The Order of Hexagrams Transmission

按，序卦，韓康伯謂非聖人之蘊，沙隨程氏謂非聖人之書，朱子辨其不然。謂此中事事夾雜，無所不有。雖非聖人之精，不可謂非聖人之蘊也。今從《程傳》，分析其辭，見於六十四卦之首。則在此註釋可畧，附諸儒別論於後。

Note: Regarding the "Sequence of Changes" commentary, the Jin dynasty scholar Han Kangbo considered it not to contain the profound insights of the sage. The Song dynasty scholar Cheng Jing of Shashui went further, saying it was not even the work of the sage. Zhu Xi refuted this view. Zhu Xi's meaning was that this text is a mixture of various elements, though not the most refined teachings of the sage, it cannot be said that it is not the accumulated meaning of the sage. This book now adopts the method of Cheng Yi's "Yichuan Commentary on the Changes," breaking down the sentences of the "Sequence of Changes" and attaching them separately at the beginning of each of the sixty-four hexagrams (the previous hexagrams have already been explained in context). Therefore, the commentary here can be concise, with the additional discussions from various scholars appended at the end.

有天地，然後萬物生焉。盈天地之間者唯萬物，故受之以屯。屯者，盈也。屯者，物之始生也。物生必蒙，故受之以蒙。蒙者，蒙也，物之穉也。物穉不可不養也，故受之以需。需者，飲食之道也。飲食必有訟，故受之以訟。訟必有眾起，故受之以師。師者，眾也。眾必有所比，故受之以比。比者，比也。

First there was heaven and earth, and only then did all things come into being. All things filled the space between heaven and earth, so after the Qian and Kun trigrams comes the Zun hexagram, which means "fullness" and also depicts the struggle of all things as they first emerge. Since newly born things are necessarily ignorant and immature, the next hexagram is Meng, meaning "ignorance," referring to the immature stage of all things. Since they are immature, they must be nurtured, so comes the Xu hexagram, which discusses the way of nourishment through food and drink. With the advantage of food and drink, there will inevitably be competition, so comes the Song hexagram. When disputes arise, people will inevitably gather to fight, so comes the Shi hexagram, meaning "army," as it refers to a gathering of people. Then comes the Bi hexagram, meaning "attachment," because when people gather, they must have something to attach to. The key point throughout this sequence is that the order of the hexagrams is not arbitrary; each hexagram follows necessarily from the previous one.

比必有所畜，故受之以小畜。物畜然後有禮，故受之以履。履而泰，然後安，故受之以泰。泰者，通也。物不可以終通，故受之以否。物不可以終否，故受之以同人。與人同者，物必歸焉，故受之以大有。有大者，不可以盈，故受之以謙。有大而能謙必豫，故受之以豫。

After people gather together, there must be accumulation, so the hexagram comes after "Xiao Xu" (Small Accumulation). Only after accumulation can propriety be established, so the hexagram comes after "Lv" (Footwear), which refers to ritual. When ritual is observed and harmony exists between superiors and inferiors, stability is achieved, so the hexagram comes after "Tai" (Great Communication), meaning communication. Things cannot remain in harmony forever, so the hexagram comes after "Po" (Obstruction). Similarly, obstruction cannot last forever; when people are cut off from each other for too long, they yearn for unity, so the hexagram comes after "Tong Ren" (Union with Others). Those who can unite with others will surely have the world under their control, so the hexagram comes after "Da You" (Great Possession). Having great possessions without being arrogant leads to the hexagram "Qian" (Humility). Possessing great things while remaining humble brings joy, so the hexagram comes after "Yu" (Joy). Thus, the transition from communication to obstruction and from obstruction back to communication is a complementary cycle; moving from humility to joy is a natural consequence.

豫必有隨，故受之以隨。以喜隨人者必有事，故受之以蠱。蠱者，事也。有事而後可大，故受之以臨。臨者，大也。物大然後可觀，故受之以觀。可觀而後有所合，故受之以噬嗑。嗑者，合也。物不可以苟合而已，故受之以賁。賁者，飾也。

In a harmonious and joyful era, people will naturally follow each other, hence the卦 of Following is followed. When everyone joyfully follows others over time, evils and disorders will arise, requiring rectification, hence the卦 of Gǔ is followed—Gǔ refers to the matter of rectifying accumulated disorders. Only when one can take on responsibilities can the foundation of a cause grow strong, hence the卦 of Lín is followed—Lín means great. When things become strong, they will display a visible appearance, hence the卦 of Guān is followed. When there is a visible appearance, people will gather together, hence the卦 of Shìkè is followed—Shìkè means to come together. However, among people, it is not enough to merely come together carelessly; there must also be refinement and propriety, hence the卦 of Bēn is followed—Bēn means refinement and ornamentation.

致飾然後亨則盡矣，故受之以剝。剝者，剝也。物不可以終盡，剝窮上反下，故受之以復。復則不妄矣，故受之以無妄。有無妄然後可畜，故受之以大畜。物畜然後可養，故受之以頤。頤者，養也。不養則不可動，故受之以大過。物不可以終過，故受之以坎。坎者，陷也。陷必有所麗，故受之以離。離者，麗也。

When adornment is taken to the extreme, the path of success reaches its limit, so the next hexagram is "Bao" (Peeling). Peeling refers to the gradual loss. Things do not completely disappear; the single yang line in "Bao" is peeled to the topmost line, reaches its extreme, and then returns to the bottom line, forming the hexagram "Fu" (Returning). When yang energy returns, people return to their true nature and are no longer deceptive, so the next hexagram is "Wu Wang" (No Falsehood). Only when things are genuine and not deceptive can virtue be accumulated, so the next hexagram is "Da Xu" (Great Accumulation). When accumulation is abundant, one can then provide sustenance, so the next hexagram is "Yi" (Nourishment). Without prior nourishment, one cannot act, so the next hexagram is "Da Guo" (Great Excess). Things cannot remain excessively extreme forever; excessive excess leads to danger, so the next hexagram is "Kan" (Danger). In danger, one must rely on something to escape, so the next hexagram is "Li" (Attachment). The upper trigrams end here with thirty hexagrams.

序卦之意。有以相因為序，乾坤屯蒙是也。有以相反為序，泰否剝復是也。天地間不出相因相反二者。始則相因，極必相反也。右上篇

The principles of the sequence in the "Xugua" can be summarized into two categories. One is sequential generation, where the subsequent hexagram arises naturally from the previous one, such as Qian and Kun generating Zun, and Zun generating Meng. The other is reversal in sequence, where the subsequent hexagram is opposite to the previous one, such as Tai inevitably followed by Po, and Bo inevitably followed by Fu. The changes in the universe do not go beyond these two principles: initially, things develop in a natural and generative way, but when they reach their extreme, they must reverse. This is the content of the first part.

有天地，然後有萬物。有萬物，然後有男女。有男女，然後有夫婦。有夫婦，然後有父子。有父子，然後有君臣。有君臣，然後有上下。有上下，然後禮儀有所錯。夫婦之道不可以不久也，故受之以恆。恆者，久也。物不可以久居其所，故受之以遯。遯者，退也。

The lower part of the Classic begins with human relationships. With heaven and earth, there are myriad things; with myriad things, there are male and female; with male and female, there are husband and wife; with husband and wife, there are father and son; with father and son, there are ruler and subject; with ruler and subject, there is distinction between high and low, respect and hierarchy; with high and low, there is a place for propriety, righteousness, and institutions (the term "错" means arrangement). The way of husband and wife cannot be short-lived, so after the hexagram "Xian" (representing the union of male and female), comes "Heng" — "Heng" means enduring. But nothing can remain unchanged in one place forever, so comes "Dun" — "Dun" means retreat.

物不可終遯，故受之以大壯。物不可以終壯，故受之以晉。晉者，進也。進必有所傷，故受之以明夷。夷者，傷也。傷於外者必反其家，故受之以家人。家道窮必乖，故受之以睽。睽者，乖也。乖必有難，故受之以蹇。蹇者，難也。物不可終難，故受之以解。解者，緩也。

Retreating cannot be done completely; when retreat is exhausted, it turns around and becomes strong, so the hexagram "Great Strength" follows. Strength cannot continue indefinitely; when strong, it must seek advancement, so the hexagram "Progress" follows—"Progress" means advancing. Advancing without restraint will inevitably lead to injury, so the hexagram "Bright Disaster" follows—"Disaster" means injury. Someone who has been injured externally must return to his home, so the hexagram "Family" follows. When family affairs reach an end, discord arises, so the hexagram "Strife" follows—"Strife" means discord. Discord inevitably leads to difficulties, so the hexagram "Obstruction" follows—"Obstruction" means difficulty. Difficulties will not last forever, so the hexagram "Release" follows—"Release" means relief.

緩必有所失，故受之以損。損而不已必益，故受之以益。益而不已必決，故受之以夬。夬者，決也。決必有所遇，故受之以姤。姤者，遇也。物相遇而後聚，故受之以萃。萃者，聚也。聚而上者謂之升，故受之以升。升而不已，必困，故受之以困。困乎上者必反下，故受之以井。井道不可不革，故受之以革。革物者莫若鼎，故受之以鼎。

When the situation becomes relaxed, something must be lost, so the hexagram follows "Loss" (《损》). If the loss continues unchecked, it will reach an extreme and then turn into gain, so the hexagram follows "Benefit" (《益》). If the gain continues unchecked, when it is full, it will inevitably break, so the hexagram follows "Judgment" (《夬》) — "夬" means to decide. After the decision is made, there will be unexpected encounters, so the hexagram follows "Meeting" (《姤》) — "姤" means meeting. Only after meeting can there be gathering, so the hexagram follows "Gathering" (《萃》) — "萃" means gathering. When gathering rises up, it is called ascending, so the hexagram follows "Ascending" (《升》). If ascending continues unchecked, the strength will be exhausted and it will reach a state of hardship, so the hexagram follows "Obstruction" (《困》). When one is obstructed above, it will inevitably seek help from below, so the hexagram follows "Well" (《井》) (the well is underground and nourishes people). Over time, the well becomes dirty, and it must be cleaned and changed, so the hexagram follows "Change" (《革》). And among all things that change the nature of objects and transform raw materials into cooked food, none surpass the tripod (鼎), so the hexagram follows "Tripod" (《鼎》).

主器者莫若長子，故受之以震。震者，動也。物不可以終動，止之，故受之以艮。艮者，止也。物不可以終止，故受之以漸。漸者，進也。進必有所歸，故受之以歸妹。得其所歸者必大，故受之以豐。豐者，大也。窮大者必失其居，故受之以旅。旅而無所容，故受之以巽。巽者，入也。

The person in charge of the ancestral temple and ritual vessels is none other than the eldest son, and the hexagram Zhen represents the eldest son. Therefore, the hexagram Zhen is followed by the hexagram Gen, because "Zhen" signifies movement, and things cannot keep moving without end; when movement reaches its time, it must be stopped, so the hexagram Gen, which signifies stopping, follows. However, things also cannot remain entirely still, so the hexagram Jie, which signifies gradual progress, follows. Progress must have a destination, so the hexagram Gui Mei, which signifies a woman's marriage and return, follows. Once a destination is reached, it will surely grow more prosperous, so the hexagram Feng, which signifies abundance, follows. But those who push prosperity to its extreme will eventually lose their place of rest, so the hexagram Lu, which signifies wandering, follows. Wandering without a place to stay, one can only be humble and submissive in order to gain entry, so the hexagram Xun, which signifies entering, follows.

入而後說之，故受之以兌。兌者，說也。說而後散之，故受之以渙。渙者，離也。物不可以終離，故受之以節。節而信之，故受之以中孚。有其信者，必行之，故受之以小過。有過物者必濟，故受之既濟。物不可窮也，故受之以未濟終焉。

When there is mutual affection and harmony, the "Dui" hexagram is followed, as "Dui" means joy. However, excessive joy can lead to people becoming scattered and disunited, so the "Huan" hexagram follows, as "Huan" means dispersion. Dispersion cannot go on indefinitely; it must be regulated by systems and rules, hence the "Jie" hexagram. With regulation and the ability to gain trust, the "Zhongfu" hexagram follows (meaning sincerity in the heart). When one has genuine belief, action is inevitable, and action may sometimes exceed the proper limit, hence the "Xiao Guo" hexagram. Those who can do a little more than ordinary people will surely accomplish their tasks, so the "Ji Ji" hexagram follows. However, there is no end to worldly affairs, so the book concludes with the "Wei Ji" hexagram.

右下篇。或問，易上經三十卦，下經三十四卦，多寡不均何也。曰。卦有正對，有反對。乾坤坎離頤大過中孚小過八卦，正對也。正對不變，故反覆觀之止成八卦。其餘五十六卦，反對也。反對者皆變，故反覆觀之共二十八卦。

The above is the lower section. Someone asked: The Upper Classic of The Zhou Changes contains only thirty hexagrams, while the Lower Classic has thirty-four, which seems uneven. Why is this so? The answer is that hexagrams can be divided into two types: "correct opposition" (opposite hexagrams, where all six lines are reversed in yin and yang) and "inverted opposition" (inverted hexagrams, where the hexagram is reversed top to bottom). The eight trigrams—Qian, Kun, Kan, Li, Yi, Da Guo, Zhong Fu, and Xiao Guo—belong to the correct opposition type. When viewed upside down, they remain the same and do not produce new hexagrams, so they remain as eight hexagrams. The remaining fifty-six hexagrams belong to the inverted opposition type. When reversed, they become another hexagram, and each pair of hexagrams shares the same structure, so they form only twenty-eight hexagram structures in total.

以正對卦合反對卦觀之，總而為三十六卦。其在上經，不變卦凡六，乾坤坎離頤大過是也。自屯蒙而下二十四卦，反之則為十二卦。以十二而加六，則十八也。其在下經，不變卦凡二，中孚小過是也。自咸恆而下三十二，反之則為十六。以十六而加二，亦十八也。其多寡之數未嘗不均也。

When the eight original trigrams are combined with the twenty-eight opposite trigrams, all of the Book of Changes consists of thirty-six trigrams in total. If we look separately: in the Upper Canon, there are six trigrams that remain unchanged when reversed, namely Qian, Kun, Kan, Li, Yi, and Da Guo; from Tun and Meng downwards, the remaining twenty-four trigrams are all opposite, sharing one trigram body each in pairs, resulting in twelve trigram bodies; twelve plus six equals eighteen. In the Lower Canon, there are only two trigrams that remain unchanged when reversed, namely Zhong Fu and Xiao Guo; from Xian and Heng downwards, the remaining thirty-two trigrams are all opposite, resulting in sixteen trigram bodies; sixteen plus two also equals eighteen. Thus, both the Upper and Lower Canons account for eighteen trigram bodies each, and the original numbers are equal. The apparent difference of thirty and thirty-four is not a real issue.

雙湖胡氏曰，文王序卦大抵本先天圖。以東西南北四方正卦乾坤坎離，為上經之始終。以西北隅艮、東南隅兌合而為咸。西南隅巽、東北隅震合而為恆。四隅反卦為下經之始。而終之以既未濟，則亦坎離之交不交也。

In the Yuan dynasty, the scholar Hu Yigu of Shuanghu said that King Wen arranged the order of the hexagrams largely according to the Earlier Heaven diagram of Fuxi. In the Earlier Heaven diagram, the four cardinal directions are occupied by the four fundamental trigrams: Qian (Heaven) in the south, Kun (Earth) in the north, Li (Fire) in the east, and Kan (Water) in the west. King Wen began with Qian and Kun and ended with Kan and Li as the beginning and end of the Upper Canon. In the corners of the Earlier Heaven diagram, the northwest corner is Gen (Mountain) and the southeast corner is Dui (Lake), combining these two trigrams (Gen below Dui above) forms the hexagram Xian (Attraction); the southwest corner is Xun (Wind) and the northeast corner is Zhen (Thunder), combining these two trigrams (Xun below Zhen above) forms the hexagram Heng (Permanence). Thus, using the paired trigrams from the four corners to form Xian and Heng, King Wen used them as the beginning of the Lower Canon. The Lower Canon ends with the hexagrams Ji Ji (Completion) and Wei Ji (Non-Completion), which still refer to the interaction or non-interaction between Kan and Li trigrams of water and fire.

故乾坤坎離四純卦皆居上經。震巽艮兌四純卦皆居下經，又以反對為次。離非伏羲之舊，而先天之圖大旨則備見焉。夫子序卦，直以卦名發其次第之義，而他則未暇及耳。

Therefore, the four pure trigrams, Qian, Kun, Kan, and Li (the four cardinal trigrams among the eight pure trigrams), are arranged in the Upper Canon, while the four corner trigrams, Zhen, Xun, Gen, and Dui, are placed in the Lower Canon. They are then arranged in sequence according to the principle of opposition and mutual summation. Although this sequence of trigrams is no longer the original arrangement of the Earlier Heaven diagram by Fuxi, the main idea of the Earlier Heaven diagram is still fully reflected in it. Confucius, in composing the "Xugua Zhuan" (Commentary on the Order of the Trigrams), merely points out the meaning of the succession between each trigram by its name, without addressing the layer of the trigram positions and their diagrams.

又按，呂氏《要指》曰，易，變易也。天下有可變之理，聖人有能變之道。反需為訟，泰為否，隨為蠱，晉為明夷，家人為睽。此不善變者也。反剝為復，遯為壯，蹇為解，損為益，困為井。此善變者也。文王示人以可變之幾，則危可安，亂可治。特一轉移間耳。後天之學其以人事贊天地之妙歟。

According to Lü's "Essential Points," the "I Ching" is about change. There is no matter in the world that cannot be transformed, and the sages have mastered the methods to bring about transformation. Turning the hexagram "Xu" upside down produces "Song," "Tai" becomes "Pǐ," "Sui" becomes "Gǔ," "Jin" becomes "Mingyi," and "Jiaoren" becomes "Kui"—these groups represent a transition from good to bad, indicating an inability to transform effectively. Conversely, turning "Bo" upside down produces "Fu," "Dun" becomes "Da Zhuang," "Jian" becomes "Jie," "Sun" becomes "Yi," and "Kun" becomes "Jing"—these groups represent a transition from bad to good, indicating an ability to transform effectively. King Wen arranged the hexagram sequence in this way to indicate that the opportunity for transformation is right before our eyes, that crises can be turned into security, and that chaotic times can be transformed into order, all within a single thought or action. King Wen's Later Heaven learning is precisely about using human effort to assist the workings of heaven and earth.

又嘗合上下經始終而論之。乾坤，天地也。坎離，水火也。以體言也。咸恆，夫婦也。既未濟，水火之交不交也。以用言也。上經以天道為主，具人道於其中。下經以人道為主，具天道於其內。三才之間，坎離最為切用。日月不運，寒暑不成矣。民非水火不生活矣。心火炎燥而不降，腎水涸竭而不升，百病侵陵矣。故上下經皆以坎離為終焉。

I have also considered the beginning and end of the Upper and Lower Classics together: the Upper Classic begins with Qian and Kun and ends with Kan and Li, Qian and Kun represent Heaven and Earth, while Kan and Li represent Water and Fire, all referring to fundamental principles. The Lower Classic begins with Xian and Heng and ends with Ji Wei Ji, Xian and Heng represent husband and wife, while Ji Wei Ji refers to the meeting and not meeting of Water and Fire, all referring to practical applications. The Upper Classic mainly discusses the Way of Heaven, with the Way of Humanity included within it; the Lower Classic mainly discusses the Way of Humanity, with the Way of Heaven contained within it. Among the three elements of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, the function of Kan and Li (Water and Fire) is most immediate: without the movement of the sun and moon (Li represents the sun, Kan represents the moon), the seasons of cold and heat cannot form a year; people cannot live without water and fire; in the human body, if the heart fire rises and becomes hot and dry without descending, and the kidney water dries up without rising, various diseases will take advantage of the weakness. Therefore, both the Upper and Lower Classics conclude with Kan and Li.

按，沙隨程氏謂序卦非聖人之書，韓康伯謂序卦非聖人之精蘊，朱子辨之曰，謂序卦非聖人之精則可，非聖人之蘊則不可。太極生兩儀，兩儀生四象，此易之精也。序卦無所不有，此易之蘊也。

Note: Cheng Jing, a scholar from Shashui, said that the "Xugua" (Sequence of Changes) is not a work of the sage. Han Kangbo said that the "Xugua" does not reach the profound essence of the sage. Master Zhu, however, argued that it is acceptable to say that the "Xugua" is not the most refined aspect of the sage, but it is not acceptable to say that it does not contain the accumulated principles of the sage. The statement "the Taiji gives rise to the two principles, and the two principles give rise to the four images" is what is called the "jing" (essence) of the "Yi" (Book of Changes), representing the purest origin. The "Xugua" encompasses all things and contains various contents, which is called the "yun" (accumulation) of the "Yi," representing the rich accumulated principles of the sage. These two aspects are of different levels, and one cannot deny its "yun" simply because it is not "jing."

今按，橫圖圓圖方圖之序，伏羲所由以畫卦也。先天之學，不待語言文字者也。序卦所云，文王所由以作易也。後天之學，得語言文字而明者也。伏羲之後，連山首艮，歸藏首坤。則六十四卦之序，在夏商已不一。

My current view is that the sequence of the horizontal diagram, circular diagram, and square diagram was used by Fuxi to draw the hexagrams, belonging to the Earlier Heaven system, which naturally takes shape without the need for language or writing. The system explained in the "Xugua" (Sequence of Hexagrams), however, was used by King Wen to compose the Book of Changes, belonging to the Later Heaven system, which can only be clearly explained through language and writing. Moreover, after Fuxi, the Shang dynasty's "Lianshan" (Continuous Mountains) began with the Gen hexagram, while the Zhou dynasty's "Guicang" (Return to the Earth) began with the Kun hexagram, showing that the order of the sixty-four hexagrams differed between the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Thus, the arrangement of the hexagrams has never been uniform.

文王憂患作易，曲盡天道人事之變。皆從卦之名義，或取相因，或取相反而為之序。故序卦所云，謂非先天之精蘊則可，謂非後天之精蘊則不可。後人或即麻衣反對之言以明序卦之偽，則尤一偏之論。夫屯之與蒙，需之與訟，其為綜卦何疑。坤後繼屯，蒙後次師，於卦畫非有所據。自當如序卦所云，由卦名以思其義。程氏疑其非聖人之書，得無過乎。

King Wen composed the Book of Changes while in distress, fully expressing the myriad changes of heavenly ways and human affairs. All the arrangements are based on the meanings of the hexagram names, either through mutual generation or mutual opposition and complementarity. Therefore, what is discussed in the "Sequence of Hexagrams" cannot be considered as the essence of the Earlier Heaven school, but it is essential to the Later Heaven school. Later scholars have attempted to use the opposition concept from the "Ma Yi Yi" to argue that the "Sequence of Hexagrams" is a forgery, which is a narrow-minded view. The hexagrams "Zun" and "Meng," as well as "Xu" and "Song," are naturally inverted hexagrams, so there is nothing suspicious about them. As for the sequence following the hexagram "Kun" with "Zun" and "Meng" followed by "Shi," there is no support in the hexagram figures themselves, so it is appropriate to follow the reasoning in the "Sequence of Hexagrams" and understand the meaning through the names of the hexagrams. Cheng Xiong's doubt that it is not a work of a sage is an overstatement.

序卦，所以言易道之常。雜卦，所以言易道變。雜卦但要取反對之義。反覆其卦，則吉凶禍福、動靜剛柔皆相反也。序卦自乾坤而下三十卦，咸恆而下三十四，雜卦亦然。序卦反對，雜卦亦然。序卦反對，雜卦亦多反對，此其所同也。

The "Xugua" explains the general principles of the Yi Jing, while the "Zagua" discusses the changes in the Yi Jing. The key idea of the "Zagua" is to take the meaning of "opposition": by flipping a hexagram upside down, its fortune and misfortune, movement and stillness, strength and softness all become opposite. The "Xugua" divides the thirty hexagrams starting from Qian and Kun as the upper part, and the thirty-four hexagrams starting from Xian and Heng as the lower part; the distribution of hexagrams in the "Zagua" is the same. The "Xugua" arranges hexagrams in the order of opposition, and the "Zagua" mostly also arranges them in the order of opposition—these are the similarities between the two sections.

序卦以乾坤頤大過坎離在上篇，中孚小過在下篇，故二篇反對皆成十八卦。雜卦但以乾坤在上篇，餘盡在下篇，又自大過以下不復反對，此其所異也。以其序次錯綜，故謂之雜。然自乾至困當上經三十卦，實雜下經十二卦於其中。咸至夬當下經三十四卦，又雜上經十二卦於其中。則雜之中，又有不雜者存焉。

The difference lies in the fact that the "Xugua" (Sequence of Hexagrams) places the six unchanging hexagrams of Qian, Kun, Yi, Da Guo, Kan, and Li in the upper section, and the two unchanging hexagrams of Zhong Fu and Xiao Guo in the lower section, so that each section, when calculated by opposition, forms eighteen hexagram structures. However, the "Zagua" (Miscellaneous Hexagrams) keeps only Qian and Kun in the upper section, and all the other unchanging hexagrams in the lower section, and from Da Guo onwards, it no longer arranges them according to opposition. Because its order is mixed and complex, it is called "Za" (miscellaneous). But upon closer examination, it is not entirely chaotic: from Qian to Kun, it corresponds to the thirty hexagrams of the upper section, yet actually includes twelve hexagrams from the lower section; from Xian to Guai, it corresponds to the thirty-four hexagrams of the lower section, yet again includes twelve hexagrams from the upper section. This shows that even amidst the apparent disorder, there is a certain order.

又卦以乾為首而終之以夬。蓋夬以五陽決一陰，次去則又為純乾矣。故曰君子道長，小人道消，是又聖人扶陽抑陰之意也。又按，春秋傳有屯固比入坤安震殺之語，疑古筮書以一字斷卦義者多有之。夫子雜採其辭為經羽翼，本非創作。故謂之雜，未可知也。

Furthermore, the "Zagua" starts with the Qian hexagram and ends with the Guai hexagram. The Guai hexagram consists of five yang lines deciding against one yin line; if that last yin line is also removed, it becomes pure yang Qian again. Therefore, the concluding passage says, "The way of the superior man grows longer, and the way of the inferior man becomes anxious," which still reflects the sage's intention to support yang and restrain yin. Also, according to the "Zuo Zhuan," there are expressions such as "Zun Gu, Bi Ru" and "Kun An, Zhen Sha," indicating that ancient divination texts often used a single character to determine the meaning of a hexagram. Confucius collected these old expressions from various sources and compiled them into a passage to support the classics, which was not his original creation. The term "Zagua" may refer to this compilation from different sources, and this interpretation is also possible.

乾剛坤柔，比樂師憂。剛柔，以德言。憂樂，以事言。剛皆屬乾，而純乾為至剛。柔皆屬坤，而純坤為至柔。然二卦之二五皆得中，爻位剛柔又各有相濟，非倚於一偏者。就其德之各見者，則分為剛柔耳。比九五居上而得眾，故樂。師九二居下而任重，故憂。又順在內故樂，險在內故憂。

The beginning of the "Zagua" says: Qian is strong, Kun is gentle; "Bi" is joy, "Shi" is sorrow. Strength and gentleness refer to the moral qualities of the hexagrams, while joy and sorrow refer to human affairs. All yang lines belong to Qian, and pure yang Qian is strong to the extreme; all yin lines belong to Kun, and pure yin Kun is gentle to the extreme. However, both Qian and Kun have the second and fifth lines in the central position. The yin and yang of the lines and the strength and gentleness of the positions balance each other, not leaning entirely in one direction. They are said to be one strong and one gentle based on their most prominent moral qualities. In the "Bi" hexagram, the nine in the fifth line, a yang line, is in the honored position, with all the yin lines following, and the upper and lower parts being close and harmonious, hence joy. In the "Shi" hexagram, the nine in the second line, a yang line, is in the lower position, bearing the heavy responsibility of leading an army, hence sorrow. Looking at the structure of the hexagrams: "Bi" has Kun, which represents following, inside, hence joy; "Shi" has Kan, which represents danger, inside, hence sorrow.

臨觀之義，或與或求。以我臨物曰與，物來觀我曰求。臨卦以二陽在下徧臨四陰，而六五上六又若以上臨下。觀卦九五觀示乎下，而四陰又相率以觀乎上，互有求與之意。或者，疑詞。無求與而若有求與。見為與又疑於求，見為求又疑於與也。

The *Zagua* says: The meanings of the hexagrams *Lin* and *Guan* are either "to give" or "to seek." When I stand high and look down to illuminate others, it is giving, called "to give"; when others come up to look up to me, it is taking, called "to seek." The hexagram *Lin* has two yang lines below, spreading over the four yin lines above, representing giving from below to above; however, the lines *Wu* and *Shangwu* are at the top, which seems like giving from above to below. The hexagram *Guan* has the line *Jiuwu* at the top, setting an example for the lines below, which is giving; however, the four yin lines below are all looking up to the top, which is seeking. Both hexagrams contain both meanings of giving and seeking. The text uses the word "or," which is a word of doubt and uncertainty: originally there is no giving or seeking, yet it seems as if there is both giving and seeking; it looks like giving, yet one doubts it is seeking; it looks like seeking, yet one doubts it is giving.

屯見而不失其居。蒙雜而著。屯，震遇坎。震動故見。坎險不行，居也。又以初爻言之，物始生為見。未得位居貞，居也。又合初五二爻言。九五陽在上卦之天位而顯，見也。一陽動坎險之下而固守，居也。

The *Zagua* says: *Zun* (Obstruction) is emergence while maintaining stability, and *Meng* (Confusion) is disorder that eventually becomes clear. First discussing *Zun*: the lower trigram is Zhen (Thunder), and the upper trigram is Kan (Water). Zhen signifies movement, and movement leads to emergence; Kan represents danger, which cannot be approached lightly, so one can only remain in a stable position, which is "residence." This can also be explained by the first line, "Nine at the Beginning": at the beginning of all things, things emerge from the earth, which is "emergence"; since they have not yet reached their proper position, they can only remain steadfast in their place, which is "residence." It can also be explained by combining the first line and the fifth line, "Nine in the Fifth": the fifth line is a yang line in the upper trigram's fifth position, which is the heavenly position, thus it becomes prominent, which is "emergence"; the first line is a yang line in the lower trigram's first position, moving within the dangerous Kan trigram but remaining steadfast and hesitating, which is "residence."

蒙，坎遇艮。坎幽昧為雜。艮光明著也。又以二爻言。全卦蒙然而生，故雜。二能治之使明，著也。又合九二上九二爻言之。九二陽在下卦之中而位幽，雜也。上九一陽止坎險之外而光明，著也。《本義》就卦義論，《大全》兼取爻義。宜兼之始備。時解謂屯以事功言，才有餘而遇不足，當養晦以俟時。蒙以學問言，質不足而學有餘，宜親師以取益。意亦是，但不必拘。

Now discussing the Hexagram 4, "Meng" (Obstinacy): The lower trigram is Kan (Water), and the upper trigram is Gen (Mountain). Kan represents darkness and obscurity, hence the term "za" (miscellaneous or confused); Gen represents a mountain, whose virtue is bright and solid, hence the term "zhuo" (distinct or clear). One can also discuss the second line, "Nine in the Second": the entire hexagram is filled with confusion and ignorance, which is "za"; the second line is able to regulate and bring clarity, which is "zhuo". Alternatively, one can consider both the second and the top lines: the second line, being a yang line in the middle of the lower trigram but located in darkness, is "za"; the top line, a yang line resting outside the dangerous Kan trigram but shining above, is "zhuo". Master Zhu's "The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes" discusses the meaning of the entire hexagram, while "The Complete Collection of the Zhou Changes" also incorporates the meaning of the lines; both should be read together for a complete understanding. The commonly accepted interpretation of the time said that the Hexagram 3, "Zun" (Obstruction), refers to affairs and achievements, which have surplus but lack timing, thus one should conceal one's abilities and wait for the right opportunity; the Hexagram 4, "Meng" refers to learning, which has insufficient innate ability but sufficient study, thus one should seek guidance from teachers to make progress. This interpretation is also reasonable, but one should not be overly rigid.

震，起也。艮，止也。損益，盛衰之始也。震艮以天道言，損益以人事言。損者人所憂，乃為盛之始。益者人所喜，乃為衰之始。倚伏之機可畏也。大畜，時也。無妄，災也。剛難畜而畜之，時有適然，意外之得也。無有妄而得災，災自外至者也，意外之禍也。

The *Zagua* says: *Zhen* (Thunder) signifies movement and vigor, while *Gen* (Mountain) signifies stillness and cessation; *Sun* (Loss) and *Yi* (Gain) mark the beginning of decline and prosperity. The movement and stillness of *Zhen* and *Gen* refer to the natural order, while loss and gain pertain to human affairs. Loss is something people worry about, yet it is the starting point of turning from decline to prosperity; gain is something people rejoice in, yet it is the starting point of turning from prosperity to decline. Thus, the mechanism by which misfortune and fortune depend on each other is truly something to be feared. It also says: *Da Xu* (Great Accumulation) refers to fortune and opportunity, while *Wu Wang* (No Falsehood) refers to calamity. Strong and vigorous things are naturally hard to restrain, but now they are restrained, which is due to the right timing, an unexpected gain; there was no false or reckless action, yet calamity comes from outside, an unexpected misfortune. Both these hexagrams deal with the aspect of fate beyond human effort.

萃聚，而升不來也。謙輕，而豫怠也。萃，三陰聚於下。升，三陰升於上。不來，謂升而不降也。時解以萃言君之用賢，升言臣之遇主。亦近之，不必拘舊說。輕者，一陽居下之上。不自尊大，自卑而輕。豫者，一陽居上之下。其志滿足，自肆而怠也。然豫四爻無怠意。按來注，謙之上六即豫之初六，故二爻皆言嗚。謙心虛，故自輕。豫志滿，故自肆。此說為勝。

The "Zagua" says: "Cui" means gathering together, "Sheng" means ascending without returning; "Qian" means humility, "Yu" means laziness. In the "Cui" hexagram, the earth trigram is at the bottom, with three yin lines gathered below; in the "Sheng" hexagram, the earth trigram is at the top, with three yin lines rising to the top. The term "not coming" refers to rising upward without descending. The old interpretations used "Cui" to explain a ruler gathering talented people and "Sheng" to explain a minister encountering a wise sovereign, which is close to reason, and there is no need to strictly adhere to old interpretations. Saying "Qian" means "lightness" is because the nine in the third line, a yang line, is located above the lower trigram, not being arrogant, but instead placing itself in a humble position, thus appearing light. Saying "Yu" means "laziness" is because the nine in the fourth line, a yang line, is located below the upper trigram, with ambitions fulfilled, indulging and becoming lazy. However, the line statement of the fourth line in the "Yu" hexagram does not express laziness. According to Lai Zhide's commentary: the sixth line of "Qian" when reversed becomes the first line of "Yu," so both these lines mention "calling out." "Qian" is characterized by humility, thus appearing light; "Yu" is characterized by fullness of ambition, thus becoming indulgent. This interpretation is more superior.

噬嗑，食也。賁，無色也。順中有物，故曰食。賁以白賁無咎，無色而天下之賁莫尚焉。食色，人之大欲。色至賁則過，故欲返本也。兌見，而巽伏也。兌，陰外見。巽，陰內伏也。隨，無故也。蠱，則飭也。隨時行止，前無故也。蠱壞已極，後當飭也。

The "Zagua" says: "Shike" means eating, and "Ben" means without color. In the "Shike" hexagram, the two yang lines at the top and bottom are like lips and teeth, with the nine in the fourth position in the middle resembling something in the mouth, hence it is called eating. In the "Ben" hexagram, the line statement of the upper nine says, "White Ben, no blame," meaning that when decoration is taken to the extreme, it returns to white, colorless, and there is nothing better than this simplicity as decoration. Eating and sex are the great desires of human beings; when decoration reaches the level of "Ben," it is already excessive, so one should return to the natural state. It also says: "Dui" means revealing, and "Xun" means concealing. In "Dui," the yin line is exposed, while in "Xun," the yin line is hidden. It also says: "Sui" means without old matters, and "Gu" means to rectify. "Sui" follows the current situation, acting or stopping as appropriate, with no prior accumulated problems, hence it is called without cause. "Gu" refers to accumulated evils having reached their extreme, so rectification is necessary afterwards.

剝，爛也。復，反也。五陰潰於內，爛也。一陽生於下，反也。晉，晝也。明夷，誅也。二卦，朝暮生殺之義。日出地上為晝，則入地下為夜也。明在下為誅傷，則明升上為生長矣。井通，而困相遇也。往來井井，則其道通。剛為柔揜，所遇之困。自乾至此三十卦，適與上經之數相當。

The *Zagua* says: *Bao* means decay, and *Fu* means return. The *Bao* hexagram has five yin lines below eroding the yang, like a fruit rotting from within; the *Fu* hexagram has a single yang line reappearing at the very bottom, symbolizing the return of yang energy. It also says: *Jin* means daylight, and *Mingyi* means punishment. These two hexagrams illustrate the principle of life and death in the morning and evening: the sun rising above the earth is day, and when it sinks below the earth it is night; when light is trapped underground, it is punishment and harm, but when light rises above the earth, it is growth and nurturing. It also says: *Jing* means communication, and *Kun* means encountering. Well water flows continuously and is used without end, its path is unobstructed; *Kun* refers to a strong force being concealed by a gentle one, and the situation encountered is one of hardship. Counting from *Qian* to here, there are exactly thirty hexagrams, matching the number of hexagrams in the Upper Classic.

咸，速也。恆，久也。有感必通，故速。速則夫婦及時。其道有常，故久。久則夫婦偕老。渙，離也。節，止也。解，緩也。蹇，難也。睽，外也。家人，內也。否泰，反其類也。渙節與井困相反。井，以木出水，居塞而能通。渙，以水浮木，則通極而致散矣。節，澤上之水為有制。困，澤下之水則枯竭矣。解難既散，多失於怠緩。蹇險在前，則知阻難。睽疎而外，家人親而內。否泰則君子小人，其類每相反也。

The *Zagua* says: *Xian* means quickness, and *Heng* means duration. The union of male and female is immediate and responsive, hence quick; because it is quick, husband and wife can form a union in time. The way of husband and wife is constant and unchanging, hence enduring; because it is enduring, husband and wife can grow old together. It also says: *Huan* means dispersion, and *Jie* means restraint; *Jie* means ease, and *Jian* means difficulty; *Kui* means estrangement, and *Jiaoren* means intimacy within; *Pu* and *Tai* are opposites. *Huan* and *Jie* are opposite to *Jing* and *Kun*: *Jing* is the巽 wood entering the坎 water and drawing water up, originally in a blocked place yet able to flow through; *Huan* is the坎 water below and the巽 wood floating above, reaching the extreme of flow and thus dispersing. *Jie* is water above the泽, stored and controlled; *Kun* is water leaking below the泽, causing the泽 to dry up. When difficulties are dispersed, people often become slack and careless, hence *Jie* is ease; when dangers are ahead, people naturally recognize the obstruction, hence *Jian* is difficulty. *Kui* is mutual estrangement and separation; *Jiaoren* is mutual intimacy and closeness. As for *Pu* and *Tai*, they represent the advancement and retreat of the gentleman and the petty person, often being opposites.

大壯則止，遯則退也。慮後陽之恃壯，故不欲九四之進而欲其止。恐前陽之不及，故不欲六二之進欲其退也。陽進而消，陰者慎之。陰進而消，陽者抑之也。大有，眾也。同人，親也。革，去故也。鼎，取新也。小過，過也。中孚，信也。豐，多故。親寡，旅也。明且動，故多故。旅寓則所親自寡矣。此句卦名在下，變文以葉韻也。

The "Zage" says: "The Great Strength" requires stopping, and "Dun" requires retreat. "The Great Strength" has four yang lines that are flourishing, and the sage worries that the later yang lines will become arrogant and advance recklessly, so he does not wish the nine in the fourth position to advance further but hopes it will stop. "Dun" has two yin lines gradually increasing, and the sage fears that the earlier yang lines will not be able to resist, so he does not wish the six in the second position to advance further but hopes the yang lines will retreat early. If yang advances continuously and eliminates yin, then yin must be cautious on its own; if yin advances continuously and eliminates yang, then measures must be taken to restrain it. It also says: "Da You" means abundance, and "Tong Ren" means harmony. "Ge" means removing the old, and "Ding" means taking in the new. "Xiao Guo" means slightly excessive, and "Zhong Fu" means inner sincerity. "Feng" means many troubles, and "Qin Guo" is "Traveler." "Feng" has the lower trigram of Li (Fire) and the upper trigram of Zhen (Thunder), meaning brightness and movement, so events naturally arise frequently, hence many troubles. A traveler is away from home, so the people he is close to are naturally few. The last sentence places the name of the hexagram at the end (not saying "Traveler, close few" but "Close few, Traveler") in order to change the wording for the sake of rhyme.

離上，而坎下也。炎上，潤下。小畜，寡也。履，不處也。一陰畜陽，寡不敵眾。說隨陽進，柔能制剛也。需，不進也。訟，不親也。大過，顛也。姤，遇也，柔遇剛也。漸，女歸待男行也。頤，養正也。既濟，定也。歸妹，女之終也。未濟，男之窮也。夬，決也，剛決柔也。君子道長，小人道憂也。

The *Zagua* says: *Li* (Fire) moves upward, *Kan* (Water) moves downward. This is taken from the *Shangshu·Hongfan* on the Five Phases: fire has an upward nature, water has a downward nature. It also says: *Xiao Xu* (Small Accumulation) is small, *Lv* (Ceremony) is not settled. *Xiao Xu* has only one yao (line) of yin at the fourth position needing to restrain five yang yao, so the yin is few and cannot overcome the many, thus only a small accumulation is possible; *Lv* is the soft *Dui* (Lake) following *Qian* (Heaven) yang forward, using softness to restrain strength, so it does not stop. The following is the last part of the *Zagua*: *Xu* (Waiting) is not advancing rashly, *Song* (Contention) is not harmonious; *Da Guo* (Great Excess) is reversed order, *Gu* (Meeting) is meeting—soft meets strong; *Jian* (Gradual Progress) is that a woman waits for the man to come and greet her before she moves, *Yi* (Nourishment) is nourishing in the right way; *Ji Ji* (Completion) is each in their proper place and thus peaceful, *Gui Mei* (Return of the Maiden) is the final destiny of a woman, *Wei Ji* (Not Yet Completed) is the extreme situation of a man; *Guai* (Decisive) is decisive—strong decisively removes the soft, thus the way of the gentleman increases, and the way of the petty person becomes fearful.

需訟，皆主乾言。止坎之下為不進，背坎而去為不親。大過本末弱，故顛。女待男而行，所以為漸。頤以上養下，養得其正。既濟六位皆當，故定。女者，未嫁之稱。歸則女之事終也。未濟陰陽皆失位而陰不足言也，故曰男之窮。始乾終夬，則喜陽之長也。

The hexagrams "Need" and "Strife" both refer to the lower trigram Qian (Heaven). "Need" is Qian resting above the trigram Kan (Water), indicating stagnation and no progress. "Strife" is Qian facing away from Kan, with the upper Qian moving upward and the lower Kan flowing downward, indicating lack of harmony. "Great Excess" has both upper and lower trigrams as yin, making the beginning and end weak while the middle four yangs are excessive, leading to instability and imbalance. A woman must wait for the man to come and greet her before she can move forward, step by step, hence the gradual progress. "Nourishment" has the upper trigram Gen (Mountain) above and Zhen (Thunder) below, indicating the superior nourishing the inferior properly, hence nourishing correctly. "Already Achieved" has all six lines in proper yin and yang positions, hence stability. "Nun" refers to an unmarried woman; once she marries and leaves her family, her role as a daughter is completed, hence "Marriage of the Girl" signifies the end of a woman's role. "Not Yet Achieved" has all six lines in improper yin and yang positions, and since yin is inherently weak, it is only said that the man is in hardship. The entire text begins with Qian and ends with Guai, indicating the increasing strength of the yang path.

《本義》謂自大過以下卦不反對，或疑其錯簡。然以韻協之又似非誤，未詳其義。按，蘇氏蔡氏皆有改正之文。而蔡氏所改，類從而韻亦協。附錄於後兼載胡氏之論，以備參考。大過，顛也。頤，養正也。既濟，定也。未濟，男之窮也。歸妹，女之終也。漸，女歸待男行也。姤，遇也，柔遇剛也。夬，決也，剛決柔也。君子道長，小人道憂也。

Master Zhu in The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes said: From the hexagram of Great Excess onwards, the sequence of hexagrams is no longer arranged in oppositional order. Some people suspect that this may be due to disorder in the bamboo slips. However, when checking the rhyme, it seems that there is no mistake, and the reason for this remains unclear. Note: Su Shi and Cai Yuan both have revised versions. Cai's revised sequence not only groups similar hexagrams together but also matches the rhyme. Now I will append Cai's revised sequence at the end, along with the comments of Yu Feng Hu, for reference. Cai's revised order is: Great Excess is reversed,颐 is nurturing correctness; 既济 is stability, 未济 is the plight of a man; 归妹 is the end of a woman's fate, 渐 is a woman waiting for a man before proceeding; 姤 is meeting, with the soft encountering the strong; 夬 is decision, with the strong deciding to remove the soft, the way of the gentleman grows, and the way of the petty person becomes anxious.

雲峰胡氏曰，易終於雜卦，而交易變易之義愈可見矣。每一卦反覆為兩卦，而剛柔吉凶每每相反。此變易之義也。自乾至困三十卦，與上經之數相當。而雜下經十二卦於其中。自咸至夬三十四卦，與下經之數相當。而雜上經十二卦於其中。此交易之義也。或曰，此偶然爾。愚曰，非偶然也，皆理之自然也。

In the Yuan Dynasty, Hu Bingwen of Yunfeng said: The Zhou Changes ends with the "Zage" section, where the meanings of "trade" and "change" become clearer. Each trigram, when flipped upside down, becomes another trigram, and the yin and yang, as well as good fortune and misfortune, often reverse — this is the meaning of "change." From Qian to Kun, there are thirty trigrams, matching the number of trigrams in the Upper Classic, yet among them are twelve trigrams from the Lower Classic; from Xian to Guai, there are thirty-four trigrams, matching the number of trigrams in the Lower Classic, yet among them are twelve trigrams from the Upper Classic — this is the meaning of "trade." Some people say: this is just a coincidence. I say: it is not a coincidence, but a natural order.

坎離交之中者，本居上經三十卦內，今附於下三十四卦。震艮巽兌交之偏者，本居下經三十四卦內，今附於上三十卦。至若無反對者。上經六卦，下經二卦。今附於上者二卦，附於下者六卦。皆交易之義也。十二月卦氣。除乾坤外，上經泰否臨觀剝復，陰之多於陽者十二。下經遯壯姤夬，陽之多於陰者十二。今雜卦移否泰於三十四卦之中，而陰陽之多少復如之。

The trigrams Kan and Li are produced by the interaction of Qian and Kun at the middle line, originally placed among the thirty hexagrams of the Upper Canon, but in the "Zagua" they are moved to the lower thirty-four hexagrams. The trigrams Zhen, Gen, Xun, and Dui are produced by the interaction of Qian and Kun at the first and top lines, representing partial interaction, originally placed among the lower thirty-four hexagrams, but in the "Zagua" they are moved to the upper thirty hexagrams. Now looking at those hexagrams that do not have their opposites reversed: originally there were six in the Upper Canon and two in the Lower Canon; in the "Zagua," only two remain in the Upper section while six are moved to the Lower section. These are all examples of "trade." Furthermore, considering the twelve lunar month hexagrams: apart from Qian and Kun, the Upper Canon contains six hexagrams with messages, namely Tai, Po, Lin, Guan, Bo, and Fu, whose total number of yin lines exceeds the number of yang lines by twelve; the Lower Canon contains four hexagrams, namely Duan, Da Zhuang, Gu, and Guai, whose total number of yang lines exceeds the number of yin lines by twelve. The "Zagua" moves Tai and Po to the section of the thirty-four hexagrams, yet the balance of yin and yang remains the same.

特在上經者三十六畫，在下經者二十四畫。今附於上者二十四畫，附於下者三十六畫。愈見其交易之妙爾。若合六十四卦論之。上經三十卦，陰爻之多於陽者八。下經三十四卦，陽爻之多於陰者亦八。今則附於三十卦者。陽爻七十二，陰爻一百八。而陰多於陽者三十六。附於三十四卦者。陽爻一百二十，陰爻八十四。而陽爻多於陰者亦三十六。

The original number of lines in the upper section of the Classic of Changes consisted of thirty hexagrams totaling thirty-six lines, while the lower section had thirty-four hexagrams totaling twenty-four lines. After the arrangement in the Miscellaneous Hexagrams, those moved to the upper section totaled twenty-four lines, and those moved to the lower section totaled thirty-six lines—thus the numbers are exactly reversed, highlighting the cleverness of "transaction" or "exchange." If all sixty-four hexagrams are considered together: the upper section has thirty hexagrams with eight more yin lines than yang lines; the lower section has thirty-four hexagrams with eight more yang lines than yin lines. In the Miscellaneous Hexagrams, those hexagrams placed in the first thirty-hexagram section have seventy-two yang lines and one hundred eight yin lines, meaning yin lines exceed yang lines by thirty-six; those placed in the latter thirty-four-hexagram section have one hundred twenty yang lines and eighty-four yin lines, meaning yang lines exceed yin lines by thirty-six. The excess numbers on both sides are exactly equal.

以反對論。上經陰之多於陽者四，下經陽之多於陰者亦四。今則附於上者。陽爻二十九，陰爻五十七。而陰爻多於陽者十八。附於下者。陽爻六十九，陰爻五十七。而陽爻之多於陰者亦十八。或三十六或十八，互為多少。非特見陰陽交易之妙，而三十六宮之妙愈可見矣。是豈聖人之心思智慮之所為哉。愚故曰，伏羲之畫，文王周公孔子之言，皆天也。

If we calculate by opposing lines to form the hexagrams: in the Upper Canon, the number of yin lines exceeds that of yang lines by four; in the Lower Canon, the number of yang lines exceeds that of yin lines by four. In the "Zagua" (Miscellaneous Hexagrams), those placed in the Upper Section have twenty-nine yang lines and fifty-seven yin lines, with yin lines exceeding yang lines by eighteen; those placed in the Lower Section have sixty-nine yang lines and fifty-seven yin lines, with yang lines exceeding yin lines by eighteen. Either thirty-six or eighteen, they are mutual in terms of excess and deficiency, forming neat correspondences. This not only reveals the skillful interplay of yin and yang, but also makes the subtlety of the "Thirty-six Palaces" (the sixty-four hexagrams condensed into thirty-six hexagram forms) more evident. How could this be the result of the sages' clever arrangements? Therefore, I say: the hexagrams drawn by Fuxi, the words spoken by King Wen and the Duke of Zhou, are all natural principles, not human inventions.

《本義》謂自大過以下卦不反對，或疑其錯簡。今以韻協之又似非誤，未詳何義。愚竊為雜物撰德，非其中爻不備。此蓋指中四爻互體而言也。先天圖之左互復頤既濟家人歸妹睽夬乾八卦，右互姤大過未濟解漸蹇剝坤八卦。此則於右取姤大過未濟漸四卦，於左取頤既濟歸妹夬四卦。各舉其半，可兼其餘矣。是雖所取不能無雜。蓋此謂雜卦，而互體又其最雜者也。

The "Benyi" says that from the "Da Guo" hexagram onwards, the sequence of hexagrams no longer opposes each other, and some people suspect it may be a misplaced section; however, when compared with the rhyme, it seems correct, but the reason is unclear. I personally think that the "Xici Zhuan" says, "Collecting various things to form virtue, without the middle line, the virtue is not complete," where the term "middle line" refers to the mutual structure formed by the four central lines of a hexagram. According to the Earlier Heaven diagram, the mutual structures of the hexagrams on the left half are Fu, Yi, Ji Ji, Jia Shen, Gui Mei, Kui, Guai, and Qian, while those on the right half are Gou, Da Guo, Wei Ji, Jie, Zhen, Jian, Po, and Kun. The final section of the "Zagua" lists exactly four hexagrams from the right half: Gou, Da Guo, Wei Ji, and Zhen, and four from the left half: Yi, Ji Ji, Gui Mei, and Guai. Each half is represented, and the rest are included by implication. This method of selection naturally appears disorderly, but the chapter is called "Zagua" and the mutual structure is the most disorderly part within it.

上三十卦終之以困，柔掩剛也。下三十四卦終之以夬，剛柔也。柔掩剛，君子不失其所亨。剛決柔，君子道長，小人道憂矣。然則天地間剛柔每相雜。至若君子之為剛，小人之為柔，決不可使相雜也。雜卦之末，特分別君子小人之道言之。聖人贊化育，扶世變之意微矣。

The first thirty hexagrams in the "Zagua" end with "Kun" (Obstruction), which signifies that the soft is covering the hard. The remaining thirty-four hexagrams end with "Gua" (Decision), which signifies that the hard decisively overcomes the soft (the original text says "the soft and hard" but should be "the hard decisively overcomes the soft," and this remains as it is). When the soft covers the hard, the gentleman still maintains the way of success; when the hard decisively overcomes the soft, the way of the gentleman increases, while the way of the petty person becomes anxious. This shows that in the world, the hard and the soft are originally often mixed together. But when it comes to the gentleman belonging to the hard and the petty person belonging to the soft, they must never be mixed. The "Zagua" deliberately distinguishes the way of the gentleman from that of the petty person at the end of the chapter. The profound intention of the sage assisting heaven and earth in their nurturing and supporting the transformation of the world is expressed here.