Volume Ten · On Studying the Book of Changes (Zhengzong of Learning the Book of Changes) (from Hao Jing's "Tanjing" and "Xueyi Zhiyan")

邵堯夫造為先天方圓等圖，好事詫為新竒，修煉羽流緣飾龍虎、鉛汞、奼女、嬰兒為《參同》《悟真》等書，乍見竒僻，叩之不過存神馭氣以求長生，而珍秘自喜，援易為口實。聖人作易，易簡開物，患人不知；而小說誣世，唯恐人知，心術已冰炭矣。《禮》云：「假鬼神、時日、卜筮疑眾者殺。」學者反尊崇其說，甚矣人之好怪也。

In the Northern Song dynasty, Shao Yong (styled Yao Fu) created diagrams such as the Earlier Heaven circle and square. Those who liked novelty regarded these as extraordinary theories. Taoist alchemists further embellished them with cryptic terms like "dragon and tiger," "lead and mercury," "young girl," and "infant," compiling works such as the "Threefold Concordance of the Zhou Changes" and the "True Words of Enlightenment." At first glance, these seem strange and obscure, but upon further inquiry, they are nothing more than attempts to control spirits and energies in pursuit of longevity. Yet they treat these as secret treasures, boast about them, and even cite the Zhou Changes as justification. The sages composed the Zhou Changes to be simple and clear, to enlighten the people and accomplish affairs, fearing that people would not understand. These petty doctrines, however, deceive the public and fear being exposed, their intentions being as opposite as ice and charcoal. The "Rites of Zhou: The System of Government" states: "Those who deceive the people by pretending to communicate with ghosts and spirits, using time, days, divination, and卜筮 should be put to death." Scholars instead revere such doctrines, and the people's fondness for the strange has become extremely serious.

《學易枝言》曰：羲聖世無文字，三才義理無憑發揮，爰始畫卦設象，不得已也。設有文字，便敷演成辭，豈好為隠乎？揚雄識字既多，而索隠鉤藏，別構方、州、部、家為《玄》儗易，則心勞而日拙矣。

Hao Jing's "Xue Yi Zhi Yan" says: In the time of Fuxi, there were no written characters, so the principles of heaven, earth, and humanity could not be expressed or elaborated, thus he began to draw trigrams and establish symbolic images, which was indeed a necessity. If there had already been written characters at that time, Fuxi would have composed written texts instead, would he have liked to be obscure and ambiguous? Yang Xiong of the Western Han dynasty knew enough characters, yet he deliberately sought out obscure and obscure words, created the terms "fang," "zhou," "bu," and "jia," and wrote the "Tai Xuan" to imitate the "Zhou Yi," which is called using one's mind more and more clumsily.

易爻辭象義誠有不可盡解者，前人不傳，後人何述？要之，精微中之易簡，愚不肖可知；易簡中之精微，聰明才辯者未悉。如管公明、郭景純卜筮，焉可謂之非易？然亦四道之一端耳。子云：「知之為知之，不知為不知。」三才之要，人所當知者，王輔嗣、程正叔諸君子所言，不可勝用矣。

The line statements and symbolic meanings in the Zhou Changes indeed have aspects that are difficult to fully comprehend, and since the ancients did not pass them down, how can later generations presume to elaborate on them? In the subtle and profound, the simple and plain can be understood even by the dull and unskilled; but in the simple and plain, the subtle and profound may not be fully grasped even by the wise and eloquent. The divination practices of Guan Lu of the Wei dynasty and Guo Pu of the Jin dynasty, though remarkable, can hardly be considered as the entire Zhou Changes. They are merely one aspect among the four elements of "words, images, transformations, and divination." Confucius said, "To know is to know; not to know is not to know." The essential meanings concerning the three elements of heaven, earth, and humanity have already been thoroughly explained by scholars such as Wang Bi and Cheng Yi.

聖人作易，立人之道而已；學易者，亦學為立人之道而已。又曰：朱元晦謂孔子之易非文王、周公之易，愚謂孔子贊易，秖為立人之道，學者日用切要而言，誠有之。但聖人說理發揮人道，即函蓋三才萬象無不脗合，與羲、文、周公無二。

The sages composed the Book of Changes in order to establish the principles of human conduct; those who study the Book of Changes merely learn to practice these principles. It is also said that Zhu Xi (whose courtesy name was Yuanhui) believed that Confucius' version of the Book of Changes was not the same as that of King Wen and the Duke of Zhou. I think that Confucius' commentary on the Book of Changes focused on establishing human conduct and the most essential aspects for daily life, and this view indeed has some truth to it. However, the sages explained the principles and developed human conduct, and in doing so, they encompassed the three elements and all phenomena, with everything harmonizing perfectly. This is no different from that of Fuxi, King Wen, and the Duke of Zhou.

按：莊生曰「易以道陰陽」，此非周之言，而古之言也。蓋古者三易之法掌於太卜，一曰《連山》，二曰《歸藏》，三曰《周易》，其經卦皆八，其別皆六十有四。非但彖爻之辭自為一書，即如《春秋》內外傳所載諸繇辭亦不得與焉。其所見者唯二體六畫剛柔雜居之象，以為道陰陽宜也。至扵文王繫彖、周公繫爻，則固以陰陽推之於人事，而所言無非仁義中正之歸矣。孔子作十翼，則又發彖爻之蘊，竭盡而無餘焉。聖人之所以窮理而盡性，君子之所以反身而寡過，皆在此書，奚止道陰陽哉！

Hu Wei said: Zhuang Zhou said, "The Book of Changes is about yin and yang," but this statement was not Zhuang Zhou's own idea, but rather an old saying passed down from ancient times. In the ancient times, there were three schools of the Book of Changes, all under the charge of the Grand Astrologer: the Lianshan, the Guicang, and the Zhouyi. All of them had eight single trigrams and sixty-four compound trigrams. At that time, not only were the interpretations of the trigrams and line statements by King Wen and the Duke of Zhou not yet compiled into a single book, but even the divination statements recorded in the Zuo Zhuan and Guoyu were not included. All that people could see were the upper and lower parts of the trigrams, with the six lines alternating between firm and yielding. Therefore, it was natural to say that the Book of Changes is about yin and yang. But when King Wen attached the trigram interpretations and the Duke of Zhou attached the line statements, they had already extended yin and yang to human affairs, and everything they discussed was ultimately about benevolence, righteousness, and correctness. Confucius composed the Ten Wings, which further elaborated the meanings of the trigram and line statements thoroughly. The sages used this book to investigate heavenly principles and exhaust human nature, and the gentlemen used it to examine themselves and reduce their mistakes. All of this is contained in this book, how could it be merely about yin and yang?

微三聖之辭，則伏羲作易之旨鬱而不明，萬古如長夜矣，而顧謂三聖不如伏羲，何歟？且夫三才之道，在天曰陰陽，在地曰剛柔，在人曰仁義，其為性命之理則一也。《洪範》由天道以推之人道，《中庸》由人道以合之天道，蓋天人之理未有不歸於一致者也。三聖所重在人道，而天地之道亦無不備焉。伏羲時未有文字，不得已而畫竒耦以垂教，陰陽可以畫見，而仁義不可以畫見，故說者但以為道陰陽，而不知伏羲之旨専在立人之道也。

If there were no writings by the three sages, Wen Wang, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius, the original intention of Fuxi in composing the Book of Changes would remain obscured and unclear, leaving future generations in darkness for all time. Yet some people claim that the three sages were not as great as Fuxi. What is the reasoning behind this? Furthermore, the principle of the three elements: in heaven it is called yin and yang, in earth it is called hardness and softness, and in human beings it is called benevolence and righteousness. The principle of life and destiny is the same. The Book of Documents, Hong Fan, extends the principles of heaven to human affairs, while the Zhongyong from the Book of Rites brings human affairs back to harmony with heaven. This shows that the principles of heaven and human beings are ultimately consistent. The three sages focused on human affairs, yet the principles of heaven and earth are fully included. At the time of Fuxi, there were no written characters, so he had to use symbolic drawings, with odd numbers representing yang and even numbers representing yin, to convey moral teachings. Although yin and yang can be expressed through hexagrams, benevolence and righteousness cannot be represented by hexagrams. Therefore, those who explain the Book of Changes focus only on yin and yang, without realizing that Fuxi's original intention was to establish the principles of human conduct.

苟其有文字，則亦必言及仁義矣。伏羲而無言也；伏羲而有言，安知不與三聖同辭乎？老莊之徒掊擊仁義，故厭薄周孔之辭，以為不足道；儒者不能辭而闢之，反為之推波助瀾，尊伏羲不言之教，抑三聖闡幽之辭，豈不悖哉！仲輿解經多所創穫，而尤不喜宋儒，愚未敢深信；獨論易數則最為精確，其曰「聖人作易，立人之道而已」，此語大有裨於來學，故特表而出之，且為之暢其指趣焉。

Suppose there had already been writing at that time, Fuxi would certainly have spoken about benevolence and righteousness. Fuxi merely did not leave behind words; if Fuxi had expressed himself, how could one be sure he would not have said exactly what the Three Sages did? Laozi and Zhuangzi's school attacked benevolence and righteousness, thus looking down upon the words of the Duke of Zhou and Confucius, considering them unworthy of mention. The Confucian scholars are unable to refute this on rational grounds, and instead further promote it, elevating Fuxi's method of teaching without words and diminishing the subtle explanations of the Three Sages. Is this not reversing the fundamental and the secondary? He Jing (whose name is Zhongyu) has many original insights in interpreting classics, especially his dislike for the Neo-Confucians, which I dare not fully believe. However, his interpretations of the Book of Changes are particularly accurate. He said, "The sage composed the Book of Changes, merely to establish the principles of human conduct." This statement is of great benefit to later learners, so I specially highlight it and explain its meaning clearly.

東涯陳氏言《易疑》自序曰：易非聖人卜筮之書也，卜筮以聖人之書爾。伏羲畫卦，原神於太乙，起數於陰陽，類象於萬物，通幽於神明，和順於道徳性命，無乎弗括。文王於卦為之辭以明其象類，周公於爻為之辭以盡其變化，孔子於卦爻為之彖、象、文言、繫辭、說、序、雜卦，以闡羲、文、周公之義理，使學者修此而吉，悖此而凶，淵乎廣矣，而非作之以卜筮也。

In his preface to "Yi Yi" ("Doubts on the Book of Changes"), Chen Yuan of the Ming dynasty said: The Book of Changes was not written by the sages for divination. Rather, divination made use of the sages' writings. Fuxi drew the trigrams, originally derived from "Taiyi" and connected with the divine and mysterious. He began with the principles of yin and yang, took images from all things, communicated with the divine in the hidden, and harmonized with morality, life, and destiny. It encompasses everything. King Wen attached commentaries to the trigrams to explain the things symbolized by the trigrams. The Duke of Zhou attached commentaries to the lines to exhaust the changes of the lines. Confucius further composed the Commentary on the Judgment, the Image Commentary, the "Wenyan," the Great Treatise, the "Shuogua," the "Xugua," and the "Zagua" for the trigrams and lines, to elaborate on the meanings of Fuxi, King Wen, and the Duke of Zhou. This enables those who study the Book of Changes to cultivate themselves and achieve good fortune, or to violate it and bring misfortune. How profound and extensive this is! It was not written for divination.

子曰：「易有聖人之道四焉」，辭、象、變、占是也。孔子見卦爻之有辭象變占，言焉而廣大，動焉而吉凶，制器焉而網罟舟楫之用，卜筮焉而神物大衍之策，斯徧舉之矣，而未嘗専於卜筮也。夫易何止五經之原、天地神化之奧，而於卜筮之技精之則末矣。秦漢諸儒考象辭則泥術數，論義理則淪空寂，而不知孔子之易先義理而托象數者也。蓋體其卦爻之蘊，察乎辭象變占之理，通乎言動制器卜筮之用，用之所向即理也，理之所協即占也，占之所利即用也，是孔子之易也，而非専於卜筮明矣。是故學者索卜筮於卦爻之外，參《程傳》於《本義》之中，斯孔子之易備矣，作《易疑》。

Confucius said, "The Book of Changes contains four kinds of the way of the sage: words, images, transformation, and divination." Confucius saw that the hexagrams and lines together contain words, images, transformation, and divination. In terms of speech, they are vast and comprehensive; in terms of action, they reveal good and bad fortune; in terms of making tools, they have the function of making nets and building boats and rafts; in terms of divination, they involve the use of yarrow stalks and turtle shells, as well as the great derivation method. This presents all four aspects, without focusing solely on divination. The Book of Changes is not only the source of the Five Classics and the profound mystery of heaven and earth's divine transformation, but even if one masters the art of divination, it is still only a minor aspect. Scholars of the Qin and Han dynasties who studied the images and words became entangled in divination techniques, while those who discussed principles became lost in emptiness. They did not understand that Confucius' Book of Changes prioritizes principles and寄托s them in images and numbers. If one can comprehend the implications of the hexagrams and lines, understand the principles of words, images, transformation, and divination, and integrate the functions of speech, action, tool-making, and divination, then the function points to principle, principle aligns with divination, and divination serves practical use. This is the Book of Changes as Confucius intended it, clearly not focusing solely on divination. Therefore, scholars should seek divination beyond the hexagrams and lines, and refer to Zhu Xi's "The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes" and Cheng Yi's "Yichuan's Commentary on the Changes" to fully understand Confucius' Book of Changes. Thus, the book "Easy Doubts" was written.

朱氏綬《易經精蘊》自序曰：周子曰「聖人之精，畫卦以示；聖人之蘊，因卦以發」。其蘊維何？凡彖、象、文言、繫辭、說卦皆是。宋儒以《周禮》言大卜掌三易，故専作卜筮之書，歴詆大聖理義之言，不少假借。愚於此大懼，深求其病，只在「太卜掌三易」之一言耳。不知易有理、有象、有數：理即蘊之發，象即精之寓，數因一以積。畫卦示象之吉凶，繫辭論理之吉凶，數之吉凶未之明，故立筮人掌三易以辨九筮之吉凶也。

In his preface to "The Essence of the Book of Changes" ("Yijing Jingyun"), Zhu Shou of the Ming dynasty (styled Wenpei) said: Zhou Dunyi once said, "The subtle essence of the sage is displayed through drawing the trigrams; the hidden meaning of the sage is expressed through the hexagrams." What is meant by "hidden meaning"? It refers to the Commentary on the Judgment, the Image Commentary, the "Wenyan" section, the Great Treatise, and the "Shuogua" section. The Song dynasty scholars, because the "Rites" said that the Grand卜官 (too-bu) was in charge of the three Books of Changes, concluded that the Book of Changes was solely a book for divination, and thus criticized the great sages' discussions on principles and reason, showing no tolerance. I am deeply worried about this, and upon thoroughly investigating the root of this problem, I found it lies in the single phrase "the Grand卜官 (too-bu) is in charge of the three Books of Changes." They did not understand that the Book of Changes contains principles, images, and numbers: principles are the expression of hidden meaning, images are the dwelling place of subtle essence, and numbers are formed by gradually accumulating from one. Drawing the trigrams is to display the images and their fortune or misfortune, while the Great Treatise discusses the principles and their fortune or misfortune. As for the fortune or misfortune of numbers, it has not yet been explained. Therefore, the "Rites" also established the official "Shirren" (sacrificial official) to manage the three Books of Changes, in order to distinguish the fortune or misfortune of the nine methods of divination.

觀象玩辭，聖人體易、君子學易以成盛徳大業，至矣；庸人不能，故立占人、筮人。七八九六揲蓍求卦，不過筮更、筮咸，尤細事耳。易無不該，天地有此數，不立筮法以成變化，則天地間缺此一藝，非謂易道易象舉在此筮，専作卜筮之書也。夫子欲加年學易，期無大過，豈在占筮乎？

Observing the hexagrams and contemplating their words, the sages thus comprehend the Way of the Book of Changes, and the gentleman thus studies the Book of Changes to cultivate great virtue, this is the highest level; ordinary people cannot reach it, so they set up the official positions of "zhan ren" and "shi ren." Using seven, eight, nine, and six to divide the yarrow stalks for divination is merely part of the nine types of divination in the "Rites of Zhou," such as "zhi geng" and "zhi xian," which are even minor details. The Book of Changes encompasses everything; since there is such a system in the world, it is necessary to establish a method of divination to complete the transformations; this does not mean that the principles of the Book of Changes and its hexagrams are entirely contained in divination, nor that the Book of Changes is a book solely for divination. Confucius wished to live longer to study the Book of Changes, hoping to avoid great mistakes, was his intention really about divination?

況占筮専於動而不主於靜，一於用而不求於體，求諸神而不求諸已，失無算矣。使一委之卜筮，而平日無玩易之功，遇吉行之而已，遇凶避之而已，君子將何以自強不息？將何以厚徳載物？學者無用辨悔吝之介，無用震無咎之悔，六十四卦訓戒之言皆作虛文矣。洪惟聖朝用易為首經取士，而只在占筮授受，豈不誤甚？無由挽之回車就道，徒抱憤耳。自知得罪於先儒，取譏當世，獨賴聖人為之依歸，用以自解雲。

Moreover, divination only concerns itself with movement and not with stillness, seeks only utility and not substance, and seeks solely from ghosts and spirits without turning inward to examine oneself. Thus, mistakes are numerous and countless. If everything is left to divination, and one has no daily practice in contemplating the principles of the Book of Changes, then when fortune is favorable one follows it, and when misfortune arises one flees from it. Then, how can a gentleman uphold the virtue of self-renewal without cease? How can he embody the virtue of cultivating great virtue to carry all things? Those who study the Book of Changes would not need to discern the relationship between subtle signs and regret, nor rely on repentance to achieve movement without error. The admonitions of the sixty-four hexagrams have all become empty words. Our dynasty has taken the Book of Changes as the primary classic for selecting officials, yet it has only been taught in the realm of divination. Is this not a great mistake? There is no way to restore it to the right path, and we can only lament in vain. I am fully aware that this will offend the predecessors of the school and invite ridicule from contemporaries. Yet I can only rely on the words of the sages to explain myself.

二泉邵氏寳序《精蘊》曰：易為性命道徳之原，而開物成務，仲尼贊之詳矣。惟其道無不備，故百氏宗之。卜筮者，技之至微者也。自朱子《本義》一出，學者翕然從之。夫方術談於庸醫，聴者不能什一；惟夫和、扁一言，雖或盡變軒岐之書，人將謂其有據也。朱子名冠諸儒，道行今古，誠吾儒之和、扁矣，専主卜筮之說，疇不謂其有據乎哉？庠序以之而教人，科目因之而取士，習尚成風，安固而不搖矣。

In the Ming dynasty, Shao Bao, who was known as Erquan, wrote a preface for the book "The Essence of the Changes." He said that the Book of Changes is the source of life and morality, and it can enlighten the people's wisdom and accomplish affairs. Confucius has already described it in great detail. Because its principles are complete in all aspects, all the schools of thought have revered it. Divination and fortune-telling are merely the most subtle of skills. Since Zhu Xi's "The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes" was published, scholars have followed it enthusiastically. The same kind of technique, if spoken by a mediocre doctor, would be believed by only a tenth of the people; but if it were said by famous doctors like Hui He and Bian Que, even if all the medical books passed down from the Yellow Emperor and Qibo were changed, people would still consider it to have a basis. Zhu Xi's reputation surpassed all other scholars of the Confucian tradition, and his teachings have been widely circulated throughout history. Indeed, he is the medical Hui He and Bian Que of our Confucian school. His focus on divination and fortune-telling, who would not consider it to have a solid foundation? Schools use it to teach students, and the imperial examinations rely on it to select talents. Once the trend is established, it becomes firmly rooted and unshakable.

嗚呼！此文佩朱公所以深懼，而《精蘊》之書不容於不作也。書凡二十四卷，一以孔子義理之言為主，按卦推辭，隨爻悉義，一覽之間而四聖之心昭然在目，其有功於斯道也大矣。雖然，《本義》無心於晦道，《精蘊》豈有心於矯弊哉？一念所主而得失因之，紫陽有知，必將感其救正之功也，君曰有罪，夫豈然哉！

Alas, this is precisely the reason why Mr. Zhu Wenpei felt deep concern and was compelled to write the "Essence of the Book of Changes." The entire work consists of twenty-four volumes, all based primarily on Confucius' explanations of principles. It deduces the meanings of the verses by examining the hexagrams and elaborates on each line in detail. Upon reading it, one can clearly see the intentions of the four sages: Fuxi, King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius. Its contribution to the study of the Book of Changes is indeed great. However, the "Original Meaning" was not intended to obscure the Way of the Changes, nor was the "Essence" deliberately meant to criticize current affairs. It was simply based on the author's own thoughts, and thus success or failure resulted from this. If Zhu Xi, known as the Purple Yang Master, were aware of this from below, he would surely appreciate the merit of this work in rectifying the Way. Zhu himself said "there is guilt," but where could such a thing be true?

都氏穆序《精蘊》曰：客有問穆者曰：「易有卜筮之道乎？」穆曰：「然。」「主卜筮而作乎？」曰：「否。請以水喻：崑崙上源，發而為江、漢、河、淮，以迨溝、澗、溪、渠，皆水也。居溪者曰水以溪而生也，濱澗者曰水以澗而出也，舉一廢百，知水不亦淺乎？」孔子曰：「假我數年，卒以學易，可以無大過矣。」夫以大成之聖，欲學易以免過，易之道可知矣，豈卜筮所可盡哉？

In the Ming dynasty, Du Mu (style name Xuanjing) wrote a preface for the book "The Essence of the Book of Changes." He said that a guest asked him, "Does the Book of Changes contain the principles of divination?" I replied, "Yes." The guest then asked, "Was the Book of Changes primarily composed for the purpose of divination?" I replied, "No. Let me use water as an example. The source of the Kunlun Mountains flows into the Yangtze River, Han River, Yellow River, and Huai River, and continues to gullies, ravines, streams, and canals, all of which are water. Those living by the stream say water comes from the stream, while those living by the ravine say water comes from the ravine. Focusing on one and ignoring the rest is a very shallow understanding of water." Confucius said, "Give me a few more years, and I will eventually master the Book of Changes, thereby avoiding major mistakes." With a sage like Confucius, who has synthesized the wisdom of the past, still wanting to study the Book of Changes to avoid mistakes, it is evident how profound the principles of the Book of Changes are. How could divination possibly encompass all of its depth?

顧氏《日知録》：舜曰「官占惟先蔽志，昆命於元龜」，《詩》云「爰始爰謀，爰契我龜」，《洪範》曰「謀及乃心，謀及卿士，謀及庶人，謀及卜筮」，孔子之贊易也，亦曰「人謀鬼謀」。[祖伊告紂，言格人元龜，亦先人後龜。]夫庶人至賤也，而猶在蓍龜之前，故盡人之明而不能決，然後謀之鬼焉。故古人之於人事信而有功，於鬼也嚴而不瀆。

In the Qing dynasty, Gu Yanwu's "Rizhilu" states that Shun said, "Before consulting the oracle, one must first decide in one's own mind, and then entrust it to the big turtle." The "Shijing · Daying · Mian" says, "First they planned, then they burned the turtle to obtain a sign." The "Shangshu · Hongfan" says, "First consult one's own mind, then consult the ministers, then consult the common people, and only then consult divination." Confucius praised the "Yi," also saying, "human planning and divine planning." [Zu Yi advised King Zhou, mentioning "ge ren" and the big turtle, also prioritizing human judgment before the turtle.] The common people are the most humble, yet they are placed before the yarrow stalks and the big turtle. This shows that one should exhaust human wisdom before seeking guidance from ghosts and gods. Therefore, ancients trusted human affairs and achieved practical results; they revered ghosts and gods without being disrespectful or disrespectful.

子之必孝，臣之必忠，此不待卜而可知也，其所當為，雖凶而不可避也。故曰「欲從靈氛之吉占兮，心猶豫而狐疑」，又曰「用君之心，行君之意，龜策誠不能知此事」。善哉屈子之言，其聖人之徒歟！

A son must surely be filial, and a subject must surely be loyal; this can be understood without divination. Whatever is one's duty, even if an unfavorable omen is obtained, it should not be avoided. Therefore, Qu Yuan in his "Li Sao" says, "I wish to listen to the auspicious divination of Lingfen, yet my heart hesitates and wavers." In his "Bu Ju," he also says, "Follow your own heart, act according to your own will; the turtle shells and yarrow stalks cannot know such matters." Qu Yuan's words are indeed excellent; he must surely be considered a disciple of the sages.

《卜居》，屈原自作，設為問答，以見此心非鬼神吉凶之所得而移耳。王逸序乃曰「心迷意惑，不知所為，往之太卜之家，決之蓍龜，冀聞異策，以定嫌疑」，則與屈子之旨大相背戾矣。洪興祖《補註》曰「此篇上句皆原所從，下句皆原所去，時之人去其所當從，從其所當去，其所謂吉乃原所謂凶也」，可謂得屈子之心者矣。

"The卜居" is a work written by Qu Yuan himself, in which he presents a series of questions and answers to demonstrate that his heart is not swayed by the fortune or misfortune of ghosts and gods. However, Wang Yi of the Eastern Han dynasty, in his preface, said that Qu Yuan was "confused and puzzled, not knowing what to do, so he went to the house of the diviner and asked for divination using yarrow stalks and turtle shells, hoping to receive different advice to determine the difficult situation." This interpretation contradicts Qu Yuan's original intention. Hong Xingzu of the Song dynasty, in his "Supplement to the Chu Ci," said: "In this passage, the upper sentence is what Qu Yuan intended to follow, and the lower sentence is what he intended to abandon. However, people at that time abandoned what they should have followed and followed what they should have abandoned. What they called auspicious was actually what Qu Yuan called inauspicious." This can be considered as understanding Qu Yuan's true intention.

《禮記·少儀》：「問卜筮曰：義與？志與？義則可問，志則否。」子孝臣忠，義也；違害就利，志也。卜筮者，先王所以教人去利懷仁義也。

The Li Ji · Shao Yi says: "When asking someone about divination, one should ask: is the matter about righteousness or about personal interest? Matters of righteousness may be consulted, but those of personal interest should not." Filial piety towards one's father and loyalty towards one's sovereign are matters of righteousness; avoiding misfortune and pursuing benefit are matters of personal interest. Divination, is precisely the means used by the former kings to teach people to eliminate personal gain and to hold fast to benevolence and righteousness.

石駘仲卒，無適子，有庶子六人，卜所以為後者，曰「沐浴佩玉則兆」。五人者皆沐浴佩玉，石祁子曰「孰有執親之喪而沐浴佩玉者乎」，不沐浴佩玉，石祁子兆，衛人以龜為有知也。南蒯將叛，枚筮之，遇《坤》之《比》，曰「黃裳元吉」，子服恵伯曰「忠信之事則可，不然必敗。外強內溫，忠也；和以率貞，信也，故曰黃裳元吉。黃，中之色也；裳，下之飾也；元，善之長也。中不忠，不得其色；下不共，不得其飾；事不善，不得其極。且夫易不可以占險，猶有闕也，筮雖吉，未也」，南蒯果敗。是以嚴君平之卜筮也，與人子言依於孝，與人弟言依於順，與人臣言依於忠，而髙允亦有「筮者當依附爻象，勸以忠孝」之論，其知卜筮之旨矣。

The *Book of Rites* *Tan Gong* records that a nobleman of the State of Wei, Shi Dai Zhong, died without a legitimate son, only six illegitimate sons. They divined who should succeed him, and the oracle said, "Those who bathe and wear jade will have a good omen." Five of them went to bathe and wear jade, but Shi Qi Zi said, "It is unreasonable to bathe and wear jade while mourning one's father," and did not do so. The good omen fell upon Shi Qi Zi, and the people of Wei therefore believed that the turtle was endowed with wisdom. The *Zuo Zhuan* records that Nan Kuan, a minister of the Ji family of Lu, was about to rebel, but he did not explain his reasons before divining with the *Yi* (Book of Changes). He obtained the *Kun* hexagram transforming into the *Bi* hexagram, and the line statement was "Yellow undergarments bring great good fortune." Zi Fu Hui Bo said, "This applies only to matters of loyalty and trustworthiness; otherwise, it will certainly lead to failure. Being strong on the outside and gentle within is loyalty; following the right path with harmony is trust. Therefore, it says 'Yellow undergarments bring great good fortune.' Yellow is the central color; undergarments are the lower garment; 'yuan' is the greatest of all virtues. If one's heart is not loyal, he is unworthy of the color; if one is not respectful in his position, he is unworthy of the garment; if the matter is not virtuous, he cannot reach the highest level. Moreover, the *Yi* is not suitable for predicting dangerous matters, and there are still deficiencies. Although the divination was favorable, it is not truly favorable." Later, Nan Kuan indeed failed. Therefore, Yan Zun (styled Junping) of the Han dynasty, when divining for others, would follow filial piety when speaking to a son, obedience when speaking to a younger brother, and loyalty when speaking to a minister. Gao Yun of the Northern Wei also said, "A diviner should rely on the line images and use loyalty and filial piety to advise people." They both understood the essence of divination.

《申鑑》[後漢荀悅撰]：或問卜筮，曰：「徳斯益，否斯損。」曰：「何謂也？」「吉而濟，凶而救，之謂徳；吉而恃，凶而怠，之謂損。」

In the "Shen Jian" [a work written by Xun Yue of the Eastern Han dynasty], someone asked about divination and fortune-telling, and the answer was: "Those who have virtue gain benefit, while those without virtue suffer loss." The questioner then asked, "How does this mean?" The answer was: "If one receives a favorable omen and makes efforts to achieve it, or receives an unfavorable omen and takes measures to remedy it, this is called having virtue. But if one relies on a favorable omen and becomes complacent, or encounters an unfavorable omen and becomes slack, this is called suffering loss."

君子將有為也，將有行也，問焉而以言，其受命也如向，告其為也，告其行也。死生有命，富貴在天，若是則無可為也，無可行也，不當問，問亦不告也。易以前民用也，非以為人前知也；求前知非聖人之道也。是以《少儀》之訓曰「毋測未至」。

A gentleman will consult the yarrow stalks for guidance only when he is about to take action or make a decision. The yarrow stalks respond immediately, as if echoing the question, and tell him what to do. However, matters such as birth and death, which are determined by fate, and wealth and poverty, which are in the hands of heaven, are not things that can be acted upon. Therefore, one should not ask about them. The Book of Changes is meant to guide the people in their daily lives, not to predict the future. To seek foreknowledge is not the way of the sages. Therefore, the admonition in the Book of Rites, "Do not speculate about things that have not yet come to pass," is given.

郭璞嘗過顏含，欲為之筮，含曰：「年在天，位在人，修已而天不與者，命也；守道而人不知者，性也。自有性命，無勞蓍龜。」《文中子》：子謂北山黃公善醫，先寢食而後針藥；汾陰侯生善筮，先人事而後說卦。

Guo Pu once visited Yan Han, a Jin dynasty man, intending to use divination for him. Yan Han said, "Longevity is determined by heaven, official position is determined by people. If one cultivates oneself but heaven does not grant it, that is fate; if one adheres to the right path but the world does not understand it, that is nature. I have my own life and destiny, so there is no need to trouble with the yarrow stalks or the turtle shell." In the Sui dynasty, Wang Tong's "Zhongwenzi" said that Beishan Huanggong was skilled in medicine, first regulating a patient's sleep and diet, then using needles and medicine; Fen Yin Housheng was skilled in divination, first clarifying human affairs, then explaining the hexagrams.

《金史·方伎傳》序曰：古之為術，以吉凶導人而為善；後世術者，以休咎導人而為不善。

The preface of the "Jin Shi · Fang Ji Zhuan" says: In ancient times, those who practiced numerology and divination used auspicious and inauspicious signs to guide people toward doing good deeds; but in later generations, the diviners used misfortune and blessing to lead people into doing evil.

易為卜筮之書，與醫藥、種樹並稱，秦人之見也，然其說亦有所自來。古者太卜所掌，唯夏商以來相傳之繇辭，如《左氏》之所載者；而文王、周公易象之書，則藏於周、魯之太史氏。故陳厲公時，周史始有以《周易》見陳侯者，陳侯使筮之，而有《觀》六四之占；及昭公二年，韓宣子來聘，觀書於太史氏，始見《易象》與《魯春秋》，可見易象之書他國不皆有。孔子十翼則作於晚年，而傳之商瞿子木，尚未流行於世。[杜預曰：汲縣有發舊冢者，得《周易》上下篇，與今正同，而無彖、象、文言、繫辭，疑於時仲尼造之於魯，尚未播之於逺國也。]

Hu Wei said: To regard the Book of Changes as a book of divination, placing it alongside medicine and tree planting, is the view of the Qin people. However, this view has its origin. In ancient times, the office of the Grand卜 (diviner) was responsible only for the divinatory verses passed down from the Xia and Shang dynasties, similar to those recorded in the Zuo Zhuan. The books on the images of the Book of Changes composed by King Wen and the Duke of Zhou were kept in the royal archives of the Zhou dynasty and the archives of the Grand Historian in Lu. Therefore, during the reign of Chen Li Gong, a Zhou dynasty historian brought the Book of Changes to Chen Hou, who asked him to perform a divination, resulting in the divination of the sixth line of the fourth hexagram in the Guan hexagram. In the second year of Lu Zhao Gong, the Jin state's Han Xuanzi came to visit, and upon viewing the books in the Grand Historian's office, he saw the images of the Book of Changes and the Lu Spring and Autumn Annals—this shows that the books on the images of the Book of Changes were not available in all states. Confucius composed the Ten Wings in his later years, passing them on to his disciple Shang Qu (whose name was Zi Mu). At that time, these writings were not yet widely circulated. [Du Yu said: Someone in Jixian opened an ancient tomb and found the upper and lower parts of the Book of Changes, which were exactly the same as the current version, but without the Tu, Xiang, Wenyan, and Xici. He suspected that Confucius composed these essays while in Lu and had not yet spread them to distant states.]

秦僻在西垂，何由得見？李斯未必知，即知之亦必不信，其以易為卜筮之書無足怪者，而儒者遂謂易専為卜筮而作。夫伏羲既畫八卦而即制蓍為筮法，孔子贊易亦以蓍龜為神物而深明其用，謂易為卜筮之書無甚礙，但謂伏羲作易専為卜筮，而文王、周公、孔子卻說出許多義理，非伏羲之本義，是則大可疑耳。

The state of Qin was located in the western frontier, so from where could they obtain these books? Li Si might not have known, and even if he did, he would certainly not have believed them. It is not strange that he regarded the Book of Changes as a book for divination; however, it is strange that the Confucian scholars also claimed that the Book of Changes was specifically composed for divination. Fuxi first drew the Eight Trigrams and then immediately established the method of using the yarrow stalks for divination. Confucius praised the Book of Changes and regarded the tortoise shells and yarrow stalks as divine objects, deeply understanding their functions, saying that the Book of Changes was a book for divination. This itself was not a great problem. But if one were to say that Fuxi created the Book of Changes specifically for divination, while King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius explained many meanings and principles in it, which were not Fuxi's original intention, this would be highly questionable.

夫義理必藉文字以傳，伏羲時書契未興，故立象以盡意。卦畫有形而義理無形，有形者可見而無形者不可見，然其意實在立人之道曰仁與義也。三聖遞相祖述，發揮仁義之旨，而伏羲之意乃大白於天下，安得謂孔子之易非文王、周公之易，文王、周公之易非伏羲之易乎？伏羲之易有畫無辭，農夫、紅女、百工、商賈皆得而用之者也。[如後世楚巫打瓦、越人雞卜，雖無辭亦自有占法。]

The principles of meaning must be transmitted through written words. However, during the time of Fuxi, writing had not yet emerged, so he established hexagrams to express his thoughts. The hexagrams have form, but the principles they represent are formless. What has form can be seen, but what is formless cannot be seen. Yet Fuxi's intention was to establish the principles of human conduct, namely benevolence and righteousness. The three sages, Confucius, King Wen, and the Duke of Zhou, passed down and developed these principles of benevolence and righteousness, thus making Fuxi's original intention clear to the world. How can one say that Confucius' Book of Changes is not King Wen's or the Duke of Zhou's Book of Changes, and that King Wen's and the Duke of Zhou's Book of Changes is not Fuxi's Book of Changes? Fuxi's Book of Changes had hexagrams but no written text, so farmers, weavers, artisans, and merchants could all use it. Just as in later times, the "dawa" divination of the people of Chu and the "chijub" divination of the people of Yue, although without written text, had their own methods of divination.

若夫夏商以來之繇辭及文王、周公之彖爻，唯卜史能用之；至於孔子之十翼，則卜史亦不能知，唯士大夫好學深思者能知之耳。蓋易至孔子而其道始為處憂患、無大過之具，與《詩》《書》《禮》《樂》同其切要，人倫日用所不可斯須去者，而非徒卜筮之書矣。幸而秦火不及，學者得見完書，上之可以窮理而盡性，下之可以反身而寡過。顧徒以農夫、紅女、百工、商賈不能用，而欲崇不言之教，視《繫辭》如糟粕，毋乃過為髙論，墮老莊之環中而不覺也乎？

As for the divination statements from the Xia and Shang dynasties, as well as the images of King Wen and the line statements of the Duke of Zhou, these were only accessible to the diviners and historians. But by the time of Confucius' Ten Wings, even the diviners and historians could not understand them, and only learned and thoughtful scholars could grasp their meaning. Generally speaking, the Book of Changes became a means for people to deal with worries and avoid great misfortunes when it came into Confucius' hands. It is as essential as the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, the Book of Rites, and the Book of Music, indispensable in daily life and human relations. It is no longer just a book for divination. Fortunately, it was not destroyed by the burning of books during the Qin dynasty, allowing scholars to see the complete text. Looking upward, it can be used to understand principles and the nature of things; looking downward, it can help people examine themselves, reduce mistakes, and improve their conduct. Now, however, merely because farmers, weavers, craftsmen, and merchants do not use it, some people would praise the method of teaching without written words, and regard the Great Treatise as mere dross. Is this not speaking too highly of it, and falling into the trap of the Taoist and Daoist schools without realizing it?

且夫卜筮之事，非君子所常有也。善當為，惡不可為，乃心自明，何必筮？死生富貴非人之所能為，亦焉用筮？惟天下大事，人但能料其可否，而氣數推移，有非鬼神不能知者，是之謂大疑，於是乎謀及乃心，謀及卿士庶人，而復謀及卜筮焉，故曰「人謀鬼謀，百姓與能」。然必其居也有觀象玩辭之學，而後其動也有觀變玩占之明。[動謂將有為、將有行。《洪範》曰「龜筮共違於人，用靜吉，用作凶」，靜即此所謂居，作即此所謂動也。]

Now, as for divination by tortoise shells and yarrow stalks, it is not something that a gentleman would often resort to. What is good should be done, and what is evil should not be done; one's mind is clear and certain, so why bother with divination? Death, life, wealth, and honor are not within human control, so why need divination? Only in matters of great importance under heaven, where people can only judge whether something is feasible or not, and where the movement of destiny and principles is something beyond the knowledge of ghosts and spirits, does this become a matter of great doubt. Then one first consults one's own mind, then consults the ministers and common people, and only then consults divination. Therefore, the Great Treatise says, "Consulting human minds and consulting spirits, the people and the capable are involved." But it is certainly necessary to have the study of observing celestial phenomena and playing with the words of the classics during ordinary times, so that when taking action, one can have clear judgment based on observing changes and divination. [The term "动" refers to when there is about to be action or movement. The Book of Documents, the Book of Hong Fan, says, "If divination by tortoise shells and yarrow stalks contradicts human opinion, then it is safe to remain quiet and follow the norm; but if there is action, it will be ominous." The term "静" here refers to "居," and "作" refers to "动." ]

計一歲之中，居之時多，動之時少，及其動也，不疑之事什九，可疑之事什一，其大疑者又加少焉，君子之於卜筮亦未嘗數數也。聖人豈専為卜筮而著一書，使天下後世之人日日端策拂龜，聴命於鬼神而不務民義也哉？亭林論卜筮十則，可以箴宋人之膏肓，餘故備錄之，而綴以管見如此。

In the course of a year, there are more times of stillness than of action; when action is taken, there are nine tenths of matters that do not require doubt, and only one tenth that is doubtful, and among these, those that qualify as 'great doubt' are even fewer. Thus, it is evident that the gentleman does not frequently resort to divination. Could the sage have written a book solely for divination, making people of later generations constantly handle the yarrow stalks and polish the turtle shells, blindly relying on ghosts and spirits rather than devoting themselves to the righteous affairs of the people? Gu Yanwu's (styled Tingle林) ten discussions on divination can effectively cure the deep-rooted illness of the Song dynasty scholars, so I have copied them all down and added my own simple comments as above.

《日知録》曰：孔子論易，見於《論語》者二章而已：曰「假我數年，五十以學易，可以無大過矣」；曰「南人有言曰：人而無恆，不可以作巫醫。善夫！不恆其徳，或承之羞」，子曰「不占而已矣」。是則聖人之所以學易者，不過庸言庸行之間，而不在乎圖書象數也。今之穿鑿圖象以自為能者，畔也。

The "Rizhilu" says: Confucius' discussion of the "Yi" is found in the "Lunyu" only in two chapters: one is "Give me a few more years, until I am fifty, then I will study the "Yi" and will not commit great mistakes"; the other is "There is a saying among the southern people: if a person lacks perseverance, he cannot even become a shaman or a physician. This is well said! The "Heng" hexagram's ninth trigram in the third line says 'If one cannot maintain virtue for a long time, he will bring disgrace.' Confucius then says 'Such a person does not need to consult the oracle.' This shows that the sage's study of the "Yi" lies in ordinary speech and conduct, not in the Yellow River Chart and Luo Writing, nor in the study of symbolic numbers and images. Now those who fabricate images to show off their abilities have strayed from the way of the sage.

記者於夫子學易之言而即繼之曰「子所雅言，詩、書、執禮，皆雅言也」，是知夫子平日不言易，而其言詩、書、執禮者皆言易也。人苟循乎詩、書、執禮之常而不越焉，則自天佑之，吉無不到矣。故其作《繫辭傳》，於悔吝無咎之旨特諄諄焉，而《大象》所言，凡其體之於身、施之於政者，無非用易之事。

The recorders of the "Analects" wrote immediately after Confucius' words about studying the Book of Changes that "Confucius often spoke about the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, and upholding ritual, which were all the topics he discussed daily." This shows that Confucius did not often talk about the Book of Changes, but when he spoke about the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, and upholding ritual, he was actually always speaking about the Book of Changes. If a person follows the constant principles of the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, and upholding ritual without exceeding them, then heaven will protect him, and good fortune will surely come. Therefore, Confucius composed the "Great Treatise" and especially emphasized repeatedly the themes of regret, worry, and how to avoid mistakes. What is discussed in the "Great Image Commentary" is all about what is manifested within oneself and applied in governance, and none of it is not the use of the Book of Changes.

然辭本乎象，故曰「君子居則觀其象而玩其辭」，觀之者淺，玩之者深矣。其所以與民同患者，必於辭焉著之，故曰「聖人之情見乎辭」。若「天一地二」「易有太極」二章，皆言數之所起，亦贊易之所不可遺，而未嘗専以象數教人為學也。是故「出入以度」「無有師保，如臨父母」，文王、周公、孔子之易也；希夷之圖、康節之書，道家之易也。自二子之學興，而空疎之人、迂怪之士舉竄跡於其中以為易，而其易為方術之書，於聖人寡過反身之學去之逺矣。

However, the words of the text originate from the hexagram images, so it is said, "A gentleman in peace observes the hexagrams and savors the line statements." Observation is only a superficial level, while savoring is a deeper level. The reason sages share the worries of the common people is certainly to express it through words, so it is said, "The mind of the sage is revealed in the words." As for the chapters "Heaven is one, Earth is two" and "The Book of Changes has the Taiji," these are both discussing the origin of numbers, and they are indispensable parts when praising the Book of Changes. But Confucius did not exclusively teach people to study the Book of Changes through images and numbers. Therefore, statements such as "Coming and going follow a system and order" and "Even without a teacher or guardian by one's side, it is as if facing one's parents" are the Book of Changes of King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius. The diagrams of Chen Tuan (who was called Xiyi) and the writings of Shao Yong (who was posthumously honored as Kangjie) belong to the Daoist interpretation of the Book of Changes. Since the doctrines of these two people arose, the superficial and eccentric scholars all took refuge in them, treating them as the Book of Changes, thus turning their interpretation of the Book of Changes into a book of divination techniques, and it has long been far removed from the scholarly study of sages to correct mistakes and examine oneself.

黃氏《象數論序》曰：夫易者，範圍天地之書也，廣大無所不備，故九流百家之學俱可竄入焉；自九流百家借之以行其說，而於易之本意反晦矣。《漢·儒林傳》：孔子六傳至菑川田何，易道大興。吾不知田何之說何如也。降而焦、京，世應、飛伏、動爻、互體、五行、納甲之變無不具者。吾讀李鼎祚《易解》，一時諸儒之說蕪穢康荘，使觀象玩占之理盡入於淫瞽方技之流，可不悲夫！

In the preface to his book "Discussion on the Images and Numbers of the Book of Changes" (Yixue Xiangshu Lun), Huang Zongxi of the Qing dynasty said: The Book of Changes is a book that encompasses the heavens and the earth, vast and comprehensive, so that the doctrines of the nine streams and hundred schools can all be found within it. Since the nine streams and hundred schools have used it to promote their own views, the original meaning of the Book of Changes has become obscured. The "Book of Han · Biographies of the Literati" says: Confucius' study of the Book of Changes was passed down through six generations to Tian He of Zichuan, and the way of the Book of Changes became greatly flourishing — yet I do not know what exactly Tian He's teachings were. Later, during the Western Han dynasty, Jiao Yanshou and Jing Fang appeared, and all sorts of variations such as world and response lines, flying and hidden lines, moving lines, mutual forms, the five phases, and the stem assignment method (najia) were fully developed. When I read Li Dingzuo's "Collected Explanations of the Zhou Changes" from the Tang dynasty, I saw that the views of the various scholars of that time had turned the main path into a wasteland, causing the principles of observing phenomena and divination to fall entirely into the hands of witches, blind men, and technical practitioners. How could one not feel sorrowful about this!

有魏王輔嗣出而注易，得意忘象，得象忘言，日時歲月、五氣相推悉皆擯落，多所不闗，庶幾潦水盡而寒潭清矣。顧論者謂其以老莊解易，試讀其注，簡當而無浮義，何曽籠落玄旨，故能逺歴於唐，發為《正義》，其廓清之功不可泯也。然而魏伯陽之《參同契》、陳希夷之圖書逺有端緒，世之好竒者卑王注之淡薄，未嘗不以別傳私之。

During the Cao Wei period, Wang Bi came forward to annotate the Yi, advocating that one could forget the images once the meaning was grasped, and forget words once the images were understood. He completely discarded the system of pushing together days, hours, years, months, and the five elements, considering them largely irrelevant to the Yi. This approach brought about a clarity akin to stagnant water receding and a cold pond becoming clear. However, critics claimed he interpreted the Yi through the philosophy of Laozi and Zhuangzi. Upon reading his annotations, they are concise, appropriate, and free from vague discussions; how could they be said to use abstract principles to obscure the text? Therefore, his annotations were able to be passed down to the Tang dynasty and developed into The Correct Meaning of the Zhou Changes. His contribution to clarifying Yi studies cannot be overlooked. Nevertheless, the works of Wei Boyang from the Eastern Han dynasty, the Zhouyi Cantongqi, and the scholarly traditions of Chen Tuan originated much earlier. People who are curious often find Wang Bi's annotations too shallow and tend to regard these other works as secret teachings passed down through another lineage, secretly valuing them.

逮伊川作《易傳》，收其崑崙旁薄者散之於六十四卦中，理到語精，易道於是而大定矣。其時康節上接种放、穆修、李之才之傳，而創為河圖先天之說，是亦不過一家之學耳。晦庵作《本義》，加之於開卷，讀易者從之，後世頒之學官，初猶兼《易傳》並行，久而止行《本義》，於是經生學士信以為羲、文、周、孔其道不同，所謂象數者又語焉而不詳，將夫子之韋編三絶者須求之賣醬箍桶之徒，而易學之榛蕪蓋仍如京、焦之時矣。自科舉之學一定，世不敢複議，稍有出入其說者，即以穿鑿誣之。

Cheng Yi, known as Master Yichuan, composed the Yichuan Commentary on the Changes, dispersing those comprehensive and vast principles into the sixty-four hexagrams. His explanations were thorough and his wording precise, and thus the doctrine of the Changes was finally established. At that time, Shao Yong inherited the teachings of Zhongfang, Mu Xiu, and Li Zhici, and established the theory of the Yellow River Chart and Earlier Heaven. This was merely a single school of thought. Zhu Xi, who was known as Hui'an, wrote The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes, and placed these diagrams at the beginning of the text. Those who read the Changes then began to follow them. Later, the government issued these texts to the schools, initially using them together with the Yichuan Commentary on the Changes. But over time, only The Original Meaning was used. Thus, scholars and students of the classics mistakenly believed that Fuxi, King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius each had their own doctrines, and the discussion of images and numbers became vague and unclear. As a result, the very book that Confucius studied so diligently, which he turned the pages of three times, was now sought after from commoners such as those who sold sauce or repaired barrels. The decline of the study of the Changes is probably no different from the time of Jing Fang and Jiao Yanshou. Since the imperial examination system became the sole standard, people dared not raise any objections. Any slight deviation from the established views was regarded as forced and fabricated.

夫所謂穿鑿者，必其與聖經不合者也，摘發傳注之訛，復還經文之舊，不可謂之穿鑿也。河圖洛書，歐陽子言其怪妄之尤甚者，且與漢儒異趣，不特不見於經，亦是不見於傳。先天之方位，明與出震齊巽之文相背，而晦翁反致疑於經文之卦位。生十六、生三十二，卦不成卦，爻不成爻，一切非經文所有，顧可謂之不穿鑿乎？

What is called forced interpretation must refer to things that contradict the sages' classic texts; as for pointing out errors in the commentaries and restoring the original meaning of the classics, this cannot be called forced interpretation. The Yellow River Chart and the Luo Writing, Ouyang Xiu said, are the most absurd among superstitious doctrines, and they differ from the approach of the Han scholars. Not only are they not found in the classics, but they are also not mentioned in the commentaries. The arrangement of the Earlier Heaven diagram clearly contradicts the words in the "Sayings on the Trigrams" that "the Emperor comes forth from Zhen, and is in harmony with Xun." Zhu Xi, instead, doubted the positions of the trigrams in the classic. As for the claim that the Eight Trigrams generate sixteen and then thirty-two, the trigrams cease to be trigrams, and the lines cease to be lines; all of these are not found in the classics. How can they not be considered forced interpretation?

晦翁曰：「談易者譬之燭籠，添得一條骨子則障了一路光明，若能盡去其障，使之統體光明，豈不更好？」斯言是也，奈何添入康節之學，使之統體皆障乎！世儒過視象數以為絶學，故為所欺，餘一一疏通之，知其於易本了無干涉，而後反求之《程傳》，或亦廓清之一端也。

Zhu Xi said: "Studying the Book of Changes is like a lantern; adding one frame blocks a path of light. If we could remove all the obstructions and let it shine through completely, would that not be better?" What he said is correct, yet he himself added in Shao Yong's system, making the whole thing full of obstructions! Scholars of the Confucian tradition have placed too much emphasis on the images and numbers, treating them as a lost art, thus being blinded by them. I have clarified each point, making people realize that these have nothing to do with the Book of Changes, and then returning to Cheng Yi's Yichuan Commentary on the Changes, this might also be a way to clarify the study of the Book of Changes.

按：史，魏正始中，何晏、王弼等好《老》《莊》書，祖尚虛無，以六經為聖人之糟粕，天下士大夫慕效成風，迄江左而未艾，故范寧謂王、何之罪深於桀、紂。今觀弼所注易，各依彖爻以立解，間有涉於老莊者亦千百之一二，未嘗以文王、周公、孔子之辭為不足貴而糟粕視之也。獨為先天學者，欲盡廢周孔之言而専從羲皇心地上尋求，是其罪更浮於王、何矣。儒者不之闢，而反助其狂瀾，以為三聖人之易非即伏羲之易，何邪？亭林、棃洲之論大有造於易學，故殿之篇末，以告天下之習非而不悟者。

Hu Wei said: According to historical records, during the Zhengshi period of the Cao Wei dynasty, He Yan and Wang Bi and others favored the "Laozi" and "Zhuangzi", cherished emptiness and nothingness, and regarded the Six Classics as the dregs of the sages. The scholars of the whole country followed this trend, and this practice continued until the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Therefore, Fan Ning of the Eastern Jin dynasty said that the crimes of Wang Bi and He Yan were deeper than those of Jie and Zhou. Now, looking at Wang Bi's commentary on the "Zhou Yi", he based his interpretations on the彖辞 and爻辞, and occasionally referred to Laozi and Zhuangzi, but this was only a small fraction, less than one or two percent. He never regarded the words of Wen Wang, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius as worthless dregs. Instead, those who study the Earlier Heaven school would discard the words of the Duke of Zhou and Confucius entirely, and seek only in the "mind" of Fuxi. This is a greater crime than that of Wang Bi and He Yan. Scholars of Confucianism do not refute them, but instead encourage this trend, claiming that the "Yi" of the three sages is not the "Yi" of Fuxi. What is the reason for this? Gu Yanwu and Huang Zongxi (who was called Lizi) made great contributions to the study of the "Yi", so I have placed their discussions at the end of this book, to warn those who have become accustomed to wrong practices without realizing it.

右論學易正宗。

The above section discusses the orthodox method of studying the Book of Changes.