Master Zhu's Diagram of Changing Hexagrams

《本義》圖說曰：《彖傳》或以卦變為說，今作此圖以明之，蓋易中之一義，非畫卦作易之本指也。

Zhu Xi's "Diagram Explanation" in The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes says: The Commentary on the Judgment sometimes establishes its teachings through changes of hexagrams. Now I make this diagram to explain it clearly; this is only one layer of meaning in the Book of Changes, not the original intention of drawing hexagrams and composing the Book of Changes.

凡一陰一陽之卦各六，皆自復、姤而來（五陰五陽卦同圖異）：剝、比、豫、謙、師、復；夬、大有、小畜、履、同人、姤。

The first category: all the hexagrams with one yang line and those with one yin line each have six, and they all come from the hexagrams of 《Fu》 and 《Gou》 (five yin and five yang hexagrams are the same as this diagram, but with different names). The six hexagrams with one yang line are 《Bo》, 《Bi》, 《Yu》, 《Qian》, 《Shi》, and 《Fu》, which represent a single yang line moving down from the top position to the initial position step by step. The six hexagrams with one yin line are 《Gua》, 《Da You》, 《Xiao Xu》, 《Lv》, 《Tong Ren》, and 《Gou》, which represent a single yin line moving down from the top position to the initial position step by step.

凡二陰二陽之卦各十有五，皆自臨、遯而來（四陰四陽卦同圖異）：頤、屯、震、明夷、臨；蒙、坎、解、升；艮、蹇、小過；晉、萃；觀。大過、鼎、巽、訟、遯；革、離、家人、無妄；兌、睽、中孚；需、大畜；大壯。

The second category: All the hexagrams with two yang lines and those with two yin lines each have fifteen hexagrams, all derived from the hexagrams of 临 (Approaching) and 遁 (Retreating) (the hexagrams with four yin and four yang lines are the same as this diagram, but with different names). The hexagrams of the 临 series are in order: 颐 (Nourishing), 屯 (Obstruction), 震 (Thunder), 明夷 (Bright Abundance), 临 (Approaching); 蒙 (Youth), 坎 (Water), 解 (Release), 升 (Ascending); 艮 (Mountain), 蹇 (Obstruction), 小过 (Minor Excess); 晋 (Progress), 萃 (Gathering); 观 (Observing). The hexagrams of the 遁 series are in order: 大过 (Great Excess), 鼎 (Tripod), 巽 (Wind), 讼 (Contention), 遁 (Retreating); 革 (Change), 离 (Fire), 家人 (Family), 无妄 (No Falsehood); 兑 (Lake), 睽 (Disconnection), 中孚 (Middle Trust); 需 (Necessity), 大畜 (Great Accumulation); 大壮 (Great Strength). Zhu Xi's diagram does not limit movement to only one line as Yu Fan did, but instead arranges all possible changes of two lines rising and falling together, so the number of hexagrams in each category is much greater than in Yu Fan's system.

凡三陰三陽之卦各二十，皆自否、泰而來：損、節、歸妹、泰；賁、既濟、豐；噬嗑、隨；益；蠱、井、恆；未濟、困；渙；旅、咸；漸；否。

The third category: All trigrams with three yang lines and all trigrams with three yin lines each have twenty, and they all come from the trigrams 《否》 and 《泰》. The lineage of 《泰》 is as follows: 《损》, 《节》, 《归妹》, 《泰》; 《贲》, 《既济》, 《丰》; 《噬嗑》, 《随》; 《益》; 《蛊》, 《井》, 《恒》; 《未济》, 《困》; 《涣》; 《旅》, 《咸》; 《渐》; 《否》.

咸、旅、漸、否；困、未濟、渙；井、蠱；恆；隨、噬嗑、益；既濟、賁；豐；歸妹；泰。

The series of 《Pu》 includes sequentially: 《Xian》, 《Lu》, 《Jian》, 《Pu》; 《Kun》, 《Wei Ji》, 《Huan》; 《Jing》, 《Gu》; 《Heng》; 《Sui》, 《Shi Ke》, 《Yi》; 《Ji Ji》, 《Ben》; 《Feng》; 《Gui Mei》; 《Tai》. It is evident that the series of 《Tai》 and 《Pu》 interweave with each other, and the same hexagram appears in both series.

凡四陰四陽之卦各十有五，皆自大壯、觀而來（二陰二陽圖已見前）：大畜、需、大壯；睽、兌；中孚；離、革；益；無妄；鼎、大過；巽；訟；遯。萃、晉、觀；蹇、艮；小過；坎、蒙；解；升；屯、頤；震；明夷；臨。

The fourth category: All the hexagrams with four yang lines and those with four yin lines each have fifteen hexagrams, all derived from the hexagrams of 《Dazhuang》 and 《Guan》 (these hexagrams have already appeared in the previous diagram of two yin and two yang). The lineage of 《Dazhuang》 proceeds in order as: 《Daxu》, 《Xu》, 《Dazhuang》; 《Kui》, 《Dui》; 《Zhongfou》; 《Li》, 《Ge》; 《Yi》; 《Wuwang》; 《Ding》, 《Daguo》; 《Xun》; 《Song》; 《Dun》. The lineage of 《Guan》 proceeds in order as: 《Cui》, 《Jin》, 《Guan》; 《Jian》, 《Gen》; 《Xiaoguo》; 《Kan》, 《Meng》; 《Jie》; 《Sheng》; 《Zun》, 《Yi》; 《Zhen》; 《Mingyi》; 《Lin》.

凡五陰五陽之卦各六，皆自夬、剝而來（一陰一陽圖已見前）：大有、夬；小畜；履；同人；姤。比、剝；豫；謙；師；復。

The fifth category: All five yang hexagrams and all five yin hexagrams each have six variations, all derived from the hexagrams 《Guai》 and 《Bao》 (these hexagrams have already appeared in the previous section of one yin and one yang diagram). The lineage of 《Guai》 proceeds in order as: 《Dàyǒu》, 《Guai》; 《Xiǎoxù》; 《Lǚ》; 《Tóngrén》; 《Gòu》. The lineage of 《Bao》 proceeds in order as: 《Bǐ》, 《Bao》; 《Yù》; 《Qiān》; 《Shī》; 《Fù》.

黃氏《象數論》曰：朱子言以《彖傳》考之，說卦變者凡十九卦，蓋言成卦之由，《彖傳》不言成卦之由則不言所變之爻，此是朱子自言其卦變也。《繫辭傳》曰「爻者，言乎變者也」，易中何卦不言變？辭有隠顯，而理無不寓，即證之《彖辭》，亦非止十九卦也。

Huang Zongxi's "Discussion on the Imagery and Numerical Calculations of the Book of Changes" says: Zhu Xi said that according to the Commentary on the Judgment, the nineteen hexagrams that discuss change are explained in terms of the origin of the hexagrams. The Commentary on the Judgment does not explain the origin of the hexagrams, so it does not specify the changing lines. This is Zhu Xi's own explanation of his method of discussing change in hexagrams. However, the Great Treatise says, "A line refers to change." Which hexagram in the Book of Changes does not discuss change? The words may be hidden or explicit, but the principles are present everywhere. Taking the Commentary on the Judgment as a standard, there are not only nineteen hexagrams that discuss change.

訟「剛來而得中」，以需之反對觀之，彼得正又得中，此但得中不能得正。泰否之往來，所謂反其類。隨「剛來而下柔」，蠱「剛上而柔下」，二卦反對：蠱上之剛自外卦來，初居二三之下；隨初剛自下而上，上柔自上而下。噬嗑「柔得中而上行」，賁「柔來而文剛，分剛上而文柔」：前卦謂六二上行為五，後卦言六五自外卦而入內，初九從下卦而至上。無妄「剛自外而為主於內」，大畜「剛上而尚賢」：無妄之初九自大畜上爻外卦來，為內卦之主；大畜之上九自無妄初爻而上。咸「柔上剛下」，恆「剛上柔下」：咸指上六九三，恆指九四初六。

The hexagram "Zheng" says "the strong comes and occupies the center." By looking at its opposing hexagram "Xu," we see that in "Xu," the nine at the fifth position (nine in the center) is both correct and central, while in "Zheng," it only occupies the center but not the correct position. "Tai" and "Pou" discuss mutual movement, which is referred to as "returning to their kind." "Sui" says "the strong comes and is below the flexible," while "Gu" says "the strong is above and the flexible is below," and these two hexagrams are opposing each other: in "Gu," the strong at the top line comes from the outer trigram and is located below the second and third lines; in "Sui," the strong at the first line comes from below and rises, while the flexible at the top line comes from above and descends. "Shi He" says "the flexible occupies the center and rises upward," while "Ben" says "the flexible comes and adorns the strong; the strong ascends and adorns the flexible." The former refers to the six at the second position rising to the fifth position, while the latter refers to the six at the fifth position coming from the outer trigram into the inner trigram, and the nine at the first position rising from the lower trigram to the upper position. "Wu Wang" says "the strong comes from outside and becomes the master within," while "Da Xu" says "the strong is above and values the virtuous." In "Wu Wang," the nine at the first line comes from the top line of "Da Xu," which is the outer trigram, and becomes the master of the inner trigram; in "Da Xu," the nine at the top line comes from the first line of "Wu Wang" and rises upward. "Xian" says "the flexible is above and the strong is below," while "Heng" says "the strong is above and the flexible is below." In "Xian," it refers to the sixth line above and the ninth line below; in "Heng," it refers to the ninth line above and the sixth line below.

晉「柔進而上行」，明夷之六二上行為六五；睽「柔進而上行」，家人之六二上行為六五。蹇「往得中也」，解「其來復吉，乃得中也」：蹇之九五自解內卦，故曰往；解之九二自蹇外卦，故曰來。升「柔以時升」，升上卦之柔皆萃卦所升。鼎「柔進而上行」，鼎五由萃二而上。漸「進得位」，漸九五當歸妹居二為不得位。渙「剛來而不窮」者，節五來二；「柔得位乎外而上同」者，柔在三失位，在四得位。此朱子所謂十九卦之《彖辭》，皆以反對為義者也。

The hexagram "Jin" says "the flexible advances upward," which refers to the line six two of "Mingyi" moving upward to become line six five. The hexagram "Kui" also says "the flexible advances upward," which refers to the line six two of "Jiaoren" moving upward to become line six five. The hexagram "Jian" says "going forward attains the center," and the hexagram "Jie" says "its coming back is auspicious, attaining the center." The line nine five of "Jian" comes from the inner trigram of "Jie," so it is called "going forward"; the line nine two of "Jie" comes from the outer trigram of "Jian," so it is called "coming back." The hexagram "Sheng" says "the flexible rises with the right timing," and the flexible lines in the upper trigram of "Sheng" all come from the hexagram "Cui." The hexagram "Ding" says "the flexible advances upward," and its line five comes from line two of "Cui." The hexagram "Jian" says "advancing attains the right position," and the line nine five of "Jian" is in the second position in "Guimei," which is not the right position. The hexagram "Huan" says "the strong comes without being exhausted," referring to the line five of "Jie" moving to the second position; it also says "the flexible attains the right position in the outer trigram and unites above," referring to the flexible line in the third position losing the right position, but in the fourth position attaining the right position. This is what Master Zhu said about the nineteen hexagram "Tuan Ci," in fact all of them can be explained by using the opposing trigrams.

需「位乎天位以正中也」，自訟九二而來，得中又得正。損「損下益上，其道上行」，益「損上益下，自上下下」：由損觀之，似以三爻益上爻；由益觀之，似以四爻益初爻。小畜「密雲不雨」，反對為履，履下之兌澤氣成云，故曰宻雲；兌變而巽，風以散之，故曰不雨。大有「應乎天而時行」，方其同人在二之時應乎天也，今時行而居其位。謙「地道卑而上行」，地道指坤，豫在下卦為卑，謙在上卦為上行。臨「至于八月」，觀二陽在上，臨二陽在下，自臨至觀歴八爻，故言八月。復「七日來復」，剝一陽在上，復一陽在下，自剝至復歴七爻，故言七日。

The hexagram "Xu" says, "It is in the position of the heavenly position, and it is correct in the center," which comes from the line Nine in the Second of "Song." It has both the center and the correctness. "Sun" says, "Loss from below benefits above, and its way goes upward." "Yi" says, "Loss from above benefits below, and it benefits all below." From "Sun," it seems as if the Third Line is used to increase the Top Line; from "Yi," it seems as if the Fourth Line is used to increase the First Line. "Xiu" says, "Dense clouds without rain." Its opposite is "Li." "Li" has the lower trigram Dui (Lake), which represents the lake's vapor rising to form clouds, hence "dense clouds." Dui changes to Xun (Wind), and the wind disperses the clouds, hence "without rain." "Da You" says, "It responds to heaven and acts in accordance with the time." When it was still "Tong Ren," with the soft line in the Second position, it was "responding to heaven." Now, moving in accordance with the time, it has moved to the Fifth position. "Qian" says, "The earth's path is low but ascends upward." "Earth's path" refers to Kun. In "Yu," Kun is the lower trigram, hence "low"; in "Qian," Kun is the upper trigram, hence "ascends upward." "Lin" says, "Until the eighth month there is misfortune." "Guan" has two yang lines above, while "Lin" has two yang lines below. Counting from "Lin" to "Guan" involves eight lines, hence the eighth month. "Fu" says, "After seven days it returns." "Bo" has one yang line above, while "Fu" has one yang line below. Counting from "Bo" to "Fu" involves seven lines, hence seven days.

明夷「初登于天」言晉，「後入于地」言明夷。夬「所尚乃窮」，對姤為言。井「改邑不改井」，兌為剛滷之地，變而為巽則「近利市三倍」，是改邑也；坎不變，是不改井也，皆對困言之。歸妹「征凶，位不當也」，漸之二五皆當位，至歸妹皆不當。旅「柔得中乎外」，在豐為得中乎內。巽「柔皆順乎剛」，兌「剛中而柔外」，兌柔不順乎剛，巽柔中而剛外，二卦相反。既濟「剛正而位當」，未濟不當位，二卦亦相反。此朱子十九卦以外亦皆以反對為義者也。反對之窮而反其竒偶以配之，又未嘗不暗相反對於其間：如中孚上爻之翰音，反對即為小過初爻之飛鳥；頤之口實，由大過之兌；大過士夫、老夫，由頤之艮震。此序卦之不可易也，奈何諸儒之為卦變紛然雜出而不能歸一乎？

The hexagram Mingyi says "initially ascending to heaven" refers to the hexagram Jin, while "later entering the earth" refers to Mingyi itself. The hexagram Guai says "the object of pursuit has reached its limit," which refers to Guo. The hexagram Jing says "changing the city but not the well":兑 represents salt land, and when it becomes Xun, it becomes "close to profit threefold," which is "changing the city"; Kan remains unchanged, which is "not changing the well" — all referring to Kun. The hexagram Guimei says "journeying brings misfortune, for the position is inappropriate": in the hexagram Zhen, the second and fifth lines are in proper position, but in Guimei, they are not. The hexagram Li says "the soft is in the middle of the outer," while in Feng, the soft is in the middle of the inner. The hexagram Xun says "all the soft are in harmony with the strong," while the hexagram Dui says "strong in the middle and soft on the outside": the soft in Dui does not harmonize with the strong, while in Xun, the soft is in the middle and the strong is outside, making the two hexagrams opposites. The hexagram Ji Ji says "the strong and the soft are in proper position," while Wei Ji has improper positions, making them opposites. These are examples of Master Zhu's nineteen hexagrams, where opposites are used to establish meaning. As for the eight hexagrams where the method of opposition is exhausted and the odd and even lines are completely reversed, there is still an implicit opposition: for example, the top line of Zhongfu, "the sound of a crane ascending to heaven," when reversed, corresponds to the first line of Xiaoguo, "a flying bird brings misfortune"; the hexagram Yi talks about "mouthfuls," derived from Da Guo's Dui mouth; Da Guo talks about "scholars" and "old men," derived from Yi's Gen and Zhen. This is precisely the reason why the order of the hexagrams in Xugua cannot be changed. Unfortunately, various scholars have discussed hexagram changes, producing many different interpretations, yet they have never reached a single conclusion.

朱子變卦圖，一陰一陽與五陰五陽相重出，二陰二陽與四陰四陽相重出，泰與否相重出，除乾坤之外，其為卦百二十有四，蓋已不勝其煩矣。易之上下往來皆以一爻升降為言，既有重出，則每卦必有二來，從其一則必舍其一，以《彖傳》附會之，有一合必有一不合。就其所謂一來者，尚有兩爻俱動，並其二來，則動者四爻矣。

Master Zhu's diagram of changing hexagrams shows pairs of yin and yang, five yin and five yang, each reappearing with each other; two yin and two yang, four yin and four yang, also reappearing with each other; and the hexagrams Tai and Po also reappear. Except for the hexagrams Qian and Kun, the list includes a total of 124 hexagrams, which is really cumbersome. In the Book of Changes, the concept of movement up and down refers to the movement of one line. If there is a recombination, then each hexagram must have two origins. Following one origin necessarily excludes the other, and using the Commentary on the Judgment to fit it will result in some agreement and some disagreement. Even if we consider only one origin, two lines must move together. If we combine both origins, then four lines would be moving.

原諸儒卦變之意，所以明其自復、姤、臨、遯、否、泰、大壯、觀、夬、剝而來者，以其卦惟此一爻之故變為別卦，是以脈絡可尋而定為主變。使一卦之中頭緒紛然，爻爻各操其柄，則彼卦之體已不復存，猶可認其自某所而來乎？

Investigating the original intention of various scholars discussing changes in hexagrams, they point out that certain hexagrams are derived from the hexagrams of Fu, Gu, Lin, Duan, Pǐ, Tai, Da Zhuang, Guan, Guai, and Bo, because these hexagrams only require changing one line to become another hexagram, and their lineage is clear and traceable, so they are designated as the main hexagrams of change. If a hexagram has many complicated elements, with each line independently capable of change, then the original essence of that hexagram would no longer exist, and how could we recognize from where it originated?

朱子雖為此圖，亦自知其決不可用，所釋十九卦《彖辭》盡舍主變之卦，以兩爻相比者互換為變：訟則自遯（二三相換），泰則自歸妹（三四相換），否則自漸（三四相換），隨則自困（初二相換）、自噬嗑（五上相換）、自未濟（初與二、五與上相換），蠱則自賁（初二相換）、自井（五上相換）、自既濟（初與二、五與上相換），噬嗑則自益（四五相換），賁則自損（二三相換）、自既濟（五上相換），無妄則自訟（初二相換），大畜則自需（五上相換），咸則自旅（五上相換），恆則自豐（初二相換），晉則自觀（四五相換），睽則自離（二三相換）、自中孚（四五相換）、自家人（二與三、四與五相換），蹇則自小過（四五相換），解則自升、升則自解（皆三四相換），鼎則自巽（四五相換），漸則自渙（二三相換）、自旅（四五相換），渙則自漸（二三相換）。凡十九卦，而主變者二十有七，或來自一卦，或來自兩卦三卦，多寡不倫，絶無義例。

Master Zhu made this diagram but himself knew it could not be used, so when explaining the nineteen hexagrams' "Tongci" (Commentary on the Images), he completely abandoned the main and changing hexagrams in the diagram, instead using the exchange of adjacent two lines to explain the change. The hexagram "Song" comes from "Dun" (lines two and three exchanged), "Tai" comes from "Gui Mei" (lines three and four exchanged), "Po" comes from "Jian" (lines three and four exchanged), "Sui" comes from "Kun" (lines one and two exchanged), from "Shi He" (lines five and upper exchanged), and from "Wei Ji" (lines one and two, five and upper exchanged), "Gu" comes from "Ben" (lines one and two exchanged), from "Jing" (lines five and upper exchanged), and from "Ji Ji" (lines one and two, five and upper exchanged), "Shi He" comes from "Yi" (lines four and five exchanged), "Ben" comes from "Sun" (lines two and three exchanged) and from "Ji Ji" (lines five and upper exchanged), "Wu Wang" comes from "Song" (lines one and two exchanged), "Da Xu" comes from "Xu" (lines five and upper exchanged), "Xian" comes from "Lv" (lines five and upper exchanged), "Heng" comes from "Feng" (lines one and two exchanged), "Jin" comes from "Guan" (lines four and five exchanged), "Kui" comes from "Li" (lines two and three exchanged), from "Zhong Fu" (lines four and five exchanged), and from "Jia Ren" (lines two and three, four and five exchanged), "Jian" comes from "Xiao Guo" (lines four and five exchanged), "Jie" comes from "Sheng" and "Sheng" comes from "Jie" (both lines three and four exchanged), "Ding" comes from "Xun" (lines four and five exchanged), "Jian" comes from "Huan" (lines two and three exchanged) and from "Lv" (lines four and five exchanged), "Huan" comes from "Jian" (lines two and three exchanged). The total number of hexagrams explained is nineteen, but the ones serving as main and changing hexagrams amount to twenty-seven, some coming from one hexagram, some from two or three, with varying numbers, no consistent pattern. In other words, the main and changing hexagrams he set in the diagram were not used at all when interpreting the classics.

就以其法推之，此十九卦中朱子之所舉者亦有未盡：訟之自無妄（初二相換）、自巽（三四相換），隨之自既濟（三四相換），蠱之自未濟（三四相換），噬嗑之自未濟（初二相換）、自賁（三四相換）、自隨（五上相換），賁之自蠱（初二相換）、自噬嗑（三四相換），無妄之自家人（三四相換），大畜之自睽（三四相換），咸之自困（二三相換），恆之自井（四五相換），晉之自艮（三四相換）、自萃（五上相換），睽之自大畜（三四相換）、自兌（五上相換），蹇之自坎（二三相換）、自萃（三四相換）、自艮（五上相換），解之自震（初二相換）、自小過（二三相換）、自坎（四五相換），升之自明夷（初二相換），鼎之自離（初二相換）、自大過（五上相換），漸之自否（三四相換），渙之自益（初二相換）、自未濟（四五相換）。復得二十九卦，而兼之者不與焉。

Following his method, we can continue to deduce further. Among the nineteen hexagrams, those cited by Master Zhu are still incomplete. The hexagram "Shou" (Judgment) can also come from "Wu Wang" (No Pretense) by swapping the first and second lines, or from "Xun" (Wind) by swapping the third and fourth lines. The hexagram "Sui" (Following) can also come from "Ji Ji" (Completion) by swapping the third and fourth lines. The hexagram "Gu" (Restraint) can also come from "Wei Ji" (Not Yet Completed) by swapping the third and fourth lines. The hexagram "Shi He" (Breaking the Bones) can also come from "Wei Ji" (Not Yet Completed) by swapping the first and second lines, from "Ben" (Beauty) by swapping the third and fourth lines, or from "Sui" (Following) by swapping the fifth and top lines. The hexagram "Ben" (Beauty) can also come from "Gu" (Restraint) by swapping the first and second lines, or from "Shi He" (Breaking the Bones) by swapping the third and fourth lines. The hexagram "Wu Wang" (No Pretense) can also come from "Jia Ren" (Family) by swapping the third and fourth lines. The hexagram "Da Xu" (Great Accumulation) can also come from "Kui" (Opposition) by swapping the third and fourth lines. The hexagram "Xian" (Attraction) can also come from "Kun" (Obstruction) by swapping the second and third lines. The hexagram "Heng" (Permanence) can also come from "Jing" (Well) by swapping the fourth and fifth lines. The hexagram "Jin" (Progress) can also come from "Gen" (Mountain) by swapping the third and fourth lines, or from "Cui" (Gathering) by swapping the fifth and top lines. The hexagram "Kui" (Opposition) can also come from "Da Xu" (Great Accumulation) by swapping the third and fourth lines, or from "Dui" (Lake) by swapping the fifth and top lines. The hexagram "Jian" (Obstruction) can also come from "Kan" (Water) by swapping the second and third lines, from "Cui" (Gathering) by swapping the third and fourth lines, or from "Gen" (Mountain) by swapping the fifth and top lines. The hexagram "Jie" (Release) can also come from "Zhen" (Thunder) by swapping the first and second lines, from "Xiao Guo" (Small Excess) by swapping the second and third lines, or from "Kan" (Water) by swapping the fourth and fifth lines. The hexagram "Sheng" (Ascending) can also come from "Ming Yi" (Darkness Illuminated) by swapping the first and second lines. The hexagram "Ding" (Vessel) can also come from "Li" (Fire) by swapping the first and second lines, or from "Da Guo" (Great Excess) by swapping the fifth and top lines. The hexagram "Jian" (Gradual Progress) can also come from "Po" (Obstruction) by swapping the third and fourth lines. The hexagram "Huan" (Dispersal) can also come from "Yi" (Increase) by swapping the first and second lines, or from "Wei Ji" (Not Yet Completed) by swapping the fourth and fifth lines. This adds another twenty-nine hexagrams, not counting those with multiple sources.

此二十九卦者，以為有用乎，則為《彖辭》之所不及；以為無用乎，不應同一卦變，在一卦中，其可以附會《彖辭》者從而取之，其不可以附會《彖辭》者從而置之。朱子云「某之說卻覺得有自然氣象」者安在也？且易所謂往來上下者，自內之外謂往，自外之內謂來，上者上卦也，下者下卦也。今兩爻互換，同在內卦而謂之往，同在外卦而謂之來，同在上卦而曰下，同在下卦而曰上，即欲附會之而有所不能矣。是朱子之卦變兩者俱為無當，宜乎其說之不能歸一也。

Are these twenty-nine hexagrams useful? The "Tu Cis" does not mention them at all. If we say they are useless, they are also hexagram transformations, so why, within a single hexagram, should those that can be connected to the "Tu Cis" be used, while those that cannot be connected be ignored? Master Zhu said his interpretation "feels natural," but where exactly is this naturalness? Moreover, in the "Book of Changes," "coming and going" and "up and down" refer to movement from the inner trigram to the outer trigram as "coming," and from the outer trigram to the inner trigram as "going." "Up" refers to the upper trigram, and "down" refers to the lower trigram. Now, if two lines are exchanged and both are within the inner trigram, it is called "going," but if both are within the outer trigram, it is called "coming." If both are in the upper trigram, it is called "down," and if both are in the lower trigram, it is called "up." This is impossible to connect. It is evident that Master Zhu's hexagram transformation, whether the main transformed hexagram on the diagram or the method of exchanging two lines when interpreting the text, is not logically consistent. That is why his explanation has never been unified.

按：邵子言重卦不易者八，反覆者二十八，以三十六變而為六十四，卦變之義數言盡之矣，據此以釋《彖傳》亦足矣。李挺之相生圖已傷煩碎，況朱子之所定乎？棃洲一一指擿，無微不彰。但朱子専取十九卦者，第就《彖傳》所謂剛柔往來上下內外者而求之，其它則未暇及。棃洲續舉諸卦中，唯損、益二卦似不當遺，何也？《彖傳》曰「損剛益柔」，又曰「損下益土，其道上行」，又曰「損上益下，自上下下」，則剛柔上下之義備矣，正可與十九卦並舉，何獨遺之？其它只言剛柔而不言往來上下，則其義即本卦可見，不必求之卦變，固不在此例。

Hu Wei commented: Shao Yong said that in the process of composing the sixty-four hexagrams, there are eight that remain unchanged, and twenty-eight pairs that can be reversed, resulting in thirty-six transformations. The meaning of these transformations can be explained in a few words, and according to this, one can interpret the Commentary on the Judgment adequately. Li Zhichai's diagram of mutual generation is already too complicated, and how much more so is Zhu Xi's system? Huang Zongxi (Liyou) pointed out each detail clearly and thoroughly. However, Zhu Xi only selected nineteen hexagrams, focusing specifically on the aspects of yin and yang moving up and down, inside and outside, as discussed in the Commentary on the Judgment. The rest were not considered. Among the additional hexagrams Huang Zongxi mentioned, only the hexagrams of "Loss" and "Gain" seem to be omitted. Why is that? The Commentary on the Judgment says, "Loss involves the strong and benefits the weak," and also says, "Loss from below benefits above, and the way proceeds upward," and further says, "Loss from above benefits below, and the superior governs the inferior." The meaning of yin and yang moving up and down is already complete, and these two hexagrams can be mentioned together with the nineteen. So why were they omitted? The other hexagrams only discuss yin and yang without mentioning movement up and down, so their meaning is already evident in the primary hexagram itself, and there is no need to look for it in the transformations. Therefore, they are not included in this category.

然朱子欲以卦變附先天之後，當仍用李氏反對圖，猶不失希夷本指；今乃據相生圖以更定其法，煩碎甚於李氏，而及其釋經也，則又舍反對之卦，而泛泛焉以兩爻相比者互換為變，往來上下訖無定法，亦安用此圖為也？

However, since Master Zhu wished to attach the changing hexagrams after the Earlier Heaven diagrams, he should still have adopted Li Zhicai's "Diagram of Opposite Changing Hexagrams," which would have remained true to the original intent of Chen Tuan's school. Now, instead, he has established a new method based on the "Diagram of Mutual Generation of the Sixty-Four Hexagrams," which is more complicated than Li Zhicai's. Yet, when actually interpreting the classics, he discards the opposite hexagrams and vaguely uses the exchange of adjacent lines to explain change, with no fixed rule for movement up and down. Then, what is the use of this diagram?

經於六十四卦之首各列二體六畫，即卦變圖也，剛柔往來之義開卷瞭然，何以別圖為？或曰：誠用反對，則每卦必顛倒視之而後可以知《彖傳》之所謂，不亦勞乎？余曰：人之眼光雖至短，兩卦相去尺幅間，豈不能兼矚，而必須顛倒以視之？此言真兒童之見，疑乎其所不足疑。

The text of the Classic begins each of the sixty-four hexagrams with the upper and lower trigrams, forming a hexagram with six lines. This itself is a diagram of change, and the meaning of the interaction between the firm and the yielding is clearly visible once the book is opened. Why would another diagram be needed? Someone asked: If we really use the method of opposition, then each hexagram would have to be viewed upside down in order to understand the Commentary on the Judgment. Would that not be too troublesome? I replied: Even if a person's vision is short-sighted, two hexagrams are only a few inches apart; how could they not be seen together? Why must one turn the book upside down? Such remarks are truly the views of a child, questioning something that is not worth doubting.

右論朱子卦變。

In the previous section, the complexity and errors in Zhu Xi's diagram of changing hexagrams in The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes are examined.

《本義》圖說曰：「右《易》之圖九。有天地自然之易，有伏羲之易，有文王、周公之易，有孔子之易。自伏羲以上皆無文字，只有圖畫，最宜深玩，可見作《易》本原精微之意。文王以下方有文字，即今之《周易》。然讀者亦宜各就本文消息，不可便以孔子之說為文王之說也。」

In the preface to the nine diagrams following the "Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes" by Zhu Xi of the Southern Song dynasty, he says: The above nine diagrams of the "Book of Changes" are presented. The study of the "Book of Changes" can be divided into several levels: there is the "Changes" that arise naturally from heaven and earth, the "Changes" drawn by Fuxi, the "Changes" explained by King Wen and the Duke of Zhou in their commentaries, and the "Changes" interpreted by Confucius in his annotations. From Fuxi upwards, there were no written characters, only pictures, and this level should be deeply contemplated, as it reveals the original intention and subtle mind of the sages in creating the "Book of Changes." From King Wen onwards, there were written characters, which is the "Book of Changes" we have today. However, those who study the "Book of Changes" should also understand the meaning and development of each level's text, and should not directly take Confucius' interpretations as those of King Wen.

震川歸氏《易圖論》曰：「夏為《連山》，商為《歸藏》，周為《周易》，經別之卦，其數皆同。雖三代異名，而伏羲之易，即《連山》而在《連山》，即《歸藏》而在《歸藏》，即《周易》而在《周易》，未嘗別有所謂伏羲之易也。後之求之者，即其散見於《周易》之六十四卦者是已。」又曰：「以圖說《易》自邵子始。吾怪夫儒者不敢以文王之易為伏羲之易，而乃以伏羲之易為邵子之易也。」

In his work "Yitu Lun" ("Treatise on the Diagrams of the Book of Changes"), the Ming dynasty scholar Gu Yi Guang, known as Master Zhenchuan, said that during the Xia dynasty, the Book of Changes was called the "Lianshan" ("Continuous Mountains"), during the Shang dynasty it was called the "Guicang" ("Collection of the Hidden"), and during the Zhou dynasty it was called the "Zhouyi" ("Book of Changes"). The number of the main hexagrams and the additional hexagrams are the same in all three dynasties. Although the names differ across the three dynasties, the Book of Changes of Fuxi is contained within each of them. In the "Lianshan," it is contained within the "Lianshan"; in the "Guicang," it is contained within the "Guicang"; in the "Zhouyi," it is contained within the "Zhouyi." There has never been a separate existence of a Book of Changes solely belonging to Fuxi. Later scholars who wish to seek the Book of Changes of Fuxi should look for it among the sixty-four hexagrams of the "Zhouyi." Gu Yi Guang also said that using diagrams to explain the Book of Changes began with Shao Yong of the Northern Song dynasty. I find it strange that the scholars of later times dared not regard the Book of Changes of King Wen as the Book of Changes of Fuxi, but instead regarded the Book of Changes of Fuxi as the Book of Changes of Shao Yong.

按：《本義》卷首列九圖於前，而總為之說。所謂天地自然之易，《河圖》《洛書》也；伏羲之易，先天八卦及六十四卦次序、方位也；文王之易，後天八卦次序、方位及六十四卦之卦變也（《本義》卦變圖，朱子為釋《彖傳》而作，非康節反對之旨，故屬之後天）。是皆著為圖者。

Hu Wei's commentary: In the first volume of The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes, nine diagrams are first listed and then summarized. Zhu Xi's reference to "the easy of heaven and earth in their natural state" refers to the Yellow River Chart and the Luo Writing. His reference to "the easy of Fuxi" refers to the Earlier Heaven Trigrams, as well as the sequence diagram and the directional diagram of the sixty-four hexagrams. His reference to "the easy of King Wen" refers to the sequence diagram, directional diagram, and the hexagram transformation diagram of the Later Heaven Trigrams. The hexagram transformation diagram in The Original Meaning was created by Zhu Xi to explain the Commentary on the Judgment, and it is not the "opposition" meaning of two hexagrams being reversed as in Shao Yong's theory. Therefore, it is categorized under the Later Heaven. All these are parts that are drawn as diagrams.

伏羲有畫而無辭，文王擊彖，周公繫爻，孔子作十翼，皆遞相發揮以盡其義，故曰「聖人之情見乎辭」。辭者，所以明象數之難明者也。而朱子顧以為三聖人之易専言義理，而象數闕焉，是何說與？且易之所謂象數，蓍卦焉而已。卦主象，蓍主數；二體六畫，剛柔雜居者，象也；大衍五十，四營成易者，數也。經文粲然，不待圖而明。若朱子所列九圖，乃希夷、康節、劉牧之象數，非易之所謂象數也，三聖人之言胡為而及此乎？

Fu Xi had only the hexagram figures without any written statements. King Wen composed the hexagram statements, the Duke of Zhou added the statements for the top line, and Confucius wrote the Ten Wings, elaborating layer by layer to fully explain the principles of the Book of Changes. Therefore, the Great Treatise says, "The feelings of the sage are revealed in the words." The written statements are used to clarify the aspects of the images and numbers that are difficult to understand. However, Zhu Xi instead claimed that the Book of Changes interpreted by King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius only focused on the principles, and the images and numbers were entirely absent. What kind of view is this? Moreover, the images and numbers mentioned in the Book of Changes are nothing more than the divining stalks and the hexagrams. The hexagrams deal with the images, while the divining stalks deal with the numbers; the upper and lower parts, and the six lines drawn, with the yao (lines) alternating between yang and yin, constitute the "image." The great derivation number fifty, after going through four procedures to form one change, constitutes the "number." The text is clear and explicit, and can be understood without the diagrams. As for the nine diagrams listed by Zhu Xi, they belong to the tradition of Chen Tuan, Shao Yong, and Liu Mu, which is a system of images and numbers different from the images and numbers discussed in the Book of Changes. Have the words of these three sages ever mentioned such things?

伏羲之世，書契未興，故有畫而無辭。延及中古，情偽漸啟，憂患滋多，故文王繫彖以發明伏羲未盡之意，周公又係爻以發明文王未盡之辭，一脈相承，若合符節。至於孔子，紹聞知之統，集群聖之大成，論者以為生民所未有。使伏羲、文王、周公之意而孔子有所不知，何以為孔子？既已知之而別自為說以求異於伏羲、文王、周公，非述而不作之指也。然則伏羲之象得辭而益彰，縱令深玩圖畫而得其精微，亦不外乎文王、周公、孔子所言之理，豈百家眾技之說所得而竄入其中哉？九圖雖妙，聴其為易外別傳，勿以冠經首可也。

In the time of Fuxi, written characters had not yet emerged, so there were only hexagram images but no textual explanations. By the middle ancient period, human emotions and sincerity and falsehood gradually arose, and worries and troubles increased day by day. Therefore, King Wen composed the hexagram statements to elaborate on the meanings that Fuxi had not fully expressed, and the Duke of Zhou added the statements of the top line to explain what King Wen had not fully conveyed. This transmission was continuous, like a seal and its counterpart fitting perfectly together. As for Confucius, he inherited the lineage of the sages' knowledge and wisdom, gathering the achievements of all the sages. Commentators believe he was a person without precedent in the history of mankind. If Confucius did not understand the intentions of Fuxi, King Wen, and the Duke of Zhou, then on what basis could he be called Confucius? If he did understand them, yet established a different theory to differ from Fuxi, King Wen, and the Duke of Zhou, that would contradict his principle of 'reciting without creating'. Thus, it can be seen that the hexagram images became more clear because of the textual explanations. Even if one deeply studied the images and grasped their subtle meanings, they would not go beyond the teachings of King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius. How could the doctrines of the hundred schools and their various techniques be mixed in? Although the nine diagrams may be exquisite, let them remain as a separate tradition outside the Book of Changes, and do not place them before the main text.

右論四聖之易。

The previous section discusses the transmission of the Book of Changes among the four sages: Fuxi, King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius.

《宋史·隠逸傳》：陳摶字圖南，亳州真源人。始四五歲，戲渦水岸側，有青衣媼乳之，自是聰悟日益。及長，讀經史百家之言，一見成誦，悉無遺忘，頗以詩名。後唐長興中，舉進士不第，遂不求祿仕，以山水為樂。自言嘗遇孫君仿、麞皮處士二人者，髙尚之人也，語摶曰：「武當山九室巖可以隠居。」摶往棲焉，因服氣辟穀，歴二十餘年，但日飲酒數杯。移居華山雲臺觀，又止少華石室，每寢處多百餘日不起。

The "Song Shi · Yinyi Zhuan" records that Chen Tuan, whose name is Tu Nan, was from the Zhenyuan County of Bozhou. When he was about four or five years old, he was playing by the side of the Wu River when an old woman wearing green clothes fed him milk, and from then on he became increasingly intelligent and quick-witted. When he grew up, he read the classics, historical texts, and works of the various schools of thought, memorizing them after reading them once without forgetting. He was also well known for his poetry. In the Changxing period of the Later Tang dynasty, he took the imperial examination but failed, and thus ceased to seek official positions, enjoying the pleasure of touring mountains and rivers. He himself said that he had met two virtuous men, Sun Junfang and Zhangpi Chushì, who told him, "The Jiushi Rock in Wudang Mountain is a suitable place for seclusion." Chen Tuan then went there to live, and from then on practiced the art of breathing in qi, abstaining from grain, and drank only a few cups of wine each day for more than twenty years. Later he moved to YunTai Guan in Huashan, and then to a stone chamber in the ShaoHua Mountains. Each time he lay down to sleep, he often remained in bed for over a hundred days without getting up.

周世宗好黃白術，有以摶名聞者。顯徳三年，命華州送至闕下，留止禁中月餘，從容問其術。摶對曰：「陛下為四海之主，當以致治為念，奈何留意黃白之事乎？」世宗不之責，命為諫議大夫，固辭不受。既知其無他術，放還所止，詔本州島長吏歲時存問。

After the Later Zhou Shizong, Chai Rong, liked the alchemy practice of turning base metals into gold and silver called "Huang Bai Shu", someone reported Chen Tuan's reputation to him. In the third year of Xiande, Shizong ordered the Huazhou authorities to send Chen Tuan to the capital, and kept him in the palace for over a month, calmly asking about his alchemy techniques. Chen Tuan replied, "Your Majesty, as the ruler of the whole country, should focus on governing the state, how could you be concerned with alchemy for turning metals into gold and silver?" Shizong did not blame him, and appointed him as a Jianyi Da Fu, but he firmly refused the appointment. After Shizong realized that he had no other alchemy techniques, he let him return to his original residence, and issued an imperial decree ordering the local officials to visit him according to the seasons.

太平興國中來朝，太宗待之甚厚。九年復來朝，上益加禮重，謂宰相宋琪等曰：「摶獨善其身，不乾勢利，所謂方外之士也。摶居華山已四十餘年，度其年經百歲。自言經承五代離亂，幸天下太平，故來朝覲。與之語甚可聴。」因遣中使送至中書。

During the Taiping Xingguo period, Chen Tuan entered the imperial court, and Emperor Taizong of Song treated him very generously. In the ninth year of Taiping Xingguo, he entered the court again, and Emperor Taizong showed him even greater respect and esteem. He told the chancellor Song Qi and others, "Chen Tuan only seeks to cultivate himself in solitude, not pursuing power and wealth. He is considered a person from outside the worldly affairs. He has lived on Huashan Mountain for more than forty years, and he estimates his age to be over a hundred. He himself says that he has personally experienced the chaos of the Five Dynasties, and he is glad that the country is now peaceful, so he has come to pay homage. It is worth listening to him." Thus, he sent an imperial messenger to take Chen Tuan to the Zhongshu Province.

琪等從容問曰：「先生得玄黙修養之道，可以教人乎？」對曰：「摶山野之人，於時無用，亦不知神仙黃白之事、吐納養生之理，非有方術可傳。假令白日沖天，亦何益於世？今聖上龍顏秀異，有天人之表，博達古今，深究治亂，真有道仁聖之主也。正君臣協心同徳、興化致治之秋，勤行修煉，無出於此。」琪等稱善，以其語白上，上益重之。下詔賜號希夷先生，仍賜紫衣一襲，留摶闕下數月，放還山。

Song Qi and others calmly asked, "Sir, you have attained the way of silent cultivation. Can you teach it to others?" Chen Tuan replied, "I am a hermit in the mountains, of no use to the present age. I do not understand the practices of alchemy or breathing exercises for longevity. I have no techniques to pass on. Even if I could fly to heaven during the day, what benefit would that bring to the world? Now the emperor has an extraordinary appearance, resembling a heavenly being, is well-versed in ancient and modern times, and deeply studies the principles of governing and chaos. He is truly a virtuous and wise ruler. At this time when the king and ministers should unite in harmony, promote moral education, and achieve a well-governed world, speaking of diligent cultivation is not as important as this." Song Qi and others praised him, and reported his words to the Taizong emperor, who valued him even more. Thus, an imperial edict was issued granting him the title "Xihi Scholar," and a set of purple robes was bestowed upon him. He was kept in the capital for several months before being sent back to the mountains.

端拱初，忽謂弟子蔣徳升曰：「汝可於張超谷鑿石為室，吾將憩焉。」二年秋七月，石室成。摶手書數百言為表，其略曰：「臣摶大數有終，聖朝難戀，已於今月二十二日化形於蓮華峰下張超谷中。」如期而卒，經七日支體猶溫，有五色雲蔽塞洞口，彌月不散。

In the first year of the Duan Gong era, Chen Tuan suddenly told his disciple Jiang De Sheng: "You can go to Zhang Chao Valley to carve a stone chamber, and I will rest there." In the seventh month of the second year of Duan Gong, the stone chamber was completed. Chen Tuan himself wrote a few hundred characters as a memorial, stating in general terms: "I, Chen Tuan, have reached the end of my life span. Although I am fond of the holy dynasty, I cannot stay long. I have transformed and left my body on the 22nd of this month in Zhang Chao Valley beneath the lotus peak." He indeed died as scheduled. His body remained warm for seven days, with a cloud of five colors covering the entrance of the cave, which lasted for a whole month.

摶好讀《易》，手不釋卷，常自號扶搖子，著《指玄篇》八十一章，言導養及還丹之事，宰相王溥亦著八十一章以箋其指。摶能逆知人意。齋中有大瓢掛壁上，道士賈休復心欲之，摶已知其意，謂休復曰：「子來非有他，蓋欲吾瓢耳。」呼侍者取以與之，休復大驚，以為神。

Chen Tuan liked to read the Yi Jing, never putting it down, and often called himself "Fuyaozi." He wrote a book called "Zhi Xuan Pan" with eighty-one chapters, discussing practices of guiding breath and cultivating longevity, as well as alchemy for immortality. The chancellor Wang Pu also wrote eighty-one chapters to explain the meaning of Chen Tuan's work. Chen Tuan could foresee what others were thinking. In his study, there was a large gourd hanging on the wall. A Taoist named Jia Xiufu wanted it, and Chen Tuan had already known his thoughts. He said to him, "You have come without any other intention, but only to want this gourd of mine." Then he told his attendant to bring it down and give it to Jia Xiufu. Jia Xiufu was greatly surprised, thinking him a divine person.

有郭沆者，少居華陰，夜宿雲臺觀，摶中夜呼令趣歸，沆未決，有頃復曰：「可勿歸矣。」明日沆還家，果中夜母暴得心痛幾死，食頃而愈。華陰隠十李琪，自言唐開元中郎官，已數百歲，人罕見者。闗西逸人呂洞賓有劍術，百餘歲而童顏，步履輕疾，頃刻數百里，世以為神仙，皆數來摶齋中，人咸異之。

There was a man named Guo Hang who lived in Huayin when he was young. One night he stayed at YunTai Guan. Chen Tuan called him in the middle of the night to go home immediately. Guo Hang hesitated, but after a while Chen Tuan said, "You need not go back." The next day, when Guo Hang returned home, his mother suddenly had a severe pain in her chest and was almost dying, but after a meal's time she recovered. A hermit named Li Qi from Huayin claimed to have been a court official in the Kaiyuan era of the Tang dynasty, and he had lived for hundreds of years, but few had ever seen him. Lü Dongbin, a reclusive person from Guanxi, was skilled in sword techniques, looked like a child despite being over a hundred years old, and could walk swiftly and travel hundreds of miles in a moment. Everyone in the world regarded him as a god. These people often visited Chen Tuan's study, and at that time, everyone found it very strange.

錢希白《洞微志》曰：上即位初，鄧州觀察使錢太博若水，雍容文雅，亦近世竒士，堅乞罷樞務，遂拜禮部貳卿，充集賢院學士。其日晚，餘往謁賀，諸客退，獨相留後廳同坐，因云：某初應舉欲求解，遂往華陰謁陳先生，通刺後蒙倒屣相迎。臨出執手，約後十日卻相訪。至期徑往，迎入山齋，地爐中已先有一僧擁衲對坐，某揖之，寒暄之禮亦甚簡傲。少年壯氣，頗不平之。良久，僧熟視某而謂陳曰：「無此骨法。」二公皆微笑，雖驚異其言而不敢詢問。更有他客至，乃逡巡先退。

In the Song Dynasty, Qian Yi (style name Xibai) recorded in his book "Dongwei Zhi" that when the current emperor first ascended the throne, Qian Ruoshui, the commander of Dengzhou and the middle attendant of the crown prince, was calm and composed, with refined manners, and was considered a remarkable person of his time. He firmly requested to be relieved of his post in the Military Secretariat, and was instead appointed as the deputy minister of the Ministry of Rites and served as an academician in the Jixian Academy. That evening, I went to congratulate him. After all the other guests had left, he alone kept me in the back hall, sitting with me. Then he said: When I first took the imperial examination, I wanted to obtain the qualification for recommendation, so I went to Huayin to visit Master Chen Tuan. I presented my name card, and he welcomed me with great courtesy, even taking off his shoes to greet me. Before I left, he held my hand and promised to visit me again in ten days. When the time came, I went directly to his residence, and was welcomed into his study. There, I saw a monk already sitting by the earth stove, clad in a robe. I bowed to him, but his greetings were very brief and somewhat arrogant. At that time, I was young and full of ambition, and I felt somewhat resentful. After a while, the monk looked at me carefully and said to Chen Tuan, "He does not have this bone structure." Both of them smiled slightly. Although I was surprised by his words, I did not dare to ask further questions. At that moment, another guest arrived, so I hesitated and left first.

次日，某獨往見陳，且問僧名及言者何事。陳曰：「此即白閣道者也，道行髙潔，學通天人，至於知人尤為有神仙之鑑。欲勸留學道，中心不決，遂請道者質疑。他云：見足下非神仙骨法，學道亦不能成，但卻得好官，能於急流中勇退耳。又云：他本在太白山，累歲方一到此。」某再求見，終不可得。人生萬事，知不可以力取。（張端義《貴耳集》云：僧即麻衣道者。）

The next day, I went alone to see Chen Tuan and asked about the monk's name and the meaning of what he had said. Chen Tuan replied, "That was the White Pavilion Daoist, whose virtue is pure and lofty, and whose knowledge connects heaven and humanity. As for discerning people's character, he has the eyesight of a immortal. I had originally intended to persuade you to stay and study the Dao, but I was uncertain, so I invited the Daoist to resolve my doubts. He said: 'You do not have the bone structure of a immortal, so you cannot achieve mastery in the Dao. However, you can become an excellent official and be able to step back courageously from turbulent situations.' He also said that he originally lived in Taibai Mountain and came here only once every few years." Qian Ruoshui tried again to meet the monk, but could not find him. From this, one can see that all things in life cannot be forced by strength. (According to Zhang Duanyi of the Southern Song Dynasty's "Gu Er Ji," that monk was the Hemp-Robed Daoist.)

按：希夷，老氏之徒也。著《指玄篇》，言導養還丹之事，則其能養生也可知矣。觀賈、郭二事及預決亡日，則其能知來也可知矣。養生，魏伯陽之學也；知來，管輅、郭璞之術也。至所與遊者多異人，化形之後有異徵，則其為神仙者流又可知矣。先天圖於造化陰陽之妙，不無所窺見，要之為道家之易，而非聖人之易，其可以亂吾經邪？

Hu Wei's commentary: Chen Tuan was a person from the Daoist school of Laozi. He wrote the "Zhi Xuan Chapter," discussing practices of guiding breath and cultivating longevity, as well as alchemy for immortality, showing his skill in cultivating the body. Looking at his ability to see through the cases of Jia Xiufu and Guo Hang, as well as his accurate prediction of the day of his own death, it is evident that he could foresee the future. Cultivating the body is the kind of study followed by Wei Boyang of the Eastern Han dynasty in the "Zhou Yi Cang Tong Qi"; foreseeing the future is the kind of divination practiced by Guan Lu of the Three Kingdoms and Guo Pu of the Jin dynasty. As for the fact that he associated with many extraordinary people and had unusual signs after his death, it is clear that he belonged to the category of immortals. The Earlier Heaven diagram has some insight into the profound mysteries of the transformation of yin and yang, but ultimately it is Daoist interpretation of the Yi, not the Yi of the sages. How can it be used to disturb our scriptures?

朱子《答蔡季通書》曰：陰君丹訣，見濓溪有詩及之，當是此書（《雲笈七籖》載《陰真君傳》，言陰長生者，新野人也，師事馬明生，受太清金液神丹，白日昇天，臨去著書九篇。又陰真君自序曰：惟漢延光元年，新野山之子受仙君神丹要訣，道成去世，副之名山。蓋即此所謂陰君丹訣也。濂溪學本希夷，留心丹道，此亦其一證）。

In a letter to Cai Yuan ding (whose courtesy name was Jitong), Zhu Xi said: The so-called "Yin Jun Dan Jue" refers to a book. I have seen Zhou Dunyi mention it in a poem, and it should be this very book. (Hu Wei notes: The "Yun Ji Qi Jian" records "The Transmission of Yin Zhenjun," which says that Yin Changsheng was from Xinye, studied under Ma Mingsheng, and received the method of the Taiqing Jinye Shen Dan (Golden Elixir Divine丹). He then flew to heaven on a clear day, and before leaving, he wrote nine chapters. Yin Zhenjun's own preface says that in the first year of Yanyang during the Han dynasty, a son of Xinye Mountain received the essential secret of the divine elixir from the immortal, achieved immortality, and died, and copied another version to hide in a famous mountain. This is probably what is referred to as the "Yin Jun Dan Jue" here. Zhou Dunyi's learning originated from Chen Tuan, who was attentive to the alchemical practices, which is also evidence for this.)

彼之行此而壽考，乃吃豬肉而飽者。吾人所知，蓋不止此，乃不免於衰病，豈坐談龍肉而實未得嘗之比邪？《魏書》一哥已刻就，前日寄來此，必寄去矣。校得頗精，字義音韻皆頗有據依，逺勝世俗傳本，只欠教外別傳一句耳。

Those people attained long life by following such cultivation practices, truly having eaten pork and been well-fed. The principles we understand go beyond this, yet we still inevitably grow old and fall ill. Is this not like sitting and talking about dragon meat without ever tasting a single bite? The book by Wei Boyang (the "Zhou Yi Cang Tong Qi") has already been engraved by my elder brother, and it was sent to me recently, and I suppose it has also been sent to you. The textual corrections are quite meticulous, with clear references to meanings and pronunciations, far surpassing the commonly circulated versions. It only lacks that one sentence passed down outside the teachings.

《書周易參同契考異後》曰：魏君，後漢人。篇題蓋仿緯書之目，詞韻皆古，與雅難通，讀者淺聞，妄輒更改，故比他書尤多舛誤。今合諸本更相讎正，其間尚多疑晦，未能盡祛，姑據所知寫成定本，其諸同異因悉存之，以備參訂雲。空同道士鄒欣。

Zhu Xi's "Commentary on the Book of Changes and the Comparative Study of the Huainan Texts" says: Wei Boyang was a person of the Later Han dynasty. This book's title is probably modeled after the names of the writings of the Confucian classics, and its language and rhyme are very ancient and obscure, making it difficult to understand in the style of the refined and orthodox literary style. Readers with limited knowledge often alter the text at will, so the errors in this book are especially numerous. Now, by comparing various editions, many difficult and obscure points remain, and they have not been completely resolved. Therefore, I have compiled a definitive version based on my own understanding, and have also preserved the differences among the various editions for reference and correction. The text ends with the signature "Zou Xin, the Taoist of Kungtong."

（雙湖胡氏曰：鄒欣即公姓名。向解者以為「鄒」者「朱」之轉，「欣」者「熹」之轉耳。後據《考異》本原有注云：按鄒本春秋邾子之國，《樂記》云「天地欣合」，鄭氏注「欣」當作「熹」，則「鄒欣」二字即「朱熹」二字，他人不解也。）

(Hu Wei notes: Hu Yigui, a scholar of the Yuan dynasty known as Master Shuanghu, said: "Zou Xin" refers to Zhu Xi's name. Previously, interpreters thought "Zou" was a phonetic variant of "Zhu" and "Xin" was a phonetic variant of "Xi". Later, based on the annotations in the "Kao Yi" edition of the "Cantongqi", it was stated that "Zou" originally refers to the state of Zou from the Spring and Autumn period, and the "Liji · Le Ji" contains the phrase "Tian di Xin he", with Zheng Xuan's commentary stating that "Xin" should be read as "Xi". Therefore, the two characters "Zou Xin" are actually "Zhu Xi", but others could not understand this.)

《題袁機仲所校參同契後》曰：予頃年經行順昌，憩篔簹鋪，見有題「煌煌靈芝，一年三秀，予獨何為，有志不就」之語於壁間者，三復其詞而悲之，不知題者何人，適興予意會也。慶元丁巳八月七日（時朱子年六十八），再過其處，舊題固不復見，而屈指歲月，忽忽餘四十年，此志真不就矣。道間偶讀此書，並感前事，戲題絶句：「鼎鼎百年能幾時，靈芝三秀欲何為。金丹歲晚無消息，重嘆篔簹壁上詩。」晦翁。

Zhu Xi wrote in "Commentary on the Afterword of Yan Jizhong's Edition of the Complete Discourse on the Supreme Harmony": When I passed through Shunchang in the past, I stopped at Yundang Pavilion and saw some words written on the wall: "Luminescent lingzhi, blooming three times a year, why am I alone, with aspirations unfulfilled." I recited these lines three times and felt deeply moved, not knowing who had written them, yet they coincided with my own feelings. In the fourth year of Dingsi (1207), on the seventh day of the eighth lunar month (at the time Zhu Xi was sixty-eight years old), I passed through there again, but the old inscription was no longer visible. Counting the years, it had been over forty years, and this aspiration had still not been realized. On the way, I偶然 read the book "Complete Discourse on the Supreme Harmony," and felt nostalgic for the past, and composed a humorous quatrain: How long can a hundred years be, when lingzhi blooms three times a year? The elixir of gold has yet to be achieved in old age, and I can only sigh again at the poem on the wall of Yundang Pavilion. Signed: Huiweng.

《調息箴》曰：鼻端有白，我其觀之。隨時隨處，容與猗移。靜極而噓，如春沼魚；動極而翕，如百蟲蟄。氤氳開闢，其妙無窮，孰其尸之，不宰之功。雲臥天行，非予敢議，守一處和，千二百歲。

Zhu Xi's "Regulation of Breathing" says: On the tip of the nose there is a white point, and I focus my mind on observing it. At all times and places, I calmly and freely regulate my breathing. When stillness reaches its extreme, I exhale as a fish in a spring pond breathes; when movement reaches its extreme, I inhale as creatures in hibernation withdraw. One mist, one vapor; one closure, one opening. Within this there is infinite subtlety. Who is in control of it? It is the natural function of nothing being controlled. A state like clouds resting high, or the heavens moving in their course, is not something I dare to comment upon. By holding fast to this 'one' and dwelling in the middle harmony, one can live to be one thousand two hundred years old.

《答王子耕書》曰：病中不宜思慮，凡百可且一切放下，専以存心養氣為務，但跏趺靜坐，目視鼻端，注心臍腹之下，久自溫暖，即漸見功效矣。

Zhu Xi in his letter "Answer to Wang Zigeng" says: During illness, it is not advisable to think and worry too much; all matters can be temporarily set aside, and the main focus should be on nurturing the mind and cultivating the original energy. One needs only to sit in meditation with the legs crossed, gaze steadily at the tip of the nose, and concentrate the mind below the navel. With time, that area will naturally become warm, and the effects will gradually become apparent.

按：養生、知來，皆希夷之能事，而朱子獨有取於養生者，蓋衰年病侵，欲藉是以卻之，使徳業更有所進耳。觀鼻端之白，嘆壁上之詩，疑龍鮓之難嘗，羨豬肉之易飽，所謂寓意於物而不留意於物也。故金丹之訣，不惟知之，而身欲試之。撰《參同契考異》，託名空同道士鄒欣；而序《啟蒙》則曰云臺真逸，跋《道徳經》則曰云臺子；及其奉祠雲臺也，又寄陸子靜書云：「熹衰病，幸叨祠祿，遂為希夷直下諸孫，良以自慶。」其嚮慕之誠如此，此《太極真圖》所以期於必得也。坎離龍虎，未必非易中之一義，但不可謂易専為是而作耳。

Hu Wei commented: The cultivation of life and the prediction of the future were the main skills of Chen Tuan, but Zhu Xi only used the aspect of life cultivation. Perhaps this was because Zhu Xi was old and sick, and he wanted to use this method to drive away his illness and still make progress in his moral and scholarly achievements. Looking at his actions, such as gazing at the white at the tip of his nose and sighing at the poetry on the wall, doubting that "dragon meat" is hard to taste and envying "pork" which is easy to eat, this is what is called "expressing meaning through things without being attached to them." Therefore, regarding the secret formulas of the golden elixir, he not only knew about them but also wanted to try them personally. He wrote "Commentary on the Differences of the Three Syntheses of the Zhou Yi," falsely attributing it to "Zou Xin, the Taoist of Kungtong." He signed himself as "Yuntai Zhenyi" when writing the preface to "The启蒙 of the Yi," and as "Yuntai Zi" when writing the跋 to the "Dao De Jing." When he was in charge of the Yuntai Temple's official salary, he sent a letter to Lu Jiuyuan saying, "I am old and sick, but I have been honored with the official salary, thus becoming the direct descendant of Master Xiyi. This is truly worth celebrating." His sincerity towards Chen Tuan reached such a level, which is why he insisted on obtaining the "True Diagram of the Taiji." The concepts of Kan and Li, dragon and tiger, may not be without meaning in the Yi, but it cannot be said that the Yi was specifically written for these concepts.

右論陳希夷。

The previous section discusses Chen Tuan's person and his scholarly contributions in relation to the diagrams of the Book of Changes.

《宋史·道學傳》：邵雍字堯夫，其先范陽人，父古徙衡漳，又徙共城。雍年二十遊河南，葬其親伊水上，遂為河南人。雍少時自雄其才，慷慨欲樹功名，於書無所不讀。始為學，即堅苦刻厲，寒不爐，暑不扇，夜不就席者數年。已而嘆曰：「昔人尚友于古，而吾獨未及四方。」於是踰河、汾，涉淮、漢，周流齊、魯、宋、鄭之墟。久之，幡然來歸曰：「道在是矣。」遂不復出。

The "Song Shi · Dao Xue Zhuan" records that Shao Yong, whose courtesy name was Yao Fu, had ancestors from Fan Yang. His father, Shao Gu, moved to Hengzhang, and later to Gongcheng. At the age of twenty, Shao Yong traveled through Henan, buried his parents by the Yi River, and thus became a resident of Henan. In his youth, Shao Yong was confident in his talents, ambitious, and eager to achieve fame. He studied extensively without any restrictions. When he began his studies, he was rigorous and disciplined, not lighting a furnace in cold weather, not using a fan in hot weather, and not sleeping in bed at night, continuing this for several years. Later he lamented, "Ancient people still sought to be friends with ancient people, yet I have not even traveled the four directions." Therefore, he crossed the Yellow River and Fen River, traveled through the Huai River and Han River, and visited the former territories of Qi, Lu, Song, and Zheng. After a long time, he suddenly realized and returned, saying, "The Way is here." From then on, he no longer went out.

北海李之才攝共城令，聞雍好學，嘗造其廬，謂曰：「子亦聞物理性命之學乎？」雍對曰：「幸受教。」乃事之才，受《河圖》《洛書》、宓羲八卦六十四卦圖象。之才之傳，逺有端緒，而雍探賾索隠，妙悟神契，洞徹蘊奧，汪洋浩博，德其所自得者。及其學益老，徳益劭，玩心髙明，以觀天地之運化、陰陽之消長，逺而古今世變，微而走飛草木之性情，深造曲暢，庶幾所謂不惑，而非依仿象類、億則屢中者。遂衍宓羲先天之旨，著書十餘萬言行於世，然世之知其道者鮮矣。

Li Zhicai, a man from the northern sea, served as the acting magistrate of Gongcheng County. He heard that Shao Yong was devoted to learning, and he visited him, saying, "Have you heard of the study of the principles of things and the nature of life?" Shao Yong replied, "I would be happy to learn." Thus, he became Shao Yong's student and received the diagrams of the Yellow River Chart, the Luo Writing, and the Eight Trigrams and the sixty-four hexagrams of Fuxi. The transmission of this school, led by Li Zhicai, had a long and clear lineage. Shao Yong, however, explored deeply and sought out the subtle, achieving a profound intuitive understanding and thoroughly grasping the hidden meanings. His learning was vast and profound, mostly derived from his own insights. As his knowledge became more refined and his virtue more cultivated, he focused on the lofty and sublime, observing the transformations of heaven and earth, the waxing and waning of yin and yang, the changes of ancient and modern events, and the nature of birds, beasts, and plants, all of which he studied thoroughly and comprehensively. He had reached a state close to what is called "not confused," rather than the kind of approach that relies on analogy and guesswork to make frequent correct predictions. Thus, he developed the principles of the Earlier Heaven learning of Fuxi, writing over a hundred thousand characters that circulated in the world, yet few people understood his learning.

熙寧十年卒，年六十七，贈秘書省著作郎，元佑中賜諡康節。雍髙明英邁，迥出千古，而坦夷渾厚，不見圭印，是以清而不激，和而不流，人與交久，益尊信之。河南程顥初侍其父識雍，議論終日，退而嘆曰：「堯夫，內聖外王之學也。」

Shao Yong died in the tenth year of the Xining era at the age of sixty-seven. The court posthumously awarded him the title of Secretary of the Imperial Academy. During the Yuanyou period, he was granted the posthumous name "Kangjie." Shao Yong was highly intelligent and outstanding, far surpassing those of all previous generations. However, he was humble and unassuming, not showing off his talents. Therefore, he was lofty yet not extreme, easygoing yet not tainted by the world. The more people interacted with him, the more they respected and trusted him. Cheng Hao, a native of Henan, once accompanied his father Cheng Xiang to meet Shao Yong. They discussed for the whole day, and after Cheng Hao left, he sighed, saying, "Master Yaofu's learning is the study of inner sagehood and outer kingship."

雍知慮絶人，遇事能前知。程頤嘗曰：「其心虛明，自能知之。」當時學者因雍超詣之識，務髙雍所為，至謂雍有玩世之意；又因雍之前知，謂雍於凡物聲氣之所感觸，輒以其動而推其變焉，於是摭世事之已然者，皆以雍言先之，雍蓋未必然也。

Shao Yong's insight and contemplation surpassed ordinary people, and he could foresee events. Cheng Yi once said, "His mind was pure and clear, so he naturally knew." At that time, scholars, because Shao Yong's insight was extraordinary, exaggerated his actions, even saying he had a carefree attitude towards the world. Also, because he could foresee things, they said that whenever he came into contact with the sounds and breath of things, he could judge their movements and predict their changes. Therefore, they took all the events that had already happened and claimed that Shao Yong had predicted them beforehand. In reality, Shao Yong may not have actually done so.

所著書曰《皇極經世》《觀物內外篇》《漁樵問對》，詩曰《伊川擊壤集》。邵子《無名公傳》曰：朝廷授之官，雖不強免，亦不強起。晚有二子，教之以仁義，授之以六經。舉世尚虛談，未嘗掛一言；舉世尚竒事，未嘗立異行。故其詩曰：「不佞禪伯，不諛方士，不出戶庭，直遊天地。」家素業儒，口未嘗不道儒言，身未嘗不行儒行。故其詩曰：「心無妄思，足無妄走，人無妄交，物無妄受。炎炎論之，甘處其陋；綽綽言之，無出其右。」羲、軒之書未嘗去手，堯、舜之談未嘗離口。當中和天，同樂易友，吟自在詩，飲歡喜酒。百年昇平，不為不偶；七十康強，不為不壽。此其無名公之行乎。

Shao Yong wrote the books "Huangji Jingshi", "Guanwu Neiwaizhuan", and "Yujiao Wen Dui". His poetry collection is called "Yichuan Jiyang Ji". In his self-written "Wuminggong Zhuan", he said: when the court conferred an official position upon him, he neither firmly refused nor insisted on taking office. In his later years, he had two sons, whom he taught with benevolence and righteousness, and instructed them with the Six Classics. When the world was full of empty and abstract discussions, he never said a single word about them; when the world was full of strange things, he never did a single strange act. Therefore, his poetry says: he did not flatter Buddhist masters, nor did he fawn over alchemists or mystics. He never left his home, yet he directly roamed through the universe. His family had been scholars for generations; he never ceased speaking the words of a Confucian, nor did he ever cease acting according to the deeds of a Confucian. Therefore, his poetry says: he never had false thoughts in his mind, never took false paths, never made false connections with others, nor accepted false gifts. When others boasted loudly with great ambition, he was content to live in a humble dwelling, and spoke calmly and freely about principles, yet no one could surpass him. The writings of Fuxi and Huangdi were never out of his hands, and the topics of Yao and Shun were never out of his mouth. He lived in a harmonious and peaceful age, and associated with friends who were pleasant and easygoing. He recited free and easy poetry, and drank joyful wine. In a hundred years, the world was peaceful and prosperous, which cannot be said not to be a good opportunity; at seventy years old, he was still healthy and strong, which cannot be said not to be longevity. This is probably the conduct of that "Wuminggong".

明道先生志康節之墓曰：昔七十子學於仲尼，其傳可見者，惟曽子告子思，所以授孟子者耳。其餘門人，各以其材之所宜為學，雖同尊聖人，所因而入者，門戸則眾矣。況後此千餘歲，師道不立，學者莫知其從來，獨先生之學為有傳也。先生得之於李挺之，挺之得於穆伯長，推其源流，逺有端緒，今穆、李之言及其行事，概可見矣。而先生醇一不雜，汪洋浩大，乃其所自得者多矣。然而名其學者，豈所謂門戶之眾各有所因而入者歟？語成徳者，昔難其居，若先生之道，就其至而論之，可謂安且成矣。

Cheng Hao's epitaph for Shao Yong says: Among the seventy disciples of Confucius, only the lineage from Zengzi to Zisi and then to Mencius can be traced. The other disciples studied according to their own aptitudes and talents, although they all revered the sage. However, the ways they approached learning were various. Moreover, for over a thousand years after that, the way of teaching was not established, and scholars could not even say where their learning came from. Only Shao's learning had a clear transmission. He received it from Li Zhicai (whose name was Tingzhi), who in turn received it from Mu Xiu (whose name was Boyang). Tracing its source, it is far back but has a clear lineage, and now the words and deeds of Mu Xiu and Li Zhicai can still be roughly seen. Shao's learning was pure and unadulterated, vast and boundless, mostly derived from his own insight. Thus, to name his learning, is it not just one of the many ways to approach learning, each with its own origin? As for those who have achieved moral excellence, it was rare to be called so before. But in terms of the depth of his attainment, Shao's way of learning can be said to be both secure and accomplished.

《程氏遺書》曰：堯夫之學，先從理上推意，言象數言天下之理，須出於四者，推到理處，曰：「我得此大者，則萬事由我，無有不定。」然未必有術，要之亦難以治天下國家。其為人則直是無禮不恭，惟是侮玩，雖天地亦為之侮玩。如《無名公傳》言「問諸天地，天地不對」「弄丸餘暇，時往時來」之類。

The "Chengshi Yishu" says: Shao Yong's studies first seek the meaning from the principle of "li." He discusses the principles of numbers and forms, and the principles of the world, all of which must be derived from the four concepts of yuan, hui, yun, and shi. When he investigated the principle, he said, "If I have mastered this fundamental principle, then all things will be under my control, and nothing will be unable to be stabilized." However, he may not have actually possessed practical methods, and in general, it would be difficult to use his ideas to govern the state and the country. As for his character, he was truly disrespectful and not reverent, always playing and mocking, even treating heaven and earth as objects of mockery. This is similar to what the "Wuming Gong Zhuan" says: "He asked the heavens and earth, but the heavens and earth did not respond," and "He played with a ball in his spare time, and time came and went."

君實篤厚，晦叔謹嚴，堯夫放曠。又曰：堯夫道雖偏駁，然卷舒作用極熟，又能謹細行。又曰：堯夫襟懷放曠，如空中樓閣，四通八達也。伯淳言邵堯夫病革，且言試與觀化一遭。子厚言觀化他人便觀得，自家又如何觀得化？嘗觀堯夫詩意，才做得識道理，卻於儒術未見所得。

Cheng also said: Sima Guang (style name Junshi) was sincere and solid, Lü Xizhe (style name Hui shu) was cautious and upright, and Shao Yong (style name Yaofu) was free-spirited and open-minded. He also said: Although Shao Yong's way was mixed and not pure, his ability to use it was extremely skillful, and he could also be careful in his conduct. He also said: Shao Yong's mind was free-spirited and open-minded, like a building in the air, with all roads leading to it. Cheng Hao (style name Bochun) said that when Shao Yong was seriously ill, he still said it was not wrong to try to observe the changes of the universe. Zhang Zai (style name Zihou) said: Observing the universe, one can observe others, but how can one observe one's own death? I once looked into the meaning of Shao Yong's poetry, and he could only understand some principles, but there was no sign of his having any deep insight into the learning of the Confucian scholars.

世人之學，博聞強識者豈少？其終無有不入禪學者，就其間特立不惑，無如子厚、堯夫，然其說之流，恐未免此弊。邵堯夫數法出於李挺之，至堯夫推數方及理。邵堯夫臨終時只是諧謔，須臾而去。以聖人觀之則亦未是，蓋猶有意也；比之常人，甚懸絶矣。他疾甚革，某往視之，因警之曰：「堯夫平生所學，今日無事否？」他氣微不能答。次日見之，卻有聲如絲髮來大，答云：「你道生薑樹上生，我亦只得依你說。」

People nowadays study diligently, and those who are widely learned and have strong memories are not rare. Yet none of them escape falling into the teachings of Chan Buddhism. Among them, those who stand out independently and are not misled by this, none surpass Zhang Zai and Shao Yong. However, their teachings, when passed down, might also fall into this same problem. Shao Yong's method of mathematics came from Li Zhichai, and it was Shao Yong who advanced from calculation to the study of principles. When Shao Yong was dying, he was just laughing all the time and passed away in an instant. Judged by the standard of the sages, this still falls short of perfection, because there is still an element of deliberate effort. However, compared to ordinary people, he was far beyond them. When his illness was severe, I (Cheng Yi) visited him and reminded him, "Master Yaofu, do you today have certainty in your learning without any doubts?" He was too weak to answer. The next day, I visited him again, and he managed to answer with a voice as thin as a hair, "You say ginger grows on trees, I can only follow your statement."

尹子曰：邵堯夫家以墓誌屬明道，太中、伊川不欲。因步月於庭，明道曰：「顥已得堯夫墓誌矣，堯夫之學可謂安且成。」太中乃許。

Cheng Yi's student Yin Tun said: Shao Yong's family entrusted the task of writing his epitaph to Cheng Hao. Cheng Hao's father Cheng Xiang, who had reached the rank of Taizhong Dafu, and his younger brother Cheng Yi all disapproved. Once, while walking in the courtyard under the moon, Cheng Hao said: "I have already decided how to write the epitaph for Yao Fu — Yao Fu's learning can be said to be both secure and accomplished." Only then did Cheng Xiang agree.

《上蔡語録》曰：堯夫易數甚精，自來推長厯者，至久必差，惟堯夫不然，指一二近事，當面可驗。明道云：「待要傳與某兄弟。」某兄弟那得功夫？要學須是二十年功夫。明道聞說甚熟，一日因監試無事，以其說推算之，皆合。出謂堯夫曰：「堯夫之數，只是加一倍法，以此知《太玄》都不濟事。」堯夫驚，撫其背曰：「大哥，你恁聰明。」伊川謂：「堯夫知易數為知天，知易理為知人。」堯夫云：「還須知易理為知天。」因說今年雷起甚處，伊川云：「堯夫怎知？某便知。」又問某處起，伊川云：「起處起。」堯夫愕然。他日伊川問明道曰：「加倍之數何如？」曰：「都忘之矣。」因嘆其心無偏繫如此。

Cheng Yi's disciple Xie Liangzuo's "Shangcai Yulu" says: Shao Yong's divination numbers are extremely refined. Those who have calculated long calendars in the past inevitably make errors over time, but Shao Yong never does. He can simply point out one or two recent events and verify them on the spot. Cheng Hao said: "He wants to pass this skill on to us brothers." But we brothers don't have the time for that. To learn it, one must spend twenty years. Cheng Hao had heard his words many times. One day, while supervising an exam with nothing to do, he used the method to calculate, and the results matched. Afterward, he told Shao Yong: "Yao Fu's numbers are just a method of doubling. From this we can see that Yang Xiong's "Tai Xuan" is completely useless." Shao Yong was surprised and patted Cheng Hao's back, saying: "Big brother, you are so smart." Cheng Yi said: "Yao Fu believes that understanding the numbers of the Book of Changes is knowing heaven, and understanding the principles of the Book of Changes is knowing people." Shao Yong said: "It is only by understanding the principles of the Book of Changes that one can know heaven." Once, when discussing where the thunder started this year, Cheng Yi said: "How did Yao Fu know? I know." Shao Yong asked again where the thunder started, and Cheng Yi said: "It starts from where it starts." Shao Yong was stunned and speechless. Later, one day Cheng Yi asked Cheng Hao: "What exactly is the method of doubling?" Cheng Hao said: "I have completely forgotten." Cheng Yi therefore praised him for not being fixated on this matter.

《朱子語類》：問：「康節學到不惑處否？」曰：「康節又別是一般。聖人知天命以理，它只是以術，然到得術之精處，亦非術之所能盡，然其初只術耳。」又曰：「想它看見天下之事，才上手來便成四截了，其先後緩急莫不有定，動中機會，事到面前便處置得下矣。只是用時須差異，須有些機權術數也。」老子窺見天下之事，卻討便宜，置身於安閒之地，雲清靜自治，邵康節亦有些小似他。問：「《淵源録》中何故有康節傳？」曰：「書坊自増耳。」（見《孟子》「楊子取為我」章下。）

In the "Zhu Zi Yu Le" it is recorded that someone asked: "Has Shao Yong's learning reached the point of not being confused?" Zhu Xi said: "Shao Yong is another kind of approach. The sages know heaven's mandate by principle, while he relied on techniques. However, when his techniques became refined, they could not be fully exhausted by techniques, yet he originally relied on techniques alone." Zhu Xi also said: "It seems that when he looked at the affairs of the world, he divided them into four parts as soon as they came into his hands, with clear order in terms of sequence and urgency, and his actions were always timely and effective. However, his application had to appear different from others, always involving some elements of strategy, tactics, and techniques." Laozi understood the affairs of the world thoroughly, yet he chose the easiest path, placing himself in a peaceful position, talking about quiet governance and self-cultivation. Shao Yong was somewhat similar to him. Someone asked: "Why does the 'Yi Luo Yuan Yuan Lu' include a biography of Shao Yong?" Zhu Xi said: "That was added by the bookshop itself." (This entry is found under the chapter "Yangzi Qu Wei Wo" in the "Mengzi.")

《答汪尚書書》曰：程、邵之學固不同，然二先生所以推尊康節者至矣。蓋以其信道不惑，不雜異端，班於溫公、橫渠之間，則亦未可以其道不同而遽貶之也。和靖之言，恐如孟子言伯夷、伊尹之於孔子為不同道之比，妄意其然，不識臺意以為然否？抑康節之學，抉摘窈微，與佛老之言豈無一二相似，而卓然自信，無所汙染，此其所見必有端的處，比之溫公欲護名教而不言者，又有間矣。

Zhu Xi's letter to Wang Shushang says: The learning of the two brothers of the Cheng family and Shao Yong is indeed different, yet the two Chengs have praised Shao Yong to the utmost. Perhaps it is because he had firm faith without confusion, without mixing in heresies, and thus could be placed between Sima Guang and Zhang Zai. Therefore, one should not lower his status just because their approaches differ. Yi Tun's (whose courtesy name is Hejing) view, perhaps resembles Mencius' statement that Boyi, I Yin, and Confucius were "different in their ways." I make this guess, but I do not know whether you think so. Moreover, Shao Yong's learning, by exploring the subtle and profound aspects, has some resemblance to the teachings of Buddhism and Taoism. Yet he had firm self-confidence and was not influenced by them, which shows that his insights must have practical grounding. This is one level higher than Sima Guang's attitude of not discussing matters simply to uphold the rites and norms.

厚齋王氏曰：張文饒云：「處心不可著（直略切，下同），著則偏；作事不可盡，盡則窮。」先天之學止是此二語，天之道也。愚謂邵子詩「夏去休言暑，冬來始講寒」，則心不著矣；「美酒飲教微醉後，好花看到半開時」，則事不盡矣。

In the Southern Song dynasty, the learned scholar Wang Yinglin of Houshazhai said: Zhang Xingcheng (style name Wenrao) said, "One's mind should not be attached; attachment leads to bias. Actions should not be carried to the extreme; when done to the extreme, there is no way out." The study of the Earlier Heaven is nothing more than these two sentences, which is the way of Heaven. Wang Yinglin himself believed that in Shao Yong's poem, "After summer, do not speak of heat; only when winter comes do we talk about cold," refers to not being attached to one's mind. And "Drink wine until slightly drunk, and appreciate flowers when they are half in bloom" refers to not doing things to the extreme.