陽遇陰則通，通則利往，乃竟不出，是失時也，故凶。象曰：不出門庭凶，失時權也。艮為時，極，中也。說文極棟也，棟居屋脊，當屋之中，故極為中。失時極，即失時之中也。

Nine in the Second: Not going out the door, ominous. The mutual trigrams form Gen, which represents the door and courtyard. Nine in the Second is adjacent to both Six at the Beginning and Six in the Third, which are yin lines. Yang meets yin and thus communication is possible; when communication is possible, it is appropriate to go out. However, it does not go out, thus missing the opportunity, hence ominous. The Small Image Commentary says: Not going out the door and being ominous is missing the proper timing. The original text says 'losing the time authority,' where 'authority' should be 'extreme.' Gen represents time; 'extreme' means center. The Shuo Wen Jie Zi says 'extreme means the beam,' the beam is at the ridge of the roof, exactly in the center of the house, so 'extreme' has the meaning of 'center.' 'Losing the time extreme' means missing the proper measure of timing.

六三，不節若，則嗟若，無咎。三失位無應，故曰不節。震為笑，震反為艮則嗟矣。離九三云「不鼓缶而歌，則大耋之嗟」，與此象義並同也。王弼云：若，辭也，語助辭也。順二故無咎。象曰：不節之嗟，又誰咎也。言其咎在己。六四，安節亨。得位有應，上承九五，艮止為安，故安節亨。象曰：安節之亨，承上道也。言能承上不失其道。

Six Three: Inability to regulate leads to lamentation, but there is no blame. Six Three is a yin line in a yang position and is out of place, and also has no responding line, so it is said 'not regulating'. Zhen represents laughter, and when Zhen is reversed to become Gen, laughter becomes lamentation. The Li hexagram's Nine Three says 'without drumming on a jar and singing, there is the lamentation of old age', the symbolic representation and meaning are the same as this line. Wang Bi says: 'If' is a particle used for speech, a mere auxiliary word. Six Three follows and supports Nine Two, so there is no blame. The Small Image Commentary says: Inability to regulate leading to lamentation, who can blame? It means the fault lies with oneself. Six Four: Being at ease with regulation, it is smooth and prosperous. Six Four is in a proper position and has a responding line, it supports Nine Five, Gen represents stillness and is called 'ease', so it is said 'being at ease with regulation is smooth'. The Small Image Commentary says: Being at ease with regulation and being smooth, it is the way of following and supporting the superior. It means being able to follow the superior without losing the correct path.

九五，甘節吉，往有尚。說文：甘，美也；美，甘也。而坎為美脊，故坎有美象，甘節即美節也。節而美善，方可用以取信，與下苦節為對文。五當位居中，下乘重陰，正位居體，故甘節吉。爻在外為往，往得尊位，居之不疑，故曰往有尚。虞氏強命二變應五，以釋往字，豈知爻在外即曰往，泰否之大小往來可證也。象曰：甘節之吉，居位中也。艮為居，五中位。上六，苦節貞凶，悔亡。甘為美則苦為惡，坎為破，故曰苦節。節為信約，窳惡則不能符合，故貞凶。得位故無悔。象曰：若節貞凶，其道窮也。在上無應故窮。

Nine in the Fifth: Sweet restraint is auspicious; going forward is esteemed. The "Shuo Wen" says, "Gan means beauty," and "Mei means sweet." The trigram Kan represents beauty, indicating that Kan has the image of "sweet." "Sweet restraint" refers to beautiful restraint. Restraining oneself in a beautiful way can be used to establish trust, contrasting with the "bitter restraint" of the Sixth at the Top. Nine in the Fifth is in the central position, below two yin lines, occupying the correct position and the central part of the hexagram, hence "sweet restraint is auspicious." When a line is in the outer trigram, it is called "going forward." Going forward and occupying a noble position, living in peace without doubt, thus it is said "going forward is esteemed." Yu Fan forced the second line to change to correspond with the fifth, using this to explain the word "going forward." But he did not realize that when a line is in the outer trigram, it is called "going forward." The clear evidence is the "small going and great coming" and "great going and small coming" in the hexagrams Tai and Po. The "Small Image Commentary" says: "Sweet restraint is auspicious because it is in the central position." The trigram Gen represents dwelling, and the fifth line is the central position. Sixth at the Top: Bitter restraint, if held fast, is ominous, and regret disappears. "Sweet" is beauty, "bitter" is evil. Kan represents breaking, hence "bitter restraint." Restriction is a pledge, and a broken seal cannot be matched, hence "贞凶" (maintaining fidelity is ominous). Sixth at the Top is a yin line in a yin position, hence no regret. The "Small Image Commentary" says: "Bitter restraint held fast is ominous, because its path has reached its end." Sixth at the Top is at the extreme of the hexagram and has no corresponding line, hence it is at the end.

中孚。豚魚吉，利涉大川，利貞。上卦節，節信也。節何以為信？以中爻兩震竹相合。中孚初至五象與節同，仍兩竹相合，而在中四爻，故曰中孚。孚，信也。歸藏曰大明，大明者，離日晉順而麗乎大明是也。是以小過為坎，大明為離，取義與周易微異也。

The卦 of Zhongfu indicates that offering small pigs and fish, which are light offerings, is auspicious, and it is favorable for crossing a great river and maintaining uprightness. The previous卦 is Jie, which means "regulation" or "symbol of trust." Why does the卦 of Jie signify trust? Because the middle lines of Jie form two Zhen (Thunder) trigrams, which resemble bamboo symbols joined together. The卦 of Zhongfu, from its first line to fifth line, also takes the same symbolic form as Jie, with two bamboo symbols joined together, but the joining occurs at the fourth line, hence it is called Zhongfu, meaning "central trust." "Fu" means trust. The Gui藏易 refers to this卦 as "Daming," meaning "great brightness," which refers to the image of the Li (Fire) trigram, the sun. The Commentary on the Judgment of the卦 of Jin says, "smooth and bright with the great brightness," referring to Li. This shows that the Gui藏易 takes the卦 of Xiao Guo as Kan (Water) and this卦 as Daming, which is Li, with a meaning slightly different from the Zhou易.

巽為豚為魚，魚象人知之，豚即失傳。豈知後初云「贏豕孚滴（左足）躅」，即以巽為豕。易林在有之後「牝豕無假（左犬）」，旅之遁「彭生為為豕」，皆以巽為豕。蓋坎為豕以其隱伏，巽為伏，故亦為京。而中孚正覆巽，豚魚合居於中，故吉。

The trigram Xun can represent both a pig and a fish. The image of a fish is well known to everyone, but the image of a pig has been lost. In fact, the line "a weak pig with faithfulness and restless movement" in the first line of the Gou hexagram uses Xun to represent a pig. In "Jiao's Forest of Changes," the hexagram Da You changing into Gou says "a female pig without a boar," and the hexagram Lu changing into Dun says "Peng Sheng becomes a pig," both using Xun to represent a pig. Probably, the reason Kan represents a pig is because it takes its meaning from concealment. Xun is precisely "concealed," so it also represents a pig. The Zhong Fu hexagram has Xun above and below, so the images of both the pig and the fish are combined in the hexagram, hence it is auspicious.

坤為大川，震為舟為虛為木，五履重陰，乘震舟之上，故曰利涉大川。傳釋曰乘木舟虛。按渙傳云「乘木有功」，乘木即乘舟；又益傳云「木道乃行」，木亦謂舟。據王應麟所輯鄭注云：舟謂集板如今船（原作自，阮校詩谷風正義云：自當為船），空大木為之曰虛，即古又名曰虛，總名皆曰舟。據鄭注木舟虛三者，平列為義，皆船也。利貞，傳釋為應乎天。五天位，三四皆陰爻，陽得陰則通，陰順陽故曰應乎天。

The hexagram K'un represents a great river, and Zhen represents a boat, emptiness, and wood; the Nine in the Fifth is directly above two yao of the阴 type, which is precisely on top of Zhen, the boat. Therefore, it is said, "It is advantageous to cross the great river." The Commentary on the Judgment explains this as "riding on a wooden boat and emptiness." The Commentary on the Judgment of the hexagram Huan says, "riding on wood brings merit," where "riding on wood" refers to riding on a boat. The Commentary on the Judgment of the hexagram Yi says, "the way of wood is then carried out," where "wood" also refers to a boat. According to Wang Yinglin's compilation of Zheng Xuan's annotations, a boat is made by joining wooden planks, similar to today's ships (the original text mistakenly wrote "self" instead of "ship," as noted by Ruan Yuan in his commentary on the "Poetry · Valley Wind"正义, which states that "self" should be "ship"). A large piece of wood hollowed out is called "xu," and in ancient times it was also known as "xu"; all these are collectively referred to as "boat." Thus, in Zheng's annotations, the terms "wood," "boat," and "xu" are used in parallel, all referring to a boat. Shang's extensive citation of Zheng's annotations is because the phrase "riding on wood boat xu" in the Commentary on the Judgment has traditionally been interpreted as riding on an empty wooden boat, but actually these three terms are parallel names for different types of boats and do not imply emptiness. As for "li zhen," the Commentary on the Judgment explains it as "responding to heaven": the number five is the position of heaven, and the numbers three and four are both yin lines. Yang gaining yin leads to communication, and yin following yang, so it is said, "responding to heaven."

彖曰：中孚，柔在內而剛得中，說而巽，孚乃化邦也。豚魚吉，信及豚魚也。利涉大川，乘木舟虛也。中孚以利貞，乃應乎天也。中爻艮為邦，艮邦震舟震象皆失傳，詳焦氏易詁。象曰：澤上有風，中孚君子以議獄緩死。玉篇獄謂之牢，又謂圜土。中爻艮止為獄，兩艮相合，則圜獄也。震為言故議獄，兌為毀折，故曰死。議獄緩死，欲孚及罪人而向善也。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram of Zhongfu, has flexible lines in the inner trigrams and strong lines in the middle, with the lower trigram representing joy and the upper trigram representing yielding, thus enabling sincerity to influence the state. "A pig and fish are auspicious" indicates that sincerity extends even to small creatures like pigs and fish. "It is advantageous to cross great rivers" refers to traveling on a wooden raft. The hexagram of Zhongfu is advantageous for maintaining correctness because it corresponds to the heavenly way. The middle trigrams form a mutual Geng trigram, representing the state; the images of Geng representing the state and Zhen representing a boat have been lost, see Jiao's Glosses on the Changes. The Great Image says: Wind over a marsh, this is Zhongfu; the gentleman uses this to review cases and commute capital punishment. The Zuyuan says: prison is also called lao and yuan tu. The mutual Geng trigram in the middle represents stopping, thus representing prison; two Geng trigrams combined form a circular prison. Zhen represents speech, thus "reviewing cases"; Dui represents destruction, thus "death". Reviewing cases and commuting capital punishment is to hope that sincerity can reach criminals, enabling them to change their ways and become virtuous.

初九，虞吉，有它不燕。儀禮士虞禮注，釋虞為安。初陽遇陽不宜動，與節初同。節初九不出戶庭無咎，即謂安吉也。它謂四，四巽為隕落。有它謂不安於初，不顧二阻，而它往應四，則不燕也。燕與宴通，亦安也。兌為燕，四巽兌覆，故曰不燕。易林小畜之兌隨之革，皆曰燕雀銜茅，則皆以兌為燕。除易林外，他無用者，故易林為易象數（上草）。象曰：初九虞吉，志未變也。巽為志，志未變，言安於初而不應四。

Initial line nine: Being in a stable position brings good fortune, but if one moves elsewhere, it will lead to unrest. The Zheng annotation of the "Yili · Shi Yu Li" interprets "yu" as meaning stability. Initial line nine is a yang line, and there is another yang line before it, so it is not suitable for reckless movement. This is similar to the initial line nine of the "Jie" hexagram, which says, "Not leaving the gate or courtyard, no blame," meaning that stability brings good fortune. "It" refers to line six four. Line six four belongs to the structure of Xun and has an image of falling. "Having it" means not being content with the initial position, and disregarding the obstruction of line nine two, and moving upward to respond to line six four, which will lead to unrest. "Yan" and "yan" are interchangeable, both meaning stability. Dui represents "yan," and line six four, which is in the Xun structure, is an inverted Dui, so it is said "not yaning." Both "Xiao Xu" and "Zhi Ji" in the "Jiao Shi Yi Lin" mention "yanque xian mao," using Dui to represent "yan." Apart from the "Yi Lin," no one else uses this image, so the "Yi Lin" is the source of the imagery and numerical patterns of the "Zhou Yi." The "Xiao Xiang Zhuan" says: Initial line nine is stable and brings good fortune, indicating that the mind has not changed. Xun represents the mind, and "the mind has not changed" means staying in the initial position and not responding to line four.

九二，鳴鶴在陰，其子和之。我有好爵，吾與爾靡之。震為鶴，為鳴，為子。陰，山陰。二至五正反震，下震鶴鳴于山陰，三至五震反，如聲回答，若相和然，故曰其子和之。其子謂覆震，非互震，判然二物也。易林大有之屯云「嗟嗟所言」，嗟嗟，對語也，屯初至五亦正覆震相對，與中孚同。又同人之中孚云「衣裳顛倒」，震為衣，三至五震覆，故曰顛倒。渙之中孚云「聞言不信」，震言，三至五震覆，故不信。不信取其相反，子和取其相對，仍同也。

Nine Two: A crane is calling in the north of the mountain, and its young ones respond in harmony. I have fine wine, and I wish to share it with you. Zhen represents a crane, a call, and a child; "yin" refers to the north side of the mountain. The second line to the fifth line forms a correct Zhen on top of an inverted Zhen: the lower Zhen represents the crane calling on the north side of the mountain; the Zhen from the third to the fifth lines is inverted, like a response echoing back, as if they are singing in harmony, so it is said, "its young ones respond." Here, "its young ones" refers to the inverted Zhen, not the mutual Zhen, and the two are clearly distinct. In "The Forest of Changes" from Jiao's commentary on the Great Possession and the Obstruction, it says, "Alas, what is spoken," where "alas" indicates mutual conversation; the first to fifth lines of the Obstruction also form a correct Zhen and an inverted Zhen facing each other, similar to the Zhongfu. Again, in Zhongfu of Tongren, it says, "clothing is upside down," where Zhen represents clothing, and the Zhen from the third to fifth lines is inverted, hence "upside down"; in Hun of Zhongfu, it says, "not believing what is heard," where Zhen represents speech, and the Zhen from the third to fifth lines is inverted, hence "not believing." "Not believing" takes its meaning from the opposite, while "responding in harmony" takes its meaning from the mutual, and the principles of taking images remain consistent.

而二至五亦正反艮，艮納丙為山陽，下二至四艮覆，則山陰矣，而二正當其處，故曰鳴鶴在陰。易林頤之中孚云「熊羆豺狼，在山陰陽」，正覆良故既曰熊羆，又曰豺狼。上艮為山陽，下覆艮為山陰也，故曰在山陰陽。易林釋此語，可謂明白矣。

Furthermore, the lines from the second to the fifth also form a correct stack of the mountain trigram (Geng) and its inverted version: the mountain trigram is paired with Bing in the Najia system, representing the southern side of the mountain; the inverted mountain trigram below represents the northern side of the mountain, and the Nine in the Second line is precisely in this position, hence the phrase 'the cry of a crane in the shade.' The 'Forest of Changes' by Jiao mentions in the Zhongfu hexagram that 'brown bears, jackals, and wolves are in the mountain's yin and yang'—because both the upright and inverted mountain trigrams are present, it refers to both bears and jackals; the upper mountain trigram represents the southern side of the mountain, while the inverted mountain trigram below represents the northern side, hence the phrase 'in the mountain's yin and yang.' The explanation given by the 'Forest of Changes' for this statement is as clear as day.

山陰之義，知者甚鮮，後獨茹敦和以陰為山陰，而取義於兌。兌者艮之反，艮山陽，兌山陰，義不本易林，而取義與易林同。故夫有清一代之易家，主張自己，不隨聲附和者，莫茹氏若也。爵，說文飲器，酒尊也。震為尊為爵為嘉，故曰好爵。正覆震相對，故曰吾與爾靡之。孟喜云：靡，共也。貞我悔彼，爾謂五，言二五共此爵也。象曰：其子和之，中心願也。巽為心志，鳴和全在中四爻，故曰中心願。

The concept of "mountain shade" is understood by very few. Later, only Ru Dunhe interpreted "shade" as the north side of the mountain, but he derived his meaning from the trigram Dui. Dui is the opposite trigram of Gen, which represents the south side of the mountain, while Dui represents the north side. His interpretation does not originate from the Yi Lin, but coincides with its meaning. Among the scholars of the Yi during the Qing dynasty, none showed more independent thinking and did not follow the crowd as Ru did. "Jue" is said in Shuowen to be a vessel for drinking and holding wine. Zhen represents a vessel, a cup, and beauty, so it is said "good cup." The upright Zhen and inverted Zhen face each other, so it is said "I share this cup with you." Meng Xi said "mi means to share." In divination, the inner trigram represents "Zhen" (the self), and the outer trigram represents "Hui" (the other). "Er" refers to the line nine in the fifth position, meaning that line nine in the second position shares this cup with line nine in the fifth. The Small Image Commentary says: young birds respond to it, expressing a sincere wish. Xun represents the mind, and the sounds of calling and responding are all in the middle four lines, so it is said "sincere wish."

六三，得敵，或鼓或罷，或泣或歌。子夏傳三與四為敵，故曰得敵。荀爽曰：三四俱陰，故稱敵也。中四爻艮相反覆，震為鼓，艮止故罷。罷疲通，音婆，下與歌葉，諸家或作罷音非也。震為歌，震反則泣矣，與艮為山陽、艮反為山陰義同也。蓋三不當位而遇敵，故不常如此也。得敵與頤二之失類，艮之敵應，為易義之根本，所關甚大。乃得敵韓子夏與苟知之，失類則無知者，致陰遇陰陽遇陽之處皆失解，可喟也。象曰：或鼓或罷，位不當也。義見前。

Six in the Third: encountering an enemy of the same kind, sometimes beating drums and advancing, sometimes becoming weary and resting, sometimes weeping, sometimes singing. The *Zi Xia Transmission* says: Three and Four are enemies, so it says 'meeting an enemy.' Xun Shuang says: Three and Four are both yin lines, so they are called 'enemy.' The fourth line is the reverse of the *Gen* trigram, which represents mountain, so it is 'resting.' 'Resting' and 'weary' are similar in meaning, and is pronounced 'po,' which rhymes with the following 'song.' Different scholars have read it as the original character's pronunciation, which is incorrect. The *Zhen* trigram represents song, and when *Zhen* is reversed, it becomes weeping. This is similar to the *Gen* trigram, which represents mountain south and mountain north when reversed. Therefore, the meaning is the same. Probably because Six in the Third is not in the proper position and meets an enemy, its behavior is so inconsistent. 'Meeting an enemy' relates to the *Yi* hexagram's Six in the Second 'losing the category,' and the *Gen* hexagram's 'enemy response,' which are fundamental principles of the *Zhou Yi.* However, 'meeting an enemy' is known by Zi Xia and Xun Shuang, but 'losing the category' is not understood by anyone, leading to confusion in all instances where yin meets yin or yang meets yang. This is truly regrettable. The *Small Image Commentary* says: sometimes beating drums and sometimes resting, indicates being in an improper position. The meaning is explained above.

六四，月既望，馬匹亡，無咎。兌為月，十五日日月望，乾象月盈甲。十六日平明，巽象月退辛。六四巽主，故曰既望。既王弼作幾，孟荀皆作既，孟云十六日也，作既於巽象方切。震為馬，四匹在初，馬匹亡，言不應初而承上也。承陽故無咎。象曰：馬匹亡，絕類上也。陰陽相遇方為類，舊解皆以陰遇陰為類，故全易類宇皆失詁。絕者決也，言四遇三敵，不能應初；類上即承上也。九五，有孚攣如，無咎。五下乘重陰，得類，故曰有孚，言孚於二陰也。攣繫也，戀也，前書李夫人傳「攣攣顧念我」。有孚攣如者，言繫攣三四也。五得位，故無咎。象曰：有孕攣如，位正當也。五既中且正。

Six Four: The moon has passed the fifteenth, the full moon, and the horse has lost its mate, with no fault. The trigram Dui represents the moon, and on the fifteenth day the sun and moon are in opposition. According to the method of Najia, the trigram Qian represents the moon at its fullest on the first day (Jia). On the sixteenth day, at dawn, the trigram Xun represents the moon waning on the eighth day (Xin). Six Four is the main trigram of Xun, so it is said to be 'after the full moon.' The character 'ji' in Wang Bi's version is 'ji,' while Meng Xi and Xun Shuang both use 'ji,' with Meng Xi saying it refers to the sixteenth day. Using 'ji' in the context of the Xun trigram is more appropriate. The trigram Zhen represents a horse, and the mate of Six Four is at the beginning (Chu Ji). 'The horse has lost its mate' means it does not respond to Chu Ji but instead ascends to support Wu Five. Supporting the yang is why there is no fault. The Small Image Commentary says: the horse losing its mate means it has cut off its connection with the lower trigrams and ascends. Yin and yang meeting is called 'class,' but old annotations have taken yin meeting yin as 'class,' so the word 'class' in the entire Zhou Yi has lost its correct meaning. 'Cut off' means decision, referring to Six Four encountering Six Three, a similar trigram, and being unable to respond to Chu Ji. 'Class above' means ascending to support Wu Five. Nine Five: Having sincerity and not letting go, there is no fault. Nine Five is below two yin trigrams and has found its mate, so it is said 'having sincerity,' referring to harmonizing with trigrams Three and Four. 'Luan' means to tie or to be attached. The Han Shu, Li Fu Shen Zhuan, has 'luan luann gu nian wo.' 'Having sincerity and being attached' means it is tied to trigrams Three and Four. Nine Five is in the proper position, so there is no fault. The Small Image Commentary says: having sincerity and not letting go is because the position is proper. Nine Five is both in the center and in the proper position.

上九，翰音登于天，貞凶。曲禮曰：雞曰翰音。巽為雞，為高，居翼卜又居卦之極上，故曰翰音登于天。上應在三，三震為翰為音也。巽下隕，故貞凶。王注翰高飛也。飛音者，音飛而實不至之謂也。居卦之上，華美外揚，虛聲無實，故不可久長。象曰：翰青登於天，何可長也。窮上失位，下虛，故不長。翰音取象皆在應，非只巽雞。易無一字不由象生，觀此益信矣。震翰象失傳，詳焦氏易詁。

The topmost line, Nine at the Top: The crowing of a chicken soars high into the heavens, but if it remains fixed in place, it will be ominous. The "Rites of the Rituals" says that during sacrifices, a chicken is referred to as "Han sound." The trigram Xun represents a chicken and also signifies elevation. Nine at the Top is located within the trigram Xun and occupies the highest position in the hexagram, hence it is said "Han sound ascends to heaven." Nine at the Top corresponds to line Six in the Third, which belongs to the trigram Zhen. Zhen represents "Han" and "sound." However, the nature of Xun is to descend, hence "uprightness brings misfortune." Wang Bi's commentary says "Han" refers to high flight; "flying sound" means the sound rises but the physical form does not follow. Being at the top of a hexagram, it is ornate and outwardly prominent, yet it has only empty sound without substance, so it cannot endure. The "Small Image Commentary" says: How can a sound that soars high into the heavens last long? Nine at the Top is at the extreme end of the hexagram and is out of position, with the lower part empty, hence it cannot last long. The imagery of "Han sound" is found in the responding line, not only in Xun representing a chicken. Every character in the "Zhou Changes" arises from imagery, and observing this line further confirms this. The imagery of Zhen as "Han" has been lost, as detailed in "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes."

小過。亨利貞，可小事，不可大事。飛鳥遺之音，不宜上，宜下，大吉。過之為義，彖傳即不明釋，故訖無定解。後儒於是有以經過為說者，端木國瑚謂兌巽過乾之左右，故曰大過；艮震過坤之左右，故曰小過。有以過越為說者，朱震謂大過陽過陰，大者過越也；小過四陰二陽，小者過越也。前一說人只見於端木氏，後一說則易家多從之。

The hexagram Xiao Guo is favorable and beneficial for maintaining the correct path, suitable for small matters but not for great ones. A flying bird leaves its sound; it is not suitable to go upward, but suitable to go downward, resulting in great good fortune. The meaning of the word "over" remains unclear, as the Commentary on the Judgment does not explicitly explain it, leading to no definitive interpretation throughout history. Later scholars have offered various interpretations, some using "passing through": Du Mu Guo Hu said that Dui and Xun pass through the left and right of Qian, hence the hexagram is called Da Guo; while Gen and Zhen pass through the left and right of Kun, hence the hexagram is called Xiao Guo. Others use "exceeding": Zhu Zhen said that Da Guo refers to yang exceeding yin, a great exceeding; while Xiao Guo has four yins and two yangs, a small exceeding. The first interpretation is found only in Du Mu's view, while the second interpretation is followed by most Yi scholars. Du Mu Guo Hu was a Qing dynasty Yi scholar, and Zhu Zhen was a Song dynasty Yi scholar; Shang氏 first presented these two old interpretations thoroughly in order to lay the foundation for the subsequent critical analysis and the establishment of a new interpretation.

然尚有五陽五陰之卦，何以不言過？且漢人以大過為死卦，陽過盛而反死，又何說乎？如謂四陽為上下二陰所束縛故死，則小過四陰包二陽，胡以不謂之死乎？又四陽在中為大過，四陰在中何以不謂為小過，而必以四陰在外者為小過乎？是皆可疑，而先儒無言者。

But the I Ching also contains hexagrams with five yang lines and one yin line, and five yin lines and one yang line. Why are these not called "excess"? Moreover, Han dynasty scholars regarded the hexagram of Great Excess as a death hexagram, stating that excessive yang leads to death. How should this be explained? If it is said that four yang lines are bound by the two yin lines above and below, leading to death, then why is the hexagram of Small Excess, which has four yin lines enclosing two yang lines, not called a death hexagram? Furthermore, if four yang lines in the middle are called Great Excess, then why is the hexagram with four yin lines in the middle not called Small Excess, but instead the hexagram with four yin lines outside is called Small Excess? These points are questionable, yet no previous scholars of the classics have mentioned them.

按太玄擬大玄過為失，云「陰大作賊，陽不能得」，言陽為阻賊，而失其用也。擬小過為羨為差，云「陽氣贊幽，推包羨爽，未得正行」，言震陽本可直出，乃為上下四陰所包，推排曲抑，仍有羨爽。羨，邪曲；爽，差也。蓋大過按卦氣時當小雪，窮陰極寒，故陽氣極衰；小過時當立春，陽氣闢，本可無阻，乃為陰氣所包，仍不免小有回曲。大小過純以卦義言，不以陰陽多少言也。

According to Yang Xiong's "Ta Xuan," the hexagram "Da Guo" is introduced with the term "shi," meaning "loss," which describes how yin obstructs yang, causing yang to lose its function. The hexagram "Xiao Guo" is introduced with the terms "xian" and "cha," meaning "excess" and "difference," which describe how yang energy is suppressed by the four yin lines above and below, leading to a deviation from the correct path. "Xian" refers to deviation, while "cha" refers to error. According to the theory of hexagram qi, "Da Guo" corresponds to the solar term Xiaoxue, when yin is at its peak and cold is extreme, so yang energy is at its weakest. "Xiao Guo" corresponds to the solar term Lichun, when yang energy begins to emerge, but is still constrained by yin, resulting in slight deviations. This shows that "Da Guo" and "Xiao Guo" are named based on their hexagram meanings, not on the number of yin and yang lines. Yang Xiong's approach of aligning hexagrams with seasonal changes clearly explains the concept of "guo" (excess) through the sequence of yin and yang changes, which is exactly what Shang氏 considers the most accurate interpretation of the original meaning.

卦二五陰得中，二陰承重陽故亨，陰牝陽故利貞。陰得中故可小事，陽失位而不中，故不可大事。左傳昭五年筮遇明夷之謙曰「日之謙當鳥」，日之謙即離變艮，變艮而曰當鳥，是以艮為鳥。易林本之，以艮為黔啄為鳥，詳焦氏易詁。小過下艮故曰鳥，上震故曰飛鳥，而震為覆艮，是上下皆鳥，故傳曰有飛鳥之象焉。

In this hexagram, the two yao (lines) at positions six-two and six-five, which are yin lines, each occupy the central position, and the two yin lines support the two yang lines in the middle, hence achieving smoothness and success. Yin follows yang, so it is advantageous to maintain correctness. Since the yin lines are in the central position, it is said "it is suitable for minor matters"; however, the yang lines are not in their proper positions and also not in the center, hence it is said "it is not suitable for major matters." The "Zuo Zhuan" records in the fifth year of Duke Zhao that a divination resulted in the hexagram "Mingyi" changing to "Qian," stating "the sun's humility corresponds to the bird" — "the sun's humility" refers to the transformation of Li into Gen, and the transformation into Gen is described as "corresponding to the bird," indicating that Gen is taken as representing a bird. "Jiao's Forest of Changes" follows this reasoning, taking Gen as representing a black-beaked bird or a bird, as detailed in "Jiao's Glosses on the Changes." The lower trigram of "Xiao Guo" is Gen, hence it is said "bird"; the upper trigram is Zhen, hence it is said "flying bird"; and Zhen is the inverted Gen, so both upper and lower trigrams represent birds, hence the "Commentary on the Judgment" states "there is an image of a flying bird."

宋衷謂二陽在內，上下各二陰，有似飛鳥舒翮之象。虞翻則用卦變，雲小過從晉來，晉上離為鳥。惠士奇謂古飛非通用，小過即非字象，故曰飛鳥。愈演愈寄，皆艮鳥象失傳之過也。遺，送也。震為音。茹敦和云：下艮為反震，口向下若送音於人者，故飛鳥遺之音。上謂五，五失位而乘陽；正謂二，二當位而承陽，故上不宜而下大吉也。

Song Zhong said that two yang lines are inside and there are two yin lines above and below, resembling the image of a flying bird spreading its wings. Yu Fan, however, used the concept of changing hexagrams, stating that the hexagram of Xiao Guo comes from Jin. The upper trigram of Jin is Li, representing a bird. Hui Shiqi said that in ancient times, "fei" and "fei" were used interchangeably. The shape of the hexagram of Xiao Guo resembles the character "fei," hence the phrase "flying bird." The interpretations become increasingly forced, all due to the loss of the lost image of Gen representing a bird. "Yi" means to send, and Zhen represents sound. Ru Dunhe said: the lower trigram Gen is inverted Zhen, with the mouth facing downward, resembling sending sound to others, hence "flying bird sending its sound." "Shang" refers to line six in the fifth position, which is out of place and overpowers a yang line; "Xia" refers to line six in the second position, which is in the correct position and supports a yang line. Therefore, upward movement is not advisable, but downward movement is highly auspicious.

彖曰：小過，小者過而亨也。過以利貞，與時行也。柔得中，是以小事吉也。剛失位而不中，是以不可大事也。有飛鳥之象焉，飛鳥道之音，不宜上宜下，大、，上邊而下順也。艮為時。剛失位指四，不中指三。有飛鳥之象，謂上下卦皆艮也，非如宋衷之解。艮為鳥，上艮覆故曰逆，下反是故順。又五乘剛故逆，二承陽故順。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "Small Crossing" refers to a small thing that oversteps and yet achieves success. To overstep while being favorable to upholding the right path is to move in harmony with the times. The yao that are flexible and in the center bring good fortune for small matters; the yao that are strong but out of position and not in the center are not suitable for great matters. The hexagram contains the image of a flying bird, which leaves its sound behind. It is not favorable to go upward but favorable to go downward, resulting in great good fortune. Going upward is against the trend, while going downward is in harmony with it. The trigram艮 represents time. "Strong yao out of position" refers to the nine in the fourth line, and "not in the center" refers to the nine in the third line. The phrase "there is the image of a flying bird" means that both the upper and lower trigrams are艮, and this is not as interpreted by Song Zhong. The trigram艮 represents a bird, and the upper trigram艮 is inverted, hence it is "against the trend"; the lower trigram is not inverted, hence it is "in harmony with the trend." Furthermore, the six in the fifth line is riding over a strong yao, hence it is against the trend, while the six in the second line supports a yang yao, hence it is in harmony with the trend.

象曰：山上有雷，小過。君子以行過乎恭，喪過乎哀，用過乎儉。震為行，恭或為艮象。兌毀折故曰喪，震為樂，震反為艮，故為哀。儉亦或為艮止象。舊解皆用卦變，無確詁，姑測其義如此。又三者皆過之微，即治小過之義也。初六，飛鳥以凶。艮為鳥，四雖有應，二得敵，應予阻格，又失位，故凶。象曰：飛鳥以凶，不可如何也。言應困難。

The Great Image Commentary says: Mountains with thunder, this is the hexagram of Small Excess; the gentleman thus behaves with slight excess in reverence, in mourning with slight excess in sorrow, and in expenditure with slight excess in frugality. Zhen represents movement; "reverence" may take the image of Gen. Dui governs destruction, hence "mourning"; Zhen represents joy, and when inverted it becomes Gen, hence sorrow; "frugality" may also take the image of Gen's stillness. Old interpretations all use changes of the hexagram to explain, but they lack precise explanations, so I make this tentative interpretation. Moreover, reverence, sorrow, and frugality are all only slight excesses, which is precisely the way to deal with "small excess." Initial Six: A flying bird thus incurs misfortune. Gen represents birds. Initial Six, although it has a corresponding line with Nine Four, is opposed by Six Two, which is of the same type, thus its path is blocked, and since it is in an improper position, it incurs misfortune. The Small Image Commentary says: A flying bird thus incurs misfortune, because it is unavoidable. This means the path of seeking correspondence is difficult.

六二，過其祖，遇其妣，不及其君，遇其臣，無咎。艮為祖，二承三故過其祖。巽為妣，二當巽初，故遇其妣。爾雅母曰妣，妣謂二，祖謂三。二應在五，五震為君，乃五不應，故不及其君。良為臣，三艮主爻，二承之，故遇其臣。艮為祖，翼為母，震君艮臣象皆失傳，故舊解無通者，義詳焦氏易詁。象曰：不及其君，臣不可過也。傳義未詳，舊說或崑崙，或浮泛，皆不安。

Six in the Second: It passed over the grandfather and encountered the grandmother; it did not reach the sovereign, yet encountered the subject, without fault.艮 represents the grandfather, and Six in the Second is above Nine in the Third, so it is said 'passed over its grandfather'.巽 represents the grandmother, and Six in the Second is in the initial position of the body of巽, so it is said 'encountered its grandmother'. The Er Ya says 'mother is called妣'. Here, '妣' refers to Six in the Second itself, and 'grandfather' refers to Nine in the Third. Six in the Second should originally correspond to Six in the Fifth, which belongs to Zhen representing the sovereign. However, since Six in the Fifth is also a yao of the yin type and does not correspond, it is said 'did not reach the sovereign'.艮 represents the subject, and Nine in the Third is the main yao of the body of艮, with Six in the Second serving it, so it is said 'encountered its subject'. The images of艮 as grandfather,巽 as mother, and Zhen as sovereign, and艮 as subject have all been lost, so none of the old interpretations are coherent. The meaning is detailed in Jiao's Glosses on the Changes. The Small Image Commentary says: not reaching the sovereign, is because the subject should not surpass. The meaning of this commentary is not clearly explained, old interpretations are either vague or superficial and not accurate, none of them are stable.

九三，弗過防之，從或戕之，凶。四遇敵故弗過。艮為守為堅，下有群陰承之，利於防守，故曰防之，與漸九三、蒙上九利禦寇義同也。三應在上，戕害也。從或戕之者，言三若應上，則四或害之也。艮為刀劍，四艮反向下，故戕之。首回防之，所以戒也。象曰：從或戕之，凶何如也。極言其凶。

Nine in the Third: Not to cross over but to guard against it, if going forward to follow perhaps will be harmed, which is凶. Nine in the Fourth and Nine in the Third are both yang lines opposing each other, so 'not to cross over.' Gen represents guarding and firmness, and below there are many yin lines supporting it, which is favorable for defense, so it says 'guard against it'; this is similar in meaning to the 'favorable for defense against invaders' in the lines of the卦 Zhan's Nine in the Third and the卦 Meng's Upper Six. Nine in the Third corresponds to Upper Six. 'Qiang' means harm. 'From or be harmed' means that if Nine in the Third corresponds to Upper Six, Nine in the Fourth might harm it. Gen represents weapons, and the Gen at the position of Nine in the Fourth is inverted downward, so it can cause harm. The line statement first says 'guard against it,' which is precisely a warning. The Small Image Commentary says: going forward to follow or being harmed, how can the danger be any less? This is emphasizing the extreme danger.

九四，無咎，弗過遇之，往厲必戒，匆用水貞。四臨重阻，利往，故無咎。四應在初，遇謂遇三也，三為四敵，故戒以弗過，然而遇之。往厲者，謂往應初而厲也。往應初，則三戕之，故厲。厲則宜有所戒，勿用而貞定自守可也。無咎指上行，弗過指下行。昔賢皆泥於往外為往，豈知需上云「三人來」，是往外而日來；睽上云「往遇雨」，是來內而曰往，易團於往來不執定例也。象曰：弗過遇之，位不當也。往厲必戒，終不可長也。言之初仍勿用為宜，終不可長。

Nine in the Fourth: There is no fault, do not cross over to meet it, going forward is dangerous, one must be cautious and not act rashly, it is appropriate to maintain firmness. Nine in the Fourth is below two yin lines, so it is appropriate to go forward, hence there is no fault. Nine in the Fourth corresponds to Six at the Beginning; 'meeting' refers to encountering Nine in the Third. Nine in the Third is a like enemy of Nine in the Fourth, so it warns Nine in the Fourth not to cross over. However, it still meets Nine in the Third. 'Going forward is dangerous and must be cautious' refers to going forward to meet Six at the Beginning, which would result in danger, because Nine in the Third would harm it. Since there is danger, one should be cautious and not act rashly, and maintain firmness. 'No fault' refers to going upward, while 'not crossing over' refers to going downward. Previous scholars were rigid in considering 'going' as only referring to the outer trigram. But they did not realize that in the sixth line of the Need hexagram, it says 'three people come', which refers to the outer trigram yet uses 'come'; in the sixth line of the Kui hexagram, it says 'meeting rain', which refers to the inner trigram yet uses 'go'. The Zhou Changes do not strictly adhere to fixed rules regarding going and coming. The Small Image Commentary says: not crossing over to meet it is due to improper position; going forward is dangerous and must be cautious, ultimately it is not sustainable. This means that even if one goes to meet Six at the Beginning, it is still better not to act rashly, and ultimately it is not sustainable.

六五，密雲不雨，自我西郊，公弋取彼在穴。文言以坤為雲，五上重陰，故曰密雲。兌為雨，風火在下，故不雨。兌西震東，言此密雲起自西郊，而東行也。震為公為射，故曰公弋。七者繫繩於矢以射鳥，乃不射身而以上取彼在穴之艮狐，胡能得乎？

Six in the Fifth: Thick clouds are gathering but no rain is falling; the clouds are coming from the western outskirts. The king uses a bow with a rope to shoot at the hidden prey in the cave. The "Wenyan Zhuan" takes the Earth element as clouds, and since the sixth line in the fifth position and the top line are both yin lines, it says "thick clouds." The trigram Dui represents rain, but since wind and fire are below, there is no rain. Dui is in the west and Zhen is in the east, indicating that the thick clouds rise from the western outskirts and move eastward. Zhen represents the king and shooting, so it says "the king shoots." "Shi" refers to shooting birds with a bow that has a rope. However, the fifth line does not shoot birds, but instead uses the bow to hunt the hidden Gen fox in the cave. How could it be possible to hunt it?

蓋五應在二，二巽為繩，艮為矢，以繩繫矢，七象也。而艮為穴為孤，艮手為取，穴居之物，豈能弋取？言二不應五，有如此也。凡易取象，不於本變必於應。應爻有應予，如明夷初交應在四震，則曰飛，曰翼，曰攸往，曰主人有言，全取震象，而直言之。應爻無應予，亦往往取其象而明其不應，如歸妹上六應在三兌，則曰女承筐，曰士圭（右刀）羊，女與羊皆兌象，而三不應上，故又曰無實無血，及此爻皆是也。舊解不知此例，見象無著，則用卦變以當之，於是易義遂亡於講說矣。象曰：密雲不雨，已上也。巳上與小畜之上往同義。

The line six in the fifth position corresponds to the line six in the second. The line six in the second belongs to the trigram Xun (wind), which represents a rope, and the trigram Gen (mountain), which represents an arrow. Using a rope to tie an arrow is the image of 'yi' (to shoot with a bow and arrow). Moreover, Gen also represents a cave and a fox, and since Gen represents a hand, it also signifies 'taking'. However, creatures that live in caves cannot be hunted with arrows tied with ropes. This is precisely the meaning that the line six in the second does not respond to the line six in the fifth. Generally, in the Zhou Yi, images are taken either from the line itself or from the responding line. If the responding line corresponds, as in the line one of Mingyi (Darkness) which corresponds to the line four of Zhen (thunder), the line statement refers to 'flying', 'wings', 'moving forward', and 'the master speaks', all directly using the image of Zhen. If the responding line does not correspond, it often points out the non-correspondence by using its image, as in the line six of Guimei (Marriage by Capture) which corresponds to the line three of Dui (lake), the line statement says 'a woman carries a basket' and 'a man cuts a sheep', both of which are images of Dui. However, the line three does not correspond to the line six, so it also says 'no fruit' and 'no blood'—this line is of this kind. Old commentaries did not understand this principle. When they saw the image without a clear reference, they resorted to changing the hexagram, thus causing the meaning of the Zhou Yi to be lost in interpretation. The Small Image Commentary says: thick clouds without rain, indicating that the yin energy has already ascended. 'Already ascending' is the same meaning as 'still moving forward' in the Xiao Xu (Small Overcoming) hexagram.

上六，弗遇過之，飛鳥離之，凶，是謂災音。弗遇言為五所格，應三難也，乃竟過之，是無心相值，不虞之禍。蓋艮為鳥，上卦艮覆，鳥首向下有墜象，而艮為刀兵，正墜兵刃之上。離罹通，道也。遭此意外之禍，故凶也。三巽體，巽為疾病，故為災眚。是謂災眚者，言禍非由己，致無妄之災，不可如何也。

Upper Six: Without meeting yet crossing over it, a flying bird meets a net, resulting in misfortune. This is called calamity. "Not meeting" refers to being blocked by Six in the Fifth, making it difficult to respond to Nine in the Third below; yet it crosses over it, which is an accidental and unexpected misfortune. Gen represents birds, and the upper trigram Gen is inverted, with the bird's head downward, indicating a falling. Gen also represents weapons, so the bird falls exactly onto the weapon. "Li" and "li" are homophones, meaning to encounter. Meeting such an unexpected misfortune leads to misfortune. Nine in the Third belongs to the trigram Xun, which represents illness, hence it is referred to as calamity. "This is called calamity" means the misfortune is not self-inflicted, but an unforeseen disaster, which is unavoidable.

象曰：弗遇過之，巳亢也。虞翻云：飛下稱亢。按說文，亢人頸，或從頁，是亢即頏，古通為一字。詩邶風「頜之頏之」，毛傳：飛而上曰頡，飛而下回頏。故前書揚雄傳解嘲「鄒行以頡亢而取世資」，頏即作亢。師古云：頡亢，上下不定也。亦訓亢為下。上卦艮鳥覆有墜象，故曰亢。已亢者，言飛鳥離災而下也。

The Small Image Commentary says: Without meeting yet crossing over it, is already flying downward. Yu Fan says: Flying downward is called "kang." According to the Shuo Wen, "kang" refers to the human neck, or written with the radical page as "han"; this shows that "kang" is the same as "han," and they were used interchangeably in ancient times. The Shijing · Bei Feng says "jie zhi hang zhi," and Mao's Commentary explains: flying upward is called "jie," and flying downward is called "hang." Therefore, in the Han Shu · Yang Xiong Zhuan, the text "Zou Yan yi jie kang er qu shi zi" uses "kang" for "hang." Yan Shigǔ says: "Jie kang" means flying up and down unpredictably. This also interprets "kang" as flying downward. The upper trigram Gen represents a bird that is inverted, symbolizing a falling down, so it is said "kang." "Already kang" means the bird is suffering a disaster and falling downward.

李道平云：陽言亢，陰不言亢，故虞不從俗說。聞見錄云：唐張師為贊皇尉，夢白鳥飛翔墜於雲際，召黃賀筮之，遇小過，曰：雷震山上，鳥墜雲間，聲跡兩銷，不可復見，委心順命可也。是亦以艮為鳥，艮覆故曰鳥墜，互大坎故曰云間，震為聲跡，坎隱伏，故曰聲道兩銷，不可復見。是亢之為下，再見於唐人所釋；以艮覆為鳥墜，黃賀獨知也。

Li Daoping said: A yang line alone can be called "kang," while a yin line does not mention "kang," so Yu Fan did not adopt the common interpretation. The "Wenjian Lu" records: In the Tang dynasty, Zhang Shiren, the county magistrate of Zhanhuang, dreamed of a white bird flying and falling between the clouds. He summoned Huang He for divination, and the hexagram obtained was "Xiao Guo." Huang He said: Thunder moves on the mountain, the bird falls between the clouds, its sound and trace both disappear, and it cannot be seen again; one can only accept fate calmly. This also uses Gen as the bird: Gen is inverted, so it is said "the bird falls"; the mutual hexagram is Da Kan, so it is said "between the clouds"; Zhen represents sound and trace, and Kan signifies concealment, so it is said that both sound and trace vanish and cannot be seen again. It is evident that interpreting "kang" as downward again appeared in Tang dynasty interpretations; and using inverted Gen to represent the bird falling is known only to Huang He.

既濟。亨，小利貞，初吉終亂。爾雅釋天：濟謂之齊。疏：霽，止也。說文同。歸藏作岑昕（上雨），昕（上雨）即霽字。上坎為雨，下離為日，雨過日出，故曰既濟。謙傳天道下濟，即下止也。詩庸（右邑）風「不能旋濟」，傳：濟，止也。莊子齊物論「厲風濟則萬竅為虛」，注：濟，止也。彖傳曰終止，雜卦曰既濟定，亦皆訓濟為止。既者盡也，左傳桓三年「日有食之既」是也。既濟者，言六爻盡當位而止其所也。止其所而不遷，則道窮，故彖辭不許其終吉。

The hexagram Ji Ji is characterized by success, with small matters benefiting from maintaining correctness. It begins auspiciously but eventually leads to disorder. The Er Ya · Shi Tian says "Ji is called Ji," and the commentary explains "Ji" as stopping. The Shuo Wen agrees. The Gui Cang hexagram for this one is called "Cen Ji," where "Ji" means the stopping of rain. The upper trigram is Kan, representing rain, and the lower trigram is Li, representing the sun. After the rain stops, the sun appears, hence the name "Ji Ji." The Commentary on the Judgment of the hexagram Qian says "the heavenly way descends and stops," meaning to stop downward. The Book of Songs · Bei Feng mentions "unable to return and stop," and the Mao Commentary explains "Ji" as stopping. The Zhuangzi · Qi Wu Lun states "when the strong wind stops, all the openings become empty," with the commentary explaining "Ji" as stopping. The Commentary on the Judgment says "to stop," and the Zaji Guashu says "Ji Ji means completion," both interpreting "Ji" as stopping. "Ji" means completion, as seen in the Zuo Zhuan · Huan Gong San Nian "the sun is completely eclipsed," using "ji" in this sense. The term "Ji Ji" refers to all six lines being in the correct position and each stopping at its proper place. Stopping at its place and not moving further means the path is exhausted, hence the hexagram statement does not allow it to end in good fortune. Shang's argument cites the Er Ya, Shuo Wen, Gui Cang, the Commentary on the Judgment of the Qian hexagram, the Book of Songs, and the Zhuangzi, all to demonstrate that the character "Ji" should be understood as stopping rather than its usual meaning of crossing a river. This interpretation makes the meaning of the hexagram name clear.

釋文釋濟為度，太玄釋為成，惟彖傳曰終止，即明釋既義、濟義。既者盡也，終也，終止即既濟。後儒紛紜不已者，以忽略終止，即說卦義也。六爻皆當位有應，故亨。小利貞小字，俞樾雲衍文，卦辭只回亨利貞，故傳特以小者亨也釋之。如原有小字，則人人皆知，傳不如此釋矣。子夏傳虞翻皆以亨小斷句，似非。毛奇齡云：宜以既濟亨句、小利貞句，小利貞與小利有攸往同。按毛說於句讀適矣，然傳曰剛柔正，是兼大小言也，今專以屬之小，於六交當位之義不合。然則小字屬上下讀皆不安，征之彖傳，其為衍文無疑，俞氏之說似為可信。

The Classic Interpretation (Classic Shiywen) explains "ji" as "to cross over," the Taixuan explains it as "to achieve," while only the Commentary on the Judgment (Tuanchuan) says "to terminate," clearly explaining the meaning of "ji" and "ji." "Ji" means complete or end, and "to terminate" is exactly "ji ji." Later scholars have debated this issue endlessly because they have overlooked the fact that "to terminate" is explaining the meaning of the hexagram name. This hexagram has all six lines in proper position and each has a corresponding line, so it is smooth and unobstructed. As for the character "xiao" in "xiao li zhen," Yu Yue believes it is a later addition: the original hexagram statement was only "hen, li zhen," so the Commentary on the Judgment specially explained it as "small things are smooth." If the original text had the character "xiao," everyone would have noticed it, and the Commentary on the Judgment would not have explained it this way. The Zhuxia Commentary and Yu Fan both read "hen xiao" as a connected phrase, which seems incorrect. Mao Qiling said: "ji ji hen" should be one sentence, and "xiao li zhen" another sentence, similar to "xiao li you wang." Mao's interpretation makes the sentence structure smooth, but the Commentary on the Judgment says "the yin and yang are in proper position," which refers to both large and small. Now, if we attribute it solely to "small," it does not match the meaning of the six lines being in proper position. Therefore, the character "xiao" is unstable whether it belongs to the previous or following part. When verified by the Commentary on the Judgment, it is clearly an addition, and Yu Yue's view seems credible.

蓋易之為道，以陽為主，陰與陽絕不平等，故陰得陽應必吉，陽得陰應則不必吉，且有以為凶者，如大過四爻、中孚初爻皆是。既濟二四承乘皆陽，又三陰皆有陽應，故小者亨。彖傳專以亨屬小，亦謂大者不然。大何以不然？凡陽遇重陰必吉，一陰則否。既濟三五皆陷陰中，雖三陽皆得位有應，然所應者陰，固與柔爻異也，此傳之所以專以亨屬之小也。既濟者終止，其在既濟之初，上下得所，民物咸宜，故初吉。然易之道以變通為貴，無或休息，止而終於是，則易道窮矣，故終亂。

In general, the Way of the Zhou Changes (I Ching) emphasizes the Yang. Yin and Yang are not absolutely equal. Therefore, when a Yin line corresponds with a Yang line, it is certainly auspicious, but when a Yang line corresponds with a Yin line, it may not be auspicious, and in some cases may even be inauspicious. For example, in the hexagram Da Guo (Great Excess), line nine at the fourth position, and in Zhong Fu (Faithful Center), line nine at the beginning, both illustrate this. In the hexagram Ji Ji (Completion), lines six at the second and six at the fourth are supported and overlaid by Yang lines, and all three Yin lines have corresponding Yang lines, so it is said "the small one is auspicious." The Commentary on the Judgment specifically attributes "auspiciousness" only to the small one, implying that the great one is not like this. Why is the great one not like this? Whenever a Yang line meets two Yin lines, it is auspicious, but when it meets only one Yin line, it is not. In Ji Ji, lines nine at the third and nine at the fifth are surrounded by Yin lines. Although all three Yang lines are in their proper positions and have corresponding lines, the corresponding lines are Yin lines, and the situation is fundamentally different from that of flexible lines. This is why the Commentary on the Judgment specifically attributes "auspiciousness" to the small one. "Ji Ji" means completion. At the beginning of completion, both upper and lower parts are in their proper places, and all people and things are in harmony, so it is said "initial auspiciousness." However, the Way of the Zhou Changes values change and adaptability, and does not tolerate stagnation. Once it stops and ends here, the Way of the Changes is exhausted, so it is said "final disorder."

彖曰：既濟亨，小者亨也。利貞，剛柔正而位當也。初吉，柔得中也。終止則亂，其道窮也。卦三陰三陽，二為陰始得中，放曰初吉。上六則陰之終，故日終止則亂，坤為亂也。五剛亦得中，不許其吉者，以陷於陰中，與柔得中異也。象曰：水在火上，既濟。君子以思患而預防之。治亂相循環，當治不可忘亂。坎為患為心，故曰思患。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "Already Completed" is smooth and unimpeded, which refers to the small being smooth and unimpeded; it is advantageous to maintain the correct position, because the yin and yang lines each occupy their proper positions; it is initially吉利 because the yin line in the second position is in the center; but when it reaches the end, disorder arises, because its course has reached its limit. This hexagram consists of three yin lines and three yang lines. The second line is the yin line that first attains the center, so it is said "initially吉利." The sixth line at the top is the end of the yin lines, so it is said "when it reaches the end, disorder arises," and the earth (Kun) has the image of disorder. The fifth line is a yang line that also attains the center, but the Commentary on the Judgment does not consider it吉利, because it is surrounded by yin lines, differing from the situation of a yin line attaining the center. The Great Image Commentary says: Water above fire, this is the hexagram "Already Completed"; the gentleman thus thinks of potential troubles and prepares in advance. Prosperity and disorder alternate; in times of peace, one must not forget the possibility of disorder. The trigram Kan represents trouble and the heart, so it is said "thinking of trouble."

初九，曳其輪，儒其尾，無咎。初應在四，四坎為曳，為輪，為儒。四居坎下，故曰曳，曰尾。所有象皆在應爻，舊解苦於本爻求，胡能合乎？曳儒當有咎，得正故無咎。象曰：曳其輪，義無咎也。得正有應，當然無咎。

Initial Nine: Pulling the chariot wheel, the tail gets wet, there is no blame. Initial Nine corresponds to Nine Four, and Nine Four belongs to Kan, which represents pulling, a wheel, and dampness. Nine Four is located below the Kan trigram, so it is said 'pulling' and 'tail'. All the images are on the responding line. Old commentaries have been searching desperately on the original line, how can they be consistent? Pulling the wheel and the tail getting wet should result in blame, but since Initial Nine is in the correct position, there is no blame. The Small Image Commentary says: Pulling the chariot wheel, in terms of meaning, there is no blame. Since Initial Nine is in the correct position and has a corresponding line, it naturally has no blame.

六二，婦喪其弗（上草），匆逐，七日得。左傳昭五年「火水妃也」，故離為坎婦。弗（上草）車蔽也。詩碩人曰「翟弗（上草）以朝」，疏：婦人乘車不露兒，車之前後障以翟羽，以自隱蔽，謂之弗（上草）。按周禮有巾車職，巾所以為蔽，即弗（上草）也。坎為隱伏為弗（上草），乃坎在外，故喪其弗（上草）。蓋離為光明，二承乘皆陽，無所隱蔽，如婦人之喪其弗（上草）也。廬兆鱉云：初曳輪，二喪弗，義實相因，其改字作紱作髟（下也）者，皆非也。震為逐，半震故勿逐。七日得者，震為復，數七，言至七日，自然來復，與震二同義也。象曰：七日得，以中道也。二得中故得。

Six in the Second: A woman has lost the curtain on her carriage, but there is no need to search for it; she will regain it within seven days. The *Zuo Zhuan* says in the fifth year of Zhao Gong that "fire is the consort of water," so *Li* (Fire) is the spouse of *Kan* (Water). "Fu" refers to the covering on a carriage. The *Shi Jing* says "Zhai Fu to go to court," and the commentary explains that women ride in carriages without showing their faces, and the front and back of the carriage are covered with feathers from wild pheasants to conceal themselves, which is called "Fu." The *Zhou Li* mentions the official responsible for the *jin* carriage, where "jin" refers to the covering, which is also "Fu." *Kan* represents concealment, so it is "Fu"; however, *Kan* is in the outer trigram, so it is said "to lose the Fu." Originally, *Li* represents brightness, and the yao above and below Six in the Second are all yang lines, so there is no concealment, just like a woman losing the curtain on her carriage. Lu Zhaoao says: "Yi in the First" refers to dragging the wheel, and "Fu lost" in Six in the Second are related in meaning. Those who change "Fu" to "Fu" or "Di" are incorrect. *Zhen* represents pursuit, but here there is only half of the *Zhen* trigram, so it is said "do not pursue." "Seven days to regain" is because *Zhen* has the meaning of returning, and its number is seven, meaning that it will naturally be regained by the seventh day, which is the same meaning as the second line of the *Zhen* hexagram. The *Xiao Xiang Zhuan* says: "Regained within seven days" is because of holding to the middle path. Six in the Second is in the middle, so it can regain it.

九三，高宗伐鬼方，三年克之，小人勿用。易林於既未濟，偶用半象，本之易也。三四形震，震為帝為主，故曰高宗，曰伐。坎為三年，為鬼方。高宗殷王武丁，鬼方西美國名。範書西羌傳云：殷室中衰，諸侯叛，至高宗伐西戎鬼方，三年乃克。又曰周季歷伐西落鬼戎是也。坎為艱為勞，故三年乃克。小人謂上六。復上六云反君道，比上六云無首凶，師上六云小人勿用，是上六反君道無道，為小人之尤。茲於三交發之者，以三應在上六，故預戒也。象曰：三年克之，憊也。坎為勞，故曰憊，憊疲極也。

Nine in the Third: King Wen of Yin campaigned against the Gufang people, and it took three years to conquer them. Small people should not be employed. The Jiao's Forest of Changes occasionally uses half-images in the two hexagrams of Ji Ji and Wei Ji, based on the Zhou Changes. In this hexagram, the third and fourth lines form half of the Zhen trigram, which represents the emperor and leadership, hence the reference to 'High Ancestral King' and 'campaigning'. Kan represents three years and the Gufang people. King Wen of Yin was King Wu Ding of Yin; Gufang was the name of a western Qiang state. Fan Ye's Book of the Later Han, Western Qiang Biography, says: during the decline of the Yin dynasty, the feudal lords rebelled, and during the reign of High Ancestral King, he campaigned against the western Rong tribes, the Gufang people, and it took three years to conquer them. It also says that Ji Li of the Zhou people campaigned against the Xiluo Guri people, which is similar. Kan represents hardship and labor, so it took three years to conquer. 'Small people' refers to line six above. In the Fu hexagram, line six says 'returning to the way of the sovereign'; in the Bi hexagram, line six says 'no leader, ominous'; in the Shi hexagram, line six says 'small people should not be used'. This shows that line six opposes the way of the sovereign and acts without principle, being the worst among small people. This warning is issued by line nine in the third position because line nine corresponds to line six above, thus serving as a preemptive warning. The Small Image Commentary says: it took three years to conquer, indicating exhaustion. Kan represents labor, so it is said 'exhausted', 'exhausted' meaning extremely tired.

六四，襦有衣袖，終日戒。此與解三用象同。襦說文繒采色，按繒說文帛也。三四震象，震為衣，襦有，言有帛衣也。四五巽象，巽為帛，亦為枷。如（左衣），敗絮也。襦有衣如（左衣）者，言雖有帛衣，衣敗絮以自晦，終日戒備也。離為日，坎為憂，故曰終日戒。蓋四居兩坎之間，坎為盜，俱有所侵犯，故惡衣以自晦。

Six in the Fourth: There is fine silk clothing, but one wears tattered rags, remaining vigilant all day. This is similar to the imagery in the line Six in the Third of the Hexagram 解 (Release). "Rú" is said in Shuo Wen to be colored silk; "zēng" is said in Shuo Wen to be silk cloth. The lines Three and Four together form the image of Zhen (Thunder), which represents clothing. "Rú yǒu" means having silk and silk cloth clothing. The lines Four and Five together form the image of Xun (Wind), which represents silk cloth and also "rú." "Rú" refers to tattered old rags. "Rú yǒu yī rú" means although one has silk and silk cloth clothing, one wears tattered rags to conceal oneself, remaining vigilant all day. Li (Fire) represents the sun, and Kan (Water) represents worry, so it is said "终日戒" (remaining vigilant all day). Originally, Six in the Fourth is located between two Kan trigrams, and Kan represents thieves. One fears someone may come to invade, so one wears poor clothing to conceal oneself.

如（左衣）說文引作奴（下繫），釋文云子夏作茹，茹柳奴（下繫）音同故通用。又云京作絮，按絮即奴（下繫）之形訛字。太玄迎道云「裳有衣襦」，裳者禮服，襦者短衣，乃有裳不用而衣襦，釋此句至為明晰。又釋文儒子夏作襦，薛虞云古文作襦，按襦儒古通。周禮羅氏注，鄭司農云：襦為儒有衣絮之襦。弓人注，鄭司農云：如（下巾）讀為襦有衣奴（下繫）之奴（下繫）。是襦儒枷古通用，故各家讀不同。象曰：終日戒，有所疑也。坎為疑。

The character 「袽」 is cited in the Shuowen Jiezi as 「絮」; the Classic Interpretation says that the version from Zi Xia was 「茹」, and since 「茹」 and 「絮」 sound the same, they were interchangeable. It also says that Jing Fang's version was 「絮」. According to 「絮」 is a distorted form of this character. Yang Xiong's Tai Xuan says, "The lower garment has a short upper garment," where "裳" refers to ceremonial attire, and "襦" refers to a short upper garment. The explanation of this sentence is most clear by contrasting the wearing of ceremonial attire with the wearing of a short upper garment. The Classic Interpretation also says that the character 「儒」 in Zi Xia's version was 「襦」, and Xue Yu says that the ancient text used 「襦」. This shows that 「襦」 and 「儒」 were interchangeable in ancient times. The Luo氏 commentary in the Zhou Li cites Zheng Sizhong's saying: 「襦」 refers to a short upper garment with stuffing; the Archer's Commentary in the Gao Gong Ji cites Zheng Sizhong's saying: 「帤」 is read as the stuffing of a short upper garment. This shows that 「襦」, 「儒」, and 「袽」 were interchangeable in ancient times, hence the different readings. Shang's extensive listing of variant readings aims to explain that the four characters 「襦有衣袽」 have been subject to debate due to differences in the characters used in transmitted texts. However, whether written as 「茹」, 「絮」, or 「袽」, they all refer to old stuffing cloth, contrasting with the silk garment 「襦」, and the meaning of the sentence remains unchanged. The Small Image Commentary says: being constantly on guard all day, indicates a mind full of doubt. Kan represents doubt.

九五，東鄰殺牛，不如西鄰之論祭，實受其福。離位東，故曰東鄰。坎位西，故曰西鄰。離為牛，兌為毀折為斧，故曰東鄰之殺牛。坎為飲食，故為祭。侖（左示）薄祭也，坎為薄，故曰西鄰之掄祭。乾為福，殺牛而祭，當受福矣，然不如掄祭受福者，以坎當五，得中正之時也。此離東坎西之確證。鄭氏謂離日出東，故曰東鄰；坎月生西，故曰西鄰。而不知離即在東，坎即在西，則卦象失傳之故也。又漢人往往以紂與文王之事說此爻，非。象曰：東鄰殺牛，不如西鄰之時也。實受其福，吉大來也。受福故吉。上六，濡其首，厲。坎為首，陰乘陽故襦其首，與比上六之無首義同，彖所謂終亂者此交。象曰：濡其首厲，何可久也。荀爽曰：居上襦五，處高居盛，必當復危，故何可久。

Nine in the Fifth: The eastern neighbor sacrifices a bull in a grand ceremony, but the western neighbor's simple offering is more genuinely accepted by the divine blessings. The trigram Li is in the east, so it is called 'eastern neighbor'; the trigram Kan is in the west, so it is called 'western neighbor'. Li represents cattle, and Dui represents destruction and the axe, so the eastern neighbor kills a bull. Kan represents food and drink, so it is associated with sacrifice; 'Yue' refers to a simple offering, and Kan also represents simplicity, so the western neighbor's simple offering is called 'Yue'. Qian represents blessings. Sacrificing a bull should bring blessings, but the simple offering brings more blessings because Kan is in the fifth position, which is in the center and upright. This is the confirmation that Li is in the east and Kan is in the west. Zheng Xuan said that Li rises in the east, so it is called 'eastern neighbor'; Kan is born in the west, so it is called 'western neighbor'—he did not realize that Li itself is in the east and Kan itself is in the west, which is the reason for the loss of the image of the hexagram. There are also Han dynasty scholars who use the story of King Zhou and King Wen to explain this line, which is also incorrect. The Small Image Commentary says: the eastern neighbor sacrifices a bull, but the western neighbor receives the right time; genuinely receiving blessings is a great fortune. Receiving blessings brings good fortune. Upper Six: The head is wet, which is dangerous. Kan represents the head, and Upper Six is a yin line riding on a yang line, so it causes the head to be wet, which is similar in meaning to the line 'no head' in the hexagram Bi. The hexagram statement's 'final confusion' refers to this line. The Small Image Commentary says: the head is wet and dangerous, how can it last long? Xun Shuang said: Upper Six is at the very top and causes the head of Nine Five to be wet. Being in a high position and in a flourishing state inevitably leads to renewed danger, so it is said to be not lasting.

未濟。亨，小孤訖濟，濡其尾，無攸利。濟止也。六爻皆當位，止其所而不動，故曰既濟。茲六交皆不當位，不止，故曰未濟。終而止，則其道窮；終而不止，則其道不窮，故既未濟相續而循環。柔得五中故亨。艮為小孤，卦有三艮形，故易林渙之未濟云「三虎上山，更相喧喚」，是以未濟為三艮，故曰三虎上山。茲曰小狐，是以艮為狐。訖說文涸也。干寶云：小狐力弱，訖乃可濟，今水未涸，故儒其尾。艮為尾也，濡尾故無攸利。按九家坎亦為狐，茲曰小狐曰尾，艮為小為尾，故知取艮象。濟者，濟坎水也。

The hexagram "Not Yet Completed" is smooth and favorable. A small fox crosses the river when the water is nearly dry, but its tail gets wet, and there is no benefit. "To cross" means to stop. The hexagram "Already Completed" has all six lines in proper position, each stopping at its place without movement, hence it is called "Already Completed." This hexagram, however, has none of its lines in proper position, so it cannot stop, hence it is called "Not Yet Completed." When the process ends and stops, its path is exhausted; when the process ends but does not stop, its path is not exhausted. Therefore, "Already Completed" and "Not Yet Completed" follow each other in a continuous cycle. The flexible line in the fifth position is in the center, hence it is smooth and favorable. The trigram "Gèn" (Mountain) represents a small fox; this hexagram contains three instances of the trigram "Gèn," so in "Jiao's Forest of Changes," the transformation from "Huàn" to "Not Yet Completed" says, "Three tigers climb the mountain, calling to each other," which is precisely referring to the three "Gèn" trigrams in "Not Yet Completed," hence saying "three tigers climb the mountain." Here it says "small fox," indicating that "Gèn" represents a fox. "Qì" is explained in "Shuo Wen" as meaning water that has dried up. Gan Bao says: the small fox is weak and needs the water to be dry in order to cross; now the water has not yet dried, so its tail gets wet. "Gèn" represents the tail, and a wet tail brings no benefit. According to the Nine Schools' interpretation of the Book of Changes, "Kǎn" (Water) also represents a fox, but here it says both "small fox" and "tail," and since "Gèn" represents smallness and the tail, it is clear that the image used here is that of "Gèn." The term "to cross" refers to crossing the water of "Kǎn."

象曰：未濟寧，柔得中也。小狐訖濟，未出中也。濡其尾無攸利，不續終也。雖不當位，剛柔應也。未出中，言二陷於坎中也。六爻皆不當位，無攸利，然賜柔相應，窮則宜變，變則通，故不續終，申不止之義也。象曰：火在水上，未濟。君子以慎辨物居方。乾陽物，坤陰物，陰陽各當位，是居方也。陰陽皆不當位，是聚而失其方也。辨而明之，慎其居而擇所處，則無咎矣，故君子以之。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: The hexagram "Not Yet Completed" is considered to be smooth because the yin lines are in the center. "A small fox approaches the riverbank" indicates that it has not yet escaped from the danger of the Kan trigram. "Its tail gets wet, there is no benefit" means it cannot reach the end. Although all six lines are not in the proper position, the yin and yang lines correspond to each other. What is meant by "not having left the center" is that the line nine in the second position is still trapped within the danger of Kan. Since all six lines are not in the proper position, there is no benefit; however, the yin and yang lines correspond to each other. When something reaches its limit, it should change, and when it changes, it becomes smooth. Therefore, "not continuing to the end" clearly expresses the meaning of "not stopping." The Great Image Commentary says: Fire on water, this is the hexagram "Not Yet Completed." The gentleman learns from this to carefully distinguish things and place them in their proper positions. Qian represents the yang substance, Kun represents the yin substance. When yin and yang are in their proper positions, it is called "residing in their proper place." In this hexagram, yin and yang are not in their proper positions, so they are gathered together and have lost their proper places. If they are clearly distinguished and carefully placed in their proper positions, there will be no mistakes. Therefore, the gentleman takes this as a model.

初六，濡其尾，吝。在下故曰尾，濡尾故吝。象：濡其尾，亦不知極也。極說文棟也，棟居屋中，故極者中也。濡尾知極，言初在下失中。九二，曳春輪，貞吉。坎為輪為曳，居中，故貞吉。象曰：九二貞吉，中以行正也。以位言，九二中而不正，茲曰行正，以正釋貞也，非謂位正。

Initial Line Six: The tail is wet, resulting in regret. Initial Line Six is at the very bottom, hence it is referred to as 'tail'; the tail being wet leads to regret. The Small Image Commentary says: the tail being wet indicates a lack of understanding of the middle path. 'Extreme' is explained in the Shuo Wen as meaning 'beam'; the beam is in the center of the house, so 'extreme' refers to the middle. 'Wet tail without knowing the extreme' means that Initial Line Six is at the lower position and thus loses the middle. Nine in the Second: Holding the wheel, maintaining uprightness brings good fortune. Kan represents the wheel and dragging; Nine in the Second is in the center, hence 'uprightness brings good fortune'. The Image Commentary says: Nine in the Second maintains uprightness and thus brings good fortune, because it is in the center and thus acts uprightly. In terms of line position, Nine in the Second is in the center but not in the proper position; here, 'uprightness' is used to explain the character '贞', not because its position is correct.

六三，未濟征凶，利涉大川。不當位，前遇險，故征凶。征凶則不能利涉，茲日利涉大川，上下文義反背，朱子疑利上有不字。按象云位不當，則不利也，缺以俟知者。象曰：未濟征凶，位不當也。承乘皆險，動則必凶，柔居剛，故位不當。

Six Three: If an undertaking is not yet completed but one goes to war, it will be ominous, but it is advantageous to cross a great river. Six Three is not in the proper position, and ahead there is a danger of the Kan trigram, so 'going to war is ominous'; since going to war is ominous, it is impossible to be advantageous in crossing a river. Yet here it says 'advantageous to cross a great river,' which contradicts the preceding text. Zhu Xi suspects that the character 'not' is missing before 'advantageous.' According to the Small Image Commentary, 'if an undertaking is not yet completed and one goes to war, it will be ominous,' which refers to being in an improper position. Six Three is both above and below a dangerous situation, so any movement will be ominous; since it is a yao of flexibility in a position of strength, it is said to be in an improper position.

九四，貞吉，悔亡，震用伐克方，三年有賞于大國。坎為鬼。易林觀之既濟云「班馬還師」，是用半震，震為馬為反，既濟三半震，故曰班馬還師。茲易曰震用伐鬼方，亦以四五形震，為易林之所本。震為威武為征伐，坎為三故曰三年。有賞于大國者，言伐鬼方有功，以大國賞之也，蓋以五上半艮為國也。貞吉，卜問吉也。高士奇天祿識余云：易震用伐鬼方，敦深謂震乃摯伯名；程傳訓為威武，則三年有賞于大國，何人也？以文理言，此說頗勝，而述之者少。象日：貞吉悔亡，志行也。坎為志，四承乘皆陰，故志行。

Nine in the Fourth: Holding to the correct path brings good fortune, and regret disappears; with vigorous military campaigns against the ghostly region, after three years he receives a reward from a great state. Kan represents the ghostly region. In "Jiao's Forest of Changes," the commentary on "The Completion" says, "The returning army of Ban and Ma," using the image of half a Zhen trigram—Zhen represents horses and returning. In "The Completion," the third line has a half Zhen trigram, hence the phrase "the returning army of Ban and Ma." Here, "The Zhou Changes" says "Zhen is used to attack the ghostly region," also using the combination of the fourth and fifth lines to form half a Zhen trigram, which is the basis of "Jiao's Forest of Changes." Zhen represents strength and military action, and Kan in numbers is three, hence "three years." "Receiving a reward from a great state" refers to being rewarded by a great state for his military success against the ghostly region; since the fifth and upper lines form half a Gen trigram, Gen represents a state. "Zhen Ji" means a divination that results in good fortune. Gao Shiqi's "Tianlu Shi Yu" says: "Zhen is used to attack the ghostly region" in "The Zhou Changes," and Dun Shen believes "Zhen" refers to the name of a person named Zhi Bo. Cheng Yi's "Yi Zhuan" interprets "Zhen" as strength and military action. Then, who is the one who receives the reward from the great state after three years? From the perspective of textual meaning, this interpretation is quite insightful, although it is not widely cited. The "Small Image Commentary" says: holding to the correct path brings good fortune and regret disappears, meaning that one's aspirations are realized. Kan represents aspirations, and the ninth line in the fourth position is above and below connected to yin lines, so the aspiration is realized.

六五，貞吉，無悔，君子之光，有孚吉。離為光，五君位，故君子之光。下有應，故有孚吉。象曰：君子之光，其暉吉也。離為大明，故其暉吉。暉，說文光也。上九，有孚于飲酒，無咎，濡其首，有孚失是。坎為酒，為飲食，上九下履重坎，故有孚于飲酒。有應故無咎。上應在三，三居重坎之中，故亦濡其首。六爻皆有應，故有孚；皆失位，故失是。然不續終之故，正以此也。

Six Five: Holding to the correct path brings good fortune, with no regret; this is the radiance of the gentleman, with sincerity and good fortune. The trigram Li represents light, and Five is the position of the ruler, so it is said, 'the radiance of the gentleman.' Below is Nine Two, which corresponds, so it is said, 'with sincerity, good fortune comes.' The Small Image Commentary says: the radiance of the gentleman brings good fortune. Li represents great brightness, so it is said, 'its radiance brings good fortune.' 'Radiance' is explained in the Shuo Wen as light. Nine at the Top: With sincerity and drinking and revelry, there is no blame; if the head is wet, even with sincerity, it is improper. Kan represents wine and food, and Nine at the Top is above the overlapping Kan structure, so it is said, 'with sincerity in drinking.' There is a responding line, so there is no blame. Nine at the Top corresponds to Six Three, and Six Three is in the overlapping Kan, so it is said, 'its head is wet.' All six lines have their corresponding lines, so it is said, 'with sincerity.' All six lines also lose their positions, so it is said, 'losing the right.' However, the reason for the 'not continuing to the end' mentioned in the Commentary on the Judgment is precisely this.

象曰：飲酒濡首，亦不知節也。上艮為節，節止也，過而不止，故不知節。即未濟之卦形，即異於常卦，故所取之象，往往為本卦所無，如曰逐，曰高宗，曰伐，日襦（左繫）衣如（左衣），曰殺，曰祭，曰福，曰大國，曰震，本卦皆無此象。於是虞氏用卦變以求其象，惝恍支離，莫可究潔。然經於九四曰震，且明以四五為震矣，故知其它皆用半象也。

The Small Image Commentary says: Drinking and getting one's head wet is also a lack of restraint. The upper trigram is艮, which represents restriction; "restriction" means to stop. Exceeding limits without stopping is called "not knowing restriction." The hexagram of 《Unfinished》 is inherently different from ordinary hexagrams, so the images used in the line statements are often not present in the primary hexagram. For example, it refers to "pursuit," "High Ancestral King," "military campaign," "a robe with a patch," "execution," "sacrifice," "blessing," "great state," and "earthquake," none of which are present in the primary hexagram. Therefore, Yu Fan used changing hexagrams to seek these images, but his approach was confused and fragmented, making it difficult to trace. However, the text clearly states "earthquake" in line nine four, and explicitly uses lines four and five as the earthquake trigram. From this, we can infer that the other instances use half-images. Shang氏 particularly highlights this point at the end of his work to summarize his fundamental method of interpreting the Book of Changes: if an image is not found in the primary hexagram, one should look for it in half-images and responding lines, rather than forcing it from changing hexagrams.

易林本之，於觀之既濟云「班馬還師」，震之即濟云「齒齒（右間）齒齒（上契無大）」，兌之既濟云「積石為山」，旅之既濟云「逐鹿南山」，恆之既濟云「三嫗治民」，是皆於既濟取震馬震鹿巽嫗兌齒艮山象。又謙之未濟「千柱百梁」，是以艮為樑柱，未濟三艮形，故曰千柱百梁。又渙之未濟「三虎上山」，亦以三艮為三虎。又蹇之未濟云「一口三舌」，亦以重兌為三舌。凡易林取象，無不本於易。

Jiao's Forest of Changes is based on this method: when observing the hexagram of Ji Ji, it says "Ban Ma Huan Shi" (the horses and camels return to their troops), when observing Zhen in Ji Ji, it says "Yinyin Chi Chi" (bitterly quarreling with teeth), when observing Dui in Ji Ji, it says "Ji Shi Wei Shan" (accumulating stones into a mountain), when observing Lu in Ji Ji, it says "Zhu Lu Nan Shan" (chasing a deer in the southern mountain), and when observing Heng in Ji Ji, it says "San Yu Zhi Min" (three old women governing the people). These are all taking the images of Zhen (Thunder) as horses, Zhen (Thunder) as deer, Xun (Wind) as old women, Dui (Lake) as teeth, and Gen (Mountain) as mountains from the hexagram of Ji Ji. Also, when observing Qian in Wei Ji, it says "Qian Zhu Bai Liang" (a thousand pillars and a hundred beams), using Gen (Mountain) as beams, since the hexagram of Wei Ji has three Gen shapes, thus saying a thousand pillars and a hundred beams; when observing Huan in Wei Ji, it says "San Hu Shang Shan" (three tigers climbing the mountain), also using three Gen as three tigers; when observing Jian in Wei Ji, it says "Yi Kou San She" (one mouth with three tongues), also using two Dui (Lake) as three tongues. All the images used in the Forest of Changes are based on the Zhou Changes. The term "half-image" refers to when two lines already form half of a hexagram, the image of that hexagram can be taken. Shang's continuous listing of six examples is to prove that Jiao Yanshou indeed understood and used this method of taking images.

此用半象，必有所受之，而其詳不傳。由是證施孟梁丘三家易學，其取象皆尚有極繁瑣之口傳。徒以古人尚質，竹書艱難，其所為易傳，皆疏其大義，而不詳其煩瑣，致使象數之細微，皆存之口授，不著竹帛，以傷其方雅。故漢時學易者必有師，非重師，重口授也。口授一絕，後人雖欲知而莫由。幸焦氏易林未亡，吾人可按其辭，抽繹墜象，使易之晦辭，得以復明；易之誤解，俾以復正。不然且終古長夜矣。

Jiao Yanshou used half-images in this way, which must have been based on a tradition he inherited, though the details have not been passed down. This shows that the schools of Shi Chou, Meng Xi, and Liang Qiu He in the study of the Zhou Changes still preserved very elaborate oral traditions in their use of symbolic imagery. Because ancient people valued simplicity and writing on bamboo slips was difficult, the commentaries they composed only explained the general meaning, without recording the detailed and complicated aspects. As a result, the subtle aspects of symbolic imagery and numerical patterns were transmitted only through oral instruction, not written down, leading to their eventual loss. Therefore, studying the Zhou Changes in the Han dynasty necessarily required a teacher, not because of the importance of the teacher's title, but because of the oral transmission. Once the oral transmission was broken, later generations, even if they wanted to know, would have no way to learn. Fortunately, the Jiao's Forest of Changes has not been lost, allowing us to use its verses to reconstruct these lost symbolic images. This enables the obscure expressions in the Zhou Changes to be clarified again, and the misinterpretations of the Zhou Changes to be restored to their correct meanings; otherwise, we would have been forever lost in darkness.

上經終坎離，坎中爻震艮，離中爻巽兌，是舉坎離而六子具也。下經終既未濟，乾坤具備，而即濟一陽一陰，則震兌也；未濟一陰一陽，則艮巽也，是舉坎離而八卦備也，故以為六十四卦之殿。其卦既無所不包，其象遂父母與六子俱備，故易與易林，於既未濟取象獨不同歟。

The Upper Classic concludes with the hexagrams Kan and Li: the middle lines of Kan include Zhen and Gen, and the middle lines of Li include Xun and Dui. Thus, by citing Kan and Li, all six subsidiary hexagrams are complete. The Lower Classic concludes with Ji Ji and Wei Ji: the two principles of Qian and Kun are already present. In Ji Ji, the one yang and one yin lines correspond to Zhen and Dui, and in Wei Ji, the one yin and one yang lines correspond to Gen and Xun. Thus, by citing Kan and Li, all eight trigrams are complete, so they are used as the concluding hexagrams of the sixty-four. Since these two hexagrams encompass everything, their images include both the parents hexagrams and the six subsidiary ones. This is probably why the Zhou Changes and Jiao's Forest of Changes take particular images from Ji Ji and Wei Ji.

繫辭噓吸經髓，摯舉無神，其難解蓋過於經。大抵深於易理者，望而知其所謂；易理不精者，愈讀註釋，愈不得要領。漢注皆以象，宋注皆以理。然辭有明指卦象者，離象而演空理則非矣；有泛言易理者，求解而必於卦象則執矣。茲擇其可解者略說之，其語意崑崙不易知者，則闕。

The Great Treatise absorbs and encompasses the essence of the entire Classic, grasping the main points without getting bogged down in details. Its difficulty is probably even greater than the text itself. Generally speaking, those who have deeply studied the principles of the Book of Changes can immediately understand what it is talking about; those who have not reached a sufficient level of understanding will find that the more annotations they read, the more they fail to grasp the key points. The annotations by Han dynasty scholars all start from the images of the hexagrams, while those by Song dynasty scholars all start from the principles. However, the sentences in the Great Treatise sometimes clearly refer to the images of the hexagrams; if one ignores the images and talks only about principles, that would be wrong. Other times, the text only generally discusses the principles of the Book of Changes; if one insists on applying them specifically to the images, that would be too rigid. Here I will only briefly explain those parts that can be clearly explained, and those whose meaning is as indistinct as the whole of Mount Kunlun, making it hard to see the structure, will be left in doubt and not discussed.

天尊地卑，乾坤定矣。率高以陳，貴賤位矣。動靜有常，剛柔斷矣。首二句言聖人仰觀天，俯察地，因其尊卑而定乾坤二象。三四二句，言乾位南，坤位北，高卑不同，而貴賤以分也。動者乾之常，靜者坤之常，因其動靜之跡，而識其剛柔之性也。

Heaven is above and exalted, Earth is below and humble, thus the positions of the trigrams Qian (Heaven) and Kun (Earth) are determined. High and low are arranged in order, and the distinctions of honor and humility are thus established. One moves and the other remains still, each following its regular course; the qualities of Yang and Yin are thus clearly distinguished. The first two sentences explain that sages look up to observe heavenly phenomena and look down to examine earthly forms, following the distinction of exaltation and humility between Heaven and Earth to establish the two fundamental trigrams, Qian and Kun. The third and fourth sentences explain that Qian is located in the south and Kun in the north, one high and one low, with different positions, thus leading to distinctions of honor and humility. Continuous movement is the regular state of Qian, while stillness is the regular state of Kun; from this movement and stillness, sages recognize the qualities of Yang and Yin.

方以類聚，物以群分，吉凶生矣。方，九家云，道也，所也。方以類聚，言萬物能聚於一方者，以各從其類也。陰陽遇方為類。頤六二象曰行失類，言陰不遇陽也。坤傳曰西南得朋，乃與類行。中率六四曰絕類上，言陰遇陽也。陰陽通為類，類則聚，聚則和合而吉矣。物者陰物陽物，純陽或純陰為群。乾曰見群龍無首，以純陽為群。否二象曰不亂群，以純陰為群。純陽純陰則不交而陰陽分，分則類離，離則凶矣。九家注死生之說云，陰陽合則生，離則死。自類字失詁，舊解皆不知吉凶之故何在，可喟也。

Things gather together according to their kind, and objects are separated according to their groups, and thus fortune and misfortune arise. The character 「方」 is interpreted in the Nine Schools Commentary on the Changes as 「道」, meaning 'way', and also as 「处所」, meaning 'place'. The phrase 「方以类聚」 means that things can gather together in the same place because each follows its own kind. Yin lines and Yang lines meeting together constitute 「类」. The Image Commentary of the second line of the 「颐」 hexagram says 「行失类也」, referring to a Yin line not meeting a Yang line before it. The Commentary on the Judgment of the 「坤」 hexagram says 「西南得朋，乃与类行」, and the fourth line of the 「中孚」 hexagram says 「绝类上」, both referring to Yin lines meeting Yang lines. This shows that Yin and Yang must connect to form 「类」, and when they form a class, they can gather together, leading to harmonious interaction between Yin and Yang and thus good fortune. 「物」 refers to Yin and Yang substances. Pure Yin lines or pure Yang lines are called 「群」. The 「乾」 hexagram says 「见群龙无首」, referring to pure Yang as a group. The Image Commentary of the second line of the 「否」 hexagram says 「不乱群」, referring to pure Yin as a group. When pure Yang and pure Yin gather separately, they cannot interact, leading to separation of Yin and Yang. Separation causes the dispersion of like elements, which results in misfortune. The Nine Schools Commentary on the Changes explains that when Yin and Yang interact, there is life, but when they separate, there is death. Since the meaning of the character 「类」 has been lost, the old interpretations have failed to understand the true source of fortune and misfortune, which is truly regrettable.

在天成象，在地成形，變化見矣。太玄玄離（左手）云，日一南而萬物死，日一北而萬物生，斗一北而萬物虛，斗一南而萬物盈。按日月星斗天之象，象一轉移，則萬物隨以生死，而變化之形，應於地上。以上數者，皆易之原理也。

In the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars form the "image" (xiang), while on earth, mountains, rivers, and living things take shape as "forms" (xing). Change thus manifests through these. Yang Xiong wrote in the "Tai Xuan · Xuan Chi" of the "Tai Xuan": When the sun reaches the south, all things wither and die; when the sun reaches the north, all things sprout and grow. When the handle of the Big Dipper points north, all things become empty; when it points south, all things become full. The sun, moon, stars, and constellations are all heavenly "images." When heavenly phenomena change, earthly things follow with their birth and death, and the traces of change are all reflected on the earth. All these points are the fundamental principles of the "Zhou Yi."

是故剛柔相摩，八卦相蕩。摩即交也。乾坤初爻摩成震巽，中爻摩成坎離，上爻摩成良兌，而六於以生，八卦全矣。八卦以一卦蕩八卦，而六十四卦備矣。蕩猶推也。不曰重而回蕩者，言以一卦加於此卦，復加於彼卦，有類於推蕩也。摩虞翻訓薄，薄即交也。

Therefore, the hard and the soft interact with each other, and the eight trigrams push and move each other. "Mo" means union. The first lines of the trigrams Qian and Kun intersect to form Zhen and Xun; the middle lines intersect to form Kan and Li; the top lines intersect to form Gen and Dui, thus producing the six sub-trigrams, and the eight trigrams are then complete. Then, each of the eight trigrams is used to push and move the other eight trigrams, resulting in the sixty-four trigrams being complete. "Dang" is similar in meaning to "push." Here, instead of saying "repeating trigrams," the term "dang" is used because the same trigram is added to one trigram and then to another, resembling a back-and-forth movement. Yu Fan interprets "mo" as "bo," which means approaching and uniting.

鼓之以雷霆，潤之以風雨，日月運行，一寒一暑。雷出自地，陽自下出上，故震為雷。覆之則陽在上為艮，霆自上下擊，故艮為霆。自晉宋以來，有以霆為電者，後焦循等從之，以霆為離象。豈知此四句，言六子之用，以霆為離，則與下日象復，而六子不全。故霆為電，於字畫雖有本，而在此則非也。雷霆鳴而草木甲訴，故曰鼓。陰在下為巽風，覆之則陰在上為兌雨，自上下降者也。為風則東風解凍，為雨則草木華滋，故曰潤。日南至，月北至則寒；日北至，月南至則暑。坎月離日，對象也；震艮同體，兌巽同體，正覆象也。

Heavenly Stems: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui Earthly Branches: Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai Trigrams: Qian (Heaven), Dui (Lake), Li (Fire), Zhen (Thunder), Xun (Wind), Kan (Water), Gen (Mountain), Kun (Earth) Thunder and lightning move all things, wind and rain nourish all things, the sun and moon rotate endlessly, cold and heat alternate continuously. Thunder arises from beneath the earth, and yang energy rises from below, so the trigram Zhen is taken as representing thunder. When the trigram Zhen is inverted, with a yang line at the top, it becomes Gen, and since lightning strikes downward from above, Gen is taken as representing lightning. Since the Jin and Song dynasties, some have interpreted lightning as electricity, and later Jiao Xun followed this interpretation, thus taking lightning as the image of the trigram Li. However, they did not realize that these four sentences describe the functions of the six subsidiary trigrams: Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui. If lightning is considered as Li, it would conflict with the image of "sun" mentioned later, making it impossible to complete the six subsidiary trigrams. Therefore, interpreting lightning as electricity, although supported by some dictionaries, does not fit in this context. When thunder and lightning strike, the shells of plants burst open and sprout, so it is called "drumming." A yin line at the bottom represents Xun as wind, and when inverted with a yin line at the top, it becomes Dui as rain, both descending from above. Wind brings the east wind to thaw the frozen ground, rain causes plants to flourish, so it is called "nourishing." When the sun reaches its southernmost point and the moon its northernmost point, it is winter; when the sun reaches its northernmost point and the moon its southernmost point, it is summer. Kan represents the moon, and Li represents the sun, forming a pair of complementary images. Zhen and Gen originate from the same source, and Dui and Xun also originate from the same source, forming a pair of inverted images.

乾道成男，坤道成女，乾知大始，坤作成物。乾以初爻交坤成震，中爻交坤成坎，上爻交坤成艮，以生三男，故曰成男。坤以初爻交乾成巽，中爻交乾成離，上爻交乾成兌，以生三女，故曰成女。大始謂萬物資始，成物謂萬物資生。作虞姚作化，姚云，宜作作，故從孔本。

The principles of the Trigram Qian produce masculinity, while the principles of the Trigram Kun produce femininity. Qian governs the beginning of all things, while Kun is responsible for nurturing and shaping them. Qian combines with the first line of Kun to form Zhen; with the middle line to form Kan; and with the top line to form Gen, thus producing three male trigrams, hence the statement "forming males." Similarly, Kun combines with the first line of Qian to form Xun; with the middle line to form Li; and with the top line to form Dui, thus producing three female trigrams, hence the statement "forming females." "Great beginning" refers to the statement in the Commentary on the Judgment of Qian, "All things receive their beginning." "Forming things" refers to the statement in the Commentary on the Judgment of Kun, "All things receive their growth." The character "作" is written as "化" in the Yu Fan and Yao Xin editions, but Yao Xin himself suggested it should be "作." Therefore, we follow the version used by Kong Yingda.

乾以易知，坤以簡能。易則易知，簡則易從。易知則有親，易從則有功。有親則可久，在有功則可大。可夫則賢人之德，可大則賢人之業。易簡而天下之理得矣。天下之理得，而易成位乎其中矣。釋文云，馬王肅作而易成位乎其中，他本皆無易字，茲從馬王肅本。此言乾坤之德，純一不雜，易知易從也。乾之德剛健純粹，施仁育物而已，故曰易。坤之德收嗇閉藏，順陽成事而已，故曰簡。

Heavenly Stem Qian governs creation in an easy manner, and Earthly Branch Kun supports accomplishment in a simple manner. Ease makes things recognizable, simplicity makes things followable; things that are recognizable attract people, things that are followable lead to achievements; things that attract people endure, things that lead to achievements expand. Being able to endure is the virtue of the virtuous, being able to expand is the career of the virtuous. To grasp 'easy' and 'simple', one holds the principles of the world; when one holds the principles of the world, the Zhou Changes establishes its position between heaven and earth. Lu Deming in his Classic Interpretation says that Ma Rong's version and Wang Su's version read 'and easy becomes established in the middle', while other versions do not have the character 'easy'. Here we follow Ma and Wang's versions. This passage explains that the virtues of Qian and Kun are pure and unadulterated, thus easily recognizable and followable. Qian's virtue is strong and pure, merely giving life and nurturing all things, hence called 'easy'; Kun's virtue is restrained and concealed, merely following the yang energy and completing things, hence called 'simple'.

聖人設卦觀象，繫辭焉而明吉凶，剛柔相推而生變化。古聖人仰觀俯察，象萬物萬事而畫卦，是卦者象也。故韓宣子適魯，不曰見周易，而曰易象，誠以象者易之本。伏羲既畫卦以象萬物，文王遂觀象而繫易辭，是易辭皆由象生。象而吉則辭吉，象而凶則辭凶，辭有吉凶，皆象之所命，聖人只明之而已。然則學易者，不先明卦象，而欲通其辭，是猶論布帛之良苦，而不知其質為絲桌也，可乎。乃自王弼掃象，演空理，唐宋諸儒，以其易而從之，易學遂亡矣。范寧謂其罪浮桀紂，彼實有所見，非故為苛論也。剛柔相推而生變化，如消息卦互相推蕩是也。以卦變爻變言者，失之遠矣。

The sage established the structure of hexagrams, observed their images, and attached statements to the lines to indicate fortune or misfortune. The yao, being either yang or yin, interact with each other to produce change. The ancient sages looked up to the celestial phenomena and examined the terrestrial features, imitating the forms of all things to create the hexagrams. Therefore, the hexagram itself is the "image" ("xiang"). Thus, during the Spring and Autumn period, when Han Xuanzi of the state of Jin visited Lu, he did not say he had seen the "Zhou Yi" but instead said he had seen the "Yi Xiang," because the "xiang" is the fundamental aspect of the "Zhou Yi." Fuxi had already drawn the hexagrams to imitate all things, and King Wen observed these images and attached statements to the lines of the hexagrams. Therefore, the statements of the "Zhou Yi" all originate from the images. If the image is auspicious, the statement is auspicious; if the image is inauspicious, the statement is inauspicious. The auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of the statements depends entirely on the image, and the sages merely clarified it. Therefore, those who study the "Zhou Yi" without first understanding the images and then trying to comprehend the statements of the lines are like commenting on the quality of silk and hemp cloth without knowing that its raw materials are silk and hemp. How could that be acceptable? However, since Wang Bi eliminated the images and focused solely on abstract principles, and the scholars of the Tang and Song dynasties followed him for convenience, the study of images and numbers in the "Zhou Yi" has since been lost. Fan Ning of the Jin dynasty said that Wang Bi's wrongdoing surpassed that of Jie and Zhou, and he indeed saw the core issue, not merely speaking harshly. As for the statement "the interaction of yang and yin produces change," it refers to the twelve message hexagrams interacting with each other. Those who use the terms "hexagram change" and "line change" to explain it have strayed far from the original meaning.

是故吉凶者，失得之象也；悔吝者，憂虞之象也；變化者，戀之象也；剛柔者，晝夜之象也。六支之動，三極之道也。吉則得，凶則失。知悔吝則知憂虞，知憂虞則可趨吉避凶。陽生於復，進而推陰，則萬物化生；陰生於振，退而消陽，則萬物變死。乾剛坤柔，乾大明，晝；坤黑，夜。說文，極棟也；逸雅，棟中也。陸續曰，初四下極，二五中極，三上上極。按初四即地極，二五即人極，三上即天極，故鄭注云，三極三才也。蓋陰陽者，天之極；剛柔者地之極；仁義者人之極。六爻之動，以此為法，隨時通變，不偏不畸，胥合乎中，故曰三極。

Therefore, "good fortune and misfortune" symbolize gain and loss, "regret and hardship" symbolize worry and caution, "change" symbolizes advance and retreat, and "yin and yang" symbolize day and night. The movement of the six lines represents the principles of heaven, earth, and humanity, the "three extremes." Good fortune means having gain, while misfortune means having loss. Understanding regret and hardship means understanding worry and caution, and understanding worry and caution allows one to seek good fortune and avoid misfortune. Yang energy begins to emerge in the hexagram "Fu" and advances to push away yin energy, thus enabling the transformation and growth of all things. Yin energy begins to emerge in the hexagram "Gou" and retreats backward to diminish yang energy, thus causing all things to change and eventually die. The hexagram Qian is strong and firm, while Kun is soft and yielding. The brightness of Qian is day, while the darkness of Kun is night. The "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" says that "ji" refers to the central beam of a roof, and the "Xí míng" says that the beam is in the center of the house. Lu Ji says: the first line and the fourth line are the lower extreme, the second line and the fifth line are the middle extreme, and the third line and the top line are the upper extreme. According to the initial and fourth lines being the earth extreme, the second and fifth lines being the human extreme, and the third and top lines being the heavenly extreme, Zheng Xuan's commentary says that "three extremes" refer to "three elements." In general, yin and yang are the principles of heaven, strength and softness are the principles of earth, and benevolence and righteousness are the principles of humanity. The movement of the six lines is based on these principles, adapting flexibly without bias or excess, all conforming to the middle way, hence called "three extremes."

是故君子所居而安者，易之序也；所樂而玩者，艾之辭也。是故君子居則觀其象而玩其辭，動則觀其變而玩其占，是以自天佑之，吉無不利。居安觀象，靜也。觀象玩辭，玩象辭也，所謂七八占象也。若爻動則為九六，九六觀變，而玩其爻辭以為占，故無不利也。

Therefore, the gentleman who can maintain himself and establish his destiny in peace is guided by the order shown in the Zhou Changes. What he delights in repeatedly contemplating is the line statements. Thus, when the gentleman is at leisure, he observes the hexagrams and contemplates their statements, and when he takes action, he observes the changing lines and contemplates the divination. Therefore, he receives the protection of heaven, attains auspiciousness, and finds no difficulties. Contemplating the hexagrams in quietude refers to the still aspect; observing the hexagrams and contemplating their statements involves considering the hexagrams and their statements, that is, using the unchanging numbers seven and eight to determine the hexagrams. If a line changes, it becomes nine or six; when it becomes nine or six, one must observe its transformation and contemplate the line statement of that particular line for divination, hence achieving no difficulties.

彖者言乎象者也，支者言乎變者也。吉凶者言乎其失得也，悔吝者言乎其小疵也，無咎者善補過也。是故列貴賤者存乎位，齊小大者存乎卦，辨吉凶者存乎辭，憂悔吝者存乎介，震無咎者存乎悔。是故卦有小大，辭有險易，辭也者，各指其所之。七八不變，故占彖；九六變，故占爻。吉則得，凶則失。疵，病也。凡言無咎者，原有咎也，知悔而改，則無咎矣，故日善補過。五乾位，君南面位貴；二坤位，臣北面位賤。齊，正也。陽卦大，陰卦小，卦列則大小分。例如泰小往大來，為大卦；否大往小來為小卦也。又全經陽爻一百九十二，陰爻亦一百九十二，陰陽齊等，毫無偏畸也。介音戛，介者觸也，豫六二云，介于石是也，謂心有所感觸而憂懼，能憂懼悔吝自能免也。震，懼也，棋則侮，悔則無咎。吉則辭易，凶則辭險。之，往也。

The "Tu" is about the overall image of the hexagram, while the "Line Statement" is about the movement of the lines. "Ji Xiong" refers to gain and loss, "Hui Lin" refers to minor faults, and "Wu Jiao" means being good at making up for mistakes. Therefore, the key to arranging the order of importance lies in the positions of the lines, the key to distinguishing size lies in the structure of the hexagram, the key to discerning good and bad fortune lies in the wording, and the key to worry, regret, and annoyance lies in "Jie." The key to being alarmed and cautious to avoid calamity lies in knowing regret. Therefore, hexagrams have big and small ones, and the statements have dangerous and easy ones; the so-called statements each indicate the direction they are heading. When one gets the numbers seven or eight, they remain unchanged, so they are used for the "Tu" statements; when one gets the numbers nine or six, they change, so they are used for the "Line Statements." Good fortune means gaining something, while bad fortune means losing something. "Ci" refers to a fault. Whenever it says "Wu Jiao," it originally means there was a mistake, but knowing regret and correcting it leads to no calamity, so it is said to be "good at making up for mistakes." The number five is the position of the Heaven, where the ruler faces south and sits, thus being noble; the number two is the position of the Earth, where the minister faces north and stands, thus being humble. "Qi" means to be upright. A yang hexagram is considered great, while a yin hexagram is considered small; once the hexagram is arranged, the distinction between great and small becomes clear. For example, the hexagram "Tai" says "small goes, great comes," which is a great hexagram, while the hexagram "Po" says "great goes, small comes," which is a small hexagram. Moreover, the entire book has 192 yang lines and 192 yin lines, with yin and yang perfectly balanced, neither leaning one way nor the other. "Jie" is read as "Jia," meaning to touch or provoke; the line six two of the hexagram "Yu" says "Jie Yu Shi," which means this is the meaning, indicating a mental provocation leading to worry and fear; being able to feel worry and fear naturally avoids regret and annoyance. "Zhen" means alarm and caution; being alarmed and cautious leads to knowing regret, and knowing regret leads to no calamity. The statements of good fortune are easy to understand, while those of bad fortune are difficult to understand. "Zhi" means to go towards.

辭也者各指其所之，言凡易辭，皆視其爻之所往，而定吉凶也。此有二義。一，初之四，二之五，三之上，其爻在此，而其辭往往指應爻，應爻即所之。例如蒙六三曰見金夫不有躬，指上爻象也；泰九二曰朋亡得尚于中行，指六五言。有應故所之皆利，無應則不利也。又幾言志在外、志在內者，亦指所之也。

"The words of the hexagrams each point to their respective destinations," meaning that all the textual expressions in the Zhou Yi should be understood in terms of the direction to which each line is moving, thereby determining fortune or misfortune. This includes two meanings. The first is that the first line moves toward the fourth line, the second line toward the fifth line, and the third line toward the top line; although a line is in a particular position, its expression often refers to the corresponding line it is moving toward. The responding line is the place to which it is moving. For example, in the hexagram Meng, line six three says "seeing a man of metal, not having one's own," which refers to the image of line six nine. In the hexagram Tai, line nine two says "companions are lost, but one is esteemed in the middle path," which refers to line six five. If there is a responding line, the movement is beneficial; if there is none, the movement is not beneficial. Additionally, whenever it says "the mind is outside" or "the mind is inside," it also refers to the direction of movement.

二，凡爻之所比，得類失類，所關最大。例如頤六二，前遇重陰，象傳曰行失類也；中孚六三，前亦遇陰，爻辭曰得敵，皆以陰遇陰為敵，為失類，故所之不利也。又鼎九二曰慎所之，革九三曰征凶又何之矣，皆以陽遇陽，敵剛，所之不利。繫辭指出，故曰各指其所之，餘卦類推。其第一義虞翻不知，而誤解。朱震又謂之為之卦，後獨焦循知之。其第二義訖無知者，教失類慎所之各辭，解無不誤，於是此句亦鮮得解矣。

The second layer is that whether a particular line is of the same type or different from its adjacent lines is of greatest importance. For example, in the hexagram Yi, line six in the second position, the line before it meets another yin line, and the Image Commentary says 'moving is losing the class.' In the hexagram Zhongfū, line six in the third position, the line before it also meets a yin line, and the Line Statement says 'gaining an opponent.' These are both considering meeting yin lines as forming an enemy and losing the class, hence the direction is not favorable. Another example is the hexagram Ding, line nine in the second position, which says 'be cautious about where you go,' and the hexagram Ge, line nine in the third position, which says 'going is dangerous' and 'what else can you go to?' These are both cases of meeting yang lines, which are considered as opposing the strong, hence the direction is not favorable. The Great Treatise points out this layer, saying 'each refers to where it goes,' and the rest of the hexagrams can be understood in the same way. The first layer of meaning Yu Fan did not understand, hence his interpretation was wrong; Zhu Zhen also took 'zhi' as 'the hexagram.' Later only Jiao Xun truly understood it. The second layer of meaning has always been ignored. All the expressions about 'losing the class' and 'being cautious about where you go' have never been interpreted correctly, so the sentence 'each refers to where it goes' has rarely been explained properly.

易與天地準，故能彌綸天地之道。仰以現於天文，俯以察於地理，是故知幽明之故。原始反終，故知死生之說。精氣為物，游魂為變，是故知鬼神之情狀。準同也。彌綸包絡也。幽明即陰陽。乾始於坎終於離，坤始於離終於坎，故云原始反終。始終即生死。九家云，陰陽合則生，離則死，故知死生之說。宋衷云，說舍也，蓋讀如召南召怕所說之說。鄭云，精氣謂七八，游魂謂九六。七八木火之數，九六金水之數，木火用事而物生，故曰精氣為物；金水用事而物變，故曰游魂為變。按七八生，神也；九六死，鬼也。精氣謂之神，物生所信也；游魂謂之鬼，物終所歸也。言木火之神，生物東南；金水之神，終物西北。知其情狀，故不違。

The Zhou Changes (I Ching) is equal to heaven and earth, thus it can encompass and connect the principles of heaven and earth. By looking up to observe the heavenly phenomena and looking down to examine the geographical features, one understands the reasons behind the hidden and the manifest. By investigating the origins of all things and tracing back to their endings, one understands the principles of life and death. When vital energy converges to form bodies, and the wandering souls spread out to cause changes, one understands the true nature of ghosts and spirits. "Zhen" means equality, and "milun" means to wrap and connect. "You ming" refers to yin and yang. The trigram Qian begins at the position of Kan and ends at the position of Li, while the trigram Kun begins at the position of Li and ends at the position of Kan, thus it is said "origin and end." Origin and end correspond to life and death. The Nine Schools' Commentary on the I Ching says: when yin and yang combine, there is birth; when yin and yang separate, there is death, thus one understands the theory of life and death. Song Zhong said "shuo" means "she," which is probably the same as the "shuo" in the poem "Gan Tang" from the "Zhao Nan" section of the Book of Songs, meaning "the place where Zhao Bo rested." Zheng Xuan said: "jing qi" refers to the numbers seven and eight, and "you hun" refers to the numbers nine and six. Seven and eight are the numbers of wood and fire, while nine and six are the numbers of metal and water. When wood and fire are in command, all things grow, thus it is said "jing qi becomes things." When metal and water are in command, all things change, thus it is said "you hun causes change." According to seven and eight, which govern birth, belong to the divine; nine and six, which govern death, belong to the ghosts. "Jing qi" is called the divine, which is the support for the growth of all things; "you hun" is called the ghost, which is the resting place for the end of all things. This means that the divine spirits of wood and fire are in the southeast and nurture all things, while the divine spirits of metal and water are in the northwest and conclude all things. Understanding the true nature of ghosts and spirits, one's actions naturally do not contradict the way of heaven.

與天地相似，故不違。知周乎萬物而道濟天下，故不過。旁行而不流，樂天知命故不憂。安土敦乎仁故能愛。範圍天地之化而不過，曲成萬物而不遺，通乎晝夜之道而知，故神無方而易無體。八卦盡萬物之象，故曰知周萬物。過差也。旁行九家謂指六日七分圖，以一爻值一日，一月值五卦，至歲終而周合無餘，故曰不流。流溢也。凡物皆生於二氣之中，故曰曲成萬物而不遺。乾大明晝，坤蕃閉夜，無方無體，謂周遍也。

The Zhou Changes (I Ching) is similar to heaven and earth, so it does not contradict the way of heaven and earth; its wisdom extends to all things and its principles are sufficient to help the world, so there is no error; it extends widely in all directions without overflowing, delights in heaven's way and knows one's destiny, so there is no worry or fear; it is content with its position and sincere in benevolence, so it can love others; it encompasses the creation of heaven and earth without error, thoroughly understands the nature of all things without omission, and comprehends the principles of day and night, the bright and the dark, thus being profound and without fixed place, the way of the I Ching has no fixed form. The Eight Trigrams have already exhausted the images of all things, so it is said 'knowing all things'. 'Error' refers to a mistake. The term 'running widely' is interpreted by the Nine Schools of the I Ching as referring to the hexagram qi diagram of six days and seven parts: one line corresponds to one day, five hexagrams correspond to one month, and by the end of the year it completes the cycle without remainder, thus it is said 'not overflowing'; 'overflowing' means overflowing. All things are born within the two energies of yin and yang, so it is said 'curvingly forming all things without omission'. The brightness of Qian is day, and the concealment of Kun is night; saying it has no fixed place and no form is to describe its omnipresence.

一陰一陽之謂道，繼之者善也，成之者性也。仁者見之謂之仁，知者見之謂之知，百姓日用而不知，故君子之道鮮矣。顯諸仁，藏儲用，鼓萬物而不與聖人同優，盛德大業至矣哉。富有之謂大業，日新之謂盛德，生生之謂易，成象之謂乾，效法之謂坤，極數知來之謂占，通變之謂事，陰陽不測之謂神。道無他，即一陰一陽也。繼統也。乾統天生物，故曰善；坤傾乾成物，故曰性。仁者見道，謂道為仁；知者見道，謂道為知，不免有偏。百姓顓蒙，日由其道，而不知其所以然，故能體君子之道者甚少也。道難見，見諸生物，故日顯諸仁；然不見其作為，故曰藏儲用。聖人成務故憂天下，若陰陽造化，鼓鑄萬物，無聲無臭，無方無體，故不與聖人同憂。

The alternation of yin and yang is called the Dao. To follow it is to be good, and to accomplish it is to have nature. The benevolent see benevolence in it, the wise see wisdom in it, while common people use it every day without realizing it, so few truly understand the Dao of the gentleman. The Dao is evident in the benevolent virtue that nurtures all things, yet it is hidden in its function. It moves all things without the concern of a sage, and such great virtue has reached its peak. To possess all things is called great achievement, to renew daily is called great virtue, and to continue endlessly is called the Book of Changes. When it takes form, it is called Qian (Heaven); when it follows Qian and supports, it is called Kun (Earth). To exhaust the divination numbers and foresee the future is called divination; to understand change and act accordingly is called action. The transformation of yin and yang is unpredictable, and this is called spirit. The Dao has no other content but the alternation of yin and yang. "Ji" means to lead: Qian governs the heavenly way and generates all things, so it is called "good"; Kun receives the energy of Qian and completes all things, so it is called "nature." The benevolent see the Dao and say it is benevolence; the wise see the Dao and say it is wisdom, yet both are partial. Common people are ignorant and confused, walking daily in the Dao without understanding why, so few truly practice the Dao of the gentleman. The Dao itself is hard to see, but can be seen in its nurturing of all things, so it is said "manifested in benevolence." Yet it cannot be seen in its actions, so it is said "hidden in its function." The sage seeks to accomplish deeds, thus worrying for the world; but the transformation of yin and yang shapes all things silently and without smell, without form or substance, so it does not share the concern of the sage.

盛德謂天，大業謂地。物無不備，故曰富有；變化不息，故曰日新。陽極生陰，陰極生陽，轉相生，故曰生生之謂易。乾三畫象三才，故曰成象；坤效乾而兩之，故曰效法。生數極於五，成數極於十，故大衍之數五十。及其揲著也，只用四十有九，參天兩地，循環往復，然後得此七九八六之數，故曰極數。數極然後理盡，理盡然後能知來，占得其吉凶也。陰陽鼓萬物，萬物不覺知，故曰不測，曰神。

"Shengde" refers to Heaven, and "daiye" refers to Earth. All things are fully present, so it is called "fuguo" (rich and abundant); changes never cease, so it is called "rinxin" (ever new). When yang reaches its extreme, yin arises; when yin reaches its extreme, yang arises, alternating in mutual generation, so it is said "shengsheng zhi wei yi" (the continuous generation of life is called the Book of Changes). The trigram Qian, with three lines, imitates Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, so it is called "chengxiang" (forming images); the trigram Kun follows Qian and divides each line into two parts, so it is called "xiaofa" (emulating). The generating numbers reach their peak at five, and the forming numbers reach their peak at ten, so the "dayan zhi shu" (great derivation number) is fixed at fifty. When actually using the yarrow stalks, only forty-nine are used, following the principle of "canti liedi" (three for Heaven, two for Earth), repeatedly cycling through to derive the numbers seven, nine, eight, and six, so it is called "jishu" (extreme number). When numbers reach their extreme, principles are fully understood; when principles are fully understood, one can foresee the future and determine fortune and misfortune. Yin and yang stir the myriad things, yet the things themselves are unaware, so it is called "buce" (unpredictable) and "shen" (divine).

夫易廣矣大矣，以言乎遠則不御，以言乎邇則靜而正，以言乎天地之間則備矣。夫乾，其靜也專，其動也直，是以大生焉。夫坤，其靜也翕，其動也關，是以廣生焉。廣大配天地，變通配四時，陰陽之義配日月，易簡之善配至德。遠謂乾天，邇謂坤地。復陽動北，南行推陰，左傳謂之射，故曰其動也直，直故大。垢（左女）陰動下，下虛，虛則能容，故曰其動也闢，闢故廣。乾坤配天地，乾坤交成震兌離坎，故變通配四時。荀爽云，乾舍於離，同日而居；坤舍於坎，同月而居，故陰陽配日月。

The way of the Zhou Changes is truly vast and profound: in the distant, it reaches everywhere; in the near, it is quiet and upright; in the space between heaven and earth, it is complete in all things. When Qian is still, it is concentrated and fixed; when it moves, it is direct and unswerving, thus producing the concept of "greatness." When Kun is still, it is reclusive and closed; when it moves, it is expansive and spreading out, thus producing the concept of "broadness." Its vastness matches heaven and earth, its change and adaptability match the four seasons, its yin and yang correspond to the sun and moon, and its simplicity and goodness correspond to the highest virtue. "Far" refers to Qian (Heaven), and "near" refers to Kun (Earth). The hexagram Fu has one yang line emerging from the north, pushing southward the yin energy. The Zuo Zhuan refers to this straight movement as "shooting," thus saying "its movement is direct," and directness enables greatness. The hexagram Gou has one yin line emerging from below, with the lower part empty, which allows for containment, thus saying "its movement is expansive," and expansion enables breadth. Qian and Kun correspond to heaven and earth; when Qian and Kun interact, they generate Zhen, Dui, Li, and Kan, thus change and adaptability correspond to the four seasons. Xun Shuang said: Qian resides in Li, sharing the place of the sun; Kun resides in Kan, sharing the place of the moon, thus yin and yang correspond to the sun and moon.

子曰，易其至矣乎。夫易，聖人所以崇德而廣業也。知崇禮卑，崇效天，卑法地。天地設位，而易行乎其中矣。成性存存，道義之斗。知謂乾效天崇，禮謂坤法地卑。上天下地中間人，故易行乎其中。乾為道，坤為義，出乾人坤，故道義為乾坤之門戶。乾成始，坤成終，成之者性也，往來循環，無或間斷，故曰成性存存。

Confucius said: The Zhou Changes is perhaps the highest. The Zhou Changes is used by the sages to cultivate virtue and expand their undertakings. Wisdom should be lofty, and propriety should be humble; loftiness follows the pattern of Heaven, humility follows the pattern of Earth. When the positions above and below Heaven and Earth are determined, the Way of the Changes begins to operate. To realize one's nature and preserve it without loss is the gateway to the Way. "Knowing" refers to Qian following Heaven and being lofty, "propriety" refers to Kun following Earth and being humble. Above is Heaven, below is Earth, and in the middle is humanity, so the Way of the Changes operates within them. Qian represents the Way, and Kun represents righteousness; from Qian to Kun, the Way and righteousness are the gateways. Qian brings about the beginning of all things, and Kun brings about their completion. "The one who completes things is nature," and the cycle continues without interruption, so it is said "realizing nature and preserving it."

聖人有以見天下之賾，而擬諸其形容，象其物宜，是故謂之象。聖人有以見天下之動，而觀其會通，以行其曲禮，緊辭焉以斷其吉凶，是故謂之爻。言天下之至賾而不可亂也，言天下之至動而不可亂也。擬之而後言，議之而後動，擬議以成其變化。

The sage has the ability to perceive the most complex matters in the world, so he imitates their forms and appearances, symbolizing the appropriate categories for each, thus calling it "Xiang." The sage also has the ability to observe the changes of all things in the world, so he examines their points of convergence and connection, using them to establish rituals and regulations, and attaching words to judge auspiciousness and misfortune, thus calling it "Yao." It comprehends all the most complex matters without appearing chaotic, and all the most varied changes without seeming confused. First imitate, then speak; first deliberate, then act. Relying on imitation and deliberation, it achieves the myriad transformations.

議之而後動，釋文鄭姚桓玄荀柔之皆作儀之。按釋名，儀宜也。漢書外戚傳，皆心儀霍將軍女，作儀義味實深長。但下文云擬議以成其變化，承上文言，鄭玄等上作儀，下又作議，非。又按惡荀讀作亞，亞次也。按惡亞古同字，史記廬絡傳孫綰他人，封為亞谷侯，漢書作惡谷。又語林，有得漢印者，文曰周惡夫，劉原父謂即周亞夫印。而噴與賾通。左傳定四年，會同難，噴有煩言，注噴至也，疏至於會時，有煩亂忿爭之言，然則噴有煩亂意。言天下之至噴而不可亞者，即言天下之物，至為繁賾雜亂，而難以次第也。

"The phrase 'discuss and then act' is discussed in the 'Classic Interpretation Commentary' which states that Zheng Xuan, Yao Xin, Huan Xuan, and Xun Rouzhi all wrote it as 'yi zhi'. According to 'Explanation of Names', 'yi' means 'appropriate'; the 'Book of Han, External Kinship Biography' mentions 'all hearts were inclined towards General Ho's daughter', written as 'yi' implies a deeper meaning. However, the following text says 'proposing and deliberating to bring about change', which is a continuation of the previous statement. Zheng Xuan and others used 'yi' in the previous sentence and 'yi' again in the next, which is inconsistent and inappropriate. Moreover, according to the reading of Xun Shuang, the character 'wu' is pronounced as 'ya', meaning 'sequence' or 'order'. The characters 'wu' and 'ya' were originally the same in ancient times: in the 'Records of the Grand Historian, Lu Wan's Biography', Sun Wan's son was granted the title 'Ya Gu侯', but the 'Book of Han' writes it as 'wu Gu'. The 'Analects of the Forest' also records that someone found a Han seal with the inscription 'Zhou Wu Fu', and Liu Chang thought it was the seal of Zhou Ya Fu. The character 'ze' is also related to 'ya'. In the 'Zuo Zhuan', Duke Ding's fourth year, it records a meeting and alliance, saying 'difficulties in the meeting, ze has many words', Du Yu's annotation says 'ze' means 'to reach', Kong Yingda's commentary explains that at the time of the meeting, there were many confused and quarrelsome words, showing that 'ze' contains the meaning of confusion. The phrase 'speaking of the most intricate and complex matters in the world which cannot be ordered' means that the affairs of the world are extremely complicated and chaotic, making it difficult to arrange them in order."

鳴鶴在陰，其子和之。我有好爵，吾與爾靡之。子曰，君子居其室，出其言善，則千里之外應之，況其邇者乎。居其實，出其言不善，則千里之外連之，況其邇其手。言出乎身力，乎民。行發乎邇見乎遠。言行君子之樞機，樞機之發，榮辱之主也。言行君子之所以動天地也，可不慎平。中孚二至四互震，震為言為善。三至五震反，若相和答者，故曰應之。震為善，三至五震覆，故曰不善。震覆為艮，正與震相反，故曰違之。艮為裡，震為千萬，故曰千里。艮為君子，一為居為室。樞戶樞也，主閉；機弩牙也，主發動。艮為樞，震為機。

"The cry of a crane in the shade, its young respond in harmony. I have a good cup of wine, I will share it with you." Confucius said: A gentleman resides in his own house. If his words are good, they will be responded to even a thousand miles away; how much more so those nearby? If his words are not good, they will be rejected even a thousand miles away; how much more so those nearby? Words originate from oneself and affect the people; actions begin nearby and are seen far away. Words and deeds are the pivot of a gentleman. Once the pivot moves, honor and disgrace are determined. Words and deeds are the things by which a gentleman moves heaven and earth; how can they not be cautious? The second to fourth lines of the Zhongfu hexagram form the trigram Zhen, which symbolizes words and goodness. The third to fifth lines are an inverted Zhen, resembling mutual response and reply, so it is said "response." Zhen represents goodness, but the inverted Zhen in the third to fifth lines is Fu Zhen, so it is said "not good." When Zhen is inverted, it becomes Gen, which is opposite to Zhen, so it is said "rejection." Gen represents the neighborhood, and also represents numbers in the thousands, so it is said "a thousand miles." Gen represents the gentleman, as well as residence and house. "Shu" is the door hinge, responsible for closing; "ji" is the trigger of a crossbow, responsible for shooting. Gen is the shu, Zhen is the ji.

同人先號兆（左口）而後笑。子曰，君子之道，或出或處，或默或語。二人同心，其利斷金；同心之言，其臭如蘭。此明同人九五爻辭。同人旁通師，乾為君子為道，故曰君子之道。師震為出，為語；坤為默；同人互巽為處，故曰或出或處，或默或語。九五與六二應，伏坎為心，故曰二人同心。巽為利，乾為金，離斷金，故曰其利斷金。乾為言，巽為奧為蘭，故曰同心之言，其臭如蘭。

"The same people first weep and then laugh." Confucius said: The path of a gentleman in the world is either to take office, or to retreat, or to be silent, or to speak. When two hearts are in harmony, their sharpness is sufficient to cut through metal. The words spoken with the same mind have a fragrance like orchids. This is an explanation of the line statement of the fifth line of the Hexagram of Fellowship. The Hexagram of Fellowship is in mutual relationship with the Hexagram of Military Campaign. The trigram Qian represents the gentleman and the way, so it says "the way of the gentleman." In the Hexagram of Military Campaign, the trigram Zhen represents movement and speech, and the trigram Kun represents silence. In the Hexagram of Fellowship, the interacting trigram Xun represents retreat, so it says "either to take office or to retreat, either to be silent or to speak." The fifth line and the second line correspond, with the hidden trigram Kan representing the heart, so it says "two hearts in harmony." The trigram Xun represents sharpness, Qian represents metal, and Li can cut through metal, so it says "its sharpness can cut through metal." The trigram Qian represents speech, and Xun represents fragrance and orchids, so it says "words spoken with the same mind have a fragrance like orchids."

初六藉用白茅無咎。子曰，苟錯諸地而可矣，藉之用茅，何咎之有，慎之至也。夫茅之為物薄，而用可重也，慎斯術也以往，其無所失矣。此大過初六爻辭。錯置也。巽為茅，在下故曰錯諸地，曰藉。茅之為物雖薄，然香潔可薦於宗廟，用以縮酒，其重為何如哉。術道也，言持此卑退謹慎之道，則悔吝不生，而無所失也。

"The first line, 'At the beginning, using white reed grass to place things, there is no blame.' Confucius said: Originally, placing things on the ground is enough; why use white reed grass to pad them? How could there be any fault? This is the extreme of caution. Reed grass itself is very lowly, yet its use can be of great importance. If this cautious approach is carried through, there will be no mistakes. This is the line statement of the first line of the Great Excess hexagram. 'Err' means to place. Xun represents reed grass, located at the lower trigram, so it is said 'to place on the ground,' and 'to pad.' Although reed grass is lowly, it is fragrant and clean, suitable for offering in ancestral temples and for filtering wine to remove impurities; its function is indeed very important. 'Method' refers to the way or principle. It means adhering to this humble and cautious attitude in action, so that regret and misfortune will not arise, and there will be no mistakes."

勞謙君子有終吉。子曰，勞而不伐，有功而不德，厚之至也，語以其功下人者也。德言盛，禮言恭，謙也者，致功以存其位者也。釋謙九三爻義。坎為勞，震為言語，為功，艮為位。亢龍有悔。子曰，貴而無位，高而無民，賢人在下位而無輔，是以動而有悔也。釋乾上九。

"Working diligently without boasting, achieving success without claiming virtue, this represents the utmost sincerity and humility. It means taking one's accomplishments but willingly placing oneself below others. In terms of virtue, it should be grand; in terms of etiquette, it should be respectful. Humility is about completing one's deeds while maintaining one's position. This passage explains the meaning of the ninth line in the third position of the 'Gentle' hexagram. The trigram Kan represents labor and hardship, Zhen represents speech and achievements, and Gen represents rank and position. 'The dragon soaring high brings regret.' Confucius said: holding a high position without actual authority, residing at the top without the people, with virtuous individuals below and no one to assist, thus any action would lead to regret. This passage explains the meaning of the ninth line at the top of the 'Sky' hexagram."

不出戶庭，無咎。子曰，亂之所生也，則言語以為階。君不密則失巨，臣不密則失身，凡事不密則害成，是以君子慎密而不出也。節初九爻辭。節二至五亦正反震，故曰言語。而兌為口舌，二至四震言，三至五如言而反，故曰不密。震為君，艮為臣，為身，兌毀折，故曰失，曰害。升九五云升階，以震為階也，故曰言語以為階。艮為慎密。此與上中孚節，皆演正覆象，而注家無知者。

"The door is not left, there is no blame." Confucius said: calamity arises from taking words as a step. If a ruler is not cautious in secrecy, he will lose his ministers; if a minister is not cautious in secrecy, he will lose his life; if anything is not cautious in secrecy, it will lead to disaster. Therefore, the gentleman is cautious and silent, not speaking lightly. This is the line statement of the first line of the "Gai" hexagram. The second to fifth lines of the "Gai" hexagram also form one positive and one inverted "Zhen" trigram, so it is said "words"; and "Dui" represents mouth and tongue, the second to fourth lines are the positive "Zhen" trigram, which is the main speaker, while the third to fifth lines are the inverted "Zhen" trigram, like speaking and then regretting, so it is said "not being secret." "Zhen" represents the ruler, "Gen" represents the minister and the body, "Dui" represents destruction, so it is said "loss," said "harm." The "Sheng" hexagram's ninth line at the fifth says "ascending steps," which is using "Zhen" as a step, so here it is said "words as a step." "Gen" represents being cautious and silent. This section and the previous one on "Zhongfou" are both explaining the positive and inverted images, but no commentator has ever understood this.

子曰，作易者其知盜乎。易曰負且乘，致寇至。負也者小人之事也，乘也者君子之器也，小人而乘君子之器，盜思奪之矣。上慢下暴，盜思伐之矣。慢藏誨盜，冶容誨淫。易曰負且來，致寇至，盜之招也。解六三爻辭。坎為盜，為寇；艮為背，故為負；上卦震為覆艮，故曰負。坎為車，六三下據坎，故曰負且乘。古在上之君子，方得乘車，故曰君子之器；若負戴則小人之事也。今而乘車，是君子也，乃又負戴，是以君子而行小人之事，故致寇至。震為言，故曰誨。

Confucius said: The person who composed the Zhou Changes must have understood the psychology of thieves. The Book of Changes says, "Carrying burdens and riding in a carriage, thieves will come." Carrying burdens is the work of a petty person, while riding in a carriage is the tool of a gentleman. A petty person now rides in a gentleman's carriage, so thieves will come to seize his belongings. If those in authority are lazy and those below are cruel, thieves will come to attack them. If one is careless in guarding property, it is as if one is teaching others to steal; if one is dressed in a seductive manner, it is as if one is inviting others to commit lustful acts. The Book of Changes says, "Carrying burdens and riding in a carriage, thieves will come," which is a case of one inviting thieves. This is the line statement of the sixth line in the third position of the Xie hexagram. The Kan trigram represents thieves and bandits; the Gen trigram represents the back, so it takes the image of "carrying on the back." The upper trigram Zhen is an inverted Gen, so it is said to be "carrying." The Kan trigram represents a carriage, and the sixth line in the third position is located below the Kan, so it is said to be "carrying and riding." In ancient times, only those in superior positions could ride in carriages, so it is said "the tool of a gentleman." Shouldering and carrying burdens, however, is the work of petty persons. Now that one is riding in a carriage, one is a gentleman, yet one is still carrying burdens, which is using the status of a gentleman to perform the work of a petty person, thus inviting thieves. The Zhen trigram represents speech, so it is said "teaching."

於鬯云，招者射之的也。呂氏春秋本生紀云，萬人操弓，共射其一招，高注云，招墩的也。又盡數紀云，射而不中，反攸於招，注，反修其標的，畢校云，招一作的。按的的同，說卦的顙，說文作的顙，是其證。面的古音勺，與招聲近，故通用。盜之招即盜之的，言負且乘與盜以的也。虞翻命二變成艮，取艮手釋招義，非。冶，釋文鄭陸虞姚作野，言妖野容儀。愚謂冶野音義並同，故通用。漢學家必謂野是，非也。

Yu Chang said, "ZhaO" means the target of an archer. The "Ben Sheng" section of the "Lüshi Chunqiu" says, "Ten thousand people hold bows and shoot at one ZhaO," and Gao Yu's commentary explains that "ZhaO" refers to the target. The "Shu Nu" section says, "If one shoots and misses, he should return to correct his ZhaO," and the commentary explains that this means returning to correct one's own target. Bi Yuan's collation notes that in some versions, "ZhaO" is written as "De." According to the original pronunciation, "De" and "Ní" were once the same character. The "Shuo Gua Zhuan" writes "De Sang," while the "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" writes "Ní Sang," which is clear evidence. The ancient pronunciation of "De" was similar to "Shao," so the two characters were interchangeable. "Dao ZhaO" means "Dao De," meaning to carry goods while riding a carriage, which is equivalent to setting up a target for thieves. Yu Fan's explanation that the sixth line in the third position changes to Gen, taking Gen as the hand to explain "ZhaO" as waving the hand is incorrect. The character "Yě," according to the "Jingdian Xishu," is written as "Ye" in the versions of Zheng Xuan, Lu Ji, Yu Fan, and Yao Xin. It refers to a wild and alluring appearance. I believe that "Yě" and "Ye" have the same sound and meaning, so they can be used interchangeably. If Han scholars insist that it must be "Ye," then that is incorrect.

大衍之數五十，其用四十有九。分而為二以象兩，卦一以象三，揲之以四以象四時，歸奇於力力（左手）以象閏，五歲再闖，故再而後卦。此言煤蓍之法，並用數之根本也。凡占必極數，方能知來。五者生數之極，不能再生。又一二三四五五數皆無偶，於是由五加一為六，以與一偶；加二為七，以與二偶；加三為八，以與三偶；加四為九，以與四偶；加五為十，以與五偶。故十者成數之極，不能再加。衍鄭云演也，乾雲合也，蜀才云廣也。五十既為極數，故大衍以此為本也。

The number of "Great Transformation" is fifty, but only forty-nine stalks of yarrow are actually used. First, they are randomly divided into two groups, symbolizing the two principles of Heaven and Earth. Then one stalk is taken out and hung aside, symbolizing the three elements of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. Next, the stalks are counted in groups of four, symbolizing the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The remaining stalks are placed between the fingers, symbolizing the leap month. Since there are two leap months in five years, the process of placing the remaining stalks between the fingers is repeated twice to form one line of the hexagram. This passage explains the method of divination using yarrow stalks, as well as the fundamental principles of using numbers. Any divination must push the numbers to their extreme to foresee the future. Five is the peak of the "primary numbers" and cannot be further generated. Moreover, the numbers one, two, three, four, and five do not have corresponding pairs. Therefore, adding one to five gives six, which pairs with one; adding two gives seven, which pairs with two; adding three gives eight, which pairs with three; adding four gives nine, which pairs with four; and adding five gives ten, which pairs with five. Thus, ten is the peak of the "completed numbers" and cannot be further added. The character "衍" is interpreted by Zheng Xuan as "deduction and inference," by Gan Bao as "convergence," and by Shu Cai as "vastness." Since fifty is the extreme number, "Great Transformation" takes it as its foundation.

太玄玄圖云，一與六共宗，二與七共朋，三與八成友，四與九同道，五與五相守，正五十也。孔子曰五十以學易，正謂此也。然五十居生數成數之極，極則窮故不用之，用五十之次數四九。由四十九方能衍出六七八九，然六七八九之生，仍由於一二三四。虛一用一也，分二用二也，掛一用三也，象四用四也。揲餘不一則二，不三則四，本一二三四，衍出六七八九。而六七八九，無不含五，十仍五也，非果不用也，此所以為大衍也。

Yang Xiong's "Tai Xuan · Xuan Tu" says: One and six share the same origin, two and seven are companions, three and eight are friends, four and nine are on the same path, and five and five remain together—these numbers add up to fifty. Confucius said, "At fifty one begins to study the Book of Changes," referring precisely to this number. However, fifty is at the peak of the generated numbers and the completed numbers, and when one reaches the peak, it is exhausted, so it is not used. Instead, the number forty-nine, which is one less than fifty, is used. From forty-nine, one can derive six, seven, eight, and nine; yet the origin of six, seven, eight, and nine still depends on one, two, three, and four. Leaving one uncounted is using "one"; dividing into two groups is using "two"; hanging up one is using "three"; counting in groups of four is using "four." Each time counting, the remainder is either one or two, or three or four, based on one, two, three, and four, from which six, seven, eight, and nine are derived; and within six, seven, eight, and nine, there is always five. The "ten" is actually five, not truly discarded. This is the meaning of the term "da yan."

象兩者天地也。掛一者，別以一策掛於左手之小指。象三者三才也。揲之以四，謂每揲四策，一策象一時也。奇者揲餘之策，虞翻云，不一則二，不三則四也。力（左手）馬云指間，范望云，並之於兩手指間。歸奇於力（左手）者，言將揲左揲右之所餘，並掛一，統歸於兩小指間，以為一力（左手），即一變也。一變既已，將過揲之策合之，如式再分掛諜，併力（左手）之於次小指間，以為二變。二變既已，仍公正策，如式再分掛揲，併力（左手）之於有三指間，閃為三變，故曰再力（左手）。再者相續之詞，至三力（左手）則卦矣，故不言三力（左手）。

"The 'two images' symbolize Heaven and Earth. 'To hang one' means to take another stalk of yarrow and hang it on the tip of the left little finger. 'The three images' symbolize the three elements of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. 'To count by fours' means to count the stalks in groups of four each time, with each stalk representing a season. 'The odd number' refers to the remaining stalks after counting. Yu Fan says that it is either one or two, or three or four. The term 'tuo' is explained by Ma Rong as the space between fingers, while Fan Wang says it refers to pinching the stalks between two fingers. 'To return the odd stalks to the tuo' means to gather the leftover stalks from the left and right hands, along with the one previously hung on the left little finger, and place them between the tips of the left little finger and the next finger, forming one 'tuo,' which completes one 'change.' After completing one change, the counted stalks are gathered again and the process is repeated: dividing, hanging, and counting again, with the leftovers placed between the next finger, forming the second 'tuo.' After the second change, the stalks are gathered again and the process is repeated once more, with the leftovers placed between the third finger, forming the third 'tuo.' The term 'again' indicates a continuation; when the third 'tuo' is formed, the lines are drawn, so it is not called 'third tuo.'"

三變既畢，視每變所餘策數，少則四，多則八。如三變皆少數，則三四十二策，合掛十一策，共十三策，則正策為三十六，四數之得九，賈公彥周禮太卜疏所謂三少為重，為九，為老陽也。如三變比多數，則三八二十四策，合掛一共二十五策，則正策為二十四，四數之得六，賈公彥所謂三多為交，為六，為老陰也。

After three transformations, look at the number of remaining yarrow stalks for each transformation: the smaller number is four, and the larger number is eight. If all three transformations are small, then three fours make twelve, plus the one hanging stick, totaling thirteen. The main bundle of yarrow stalks then has thirty-six remaining, and dividing by four gives nine, which is what Jia Gongyan said in his commentary on the "Rites of Zhou · Tai Bu" regarding "three smalls" resulting in nine, which is "old yang." If all three transformations are large, then three eights make twenty-four, plus the one hanging stick, totaling twenty-five. The main bundle then has twenty-four remaining, and dividing by four gives six, which is what Jia Gongyan said regarding "three larges" resulting in six, which is "old yin."

如三變兩多一少，則為二十策，合掛一共二十一策，則正策為二十八，四數之得七，賈公彥所謂兩多一少為單，為七，為少陽也。如三變兩少一多，則十六策，合掛一共十七策，則正策為三個二，四數之得八，賈公彥所謂兩少一多為拆，為八，為少陰也。

If among the three transformations there are two instances of many and one of few, leaving a total of twenty remaining sticks, and adding the one hanging stick makes twenty-one, then the remaining main sticks are twenty-eight. Dividing by four gives seven, which is what Jia Gongyan referred to as 'two many and one few as single,' resulting in seven, which is 'Less Yang.' If among the three transformations there are two instances of few and one of many, leaving a total of sixteen remaining sticks, and adding the one hanging stick makes seventeen, then the remaining main sticks are thirty-two. Dividing by four gives eight, which is what Jia Gongyan referred to as 'two few and one many as split,' resulting in eight, which is 'Less Yin.'

求七八九六之法既得，三變後視所得而畫於版，故曰再力（左手）而後卦。卦者掛也，說文掛畫也，言畫其所得之一爻於版也。閏者一歲之餘，左傳文元年，履端於始，歸餘於終，歸餘於終，與歸奇於力（左手）同也。每月必有閏，至年終而計其餘，大率一年閏十日。每揲必有奇，至一變終而並歸於力（左手）。天時積至五歲，約盈五十餘日，閏二月以為結束。

The method for obtaining the numbers seven, eight, nine, and six has now been understood. After three changes, the obtained numbers are used to draw the lines on the wooden tablet, hence it is said, "After handling the remainder, the hexagram is formed." "Guà" means "to hang," as explained in the "Shuo Wen Jie Zi," which states that "guà" refers to making marks, meaning drawing the obtained line on the tablet. "Rùn" refers to the extra days in a year. The "Zuo Zhuan" mentions in the first year of Wen Gong that "begin with the beginning and return the excess at the end," and "returning the excess at the end" is the same principle as "returning the remainder to the handle." Each month has some excess, and by the end of the year, these excesses are totaled, approximately adding ten days to a year. Each time one divines with yarrow stalks, there is some remainder, and at the end of one change, these remainders are combined into the handle. The excess from the heavenly time accumulates over five years, approximately adding fifty days, hence two months are added as a leap month to conclude.

揲蓍力（左手）一變之餘，二變之餘，至第三變再力（左手）之，併合前力（左手），總計其數，視所得而畫出一爻，以為結束，故曰再而後卦也。虞氏云，初力（左手）掛於小指間，再力（左手）掛於次小指間，三力（左手）掛於第三指間。必掛於指間者，須知古人多立筮，又無高几憑撫，以存放蓍策，故必暫掛於指間，以待三變之終也。

When divining with yarrow stalks, the leftover stalks from the first change are held between the fingers, then the leftover stalks from the second change are also held between the fingers, and finally, after the third change, the leftover stalks are held between the fingers once more. These are combined with the previous two sets, and the total number is used to draw one line, completing one round of divination. This is why it is said, "After taking the leftover stalks again, the hexagram is formed." Yu Fan said: the first set of leftover stalks is held between the little finger, the second between the next finger, and the third between the third finger. Why must they be held between the fingers? It is because ancient people mostly divined while standing, and there were no high tables to rest the yarrow stalks on. Therefore, they had to temporarily hold the stalks between their fingers, waiting until the three changes were completed.

卦從京氏，實虞氏曰，則布掛之一爻，虞亦作卦，掛字皆後人妄改。卦掛本通，孔疏引易緯云，卦者掛也，言懸掛物象以示人也。而掛與掛尤通，惟掛為後出之字，故每以卦訛掛。求爻之法，至再力（左手）而後卦已畢。後人誤以揲左為初，揲右為再力（左手），因疑卦為二變之掛一，改卦為掛。誠如是，是求爻之法未竣也，未竣人胡能明。且揲半不能謂為一力（左手）謂為一力（左手），則一變終也。

The character 「卦」 follows Jing Fang's version. In fact, Yu Fan said 「then the one line is hung」, and the Yu edition also wrote it as 「卦」. Those places where it was written as 「挂」 were later alterations by others. 「卦」 and 「挂」 were originally interchangeable. Kong Yingda's commentary cites the "Yi Wei" saying 「卦 means to hang」, meaning to hang up the image of things for people to see. 「挂」 and 「掛」 are especially interchangeable, but since 「掛」 is a later character, 「卦」 is often mistakenly written as 「挂」. The process of seeking a yao is completed at 「again handling and then hanging」. Later people mistakenly thought that counting the pile in the left hand was the first time, and counting the pile in the right hand was the second time of handling and hanging, thus doubting that 「卦」 refers to the 「hang one」 in the second change, and changed 「卦」 to 「挂」. If this were true, the process of seeking a yao would not yet be complete. If the process is not complete, how could one determine the yao? Moreover, only counting half of it cannot be considered one 「扐」; since it is called one 「扐」, this indicates that one change has already been completed.

天數五，地數五，五位相得而各有合。天數二十有五，地數三十，凡天地之數五十有五，此所以成變化而行鬼神也。子曰，知變化之道者，其知神之所為乎。易有聖人之道四焉，以言者尚其辭，以動者尚其變，以制器者尚其象，以卜筮者尚其占。是故君子將有為也，將有行也，問焉而以言，其受命也如晌，無有遠近幽深，遂知來物。非天下之至精，孰能與於此。

Heavenly numbers consist of five, and earthly numbers also consist of five. These five sets of numbers are paired together and each has its corresponding combination. The total of heavenly numbers is twenty-five, and the total of earthly numbers is thirty. Altogether, the numbers of heaven and earth amount to fifty-five. Change is thus completed, and ghosts and spirits thus operate. Confucius said: Those who understand the principle of change probably also understand the workings of the divine. The Book of Changes contains four aspects of the sage's way: those who discuss principles value its words, those who act value its change, those who make objects value its hexagrams, and those who divinate value its judgments. Therefore, when a gentleman is about to take action or do something, he consults the Book of Changes and seeks guidance through words. It responds to inquiries swiftly, like an echo, and whether the matter is far or near, deep or shallow, it can immediately know what will happen in the future. If it is not the most subtle thing in the world, who could achieve this?

以上言易之神。釋文，晌亦作響，朱子云，晌古文響字，言易受筮者之命，如響之應聲，而告以來物之吉凶也。參伍以變，錯綜其數，通其變，遂成天地之交，極其數，遂定天下之象。非天下之至變，其孰能與於此。爻數至三，內卦終矣，故曰必變，乾四雲乾道乃革是也，此從三才而言也。若從五行言，至五而盈，故過五必變，乾上有悔，泰上城復于隍是也，故曰三五以變。

The above passage explains the mysterious nature of the Zhou Yi. The Classic Interpretations says that "shang" can also be written as "xiang," and Zhu Xi says "shang" is the ancient form of "xiang." This means that the Zhou Yi accepts questions from diviners about fate, responding like an echo to a sound, informing them of future fortune or misfortune. Through the intermingling and interaction of elements, the numbers are combined, the changes are integrated, and thus the union of heaven and earth is achieved. By exhausting the numbers, the forms of all things under heaven are determined. If it is not the most changeable thing in the world, who could achieve this? When the yao positions reach the third, the inner trigram is completed, so it must change. The line "The way of Qian is to change" in the Qian hexagram expresses this meaning, which is explained from the perspective of the three elements. If explained from the perspective of the Five Phases, when it reaches the fifth position, it is full, so after five it must change. The line "The city returns to the moat" in the Tai hexagram is an example. Therefore, it is said "three and five change."

一二三四，與六七八九同，而陰陽則異，故一與六相錯，二與七相錯，三與人相錯，四與九相錯。綜者來往上下也。數至三而終，終則復始，故三變成一爻；至五而盈，盈則返初，五加一為六，加二為七，加三為八，加四為九，故曰錯綜其數。錯則陰數與陽數相合，相得，故曰成天地之交；綜則陰陽往復，循環不窮，而四象以出。此明易用六七八九之所以然。古今說此者，人執一辭，旋無定解，姑申其本原如此。

The numbers one, two, three, and four belong to the same series as six, seven, eight, and nine, but they differ in their yin and yang attributes. Therefore, one corresponds with six, two with seven, three with eight, and four with nine. "Zong" means to go back and forth, up and down. When counting to three, it reaches the end, and at the end, it begins again, so three changes form one line. When counting to five, it becomes full, and when full, it returns to the beginning. Adding one to five gives six, adding two gives seven, adding three gives eight, and adding four gives nine. This is why it is said "to err and to zong its numbers." "Cuo" means that yin and yang numbers complement each other and harmonize with each other, thus forming the union of heaven and earth. "Zong" means the continuous alternation of yin and yang, which never ends, and from this the four images are produced. This explains why the Zhou Changes uses the numbers six, seven, eight, and nine. Throughout history, those who have explained this passage have each held their own views, and there has never been a definitive conclusion. Here, I will briefly explain its original meaning as above.

易無思也，無為也，寂然不動，感而遂通天下之故。非天下之至神，其孰能與於此。夫易，聖人之所以極深而研幾也。惟深也故能成天下之志，唯幾也故能成天下之務，唯神也故不疾而速，不行而至。子曰，易有聖人之道四焉者，此之謂也。四謂尚辭尚變尚象尚占。

The Zhou Changes themselves have no thoughts or actions, remain still and silent, and once they are responded to, they connect with all things in the world. If it is not the most mysterious thing in the world, who could achieve this? The Zhou Changes are used by the sages to explore the profound and examine the subtle. Because it is profound, it can connect with the aspirations of people throughout the world; because it is subtle, it can accomplish the affairs of the world; because it is mysterious, it does not rush yet naturally moves swiftly, does not move yet naturally reaches its destination. Confucius said, "The Zhou Changes contain four aspects of the sage's way," referring to these. The four aspects are emphasizing words, emphasizing change, emphasizing hexagrams, and emphasizing divination.

天一地二，天三地四，天五地六，天七地八，天九地十。子曰，夫易何為而作也，夫易開物成務，冒天下之道，如斯而已者也。如斯而已者，言易道盡包括於十數之中也。本義從程氏，置於大衍章之前固謬妄；即據漢書置於天數五之上，仍未得也。如在彼處，則冒天下之道如斯而已數語，尚何指哉。須知如斯二字，即指天地數。

Heavenly numbers are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten. Confucius said: "What is the purpose of the Zhou Changes?" The Zhou Changes are a book that opens up all things and accomplishes all affairs, encompassing all the principles under heaven. This is all that can be said. The phrase "this is all that can be said" means that the principles of the Book of Changes are entirely contained within these ten numbers. Zhu Xi's "Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes" follows Cheng Yi's approach, moving this passage before the "Great Derivation" section, which is clearly wrong. Even if one follows the Han Shu and places it above the section "Heavenly number five," it is still inappropriate. If placed there, what would the words "encompassing all the principles under heaven, this is all that can be said" refer to? One must know that the two characters "like this" refer precisely to the numbers of heaven and earth above.

是故聖人以通天下之志，以定天下之業，以斷天下之疑。是故蓍之德國而神，卦之德方以知，六支之義易以貢。聖人以此洗，石經作先，諸家訓先為盡，實先洗古通用，莊子德充符不知先生之洗我以善邪，與此洗義同。心退藏於密，吉凶與民同患。神以知來，知以藏往，其孰能與於此哉。古之聰明睿知，神武而不殺衰也者夫。是以明於天之道，而察於民之故，是興神物，以前民用。聖人以此齋戒，以神明其德夫。

Therefore, the sage used the Zhou Changes to harmonize the aspirations of people throughout the world, establish the affairs of the world, and decide on the doubts of the world. Therefore, the divination with the yarrow stalks has a nature that is round and profound, while the hexagram structure has a nature that is square and wise. The meaning of the six lines lies in following the changes and informing people. The word "wash" in "washing the heart" in the phrase "圣人以此洗心" is written as "xian" in the Han stone classics, and various schools interpret "xian" as "complete." In fact, "xian" and "xi" were commonly used interchangeably in ancient times. The Zhuangzi mentions "not knowing whether the gentleman washes me with goodness," where the "wash" is of the same meaning. The sage uses it to purify the mind, retreat and hide in the secret place, and share the fortune and misfortune of the people. With profound insight into the future, and with wisdom containing the past, who can achieve this? Only those wise and intelligent people of old, who are strong and mighty without resorting to warfare. Therefore, they understood the heavenly way and observed the people's conditions, thus producing divination tools like the yarrow stalks and the tortoise shells to guide the people's daily lives. The sage used this to purify and concentrate his mind, making his virtue more divine.

是故闔戶謂之坤，闢戶謂之乾，一闔一闢謂之變，往來不窮謂之通，見乃謂之象，表乃謂之器，制而用之謂之法，利用出入，民咸用之謂之神。陽生於復，齊於巽，萬物相見，故曰辟戶；陰生於午，閉藏於亥，萬物收縮，故日闔戶，一闢一闔，往來不窮，故曰通，即消息卦之理也。貢釋文告也，京陸虞作工，荀作功，工功古通。

Therefore, closing the door is called "Kun," opening the door is called "Qian," one closing and one opening is called "bian," continuous movement is called "tong"; what is revealed is called "xiang," what takes shape and is visible is called "qi"; making it and using it is called "fa"; using it without hindrance, with people using it daily without knowing why, is called "shen." Yang energy begins to sprout from the Fu hexagram, reaches the Xun position and becomes orderly, so that all things become visible, hence called "bi hu"; Yin energy begins to sprout from the Wu position, reaches the Hai position and becomes concealed, so that all things contract and withdraw, hence called "he hu." One opening and one closing, continuous movement, is called "tong," which is the principle of the twelve message hexagrams. The character "gong," according to the "Classic Interpretation," is explained as "gao," while Jing Fang, Lu Ji, and Yu Fan read it as "gong," and Xun Shuang reads it as "gong." "Gong" and "gong" were interchangeable in ancient times.

是故易有太極，是生兩儀，兩枚生四象，四象生八卦，八卦定吉凶，吉凶生大業。說文，極棟也，中也。從坎至離，南北正中，中即極。極以西萬物終，是為陰儀。極以西萬物終，是為陰儀。陽少於子，老於已；陰少於午，老於亥，四象生矣。四象即四時，春少陽，夏老陽，秋少陰，冬老陰也。老陽老陰即九六，六陽少陰即七八，故四象定則八卦自生。太極者中，天地定位則陰陽分，兩儀也。坤下一陽生震，少陽也；二陽生兌，三陽乾則老陽矣。才陽之下生一陰巽，少陰也；二陰艮，三陰坤則老陰矣，六卦備矣。而水火則橫互於中，水火者乃交後之乾坤也。豎則為天地，東陽西陰；橫則為日用，南陽北陰，是故坎下震上艮，離上兌下巽，乾坤生六子，離坎兼四隅，故四象生八卦。

Therefore, the Zhou Changes (I Ching) speak of "the Taiji" (Supreme Ultimate), from which "the two principles" (Yin and Yang) arise. From the two principles come "the four images" (Wuxiang), and from the four images come "the eight trigrams" (Bagua). The eight trigrams determine fortune and misfortune, and fortune and misfortune give rise to great achievements. The Shuowen Jiezi says that "ji" means the central beam of a roof, and also means "center." From the Kan position to the Li position, it is exactly in the middle of north and south, and this "center" is the "ji." From the center to the west, all things tend toward completion, which is the "Yin principle" (this sentence was repeated in the original text, and one of the sentences should be "from the center to the east, all things begin, which is the Yang principle"). Yang energy is weak at the Zi position and becomes old at the Si position; Yin energy is weak at the Wu position and becomes old at the Hai position, thus the four images are produced. The four images correspond to the four seasons: spring is the "young Yang," summer is the "old Yang," autumn is the "young Yin," and winter is the "old Yin." The old Yang and old Yin are nine and six, while the young Yang and young Yin are seven and eight. Therefore, once the four images are fixed, the eight trigrams naturally arise. The Taiji is the "center"; once the positions of heaven and earth are determined, Yin and Yang are separated, which is the two principles. Below the坤 (Earth) trigram, one Yang produces Zhen (Thunder), which is the young Yang; two Yangs produce Dui (Lake); three Yangs fully present produce Qian (Heaven), which is the old Yang. Below the Qian (Heaven) trigram, one Yin produces Xun (Wind), which is the young Yin; two Yins produce Gen (Mountain); three Yins fully present produce Kun (Earth), which is the old Yin. Thus, the six trigrams are complete. Water and fire run through the center, and water and fire are actually the products of the union of Qian and Kun. Vertically, it is heaven and earth, with the east being Yang and the west being Yin; horizontally, it is the use of the sun and moon, with the south being Yang and the north being Yin. Therefore, Kan is below and Zhen is above, with Gen in between; Li is above and Dui is below, with Xun in between. Qian and Kun produce the six subordinate trigrams, while Li and Kan oversee the four corners. Thus, it is said, "the four images give rise to the eight trigrams."

是故法象莫大乎天地，變通莫大乎四時，縣象著明莫大乎日月，崇高莫大乎富貴。備物致用，立成器以為天下利，莫大乎聖人。探賾索隱，鉤深致遠，以定天下之吉凶，成天下之AA？者，莫大乎蓍龜。是故天生神物，聖人則之；天地變化，聖人效之；天垂象見吉凶，聖人象之；河出圖，洛出書，聖人則之。易有四象，所以示也；繫辭焉所以告也；定之以吉凶，所以斷也。天地者乾坤，四時者離坎震兌，離坎又為日月。艮山為崇為貴，巽為高為利市，故為富。合乾坤離坎，震兌艮巽，而八卦之用全，故下曰備物致用。左傳定四年，會同離噴有煩言，注嘖至也，噴賾通。探賾者，探其深至也；隱者伏也，索隱者言正象之旁，尚有伏象，須索之也。河出圖，洛出書，自然屬於感應符瑞之事，故與神物並言，以見易之所自出，而聖人則之也。

Therefore, the model for imitation and taking images is none greater than heaven and earth; the transformation and communication of change is none greater than the four seasons; the hanging in the sky with bright light is none greater than the sun and moon; the lofty is none greater than wealth and honor. Preparing objects, displaying their functions, creating tools to benefit the world, is none greater than the sage. Investigating complexity, searching for hidden things, drawing out the profound, and summoning from afar, to determine the fortune and misfortune of the world and accomplish the world's diligent endeavors, is none greater than the yarrow stalks and turtle shells. Therefore, heaven produces divine objects, and the sage takes them as a model; when heaven and earth change, the sage imitates them; when heaven shows signs and reveals fortune and misfortune, the sage imitates them; when the Yellow River produces a diagram and the Luo River produces a book, the sage takes them as models. The Zhou Yi has four trigrams, used to display; attaching words, used to inform; using fortune and misfortune to decide, used to make decisions. "Heaven and earth" are Qian and Kun; "the four seasons" are Li, Kan, Zhen, and Dui. Li and Kan are also the sun and moon. Gen represents mountain, so it is lofty and honorable; Xun represents height and "threefold profit," so it is also rich. Qian, Kun, Li, Kan, Zhen, Dui, Gen, and Xun together complete the functions of the eight trigrams, so the following text says "preparing objects and achieving their use." The Zuo Zhuan records in the fourth year of King Ding's reign that "meeting and joining are difficult, and the profound has many words," Du Yu's annotation says "ze" is "to reach," and "ze" and "ze" are homophones. So "exploring the profound" means investigating its deepest aspects; "hidden" means concealed, and "searching for the hidden" means that beside the obvious image there are hidden images, which must be sought out. The "Yellow River producing a diagram, the Luo River producing a book" originally belong to the category of sympathetic response and auspicious omens (response and auspicious signs), so they are mentioned together with "divine objects" to explain the origin of the Zhou Yi, and the sage takes them as models.

惟圖書究為何物，集解引孔安國注云，河圖八卦也。按五行志云，劉歆以為伏羲繼天而王，受河圖，則而畫之，八卦是也。又禮運河出馬圖，鄭注，龍馬負圖而出，疏引中侯握中紀云，伏羲有天下，龍馬負圖出於河，遂法之作八卦，是伏羲則河圖作八卦，漢人多如此言。然曰則之法之，則河圖別為一物，非河圖即八卦明甚。若河圖即八卦，尚胡云則之法之乎。孔說非也。

But what exactly are the River Chart and the Luo Writing? Li Dingzuo's "Collected Explanations of the Zhou Changes" cites Kong Anguo's commentary, saying that the River Chart is the Eight Trigrams. According to the "Book of Han · Records of the Five Elements," Liu Xing believed that Fuxi received the River Chart as a mandate from heaven and modeled the Eight Trigrams after it. Also, the "Rites of Zhou · Rituals of the Great Harmony" mentions "the River produces the horse diagram," and Zheng Xuan's commentary says that a dragon horse carried the diagram on its back and emerged from the River. Kong's commentary also cites "The Records of the Shang Book · Holding the River," which states that when Fuxi ruled the world, a dragon horse carrying the diagram emerged from the Yellow River, and Fuxi then modeled the Eight Trigrams after it. This shows that Fuxi modeled the Eight Trigrams after the River Chart, and most Han dynasty scholars held this view. However, since it says "modeling after it" and "learning from it," the River Chart must be a separate entity, and the River Chart is not the Eight Trigrams. This is clear. If the River Chart were the Eight Trigrams, then what would be the meaning of "modeling after" or "learning from"? Therefore, Kong Anguo's statement is incorrect.

惟河圖究為何狀，莫有言者。至宋人以五行數當之，一六北方水，二七南方火，三八東方木，四九西方金，五十中央土，共五十五數。此數之見於古籍者，如太玄云，三八木，二七火，四九金，一六水，五五土。月令其日甲乙，其數八；其日丙丁，其數七；其日庚辛，其數九；其日壬癸，其數六；其日戊已，其數五。墨子書迎敵，其方數東方八，南方七，西方九，北方六。

As for the actual shape of the Yellow River Chart, no one has ever been able to describe it. By the Song dynasty, people began to compare it with the numbers of the Five Phases: one and six belong to water in the north, two and seven to fire in the south, three and eight to wood in the east, four and nine to metal in the west, and five and ten to earth in the center, totaling fifty-five numbers. This system of numbers appears in ancient texts. For example, Yang Xiong's "Ta Xuan" says that three and eight correspond to wood, two and seven to fire, four and nine to metal, one and six to water, and five and five to earth. The "Liji · Yueling" states that for days belonging to Jia and Yi, the number is eight; for those belonging to Bing and Ding, it is seven; for those belonging to Geng and Xin, it is nine; for those belonging to Ren and Gui, it is six; and for those belonging to Wu and Ji, it is five. The "Mozigong · Yingdi Ci" discusses the numbers of the directions, with eight for the east, seven for the south, nine for the west, and six for the north.

大戴禮，孤子朝，孤子八人以成春事；司馬爵士之有度者七人，以成夏事；食農夫九人，以成秋事；司空息國老六人，以成冬事。黃帝素問，其方數東方八，南方七，西方九，北方六。其方，其時，其數，皆與此圖同。而墨子在春秋時即言之，可謂古矣。然各家只言其數，不言其名，不知宋人以此數當河圖，究何所據。

The Dai Dai Li Ji says that the Son of Heaven meets eight orphaned youths to complete the rites of spring; the Minister of War selects seven virtuous men to complete the rites of summer; nine farmers are entertained for the rites of autumn; and the Minister of Works comforts six elderly people in the country to complete the rites of winter. The Su Wen of the Huang Di Neijing discusses the numbers of the four directions, also stating eight for the east, seven for the south, nine for the west, and six for the north. These records use directions, seasons, and numbers that all correspond with the so-called numbers of the Yellow River Chart. The Mozi had already mentioned this in the Spring and Autumn period, which makes it quite ancient. However, all schools only mention these numbers without giving them a name, and it is unclear why the Song people regarded these numbers as the Yellow River Chart.

至於洛書，孔安國謂即九疇。五行志，劉歆謂禹治洪水，錫洛書，法而陳之，洪範是是也。並謂自初一曰五行，至畏用六極，凡此六十五字，皆洛書本文，是孔劉皆以洛書為九疇。然鄭注引春秋緯云，河龍圖發，洛龜書成，河圖九篇，洛書六篇。論衡云，河圖洛書，言興衰存亡，是又皆以為書名，與今宋人所傳戴九履一之數大異。

As for the Luo Book, Kong Anguo said it was the same as the "Hongfan" Nine Categories. The "Han Shu · Wu Xing Zhi" records Liu Xin's view: Da Yu controlled the floods, and heaven bestowed upon him the Luo Book, which he then unfolded, thus the "Hongfan" came into being; Liu Xin also believed that the sixty-five characters from "Chuyi yu Wuxing" to "Wei yong liu ji" were all the original text of the Luo Book. Thus, Kong Anguo and Liu Xin both regarded the Luo Book as the Nine Categories. However, Zheng Xuan's commentary cites the "Chunqiu Wei" saying that the Dragon Pattern emerged from the Yellow River and the Turtle Writing was formed from the Luo River, the He Tu had nine chapters, and the Luo Shu had six chapters; Wang Chong's "Lunheng" said that the He Tu and Luo Shu spoke about matters of rise and fall, existence and demise. These two accounts regarded them as names of books, differing greatly from the numerical system of "Daijiu lu yi" passed down by the Song dynasty scholars today.

其說戴九履一之數者，乾鑿度云，一陰一陽合十五，太一取其數以行九宮，四正四維，皆合於十五，則正與今書數合。又大戴禮，明堂者九室，二九四，七五三，六一八，即今書之橫圖數，九室即九宮。又孫星衍云，北周甄鸞注數術記遺九宮算云，九宮者即二四為肩，六八為足，左三右七，戴九履一，五居中央。

The "Wearing Nine and Carrying One" system of numbers is explained in the "Yi Wei Qian Zao Du" as follows: one yin and one yang combine to make fifteen, and the Great One moves according to this number within the nine palace arrangement. The sum of the four cardinal directions and the four corners equals fifteen, which exactly matches the numbers in the current transmission of the Luo Writing. Additionally, the "Da Dai Li Ji" states that the Bright Hall has nine rooms arranged as 2, 9, 4; 7, 5, 3; 6, 1, 8, which are precisely the horizontal numbers of the current Luo Writing. The nine rooms correspond to the nine palaces. Sun Xingyan also mentions that the Northern Zhou dynasty's Zhen Luun annotated the "Shu Shu Ji Wei," explaining the nine palace algorithm. The nine palaces are said to have two shoulders made by 2 and 4, two feet made by 6 and 8, three on the left, seven on the right, nine on top, one at the bottom, and five in the center.

又鄭注太一下行九宮云，太一行始坎，次坤，次震，次巽，復息於中宮。按坎數一，坤二，震三，巽四，中宮五，是太一之行，按一二三四五之序也。又云自中官至乾，次兌，次艮，次離，一周畢矣。按乾西北數六，兌西數七，艮東北數八，離正南九，是太一之行，又自五而六七八九也。故曰四正四維，數合十五也。

Zheng Xuan explains "the Great One moves through the nine palaces" and further says: the Great One starts its movement from Kan, then goes to Kun, then to Zhen, then to Xun, and rests in the Central Palace. According to the numbers, Kan is one, Kun is two, Zhen is three, Xun is four, and the Central Palace is five. This shows the Great One moves in the order of one, two, three, four, and five. Zheng Xuan also says: from the Central Palace, it goes to Qian, then to Dui, then to Gen, then to Li, completing the cycle. According to the numbers, Qian in the Northwest is six, Dui in Due West is seven, Gen in the Northeast is eight, and Li in Due South is nine. This shows the Great One continues from five to six, seven, eight, and nine. Therefore, the numbers of the four cardinal directions and the four corners add up to fifteen.

然則今洛書，據大戴禮乾鑿度鄭注甄駕注，皆名曰九宮，不謂為洛書。其謂為洛書者，只北周廬辯注大戴禮云，記用九室，謂法龜文，然他古籍皆不如是言也。河圖洛書既茫昧難明，至宋人以五行數九宮數當之，誠不知其何所據。然孔劉以九宮數為九疇，獨不思則之者，則以畫卦，畫卦者伏義，洛書禹時出，伏義安能則之，不尤誤乎。

Thus, according to the accounts in the "Da Dai Li Ji," the "Qian Zao Du," Zheng Xuan's annotations, and Zhen Luán's annotations, the so-called Luo Shu of today is only referred to as "jiu gong" and not called Luo Shu. Only Lu Bian of the Northern Zhou dynasty, when annotating the "Da Dai Li Ji," mentioned that the nine rooms used in the text were modeled after the patterns on a turtle's back. However, other ancient texts do not say this. The origins of the He Tu and Luo Shu have always been obscure and unclear. Later, Song dynasty scholars compared them with the numbers of the Five Phases and the numbers of the nine rooms, but it is unclear what basis they relied on. As for Kong An Guo and Liu Xin, who regarded the numbers of the nine rooms as the nine categories of the "Hong Fan," they failed to realize that "taking it as a model" means taking it as a model for drawing the trigrams. The person who drew the trigrams was Fuxi, while the Luo Shu appeared during the time of Yu the Great. How could Fuxi have taken it as a model? This is not even more wrong.

按禮緯含文嘉云，伏羲德合上下，天應以鳥獸文間，地應以河圖洛書，乃則以作易。又河圖挺輔佐云，黃帝問道於天老，天老日，河出龍圖，洛出龜書，所紀帝錄，列聖人之姓號。據是則洛書亦出伏羲時，出於伏羲時，方能則以畫卦。後漢學家襲孔劉之說，定謂洛書出禹，皆誤也。四象，或云指七八九六，或云指上神物變化垂象圖書四者，又有謂指分二掛一揲四歸奇者。愚按指七八九六者是也，七八九六即南北東西，即春夏秋冬也。

According to the "Rites Weave · Han Wen Jia," Fuxi's virtue reached up to heaven and down to earth. Heaven responded to him with the patterns of birds and beasts, and the earth responded to him with the Yellow River Chart and the Luo Writing. He thus took these as models to compose the Book of Changes. Another source, the "Yellow River Chart Supporting Ministers," says that the Yellow Emperor asked Tianlao about the great way. Tianlao said that the Yellow River produced a dragon chart and the Luo River produced a turtle book, which recorded the names of emperors and arranged the surnames of sages. Based on this, the Luo Writing also appeared in the time of Fuxi. It was precisely because it appeared in Fuxi's time that it could be taken as a model for drawing the trigrams. Later Han scholars followed the views of Kong An Guo and Liu Xin, insisting that the Luo Writing appeared during the time of Yu the Great, which is incorrect. As for the "Four Images," some say they refer to the numbers seven, eight, nine, and six. Others say they refer to the four things mentioned above: divine creatures, transformation, divine signs, and the charts. Still others say they refer to the four procedures: dividing into two, hanging one, counting four, and returning the odd. I believe the view that they refer to the numbers seven, eight, nine, and six is correct. The numbers seven, eight, nine, and six represent the four directions, namely north, south, east, and west, or the four seasons, namely spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

易曰，自天佑之，吉無不利。子曰，佑者助也，天之所助者順也，人之所助者信也，履信思乎順，又以尚賢也，是以自天佑之，吉無不利也。此釋大有上九爻義，或言是錯簡，宜在前七爻之下。大有六五承陽，五天位，承順也，是天以順佑上也。乾為人為信，二應五，五孚於上，故曰人之所助者信。上履信思順，又二應五得尚于中行，是尚賢也，故無不利。

The Book of Changes says: "If heaven aids, there is no misfortune and all things are favorable." Confucius explains that "aid" means assistance. The one aided by heaven is the one who follows the way of heaven; the one aided by the people is the one who is trustworthy. If one fulfills trustworthiness and maintains a mind in harmony with the way, and also honors the virtuous, then he will be aided by heaven, and all things will be favorable. This passage explains the meaning of the upper ninth line of the Great Possession hexagram; some people, however, say it is misplaced and should be placed after the seventh line. The sixth line of the fifth position in Great Possession receives the yang line above it. The fifth position is the heavenly position, and receiving it means following, which is heaven aiding the upper ninth line through following the way. The trigram Qian represents people and trustworthiness. The ninth line of the second position corresponds with the sixth line of the fifth position. The sixth line of the fifth position is also trustworthy toward the upper ninth line, so it is said that "the people aid the trustworthy." The upper ninth line fulfills trustworthiness and maintains a mind in harmony with the way, and with the ninth line of the second position corresponding to the sixth line of the fifth position and "honoring the virtuous in the middle way," this is honoring the virtuous, hence there is no misfortune in anything.

八卦成列，象在其中矣。因而重之，爻在其中矣。剛柔相推，變在其中矣。繫辭焉而命之，動在其中矣。天地定位，乾坤列南北；日月縣象，離坎列東西；山澤通氣，艮兌列西北東南；雷風相薄，震巽列東北西南。三畫舉而八卦全，凡萬物之象，我不包括於八卦之中，故象在其中。因八卦重八卦，兼三才而兩之故六，六方有爻。說文爻交也，一與四交，二與五交，三與上交，故三畫只有象，六畫始有爻。相推指消息。

The eight trigrams are arranged in a sequence, and the forms of things are contained within them; when they are superimposed two by two, the lines appear; the interaction of yin and yang leads to change; when the text is attached to explain them, the principles of action are contained within them. Heaven and Earth are positioned, with Qian (Heaven) and Kun (Earth) placed in the north and south respectively; the sun and moon are suspended in the heavens, with Li (Fire) and Kan (Water) placed in the east and west respectively; the mountain and marsh communicate, with Gen (Mountain) and Dui (Lake) placed in the northwest and southeast respectively; thunder and wind press against each other, with Zhen (Thunder) and Xun (Wind) placed in the northeast and southwest respectively. The trigrams of three lines are combined to form the eight trigrams, and all forms of things are included within the eight trigrams, so it is said that "the images are contained within them." By superimposing the eight trigrams upon each other, they incorporate the three elements and double them, thus forming six lines; only with six lines do the lines appear. The "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" says that "yao" means crossing: the first line crosses with the fourth, the second with the fifth, and the third with the top line, so the trigrams of three lines contain only images, while the trigrams of six lines contain lines. "Xiang tui" refers to the shifting of the changing trigrams.

吉凶悔吝者，生乎動者也。剛柔者立本者也，變通者趨時者也。吉凶者貞勝者也，天地之道，貞觀者也；日月之道，貞明者也；天下之動，貞夫一者也。貞勝姚信讀作貞稱，貞常也，言吉凶之道，無不與陰陽相稱也。按勝稱音近古通，考工記角不勝乾，乾不勝筋，謂之不參，注，勝或作稱；晉語曰，中不勝貌，韋注，勝當為稱。天地謂二五，二五中正，中正以觀天下，故曰貞觀。坎月離日，大明終始，故曰貞明。一者神也，神也者，妙萬物而為言者也，故動貞於一。

Misfortune and fortune, regret and hardship, all arise from movement. Strength and softness establish the foundation, while change and adaptability follow the circumstances. Fortune and misfortune depend on the correspondence with the constant principles: the way of heaven and earth reveals the constant, the way of sun and moon radiates constantly, and all changes in the world return to the constant "one." "Zhen Sheng" is read by Yao Xin as "Zhen Chen," meaning "Zhen" refers to the constant, indicating that the principles of fortune and misfortune always correspond with yin and yang. Since the characters "Sheng" and "Chen" are phonetically similar, they were commonly used interchangeably in ancient times. The "Kao Gong Ji" says, "The horn does not surpass the dry, the dry does not surpass the sinew, called 'not participation,' " with a note stating that some versions of "Sheng" are "Chen." The "Guoyu · Jin Yu" says, "Middle does not surpass appearance," with Wei Zhao's note stating that "Sheng" should be "Chen." "Heaven and earth" refer to the second and fifth lines, which are in the center and upright, observing the world with the principle of uprightness and correctness, hence "Zhen Guan." Kan represents the moon, Li represents the sun, their light continues without interruption, hence "Zhen Ming." "One" is the spirit; the term "spirit" describes its subtle accomplishment of all things, so all changes are determined by "one."

夫乾確然示人易矣，夫坤貴（左阜）然示人簡矣。爻也者效此者也，象也者像此者也。義皆與前復，以非一人所記錄。爻象動乎內，吉凶見乎外，功業見乎變，聖人之情見乎辭。天地之大德曰生，聖人之大寶曰位，何以守位曰人，何以聚人曰財，理財正辭，禁民為非曰義。內內卦，外外卦。乾鑿度云，易氣從下生，故動於地之下，則應乎天之下；動於地之中，則應於天之中；動於地之上，則應於天之卜，故曰爻象動乎內，吉凶見乎外。守位曰人，人王肅桓玄等作仁，仁人古通。禮器碑四方士仁，士仁即士人；論語問管仲，曰人也，即仁人也；又仁者雖告之曰，井有仁焉，其從之也，有仁即有人，何晏注謂仁人墮井，誤。

Heavenly Mandate is strong and firm, revealing the principles of the Book of Changes to people; Earthly Mandate is gentle and submissive, revealing the principle of simplicity to people. The lines are modeled after these principles, and the images are imitations of these principles. These sentences are all repetitions of what was said before, indicating that the Great Treatise was not written by a single person. The lines and images change within the hexagram, and thus fortune and misfortune appear outside. Achievements are manifested through change, and the mind of the sage is expressed through words. The greatest virtue of heaven and earth is called "life," and the greatest treasure of the sage is called "position." By what means is one able to hold a position? By people. By what means can one gather people? By wealth. Managing wealth, regulating speech, and preventing the people from wrongdoing is called "righteousness." "Inner" refers to the inner trigram, and "outer" refers to the outer trigram. The "Diao Du" says: The energy of the Book of Changes arises from below, so when it arises in the lower part of the earth, it corresponds to the lower part of heaven; when it arises in the middle part of the earth, it corresponds to the middle part of heaven; when it arises in the upper part of the earth, it corresponds to the upper part of heaven. Therefore, it says, "The lines and images move within, and fortune and misfortune appear outside." The "person" in the phrase "By what means is one able to hold a position? By person" was written as "benevolence" in the versions of Wang Su and Huan Xuan. "Benevolence" and "person" were interchangeable in ancient times. The "Liji Bei" has "Four directions' scholars, benevolence," meaning "scholars of benevolence," which is the same as "scholars of persons." In the "Lunyu," when asked about Guan Zhong, Confucius answered, "Person," meaning "benevolent person." It also says, "A benevolent person, even if told that there is benevolence in a well, would follow it," meaning "there is a person," and the annotation by Huan Yan interpreted it as a benevolent person falling into a well, which is incorrect.

古者包犧氏之王天下也，仰則觀象於天，俯則觀法於地，觀鳥獸之文，與地之宜，近取諸身，遠取諸物，於是始作八卦，以通神明之德，以類萬物之情。近取諸身，如乾首坤腹震足等是；遠取諸物，如乾馬坤牛艮狗兌羊等是。凡物皆有陰陽，有陰陽則相感而有情，有情則相聚相合而為類，故曰以類萬物之情。作結繩而為罔罟，以佃以漁，蓋取諸離。離中爻類為繩，離重目故為罔署，罔罷皆目也。以罔罟取獸於陸曰佃，取魚於澤曰漁。

In ancient times, Fuxi ruled over the world. He looked up to observe the phenomena in the heavens, looked down to study the principles on the earth, observed the patterns of birds and beasts and the suitability of the land. He took inspiration from his own body for nearby things and from all things in the world for distant ones. Thus he began to create the Eight Trigrams, using them to connect with the virtue of the divine and to classify the forms of all things. "Taking from the body" refers to things like Qian representing the head, Kun representing the abdomen, and Zhen representing the feet. "Taking from objects" refers to things like Qian representing a horse, Kun representing an ox, Gen representing a dog, and Dui representing a sheep. All things have yin and yang. When yin and yang interact, they generate feelings. When there are feelings, things gather and combine into categories. Therefore, it is said that the trigrams "classify the feelings of all things." He wove ropes into nets, using them for hunting and fishing. This was modeled after the trigram Li. The middle line of Li resembles a rope, and Li is also a double eye, so it was used to represent a net. A net is made up of many mesh holes. Using a net to catch animals on land is called "dian," and using it to fish in marshes is called "yu."

包犧氏沒，神農氏和，亞（有邑）木為鋁，揉木為耒，耒耨之利，以教天下，蓋取諸益。益巽為木，震為足故為鋁，鋁耒頭金也；震為耕故為耒，耒耕具也。中爻艮手，故曰刺地。故亞（右邑）木使銳，而冒以金，使人地易；來形曲，故揉之使曲。

After Fuxi died, Shen Nong rose to prominence, cutting wood to make the plowshare and bending wood to make the plow handle. The plow and plowshare were used for farming and taught to the people, which is symbolized by the hexagram "Yi" (Benefit). In the hexagram "Yi", the trigram Xun (Wind) represents wood, and the trigram Zhen (Thunder) represents feet, thus symbolizing the plowshare—the plowshare has a metal blade at its head. The trigram Zhen also represents farming, thus symbolizing the plow—the plow has a handle for farming. The interacting trigrams in the middle are Gen (Mountain), representing hands, so it signifies piercing the earth. Therefore, wood is cut to be sharp and then a metal blade is attached to make it easier to pierce the soil. The shape of the plow is curved, so the wood is bent into a curve.

日中為市，致天下之民，聚天下之貨，交易而退，各得其所，蓋取諸噬嗑。噬嗑離在上，放曰日中；互艮為市，坎為聚，為眾，為民，震為貨為歸，故曰交易而退。神農氏沒，黃帝堯舜氏作，通其變使民不倦，神而明之，使民宜之。易窮則變，變則通，通則大，是以自天佑之，吉無不利。黃帝堯舜垂衣裳而天下治，蓋取諸乾坤。乾為衣，坤為裳，上衣下裳，乾上坤下，故曰取諸乾坤。自黃帝以前，只短衣，以禦寒，無所謂威儀；至黃帝始服冕垂衣，襟袖寬博，彬彬下垂；至堯舜更象日月星辰山龍服，而衣裳之文采大備。

At noon, a market is set up, attracting people from all over the world, gathering goods from everywhere, and after transactions are completed, everyone leaves with what they need. This is roughly symbolized by the Hexagram of噬嗑. In the Hexagram of噬嗑, the trigram Li (Fire) is at the top, so it is said 'noon'; the interacting trigrams form Gen (Mountain), representing the market, and Kan (Water) representing gathering, people, and the common folk, while Zhen (Thunder) represents goods and returning, so it is said 'transactions and then retreat'. After Shen Nong passed away, the Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun emerged, harmonizing the changes of things so that the people would not feel weary, and they made these changes clear in a mysterious way, allowing everyone to find their proper place. The Way of the Book of Changes reaches its limit and then changes, and when it changes, it becomes unobstructed, and when it becomes unobstructed, it becomes vast and enduring, thus receiving the blessing of heaven, being auspicious and beneficial in all things. The Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun governed the world with ease, and this is roughly symbolized by the Hexagrams of Qian and Kun. Qian represents the upper garment, and Kun represents the lower garment. Upper garment and lower garment correspond exactly to Qian on top and Kun below, so it is said to be symbolized by Qian and Kun. Before the Yellow Emperor, people only wore short clothes to keep warm, and there was no mention of ceremony or decorum; it was only with the Yellow Emperor that people began to wear caps and flowing robes, with wide sleeves that gracefully fell; by the time of Yao and Shun, they added patterns of sun, moon, stars, mountains, and dragons, making the patterns on their garments very complete.

刳木為舟，炎（左手）不木為揖，舟揖之利，以濟不通，致遠以利天下，蓋取諸渙。渙上巽為木，下坎為揖，說文揖翟（左木）舟也。中爻震為舟，艮手故曰刳曰炎（左手）。刳說文判也，玉篇空物腸也，剖也。古之明無鋸，故剖木使中空以為舟也。震舟象失傳，虞翻等皆以渙為舟。杭辛齋謂日本易家以震為船。按易林大有之謙云，方船備水，以謙互震為船也。震為虛，故為舟船，歸妹上六承虛筐也，以震為虛也。

Carving a hollow out of wood to make a boat and sharpening wood to make oars, using the boat and oar to cross over obstacles and reach distant places to benefit the world, is likely based on the image of the Hexagram 47, "Huan" (Dispersal). The upper trigram of "Huan" is Xun (Wind), representing wood, and the lower trigram is Kan (Water), representing the oar. The "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" says that "jie" refers to the oar used for rowing. The intermediate trigrams of "Huan" include Zhen (Thunder), representing the boat, and Gen (Mountain), representing the hand. Therefore, "ku" refers to hollowing out, and "yan" refers to sharpening. "Ku," according to the "Shuo Wen Jie Zi," means to split open, and the "Yu Pian" says it means to hollow out the interior, which is also splitting open. In ancient times, there were no saws, so wood had to be split open and hollowed out to make a boat. The image of Zhen as a boat is an ancient symbol that has long been lost. Yu Fan and others took the Hexagram "Huan" itself as the boat. Hang Xinzhai said that Japanese scholars of the Yi Jing take Zhen as the boat. According to the "Jiao Shi Yi Lin" from the Hexagram "Da You" in "Qian," "Fang chuan bei shui" (a square boat ready for water), because the intermediate trigrams of "Qian" include Zhen, which is taken as the boat. Zhen has the image of emptiness, so it can be taken as a boat; the upper sixth line of "Gui Mei" says "Cheng xu kuang ye" (carrying an empty basket), which also takes Zhen as empty.

服牛乘馬，引重致遠，以利天下，蓋取諸隨。服牛即駕牛。說文牛部葡（左牛）下引易日葡（左牛）牛乘馬，而不言葡（左牛）義。陳壽棋曰，玉篇葡（左牛）皮秘切，服也，以鞍裝馬也；集韻葡（左牛）用牛也，通作用。據此服牛即駕牛也。易林歸妹之比云，申酉脫服，牛馬休息，脫服即馳駕也。隨互艮為牛，下震為馬，艮為引，巽為利，謂以牛馬引重致遠，以利濟天下也。艮牛象見無妄解。

Riding horses and driving oxen, pulling heavy loads and reaching distant places, thus benefiting the world, is probably based on the image of the Hexagram of Following. "Fú niú" means driving oxen. The "Shuowen Jiezi" under the "niú" section cites the "Yi" saying "fú niú chéng mǎ," but does not explain the meaning of "fú." Chen Shouqing says: the "Zuoyue" says "fú" is pronounced "pi bi" and means "to serve," referring to putting saddle on horses; the "Jiyun" says "fú" means to use oxen for labor, and is commonly used as "yòng." According to this, "fú niú" means driving oxen. The "Jiao's Forest of Changes · Gui Mei to Bi" says "Shen You tuo fu, niu ma xīxī," where "tuo fu" means removing the harness. The Hexagram of Following has the mutual trigrams of Gen (Mountain) representing oxen and Zhen (Thunder) representing horses. Gen represents pulling, Xun (Wind) represents benefit, meaning using oxen and horses to pull heavy loads and reach distant places, thus benefiting the world. According to the "Shuogua," it only mentions "Kun as oxen," while "Gen as oxen" is an extra image not mentioned in "Shuogua," and the evidence for this is detailed in the explanation of the Hexagram of Wuwang.

重門擊析，以待暴客，蓋取諸豫。豫艮為門，坤亦為門，故曰重門。又九家云，從外視之艮，故曰重門，是以正反艮為重門也。震為析，艮為擊，故曰擊檄。震為客，而決躁，故曰暴客。重門深密，擊檄警戒，皆所以備盜，中爻坎為盜也。

Setting up layers of gates and beating wooden梆s to patrol at night, used to guard against violent visitors, is probably based on the image of the Hexagram 17 (Yù, Joy). In the Hexagram Yù, the Qian trigram represents the gate, and the Kun trigram also represents the gate, so it is said "double gates." The Jiujia Yi also says that from the outside it is also Qian, so it is said "double gates," meaning that one Qian and one reverse Qian are taken as double gates. The Zhen trigram represents the wooden梆, and the Gen trigram represents striking, so it is said "beating the wooden梆." The Zhen trigram represents the visitor, and its nature is decisive and restless, so it is said "violent visitor." Setting up layers of gates tightly closed and beating the wooden梆 to patrol at night as a warning are all used to guard against thieves, and the intermediate trigram Kan in the middle is precisely the thief.

斷木為杵，掘地為臼，臼杵之利，萬民以濟，蓋取諸刃過。小過中爻巽為木為杵，兌毀折，故曰斷木為杵。震中虛為臼，艮為掘，掘地為臼，蓋以蜃灰，至之使堅，盛轂於中，春之以杵，而民食濟也。弦木為弧，剡木為失，弧矢之利，以咸天下，羞取諸睽。睽中爻坎為弧，為矢。弦說文弦說文弓弦也，弧說文木弓也。弦木為弧，言以弦牽本使曲成弧也。剡削也，削木使直成失也。離為威如，兌毀折，故曰威天下。

Cutting wood to make a pestle and digging the ground to make a mortar, the convenience of using the pestle and mortar allows the people to be provided for, which is symbolized by the hexagram of "Small Excess." In the hexagram of "Small Excess," the middle mutual trigrams include Xun (Wind), representing wood and the pestle, and Dui (Lake), indicating breaking and cutting, hence "cutting wood to make a pestle." The middle trigram Zhen (Thunder) represents the hollow space of the mortar, and Gen (Mountain) signifies digging, so digging the ground to make a mortar. It is probably referring to using shell ash to coat and compact the earth, making it hard, and then placing grain inside, using the pestle to pound it, thus ensuring the people's food supply. Making a bow by stretching wood with a string and sharpening wood to make arrows, the convenience of the bow and arrow is used to subdue the world, symbolized by the hexagram of "Strife." In the hexagram of "Strife," the middle mutual trigrams include Kan (Water), representing the bow and arrow. "String" is said in "Shuo Wen Jie Zi" to be the bow string, and "hu" is said to be a wooden bow. "Stringing wood to make a bow" means using the bow string to bend the wooden strip into a bow. "Yan" means to cut, so cutting the wood straight to make an arrow. Li (Fire) represents authority, and Dui (Lake) signifies breaking, hence "subduing the world."

上古穴居而野處，後世聖人易之以宮室，上棟下宇，以待風雨，蓋取諸大壯。大壯通觀，觀艮為穴為野，為宮室，巽為棟，在外卦，故曰上棟。艮為字，在巽下，故曰下宇。宇今俗所謂廊詹也。巽為風，兌為雨。兌為雨，舊解不用旁通，用正象，宜其不合也。

In ancient times people lived in caves and dwelled in the wild, but later sages used houses, with beams above and eaves below, to protect against wind and rain. This image is taken from the Hexagram of Great Strength. The Hexagram of Great Strength is complementary to the Hexagram of Observation. The Hexagram of Observation has the trigram of KUN representing caves, wilderness, and buildings, and the trigram of XUN representing beams, located in the outer trigram, so it is said "above the beams"; the trigram of KUN representing eaves is below the trigram of XUN, so it is said "below the eaves" — "eaves" refers to the eaves or corridor today. The trigram of XUN represents wind, and the trigram of DUI represents rain. The image of rain must be obtained through complementarity, but old interpretations did not use complementarity and only took the direct meaning of the original hexagram, which is why they failed to make sense.

古之葬者，厚衣之以薪，葬之中野，不封不樹，喪期無數，後世聖人易之以棺槨，蓋取諸大過。大過乾為衣，巽為薪，管輅以坎為棺槨，大過中實亦坎象，故亦象棺槨，漢儒以大過為列卦，蓋本此也。上古結繩而治，後世聖人易之以書契，百官以治，萬民以察，問取諸央。決（左無）上兌為覆巽，巽為繩，上古結繩紀事，今巽覆為兌，兌為斧，故曰書契。契刻也，呂氏春秋，契舟求劍是也。考工記，築氏為削，合六而成規，注今之書刀。蓋古用簡須以刀刻字，今殷墟掘出之甲骨文是也，故曰書契。兌為刀，斧，乾為圜，畫刀合六以成規，故取於決（左無）。

In ancient times, when burying the dead, they wrapped the body thickly in straw and buried it in the wilderness, without building a mound or planting trees, and there was no fixed period for mourning. Later sages changed this practice to using coffin and outer case, probably taking the symbolism from the hexagram "Great Excess." In the hexagram "Great Excess," the trigram Qian represents clothing, and Xun represents firewood; Guan Lu took Kan as representing the coffin and outer case. The fourth line of "Great Excess" is solid, while the upper and lower lines are empty, which is exactly the shape of Kan, so it can also be symbolized as coffin and outer case. Han scholars probably regarded "Great Excess" as the hexagram of death and mourning based on this. In ancient times, people used knotted ropes to govern, but later sages changed this to using written characters and carved marks. Officials used them to handle affairs, and common people used them to verify facts. This was probably symbolized by the hexagram "Great Elimination." In the hexagram "Great Elimination," the upper trigram Dui is the inverted Xun, and Xun represents ropes; in ancient times, this was the method of knotted ropes for recording events. Now, Xun is inverted to become Dui, which represents a斧刃, so it is called "book and carved marks." "契" means to carve, as in the phrase "carving a boat to find a sword" in the "Lüshi Chunqiu." The "Record of Craftsman" says that the master of building made a writing knife, and six of them together formed a circle. The commentary says this was the writing knife of that time. Probably, ancient people used bamboo or wooden slips, and they had to carve the characters with a knife. The oracle bones found at Yin墟 are exactly like this, so it is called "book and carved marks." Dui represents a knife or an axe, Qian represents a circle, and six carving knives together form a circle, so it is symbolized by the hexagram "Great Elimination."

是故易者象也，象也者像也。此聰明上取象之故也。凡易辭無不從象生，韓宣子適魯，不曰見周易，而曰見易象與魯春秋，誠以易者象也，象者像也。言萬物雖多，而八卦無不像之也。像俗宇，釋文，孟京虞姚董，還作象。象者材也。材猶言行能。阮元訓象為分，材與財裁通，言用此彖辭，說卦象而分之。爻者效天下之動者也，是故吉凶生而悔吝著也。動發也，爻交也，卦至六畫始有爻。動於下，應於上，故曰效。效之而當則吉，不當則凶也。

Therefore, the "Zhou Yi" discusses "xiang," which means "image" or "representation." This is precisely why the sages took images as their basis, as explained earlier. Every phrase in the "Zhou Yi" originates from images. When Han Xuanzi visited the state of Lu, he did not mention seeing the "Zhou Yi," but rather the "Yi Xiang" and the "Lu Chunqiu." This is because the "Yi" is the image, and the image is a representation. It means that although there are myriad things in the world, the eight trigrams can represent them all. The character "xiang" is a later common character; the "Classic Commentary" says that Meng Xi, Jing Fang, Yu Fan, Yao Xin, and Dong Yu all used the original character "xiang." The word "tuan" in "tuan zhe cai ye" refers to ability or talent. Yuan Ruan interpreted "tuan" as "fen," meaning "to divide," and "cai" is related to "cai" (resources) and "cui" (to cut), meaning that the "tuan" text is used to explain the image of the hexagram and to distinguish and judge it. "Yao" refers to following the movement of all things in the world, so good fortune and misfortune arise from it, and regret and hardship become evident. "Dong" means to initiate movement, and "yao" means to intersect; a hexagram only has "yao" when it has six lines. Movement occurs below and response occurs above, so it is called "xiang"; following the pattern properly leads to good fortune, while failing to do so leads to misfortune.

陽卦多陰，陰卦多陽，其故何也。陽卦奇，陰卦耦，其德行何也。陽一君而二民，君子之道也；陰二君而一民，小人之道也。韓注少者多之宗，一者眾之歸。陽卦二陰，故奇為之君；陰卦二陽，故耦為之主。後漢仲長統曰，易曰陽一君二臣，君子之道也；陰二君一臣，小人之道也。然則寡者為人上者也，眾者為人下者也，專以貴賤言。愚謂陽道行則世治，世治則一君二民而君權一；陰道盛則世亂，世亂則二君一民，而君權墜。管子霸言云，使天下兩天子，天下不可理也；一國而兩君，一國不可理也；一家而兩父，一家不可理也。不可理則亂，故曰小人之道。

In the case of a yang hexagram, there are more yin lines, and in the case of a yin hexagram, there are more yang lines. Why is this so? The lines of a yang hexagram are odd, and the lines of a yin hexagram are even. What is their virtue? A yang hexagram is like one ruler and two subjects, which represents the way of the gentleman; a yin hexagram is like two rulers and one subject, which represents the way of the petty person. Han Kangbo's commentary says: the few are the ones revered by the many, and the single one is the one to which all people look up. A yang hexagram has two yin lines, so the single odd line becomes its ruler; a yin hexagram has two yang lines, so the single even line becomes its ruler. Zhong Changtong of the Eastern Han dynasty said: The Book of Changes explains that a yang hexagram with one ruler and two ministers represents the way of the gentleman, while a yin hexagram with two rulers and one minister represents the way of the petty person. Thus, the few are above the many, and the many are below the few — he is entirely speaking from the perspective of rank and status. I think: when the way of yang prevails, the world is peaceful, and peace means one ruler and two subjects with the ruler's authority centralized; when the way of yin prevails, the world is chaotic, and chaos means two rulers and one subject with the ruler's authority falling. The Guanzi · Ba Yan says: if there are two emperors in the world, the world cannot be governed; if there are two rulers in a country, the country cannot be governed; if there are two fathers in a family, the family cannot be governed. When something cannot be governed, disorder arises, so it is called 'the way of the petty person'.

易曰，憧憧往來，朋從爾思。子曰，天下何思何慮，天下同歸而殊途，一致而百慮，天下何思何慮。釋成九四爻義。吾道一以貫之，朋從爾思，則百慮也；憧憧往來，則殊途也。然途雖殊而同歸於一，慮雖百亦終致於一，天下事貞於一而已，何思何慮哉。

The Book of Changes says: "Vainly coming and going, companions follow your thoughts." Confucius says: What is there in the world that can be thought about or considered? All things take different paths yet ultimately converge, and myriad considerations all lead to one point. What is there in the world that can be thought about or considered? This is an explanation of the fourth line of the Qian hexagram. Confucius says, "My way is unified throughout." "Companions follow your thoughts" refers to "myriad considerations," and "vainly coming and going" refers to "different paths." Although the paths may differ, they all end in one; although thoughts may be varied, they all converge in one. The affairs of the world are determined by one principle alone; what is there to think about or consider?

日往則月來，月往則日來，日月相推，而明生焉。寒往則暑來，暑往則寒來，寒暑相推，而歲成焉。往者屈也，來者信也，屈信相感，而利生焉。尺蠖之屈，以求信也；龍蛇之蟄，以存身也；精義入神，以致用也；利用安身，以崇德也。過此以往，來之或知也，窮神知化，德之盛也。咸互乾為日，上兌為月，至夕則日往而月來，至晨則月往而日來。往收藏也。乾為寒，坤為暑，乾息自復，至始而藏，坤陰用事；坤消自垢（左女），至復而藏，乾陽用事。寒暑互相推，而歲功以成。往則收藏故曰屈，來則用事故曰信。

The sun sets in the west and the moon rises, the moon sets in the west and the sun rises; the sun and moon move alternately, thus producing light. When cold passes, heat comes; when heat passes, cold comes; cold and heat alternate, thus completing a year. "Going" means bending, "coming" means extending; bending and extending interact with each other, thus producing benefits. The inchworm curls its body in order to extend itself; the dragon and the snake hide in order to preserve their lives. Studying the meaning and principles to reach a profound realm is for practical application; using the way skillfully to ensure personal stability is for cultivating virtue. Beyond this level, it is beyond human knowledge; exploring the profound and understanding the workings of nature is the peak of virtue. The hexagram "Xian" has the trigram Qian (Heaven) as its interacting trigram and the trigram Dui (Lake) as its upper trigram. In the evening, the sun goes and the moon comes; in the morning, the moon goes and the sun comes. "Going" means gathering and concealing. Qian represents cold, and Kun represents heat; Qian yang grows from the hexagram Fu, reaches the position of Si and then conceals, thus Kun yin takes command; Kun yin declines from the hexagram Gu, reaches the hexagram Fu and then conceals, thus Qian yang takes command. Cold and heat alternate, thus completing the achievements of a year. "Going" means gathering and concealing, thus it is called "bending"; "coming" means taking command and acting, thus it is called "extending."

尺蠖，屈信蟲也，見說文。又爾雅疏，蠖又呼步屈，言其以尾就首，屈而後信，舉步之形也。埤雅云，今人布指求尺，一屆一信，如蠖之步，謂之尺蠖。按詩小雅，螟嶺有子，果贏負之。螟蛉食槐葉蟲，色綠與葉若一，夏日細腰，以泥砌窠成，銜螟嶺人。螟蛉即尺蠖。成九四巽體，巽為蟲，蠖行以尾就首，先屈後信，故以為喻。咸艮位戌亥，互乾為龍，伏坤為蛇，乾坤合居於戌亥數無之地，故曰蟄，誰能蟄故能存身，乾傳所謂保合太和也。乾為神，坤為義，精義人神，謂乾坤合德於戍亥。易林云，乾坤利貞，乳生六子，六子生然後能致用，用利然後身安，身安則德自崇。蓋陰陽屈信，循環無端，不屈則不能信，不蟄則無以為存，陰陽往來，定理本如是也。

The "chihuo" is a kind of insect that moves by bending and stretching, as mentioned in the "Shuowen Jiezi." The commentary on the "Erya" also says that "chihuo" is also called "buqu," describing how it moves by moving its tail to the head position, bending first and then stretching, moving step by step. The "Piyaji" says that nowadays people spread their fingers to measure length and width, bending and stretching in a similar way, hence the name "chihuo." According to the "Book of Songs, Xiao Ya," it says, "Minglei has children, guoluo carries them." Minglei is a kind of insect that eats locust leaves, with a green color similar to the leaves; in summer, the narrow-waisted wasp builds a nest with mud and carries minglei into it. Minglei is actually chihuo. The "Xian" hexagram's nine in the fourth is in the trigram of Xun, which represents insects; chihuo moves by bending its tail to the head, first bending then stretching, so it is used as a metaphor. The "Xian" hexagram's mountain position is in Xu and Hai, and the interacting trigrams include Qian, representing a dragon, and the hidden trigram Kun, representing a snake. The trigrams Qian and Kun are located in Xu and Hai, which is the point where the number has reached its limit, so it is said "zhé" (hibernation). Because it can hibernate, it can preserve itself, which is what the "Commentary on the Judgment" of the "Qian" hexagram refers to as "baohe taihe." Qian represents the divine, and Kun represents righteousness; "jingyi rushen" means that Qian and Kun harmonize in Xu and Hai. The "Jiao's Forest of Changes" says, "Qian and Kun are advantageous in uprightness, giving birth to six sons." Only after the six sons are born can there be practical application; using it advantageously leads to stability of body and mind, and stability of body and mind leads to naturally elevated virtue. In general, the mutual bending and stretching of yin and yang has no beginning or end: without bending, there can be no stretching; without hibernation, there can be no preservation. This is the principle of the mutual movement of yin and yang.

易曰，困于石，據于疾藜，入于其宮，不見其妻凶。子曰，非所困而困焉，名必辱；非所據而據焉，身必危。既辱且危，死期將至，妻其可得見邪。坎隱伏故名辱，坎險故身危，坎為棺槨，故曰死。困六三爻義。易曰，公用射隼于高塔之上，獲之無不利。子曰，隼者禽也，弓矢者器也，射之者人也。君子藏器於身，待時而動，何不利之有。動而不括，是以出而有獲，語成器而動者也。解上震為器，為人，互坎故藏器，震為時，為動，動故不括。解上六天義。

The Book of Changes says: "Trapped by stone, resting on thornbushes, entering his house, not seeing his wife, misfortune." Confucius says: Being trapped where one should not be, reputation will certainly suffer; resting on something where one should not, personal safety will certainly be in danger. Suffering both disgrace and danger, death is near, how can one see his wife? The trigram Kan represents concealment, so reputation suffers; Kan represents peril, so personal safety is in danger; Kan represents coffin, so it refers to death. This is the meaning of the line Six in the Third of the Hexagram of Being Entrapped. The Book of Changes says: "The public shoots a falcon on a high wall, captures it, and there is no disadvantage." Confucius says: The falcon is a bird, the bow and arrow are tools, and the one shooting it is a person. The gentleman keeps the tools on his person, waits for the right time, and then acts, where could there be disadvantage? When action is taken without obstruction, so the result is immediate, which explains the principle of acting only when the tools are ready. The Hexagram of Resolution has the upper trigram Zhen, which represents tools and people, and the interacting trigrams include Kan, which explains "keeping the tools." Zhen represents timing and action, and action thus encounters no obstruction. This is the meaning of the line Six at the Top of the Hexagram of Resolution.

子曰，小人不恥不仁，不畏不義，不見利不動，不威不懲。小懲而大戒，此小人之福也。易曰履校滅趾無咎，此之謂也。此釋噬嗑初九爻義。震為動為威。善不積不足以成名，惡不積不足以又身。小人以小善為無益而弗為也，以小惡為無傷而弗去也，故惡積而不可掩，罪大而不可解。易曰何校滅耳，凶。此釋噬嗑上九爻義。

Confucius said: The petty person does not regard unrighteousness as shameful, nor does he fear injustice. He will not act unless he sees profit, and he does not take warning unless there is force applied. Suffering a small punishment and receiving a great warning, this is actually the fortune of the petty person. The Book of Changes says, "The fetter is removed from the foot, no blame," which explains this principle. This section explains the meaning of the first line of the Shexi hexagram. The Zhen trigram represents action and authority. Good deeds without accumulation are insufficient to establish a reputation, and evil deeds without accumulation are insufficient to destroy oneself. The petty person regards small goodness as unprofitable and refuses to do it, and regards small evil as trivial and refuses to change. Therefore, evil accumulates until it cannot be concealed, and the crime becomes too great to escape. The Book of Changes says, "The fetter is removed from the ear, misfortune." This section explains the meaning of the top line of the Shexi hexagram.

子曰，危者安其位者也，亡者保其存者也，亂者有其治者也。是故君子安而不忘危，存而不忘亡，治而不忘亂，是以身安而國家可保也。易曰其亡其亡繫于苞桑。此釋否九五爻義。子曰，德薄而位尊，知小而謀大，力小而任重，鮮不及矣。易曰鼎折足，覆公像，其形渥，言不勝其任也。此釋鼎九四爻。形渥，鄭虞皆作型劇，言因覆束（左食）而被大刑也，古字音同通用。王弼程傳以形為形體，王謂形渥為沾濡，程謂為汗澀，皆望文生義，不惟不審通假之例，且於經義顯違。以折足覆束（左食）之罪，只汗澀而已乎。本義多從程傳，獨此不從，誠以其陋也。觀此曰鮮不及矣，謂及於刑辟也，此可以定其是非也。

Confucius said: "What is meant by 'danger' is being content with one's position without caution; what is meant by 'loss' is believing one can maintain survival indefinitely; what is meant by 'chaos' is believing one has properly governed. Therefore, a gentleman remains cautious even in times of security, remembers the possibility of loss even when alive, and keeps in mind the risk of disorder even in times of peace. Thus, he ensures his own stability and the security of the state. The Book of Changes says, 'Its loss, its loss, bound to the mulberry tree.' This passage explains the meaning of the fifth line of the hexagram 'Obstruction.' Confucius said: A person with shallow virtue but high rank, limited wisdom but grand ambitions, and weak strength but heavy responsibilities is rarely without calamity. The Book of Changes says, 'The tripod breaks its leg, overturns the food, and the form is wet.' This refers to being unable to bear one's responsibilities. This passage explains the fourth line of the hexagram 'Tripod.' 'Form wet' is interpreted by Zheng Xuan and Yu Fan as 'punishment,' meaning that one suffers severe punishment for spilling the delicacies in the tripod. In ancient times, the characters were pronounced the same and used interchangeably. Wang Bi and Cheng Yi's commentaries on the Book of Changes take 'form' as body, with Wang Bi saying 'form wet' means being drenched, and Cheng Yi saying it means sweating profusely. Both are reading into the text and fail to understand the rules of homophonic substitution. Moreover, they clearly contradict the meaning of the text. To commit the grave offenses of breaking the tripod's leg and overturning the food, can it be considered merely as sweating? Zhu Xi's The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes mostly follows Cheng's commentary, but he deviates here because Cheng's interpretation is too shallow. Looking at the Great Treatise which says 'few are spared,' it means inevitably suffering punishment. From this, one can determine who is right and who is wrong."

子曰，知幾其神乎。君子上交不謅，下交不瀆，其知幾乎。幾者動之微，吉之先見者也。君子見幾而作，不俟終日。易曰介于石，不終日，貞吉。介如石焉，寧用終日，斷可識矣。君子知微知彰，知柔知剛，萬夫之望。此釋豫六二爻義。左傳昭五年，於人為言，敗言為讒，廉下艮，震反，故曰敗言。豫與謙同體，亦正反震，故曰謅曰讀。蒙曰瀆則不告，以二至上正反震相對，言多故曰讀。豫亦正反震，故亦曰讀。繫辭與左傳之用正覆象，除易林外，無有喻者，故解左氏而誤，解易而誤，而謅與瀆之故，皆莫知其所自來矣。介研之省，硬也，故曰介如石。

Confucius said: To understand the subtle signs and minute changes is almost like approaching the divine. The superior man behaves without flattery towards superiors and without arrogance towards inferiors; this is understanding the subtle signs. "A few" refers to the subtle beginnings of change, the first manifestation of auspiciousness. When the superior man sees these signs, he acts immediately, without waiting for a whole day. The Book of Changes says, "Between the stone, not waiting for a whole day, the correct course is auspicious." Being firm as a rock, why wait for a whole day? The judgment can be made at once. The superior man understands both the subtle and the obvious, both the soft and the strong, and thus becomes the person whom all people look up to. This passage explains the meaning of the line Six in the Second of the Hexagram of Joy. The Zuo Zhuan, Year Five of Zhao Gong, says that adding "speech" to "person" makes "trust," and adding "speech" to "failure" makes "slander." The lower trigram of the Hexagram of Humility is K'un, and the upper trigram is Zhen, which is inverted, so it is said "slanderous speech." The Hexagram of Joy and the Hexagram of Humility come from the same source, and both contain a positive and a reversed Zhen, so it is said "flattery" and "disrespect." The Hexagram of Obstruction says "disrespectful speech is not told," because the line Two to the top line forms a positive and a reversed Zhen facing each other, and thus there is much speech, which is called "disrespect." The Hexagram of Joy also contains a positive and a reversed Zhen, so it is also said "disrespect." Both the Great Treatise and the Zuo Zhuan use the principle of positive and reversed images, but no one except Jiao's Forest of Changes understands this, so interpreting the Zuo Zhuan is wrong, and interpreting the Zhou Changes is also wrong. As for the origin of the words "flattery" and "disrespect," no one can explain them clearly. "Intermediate" is a shortened form of "砎," meaning hard, so it is said "as firm as a stone."

子曰，顏氏之子，其殆庶幾乎。有不善未嘗不知，知之未嘗復行也。易曰不遠復，無只悔，元吉。此釋復初爻義。天地煙（左繫）溫（左言），萬物化醇；男女構精，萬物化生。易曰，三人行則損一人，一人行則得其友，言致一也。損六三爻義。少男少女，爻無不交。艮為天，坤為地，為萬物，震為生。未交則陰陽分，既交則陰陽合德，所謂同聲同氣也，故曰致一。

Confucius said: The son of the Yan family, he is probably quite good. If there is something wrong, he does not fail to realize it, and once he knows, he does not repeat it. The Book of Changes says, "Not far from restoration, no great regret, original good fortune." This passage explains the meaning of the first line of the Hexagram of Restoration. The vital energies of heaven and earth are mingled and interact, thus giving rise to the flourishing and perfection of all things; the union of male and female energies produces the essence, thus giving rise to the growth of all things. The Book of Changes says, "When three people walk, one is lost; when one person walks, he finds his friend," which speaks of the principle of returning to "one." This explains the meaning of the third line of the Hexagram of Reduction. The Hexagram of Reduction has the lower trigram of艮 (Gèn), representing the young male, and the upper trigram of兑 (Duì), representing the young female. None of the six lines are without interaction. Gèn represents heaven, Kun represents earth and all things, and Zhen represents birth. When not yet united, yin and yang are separated; once united, yin and yang harmonize, which is called mutual resonance through the same sound and mutual attraction through the same breath. Therefore, it is said, "Achieve unity."

子曰，君子安其身而後動，易其心而後語，定其交而後求，君子修此三者故全也。危以動，則民不與也；懼以語，則民不應也；無交而求，則民不與也。莫之與剛傷之者至矣。易曰莫益之，或擊之，立心匆恆，凶。益上九爻義。二至四艮為身為安為求，震為動為言，坤為心為民。易，平也，言平易其心而後語也。

Confucius said: A gentleman first arranges his own affairs before taking action, first calms his mind before speaking, and first establishes good relations before making a request. A gentleman cultivates these three aspects, thus achieving completeness. If one is in a dangerous situation yet still takes action, the people will not follow him; if one speaks out of fear, the people will not respond; if one makes a request without having established relations, the people will not give. If no one is willing to give, then those who will harm him will come. The Book of Changes says, "No one benefits him, someone attacks him. If the mind is not constant, misfortune arises." This refers to the meaning of the line "Nine at the Top" in the hexagram of Gain. The lines two to four interact to form the trigram Ken, which represents the body, stability, and seeking; Zhen represents action and speech; and Kun represents the mind and the people. The Book of Changes is about calmness, meaning first calm the mind and then speak.

子曰，乾坤其易之門邪。乾陽物也，坤陰物也，陰陽合德，而剛柔有體，以體天地之撰，以通神明之德。其稱名也，雜而不越，於稽其類，其衰世之意邪。夫易彰往而察來，而微顯闡幽，開而當名，辨物正言，斷辭則備美。其構名也小，其取類也大，其旨遠，其辭文，其言曲而中，其事肆而隱，因貳以濟民行，以明失得之報。

Confucius said: The trigrams Qian and Kun are probably the gateway to the Zhou Changes. Qian represents the yang principle, while Kun represents the yin principle. Yin and yang combine their virtues, and the qualities of firmness and flexibility each have their forms, used to express the creation of heaven and earth, and to connect with the virtue of the divine. The terms it uses may seem varied but do not exceed their proper boundaries. When examining its method of classification, it seems to be the intention of a time of decline and disorder. The Zhou Changes illuminate the past and discern the future, making the subtle evident and the hidden clear. When one opens the book, names and realities correspond, distinguishing categories and rectifying speech, so that the judgments are complete and perfect. The terms it presents are small, yet the categories it encompasses are vast; its meaning is profound, its words are ornate, its statements are indirect yet accurate, and its records are elaborate yet subtle. It uses the two aspects of good fortune and misfortune to assist the people in their actions, explaining the consequences of gain and loss.

易之興也，其於中古乎，作易者其有憂患乎。是故履，德之基也；謙，德之柄也；覆，德之本也；恆，德之園也；損，德之修也；益，德之裕也；困，德之辨也；井，德之地也；巽，德之制也。虞氏曰，中古謂庖犧，庖犧始畫卦，以前為上古，上古之人無憂患。九卦者防憂慮患之本。柄本也，所以持物辨別也。遭困之時，君子不改其常，小人必失其度，以此為別。井以水養人，取不竭，用不窮，故曰德之地。巽為命令，人君申命用事，宰制天下，故曰德之制。此陳九卦之德。

The rise of The Zhou Changes probably took place during the middle ancient period. The person who composed The Book of Changes was likely one who had a sense of worry and concern. Therefore, The Book of Footsteps is the foundation of virtue, The Book of Humility is the handle of virtue, The Book of Returning is the root of virtue, The Book of Constancy is the stability of virtue, The Book of Loss is the cultivation of virtue, The Book of Gain is the abundance of virtue, The Book of Difficulty is the discernment of virtue, The Book of Well is the place of virtue, and The Book of Wind is the decision-making of virtue. Yu Fan said: "Middle ancient" refers to Fuxi, who first drew the trigrams. Before him was the ancient period, and people in the ancient period had no worries. These nine trigrams are the fundamental means to prevent worries and guard against calamities. "Handle" means a handle, which is used to hold objects and make distinctions. When encountering difficulties, the gentleman does not change his conduct, while the petty person certainly loses his sense of measure, and by this one can distinguish them. The well uses water to nourish people, and the water is inexhaustible and the use is endless, so it is called the place of virtue. Wind represents command; the sovereign issues commands, handles affairs, and controls the world, so it is called the decision-making of virtue. This passage explains the virtues of the nine trigrams.

履和而至，謙尊而光，復小而辨於物，恆雜而不厭，損先難而後易，益長裕而不設，困窮而通，井居其所而遷，巽稱而隱。此申九卦之性，以明其重要。履下兌為和，上乾為至。謙下艮為光朋，為由，故尊而光。復陽雖微，然陽物，坤陰物，陰陽各別，故復小而辨於物，辨別也。恆六爻皆交，故雜而不厭。挹損人情之所難，故先難；久則人驚而服，故後易。虞氏以上失位為難，誤之遠矣。

The hexagram "Foot" is harmonious and unimpeded, "Humility" is humble yet illustrious, "Returning" is subtle yet capable of distinguishing things, "Constant" is varied yet not tiresome, "Loss" is difficult at first but easy afterwards, "Gain" increases abundance without artificial effort, "Obstruction" is in straits yet can be overcome, "Well" remains in its proper place and benefits far away, "Following" weighs matters subtly and remains concealed. This passage explains the nature of the nine hexagrams, illustrating why they are significant. The hexagram "Foot" has the trigram Dui (Lake) at the lower part, representing harmony and joy, and Qian (Heaven) at the upper part, representing openness and accessibility. The hexagram "Humility" has the trigram Gen (Mountain) at the lower part, representing brightness and initiative, thus being humble yet illustrious. The hexagram "Returning" has a single yang line, though weak, which is yang, while the lower trigram is坤 (Earth), representing yin. Since yin and yang are distinct, it is said "Returning is small yet distinguishes things," where "distinguish" means to differentiate. The hexagram "Constant" has all six lines interacting, hence being varied yet not tiresome. Restraining oneself is the most difficult in human nature, hence "difficult at first"; over time people become impressed, hence "easy afterwards." Yu Fan explained "difficult" by referring to the top line being out of place, which is too far from the meaning.

益陽歸內，內為貞，貞為我。設陳也，天施地生，言不必設施為作，自然裕也。困下坎為通，並所居不移，而澤施於人，故居所能遷。巽為命令，舉國稱揚，然民可使由，不可使知，故稱而隱。又稱者銓衡之總名，鄭注月令云，稱錘曰權，由是以推，稱乾曰衡。後儒動謂稱即權者非也。謙傳云，稱物平施；月令云，分繭稱絲計功，是也。上巽下翼，內外平，故曰稱。巽伏故穩。

The Yang lines of the "Yi" hexagram are included in the inner trigram, which is called "Zhen." "Zhen" refers to one's own side. "She" means to set up or create; heaven spreads its qi, and earth produces things, meaning that there is no need for deliberate action or effort, and thus things naturally become abundant. The "Kun" hexagram has the lower trigram Kan, which represents communication, so it is said "poverty and communication." The "Well" hexagram is in a fixed position, yet its benefits extend to others, so it is said "residing in its place yet moving." The trigram Xun represents command, and the whole country praises it; however, the people can only be made to follow it, but cannot fully understand it, so it is said "praise but remain hidden." Furthermore, "Cheng" refers to the general term for scales. Zheng Xuan's commentary on the "Monthly Orders" says that the weight of the scale is called "Quan," from which we can infer that the scale rod is called "Heng." Later scholars often say that "Cheng" is the same as "Quan," which is incorrect. The "Qian" Commentary on the Judgment says "measure things and distribute evenly," and the "Monthly Orders" says "divide silk and measure the silk to account for the work," all using this meaning. The "Xun" hexagram has both trigrams Xun above and below, with internal and external balance, so it is called "Cheng"; Xun represents concealment, so it is called "Yin."

履以和行，謙以制禮，復以自知，恆以一德，損以遠害，益以興利，國以寡怨，井以辨義，巽以行權。此言九卦之用。履乾為行，兌悅故行和。凡禮以謙為主，故以制禮。恆不易方，故一德。損互坤為害，泰初往坤上，害不能及，故遠害。富貴易為人忌，困則無忌者，故寡怨。風進退，故行權。

The Book of Changes' Nine Trigrams are used for various purposes. The Book of Footsteps regulates conduct, the Book of Humility moderates etiquette, the Book of Returning to the Original Self reflects on self-awareness, the Book of Constancy cultivates steadfast virtue, the Book of Loss avoids calamity, the Book of Gain promotes benefit, the Book of Difficulty reduces resentment, the Book of Well discerns righteousness, and the Book of Wind enables flexible adaptation. The Book of Footsteps has the trigram Qian (Heaven) representing movement and Dui (Lake) symbolizing joy, thus ensuring harmonious action. All etiquette is based on humility, hence it moderates etiquette. The Book of Constancy remains unmoved, thus cultivating steadfast virtue. The Book of Loss has the trigram Kun (Earth) representing calamity in its interacting trigrams, while the Book of Great Communication has its first line moving upward to the upper position of Kun, thus avoiding calamity. Wealth and honor easily provoke jealousy, but hardship rarely does, hence reducing resentment. The Book of Wind represents wind, which advances and retreats, thus enabling flexible adaptation.

易之為書也不可遠，其為道也屢遷，變動不居，周流六虛，上下無常，剛柔相易，不可為典要，唯變所適。其出入以度，外內使知懼，明於憂患與故，無有師保，如臨父母。初率其辭而揆其方，既有典常，苟非其人，道不虛行。正義云屢遷，謂乾初潛龍，乾二見龍是也。變動不居，若一陽生為復，二陽為臨，無或停息，是也。六虛六位也。上下無常如二五相上下，泰二得上於中行是也。適往也，如乾初得九，則往娠也。乾元亨利貞，垢（左女）則天地相遇，卦德迥不同，故曰不可為虛典要。

The book of Zhou Changes cannot be neglected, for the principles it teaches are constantly changing and moving, never staying in one place, circulating among the six lines. It rises and falls without fixed position; yin and yang alternate, and cannot be regarded as fixed rules, but must follow the changes. Its movements and retreats have order, making people both inside and outside aware of caution; it makes people understand the origin of worries, even without a teacher or nurse by their side, it is as if parents were present. Beginning with its words to grasp its meaning, there is naturally a regular pattern; but if one is not of that kind, this principle will not be applied without cause. Kong Yingda's "The Correct Meaning of the Zhou Changes" says "repeatedly changing" refers to the first line of the Qian hexagram "the hidden dragon" and the second line "the appearing dragon" alike. "Change without staying in one place" is like the emergence of one yang line as the Fu hexagram, two yang lines as the Lin hexagram, never stopping. "Six lines" refer to the six positions. "Up and down without constant position" is like the second line and the fifth line alternating in position, as in the Tai hexagram's second line "attaining the middle path." "Going" refers to movement, for example, the first line of the Qian hexagram attaining nine, moving to the Guo hexagram. The Qian hexagram is Yuan, Heng, Li, Zhen, while the Guo hexagram is "heaven and earth meeting," with entirely different hexagram qualities, so it cannot be regarded as fixed rules.

往外為出，來內為人，往來出人，皆有一定之度數，不能混淆。如初與四相往來，二與五相往來，三與上相往來，倘不能相往來，則中必有疾，如鼎二曰我仇有疾是也。疾則懼矣，懼則知所防矣，故曰明於憂患與故。率正也，揆度也，方道也，言正其初首之辭，而度其終未之道，盡有典常，故非文王不能明其道也。

When moving outward to the outer trigram, it is called 'going out,' and when returning to the inner trigram, it is called 'coming in.' One goes out and comes in, one moves out and in, all with a fixed measure, and they must not be confused. For example, the first line and the fourth line move toward each other, the second line and the fifth line move toward each other, and the third line and the top line move toward each other. If they do not move toward each other smoothly, there must be a problem in the middle. For instance, in the hexagram of the Cauldron, the line nine in the second place says, 'My enemy has an illness.' When there is a problem, there is caution, and with caution comes understanding of prevention, so it is said, 'Clearly understanding the worries and their causes.' 'Rate' means to be upright, 'kuí' means to measure or consider, and 'fang' means principle or reason. This means to be upright in the beginning of the text and to consider the meaning at the end, and there is a regular pattern to follow. Therefore, it is said that unless one is a person like King Wen, one cannot explain the meaning clearly.

易之為書也，原始要終以為質也。六爻相雜，唯其時物也。其初難知，其上易知，本末也。初辭擬之，年成之終。若夫雜物撰德，辨是與非，則非其中爻不備。噫，亦要存亡吉凶，則居可知矣。知者觀其彖辭，則思過半矣。原始如乾初九潛龍勿用，是原始也；上九亢龍有侮，是要終質本也。物陽物陰物，六爻剛柔相雜，然爻各有其時，各有其物，時物當則吉，否則凶也。本末初上也，初則事微故難知，上則事彰故易知。初擬議之，卒終成之。假如噬嗑初九，善惡在擬議之間，至上九則凶災彰徹，一成不變也，故曰卒成之終。

The Zhou Changes is a book that investigates the beginning and concludes with the end to form the essence of the hexagrams. The six lines are intertwined, but they are merely the respective times and things. The meaning of the first line is difficult to understand, while the meaning of the top line is easy to understand, which reflects the relationship between the beginning and the end. The words of the first line are only tentative and speculative, while the final line determines the outcome. As for the mixture of things, the narration of virtue, and the distinction of right and wrong, these cannot be fully addressed except by the middle lines. Alas, if one wishes to know about survival and demise, good fortune and misfortune, one can already infer it in ordinary times. A wise person merely looks at the hexagram's commentary, and his thinking is already half done. What is meant by "investigating the beginning" is exemplified by the first line of the Qian hexagram, "The hidden dragon does not act," which is the investigation of the beginning. The top line, "The exalted dragon brings regret," is the conclusion of the end and the essence. "Things" refer to yang things and yin things; the six lines are a mixture of yang and yin, yet each line has its own time and its own thing. When the time and thing correspond, it is auspicious; when they do not correspond, it is inauspicious. "Beginning and end" refer to the first line and the top line: the first line is still in its initial stage, so it is difficult to understand; the top line is already evident, so it is easy to understand. The first line is only tentative and speculative, while the final line is the final determination. For example, the first line of the Shihe hexagram, where good and evil are still in a state of deliberation, but by the top line, misfortune is clearly evident and becomes a fixed outcome, thus it is said "the final conclusion of completion."

雜物，言陰陽相雜也。撰數也，撰德者，言數合陰陽之德，而別其是非也。中爻謂中四爻，二至四互一卦，三至五互一卦，京氏所謂一卦備四卦之用也。吉凶是非，初引其端，上考其成，至其詳盡，則在中四爻，故曰非中交不備。中爻之是非既明，則吉凶已著。居處也，處乾吉則存，處坤凶則亡，故曰居可知。

"Miscellaneous" refers to the intermingling of yin and yang. "Zhuàn" means number, and "zhuàn dé" means using numbers to harmonize with the virtues of yin and yang, thereby distinguishing right from wrong. "Middle lines" refer to the middle four lines: lines two to four form one hexagram, and lines three to five form another, meaning that a single hexagram can encompass the functions of four hexagrams, as Jing Fang explained. Good fortune and misfortune, right and wrong, originate from the first line, and their outcomes are determined by the top line. The detailed content, however, lies entirely within the middle four lines, hence the saying "without the middle lines, the full meaning is not complete." Once the right and wrong of the middle lines are understood, good fortune and misfortune become clearly evident. "Residing" refers to the position: if one resides in the position of Qian, it is auspicious and leads to preservation; if one resides in the position of Kun, it is inauspicious and leads to decline, hence the saying "residence can be known."

二與四同功而異位，其善不同，二多譽，四多懼，近也。柔之為道，不利遠者，其要無咎，其用柔中也。三與五同功而異位，三多凶，五多功，貴賤之等也，其柔危，其剛勝邪。二四同為坤位，故同功，而二位在內，且居中，故異位。三五同為乾位，故同功，而五在外，且居中，故異位。近謂二在內卦，遠謂四在外卦。柔之為道不利遠，二近故多譽，四遠故多懼。其謂近五故懼者非也。三五皆陽位，故柔爻居之危，剛爻居之勝。

The functions of the second line and the fourth line are the same but their positions differ, and thus their benefits are different: the second line often receives praise, while the fourth line often experiences caution and vigilance, because the fourth line is distant. The nature of the yin line is not suitable for being in a distant position; its principle lies in avoiding mistakes, relying on flexibility and maintaining the center. The third line and the fifth line have the same function but different positions: the third line often faces danger, while the fifth line often achieves accomplishments, this difference is caused by the distinction between high and low status; in those positions, a yin line is dangerous, while a yang line is capable. The second line and the fourth line both belong to the position of the earth trigram, so they are said to have the same function; however, the second line is within the inner trigram and occupies the central position, so they are said to have different positions. The third line and the fifth line both belong to the position of the heaven trigram, so they are said to have the same function; however, the fifth line is in the outer trigram and occupies the central position, so they are said to have different positions. 'Near' refers to the second line being in the inner trigram, while 'distant' refers to the fourth line being in the outer trigram. The nature of the yin line is not suitable for a distant position; therefore, the second line, being near, often receives praise, while the fourth line, being distant, often experiences caution and vigilance. Some people say that the fourth line is cautious because it is close to the nine in the fifth position, but that is incorrect. The third and fifth lines are yang positions, so a yin line in those positions is dangerous, while a yang line in those positions is capable.

易之為書也，廣大悉備，有天道焉，有人道焉，有地道焉，兼三才而兩之故六，六者非他也，三才之道也。道有變動故日文，支有等故曰物，物相雜故曰文，文不當故吉凶生焉。文不當謂不當位。干寶云，等群也，爻中之義群物交集也。

The Zhou Changes is a vast and comprehensive work, encompassing the ways of Heaven, Humanity, and Earth. It integrates the three fundamental elements and doubles them, resulting in six lines, which are precisely the ways of the three elements. The way is ever-changing, hence it is called "yao" (line). Yao has different levels, hence it is called "wu" (things). Things intermingle and intertwine, hence it is called "wen" (pattern). When the pattern is improperly arranged, fortune and misfortune arise from this. "Wen is improper" means that the yao is not in the proper position. Ganbao said: "Deng" refers to a group or category, and the meaning of the yao lies in the convergence and gathering of various categories of things.

易之興也，其當殷之末世，周之盛德邪，當文王與紂之事邪。是故其辭危，危者使平，易者使傾，其道甚大，百物不廢，懼以終始，此要無咎，此之謂易之道也。言易辭憂危慮患，或為文王事紂，囚於羌里時所為。干寶何妥等，便指某卦爻辭指周某事，其因皆緣誤釋此二語，與虞翻之誤解不可為典要，唯變所適，浪用卦變突變同也。易平易也，危者使平，如否上先否後喜是也；易者使傾，如泰上城復于隍是也。

The rise of The Zhou Changes probably coincided with the end of the Shang dynasty and the beginning of the Zhou dynasty, during the time of King Wen and King Zhou. Therefore, its text is full of anxiety and danger: it brings safety to those who are anxious and cautious, and leads to downfall for those who are careless and lazy. Its principles are extremely broad, encompassing all things without exception; maintaining constant vigilance is the key to "no blame," which is called the Way of The Changes. This means that the text of The Zhou Changes is full of anxiety and concern, perhaps composed by King Wen while he was imprisoned in Youli by King Zhou. Ganbao and Hetuo pointed to specific lines in certain hexagrams, claiming they refer to historical events of the Zhou dynasty, but their interpretations all stem from misunderstanding the phrase "dangerous situations are made safe, easy situations lead to collapse." This is similar to Yu Fan's misunderstanding of "it cannot be taken as a fixed rule, but must adapt to change," leading to the misuse of hexagram transformations. "Easy" means light and simple; "dangerous situations are made safe" refers to the line "first there is rejection, then there is joy" in the hexagram Gou (Obstruction); "easy situations lead to collapse" refers to the line "the city returns to the moat" in the hexagram Tai (Progress).

夫乾天下之至健也，德行恆易以知險；夫坤天下之至順也，德行恆簡以知阻。能說諸心，能研諸侯之慮，定天下之吉凶，成天下之AA？者。居易不忘險，行簡知有阻。阻險阻也，知有險阻，然後可免於患難。能諸慮，諸下衍侯之二字。AA？王肅云勉也。

Qian is the most vigorous in the world, its virtue always gentle, thus it can perceive dangers; Kun is the most yielding in the world, its virtue always simple, thus it can perceive obstacles. It can bring joy to the heart, can cause people to think deeply and carefully, to judge the good and bad fortune of the world, and to accomplish the diligent and tireless endeavors of the world. Being in a gentle state without forgetting dangers, acting simply while knowing there are obstacles. "Obstacle" refers to danger and difficulty; knowing there are dangers, one can then avoid calamities. The phrase "can investigate various considerations" includes the word "Hou zhi" added below the character "Zhu." As for "Wei wei," Wang Su explained it as striving diligently without tiring.

是故變化云為，吉事有詳，象事知器，占事知來。天地設位，聖人成能，人謀鬼謀，百姓與能。詳祥音同通用，朕兆也，言吉凶必有先兆也。象事知器，此言占驗之事，如郭璞洞林，遇兌知有銅擇（左金），遇坎知有銅擇（左金）六枚也。唯聖人能盡天地之性，故曰成能。人謀鬼謀，言易道深至；百姓與能，言其庸近，所謂夫婦之愚可以與知也。

Therefore, all changes in the world and the actions of people must have omens before any good or bad events occur. Observing phenomena can predict objects, and divination can foresee the future. Heaven and Earth have established positions of above and below, and sages have realized their functions. There is human planning and also the planning of ghosts and spirits, and even common people can participate in this function. "Xiang" and "Xiang" are homophones and can be used interchangeably, referring to omens, meaning that good or bad fortune must first have signs. "Xiangshi zhi qi" refers to matters of divination and response, for example, Guo Pu's "Donglin" states that if the Dui hexagram is drawn, one knows there will be a bronze bell, and if the Kan hexagram is drawn, one knows there will be six bronze bells. Only sages can exhaust the nature of Heaven and Earth, hence "cheng neng." "Ren mou gui mou" means that the Way of the Book of Changes is extremely profound; "min zhu yu neng" means that it is also ordinary and close at hand, which is what the Zhongyong says, that even an ordinary person or woman, though ignorant, can participate in it.

八卦以象告，支象以情言，剛柔雜居，而吉凶可見矣。變動以利言，吉凶以情遷。是故愛惡相攻而吉凶生，遠近相取而悔吝生，情偽相感而利害生。幾易之情，近而不相得則凶，或害之，悔且吝。

The eight trigrams use physical objects to convey messages, while the line statements and the tiger statements explain things in reality. When yao (lines) of yang and yin are mixed together, good and bad outcomes can be discerned. Change refers to advantage and disadvantage, and good and bad outcomes shift according to reality. Therefore, love and hatred attack each other, producing good and bad outcomes; nearness and distance take from each other, producing regret and shame; sincerity and falsehood respond to each other, producing advantage and disadvantage. In general, what the Zhou Changes discuss about human feelings is that when people are close but do not harmonize, it is ominous, or they may suffer harm, or fall into regret and shame.

凡萬物之象，皆包括於八卦之中。筮得某卦，必有四象，上下卦並上下互是也。至於卦爻辭則明卦情。占者以象為本，以情為用。如公子完生，筮得觀之否，觀上風下地，而坤為國，互艮為山，告之以象矣；觀國之光，利用賓于王，爻則言其情也。

All forms of things in the world are included in the eight trigrams. When a trigram is obtained through divination, it must contain four images: the upper trigram, the lower trigram, and the "upper mutual" formed by the third to fifth lines, as well as the "lower mutual" formed by the second to fourth lines. As for the hexagram statement and line statements, they describe the situation of the trigram. Those who interpret the divination should take the "image" as the foundation and the "situation" as the application. For example, in the "Zuo Zhuan," it is recorded that when Jin Zhong, the son of Chen Li Gong, was born, divination was performed and the trigram "Guan" changed to "Po." The trigram "Guan" has the upper trigram Xun (wind) and the lower trigram Kun (earth), and Kun also has the image of "country." The third to fifth lines form the mutual trigram Gen (mountain), which has the image of "mountain"—this is using the trigram images to indicate good or bad fortune. The line statement says, "Observing the brilliance of the country, it is advantageous to serve the king," which describes the situation of that line.

變動以利言。如觀六四動成乾，風為天於土上，愈變而利愈明，益動而其情益吉，故曰變動以利言，吉凶以情遷。攻，摩也，愛惡相攻即剛柔相摩也。陽遇陰，陰遇陽，則相求相愛，復朋來無咎、革六二征吉是也。陽遇陽，陰遇陰，則相敵相惡，如頤六二行失類、征凶，鼎九二慎所之是也。愛則吉，惡則凶，故愛惡相攻而吉凶生。

The Great Treatise says, "Changes are considered in terms of benefit and disadvantage," meaning that the movement of the lines in the hexagrams should be viewed from the perspective of benefit and disadvantage. For example, when the line six in the fourth position of the hexagram Guan moves, the upper trigram Xun becomes Qian, transforming "wind moving over the earth" into "heaven over the earth." The change becomes more beneficial, and the situation becomes more auspicious as it changes. Therefore, it is said, "Changes are considered in terms of benefit and disadvantage; auspiciousness and misfortune depend on the situation." "Attack" refers to the mutual friction, and "love and hatred attacking each other" is what the Great Treatise, Upper Transmission, refers to as "the interaction of firm and yielding." When a yang line meets a yin line, or a yin line meets a yang line, they attract each other, and there is mutual affection. The hexagram Fu says, "companions come without blame," and the line six in the second position of the hexagram Ge says, "proceeding is auspicious," which belong to this category. When a yang line meets another yang line, or a yin line meets another yin line, they are hostile to each other, and there is mutual dislike. The line six in the second position of the hexagram Yi says, "going astray brings danger," and the line nine in the second position of the hexagram Ding says, "be cautious about where you go," which belong to this category. When there is affection, it is auspicious; when there is dislike, it is inauspicious. Therefore, it is said, "love and hatred attacking each other gives rise to auspiciousness and misfortune."

遠近相取而悔吝生者，遠謂應，近謂比。例如同人六二，遠取五為正應，近又比三，故吝。感六二亦然，故遠近不能兼取。中孚六四曰絕類上，近取也；近取上則不遠取初，故曰馬匹亡也。情者陽，偽者陰，陰陽相感，有利有害，絕不相同。例如益初九感四則利，上九感三，則五為敵而害之矣。下曰近而不相得則凶，或害之，正申其故也。

"Far and near interact and regret and hardship arise," where "far" refers to correspondence, meaning the first and fourth lines, the second and fifth lines, and the third and top lines; "near" refers to adjacency, meaning two lines next to each other. For example, in the hexagram "Tongren" (Union), the line six two moves toward the far line nine five for proper correspondence, but also interacts with the adjacent line nine three, needing to take both, hence the line statement says "regret." The line six two in the hexagram "Xian" (Sensation) is also in this situation, showing that far and near cannot both be taken. In the hexagram "Zhongfū" (Sincerity), the line six four says in the image commentary "cut off the similar above," meaning it gives up the far and takes the near line above nine. Since it takes the near line above nine, it no longer takes the far line one nine as correspondence, hence the line statement says "horses are lost." "Qing" refers to yang, and "wei" refers to yin; the interaction between yin and yang, some gain benefit, some suffer harm, and the situations are entirely different. For example, in the hexagram "Yi" (Increase), the line one nine interacts with line six four and gains benefit; when line nine upper interacts with line six three, line nine five becomes an opponent and harms it. The following text says "near but not in harmony leads to misfortune, or it is harmed," which clearly explains this reason.

將叛者其辭塹（下心），中心疑者其辭枝，吉人之辭寡，躁人之辭多，誣善之人其辭游，失其守者其辭屈。

A person about to betray someone speaks with words filled with shame. A person uncertain in mind speaks in a confused and scattered manner. A virtuous person speaks little. A restless person speaks much. A person who falsely accuses others speaks in a hesitant and evasive way. A person who has lost his moral standards speaks in a crooked and indirect manner.

荀爽以易辭為解，虞翻謂指六子。按易之本在乾坤，而其用在六子，虞氏之說似為得之。以六子測人之情偽，不得於此必於彼，無有遁形矣，故於下繫終言之，示人以涉世之方。離正覆兌相反，叛者反也，而中虛，故其辭斬（下心）。坎上下兌口相背，故疑；坎為中為心，故曰中心疑。水性技溢，故其辭枝。震為言，震反為艮，故言寡；艮為人，艮止而靜，故曰吉人。震為決躁，似兌而長舌，故辭多。兌為口舌，陰掩陽，故曰誣善；柔乘剛，故其辭游。風進退不果，故失其守。陰伏在下，故其辭屈。

In this chapter, Xun Shuang interpreted it as referring to the tone and style of the line statements in the Zhou Changes. Yu Fan, on the other hand, said it referred to the six subordinate trigrams: Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui. According to the Zhou Changes, the fundamental principles lie in the two trigrams Qian and Kun, while its application lies in the six subordinate trigrams. Yu Fan's interpretation seems more reasonable. Using the images of the six subordinate trigrams to measure the authenticity of human feelings, if one hexagram cannot reveal it, another will surely do so, making it impossible for a person's true intentions to remain hidden. Therefore, Confucius included this passage at the end of the lower part of the Great Treatise to teach people a method of maintaining proper conduct in the world and observing the words and expressions of others. In terms of symbolic representation: the Li trigram viewed upright is Li, but when inverted it becomes Dui, which is opposite, and "rebellion" means opposition. The middle line of Li is empty, so his words contain shame. The two lower lines of Kan are like two Dui mouths facing each other, thus causing suspicion. Kan is in the center and represents the heart, so it is said "the heart is doubtful." Water flows widely and spreads out, so words become rambling. Zhen represents speech, and when inverted it becomes Gen, which means stopping, so speech is limited. Gen also represents people, and since Gen is static, it is called "a virtuous person." Zhen has the image of decisiveness and restlessness, resembling Dui but with an extra long tongue, so speech is abundant. Dui represents mouth and tongue, and the upper yao is a yin line covering the lower yang line, so it is said "false accusations of goodness." A soft line is on top of a strong line, so words are uncertain. Xun represents wind, which is fickle and indecisive in movement, so it is said "losing one's position." A yin line is hidden below, so words are twisted.

昔者聖人之作易也，幽贊於神明而生蓍，參天兩地倚數。案參兩之說，先儒不同。馬融、王肅並云：天數五，地數五，五位相合，以陰從陽；天得三合，謂一三與五也；地得兩合，謂二與四也。鄭玄云：天地之數備於十，乃參之以天，兩之以地，而倚乇（左言）大衍之數五十也；必三之以天、兩之以地者，天三覆，地二載，必極於數，庶得吉凶之審。虞翻云：謂分天象為三才，以地兩之，立六畫之數。倚，馬融訓依，虞、王訓立。

The Sayings on the Trigrams says: In ancient times, the sage composed the Book of Changes, deeply supporting the functions of the divine and creating the method of divination with yarrow stalks. He derived the divination numbers by taking the heavenly numbers three and the earthly numbers two as models. Shang氏 remarks: Regarding the explanation of "three for heaven, two for earth," previous scholars had different interpretations. Ma Rong and Wang Su both said: The heavenly numbers have five, the earthly numbers have five, and the five positions are paired two by two, with yin following yang; heaven obtains the number three, referring to one, three, and five, while earth obtains the number two, referring to two and four. Zheng Xuan said: The numbers of heaven and earth are complete in ten, so he multiplied the heavenly numbers three by ten and the earthly numbers two by ten, thus deriving the fifty numbers of the Great Derivation; the reason for multiplying heaven by three and earth by two is that heaven has three layers of covering and earth has two layers of bearing, and the numbers must be pushed to their extremes in order to accurately determine fortune and misfortune. Yu Fan said: This is dividing the heavenly phenomena into the three elements, then multiplying them by the earthly number two, thus establishing the six lines of numbers. As for the character "倚," Ma Rong interpreted it as "relying on," while Yu Fan and Wang Su interpreted it as "establishing."

按參兩者乃數之本原。馬王謂一三五為參天，二四為兩地。夫一二三四五乃生數，故數止於五。五數既立，以此為本，加一為六，二為七，三為八，四為九，而蓍數乃出。然則六七八九之成數，皆原於一二三四之生數，故曰倚數，言數皆依此立也。馬王之說是也。

Shang's commentary says: "San" and "liang" are the fundamental principles of numbers. Ma Rong and Wang Su stated that the odd numbers one, three, and five are called "santian" (heavenly numbers), while the even numbers two and four are called "lidì" (earthly numbers). The numbers one, two, three, four, and five are called "shengshu" (generative numbers), so numbers stop at five. Once the number five is established, it serves as the basis: adding one gives six, adding two gives seven, adding three gives eight, adding four gives nine, and these numbers six, seven, eight, and nine used in divination are thus produced. Therefore, these "chengshu" (completed numbers) all originate from the "shengshu" (generative numbers) one, two, three, and four. Hence, the "Shuogua" says "yishu" (relying on numbers), meaning that divination numbers are established based on these. The views of Ma Rong and Wang Su are correct.

天奇地耦。大行五十，兩地也；用四十有九，參天也。分二，兩地；掛一，參天；揲四，兩地；歸奇，參天。三變得三奇，三三而九，參天也；三變得三耦，二三得六，兩地也；三變而兩奇一耦，則為人，兩地也；兩耦一奇則為七，參天也。蓋欲知來，必先極數，而極數之法，必參兩回互，以此為本也。

Heavenly numbers are odd, earthly numbers are even. The number of the Great Transformation is fifty, which represents the image of "two earths." Actually using forty-nine stalks of yarrow is the image of "heavenly trinity." Dividing the yarrow stalks into two groups represents "two earths"; taking one stalk out from the middle represents "heavenly trinity." Counting the stalks in groups of four represents "two earths"; putting the remaining stalks into the fingers represents "heavenly trinity." After three transformations, if three odd numbers are obtained, three times three equals nine, which belongs to "heavenly trinity." If three even numbers are obtained, two times three equals six, which belongs to "two earths." If two odd numbers and one even number are obtained, it is eight (the original text's "person" is likely a mistake for "eight"), which belongs to "two earths." If two even numbers and one odd number are obtained, it is seven, which belongs to "heavenly trinity." In general, if one wants to foresee the future, one must first investigate numbers to their utmost; and the method of investigating numbers must necessarily be based on the mutual use of three and two.

觀變於陰陽而立卦，發揮於剛柔而生支，和順於道德而理於義，窮理盡性以至於命。昔者聖人之作易也，將以順性命之理，是以立天之道曰陰與陽，立地之道曰柔與剛，立人之道曰仁與義。兼三才而兩之，故易六畫而成卦；分陰分陽，迭用柔剛，故易六位而成章。

The Sayings on the Trigrams state: The sages observed the changes of yin and yang and established the structure of the hexagrams. They fully expressed the movement of firmness and flexibility, thus producing the lines of the hexagrams. They made them harmonious with morality and orderly according to principles, thoroughly investigating physical phenomena and fully understanding the nature of things, thus attaining knowledge of the mandate of heaven. In the past, the sages created the Book of Changes to use it for following the principles of nature and destiny. Therefore, they established the principle of heaven as "yin" and "yang," the principle of earth as "flexibility" and "firmness," and the principle of humanity as "benevolence" and "righteousness." They included the three elements of heaven, earth, and humanity, each doubled, so the Book of Changes uses six lines to form a hexagram. These six lines are divided into yin and yang positions, alternating between flexible and firm lines, so the Book of Changes creates order and elegance through six lines.

一三五陽，二四六陰，柔交居陰位，剛爻居陽位，則當位，否則失位，以此為用。虞翻曰：和順謂坤，道德謂乾，以乾通坤謂之理義，以乾推坤謂之窮理，以坤變乾謂之盡性；性盡理窮，故至於命，巽為命也。

Shang氏 explains: the first, third, and fifth lines are yang positions, while the second, fourth, and sixth lines are yin positions; when a flexible line is in a yin position and a strong line is in a yang position, it is called "appropriate position," otherwise it is called "wrong position." The Book of Changes uses this principle. Yu Fan says: "Harmony and order" refers to the Earth (Kun), and "morality and virtue" refers to Heaven (Qian); using Qian to connect with Kun is called "reason and righteousness," using Qian to elaborate on Kun is called "exhausting reason," and using Kun to transform Qian is called "exhausting nature." When nature is fully exhausted and reason is fully understood, one can "reach destiny," and the Wind (Xun) hexagram precisely has the image of "destiny."

天地定位，山澤通氣，雷風相薄，水火不相射，八卦相錯。數往者順，知來者運，是故易逆數也。此先天卦位也。天地定位，言乾位南坤位北也。薄，人也；射，厭也；錯，妗也，交也。言八卦方位，陽錯陰，陰錯陽，無一卦不相對，無一爻不相交也。此純指先天八卦之方位形式，故特申之曰八卦相錯。太玄玄告準說卦者也，玄告云：天地相對，日月相劌，山川相流，輕重相浮。又曰：南北定位，東西通氣，萬物錯處於其中。

The "Say on the Trigrams" says: Heaven and Earth are positioned above and below, mountains and marshes exchange their energies, thunder and wind interact with each other, water and fire do not despise each other, and the eight trigrams intermingle with each other; counting in the order of the past is called following, while reversing to predict the future is called reversing, so the "Book of Changes" is about reversing numbers. Shang's note: this section discusses the positions of the Earlier Heaven Trigrams. "Heaven and Earth being positioned" refers to Heaven (Qian) being in the south and Earth (Kun) in the north. "Bao" means approaching, "she" means despising, and "cuo" means intermingling. It refers to the positions of the eight trigrams, where yin and yang intermingle, and no trigram is without its opposite, nor is any line without mutual interaction. This is purely about the positional arrangement of the Earlier Heaven Trigrams, so it specifically emphasizes that "the eight trigrams intermingle." Yang Xiong's "Tai Xuan" in its "Xuan Gao" section was modeled after "Say on the Trigrams." "Xuan Gao" says, "Heaven and Earth are opposite, sun and moon interact, mountains and rivers flow into each other, light and heavy float upon each other," and also says, "North and South are positioned, East and West exchange energies, and all things intermingle within them."

按天地相對，南北定位，即謂乾南坤北也；日日月相會，東西通氣，謂離東坎西也。天地水火，四正卦也。曰山川相流，輕重相浮，萬物鍺處於其中，即謂四隅卦也，正釋此也。又乾鑿度曰：其位也，天在上，地在下，君南臣北，父坐子伏。易若以坤西南、乾西北為定位，尚得謂天在上、地在下乎？尚得謂君南臣北乎？當然別有所指。

Shang's commentary says: The "Xuangu" states "Heaven and Earth are opposite" and "North and South are fixed," meaning Qian is in the South and Kun is in the North. It says "Sun and Moon meet" and "East and West communicate," meaning Li is in the East and Kan is in the West. Heaven, Earth, Water, and Fire are the four cardinal trigrams. It says "Mountains and rivers flow, light and heavy float, and all things are arranged within them," referring to the four corner trigrams. This is precisely explaining the chapter "Shuogua" in the "Zhouyi." The "Qianzaodu" also says: In terms of direction, Heaven is above, Earth is below, the ruler is in the South, and the subject is in the North, the father sits while the son kneels. If the "Zhouyi" truly takes Kun in the Southwest and Qian in the Northwest as the fixed directions, how could it still say Heaven is above and Earth is below? How could it still say the ruler is in the South and the subject is in the North? Clearly, the directions referred to here must be referring to the Earlier Heaven directions.

乾鑿度又云：天地之道立，山澤雷風水火之象定矣，其散佈用事也，震生物於東方，離長之於南方，兌收之於西方，坎藏之於北方。與下帝出乎震之方位同。夫曰散佈用事，則震東兌西、離南坎北，未用事之先，不在此也明矣。乾鑿度於乾南坤北變為離南坎北之故，言之可謂悉。

The "Qian Zao Du" also says: once the principles of Heaven and Earth are established, the trigrams representing mountains and marshes, thunder and wind, water and fire are also determined. When they spread out and take their respective roles, Zhen (Thunder) in the East generates all things, Li (Fire) in the South causes growth, Dui (Lake) in the West brings about convergence, and Kan (Water) in the North leads to concealment. This corresponds to the section below titled "The Emperor arises from Zhen" which discusses the directions. Since it is said "to spread and take charge," it is clear that the positions of Zhen in the East, Dui in the West, Li in the South, and Kan in the North are their positions after taking charge. Before they took charge, they were not in these directions. This is very clear. The "Qian Zao Du" explains in detail why the direction of Li (Fire) became the South and Kan (Water) became the North, changing from the original Qian (Heaven) in the South and Kun (Earth) in the North.

數往者順，謂四陽卦；知來者逆，謂四陰卦。陽性強健，其動直，自內往外，順行，放日數往者順；陰性斂嗇閉藏，自外來內，逆行，故曰知來者逆。逆，迎也。陽往陰來，自然相遇，相遇然後相交，易道乃成，故曰易逆數也。言陽逆陰，陰逆陽，故能定位、通氣、相薄、不相射也。此仍言八卦相錯之理，相錯故陰陽能相逆，不相錯則陰自陰、陽自陽，胡能相值而相交哉。

"Numbering the past is in the direction of顺," referring to the four yang trigrams: Qian, Zhen, Kan, and Gen; "Knowing the future is in the direction of逆," referring to the four yin trigrams: Kun, Xun, Li, and Dui. Yang is strong and vigorous, moving directly from within outward, which is called顺, hence "Numbering the past is in the direction of顺." Yin is convergent and concealed, moving from outside inward, which is called逆, hence "Knowing the future is in the direction of逆." Here, "逆" means to welcome. Yang moves outward while Yin comes inward, naturally meeting; after meeting, they interact, and the Way of the Book of Changes (易) is established, hence "The Book of Changes is in the direction of逆." This explains that Yang welcomes Yin and Yin welcomes Yang, so the eight trigrams can be positioned, connected, and interact without mutual rejection. This still refers to the principle of the trigrams being opposite to each other: only through opposition can Yin and Yang welcome each other; if they are not opposite, Yin would remain with Yin and Yang with Yang, how could they meet and interact?

雷以動之，風以散之，雨以潤之，日以暄之，艮以止之，兌以說之，乾以君之，坤以藏之。匹耦對舉，與前節位同，不過先六子後父母耳。帝出乎震，齊乎巽，相見乎離，致役乎坤，說言乎兌，戰乎乾，勞乎坎，成言乎又。

The Sayings on the Trigrams state: Thunder is used to move all things, wind to scatter all things, rain to nourish all things, sun to warm all things, mountain to make all things still, lake to bring joy to all things, heaven to rule over all things, and earth to store all things. Shang氏 remarks: Here, pairs are presented in contrast, with the directions the same as in the previous section, but here the six sons' trigrams are mentioned first, followed by the parents' trigrams of heaven and earth. The Sayings on the Trigrams also state: The Emperor departs from the east, arranges in the southeast, meets in the south, works in the west, rejoices in speech in the northwest, fights in the north, comforts in the northeast, and completes in the north. (The character 'again' is a mistake for 'mountain'.)

馬國翰曰：此連山易文，見干寶周禮注引。按此言後天卦位，周易用之，恐人不知，故下節即連山易文，逐字逐句而詳釋其義，並明指其方位，以見與上文所言方位絕不同也。帝，神也，即主宰萬物者也。舊解皆忽略下節乃解釋此節，致此節皆成贅文。來知德曰：此專明六子之功用，然孤陽孤陰不能生物，必依先天卦位，使六子相錯相交，然後能變化既成萬物也。

Ma Guohan said: This passage is from the "Linked Mountains Changes," cited in Gan Bao's "Commentary on the Rites." Shang's note: This passage discusses the Later Heaven卦 positions, which the "Zhou Changes" adopted. To prevent confusion, the next section immediately follows the original text of the "Linked Mountains Changes," explaining each word and sentence in detail, and clearly indicating the positions of each hexagram, thereby showing that it is entirely different from the Earlier Heaven positions mentioned earlier. "Di" refers to a deity, that is, the sovereign of all things. Previous annotations overlooked the fact that the next section is an explanation of this one, leading them to regard this section as redundant. Lai Zhide said: This passage specifically explains the functions of the six sons' hexagrams. However, isolated yang and isolated yin cannot generate all things; they must rely on the Earlier Heaven hexagram positions, allowing the six sons to interact with each other, thus enabling transformation and the generation of all things.

乾健也，坤順也，震動也，巽入也，坎陷也，離麗也，艮上也，兌說也。此言八卦之性情。乾為馬，坤為牛，震為龍，巽為雞，坎為豕，離為雞，艮為狗，兌為羊。此所謂遠取諸物。巽為難，九家云：應八風也，風應節而變，變不失時，難時至而鳴，與風相應。杭辛齊曰：雞善伏。按巽為伏，然上兩解皆未必協，則謂其義至今未明可也。兌為羊，純取其形似，舊解謂羊性狠者非也。

The "Say on the Trigrams" says: The nature of Qian is firm and strong, the nature of Kun is soft and compliant, Zhen is vigorous movement, Xun is concealment and entering, Kan is perilous entrapment, Li is attachment and adhesion, Gen is stillness (the character "上" is a mistake for "止"), and Dui is joy. This discusses the nature and disposition of the Eight Trigrams. It also says: Qian represents a horse, Kun represents an ox, Zhen represents a dragon, Xun represents a chicken, Kan represents a pig, Li represents a pheasant, Gen represents a dog, and Dui represents a sheep. This is what the "Great Treatise" refers to as "taking from distant objects." Shang's note: Xun is taken as a chicken because the "Nine Schools Commentary on the Yi" says that it corresponds to the eight directions of wind. Wind changes with the seasons, changing yet not losing its timing; the chicken crows according to the time, exactly corresponding to the wind. Hang Xinzhai says: the chicken is good at brooding. According to Xun, there is indeed an image of concealment, but both of these interpretations may not be accurate. It is perhaps that the meaning of this image remains unclear to this day. Dui is taken as a sheep purely because the shape of the trigram resembles that of a sheep. Old commentaries that say it is because the sheep is fierce and cruel are incorrect.

乾為首，坤為腹，震為足，巽為股，坎為耳，離為目，艮為手，兌為口。此近取諸身。坎窖也，故為耳；經以兌為耳，皆取其形。舊解謂坎北方屬腎，腎主耳；又謂坎北方主聰，故為耳，皆非。以上二十四象，昔人謂之本象。

The Sayings on the Trigrams states: Qian represents the head, Kun the abdomen, Zhen the feet, Xun the thighs, Kan the ears, Li the eyes, Gen the hands, and Dui the mouth. This is called "taking from the body." Shang's commentary says: Kan has the image of a cave, being concave in the middle, hence it represents the ear; the text of the Zhou Changes also uses Dui to represent the ear, both taking their shape as the basis. Old commentaries say that Kan is located in the north and corresponds to the kidney among the five internal organs, and since the kidney opens to the ear, it is associated with the ear; they also say that Kan in the north governs hearing, hence it is the ear—these are all incorrect. The above twenty-four images of the eight trigrams, including their nature, taking from distant objects and from the body, are called "the fundamental images."

乾天也，故稱乎父；坤地也，故稱乎母；震一索而得男，故謂之長男；巽一索而得女，故謂之長女；坎再索而得男，故謂之中男；離再索而得女，故謂之中女；艮三索而得男，故謂之少男；兌三索而得女，故謂之少女。

The *Say on the Trigrams* says: Qian represents Heaven, so it is called the father; Kun represents Earth, so it is called the mother. The first inquiry yielding a male is called the Eldest Son, which is Zhen; the first inquiry yielding a female is called the Eldest Daughter, which is Xun. The second inquiry yielding a male is called the Middle Son, which is Kan; the second inquiry yielding a female is called the Middle Daughter, which is Li. The third inquiry yielding a male is called the Youngest Son, which is Gen; the third inquiry yielding a female is called the Youngest Daughter, which is Dui.

索，求也。陰與陽互相求，文言曰同聲相應、同氣相求是也。陽求陰得三男，陰求陽得三女，而以初中上三爻為次序，實經之所用不與盡同。如隨以震為小子、艮為丈夫，大過以巽為女妻、以兌為老婦，與此正相反。蓋以二人言，先生者為長，次為幼；而以一人言，則初爻為幼，至上而老矣。此其理除焦氏易林外，餘無知者。易林以兌為老婦，巽為少齊，初讀之皆莫明其義，後乃恍然知其悉本於易也。

"Seeking" means to request. Yin and Yang seek each other, as the "Commentary of the Wenyan" says, "Like sounds respond to each other, and like energies seek each other," which is exactly this meaning. Yang seeks Yin and obtains the three masculine trigrams, Zhen, Kan, and Gen; Yin seeks Yang and obtains the three feminine trigrams, Xun, Li, and Dui. The order of the first line, middle line, and top line determines the order of the elder, middle, and younger. However, the actual usage in the text of the Zhou Changes differs from this. For example, in the hexagram "Following," Zhen is called "the young man" and Gen is called "the husband," while in the hexagram "Great Excess," Xun is called "the young wife" and Dui is called "the old woman," which is exactly opposite to the order of length and youth in the "Commentary on the Hexagrams." This is because, when comparing two people, the one who is born first is the elder and the one born later is the younger; when considering a person's life, the first line represents childhood and by the top line one has already aged. This principle is known only by the Jiao's Forest of Changes. The Forest of Changes takes Dui as the old woman and Xun as the young wife; at first reading, one does not understand their meaning, but later one suddenly understands that they are all based on the Zhou Changes.

朱子謂說卦之象，求之於經亦不盡合。讀哉其有不合，蓋說卦乃自古相傳之象，至周易愈演愈精，故經所用象不盡與說卦同。虞翻等必執說卦以解經，至大過創為二應上、初應五之惡例，以求其合，其誤遂不可言矣。

Zhu Xi said that the images recorded in "Shuo Gua" cannot fully correspond when applied to the texts of the "Zhou Yi". He was indeed correct. This is because the images in "Shuo Gua" are ancient traditions passed down through the ages. By the time the "Zhou Yi" was compiled, the images had become increasingly refined and precise. Therefore, the images used in the classic texts are not entirely the same as those in "Shuo Gua". Yu Fan and his followers insisted on strictly adhering to the images in "Shuo Gua" when interpreting the classics. They even fabricated absurd examples such as "the second line responding to the upper line" and "the first line responding to the fifth line" in the "Da Guo" hexagram, forcing them to fit. Their errors are beyond measure.

乾為天，為圜，為君，為父，為玉，為金，為寒，為冰，為大赤，為良馬，為老馬，為瘠馬，為駁馬，為木果，為龍，為直，為衣，為言。依九家本增，下同。金玉象其純粹。西北不同風，陰寒之地，故為寒冰。乾舍於離，南方火，故為大赤。乾健故為馬。凡物皆有初壯究，故由良馬而老而瘠而駁。木果形皆圜，無他義。其以駁為食虎豹之獸，或又本陸機詩疏謂駁為木，皆非。乾上放為衣。

The Sayings on the Hexagrams state: Qian represents Heaven, roundness, the sovereign, the father, jade, metal, coldness, ice, a bright red color, a good horse, an old horse, a thin horse, a horse of mixed color, the fruit on a tree, the dragon, straightness, clothing, and speech. (The last four symbols—dragon, straightness, clothing, and speech—are added according to the version from the Nine Schools of the Yi Jing. The same applies to the additions for the following hexagrams.) Shang's commentary: Jade and metal are chosen for their pure and refined qualities. Qian is located in the northwest, differing from the winds of other directions, and is thus associated with coldness and ice. Qian is associated with Li (Fire), which is located in the south, hence the association with a bright red color. The nature of Qian is strong and vigorous, hence its association with horses. All things have three stages: birth, maturity, and decline, hence the progression from a good horse to an old horse, to a thin horse, to a horse of mixed color. The shape of fruits on trees is generally round, hence the association with roundness, and there is no deeper meaning. Some people say that "bo" refers to a fierce beast that can eat tigers and leopards, while others, based on Lu Ji's commentary on the Mao Shi (Book of Songs), say that "bo" is a type of tree. Both interpretations are incorrect. Qian is located at the top, hence its association with clothing, as clothing is located above the human body.

坤為地，為母，為布，為釜，為吝嗇，為均，為子母牛，為大輿，為文，為眾，為柄，其於地也為黑，為牝，為迷，為方，為囊，為棠，為黃，為帛，為漿。坤德偏布萬物以致養，故為布。外府注云：布，泉也，凡錢藏者曰泉，行者曰布，取名於水泉，其流行無不偏。按本為水，故象泉布。萬物資地成熟，故為釜。坤閉故吝嗇。不擇而生故為均。坤為牛，地生生不已，今之童牛，不日又生子而為母矣，故為子母牛。萬物依之為本故為柄。坤文故為帛。坤為水，故為漿。

The "Shuo Gu" says: Kun represents earth, mother, cloth, cooking pot, stinginess, equality, a cow with a calf, large cart, ornamentation, multitude, and handle. In terms of earth, it is black; also representing female, confusion, square, bag, skirt, yellow, silk, and soup. (The following figures are added according to the "Jiu Jia Yi" version.) Shang's commentary says: The virtue of Kun spreads throughout all things, providing sustenance, hence it is called "cloth." The Zheng annotation of the "Zhou Li · Wai Fu" says: "Cloth" refers to money, which is also called "spring water." Money stored is called "spring," and when it circulates, it is called "cloth," named after spring water, because it flows everywhere. Since Kun originally has the image of water, it can be associated with spring and cloth. All things rely on earth to mature, hence it is called "cooking pot." The nature of Kun is to conceal, hence it is called stinginess; it does not discriminate and nurtures all, hence it is called equality. Originally, Kun represents a cow, and the earth continuously produces, now it is a cow with a calf, soon it will give birth again and become a mother cow, hence it is called "mother cow with a calf." All things take earth as their foundation, hence it is called "handle." Kun has ornamentation, hence it is called silk. Kun has the image of water, hence it is called soup.

震為雷，為龍，為玄黃，為敷，為大塗，為長子，為決躁，為蒼茛竹，為萑葦；其於馬也為善嗚，為弓（左下？）足，為作足，為的顙；其於稼也為反生，其究為健，為蕃鮮，為玉，為鵠，為鼓。龍馬（右龍）通，而馬（右龍）與龍通。說文龍，多毛犬也。鄭作龍，雲取日出色；虞作馬（右龍），雲蒼色。案周禮秋官犬人，掌犬牲，凡幾珥沈辜用馬（右龍），注：故書馬（右龍）作龍。疏：雜色牲，即雜色犬牲也。又春官牧人職用馬（右龍），御史職馬（右龍）車，注皆云故書馬（有龍）作龍，是馬（右龍）古作龍。清儒依虞說，多從馬（右龍），豈知龍馬（右龍）音同通用，龍即馬（右龍），非誤字也，特詁為龍或只詁為雜色，不詁為犬牲則誤耳。

The "Say on the Hexagrams" says: Zhen represents thunder, dragon, the colors green and yellow, blooming flowers, a broad road, the eldest son, decisiveness and restlessness, dark green bamboo, and reeds; regarding horses, it represents a horse that is good at making sounds, a horse with white on the left hind leg, a horse that raises its front legs, and a horse with a white spot on its forehead; regarding crops, it represents inverted growth. Its ultimate image is strength and vigor, also a fence, rarity, jade, a swan, and a drum. (The final images are added according to the version from the Nine Schools of the Yi Jing.) Shang's commentary says: "Dragon" and "Long" are interchangeable, and "Long" is also interchangeable with "Meng." The "Shuowen" says that "Meng" refers to a dog with much fur. Zheng Xuan's version uses "Dragon," saying it refers to the color at sunrise; Yu Fan's version uses "Meng," saying it refers to the color of dark blue. Examining the "Zhou Li · Autumn Official · Dog Person," who is in charge of dog sacrifices, all the rituals such as the ritual of blood sacrifice, the submerged sacrifice, and the sacrificial offering of guilt use "Meng." Zheng Xuan's commentary says that the old version wrote "Meng" as "Dragon." Jia's commentary says that it refers to a mixed color animal, that is, a mixed color dog sacrifice. Also, in the "Spring Official · Herdsman," the text uses "Meng," and in the "Inspector" text, there is "Meng carriage," and Zheng Xuan's commentary says that the old version wrote "Meng" as "Dragon." This shows that the character "Meng" was originally written as "Dragon" in ancient times. Scholars in the Qing dynasty followed Yu Fan's view and mostly wrote it as "Meng," but they did not know that the characters "Dragon" and "Meng" are pronounced the same and are interchangeable. "Dragon" is actually "Meng," not a wrong character. However, if we only interpret it as dragon or only interpret it as mixed color, but not interpret it as dog sacrifice, that is the mistake.

又易林決（左無）之屯云：龍吠有威，行者留止。巽寡髮，震多毛，震為威，為鳴，故為龍，是鄭讀與焦同。敷，干寶敷為花貌，易林亦以震為花，此象卦形，餘說皆誤。九家雲蒼茛，青也。震為周為虛，歸妹上六承虛筐也。竹與崔葦皆有節，下陽象之，上二陰象其圓而中空。馬足白為馬（？），陽在下故足白。的顙，白顛也。初陽生，故曰反生。

Shang's commentary says: In "Jiao's Forest of Changes · Gua to Tun," it says, "The dragon barks with authority, the traveler stops or stays." Here, Xun represents a sparse-haired animal, and Zhen represents a hairy one. Zhen also represents authority and sound, so it takes the image of a dog with many hairs called "mang" to explain "bark." This shows that Zheng Xuan's interpretation is the same as Jiao Yanshou's. The character "fu" is interpreted by Gan Bao as the appearance of blooming flowers. "Forest of Changes" also takes Zhen as flowers, based on the shape of the Zhen trigram. Other interpretations are incorrect. The "Nine Schools Commentary on the Changes" says "cang lang" refers to the color green. Zhen has the image of surrounding and emptiness. In "Gui Mei" upper sixth, "bearing an empty basket" takes this image. Bamboo and canes have nodes; the lower one yang represents the node, and the upper two yin represent its round and hollow shape. A white mark on the left hind hoof of a horse is called "zhu." Since Zhen has one yang at the bottom, it represents the white hoof. "De sang" refers to a white spot on the forehead. The first line has the beginning of one yang, breaking through the covering yin above, so it is said to "reverse into life."

宋衷曰：陰在上，陽在下，故為反生，謂集豆之類皆戴甲而生。按來注最為精切，格物微，取象之妙人微，而經生知之者寡。陽息至三，乾健；反覆成巽，龔為垣庸，故為蕃。蕃藩通，詩小雅營營青蠅、止於蕃是也。巽為寡，故為鮮，詩終鮮兄弟，傳：鮮，寡也。玉色白或青，故為玉。有謂為王之訛者，證以易林象非也。鵠鶴古通。為聲音故為鼓。

Song Zhong said: When a yin line is on top and a yang line is below, it is called "reverse birth," referring to seeds such as beans that grow upward from the shell. Shang said: Lai Zhide's commentary is most precise. He thoroughly examines things and his use of imagery is subtle. Unfortunately, few scholars of the classics are aware of this. The trigram Zhen (Thunder) has one yang line that generates the trigram Qian (Heaven) when it reaches the third line. Qian is characterized by strength and vigor, so it is said "its ultimate nature is strength." When Zhen is reversed, it becomes Xun (Wind), which represents walls, hence "fan." "Fan" is also synonymous with "fan," as seen in the poem "Xiao Ya" "Yingying Qingying, Zhi Yu Fan." Xun represents fewness, hence "xian." In the "Book of Songs," "Zhong Xian Xiongdi," the commentary by Mao says "xian means few." Jade is either white or green, hence it is called jade. Some say "yu" is a mistaken form of "wang," but by referring to the imagery in the "Yi Lin," we can see that this is not the case. "Hu" and "he" were once considered the same in ancient times. Zhen represents sound, hence it is associated with the drum.

巽為木，為風，為長女，為繩直，為工，為白，為長，為高，為進退，為不果，為臭；其於人也為寡髮，為廣顙，為多白眼，為近利市三倍；其究為躁卦，為楊，為鸛。陸績云：風，士氣也，巽坤之所生，故為風，故易林亦以坤為風。巽柔故為繩，巽風故直。工，說文巧飾也，象人有規 。徐楷（左金）曰：為巧必遵規 法度，然後為工。按巽為順，能順規 ，遵循法度，故為工。風可進可退，故不果，經屢以巽為疑，同此也。臭，氣也，風散則氣至，故為臭。巽隕落，故寡髮；震為髮，反巽故寡髮。廣顙取上二陽象。多白眼，按離為目，中爻陰，黑睛，上下陽目中之白；今二陽皆在上，睛伏在下，故多白眼。利市三倍，似取流通，或取人義。究為震，故曰躁卦。

The *Shuo Gua* says: Xun represents wood, wind, the elder daughter, a rope, craftsmanship, white color, length, height, movement forward and backward, indecisiveness, and smell. In terms of people, it represents sparse hair, a broad forehead, many white eyes, and profit that is three times the usual. Its ultimate image is the restless hexagram, also representing the willow tree and the stork. (The last two images are added according to the *Jiu Jia Yi* version.) Shang's commentary says: Lu Ji said that wind is the qi of earth, and Xun is born from Kun, so it is wind. Therefore, the *Yi Lin* also takes Kun as wind. Xun is flexible, so it represents a rope. Xun is wind, and wind moves straight without bending, so it represents straightness. "Craftsmanship" is explained by the *Shuo Wen* as skillful decoration, with the character's form resembling a person holding a compass and square. Xu Kai said that to make something skillful, one must first follow the rules and standards, and only then can it be called craftsmanship. According to Xun's meaning of obedience, it can follow rules and standards, so it represents craftsmanship. Wind can move forward or backward, so it is indecisive; the text repeatedly uses Xun to represent doubt, which is the same principle. "Smell" refers to the scent, and wind disperses the scent, so it represents smell. Xun has the image of falling, so it represents sparse hair; Zhen represents hair, and Zhen reversed is Xun, so Xun represents sparse hair. "Broad forehead" takes the image of the two upper yang lines. "Many white eyes": Li represents the eye, the middle line is yin, representing the black pupil, and the upper and lower yang lines represent the white part of the eye; Xun has two yang lines above, with the black pupil below, so there is more white in the eye. "Profit three times the usual" seems to take the meaning of wind's circulation, or the meaning of Xun as "entering." Xun ultimately transforms into Zhen, so it is called the restless hexagram.

坎為水，為溝瀆，為隱伏，為矯，為弓輪；其於人也為加優，為心病，為耳痛，為血卦，為赤；其於馬也為美脊，為亟心，為下首，為薄蹄，為曳；其於輿也為多青，為通，為月，為盜；其於木也為堅多心，為宮，為律，為可，為棟，為叢棘，為狐，為蒺藜，為桎梏。為隱伏，為憂，為心病，為美脊，為亟心，為通，為堅多心，皆以陽在陰中而取象。以乾闢坤，故為溝讀。曲者使直為矯，直者使曲為，水性可曲可直也，可曲故可為弓輪。水在地，猶人之有血。乾大赤，坎得乾之中爻，故亦為赤。月者水之精，故坎為月。為憂故下首，下首猶低頭也。坎隱伏，故為盜。坎為屋極，故為宮，為棟。坎陽在中，健而直，故為棘，為蒺藜。坎陽陷朋中，不能移動，如法律之固定，如桎梏之在手足，故為法律，為桎梏。

The Sayings on the Hexagrams say: Kan represents water, ditches, concealment, correction, bows and wheels; in relation to humans, it represents sorrow, heart disease, ear pain, the blood hexagram, and red color; in relation to horses, it represents a beautiful back, a quick temper, a drooping head, thin hooves, and difficulty in moving; in relation to vehicles, it represents many calamities; it also represents communication, the moon, and theft; in relation to wood, it represents hard wood with a central core; it also represents buildings, laws, approval, beams, thorny brambles, foxes, thorned weeds, and restraints. (The following interpretations are added according to the version of the Nine Schools of the Yi Jing.) Shang's commentary: Concealment, sorrow, heart disease, a beautiful back, a quick heart, communication, firmness with a central core, all these images are derived from the situation where one yang line is embedded within two yin lines. Since Qian (Heaven) yang opens up Kun (Earth) yin, it becomes ditches. Making a bend straight is called 'correcting,' making a straight line bend is called 'flexing,' and water can be both curved and straight. Since it can be curved, it can represent bows and wheels. Water in the earth is like blood in the human body. Qian represents great red, and Kan receives the middle line of Qian, so it also represents red. The moon is the essence of water, so Kan represents the moon. Sorrow causes one to lower the head, so it is 'lowering the head,' which means lowering the head. Since Kan is concealed, it represents theft. The image of Kan resembles the peak of a roof, so it represents buildings and beams. The single yang line in Kan is central, strong, and upright, so it represents brambles and thorned weeds. The yang line in Kan is trapped within the yin lines and cannot move, just like the immovability of laws and the restraints of shackles, so it represents laws and restraints.

離為火，為日，為電，為中女，為甲冑，為戈兵；其於人也為大腹，為乾卦，為鱉，為蟹，為贏，為蚌，為龜；其於木也為科上槁，為牝牛。取火之明，故為日為電。中虛故為大腹。餘象皆取外堅。離中拓故科上槁。經皆以艮為龜，變外堅故。

The Sayings on the Trigrams say: Li represents fire, the sun, lightning, the middle daughter, armor, and weapons; in relation to humans, it represents a large belly; in relation to wood, it represents something hollow in the middle with the top dry and withered, and also represents a mother cow. Shang's commentary says: Fire is taken for its brightness, hence it represents the sun and lightning. The middle line of Li is empty, hence it represents a large belly. The other images such as turtles, crabs, snails, clams, and tortoises are all taken from their hard shells. The middle of Li is split, hence it represents 'the top of the stem is withered.' However, the Classic of Changes takes Gen as the turtle, which is also because of its hard shell.

艮為山，為徑路，為小石，為門闕，為果瓜（雙瓜上草），為閣寺，為指，為狗，為鼠，為黔喙之屬；其於木也為堅多節，為養，為虎，為狐。震為大塗，反之則為徑路。為山，故為石，外堅故也。門闕閽寺皆象形。指能屈伸制物，與手同義，故為指。狗，虞翻雲上已有狗，當為拘字之誤。按構變音句（左金），禮曲禮若僕者降等則自下拘之，注拘取之也。釋文：拘，古侯反。是拘與狗音同，故通用，而其義為取，仍由手取象。狗拘亦猶龍馬（右龍）羊陽之通用，不可謂龍羊之為誤字也。凡經書字如此者，必有其故，詳細推考，自能得其故，不必遽為改字。

The *Shuo Gua* says: Gen represents mountain, narrow path, small stone, gate, fruits, the gatekeeper (hunren and sirren), finger, dog, rat, and the beak of a bird with black color. In terms of wood, it represents hardness and knots; also represents cultivation, tiger, and fox. (The last three images are added according to the *Jiujia Yi* version.) Shang氏 explains: Zhen represents a wide road, and when Zhen is inverted, it becomes Gen, hence representing a narrow path. Gen represents mountain, so it represents stone, taking its outer hardness. Gate, gatekeeper, and sirren are all derived from the shape of the hexagram. The finger can bend and stretch, and can hold objects, which is similar to the hand, hence representing finger. As for "dog," Yu Fan says that the previous text already mentions Gen as representing dog, so this should be a mistake for "jū" (to restrain). According to "jū," which is pronounced like "gōu," the *Liji* says, "If the servant is of lower rank, he should restrain the person below," and Zheng's commentary says, "jū means to take." The *Jingdian Xishu* says, "jū is pronounced as 'gou' in ancient pronunciation." Therefore, "jū" and "gou" have the same sound and are interchangeable. The meaning of "jū" is "to take," which still derives from the hand. "Dog" and "jū" are interchangeable, just as "long" and "nong," and "yang" and "yang" are interchangeable. One cannot say that "long" or "yang" are wrong characters. All such characters in the classics must have their reasons. As long as we examine them carefully, we can certainly find out the reasons, and we should not arbitrarily change the characters.

艮為穴，鼠穴居，故為鼠。黔喙，易林作黔啄。說反喙耶，啄家食也。馬卻皆謂為虎象之屬，實虎約無黔者。茗啄則專屬之鳥，鳥之剛在啄，鳥艮剛在上，故為黔喙。凡鳥之鷙者，無不黔啄，易林以艮為鷹檀（右鳥）雕隼，本此也。剛在外故堅多節。鼻者面之山，故又為鼻。乾為虎，艮得乾上爻，故亦為虎。狐穴居故亦為狐。

Shang's commentary says: Gen represents a cave, and the rat lives in holes, so it is the rat. "Qian zhuo" in the Yi Lin is "Qian zhuo." The Shuowen explains that "zhuo" is the mouth, while "zhuo" refers to a bird's feeding action. Ma Rong and Zheng Xuan both say "Qian zhuo" refers to tigers and leopards, but in fact tigers and leopards do not have black mouths. "Qian zhuo" specifically refers to birds: the hardest part of a bird's body is its beak, and the Gen hexagram's strong line is at the top, so it is "Qian zhuo." All fierce birds have black beaks, which is why the Yi Lin takes Gen as representing the hawk, the zhan, the falcon, and the shun. Since Gen's strong line is on the outside, it represents something hard and jointed. The nose is the prominent part of the face, like a mountain, so Gen also represents the nose. Qian represents the tiger, and since Gen takes the top line of Qian, it also represents the tiger. The fox lives in holes, so it is also represented by Gen.

上經始乾坤，終坎離，而以否泰為樞紐；下經始咸恆，終既未濟，而以損益為樞。其間次序，皆有深意。聖人慮後世妄人或有亂其卦序者，故為此以綰轂之，其意義可不深求也。

The upper part of the Zhou Changes begins with the trigrams Qian (Heaven) and Kun (Earth), and ends with Kan (Water) and Li (Fire), with the hexagrams Pu (Obstruction) and Tai (Peace) as its central points. The lower part begins with Xian (Salting) and Heng (Permanence), and ends with Ji Ji (Completion) and Wei Ji (Non-Completion), with the hexagrams Shen (Loss) and Yi (Gain) as its central points. The order in between contains profound meaning. The sage feared that later generations might disorder the sequence of hexagrams, so he composed the "Xu Gua Zhuan" (Sequence of Hexagrams), like a wheel hub fastening the spokes, to fix the order of the hexagrams. As for the explanations in the "Xu Gua Zhuan" regarding the meanings of the hexagrams, there is no need to seek them too deeply.

有天地然後萬物生焉。盈天地之間者唯萬物，故受之以屯。屯者盈也，屯者物之始生也。物生必蒙，故受之以蒙。蒙者蒙也，物之犀（左禾）也。物釋不可不養也，故受之以需。需者飲食之道也。飲食必有訟，故受之以訟。訟必有眾起，故受之以師。師者眾也。眾必有所比，故受之以比。比者比也。比必有所畜，故受之以小畜。物畜然後有禮，故受之以履。履而泰，然後安，故受之以泰。泰者通也。物不可以終通，故受之以否。物不可以終否，故受之以同人。與人同者，物必歸焉，故受之以大有。大者不可以盈，故受之以謙。有大而能謙必豫，故受之以豫。豫必有隨，故受之以隨。以喜隨人者必有事，故受之以蠱。蠱者事也。有事而後可大，故受之以臨。臨者大也。物大然後可觀，故受之以觀。

After Heaven and Earth were formed, all things came into being. All things are filled within Heaven and Earth, so after the hexagrams of Heaven and Earth, the hexagram of Zhun comes next. "Zhun" means fullness, and also signifies the beginning of all things. When all things first begin, they are necessarily in a state of ignorance, so the hexagram of Meng comes next. "Meng" means ignorance, and also signifies the infant stage of all things. Things in their infancy cannot be left without care, so the hexagram of Xu comes next. "Xu" means the way of food and drink. When there is food and drink, there must be contention, so the hexagram of Song comes next. Contention will inevitably lead to the gathering of people, so the hexagram of Shi comes next. "Shi" means multitude. When people gather, they must have someone to follow, so the hexagram of Bi comes next. "Bi" means to be close to. After being close to others, there must be accumulation, so the hexagram of Xiao Xu comes next. When there is accumulation, then there can be propriety, so the hexagram of Li comes next. Following propriety, and when things are smooth, there is peace, so the hexagram of Tai comes next. "Tai" means smoothness. Things cannot always be smooth, so the hexagram of Po comes next. Nor can things always be blocked, so the hexagram of Tong Ren comes next. Those who can harmonize with others will have all things coming to them, so the hexagram of Da You comes next. Greatness should not be complacent, so the hexagram of Qian comes next. When one is great and yet humble, there must be ease, so the hexagram of Yu comes next. Ease will naturally lead to following, so the hexagram of Sui comes next. Those who follow others with joy will inevitably have affairs, so the hexagram of Gu comes next. "Gu" means affairs. When there are affairs, one can achieve great things, so the hexagram of Lin comes next. "Lin" means great. When things are great, they can be observed, so the hexagram of Guan comes next.

可觀而後有所合，故受之以噬嗑。嗑者合也。物不可以苟合而已，故受之以賁。賁者飾也。致飾然後亨則盡矣，故受之以剝。剝者剝也。物不可以終盡，剝窮上反下，故受之以復。復則不妄矣，故受之以天妄。有元妄然後可畜，故受之以大畜。物畜然後可養，故受之以頤。頤者養也。不養則不可動，故受之以大過。物不可以終過，故受之以坎。坎者陷也。陷必有所麗，故受之以離。離者麗也。離麗者，言一陰麗於二陽之間。

One may observe and then come to a meeting, hence the following of the Hexagram of噬嗑—「嗑」means to join together. Things cannot be hastily joined together, hence the following of the Hexagram of贲—「贲」means ornamentation. When ornamentation reaches its extreme, the way of success is exhausted, hence the following of the Hexagram of剥—「剥」means to peel away. Things cannot ultimately be stripped away, for when peeling reaches the top line, it returns to the lower part to be reborn, hence the following of the Hexagram of复. Returning to the right path avoids delusion, hence the following of the Hexagram of无妄. Without delusion, one can accumulate, hence the following of the Hexagram of大畜. Accumulation allows for nourishment, hence the following of the Hexagram of颐—「颐」means nourishment. Without nourishment, there can be no action, hence the following of the Hexagram of大过. Things cannot always be excessive, hence the following of the Hexagram of坎—「坎」means a pit. Falling into a pit must have something to rely on, hence the following of the Hexagram of离—「离」means to rely on. Shang氏 notes: the saying 「离，丽也」means that in the Hexagram of离, one yao is attached between two yang yao.

有天地然後有萬物，有萬物然後有男女，有男女然後有夫婦，有夫婦然後有父子，有父子然後有君臣，有君臣然後有上下，有上下然後禮義有所錯。夫婦之道（指咸卦）不可以不久也，故受之以恆。恆者久也。物不以久居其所，故受之以豚（左之）。豚（左之）者退也。物不可以終豚（左之），故受之以大壯。物不可以終壯，故受之以晉。晉者進也。進必有所傷，故受之以明夷。夷者傷也。傷於外者，必反其家，故受之以家人。家道窮必乖，故受之以睽。睽者乖也。乖必有難，故受之以蹇。蹇者難也。物不可以終難，故受之以解。解者緩也。緩必有所失，故受之以損。損而不巳必益，故受之以益。益而不已必決，故受之以決（左無）。決（左無）者決也。決必有所遇，故受之以垢。垢（左女）者遇也。

After heaven and earth were formed, all things came into being; after all things came into being, there were men and women; after men and women came into being, there were husband and wife; after husband and wife came into being, there were father and son; after father and son came into being, there were ruler and subject; after ruler and subject came into being, there was a distinction between above and below; after there was a distinction between above and below, the rites and morals had a place to be established. "错" means to arrange. The way of husband and wife (referring to the Hexagram 17, "Xian") cannot be without duration, so after "Xian" comes "Heng" (Hexagram 18), meaning duration. Things cannot remain in one place for long, so after "Heng" comes "Dun" (Hexagram 19), meaning retreat. Things cannot keep retreating forever, so after "Dun" comes "Da Zhuang" (Hexagram 20); since they cannot keep retreating, nor can they keep advancing, so after "Da Zhuang" comes "Jin" (Hexagram 21), meaning progress. Progress inevitably brings injury, so after "Jin" comes "Ming Yi" (Hexagram 22), where "Yi" means injury. If one is injured outside, he must return to his home, so after "Ming Yi" comes "Jia Ren" (Hexagram 23). When the family affairs are in trouble, there will be discord, so after "Jia Ren" comes "Kui" (Hexagram 24), meaning discord. Discord inevitably leads to difficulties, so after "Kui" comes "Jian" (Hexagram 25), meaning difficulty. Things cannot remain in difficulty forever, so after "Jian" comes "Jie" (Hexagram 26), meaning relief. Relief inevitably leads to loss, so after "Jie" comes "Sun" (Hexagram 27), meaning reduction. Reduction without end inevitably turns into increase, so after "Sun" comes "Yi" (Hexagram 28), meaning increase. Increase without end inevitably leads to fullness and overflow, so after "Yi" comes "Guai" (Hexagram 29), meaning decision. After decision, there will be meeting, so after "Guai" comes "Gou" (Hexagram 30), meaning meeting.

物相遇而後聚，故受之以苯。萃者聚也。聚而上者謂之升，故受之以升。升而不已必困，故受之以困。困乎上者必反下，故受之以並。井道不可不革，故受之以革。革物者莫若鼎，故受之以鼎。主器者莫若長子，故受之以震。震者動也。物不可以終動，止之，故受之以艮。艮者止也。物不可以終止，故受之以漸。漸者進也。進必有所歸，故受之以歸妹。得其所歸者必大，故受之以豐。豐者大也。窮大者必失其居，故受之以旅。放而天所容，故受之以巽。巽者人也。入而後說之，故受之以兌。兌者說也。說而後散之，故受之以渙。渙者離也。物不可以終離，故受之以節。節而信之，故受之以中孚。有其信者必行之，故受之以小過。有過物者必濟，故受之以既濟。物不可窮也，故受之以未濟終焉。

Things meet and then gather, so the hexagram "Cui" (Gathering) follows. Gathering and moving upward is called "Sheng" (Rising), so the hexagram "Sheng" follows. Rising without end will inevitably lead to hardship, so the hexagram "Kun" (Obstruction) follows. When obstructed above, one must return to below, so the hexagram "Jing" (Well) follows. The well, over time, must not remain unchanged, so the hexagram "Ge" (Revolution) follows. The most profound change of things is the cooking in the tripod, so the hexagram "Ding" (Tripod) follows. The eldest son is most responsible for the ancestral temple and ritual vessels, so the hexagram "Zhen" (Thunder) follows. "Zhen" means movement. Things cannot continue moving endlessly; they must rest, so the hexagram "Gen" (Mountain) follows. "Gen" means stopping. It is also not possible to remain still forever, so the hexagram "Jian" (Gradual Progress) follows. "Jian" means gradual advancement. Advancing must have a destination, so the hexagram "Gui Mei" (Return of the Maiden) follows. Having a destination leads to growth, so the hexagram "Feng" (Great) follows. "Feng" means great. When greatness reaches its peak, it inevitably loses its dwelling, so the hexagram "Lv" (Traveler) follows. Being a traveler without a place to stay, so the hexagram "Xun" (Wind) follows. "Xun" means entering. Entering brings joy, so the hexagram "Dui" (Joy) follows. "Dui" means joy. Joy must be dispersed, so the hexagram "Huan" (Dispersal) follows. "Huan" means dispersal. Things cannot ultimately be dispersed, so the hexagram "Jie" (Regulation) follows. With regulation, people trust, so the hexagram "Zhong Fu" (Middle Trust) follows. With trust, one must act, so the hexagram "Xiao Guo" (Minor Excess) follows. Having something beyond the ordinary leads to success, so the hexagram "Ji Ji" (Already Achieved) follows. Since things cannot be exhausted, the hexagram "Wei Ji" (Not Yet Achieved) concludes the sequence.

伏羲未定婚禮以前，人皆知有母，不知有父，故曰有夫婦然後有父子。節者符也，以竹為之，各持其一，合之以為信，周禮地官掌節是也。物不可終離，故受之以節，節之用在合，故與離對文。合而符則信，故曰節而信之，全指符節言，舊解皆誤。

Shang's note: Before Fuxi established the rites of marriage, people only knew of mothers and not of fathers, hence the "Xu Gua" says "only after there are husband and wife can there be father and son." "Jie" refers to a symbol or token, made of bamboo, with each party holding half, which could be joined together for verification as a sign of trust. The "Book of Rites · Di Gao" mentions an official called "Zhang Jie," who was in charge of such tokens. The "Xu Gua" says "things cannot remain separated forever, hence it is followed by Jie" — the use of Jie lies in "joining together," so it is paired with "Li" in contrast; when the tokens are joined and match, it is "trust," hence saying "Jie and trust." This entire passage is discussing the token, and all previous interpretations were wrong.

十翼以雜卦終，與山六十四卦以未濟終義同也。蓋六十四卦卦序皆文王所定，其起訖皆有深義，不可動搖。然易道以不窮為義，六十四卦至既濟而六爻定，定則窮矣，故殿以未濟，使之復通。六十四卦，上經始天地，下經始夫婦，此不易者也，故雜卦仍之。而以井困居上經之末，以損益為樞紐；以未濟決（左無）居下經之末，以否泰為樞紐。損益否泰，後先互易，明文王之意先天道後人事，孔子之意先人事後天道也。

The Ten Wings conclude with the "Zagua Transmission," just as the sixty-four hexagrams end with "Wei Ji." The order of the sixty-four hexagrams was established by King Wen, and the beginning and end contain profound meanings that cannot be altered. However, the Way of the Book of Changes is based on non-exhaustion; when the sixty-four hexagrams reach "Ji Ji," all six lines are in their proper positions and stable, and stability signifies completion. Therefore, "Wei Ji" is used to conclude, allowing the energy of the hexagrams to circulate again. The Upper Canon of the sixty-four hexagrams begins with the Heaven and Earth, i.e., Qian and Kun, and the Lower Canon begins with the husband and wife, i.e., Xian and Heng, which is unchangeable, so the "Zagua" still follows this pattern. However, the "Zagua" places "Jing" and "Kun" at the end of the Upper Canon, with "Sun" and "Yi" as the central points; and places "Wei Ji" and "Gua" at the end of the Lower Canon, with "Po" and "Tai" as the central points. The order of "Sun," "Yi," "Po," and "Tai" is reversed, clearly indicating that King Wen's intention was to follow the Earlier Heaven Way first and then human affairs, while Confucius' intention was to start with human affairs first and then the Way of Heaven.

先人事，並取其不窮。困而不失其亨，故以為上經之殿。聽天道，則事之濟不濟命也，剛健果決，自強不息，終焉以赴之耳，故以未濟決（左無）終，仍窮變通久之義也。謂之為雜者，言雜柔（左未）各卦，使上下經互易，不與文王卦序同。非孔子不敢有此改作，亦非孔子無此神化之筆也，彼七十二賢固不敢創制如斯也。以上所言，雜卦殿十翼之義也。

First, it discusses human affairs, while also implying that it is not exhaustive: The hexagram "Gunn" (困) is in a difficult situation yet does not lose its success, so it is placed at the end of the classic text. As for following the heavenly way, whether things succeed or fail is determined by fate; what humans can do is to be strong and resolute, self-reliant, and proceed forward without ceasing, hence using the hexagrams "Wei Ji" (未济) and "Guai" (夬) to conclude. This still reflects the idea of "when exhausted, change occurs; when changed, communication is achieved; when communicated, longevity follows." The reason it is called "Zagua" (杂卦) is that it combines and interweaves various hexagrams, reversing the order of upper and lower sections, differing from King Wen's original sequence. Without Confucius, no one would dare make such alterations; without Confucius, no one would possess such profound and ingenious skill—those seventy-two sages would certainly not dare to create such a system. The above explanation clarifies why "Zagua" is placed at the end of the Ten Wings.

至其所言，必錯綜對舉者何也？以見卦象正則如此，反則如彼也。正象說卦舉其端，說卦所未言者，可類推也，至覆象則無言者。然如大過九五枯楊，人尚知為反巽，獨正覆象相雜，如蒙匪我求童蒙、童蒙求我、初筮告、再三讀、讀則不告，則以二至上，正反震也；如左傳以謙為敗言，則以謙下艮與震相反也；如困曰有言不信，則以三至上，正覆兌也；如震曰婚媾有言，則以二至上正覆震相背也。

As to why the "Zage" (Miscellaneous Hexagrams) necessarily presents things in pairs of opposite meanings, it is to show people that the hexagram can be viewed upright or inverted. The upright hexagram is already introduced in the "Shuogua" (Explanations of the Hexagrams), and what is not mentioned there can be inferred by analogy. However, the inverted hexagram has never been discussed before. For example, in the hexagram "Daguo" (Great Exceeding), the line "Withered elm" (九五) is understood as taking the upper trigram Dui (Lake) inverted to become Xun (Wind), since Xun represents elm. But when the upright and inverted images are mixed together, people do not understand. For instance, the "Meng" (Obstruction) hexagram statement "Not I who seek the naive youth, but the naive youth who seek me; first divination tells, repeated divination is a disgrace, and a disgraced divination does not tell" is derived from the upright Zhen (Thunder) trigram from the second line to the top line and its reverse. Again, the "Zuo Zhuan" (Commentary of Zuo) refers to "Qian" (Humility) as "Failed speech," because the lower trigram of "Qian" is Gen (Mountain), which is opposite to Zhen (Thunder), and Zhen represents speech while the reversed Zhen represents failed speech. Similarly, the "Kun" (Obstruction) hexagram says "Words are not believed," which is derived from the upright and inverted Dui (Lake) trigrams from the third line to the top line. Also, the "Zhen" (Thunder) hexagram says "Marriage and union have words," which is derived from the upright and inverted Zhen trigrams from the second line to the top line, which are opposite to each other.

如中孚曰鶴鳴子和，則以二至五正反震相對，如相應也。鳴鶴在陰者，則以二至五正反民，正則為山陽，反則為山陰也。又六三云或鼓或罷、或泣或歌，則以二至五正反艮震，震則或鼓或歌，艮則或泣或罷也。如此之類，經內甚多，除焦氏易林外，二千年說者無不誤。夫子蓋預知之，故於最後之雜卦申其義。

For example, in the hexagram Zhongfū (Middle Trust), line Nine Two says, "The crane calls in the shade, its young respond in harmony." This refers to the mutual relationship between the correct Zhen (Thunder) and the reversed Zhen in lines Two to Five, as if they are calling and responding to each other. The phrase "the crane calls in the shade" refers to the correct Gen (Mountain) and the reversed Gen in lines Two to Five: when viewed correctly, it is the southern side of the mountain, the mountain's sunny side; when viewed reversed, it is the northern side, the mountain's shady side, the backside. Another example is in Zhongfū, line Six Three, which says, "Sometimes drumming, sometimes stopping; sometimes weeping, sometimes singing." This refers to the correct and reversed Gen and Zhen in lines Two to Five: Zhen represents drumming and singing, while Gen represents weeping and stopping. There are many such examples in the texts, apart from Jiao's Forest of Changes, and for two thousand years, those who interpreted the Yi have all made mistakes. Confucius probably foresaw this, so in his final work, the Za Gua (Miscellaneous Hexagrams), he clarified this point.

乾剛坤柔，比藥師憂。比五雖坎，然當位居尊，故樂；師二人淵，故憂。臨觀之義，或與或求。臨二陽撫臨萬民，有施惠之意，震往，故曰與；反之為觀，則萬民仰五，有乞求之意，故曰求，艮為求也。

The "Zagua" says: Qian is strong and vigorous, Kun is soft and compliant; the "Bi" hexagram represents joy, while the "Shi" hexagram represents sorrow. Shang's commentary says: Although the "Bi" hexagram's Nine in the Fifth is within the Kan trigram, it is in the proper position and holds a noble position, hence it represents joy; the "Shi" hexagram's Nine in the Second is submerged beneath heavy yin, like falling into a deep abyss, hence it represents sorrow. The "Zagua" also says: The meanings of the "Lin" and "Guan" hexagrams are one of giving and one of seeking. Shang's commentary says: The "Lin" hexagram has two yang lines at the lower trigram, with the upper trigram embracing and governing the people, indicating the giving of favors; Zhen in the hexagram also has the image of movement forward, hence it is said to be "giving." When the "Lin" hexagram is reversed, it becomes the "Guan" hexagram, with the people looking up to the Nine in the Fifth, indicating a desire for something, hence it is said to be "seeking," and Gen has the image of seeking.

屯見而不失其居，蒙雜而著。屯二陽皆當位，故不失其居；蒙二陽皆失位，故曰雜，物相雜則文生，故曰著。震起也，艮止也，損益盛衰之始也。震動故起，反則止矣。泰損上一陽以益上，故損為衰之始，再三損則成否；否移上一陽以益下，故益為盛之始，再三益則成泰。

The *Zagua* says: The *Zun* hexagram represents the emergence of yang energy without losing its place, and the *Meng* hexagram represents the mingling of yin and yang, producing brilliant ornamentation. Shang's commentary: In the *Zun* hexagram, both yang lines are in the correct position, so it is said "without losing its place"; in the *Meng* hexagram, both yang lines are out of place, hence called "mingling," and when things are mingled, ornamentation arises, hence "brilliant." The *Zagua* also says: Zhen is movement, Gen is stillness; the *Sun* and *Yi* hexagrams mark the beginning of decline and growth. Shang's commentary: Zhen is active, hence movement; when Zhen is reversed to become Gen, it becomes still. The *Tai* hexagram reduces one yang line from the lower trigram to add to the upper trigram, becoming *Sun*, hence *Sun* is the beginning of decline, and further reduction leads to *Po*; the *Po* hexagram moves one yang line from the upper trigram to add to the lower trigram, becoming *Yi*, hence *Yi* is the beginning of growth, and further increase leads to *Tai*.

大畜時也，無妄災也。王引之云：古時與待通，恐天災至，畜以待飢。人本坤靈圖。無妄互艮，艮為火，故災。焦京皆以無妄為大旱卦，自艮火象失傳，虞氏即不知其義。萃聚而升不來也，謙輕而豫怠也。陽上升，故不來。廉不自滿，故輕；豫自足，故怠。怠虞作怡，按怠怡皆從心，本一字，故古常通用。史記始皇本紀視聽不怠，劉歆烈女贊言行不怠，注並作怡。怡則自足，與謙輕反。

The *Zagua* says: *Daxu* is waiting for the right time, and *Wuwang* is disaster. Wang Yinzhi says: In ancient times, "time" and "wait" were interchangeable, meaning that people feared natural disasters and thus stored grain to prepare for famine. Shang's note: This view is based on the *Kunling Tu*. The *Wuwang* hexagram has the second to fourth lines forming the *Gen* trigram, which has the image of fire, hence it is associated with disaster. Jiao Yanshou and Jing Fang both regarded *Wuwang* as a hexagram of great drought. Since the image of *Gen* as fire, an unusual interpretation, has been lost, Yu Fan no longer understood its meaning. The *Zagua* also says: *Cui* is gathering, and *Sheng* is ascending without return; *Qian* is humility, and *Yu* is laziness. Shang's note: The *Sheng* hexagram has yang energy ascending, hence "not coming back"; the *Qian* hexagram is not full, hence "lightness"; the *Yu* hexagram is self-sufficient, hence "laziness." The character "laziness" was originally written as "yi" by Yu Fan. Since "laziness" and "yi" both have the heart radical and were originally the same character, they were often used interchangeably in ancient times. For example, in *Records of the Grand Historian: The Life of Qin Shi Huang*, "hearing and seeing without laziness" and in Liu Xin's *Lieshizan*, "speech and action without laziness," both annotations use "yi." "Yi" means self-sufficiency, which is exactly opposite to the "lightness" of *Qian*.

噬嗑食也，賁無色也，兌見而巽伏也。頤中有物，故曰食；火在山下，與明夷同，故曰元色；兌陰在上故曰見，巽陰在下故曰伏，故巽亦為盜賊，為寇戎，為豕，與坎同象。隨元故也，蠱則飭也，剝爛也，復反也，晉晝也，明夷誅也。志在隨時，不執其故。廣韻：飭，整備也。蠱則飭者，亂極思治也。爛自垢（左女）始，至剝而極。復則陽反。曰在上故晝。誅，傷也，明傷則夜矣。

The "Zagua" says: "Shike" means to eat, "Ben" means without color; "Dui" means to reveal, "Xun" means to hide. Shang's commentary says: "Yi" has something inside the mouth, so it is called "food"; "Ben" has the fire trigram under the mountain trigram, similar to "Mingyi", so it is called "without color". "Dui" has a yin line on top, so it is called revealing; "Xun" has a yin line at the bottom, so it is called hiding. Therefore, "Xun" also has the image of thieves, bandits, and pigs, similar to "Kan". The "Zagua" also says: "Sui" means to follow without relying on anything, "Gu" means to rectify, "Bo" means to rot, "Fu" means to return, "Jin" means daylight, "Mingyi" means to injure. Shang's commentary says: "Sui" is to follow the right time, not clinging to old ways. The "Guangyuan" says: "Chì means to prepare in order." Saying "Gu" means to rectify is because when chaos reaches its peak, one thinks of governance. Rotting begins with the first yin line in "Gou" and reaches its peak in "Bo". "Fu" is the return of one yang. The "Jin" trigram has the sun on the ground, so it is called daylight. "Zhu" means injury, and when brightness is injured, it becomes night.

並通而因相遇也。並養而不窮故通，困剛掩，陽陷陰中，不通。自乾坤至此仍三十卦，合上經數；自咸恆至決（左無），仍三十四卦，合下經數。咸速也，恆久也，渙離也，節止也。感則無遠近，無弗屆，故事莫速於感；反之為恆，則不速而久。渙者散也，故曰離；反之為節，則合而不離，故曰止。

The "Zagua" says: The hexagram "Well" is about communication, and the hexagram "Obstruction" is about mutual encounter. Shang's commentary says: Well water nourishes people without being exhausted, hence it is called "communication"; the hexagram "Obstruction" has yang lines concealed by yin lines, with yang trapped within yin, hence it is not communicated. Counting from "Qian" and "Kun" up to here makes thirty hexagrams, exactly matching the number of hexagrams in the Upper Classic; counting from "Xian" and "Heng" to "Gua" makes thirty-four hexagrams, exactly matching the number of hexagrams in the Lower Classic. The "Zagua" also says: "Xian" is about quickness, and "Heng" is about duration; "Huan" is about dispersion, and "Jie" is about stopping. Shang's commentary says:sympathetic response does not distinguish between near and far, reaching everywhere, hence there is no action more rapid thansympathetic response. "Xian" reversed becomes "Heng," which does not seek rapidity but longevity. "Huan" means dispersion, hence it is called "separation"; "Huan" reversed becomes "Jie," which gathers and does not disperse, hence it is called "stopping."

解緩也，蹇難也，睽外也，家人內也。緩則和矣，和則易矣，反之則難。睽離女在上卦，故曰外；反之在內，故曰內也。否泰反其類也。陰陽交為類，否陰交陽，泰陽交陰，故曰反。大壯則止，豚（左之）則退也，大有眾也，同人親也。止則不退，反之則退；眾則不親，反之則親。

The Zage says: "Jie is to relieve, Jian is to be difficult; Kui is to be apart, Jiaoren is to be united." Shang's commentary says: Relief is harmonious, and harmony is easy, so when Jie is reversed into Jian, it becomes difficult. Kui has Li as the middle female in the upper trigram, so it is said to be "outside"; when reversed into Jiaoren, Li is in the lower trigram, so it is said to be "inside." The Zage also says: "Po and Tai are each other's opposites." Shang's commentary says: Yin and Yang are of the same kind only when they interact. Po is Yin going to meet Yang, Tai is Yang coming to meet Yin, so their directions are opposite, hence "reverse their kind." The Zage also says: "Da Zhuang is to stop, Duan is to retreat; Da You is to have many, Tong Ren is to be close." Shang's commentary says: To stop is not to retreat, but when reversed into Duan, it becomes retreat; to have many is hard to be close to everyone, but when reversed into Tong Ren, it becomes close.

革去故也，鼎取新也，小過過也，中孚信也。革更改舊有，故曰去故；鼎亨飪待熟，故曰取新；過失也，失刖不信，反之則信。豐多故也，親寡旅也，離上而坎下也。多與寡相反，上與下相反。豐雷電皆至故多，旅互巽為寡，艮為鰥，故親寡。火炎上，水潤下。

The *Zagua* says: *Gé* (Revolution) is removing the old, and *Dǐng* (Tripod) is taking in the new; *Xiǎo Guò* (Minor Excess) is a mistake, and *Zhōng Fú* (Sincere Faith) is trustworthiness. Shang's commentary says: Change is altering the old, so it is called "removing the old"; *Dǐng* is cooking food to make it ready, so it is called "taking in the new"; "excess" is a mistake, and with a mistake one cannot be trusted, hence the reverse becomes *Zhōng Fú*, which is trustworthiness. The *Zagua* also says: *Fēng* (Brightness) is much change, and *Lǚ* (Travel) is close to the few; *Lí* (Fire) goes upward, and *Kǎn* (Water) goes downward. Shang's commentary says: Much and few are opposites, upward and downward are opposites. *Fēng* hexagram has thunder and lightning together, so it is called "much"; *Lǚ* hexagram has the trigram *Xùn* (Wind) in its interacting trigrams, *Xùn* represents few, and *Gèn* (Mountain) represents a widower, so it is called "close to the few." Fire has an upward nature, and water has a downward nature.

小畜寡也，履不處也，需不進也，訟不親也。小畜巽為寡，履者行也，故不處；需險在前，故不進；訟天水違行，故不親。寡則獨處，反之則不處矣；不親則異行，與需之不行，亦正相反。大過顛也，垢（左女）遇也，柔遇剛也。顛隕也，下巽隕落，頂滅澤中，故顛。垢（左女）坤遇乾，乾剛坤柔。

The "Zagua" says: "Xiaoxu" means few and solitary, "Lv" means not settling; "Xu" means not advancing, "Song" means not harmonious. Shang's commentary says: "Xiaoxu" has the upper trigram Xun, which represents solitude; "Lv" refers to walking, hence not settling; "Xu" has a danger ahead, hence not advancing; "Song" has heaven and water opposing, hence not harmonious. Few and solitary means being alone, but "Xiaoxu" reversed into "Lv" no longer means being alone; not harmonious means each going their own way, which is exactly opposite to "Xu" not advancing. The "Zagua" also says: "Daguo" means falling, "Gou" means meeting, is a meeting of softness meeting hardness. Shang's commentary says: "Falling" means falling down, "Daguo" has the lower trigram Xun, which has the image of falling, with the beams collapsing and drowning in the marsh, hence "falling"; "Gou" is a single yin meeting the five yang of heaven, with heaven being strong and earth being soft, hence "soft meeting hard."

漸女歸待男行也，頤養正也，既濟定也。漸陰皆居陽後，故待男行；頤求口食，得養之正；既濟山六爻當位而止其所，故曰定。歸妹女之終也，未濟男之窮也。女終夫家，故以嫁為終。既濟三陽皆比陰，內剛外柔，與泰理同，故不窮；未濟三陽皆居陰前，內柔外剛，與否理同，故窮。程子謂三陽不當位故窮，豈知三女亦不當位，豈獨三男，然而不窮者，以三女皆承陽也。程子謂來之多年，不得其義，後得之於成都箍桶者，蓋託辭也。

The Zage says: The hexagram "Gradual" is about a woman waiting for the man to come and marry her, and the hexagram "Nourishment" is about nourishing what should be nourished. The hexagram "Already Achieved" is about stability. Shang's commentary says: In the hexagram "Gradual," the yin lines are all after the yang lines, so the woman must wait for the man to come first. In the hexagram "Nourishment," the mouth seeks food, thus obtaining the correct way of nourishment. In the hexagram "Already Achieved," all six lines are in their proper positions and are in peace, so it is called "stability." The Zage also says: The hexagram "Return of the Maiden" is about the final return of a woman, and the hexagram "Not Yet Achieved" is about the end of a man's path. Shang's commentary says: A woman ultimately returns to her husband's family, so the marriage is called "final." In the hexagram "Already Achieved," the three yang lines are all close to the yin lines, with inner strength and outer gentleness, which is the same as the hexagram "Great Communication," so it is not an end. In the hexagram "Not Yet Achieved," the three yang lines are all before the yin lines, with inner gentleness and outer strength, which is the same as the hexagram "Obstruction," so it is an end. Cheng Yi said that the hexagram "Not Yet Achieved" is an end because the three yang lines are not in proper positions, but he did not realize that the three yin lines are also not in proper positions, and not only the three yang lines. However, the hexagram "Already Achieved" is not an end because the three yin lines all support the yang lines. Cheng Yi said that he sought this meaning for a long time without success, and later he got it from a barrel-maker in Chengdu. That was probably just an excuse.

決（左無）決也，剛決柔也，君子道長，小人道憂也。沈善登雲：雜卦以乾剛坤柔始，以決（左無）剛決柔，還復為乾終，是舉全易渾成一乾。按此說最得決（左無）卦居終之義。自大過以下，不兩卦反對，宋儒頗疑為錯簡，然曰女之終、男之窮，上下對文，似非錯簡，惟義仍反對。大過死，反之則得養；垢（左女）柔遇剛，反之則剛決柔；漸女有待而行，反之則不待而嫁矣；既濟定，窮則不定。雖不對舉，而義仍反對。虞翻謂大過死，大過下垢（左女），故次以後，上夾故以決終，亦可參考。

The last part of the "Zagua" says: The hexagram "Gua" signifies decision, which is the decisive action of the strong overcoming the weak; the way of the superior man grows, while the way of the inferior man diminishes. Shen Shandeng said: The "Zagua" begins with "Qian is strong and Kun is weak," and ends with "Gua" which signifies the strong overcoming the weak, thus returning to the pure Qian. This is equivalent to presenting the entire Book of Changes as a whole composed of Qian. Shang's comment: This interpretation best captures the purpose of placing the hexagram "Gua" at the end. From "Da Guo" onwards, the hexagrams no longer appear in pairs of opposing ones. The Song scholars doubted whether these were misplaced. However, the phrase "the end of the female" and "the extreme of the male" indicate that the hexagrams are still opposites. "Da Guo" has the image of death, and when reversed it becomes "Yi," which signifies nourishment; "Gou" is the meeting of the soft with the strong, and when reversed it becomes "Gua," which signifies the strong overcoming the soft; "Jian" is the waiting of the woman before proceeding, and when reversed it becomes "Gui Mei," which signifies marriage without waiting; "Ji Ji" is completion, and when exhausted it becomes uncertain. Although these are not presented in pairs, their meanings still oppose and complement each other. Yu Fan said that "Da Guo" signifies death, and since "Da Guo" is followed by "Gou," it is arranged in sequence, with "Gua" above it, so "Gua" is used to conclude the book. His explanation can also be considered.