the eleventh chapter of the xici upper text

第十一章專言卜筮之事。子曰。夫易，何為者也。夫易開物成務，冒天下之道，如斯而已者也。是故聖人以通天下之志，以定天下之業，以斷天下之疑。

Chapter eleven mainly discusses divination and augury. Confucius said: What is the purpose of the Book of Changes? The Book of Changes can reveal the nature of all things and accomplish all affairs, encompassing all the principles under heaven, nothing more than that. Therefore, the sage uses it to understand the aspirations of people throughout the world, to establish the undertakings of the world, and to resolve the doubts of the world.

開物，謂人所未知者開發之。成務，謂人所欲為者成全之。冒天下之道，謂卦爻既設而天下之道皆包括於其中也。易之道本如此。而聖人以之教人卜筮，以知吉凶。易能開物，則於人所未知者開發之，而通天下之志矣。能成務，則於人所欲為者成全之，而定天下之業矣。能冒天下之道，則於萬事萬物之得失莫遁其情，有以斷天下之疑矣。卜筮之妙如此。

Chen Menglei explains sentence by sentence: "Kaiwu" means to reveal things that people do not yet know, "Chengwu" means to accomplish things people wish to do, and "Mang tianxia de dao" means that once the hexagrams and lines are established, all the principles of the world are included within them. The way of the Book of Changes is inherently like this, and the sages used it for divination so that people could know fortune and misfortune. The Book of Changes can reveal things people do not yet know, thus understanding the aspirations of people throughout the world; it can accomplish things people wish to do, thus establishing the affairs of the world; it can encompass all the principles of the world, making the gains and losses of all things evident, thus resolving the doubts of the world. The wonder of divination lies precisely here.

是故蓍之德圓而神，卦之德方以知，六爻之義易以貢。聖人以此洗心，退藏於密，吉凶與民同患。神以知來，知以藏往，其孰能與於此哉。古之聰明睿知，神武而不殺者夫。

The classic text says: Therefore, the virtue of the yarrow stalks is round and profound, the virtue of the hexagrams is square and wise, and the meaning of the six lines is conveyed through change. The sages use these to purify their hearts, retreat and conceal themselves in secrecy, sharing the joys and sorrows of the people; using their profound insight to foresee the future, and their wisdom to remember the past—how could anyone achieve this? Perhaps it is the ancient sage who was wise and intelligent, mighty and miraculous, yet never resorted to violence.

圓神，謂變化無方。方知，謂事有定理。易以貢，謂變易以告人。蓋蓍以七為數，七七四十九而屬陽。分掛揲扐，陰陽老少變化無方，圓而神也。卦以八為數，八八六十四而屬陰。吉凶得失一定不易，方以知也。貢，猶告也。三百八十四爻剛柔迭用，九六相推。其理變易以告人，易以貢也。

Chen Menglei explains: "Round and divine" refers to the fact that change has no fixed place, "square to know" refers to the fact that things have definite principles, and "easy to contribute" refers to using change to inform people. The yarrow stalks use seven as a number, with seven sevens making forty-nine, which belongs to yang; when dividing into two, hanging one, taking four, and returning the remainder, the transformation of yin and yang, old and young, is unpredictable, so it is said to be round and divine. The hexagram uses eight as a number, with eight eights making sixty-four, which belongs to yin; once good fortune, misfortune, gain, and loss are determined, they do not change, so it is said to be square and wise. "Contribute" means to inform: the 384 lines of the hexagram alternate between yang and yin, with nine and six shifting in turn, and its principles are conveyed through change, which is called "easy to contribute."

此以上皆承上節言易之妙也。聖人以下就畫前之易，易理在聖人之心者言之。洗心者，心純乎理，別無所累。非有私而洗之也。退藏於密者，寂然未動，人莫能窺。非有意藏之也。吉凶民同患者，既得吉矣又患其凶。凶固民之所患，吉亦民之所患。聖人之心與民同之也。

Chen Menglei said that all the above is continuing the discussion from the previous section about the marvelous nature of the Book of Changes. From "The sage thus purifies his mind" onwards, the discussion shifts to the "Book of Changes before the trigrams were drawn," focusing on the aspect of the principles of the Book of Changes existing in the sage's mind.所谓 "purifying the mind" means that the mind is entirely filled with heavenly principles, without any worldly attachments; it is not that one originally had private thoughts and then washed them away.所谓 "retreating into secrecy" means being still and unmoving, so that others cannot see into it; it is not that one deliberately hides it.所谓 "good fortune and misfortune are shared by the people" means that once good fortune is obtained, one also worries about the following misfortune. Misfortune is indeed what the people fear, but good fortune is also something the people fear, for the sage's mind shares the same concerns as the people.

神以知來，承上圓而神。知以藏往，承上方以知。蓍未有定數，故曰知來。卦已有定體，故能藏往。聖心之神知亦然也。言聖人之心體具三者之德。故當無事之時，心之體虛靈寂靜，人莫能窺，所謂洗心退藏於密也。及其有事之時，心之用隨感輒應，終始畢照，所謂吉凶同患、知來藏往也。此節即上章所謂寂然不動感而遂通者，而此特就易之在聖心者言之也。

"The divine knows the future" follows from the previous "round and divine," and "knowledge preserves the past" follows from the previous "square and knowing." The yarrow stalks have not yet determined their numbers, so they are said to be able to know the future; the hexagrams have already fixed their forms, so they can preserve the past. The "divine" and "knowledge" in the sage's mind are also like this. This means that the sage's mind possesses the virtues of the yarrow stalks, hexagrams, and lines: when there is nothing happening, the mind's essence is empty and still, invisible to others, which is called "purifying the mind" and "retreating into secrecy"; when there is something happening, the mind's function responds to things as they arise, and from beginning to end, everything is clearly perceived, which is called "sharing in both good fortune and misfortune" and "knowing the future and preserving the past." This passage is essentially the same as the previous chapter's statement "quiet and unmoving, yet responsive when touched," but here it specifically discusses the aspect of the principles of the Book of Changes existing within the sage's mind.

神武不殺。按，本義謂得其理而不假其物之謂，謂無卜筮而知吉凶也。據此則神武不殺作取譬之詞，以文義求之有疑。按，王注言服萬物不以威則刑也。竊按，王注近是。蓋此二句設為問答讚歎之辭，以起下文與神物前民用之意。蓋指伏羲氏也。神足以開物，知足以成務，聰明睿知也。吉凶之斷，神武之決也。與民同患，不殺之仁也。故下文遂言聖人建立卜筮之事。蓋惟聖人體備全易之理，乃有易之書也。

Regarding the phrase 「神武而不杀」, Zhu Xi in his commentary The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes explains it as understanding the principle without necessarily relying on the divination tools of yarrow stalks and tortoise shells, meaning one can know good and bad fortune without the need for divination. Chen Menglei pointed out that according to this interpretation, 「神武而不杀」 becomes a metaphorical expression, and from a textual perspective, it is questionable. He checked Wang Bi's commentary, which states that it refers to making all things obey without using force or punishment, and he considered Wang Bi's interpretation closer to the original meaning. His own view is that these two sentences are phrased in the form of a question and answer, serving as a commendatory tone to introduce the following sentence 「兴神物以前民用」, which refers to Fuxi. The miraculous ability to develop all things and the wisdom to accomplish affairs is called 「聪明睿知」; determining good and bad fortune is the decisive judgment of 「神武」; sharing the people's worries is the benevolent heart of 「不杀」. Therefore, the following text continues to talk about the sage's establishment of divination. Only when a sage fully possesses all the principles of the Book of Changes can there be the Book of Changes.

是以明於天之道，而察於民之故，是興神物，以前民用。聖人以此齋戒，以神明其德夫。天之道，陰陽寒暑之運行皆是也。民之故，倫常日用之云為皆是也。明天之道，則知神物之可興。察民之故，則知民用之不可無以開其先。神物，即蓍龜也。湛然純一之謂齋，肅然警惕之謂戒。

The classic text says: Therefore, the sage understands the way of Heaven, and investigates the affairs of the people, thus creating divination tools such as the yarrow stalks and the tortoise shell, to precede the people's use and guide them. The sage uses these tools with self-restraint, making his virtue profound and clear. Chen Menglei explains: "The way of Heaven" refers to the operation of yin and yang, cold and heat; "the affairs of the people" refer to all actions concerning propriety and daily life. Understanding the way of Heaven shows that divine objects can be used; investigating the people's affairs shows that daily life cannot proceed without something to guide it first. "Divine objects" refer to the yarrow stalks and the tortoise shell. A pure and single-minded mind is called "zhai," and a solemn and alert spirit is called "jie."

聖人明於天人之故，而作為卜筮以教人。而於此齋戒，以考其占。使其心神明不測，如鬼神之知來，故曰神明其德。上言聖人以此洗心者，此心至靜而易體具也。此言以此齋戒者，此心至敬而易之用行也。

The sages understood the principles of heaven and humanity, and thus created divination methods to teach people. They also observed fasting and self-discipline when performing divination, using this to test the results obtained, making their minds profound and unpredictable, like ghosts and spirits who can foresee the future. Therefore, it is said, "The virtue is divine." Chen Menglei particularly pointed out the difference between the two passages: the previous text says "the sages used this to purify their hearts," meaning that the mind was extremely quiet and the essence of the Book of Changes was already present; here it says "the sages used this to fast and be solemn," meaning that the mind was extremely sincere and respectful, allowing the application of the Book of Changes to function.

是故闔戶謂之坤，闢戶謂之乾，一闔一闢謂之變，往來不窮謂之通。見乃謂之象，形乃謂之器，制而用之謂之法，利用出入，民咸用之謂之神。此節言揲卦布爻之事。闔戶謂之坤，言畫偶爻也。凡偶皆屬陰為坤。闢戶謂之乾，言畫奇爻也。凡奇皆屬陽為乾。先言坤者，由靜而動。猶言陰陽也。

The text says: Therefore, closing the door is called Kun, opening the door is called Qian, one closing and one opening is called change, and continuous movement is called communication; appearing is called image, taking form is called vessel, making and using is called method, and being applicable in coming and going, used daily by the people, is called spirit. Chen Menglei says that this passage discusses the process of divining a hexagram by counting the yarrow stalks and arranging the lines. "Closing the door is called Kun" refers to drawing an even line, and all even lines belong to yin and are associated with Kun; "Opening the door is called Qian" refers to drawing an odd line, and all odd lines belong to yang and are associated with Qian. First mentioning Kun and then Qian indicates movement from stillness to action, just like the common pairing of "yin and yang."

一闔一闢謂之變者，六畫既成，剛柔相雜，言成卦也。往來不窮謂之通者，九六之動，爻相往來，謂之通也。見於蓍策，有陰陽老少，謂之象也。形於卦爻，有剛柔動靜，謂之器也。制揲蓍以教人，使知分掛揲扐，謂之法也。一出一入，審其吉凶以為趨避，謂之神也。

"When one closes and one opens, this is called change," meaning that after the six lines are drawn, the yin and yang lines intermingle, which refers to forming a hexagram; "movement without end is called communication," meaning that the movement of the yin and yang lines (nine and six) causes the lines to interact with each other, which is called communication. Manifested in the divination stalks, there is a distinction of yin and yang, old and young, which is called "image"; formed in the hexagram lines, there is a distinction of strength and weakness, movement and stillness, which is called "object"; establishing the method of divination with stalks to teach people, so that they know how to divide into two, hang one, count four, and return the remaining, which is called "method"; between the act of taking and returning, examining good and bad fortune to decide whether to proceed or retreat, this is called "spirit."

按，此節本義謂乾坤變通者，化育之功也。見象形器者，生物之序也。法者，聖人修道之所為。而神者，百姓自然之日用也。此似泛論天下之事理，大全平庵項氏專就卜筮解之。今從項氏為切。

Chen Menglei then compared the old interpretations of the two schools. In this section, The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes explains that Qian and Kun, change and communication, are the effects of heaven and earth nurturing all things; seeing, image, form and object are the order in which all things are generated; "method" is the actions of the sage in cultivating and refining the Way; and "spirit" is the natural state of the people in their daily lives without being aware of it. This interpretation seems to become a general discussion of the principles of the world. However, the Zhou Changes Comprehensive Collection records Xiang Anshi's interpretation, which focuses specifically on divination. He himself adopted Xiang Anshi's explanation, believing it to be more appropriate.

是故易有太極，是生兩儀。兩儀生四象，四象生八卦。此聖人作易自然之次第。畫卦揲蓍，其序皆然。自此以下皆言聖人制作之本。八卦定吉凶，吉凶生大業。吉凶既定，以之建功立事，則大業自此生矣。此二節言爻象之所由生。

The text says: Therefore, the Book of Changes contains the Taiji, from which the two principles arise, from which the four images arise, and from which the eight trigrams arise. Chen Menglei's commentary: This is the natural order followed by the sage in composing the Book of Changes, whether drawing the trigrams or using the divining stalks, the sequence is always the same; from here onwards, the discussion concerns the fundamental principles of the sage's creation of the Book of Changes. The text continues: The eight trigrams determine fortune and misfortune, and fortune and misfortune give rise to great undertakings. Once fortune and misfortune are determined, they serve as a basis for establishing achievements, and thus great undertakings arise from here. These two passages explain the origin of the lines and the images.

是故法象莫大乎天地，變通莫大乎四時。縣象著明莫大乎日月，崇高莫大乎富貴。備物致用，立成器以為天下利，莫大乎聖人。探賾索隱，鉤深致遠，以定天下之吉凶，成天下之亹亹者，莫大乎蓍龜。寶貴，謂有天下。亹亹，猶勉勉也。疑則怠，決則勉。此六者之功用皆大。聖人即五者之大，以形蓍龜功用之大。易占用蓍不用龜。然龜亦具此理，故每並言之。此節言成器之所由立。

The text says: There is no greater object to emulate than heaven and earth; there is no greater transformation and penetration than the four seasons; there is no greater luminous object suspended in the heavens than the sun and moon; there is no greater honor and dignity than wealth and nobility; there is no greater preparation of instruments, fully utilizing their functions, to create tools for the benefit of the world than the sage; and there is no greater effort in exploring complexity, seeking the subtle, drawing out the profound, and summoning the distant, to determine the fortune of the world and inspire the people to diligence than the divining tortoise and yarrow stalks. Chen Menglei explains: "Wealth and nobility" refers to possessing the world; "亹亹" is equivalent to "勉勉," meaning diligence, because when one has doubts, one becomes lazy, but once a decision is made, one becomes diligent. The functions of these six items are all great, but the sage uses the greatness of the first five to highlight the greatness of the divining tortoise and yarrow stalks. The Zhou Changes only use the yarrow stalks for divination, but the tortoise also possesses the same principle, so it is often mentioned together. This section discusses how objects are made. (Note: "宝贵" should be "富贵.")

是故天生神物，聖人則之。天地變化，聖人效之。天垂象，見吉凶，聖人象之。河出圖，洛出書，聖人則之。此節言易書之所由作。神物謂蓍。則之而四十九之數以行。變化謂陰陽。天變化，寒暑晝夜之類。地變化，山川動植之類。效之而卦爻之動靜以出。象謂日月星辰。循度失度而吉凶見，象之而卦爻有以斷吉凶。圖書則金木水火土生成剋制之數。則之而卦畫方位以定。皆作易之本也。河圖洛書，別詳於圖說。

The text says: Therefore, Heaven produces divine objects, and sages take them as a model; when heaven and earth change, sages imitate them; when Heaven shows signs and reveals good or bad fortune, sages take them as a model; when the Yellow River produces a diagram and the Luo River produces a book, sages take them as a model. Chen Menglei says that this passage discusses the origin of the Book of Changes. "Divine objects" refer to the yarrow stalks; taking them as a model allows the use of the number forty-nine. "Change" refers to yin and yang; the changes of heaven include cold and heat, day and night, while the changes of earth include mountains, rivers, and the movement of plants and animals; imitating these leads to the movement and stillness of the trigrams and lines. "Signs" refer to the sun, moon, and stars; their following or deviating from their courses reveals good or bad fortune; taking them as a model allows the trigrams and lines to determine good or bad fortune. The Yellow River Chart and the Luo River Book represent the numbers of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, which are mutually generating and forming, and mutually controlling and restraining each other; taking them as a model allows the positioning of the trigrams to be determined. All of these are the fundamental principles for composing the Book of Changes. As for the Yellow River Chart and the Luo River Book themselves, he says they will be discussed in detail in the diagram explanations section of this book.

易有四象，所以示也。繫辭焉，所以告也。定之以吉凶，所以斷也。四象，謂陰陽老少。示，示以所值之卦爻。示，使人有所見。告，使人有所知。斷，使人無所疑。此又總卜筮之大意而言之也。右第十一章。

The text says: The Book of Changes has four images, which are used to show; attaching words, which are used to inform; using auspicious and ominous signs to judge, which are used to make decisions. Chen Menglei's commentary: The four images refer to old yang, young yin, young yang, and old yin; the term 'show' means to display the hexagram and line encountered by the diviner to him. 'Show' enables one to see; 'inform' enables one to know; 'decide' enables one to have no doubts. This is again a general summary of the meaning of divination and fortune-telling. The above is Chapter Eleven.

第十二章言聖人作易之意。其散在六十四卦之爻象，其聚在乾坤之二卦。聖人用易之道。其散在天下之事業，其聚在一身之德行也。易曰。自天祐之，吉無不利。子曰。祐者，助也。天之所助者，順也。人之所助者，信也。履信思乎順，又以尚賢也。是以自天祐之，吉無不利也。

Chapter twelve explains the intention of the sage in composing the Book of Changes: this intention is spread out in the lines and images of the sixty-four hexagrams, but gathered together it is concentrated in the hexagrams Qian and Kun. The sage's use of the Book of Changes is spread out in the affairs of the world, but gathered together it is concentrated in personal virtue. The text cites the Book of Changes saying: "Protected by heaven, it is auspicious and beneficial in all things." Confucius explains: "You" means assistance; what heaven assists is the gentle and compliant person, and what the people assist is the sincere person. Practicing sincerity and constantly being gentle and compliant, and also promoting the virtuous, thus it is said, "Protected by heaven, it is auspicious and beneficial in all things."

釋大有上九爻義。大有惟六五一陰，而上下五陽應之。上九以剛居上而能下從六五，是能履信思順而尚賢也。五之交孚信也，而上能履之。五得位而上從之，謙退不居，思順也。志從於五，尚賢也。此節疑在第八章之末，錯簡在此耳。

Chen Menglei said that this is an explanation of the line statement for the upper nine of the Great Possession hexagram. The entire hexagram of Great Possession contains only one yin line, the sixth line, which is responded to by the five yang lines above and below. The upper nine, being yang and located at the top, is able to humble itself and follow the sixth line, which is "to walk in faith and think of following" and "to value the virtuous." The line statement of the sixth line says "their sincerity is mutual," which refers to faith, and the upper nine can personally practice this faith. The sixth line holds a respectful position, and the upper nine follows it humbly without claiming its own merit, which is "thinking of following." The mind follows the sixth line, which is "to value the virtuous." He also raised a doubt regarding textual transmission: this passage is suspected to have originally been at the end of chapter eight, and it has been misplaced due to the disorder of the manuscript.

子曰。書不盡言，言不盡意。然則聖人之意，其不可見乎。子曰。聖人立象以盡意，設卦以盡情偽，繫辭焉以盡其言，變而通之以盡利，鼓之舞之以盡神。

Confucius said: Written characters cannot fully express speech, and speech cannot fully express the mind; then how could the mind of the sage be seen at all? Confucius also said: The sage established the hexagrams to exhaust the mind, set up the structure of the hexagrams to exhaust truth and falsehood, attached words to exhaust what needs to be said, and transformed them to exhaust benefit, and stirred them up to exhaust the marvelous.

言之所傳有盡，象之所示無窮。立象盡意，指伏羲所畫之卦爻，包含變化無有窮盡。雖無言而吉凶同患之意悉具於中，所謂盡意也。設卦，謂文王所設六十四卦之名義也。本乎性而善者為情，拂乎性而不善者為偽。六十四卦之中，美惡真妄無所不具，所謂以盡情偽也。繫辭則文王周公彖爻之辭，吉凶悔吝之言盡矣。此三句皆言作易之事。答書不盡言、言不盡意之語。

Chen Menglei explains: Words can only convey limited meaning, while the images in the hexagrams can express infinite meaning. "Establishing images to exhaust meaning" refers to the hexagrams and lines drawn by Fuxi, which contain endless changes. Although no characters are used, the intention of "good fortune and misfortune shared by the people" is fully expressed, which is called "exhausting meaning." "Setting up hexagrams" refers to the sixty-four hexagrams named and defined by King Wen, where actions in accordance with nature are called "qing" (true feeling), and those against nature are called "wei" (artifice). Among the sixty-four hexagrams, both beauty and evil, truth and falsehood are all present, which is called "exhausting qing and wei." "Xici" refers to King Wen's hexagram statements and the Duke of Zhou's line statements, which fully express words of good fortune, bad fortune, regret, and hardship. These three sentences all discuss the composition of the Book of Changes, precisely answering the statement "words cannot fully express meaning."

而設卦在立象之後繫辭之前，蓋竟盡意之緒，啟盡言之端也。盡意盡情偽盡言，皆所以為天下利也。又恐其利有所未盡，於是作揲蓍十有八變之法。使往來相通，一卦可為六十四。則其用愈廣，足以盡利矣。因變得占吉凶。知所趨避，心無所疑。如以鼓聲作舞容。鼓聲愈疾，舞容亦愈疾。鼓聲不息，舞容亦不息。成天下之亹亹而不自知其所以然，所謂盡神也。此二者言用易之事。立象設卦，即上章所謂象也。繫辭，辭也。變通，變也。鼓舞，占也。

"Set the trigrams" comes after "Establish the images" and before "Attach the verses," because it continues the thread of "exhausting meaning" and opens the beginning of "exhausting expression." Exhausting meaning, exhausting human nature and falsehood, and exhausting expression are all aimed at benefiting the world. Yet fearing that these benefits are still incomplete, the method of divining with the yarrow stalks through eighteen transformations is created, allowing the lines of the trigrams to connect and communicate with each other. A single trigram can transform into the sixty-four trigrams, making its application even more extensive, sufficient to "exhaust benefit." People rely on these transformations to obtain divination, knowing what to pursue and what to avoid, with no doubts in their hearts. It is like using drumbeats to guide dance movements; the faster the drumbeats, the more urgent the dance, and as long as the drumbeats continue, the dance does not stop. Thus, people are made diligent and tireless without realizing how they have been transformed. This is called "exhausting the divine." The following two sentences discuss the use of the Book of Changes. Chen Menglei later paired them with the four aspects mentioned in the previous chapter: establishing images and setting trigrams correspond to the "images" mentioned in the previous chapter, attaching verses corresponds to "verses," transformation corresponds to "change," and encouragement corresponds to "divination."

乾坤其易之縕耶。乾坤成列，而易立乎其中矣。乾坤毀，則無以見易。易不可見，則乾坤或幾乎息矣。縕，即包畜也。易之所有，不外陰陽。凡陽奇皆乾，陰偶皆坤。畫卦定位，則二者成列而易之體立矣。成列舉乾坤，而諸卦皆在其中。乾坤毀無以見易，謂卦爻不列則易道無由而著也。易不可見則乾坤息，謂易道不顯則卦畫之變化不能自行也。易未嘗無乾坤，亦未嘗息。特以畫卦不立，無以見其變易之理。而乾坤之功用，併不可得而見也。

The text says: The trigrams Qian and Kun are roughly the essence of the Book of Changes. When Qian and Kun are arranged in order, the Book of Changes is established within them; if Qian and Kun are destroyed, the Book of Changes cannot be seen; if the Book of Changes cannot be seen, then Qian and Kun would almost cease to function. Chen Menglei explains: "Yun" means to conceal and accumulate. All elements in the Book of Changes are ultimately yin and yang: all odd numbers belong to Qian, and all even numbers belong to Kun; when the hexagrams are drawn and positioned, the two principles form an order, and thus the essence of the Book of Changes is established. Saying "forming an order" only mentions Qian and Kun, but all other hexagrams are included within them. "If Qian and Kun are destroyed, the Book of Changes cannot be seen" means that without the arrangement of hexagrams and lines, the principles of change cannot be revealed. "If the Book of Changes cannot be seen, then Qian and Kun cease to function" means that if the principles of change are not revealed, the transformations of the hexagrams cannot proceed on their own. In reality, the Book of Changes does not lack Qian and Kun, and Qian and Kun do not cease to function; it is only when the hexagrams are not drawn that the principle of change cannot be perceived, and the functions of Qian and Kun also become invisible.

是故形而上者謂之道，形而下者謂之器。化而裁之謂之變，推而行之謂之通，舉而錯之天下之民，謂之事業。卦爻陰陽皆形於下者，其理則道也。道超乎形而非離乎形，故不曰有形無形，而曰形上形下也。所變所通所措者皆道，然皆宜就揲蓍言之。本義謂變通二字上章以天言，此章以人言。蓋上章言闔闢往來，蓍策中所本有之理。此言化裁推行，則聖人筮卦用易之事也。

The text says: Therefore, what is above the form is called "Dao," and what is below the form is called "Qi." Change and shaping are called "bian," spreading out is called "tong," and applying it to the people under heaven is called "shiye." Chen Menglei's commentary says: The yin and yang of the hexagrams and lines are formed below the form; their principles are Dao. Dao transcends form yet does not separate from form, so the text does not say "with form" or "without form," but rather "above form" and "below form." What is changed, what is spread out, and what is applied are all Dao, but they should all be discussed in terms of divination with yarrow stalks. The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes points out the words "bian" and "tong." The previous chapter discusses this from the perspective of Heaven, while this chapter discusses it from the perspective of human beings: the previous chapter's "one closing and one opening, continuous movement" is the inherent principle within the yarrow stalks; here, "transformation and spreading out" refers to the sage's use of the Book of Changes in divination.

易道無窮。聖人化而裁之為六畫為上下為內外，故謂之變。推而行，推其變而行之也。如乾初變宜潛則潛為通，乾二變宜見則見為通，故謂之通也。事者，業之未成。業者，事之已就。定天下之吉凶以成天下之亹亹，則天下從此立矣。

The Way of the Book of Changes has no end, and the sages transformed and structured it into six lines, dividing them into upper and lower parts, and into inner and outer parts, so it is called "change." "Carrying it forward" means taking the change and unfolding it to put it into practice. For example, if the first line of the Qian hexagram changes, then it should remain hidden, and remaining hidden is considered a passage. If the second line of the Qian hexagram changes, then it should emerge, and emerging is considered a passage, so it is called "passage." "Shi" refers to when a career has not yet been completed, while "Ye" refers to when a matter has already been completed. By determining the fortune and misfortune of the world, the sages thus inspired the people to be diligent and tireless, and the world's careers were established from here.

是故夫象，聖人有以見天下之賾，而擬諸其形容。象其物宜，是故謂之象。聖人有以見天下之動，而觀其會通。以行其典禮。繫辭焉以斷其吉凶，是故謂之爻。重出以起下文。極天下之賾者存乎卦，鼓天下之動者，存乎辭。按，本義。卦即象也，辭即爻也。此解頗有可疑。竊意天地萬物之形象至多。六十四卦之中陰陽奇偶無所不備，是能極天下之賾也。辭則有彖辭有爻辭，皆示人以吉凶悔吝。使人曉然知所趨避，是能鼓天下之動也。

The text says: Therefore, when speaking of "xiang" (image), it is because the sage saw the complexity of things under heaven and compared their forms and appearances, taking the appropriate image for each thing, hence called "xiang." The sage also saw the changes of things under heaven and observed their mutual connections, using them to apply constant principles and rituals, and then attached words to determine fortune and misfortune, hence called "yao." Chen Menglei's commentary says: These two sentences repeat the words of the eighth chapter, used to lead into the following text. The text then continues: To exhaust the complexity of things under heaven is the function of the hexagrams; to move the changes of things under heaven is the function of the statements. Regarding this, The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes says that the hexagram is the image and the statement is the yao. Chen Menglei finds this interpretation doubtful. His own view is: The images of heaven and earth and all things are extremely numerous, and the sixty-four hexagrams contain all the yin and yang odd and even, so they can exhaust the complexity of things under heaven; "statements" include the "tuan" statements and the "yao" statements, both of which indicate fortune, misfortune, regret, and hardship to people, making it clear to people what to pursue and what to avoid, hence they can move the changes of things under heaven.

化而裁之存乎變，推而行之存乎通。神而明之存乎其人，默而成之，不言而信，存乎德行。上文變通就揲筮而言，此就用易以行事而言。化卦爻所示之理而得其裁制，存乎人之能變，不可拘也。推卦爻所決之事而善於施行，存乎人之旁通，不可執也。變與通，所謂神明之也。存乎其人，而辭變象占皆不可泥也。此皆因筮得卦之後，用易而見於事者也。

The text says: Change and regulation depend on "change" (bian), extension and implementation depend on "communication" (tong); the marvelous and clear understanding lies in the person; silently achieving it and convincing people without words lies in virtue. Chen Menglei's commentary: The previous passage discussed change and adaptability in the context of divination with yarrow stalks, while here it refers to change and adaptability in using the Book of Changes to deal with affairs. Applying the principles shown by the hexagrams and lines requires the person's ability to change and adapt, not rigid adherence; properly implementing the decisions made by the hexagrams depends on the person's ability to extend and connect, not stubbornness. Being able to change and adapt is what is meant by "marvelous and clear understanding." Saying "it depends on the person" indicates that terms, changes, images, and omens should not be rigidly adhered to. All these are based on obtaining a hexagram through divination and then applying the Book of Changes in practical actions.

至於平居，尤貴體易道於心身，不在書與言之跡。所謂默而成之，不言而信，存乎德行也。成者，我自成。信者，他人信之。得於心為德，履於自為行。前言變通而措之事業，推易道於民。此言變通而歸之德行，存易道於己也。上文五謂者，聖人作易之用。此六存者，聖人之用夫易也。自章首至此乾坤或幾乎息，言聖人作易。散為六十四卦之爻象，而縕於乾坤之二卦。自形而上者謂之道以下，言聖人用易。散為天下之事業，而要歸於人之德行也。

As for daily living and conduct, it is especially important to embody the principles of the Book of Changes within one's body and mind, rather than merely in books and words. This is what is meant by "silent achievement, trust without words, existing in virtue." "Achievement" refers to self-realization, while "trust" refers to others' belief in him. What is attained in the heart is called "virtue," and what is practiced in the body is called "conduct." Previously, we discussed adaptability applied to career and affairs, which is about spreading the principles of the Book of Changes to the people. Here, adaptability is summarized in virtue, which is about preserving the principles of the Book of Changes within oneself. The previous five instances of "is called" explain the purpose of the sages in composing the Book of Changes; the six instances of "existing in" explain how the sages use the Book of Changes. Chen Menglei concludes the entire passage: from the beginning to "the heavens and earth might almost cease," it discusses the sages' composition of the Book of Changes, whose purpose is scattered in the sixty-four hexagrams' lines and hidden in the hexagrams of Heaven and Earth. From "what is above form is called the Way" onwards, it discusses the sages' use of the Book of Changes, whose function is spread throughout the world's affairs and ultimately summarized in human virtue. (The original text "履于自为行" should be "履于身为行.")

第一章言卦爻吉凶造化功業。八卦成列，象在其中矣。因而重之，爻在其中矣。成列，謂乾一兌二離三震四巽五坎六艮七坤八及先後天之方位皆是也。象，即卦之形體。大全謂乾兌離震之象未及天地雷風也。重之，謂八卦之上各加八卦，以成六十四卦也。爻，六爻。既重卦，則六爻皆在其中矣。

The Xici Xia Zhuan, Chapter One, discusses the fortune and misfortune of the lines in the hexagrams, and extends to the creation of heaven and earth and human achievements. The text says: When the eight trigrams are arranged in order, the images of things are contained within them; then when they are combined two by two, the lines are formed within them. Chen Menglei's commentary says: 'Cheng lie' refers to the order of the trigrams, namely Qian one, Dui two, Li three, Zhen four, Xun five, Kan six, Gen seven, Kun eight, as well as the directions of Earlier Heaven and Later Heaven. 'Xiang' refers to the form of the trigrams; the Zhou Yi Duan says here it refers to the images of the trigrams themselves, such as Qian, Dui, Li, Zhen, etc., without yet referring to heaven, earth, thunder, and wind. 'Chong zhi' means placing another trigram on top of each of the eight trigrams, forming the sixty-four hexagrams. 'Yao' refers to the six lines; since they have formed hexagrams with six lines, the six lines are naturally included within them.

然八卦所以成列，乃從太極兩儀四象漸次而生。畫成之後，方見有三才之象。非聖人因見三才，遂以己意連畫三爻以象之也。六十四卦每卦六爻，亦以下卦為太極。生兩儀則十有六，生四象則三十有二，生八卦則六十四。畫成之後，然後見其可盡天下之變。非聖人見下三畫不足以盡天下之變，又增三爻以益之也。

Chen Menglei particularly emphasized the natural order in which the trigrams are formed: the eight trigrams are arranged in sequence from the generation of the Taiji, which produces the two principles, the two principles produce the four images, and the four images produce the eight trigrams, step by step. Only after the trigrams are drawn can one see the image of the three elements of heaven, earth, and humanity. It is not that the sage first saw the three elements and then deliberately connected three lines to symbolize them. Each of the sixty-four hexagrams consists of six lines, and similarly, the lower trigram is considered as the Taiji: when the Taiji produces the two principles, it becomes sixteen; when it produces the four images, it becomes thirty-two; when it produces the eight trigrams, it becomes sixty-four. Only after the hexagram is drawn can one see that it is sufficient to encompass all changes in the world. It is not that the sage thought the lower trigram of three lines was insufficient to encompass all changes, so he added three more lines.

剛柔相推，變在其中矣。繫辭焉而命之，動在其中矣。剛柔相推而往來交錯，卦爻見矣。聖人因其有變，隨爻皆繫之辭。占者一二爻變，則一二爻動。四五爻變，則不變者為動。三爻變，則二彖皆動。純變，則之卦為動。皆觀其所繫之辭也。吉凶悔吝者，生乎動者也。吉凶悔吝在辭，因變動而占乃見。

The text says: The yin and yang lines move and change with each other, and transformation arises from this; by attaching words to the hexagram and giving a command, the direction of change is revealed. Chen Menglei explains: The yin and yang lines move and cross each other, and thus the hexagram lines appear; the sage, because of the change, attached words to each line. When a diviner has one or two lines changing, he takes those lines as the moving lines; if four or five lines change, he takes the unchanging line as the moving one; if three lines change, he takes both the original hexagram and the transformed hexagram's interpretations as the moving ones; if all six lines change, he takes the hexagram that results from the change as the moving one—everything depends on the words attached. The text continues: The auspicious, inauspicious, regret, and hardship arise from the movement. Chen Menglei explains: Auspicious, inauspicious, regret, and hardship are written in the words, and they become evident only after the movement and inquiry.

剛柔者，立本者也。變通者，趣時者也。一剛一柔，各有定位。自此而彼，變以從時。立本者，天地之常經。趣時者，古今之通義。上繫曰剛柔者晝夜之象，即此所謂立本。變化者進退之象，即此所謂趣時。吉凶者，貞勝者也。貞，正也，常也。天下事非吉則凶非凶則吉，常相勝而不已也。

The text says: "Strength and flexibility are the basis for establishing fundamentals; change and adaptability are the ways to respond to the right time." Chen Menglei explains: "One strength and one flexibility each have fixed positions, which is the fundamental; moving from one line to another line, changing with the times, is responding to the right time." "Establishing fundamentals" refers to the unchanging regularity in the heavens and earth, while "responding to the right time" refers to the common principle throughout history. The "Great Treatise" of the Upper Transmission says, "Strength and flexibility are the images of day and night," which corresponds to "establishing fundamentals"; it also says, "Change is the image of advancement and retreat," which corresponds to "responding to the right time." The text also says: "Good fortune and misfortune are determined by their correctness, mutually overcoming each other." Chen Menglei explains: "Zhen means correctness and constancy; worldly affairs are either good fortune or misfortune, either misfortune or good fortune, with the two constantly overcoming each other without ceasing."

天地之道，貞觀者也。日月之道，貞明者也。天下之動，貞夫一者也。觀，示也。天地常垂象以示人，故曰貞觀。日月常明而不息，故曰貞明。天下之動無窮，然順理則吉，逆理則凶。其正而常者，亦一而已矣。夫乾，確然示人易矣。夫坤，隤然示人簡矣。確然，健貌。隤然，順貌。所謂貞觀者也。爻也者，效此者也。象也者，像此者也。效此者，效健順之理。像此者，像奇耦之畫。

The text says: The way of Heaven and Earth is constantly revealed, the way of the sun and moon is constantly bright. All changes in the world return to the constant "one." Chen Menglei's commentary: "Observation" means revelation; Heaven and Earth constantly display phenomena to people, so it is said "Zhen Guan"; the sun and moon are always bright without ceasing, so it is said "Zhen Ming." All changes in the world are endless, yet following the principles brings good fortune, and opposing them brings misfortune. The correct and constant principle is one only. The text then says: Qian is strong and firm in revealing the "Yi," and Kun is gentle and slow in revealing the "Jian." Chen Menglei's commentary: "Que ran" means firm and vigorous, "Tui ran" means gentle and yielding, which is called "Zhen Guan." The text further says: The yao imitates this; the xiang takes the form of this. Chen Menglei's commentary: Imitation refers to imitating the principles of Qian's strength and Kun's gentleness; taking the form refers to taking the shape of odd and even lines.

爻象動乎內，吉凶見乎外。功業見乎變，聖人之情見乎辭。內，謂分蓍揲卦之時。外，成卦之後。吉凶悔吝生乎動。不變則功業無自而成，故曰功業見乎變。辭，則彖辭象辭。聖人示人以吉凶者也。

The text says: The lines and images change internally, while fortune and misfortune manifest externally; achievements are revealed through change, and the mind of the sage is expressed through words. Chen Menglei explains: "Internal" refers to the process of dividing the yarrow stalks and interpreting the hexagram, while "external" refers to after the hexagram has been formed. Fortune, misfortune, regret, and hardship all arise from change; without change, achievements cannot be realized, hence it is said "achievements are revealed through change." "Words" refer to the zhuang and xiang words, which are the means by which the sage indicates fortune and misfortune to people.

天地之大德曰生。聖人之大寶曰位。何以守位曰仁。何以聚人曰財。理財正辭，禁民為非曰義。此以上言作易之聖人，以憂世之心發明卦爻之辭。此節則言用易之聖人，有御世之位而行仁義之道也。天地以生物為心，德之大莫過乎此。聖人有德無位，亦不能相天地而遂人物之生，故以位為大寶。非聖人自寶之。蓋天下賴聖人之有位，得蒙其澤，故天下以為寶也。

The classic text says: The greatest virtue of heaven and earth is called "life," and the greatest treasure of a sage is called "position"; what is used to maintain this position is called "benevolence"; what is used to gather the people's hearts is called "wealth"; managing wealth, regulating speech, and preventing the people from wrongdoing is called "righteousness." Chen Menglei's commentary: The above discusses the sage who composed the Book of Changes, with a concern for the world, explaining the meanings of the hexagrams and lines. This section, however, discusses the sage who uses the Book of Changes, occupying a position of governance to promote the way of benevolence and righteousness. Heaven and earth have the heart of nurturing all things; there is no greater virtue than this. A sage with virtue but without position cannot assist heaven and earth in achieving the growth of people and things, so he regards "position" as the greatest treasure. This is not that the sage himself regards it as a treasure, but rather that the people rely on the sage being in position to receive his grace, so the people regard it as a treasure.

曰仁之仁，仍作人。人君能得天下之心，位乃可守。財，可養萬人之生，故人可聚。理財，使各得其分，養之也。正辭，則分別是非，教之也。禁民為非，明憲勅法以齊其不率，刑之也。養之教之，而後齊之以刑，聖人不忍人之政盡此三者。皆出於理之當然而不可易，所謂義也。戎在易。則理財即易之備物致用也。正辭即易之辨物正言也。禁民為非，易之斷吉凶、明失得、內外使知懼也。

Chen Menglei pointed out a variant reading: the character "ren" in the phrase "He yi shou wei yue ren" should still be read as "ren" (person). A ruler can hold his position only if he gains the hearts of the people; wealth can sustain the lives of the people, so the people can be gathered. "Lǐ cái" (managing wealth) is providing each person with what they deserve, which is nurturing the people; "zhèng cí" (correcting speech) is distinguishing right from wrong, which is educating the people; "jìn mín wéi fēi" (prohibiting people from wrongdoing) is enforcing laws and regulations, used to correct those who disobey, which is punishing the people. First, nurture them, then educate them, and finally use punishment to bring order. The benevolent ruler's governance does not go beyond these three aspects, and all three arise from the natural order of reason, which cannot be changed, and this is called "yi" (righteousness). If we refer to the Book of Changes, "lǐ cái" corresponds to the idea of preparing objects and achieving utility mentioned in the Book of Changes, "zhèng cí" corresponds to distinguishing things and correcting speech mentioned in the Book of Changes, and "jìn mín wéi fēi" corresponds to determining good and evil, clarifying gains and losses, and making people aware of caution both inside and outside. (The original text says "róng zài yì," where "róng" is an error in the original text, meaning "in terms of the Book of Changes.")

此章論卦爻吉凶，推之造化功業。而以有德有位之聖人，能體易而參贊天地者終之。蓋天地之德在乎生，作易之聖人情見乎辭，用易之聖人仁守其位，無非以為其人而已矣。右第一章。

Chen Menglei summarizes this chapter: first discussing the fortune and misfortune of the hexagram lines, then expanding to the creation and transformation of heaven and earth and human achievements, and finally concluding with the sage who possesses both virtue and position being able to comprehend the Way of the Changes and assist heaven and earth. The virtue of heaven and earth lies in nurturing life; the sage who composes the Book of Changes entrusts his mind in words; the sage who practices the Way of the Changes holds fast to his position through benevolence. In the end, it is all for the sake of humanity. This is the first chapter.

第二章言聖人制器尚象之事。古者包犧氏之王天下也。仰則觀象於天，俯則觀法於地。觀鳥獸之文，與地之宜。近取諸身，遠取諸物。於是始作八卦。以通神明之德，以類萬物之情。

Chapter two discusses the matter of sages creating objects by following the images of the trigrams. The text says: In ancient times, Fuxi ruled the world. He looked up to observe the phenomena of heaven, looked down to observe the principles of earth, observed the patterns of birds and beasts and the suitability of the soil in different regions; he took nearby things from his own body and distant things from all things in the universe. Thus he began to draw the eight trigrams, using them to connect with the virtue of the divine and to classify the forms of all things.

象以氣言，屬陽。以形言，屬陰。鳥獸之文，謂天產之物，飛陽而走陰也。土地所宜，謂地產之物，草陽而木陰也。神明之德，不外乎健順動止陷入麗說之德。萬物之情，則不止天地雷風山澤水火之情。本義云俯仰遠近所取不一，然不過以驗陰陽消息兩端而已。蓋萬物不外於八卦，八卦不外乎陰陽。陰陽雖二，而實一氣之消息也。

Chen Menglei explained: "Xiang" refers to qi, which belongs to yang; "Fa" refers to form, which belongs to yin. "Bird and beast patterns" refer to naturally occurring animals, flying ones belong to yang, walking ones belong to yin; "the suitability of the earth" refers to plants produced by the earth, grass belongs to yang, wood belongs to yin. "The virtue of the divine and wise" is no more than the eight virtues of Qian (Heavenly), Kun (Earthly), Zhen (Thunder), Gen (Mountain), Kan (Water), Xun (Wind), Li (Fire), and Dui (Lake); "the nature of all things" includes more than the eight conditions of Heaven, Earth, Thunder, Wind, Mountain, Lake, Water, and Fire. The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes says that the objects taken from above and below, near and far, are not limited to one, but are merely used to verify the increase and decrease of yin and yang. Because all things are within the eight trigrams, and the eight trigrams are within yin and yang; although yin and yang are two, they are actually the increase and decrease of one qi.

作結繩而為網罟，以佃以漁。蓋取諸離。離有二義。曰象曰理。理謂麗也，禽獸魚鱉麗乎綱罟也。象謂虛中，綱罟之目虛也。取之離者，言為綱罟有離之象，非睹離乃有此也，他卦倣此。

The text says: Making ropes into nets for hunting and fishing is modeled after the image of the Li hexagram. Chen Menglei explains: The Li hexagram has two meanings, one being the image and the other the principle. In terms of principle, "Li" means attachment; birds and beasts and fish and turtles are attached to the nets. In terms of image, the middle line of the Li hexagram is empty, just like the empty holes in the net. The phrase "taking from Li" means that making nets corresponds to the image of Li, not that one first saw the Li hexagram and then made the nets — all other hexagrams should be understood in the same way.

包犧氏沒，神農氏作。斲木為耜，揉木為耒。耒耨之利，以教天下。蓋取諸益。二體皆木，中互坤土。木入土中，上入下動，風雷之象也。粒食之利自此而始，益之義也。日中為市。致天下之民，聚天下之貨。交易而退，各得其所。蓋取諸噬嗑。日中為市。上明下動，火雷之象。中爻坎水艮山，群珍所出，聚貨之象。艮止，退而得所之象。貨不同皆合於市。借噬為市，嗑為合，噬嗑之義。

The text says: After the death of Fuxi, Shen Nong rose to prominence. He carved wooden plows and bent wood to make耒, teaching the world the benefits of using耒 and耜 for farming, which is symbolized by the Yi hexagram. Chen Menglei's commentary: The Yi hexagram consists of Xun above and Zhen below, both belonging to wood. The intermediate hexagram is Kun, representing earth, symbolizing wood being planted into the earth. Xun represents entering, and Zhen represents movement, which is the image of wind and thunder. The benefit of food began with this, which fits the meaning of "Yi" (increase). The text says: At noon, markets were established, gathering people from all over, collecting goods from everywhere, and after trading, they dispersed, each obtaining what they needed, which is symbolized by the Shihe hexagram. Chen Menglei's commentary: Setting up markets at noon, with Li above representing brightness and Zhen below representing movement, forming the image of fire and thunder. The intermediate hexagram is Kan water and Gen mountain, representing the source of various treasures, fitting the image of gathering goods. Gen represents stopping, indicating the end of trade and each person obtaining what they need. Goods differ but all gather in the market, so "Shi" is used for "market" and "He" for "gathering," which is the meaning of the Shihe hexagram.

神農氏沒，黃帝堯舜氏作。通其變，使民不倦。神而化之，使民宜之。易窮則變，變則通，通則久。是以自天祐之，吉無不利。黃帝堯舜垂衣裳而天下治，蓋取諸乾坤。陽極變陰，陰極變陽，變也。陽變陰不至於亢，陰變陽不至於伏，通也。陰陽循環無端，久也。上衣色玄象天，下裳色黃象地。食貨既足，禮義當興。變草昧而文明，又取乾坤變化而無為之義也。

The text says: After Shen Nong died, the Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun arose in succession. They understood the changes of things, so the people did not become weary; they skillfully guided the people, so each person could find their proper place. The principle of the Book of Changes is that when something is exhausted, it changes; when it changes, it becomes unblocked; when it becomes unblocked, it lasts long. Therefore, it says, "If heaven supports you, there will be no misfortune and everything will be beneficial." The Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun governed the world with ease, without exerting themselves, and the world was well ordered. This is probably based on the images of the Qian and Kun hexagrams. Chen Menglei comments: When yang reaches its extreme, it turns into yin; when yin reaches its extreme, it turns into yang. This is "change." Yang transforms into yin without reaching an extreme, and yin transforms into yang without becoming hidden. This is "unblocking." The cycle of yin and yang has no beginning or end. This is "longevity." The upper garment is black, symbolizing heaven; the lower garment is yellow, symbolizing earth. When food and goods are abundant, propriety and righteousness should arise. Transforming the chaotic age into a civilized one, this also reflects the meaning of the transformation of Qian and Kun without effort.

刳木為舟，剡木為楫，舟楫之利，以濟不通。致遠以利天下，蓋取諸渙。刳木使中虛，剡木使末銳。木在水上故渙，有利涉大川之占。服牛乘馬，引重致遠，以利天下。蓋取諸隨。下動上說，澤雷之象。各因其性，動止隨人，有隨之義。重門擊柝，以待暴客，蓋取諸豫。雷震乎外，有聲之木。以互艮為門闕，以取其象。先事警戒，又豫備之意。

The text says: Hollowing out a tree to make a boat, sharpening a tree to make an oar, relying on the convenience of the boat and oar to cross impassable waters, able to reach distant places and benefit the world, this is probably taking the image of the Hexagram of Dispersing. Chen Menglei's commentary: Hollowing out the wood makes it hollow in the middle, sharpening the wood makes it pointed at the end; the Hexagram of Dispersing has the lower trigram of Xun (Wind) representing wood and the upper trigram of Kan (Water), so wood floats on water, hence the image of dispersing. The Hexagram Statement indeed says, "Beneficial to cross great rivers." The text says: Taming an ox, driving a horse, carrying heavy loads, traveling long distances, to benefit the world, this is probably taking the image of the Hexagram of Following. Chen Menglei's commentary: The Hexagram of Following has the lower trigram of Zhen (Thunder) representing movement and the upper trigram of Dui (Lake) representing joy, hence the image of a lake with thunder; oxen and horses follow their natural tendencies, either moving or stopping at the command of humans, which fits the meaning of "following." The text says: Setting up multiple doors, striking a wooden drum, to guard against violent guests, this is probably taking the image of the Hexagram of Joy. Chen Menglei's commentary: The Hexagram of Joy has the upper trigram of Zhen (Thunder) with thunder shaking outside, which is the sound-producing wood; the interacting trigrams form Gen (Mountain), which represents gates and thresholds, thus taking this image; taking precautions before an event occurs, it also contains the meaning of prior prevention.

斷木為杵，掘地為臼。杵臼之利，萬民以濟。蓋取諸小過。下止上動，雷山象。民既粒食，又治使精，小過之義。弦木為弧，剡木為矢。弧矢之利，以威天下。蓋取諸睽。睽乖然後服之以威，取睽之義。又離為戈兵，兌金為矢為毀折，互坎為弓輪，亦有其象。

The text says: Cutting wood to make a pestle, digging the ground to make a mortar, the convenience of pestle and mortar allows the people to be sustained, which is probably taken as an image of the Hexagram 64, "Guan" (Small Overstep). Chen Menglei's commentary: The lower trigram of "Guan" is Gen (Mountain), representing stillness, and the upper trigram is Zhen (Thunder), representing movement, forming the image of thunder on a mountain; after the people have eaten grain, they further pound it into fine flour, which fits the meaning of "small overstep" as a slight excess. The text says: Bending wood to make a bow, carving wood to make arrows, the power of bow and arrow is used to intimidate the world, which is probably taken as an image of the Hexagram 41, "Gui" (Strife). Chen Menglei's commentary: When people's hearts are divided, then one uses power to make them obey, which is the meaning of "Gui"; furthermore, the upper trigram of "Gui" is Li (Fire), representing weapons, the lower trigram is Dui (Lake), belonging to metal, representing arrowheads and broken things, the interacting trigrams are Kan (Water), representing the bow and its wheel, all of which have this image.

上古穴居而野處，後世聖人易之以宮室。上棟下宇，以待風雨，蓋取諸大壯。棟，屋脊承而上者。宇，椽也，垂而下者。故曰上棟下宇。風雨動於上，棟宇覆於下。雷天之象，又取壯固之意。

The classic text says: In ancient times, people lived in caves and slept in the open fields. Later sages changed this by using houses, with beams above and eaves below, to protect against wind and rain. This is modeled after the Hexagram of Great Strength. Chen Menglei comments: "Dong" refers to the ridgepole, which supports above; "Yu" refers to the rafters, which cover below. Therefore, it is said "upper beams and lower eaves." Wind and rain move above, while the beams and eaves cover below. The Hexagram of Great Strength has Zhen (Thunder) above and Qian (Heaven) below, forming the image of Thunder over Heaven, and also symbolizing its strong and solid nature.

古之葬者，厚衣之以薪，葬之中野。不封不樹，喪期無數。後世聖人易之以棺槨，蓋取諸大過。送死大事而過於厚，大過之義。又大過全卦象坎為隱伏，殯葬之象。中爻乾為衣，內巽為木，入土之象。養生不足以當大事，故杵臼小過。送死可以當大事，故取諸大過也。

The classic text says: In ancient times, when burying the dead, they wrapped the body thickly with straw and buried it in the wilderness, without building a mound or planting trees, and the mourning period had no fixed duration; later sages changed this practice, using coffin and outer case instead, probably taking the symbolism from the Great Excess (Da Guo) hexagram. Chen Menglei comments: burying the dead is a major affair, and the practice of handling it with great care and expense is in line with the meaning of "Great Excess." Moreover, the entire Great Excess hexagram resembles a Kan hexagram, which represents concealment, precisely matching the image of burial. The intermediate trigrams form a Qian hexagram, which represents clothing; the inner trigram is Xun, which represents wood, all symbolizing the act of burying the dead. He also made a comparison: providing for the living is not yet a major affair, so the making of杵臼 (chuí jiù, pestle and mortar) is associated with the Small Excess (Xiao Guo); but burying the dead is indeed a major affair, so it is associated with the Great Excess.

上古結繩而治，後世聖人易之以書契。百官以治，萬民以察，蓋取諸夬。言有不能記者，書識之。事有不能信者，契驗之。取明決之義。夬之義。蓋夬乃君子決小人之卦，造書契亦所以決小人之偽而防其欺也。此章十三卦取象，見上古未有易之書而先有易之理。人見聖人備物致用，立成器以利天下。以為此出聖人之心思，不知皆因乎理所固有也。右第二章。

The text says: In ancient times, people used the method of tying knots to govern, but later sages replaced it with written documents and contracts. Officials relied on them to handle affairs, and common people used them to verify matters. This is roughly based on the image of the Gua of决 (Judgment). Chen Menglei's commentary: When words are forgotten, they are recorded in writing; when matters cannot be trusted, contracts are used to verify them. This is taking the meaning of clarity and decisiveness, which is precisely the meaning of the Gua of决. The Gua of决 originally represents the gentleman's decision to remove small people. The creation of written documents and contracts was also to eliminate the deceit of small people and to guard against their fraud. He finally summarized: The thirteen gua mentioned in this chapter show that in ancient times there was no Book of Changes, yet there was already the principles of the Book of Changes. People see sages preparing tools and fully utilizing their functions, making utensils to benefit the world, and think that this is entirely from the sages' thoughts, but they do not realize that all of this is based on the inherent principles of things. This is the second chapter.