The Book of Changes: Interpretation and Verification

一、易自伏羲畫卦，亦文亦畫，本合圖畫文字為一。雖太極等圖，繫後人傳出，源流自遠，講易時應並及各圖，以資參證。一、易為聖人明天道以立極，立人道以制教，本為明道而作，有關內修性命功甚多，故講易應注意道功。

The first point: The Book of Changes began with Fuxi drawing the trigrams. It is both text and image, originally combining figures and characters into one. For example, diagrams like the "Taiji Diagram" although passed down by later generations, have their origins in ancient times. Therefore, when explaining the Book of Changes, one should also discuss various diagrams, using them to refer to and verify each other. The second point: The Book of Changes is a book used by sages to explain the heavenly way, establish standards, confirm human conduct, and set up education. Its original intention is to clarify the great way, and it involves a lot of inner cultivation concerning life and nature. Therefore, when explaining the Book of Changes, one should pay attention to the aspect of "the way and its practice."

一、易既本天地之道為教，內中多闡神鬼之德、陰陽之情，習易者必有敬信之誠，而講易時應注重人神因果之理。一、易明神道，為明性命之源，吉凶禍福均屬易中固有之義。凡人生窮達壽夭，皆有定數，不可妄乾，則習易者必明行藏之所宜、得失之有定；故講易時應注重吉凶悔吝之說，而求其毋悖於數也。

Rule three: Since the Book of Changes is based on the principles of heaven and earth to carry out education and moral guidance, it often discusses the virtues of ghosts and spirits and the circumstances of yin and yang. Therefore, those who study the Book of Changes must approach it with sincere reverence and faith, and when explaining the Book of Changes, they should emphasize the principles of cause and effect between humans and spirits. Rule four: The Book of Changes reveals the ways of spirits in order to show the origin of life and death. Good fortune and misfortune, prosperity and adversity, longevity and short life are all inherent principles in the Book of Changes. There is a fixed destiny for a person's life, which should not be violated. Those who study the Book of Changes must understand when to emerge and when to retreat, and gain and loss are determined by fate. Therefore, when explaining the Book of Changes, emphasis should be placed on the concepts of 'good fortune, misfortune, regret, and hardship,' striving to conform to the laws of destiny.

一、易者，包乎道德、性情、數象各類而言者也。言文必顧義，言數必徵象，因名思義，因類辨物，因詞審情，不可偏執；故講易時務求其貫通一切，而洞明聖人立教之旨。一、易之言吉凶重在數，言數重在象。數見其氣，象別其類，以徵人事之所合，即以測天道之所宜。而見象必因著龜，明數必候氣運；天乾地支、五運六氣，皆易所重；故講易時應並及占筮之術、測驗之方。

Article 5: The Book of Changes discusses matters in terms of morality, nature, numbers, and images. When discussing words, one must consider their meaning; when discussing numbers, one must verify them through images. One should infer meaning from names, distinguish things by their categories, and examine reality through words. One must not be confined to a single aspect. Therefore, when studying the Book of Changes, one must seek a comprehensive understanding in order to fully grasp the purpose of the sage's teachings. Article 6: The Book of Changes discusses fortune and misfortune, focusing on numbers; and when discussing numbers, it focuses on images. Numbers reveal the movement of qi, while images distinguish the categories of things. These are used to verify whether human affairs are in harmony, and also to predict what is suitable in the heavenly way. To see images, one must rely on yarrow stalks and turtle shells; to clarify numbers, one must wait for the movement of qi. Heavenly stems, earthly branches, the five movements and six qi are all valued in the Book of Changes. Therefore, when discussing the Book of Changes, one should also include the methods of divination and the ways of verification.

一、易之為教，原以授民全生之道，推之成人成物，以至治國平天下，莫不貫通，而原始要終為第一義。人之習易，亦當求其先後，不可好為素隱行怪之談；故講易雖不能如王弼之掃象，亦不可如費氏之徒以災異言也。一、易道博大精深，無不包被：內則修己以一天人，外則成人以一道德，而本未一以貫之，實時中也。習易者既諳斯義，必期實行，務求行動咸宜，言思不悖，而能有德以為世則，有道以為人師，庶可使易教重明，聖道彌廣。

Seventh: The Book of Changes, as a means of moral instruction, originally aims to teach the principles of preserving life to the people. When extended, it can achieve others and all things, leading to the governance of the state and the peace of the world, all seamlessly connected. The first principle is to investigate the beginning and conclude the end. When people study the Book of Changes, they should also observe the proper sequence and not be overly fond of obscure and eccentric interpretations. Therefore, in explaining the Book of Changes, one should not follow Wang Bi of the Wei dynasty who entirely dismissed the symbolic numbers and figures, nor should one follow the scholars of the Han dynasty like Fei Zhi who specialized in interpreting omens and anomalies. Eighth: The Way of the Book of Changes is vast and profound, encompassing all things. Internally, it is about cultivating oneself so that heaven and humanity become one; externally, it is about achieving others so that the Way and virtue become one. From the root to the end, it is unified by a single principle, which is exactly what the Doctrine of the Mean refers to as "the mean in time." Those who study the Book of Changes, having understood this, must put it into practice, ensuring that their actions are appropriate, their words and thoughts are not against reason. They should be able to become a model of virtue for the people and a teacher of others through the Way, thus hoping to restore the clarity of the Book of Changes' teachings and expand the great Way of the sages.

一、易之為教，始於古聖，闡於道宗，成於儒者。言既精微，旨尤玄妙，固賅各教之義，集諸派之大成。習易者當以聖人天下為公之心，一本有教無類之旨，不可自存門戶，有入主出奴之見，以自狹而聖人之教也。一、易傳至今，注說不一，漢宋各異派，儒道不同宗，遂致議論紛歧，爭持齟齬，徒亂人意，何裨聖經？今茲講易，務求闡明微言，表章至道，不執於宗派之習，不徒為同異之求。即令漢宋諸儒有所卓見，能探經旨，不睽經義，仍可互相引證，期其貫通；無問其人，祇徵於是，則於聖人講示之後，又可多得研究之助云爾。

Rule nine: The Book of Changes is a teaching of moral cultivation that originated with the sages of the ancient times, was elaborated upon by the Daoist school, and finally took shape in the hands of the Confucian scholars. Its language is already extremely subtle, and its principle is even more profound. It originally integrates the teachings of various schools, being the culmination of all doctrines. Those who study the Book of Changes should hold the mind of the sages, "the world as a common possession," and universally follow the principle of "teaching without discrimination." They should not establish their own schools, nor hold the prejudice of exalting their own school and excluding others, which would instead narrow the moral cultivation of the sages. Rule ten: The Book of Changes has been passed down to the present day, with various interpretations and commentaries. Han learning and Song learning belong to different schools, and Confucianism and Daoism have different emphases, leading to endless disputes and contradictions, which only confuse people's minds and do no good to the sacred classics. This time, in explaining the Book of Changes, we must clarify the subtle words and promote the highest principles, not being bound by the habits of any particular school, nor focusing only on differences and similarities. Even if scholars of Han and Song schools have their own unique insights, as long as they can grasp the original meaning of the text and not contradict the meaning of the classics, they can still be cited and referenced to achieve a comprehensive understanding. We should not concern ourselves with who says it, but only whether it conforms to the correct principles. In this way, in addition to the teachings of the sages, we can also gain further assistance in our studies.

以上各條，係為講易之前必知之事。以易經至不易明，必先知其研習之道，方不為歧途所誤。略指大概，以告讀者，或亦極深研幾之一助焉。

All these entries are essential knowledge to be understood before beginning the study of the Book of Changes. Since the Book of Changes is extremely difficult to comprehend, one must first clarify the proper approach to studying it, in order not to be led astray by wrong paths. Here, only a general outline is given to inform the reader, which may offer some assistance in understanding the phrase "extreme depth and subtle inquiry" from the Upper Great Treatise.

易道玄微，至於無名無形；易象廣博，包乎萬物萬事。蓋有天地以後，無物不在易中；未有天地以前，一氣即為易體。故先後天之名，首著於易；天地鬼神之情，盡備於易；性命道德之言，皆詳於易；生死變化之數，均述於易。

The Dao discussed in the Book of Changes is profound and subtle, reaching a level where it cannot be named or seen. The images taken from the Book of Changes are extensive and comprehensive, encompassing all things and events. After the formation of heaven and earth, there is nothing outside the scope of the Book of Changes; before the formation of heaven and earth, that primordial qi was the essence of the Book of Changes. Therefore, the terms "Earlier Heaven" and "Later Heaven" first appear in the Book of Changes; the forms of heaven, earth, ghosts, and spirits are fully recorded in it; discussions on nature, destiny, and morality are most detailed in it; and the numerical principles of birth and death transformations are also explained in it.

以言天地，則盡其神；以言人物，則概共逍。以言往，則溯諸無始而立其極；以言來，則推至無盡而明其化。以修，則道立而德成；以行，則事理而物順。以其功言，則成王道之治而無所為；以其體言，則符仙佛之真而大有得。以用於尋常，而不悖於情性；以致其遠大，而能底於中和。是為道德之宗、命數之本，天人之所由一，事物之所由平，政治以成，制作以著，君子小人各盡其德，聖愚賢否各適所成。雖取舍萬殊，而底於一道；雖變化盡態，而歸於至中。

Using the Yi Jing to explain heaven and earth, one can fully explain their mysterious nature; using it to explain people and things, one can roughly summarize the principles of all things. Looking back, it can trace back to the beginningless origin, establishing the fundamental basis for all existence; looking forward, it can extend endlessly, explaining the principles of change. Using it for cultivation, one can establish the Way and achieve virtue; using it for action, one can make things reasonable and external matters smooth. In terms of its effects, it can achieve the governance of the Way of the King while appearing to do nothing; in terms of its essence, it can conform to the true reality realized by immortals and Buddhas, thus gaining great benefit. Applying it in daily life, it does not contradict human nature; pushing it to great heights, it can return to the state of "zhonghe" (harmony in the middle). Therefore, it is the master of morality and the root of destiny, the place where heaven and humanity can be united, and the source from which all affairs and things are settled. Politics relies on it to be established, systems and objects rely on it to be set up; gentlemen and petty people each fulfill their virtue, sages, fools, virtuous persons, and the unvirtuous each achieve their proper state. Although choices and rejections may differ greatly, in the end they all return to the same Way; although changes may exhaust all forms, in the end they all return to the ultimate middle path.

蓋本諸天道之常，仿於大道之則，宜於人物之情性，辨於幽明之感通。故在天地間，生成者莫能外；從事物間，行止者莫能違。允宜為萬古之師、萬類所倚。以為教化，則包諸宗；以為文章，則造至極。苟非至聖，孰能為之。

The Book of Changes is based on the constant principles of heaven's way, following the great Dao's principles, conforming to the nature of people and things, and distinguishing the communication between the hidden (ghosts and spirits) and the manifest (human affairs). Therefore, in the world of heaven and earth, whatever is born and formed cannot go beyond its scope; in the realm of things, whatever moves and stops cannot violate its standards. It truly deserves to be called the teacher of all generations and the fundamental reliance of all beings. Using it for education, it can encompass all schools of thought; using it for writing, it can reach the highest perfection. If one is not the highest sage, who could compose such a book?

故夫子備言其精，諸儒各贊其要，合五經以證其終始，勵眾善以徵其初成。不可視為古書，同諸舊史；不可作為文藝，比之詩詞。精益求精，必實行而後得；博而反約，必貫通而有成。是以講演不厭其詳，研求尤須盡力。珍聞而寶藏於心，等諸拳拳之顏子；集思而實行於事，毋負循循之尼山。庶易道獲見重明，後生不迷古訓，則世運亦將成大治，萬國盡化於斯文矣！是為序。

Therefore, Confucius explained the subtle aspects of the Book of Changes thoroughly, and later Confucian scholars each emphasized its essential points. They combined it with the Five Classics of Poetry, Book of Documents, Rites, Music, and Spring and Autumn Annals to verify its beginning and end, encouraging people to be virtuous and testing its initial effectiveness. It should not be regarded merely as an ancient text, treated equally with old historical records; nor should it be considered as a literary work, compared with poetry. To pursue excellence, one must practice it personally to gain understanding; to return from breadth to simplicity, one must integrate and comprehend it fully. Therefore, when explaining, there is no objection to being detailed, and when studying, one must strive with all one's effort. When encountering precious principles, one should treasure them in the heart, like Yan Hui, who is praised in the Doctrine of the Mean as 'clinging to them with sincerity and devotion'; gathering the thoughts of many and applying them to practical affairs, without failing to live up to Confucius' painstaking guidance at Nishan. In this way, the Way of the Book of Changes may once again become clear, and later scholars will not lose themselves in ancient teachings, so the world's affairs will move toward great order, and all nations will be nurtured by this continuous culture. This is the conclusion of this preface.

易者，古聖人作也。傳於庖犧，紹述於神農、軒轅，繼承於堯舜及夏后氏，周文因而變化之，以成今傳之經。蓋庖犧時，因河圖、洛書之見也，而明察天地之象，概論人物之情：上以窮生化之初，下以辨變易之軌；幽以探於神鬼，明以合於日月；遠以徵於四極，近以求於一心，而後知天地生成、物類化育。

The Book of Changes was composed by ancient sages. It was passed down by Fuxi, then continued by Shen Nong and the Yellow Emperor, and further transmitted through Yao, Shun, and the Xia dynasty. It was only during the time of King Wen of Zhou that it was adapted and transformed from previous teachings, becoming the classic we have today. When Fuxi lived, it was because the Yellow River Chart and the Luo Writing appeared that he was able to discern the patterns of heaven and earth, and to summarize the conditions of people and things. He explored the origin of all generation and transformation, clarified the rules of change, investigated the hidden aspects of ghosts and spirits, and verified the brightness of the sun and moon. He looked far to the extreme corners of the world and looked near to his own mind. Only then did he understand how heaven and earth were generated and how all things were nurtured.

情性本於道，氣質成於神。有其用必有其本，有其後必有其先。陰陽必循環以為行，水火必生制以為用。物必有極，事必有中。見諸外者，形質之消長，而變化以成；存於中者，氣神之營運，而中極有立。道者，依體以用而不窮；天者，依道以行而不息。是以有本則不失其序，有道則不盡於用。以不二為德，則生生不已；以至中為體，則循環無端。皆順乎自然，適於至道。無為而無不為，無思而無不中，無慮而無不得。

Human emotions and nature are rooted in the Dao. Human qi and form are condensed by the Shen. If there is function, there must be its essence; if there is later, there must be prior. Yin and Yang must cycle and return to achieve their operation. Water and fire must both generate and restrain each other to fulfill their function. All things have a limit, and all affairs have a center. What is apparent is the growth and decline of form and material, through which transformation is completed; what is contained is the movement of qi and Shen, through which the central and correct pivot is established. The Dao is the essence upon which function depends, and its use is inexhaustible. The Heaven is the operation following the great Dao, never ceasing. Therefore, having a root ensures order, and having the Dao ensures function is not exhausted. Taking "not dual" as virtue allows continuous generation; taking "extreme center" as essence allows cycling without end. All this follows nature and conforms to the highest Dao. Thus, there is no action yet all is done, no thought yet all is accurate, no planning yet all is attained.

故明道之為道，則天地人物莫外道以生成；明天之為天，則生長盈虛莫非氣所運用；明生之為生，則吉凶壽夭不出數之進退；明數之為數，則行藏出處宜因時之推移。時者屬乎天，位者隸於地。天地者，人物生存傷殺之宰；時位者，事物消長代謝之機。由天地以後言，則人物自天地出；由天地以前言，則天地自道成。所謂形上為道，形下為器；道器之間，一以貫之，是謂之易。故作易以明一切，凡先天後天人物，莫不歸於易。

Understanding why "Dao" is called Dao, one realizes that nothing in heaven, earth, or human beings can be generated without Dao. Understanding why "Heaven" is called Heaven, one realizes that all growth, fullness, and waning are due to the movement of Qi. Understanding why "Sheng" is called Sheng, one realizes that fortune and misfortune, longevity and short life, all follow the rise and fall of "Shu." Understanding why "Shu" is called Shu, one realizes that whether one should take office or retire depends on the movement of the times. "Time" is governed by Heaven, and "position" is controlled by Earth. Heaven and Earth are the masters that allow beings to live and also cause them to suffer harm and destruction; time and position are the key factors in the growth and change of things. From the perspective after Heaven and Earth were formed, human beings and all things originated from Heaven and Earth. From the perspective before Heaven and Earth were formed, Heaven and Earth themselves originated from Dao. The "Great Treatise" of the upper part says, "What is above form is called Dao, and what is below form is called objects." The relationship between Dao and objects is connected by a single principle, which is called "Yi." Therefore, the sages created the Book of Changes to explain everything. Whether it is the Earlier Heaven, the Later Heaven, human beings, or things, all are included in the Book of Changes.

易者，一也、中也、極也。無始而有始，無形而有形，無名而有名。易者，自有以溯無也，自無以推有也；有無均齊於易，故易作而有無以名。天地既奠，日月山河各有其紀，飛潛木石各有其類，世代遞嬗、歲時遷移各有其序，生長收藏、盈絀美惡各有其名，而一於不一，同於不同。各因所適所宜，以始以終，其所維繫之道、往來之途，各因所合所制，以成以敗，皆統於易，以歸中極，而順於天道。故易立而萬類以定。

The concept of "Yi" (Change) is "One," is "Center," is "Extreme." It originally had no beginning yet had a beginning, originally had no form yet had a form, originally had no name yet had a name. The "Yi" can trace "Being" back to "Non-being," and derive "Being" from "Non-being"; thus, "Being" and "Non-being" are treated equally within the "Yi." Therefore, once the "Yi" was established, "Being" and "Non-being" acquired names. Once heaven and earth were set in place, the sun and moon, mountains and rivers each had their own order. Birds, fish, grass, trees, and stones each had their own categories. Generations succeeded each other, and the four seasons shifted in their own order. Growth and harvest, fullness and emptiness, beauty and ugliness each had their own names. Yet within the "Not One," there is the "One," and within the "Not the Same," there is the "Same." All things begin and end according to their proper place. The paths they rely upon and the ways they travel also succeed or fail according to their meeting and constraints. All these are governed by the "Yi," culminating in the central and upright pivot, thus aligning with the Way of Heaven. Therefore, once the "Yi" was established, all things found their proper place.

天地之間，人為貴。人之生也，受天地之中氣而有性命，順造化之推移而辨等名，因生養老死之道而有人事，因喜怒美惡之感而有人情。而有以適之、全之、利之、導之，以底於成德；而有以教之、誨之、鑑之、臨之，以盡其原始要終之道。是皆備於易，故易立而人道以全。

Between heaven and earth, humans are the most esteemed. When humans are born, they receive the harmonious qi from heaven and earth, thus possessing nature and destiny. Following the changes of the universe, distinctions of rank and status are established. Because of the process of birth, nurturing, aging, and death, human affairs come into being. Because of the feelings of joy, anger, preference, and aversion, human emotions arise. Therefore, there are various methods to adapt to them, preserve them, guide them, and lead them, so that people may cultivate virtue. There are also various methods to educate them, instruct them, provide them with lessons, and personally supervise them, so that the principle of examining the beginning and concluding the end may be fully explained. All these contents are fully included in the Book of Changes. Therefore, once the Book of Changes is established, the way of human beings is complete.

夫聖人之於天道也，通於神明，見於隱微；於人道也，明於性情，備於教政；於物之宜、事之利也，詳於本末，昭於變化。而後立易以告於天下，垂於有眾，使天下不迷所生化之道，不失其修為之德，不惑神鬼之靈，不悖性命之則，而皆生成安樂，與物同壽，與天地同德，日月同明，鬼神同其吉凶，氣運同其變化。而後聖人成物之道盡，成己之德宏，而天下無不被其德、悅其道。此則聖人立易教民之功，可並天地覆載；其明誠修道之行，即同於治平政刑之施。

The sage, in regard to the heavenly way, can communicate with the divine and perceive hidden things; in regard to human affairs, can understand human nature and qualities, and fully carry out education and governance; in regard to whether things are suitable or beneficial, can thoroughly examine the beginning and end, and clearly observe changes. Only after this did he create the Book of Changes to enlighten the people and set an example for all, so that people would not lose the principles of generation and transformation, would not lose the virtue they have cultivated, would not be confused by the supernatural, and would not violate the principles of life and nature. Thus, all people can live in comfort and prosperity, live as long as the myriad things, share the virtue of heaven and earth, shine with the brightness of the sun and moon, share the fortune and misfortune of the spirits, and follow the changes of the vital energies. At this point, the sage's way of completing things is complete, and his virtue of perfecting himself is great, and no one is left without his grace or not convinced by his way. This is the sage's achievement in creating the Book of Changes to educate the people, which can be compared with the covering of heaven and the bearing of earth; his practice of self-cultivation and sincerity, and the cultivation of the great way, is equivalent to governing the country and bringing peace to the world, and implementing laws and punishments.

故易之立也為教民，而人之明易，為率聖人之教，以致於自明誠者也。天下人類，果皆率是教以立其誠，則易之道成矣。易者，有易之義，言將易天下也；有不易之義，言示其體不易，而後其用不盡也；有簡易之義，言推始於太一，而立本不二，以成其無息之德，達其用中之道也。知斯三義，而後明易，易豈易言乎哉！

Therefore, the creation of the Book of Changes was to educate the people, and for people to understand the Book of Changes is to follow the teachings of the sages, seeking to attain the state of "self-realization leading to sincerity." If all people could establish their sincerity according to this teaching, then the way of the Book of Changes would be realized. The character "易" has three meanings: first, "change" (bian yi), meaning that it is used to transform the world; second, "unchanging" (bu yi), meaning that it reveals the constant nature of the fundamental essence, and only because it is unchanging can its function be inexhaustible; third, "simplicity" (jian yi), meaning that it traces the origin of all things back to "Taiyi" (the Ultimate Oneness), establishes a single and pure foundation, thus achieving an endless virtue and attaining the use of maintaining the middle way. Only after understanding these three meanings can one speak of truly comprehending the Book of Changes—the Book of Changes is not something that can be easily discussed!

今先將講易之法說明。講時採用一善本為準，五經各本向多用朱本；唯易經，朱本有未善，不及後世來氏本。不過來氏所演圖表過繁，祇宜參考，難為讀本。

First, explain the method of studying the Yi. When beginning, select a good edition as the basis. For the five classics, the commonly used edition has traditionally been Zhu Xi's annotated version. However, Zhu Xi's "The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes" has some shortcomings and is not as comprehensive as Lai Zhide's "Collected Commentaries on the Zhou Changes" from later generations. Nevertheless, Lai's charts and diagrams are too complicated and are only suitable for reference, not for use as a textbook.

今奉夫子命，就來本節取必要圖表，附列經文之前，去其繁而存其精，以便初學。因言易用圖表，前人均有傳圖，為講習之用；漢時儒者失之，乃傳於道家及術數者流。儒人祇重文字訓詰，雖有所得，不以附經本，使圖表無傳，非易之不用圖表也。

Now, following the mandate of Confucius, I will select the necessary charts from Lai Zhide's edition and append them before the text of the Classic, omitting the complicated and retaining the essential parts, to facilitate the study of beginners. As for the use of charts in explaining the Book of Changes, previous scholars had already passed down diagrams for instructional purposes. However, during the Han dynasty, the Confucian scholars lost these diagrams, and they instead came into the hands of Daoist and numerological schools. The Confucian scholars only focused on textual interpretation and etymology, and even if they had insights, they were unwilling to include the diagrams in the main text, leading to the loss of these charts—this does not mean that the Book of Changes originally did not use charts.

宋時以周邵之所習，得於道家，參於術數之書，經程朱審擇，加於經本之前，易於是有圖說；而不得其全，不明其用，仍無補於易。來氏復增演之，以廣其旨，固較詳備矣，而不明其統系，不知其用之主賓、義之先後，猶難使習者一目瞭然。今就所演加以審正，為之講明，以見古人易教之全，而竟易道之用，庶於後世讀者有所裨益。至其錯誤或疑謬之處，隨時指正可也。

By the Song dynasty, the diagrams studied by Zhou Dunyi and Shao Yong were derived from Daoist sources and also referenced numerological texts. These diagrams were later reviewed and selected by Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi, and were added before the main text of the Book of Changes, thus giving rise to the diagrammatic explanations of the Book of Changes. However, these diagrams were incomplete and their purposes were not clearly understood, so they did not greatly assist in understanding the Book of Changes. Lai Zhide further expanded and elaborated on them, making his explanations more detailed than those of his predecessors. Yet he did not fully grasp the systematic relationships among the diagrams, nor did he understand the order of priority in their application and in their philosophical meanings. Therefore, his work still failed to make the diagrams easily comprehensible to learners. Now, by examining and correcting his elaborations, we can explain each diagram in detail, so that people can see the complete teaching of the Book of Changes as presented by ancient scholars, and fully reveal the practical applications of the principles of the Book of Changes, hoping to benefit future readers. As for any errors or doubtful points, they can be corrected as they are pointed out.

又曰：言易本天道，而習易則人事也。言天道則重氣數，言人事則重象。以氣數言象，是天道；以象言氣數，是人事。因氣數難知，象易見也。先有氣數而後生象，此天道之自然；先明象而後明氣數，此人事之次序。要皆本末之道也。

It is also said that the study of the Book of Changes is based on the heavenly way, while the practice of the Book of Changes relates to human affairs. When discussing the heavenly way, the emphasis is on "qi and numbers," while when discussing human affairs, the emphasis is on "images." Starting from qi and numbers to explain images follows the path of the heavenly way; starting from images to infer qi and numbers follows the path of human affairs. This is because qi and numbers are difficult to know directly, while images are easy to observe. First there is qi and numbers, then images arise, which is the natural order of the heavenly way; first understanding images, then inferring qi and numbers, is the sequence in human affairs. In summary, all of this is about the principle of "origin" and "result."

如見天災時變而知天意，即由象以知氣數，是由末達本者也；而象因氣數所生成，非有象而後氣數至，是由本及末之道也。故明本不必求末，而不及本者，必自末始。

For example, observing natural disasters and anomalies in the seasons to infer the will of Heaven is to deduce the destiny from the manifestations, which is 'from the end to the origin'. However, the manifestations are generated by the destiny, not that the manifestations come first and then the destiny follows. This is 'from the origin to the end'. Therefore, those who have already understood the origin do not need to look at the manifestations, while those who have not yet reached the origin must start from the manifestations.

今之災變多矣。天之風雨旱潦不必論，即物之為變亦夥矣：蛆出道上，雞生雙首，種種怪異，非象之見耶？至於蝗蝻之災，又其至明者，皆氣數所感化而然。欲明氣數，但求之象，即知天變之不已矣！故災有天災，異有物異，而莫非氣數為之，而亦非人心召之，人之變異尤多矣！

The current calamities and strange occurrences are numerous. Not only are the heavenly phenomena such as rain, wind, drought, and floods not to be overlooked, but also there are many abnormal occurrences among creatures: maggots crawling on the roads, chickens giving birth to two heads, and various strange happenings. Are these not manifestations of "images" (xiang)? As for locusts' larvae causing disasters, it is even more evident. These are all caused by the changes in the vital energy and destiny. To understand the vital energy and destiny, one should look at these images, and thus realize that the changes in heavenly phenomena have never ceased. Therefore, calamities may come from above, and strange occurrences may arise from abnormal phenomena among creatures; none of them are not caused by the vital energy and destiny, nor are they not brought about by human hearts. The changes within people themselves are even more numerous.

怪產奇病且不必數，即風尚之壞、情性之乖，或致逆倫悖理，鮮恥敗德，皆自人心之非成之。人心如斯，欲氣數之不變，得乎？此古人重天變而必責於人事也。氣數雖自天定，而變為災福，則人所感召。人祇知天災之難堪，不知人心之難善，是重末忘本，如浮舟海中，欲其不動，何可得也。易者易也，以人易天，以天易數，皆有必至之勢、固然之理。精於易者，唯求易其不善為善，而可易其災害為福。是則聖人以易為教之本旨，端在此乎。

Strange births and rare diseases need not be listed one by one. Just consider the moral corruption and perverse dispositions that lead to violations of human relationships and disorder in affairs, along with the lack of shame and the destruction of virtue. All these are caused by evil in the human heart. When the human heart reaches such a state, can it still expect the natural order to remain unchanged? This is why ancient people paid great attention to celestial anomalies and always traced them back to human actions. Although the natural order is determined by heaven, whether it turns into calamity or blessing depends on human actions. People only realize the difficulty of enduring natural disasters, but they do not realize the difficulty of turning the human heart toward goodness. This is focusing on the branches while neglecting the root, like trying to keep a boat from moving while it floats on the sea. How could that be possible? The Book of Changes is about transformation: changing heaven through human effort, and changing destiny through heaven, all have their inevitable trends and natural reasons. Those who truly understand the Book of Changes only seek to transform their own evils into goodness, thus turning calamity into blessing. The intention of the sages in using the Book of Changes as a teaching is probably precisely this.

易經上下篇，文王所制。其卦象本伏羲以來所有卦辭爻象，參古易而加入新義，此今之經文也。繫辭上下傳、說卦傳、文言各類文章，則夫子蒐集古聖所傳、各易所用，而與文王易有相發明者。序卦傳則夫子就文王之卦序而說明其義趣也。雜卦象則夫子參合各易，變通文王之序而推衍其變化也。故傳皆成於夫子。文王之經，夫子之傳，乃為今易之本。經文雖不盡作於文王，而文王總其成，以卦序實文王所制也；傳文雖不盡成於夫子，而夫子約其要，以刪訂十翼，實夫子之功也。

The Book of Changes consists of two parts, compiled by King Wen of Zhou. The hexagrams in it follow all the hexagram statements and lines from Fuxi's time, and also incorporate new meanings from various ancient versions of the Book of Changes, resulting in the present text of the classic. The articles such as the Upper and Lower Great Treatises, the Discourses on the Hexagrams, and the Discourses on the Meaning of the Hexagrams were collected by Confucius from the teachings of ancient sages and the various versions of the Book of Changes, and they complement and clarify King Wen's Book of Changes. The Discourse on the Order of the Hexagrams explains the meaning of the hexagram sequence arranged by King Wen. The Discourse on the Miscellaneous Hexagrams combines various versions of the Book of Changes, altering the order of King Wen's hexagrams and elaborating on their transformations. Therefore, all the "transmissions" were completed in Confucius' hands. King Wen's "Classic" combined with Confucius' "transmissions" forms the foundation of the present version of the Book of Changes. Although the classic text is not entirely composed by King Wen, he compiled it as a whole, since the hexagram sequence was indeed arranged by him. Although the "transmissions" were not entirely written by Confucius, he summarized and edited them into the "Ten Wings," which is truly his contribution.

此易經一書，雖曰自伏羲始，不過有其卦耳；雖曰歷神農、黃帝、唐、虞、夏、商各易之變，不過間存其詞，見其義耳。故名之周易，實文王與夫子二聖之作。微文王，無周易；微夫子，周易之義不全。以經文簡，而當時憂讒畏譏，有不能盡諸文章者，故曰書不盡言，言不盡意。以此夫子必為補之，補之不可雜於經，故列為傳。

The book of Changes, although said to have begun with Fuxi, in reality Fuxi had only the hexagrams. Though it went through changes during the reigns of Shen Nong, the Yellow Emperor, the Xia Yao, Yu Shun, the Xia and Shang dynasties, in reality it only occasionally preserved some phrases and revealed a little meaning. Therefore, it is called the Zhou Changes, but in fact it was written by King Wen and the Master. Without King Wen, there would be no Zhou Changes; without the Master, the meaning of the Zhou Changes would be incomplete. Because the classic text is too concise, and King Wen was in a state of distress, fearing slander and criticism, some things could not be fully expressed in writing. Therefore, the Great Treatise says, "Writing cannot fully express speech, speech cannot fully express meaning." Because of this, the Master had to supplement it; but the supplement could not be mixed with the classic text, so it was set apart as a "Transmission."

傳者，明有所傳也；繫辭者，明其繫於經也。凡繫、傳、文言之類，皆為周易不可少之文章。以周易之義，待文而後盡；若無之，則周易猶殘闕也。而夫子十翼之功，不在文王下，且文王未言者，亦得夫子為詳其略而顯其微，此足見夫子憲章之功矣。

Called "Zhuan," it indicates that it has a transmission; called "Xì Cí," it indicates that it is attached to the classic text. All texts such as "Xì Cí," "Zhuan," and "Wényán" are essential parts of the Zhou Changes. Because the meaning of the Zhou Changes is not fully explained until these texts are present; without them, the Zhou Changes would be incomplete. The contributions of the Master in composing the "Ten Wings" are no less than those of King Wen; moreover, where King Wen did not speak, the Master elaborated on the brief and revealed the subtle, thereby clearly demonstrating the Master's achievement of "Xian Zhang Wen Wu" (adhering to and explaining the ways of the former kings).

經文與傳之有同異者，則由傳採自他易，傳於先賢，有所授也；或與傳文參差互出者，則由經文義有未盡，得於言外而為補述也。故傳文中上下繫傳，全為輔證經文不足者。凡古人制作，取義必專，立旨必純，故成一家言，有獨重之義與旨，而不雜他說；即有摭拾者，亦其言與其義旨同，雖言不同而實同。此不得視為合各家言，文王之易亦如是也。

There are differences and similarities between the text of the Classic and the Commentary, because the Commentary draws from other versions of the Book of Changes, passed down by wise men of previous generations, each with its own origin; sometimes the texts of the Commentaries differ from each other and contradict one another, because the meanings in the Classic are not fully explained, and need to be supplemented with explanations beyond the text. Therefore, the Upper and Lower Commentaries on the Great Treatise are all used to complement and verify the deficiencies in the Classic. All ancient writings take meaning with a single focus and establish a clear purpose, so they can form their own distinctive schools of thought, emphasizing particular meanings and purposes, without mixing in ideas from other schools; even when they borrow from earlier sources, the borrowed words are consistent with their own meaning and purpose, differing only in wording but not in essence. Therefore, they should not be regarded as a compilation of views from different schools—King Wen's Book of Changes is also like this.

故所不錄者，唯宜補之於傳，而以繫傳名之，明其義本經文應有，以未得列入，別立為傅而繫之於經云耳。故繫傳上下，含義最宏，取例最多，凡以前各易及涉於數象者，無不採錄。雖言近雜紀，義若旁搜，而皆本易中固有之理，與氣數必明之道。如河圖、洛書、二氣五行、九宮甲子、五音六律、五運六氣，以及天文地理、日星軌度、歲時節候之類，凡屬於氣之所化、形之所生，數有推移、象有升沉者，皆易也，皆易象固有者也，故皆宜採之以證易，而見易之廣大神用。此係傳所摭拾，非一家言：大之性道之功，小之術數之學，明則日用起居之事，玄則神天幽渺之說，皆詳載焉。苟讀經而不先讀之，則將不知易之用矣！

All explanations not included in the main text should be supplemented in the "Transmission" and named "Xixi" to indicate that these principles were originally part of the main text but were omitted and thus established as a separate transmission attached to the main text. Therefore, the Upper and Lower Xixi transmissions contain the most extensive meanings and the most numerous examples. All previous interpretations of the Book of Changes and all matters related to numbers and symbols are included. Although they appear to be miscellaneous notes, seemingly collecting various ideas, they are all based on the inherent principles of the Book of Changes and the essential paths needed to understand the principles of qi and numbers. For example, the Yellow River Chart and the Luo Writing, the two energies of yin and yang, the Five Phases, the Nine Palaces and the Jiazi cycle, the Five Tones and the Six Laws, the Five Movements and the Six Energies, as well as astronomical and geographical knowledge, the movements of the sun and moon and the stars, and the seasonal changes and climatic conditions throughout the four seasons—all these belong to the transformations of qi and the manifestations of form, and involve changes in numbers and the rising, falling, sinking, and floating of symbols. All of these belong to the Book of Changes and are inherently present in the Book of Changes' symbolic system. Therefore, they should all be collected to verify the Book of Changes, thereby demonstrating its vast and profound nature. It is clear that the Xixi transmissions do not represent the views of a single school: they cover great matters such as the cultivation of the mind and the Way, and small matters such as divination and numerology; they include practical daily affairs and profound theories about heavenly spirits and the mysteries of the unseen. All these are thoroughly recorded. If one only reads the main text without first reading the transmissions, they would not know how to apply the Book of Changes.

繫傳者，由習易言，較經尤要。經限於體制，故辭約義簡；傅則無所限也，而其辭贍，其義宏，上下古今、鉅細顯隱，無不及也。故其言易，有先天、有後天、有連歸、有本宮、有歲象、闢卦之類；其言數象也，有河圖、洛書，有太極兩儀，有天地生成數，有五運六氣、甲子歲會之圖。其為古聖所發明者，自伏羲卦象變為文字，神農醫藥，黃帝曆數，及諸制作、文物器具、設立教政、開天下先者，無不可由傳中知之。雖為一經之傳，實儗於上世之史。其義則由於中國文化自易卦始；易卦以前雖有難稽，其可考者皆在易卦後也，皆仿諸卦象者也。

In terms of studying the Book of Changes, the Commentary is more important than the classic text itself. The classic text is constrained by its format, so its language is concise and its meaning is brief; the Commentary, however, is not constrained, so its language is rich and its meaning is vast, covering all aspects from above to below, from ancient to modern, from great to small, from obvious to hidden. Therefore, it discusses the Book of Changes, including the Earlier Heaven, the Later Heaven, the Classic of Continuous Mountains and the Classic of Returning Concealment, as well as concepts like the original palace, the annual phenomena, and the method of dividing the hexagrams. It discusses numbers and symbols, including the Yellow River Chart, the Luo Writing, the Taiji and the two principles, the numbers of heaven and earth generation, and the diagrams of the five movements and six qi, as well as the cycle of the Jiazi years. As for the inventions of ancient sages, from the transformation of the hexagrams into characters by Fuxi, to the medicine of Shen Nong, the calendar and mathematics of the Yellow Emperor, and various creations, cultural artifacts, the establishment of education and governance, and the pioneering achievements in the world, all of these can be known from the Commentary. Although it is merely a commentary on a single classic, it can be compared to ancient historical records. This is because Chinese culture originally began with the hexagrams of the Book of Changes: events before the hexagrams are difficult to verify, but all verifiable events are after the hexagrams, and all of them were derived from the hexagrams.

故易卦實包天地，納古今而弗遺。言人道者必從之，以明為人之生；言天道者必因之，以明天地之建。故名曰易，既太易，亦太一也，為萬有之始，以上無所有也。故曰易，言自此而後變易；變易則無者為有，一者為眾矣。此易道至廣至高，而繫傳之辭以繁、義以博，職是故也。

Therefore, the hexagrams of the Book of Changes indeed encompass heaven and earth, include past and present, and leave nothing out. Those who discuss human affairs must follow it in order to understand the fundamental principles of being a person and establishing oneself; those who discuss heavenly affairs must rely on it in order to understand how heaven and earth are established. Hence it is called "Change," which is both "Great Change" and "Great Oneness," the beginning of all things, and there is nothing above it. It is called "Change" because from here onwards change begins; once change occurs, what was originally non-existent becomes existent, and what was originally one becomes many. The way of the Book of Changes is so vast and lofty, and hence the words of the "Commentary on the Hexagrams" are therefore rich and its meanings are therefore broad, precisely for this reason.

易之為書，傳自上古。伏羲氏始畫八卦，初具規模；後之聖人紹述推衍，制卦既備，列爻亦明。唐虞三代，各有演習，分為連山、歸藏、乾坤之易。文王重加纂序，宏以文章，變其占例，著為典則；周公紹之，詳陳論議，博採遺言，撰為至教。是今傳之易也。

The book of Changes, called the Yijing, has been passed down from ancient times. Fuxi first drew the Eight Trigrams, but they were only in their initial form. Later sages continued to explain and develop them, establishing the trigrams completely and arranging the lines clearly. Tang Yao, Yu舜, and the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties each practiced their own versions, dividing them into three types: Lianshan, Guicang, and Guanqian. King Wen of Zhou reorganized them, expanded them with words, changed the system of divination, and created a set of rules. The Duke of Zhou continued his work, elaborately explaining and arguing, widely collecting the sayings left by previous generations, and compiled the highest teaching. This is the Yijing that is passed down today.

上古無文字，制作文物均極簡陋。伏羲覽河圖、洛書而後制卦象，是則文字之所始也。雖當時類無文章，有如圖畫，實則象意之字，猶之鳥官氏之象形字也。字雖傳於鳥官，畫實創於伏羲。其象形之字、會意之文，多取義結繩，制於歷代，非創自鳥官也。以記載無史，傳說難詳，故莫能盡考所自作耳。

In ancient times, there were no written characters, and all tools and objects were extremely simple. After observing the Yellow River Chart and the Luo Writing, Fuxi established the trigrams, which marked the beginning of writing. Although it was not yet considered as written text, it appeared as pictures, but in fact it was meaningful characters, similar to the pictographs of the Shao Hao era of the Bird Officials. Although these characters were passed down by the Bird Officials, the pictures were indeed created by Fuxi. These pictographic characters and ideographic symbols mostly derived their meanings from the ancient practice of knot-tying for record-keeping, and were gradually established over generations, not solely invented by the Bird Officials. Since there were no historians to record events at that time, and legends are difficult to verify in detail, it is impossible to determine exactly who created each particular character.

而易之卦象，則傳之最久，固昭昭於人耳目，知為伏義之創制焉。其後聖人推其義、宏其用，以為制作之本、典型之由，故尤重之，蓋歷代文物莫不祖述於易也。易之所作，既因圖書，傳之天然，有非人為；其推衍變化，皆天地自然之序；其運用本末，皆造化自在之則。固非人制之，乃人為明之耳。創之者然，述之者然，紹演變化者亦然。以其本末天道、終始運數，有定序，有極則，不得有所易也。故易者，天道所自見、運數所由明，而備於人天相合之教者也。

But the hexagrams of the Book of Changes have been passed down for the longest time, clearly visible to all people, and everyone knows they were created by Fuxi. Later sages elaborated on its meaning and expanded its applications, using it as the foundation for various creations and the origin of rituals and systems, so they especially valued it—no cultural institutions or systems throughout history have not drawn from the Book of Changes. Since the Book of Changes was created based on the Yellow River Chart and the Luo Writing, it is a natural revelation, not man-made. Its patterns of derivation and transformation follow the natural order of heaven and earth; its principles of application, beginning and end, are inherent in the workings of nature. Therefore, it was not made by people, but rather people revealed it. The creator was like this, the narrator was like this, and those who further developed its transformations were also like this. Because it follows the principles of heaven from beginning to end, and the course of fate in an orderly way, with a definite sequence and a final standard, it does not allow for arbitrary changes. Thus, the Book of Changes is the place where the heavenly way reveals itself, where the course of fate becomes clear, and also a complete system of teaching that enables people to align with heaven.

卦象之制，亦本氣數之盈虛而定，其多少變易，莫非天地自然之物所合者也。卦序之制，雖各易不同，亦本於氣運之往復進止，循環以成，莫非天地常變之道所孚者也。卦之有本末內外及生成消息之象，爻之有時位變化、天地人鬼之象，易之有天地父母、萬物萬事之類，占之有吉凶禍福、因果感應之類，皆本於天地固有者也。卦序之有先後天之別，卦用之有主客體用之別，易之有門戶、槖鑰、奇偶、正反之名，占之有來去、變異、從違、動靜之名，亦皆天道人道固然者也。

The establishment of hexagrams is based on the waxing and waning of qi. The variations in the number of lines in hexagrams are all in harmony with natural phenomena in the universe. The sequence of hexagrams, although different among various books of the Book of Changes, is all derived from the movement and return of qi, the forward and backward motion, and the cyclical repetition, thus conforming to the constant and changing principles of heaven and earth. Hexagrams have images of origin and end, inside and outside, generation and decline. Lines have changes in time and position, and images of heaven, earth, humanity, and spirits. The Book of Changes has categories such as heaven and earth, parents, and all things and all matters. Divination has terms such as good fortune and misfortune, calamity and blessing, cause and effect, andsympathetic response. All of these are based on things that heaven and earth originally possess. The sequence of hexagrams is divided into Earlier Heaven and Later Heaven. The use of hexagrams is divided into main and guest, body and function. The Book of Changes has terms such as 'doorway', 'key', 'odd and even', 'positive and negative'. Divination has terms such as 'coming and going', 'change and variation', 'following and opposing', 'movement and stillness'. All of these are as they are in the way of heaven and humanity.

蓋易者，聖人睹天地之序，測日月之度，明人物之情，達神鬼之德，而推其始終本末、生成變化之道，及夫人物事理所宜之類，明夫氣數消長、時地遷移，以合於人生，立為人道，而教民勿迷者也。易之為道至矣。

The Book of Changes is the sage's observation of the order of heaven and earth, calculation of the movement of sun and moon, clarification of the conditions of people and things, and understanding of the virtues of ghosts and spirits. Thus, it investigates the principles of the origin and development of all things, from beginning to end, from root to detail, and the proper categories of people, things, affairs, and principles. It clarifies how the vital energies wax and wane, and how time and place change, to suit human life and establish the way of being a person, guiding the people so they do not lose their way. The way embodied in the Book of Changes can be said to have reached its peak.

天之所授，神之所明，聖人從而演之以告人耳。雖天地末有之前，尚在易中，況天地乎？雖天地難知之道，尚可推知，況人物乎？故易者，其德顯，其道微，其用明，其體不可見；其大無外，其細無內。觀其象可盡其義，通其意可孚於神。雖立人道以始終，而歸於天道；雖驗氣數於既往，而極於末來。是以歷代聖人莫不諄諄焉：論之以闡其精，廣之以達其神，分合之以窮其變化，微驗之以明其氣數，唯恐人之未能盡其義理。故象外詳其辭，經外者著其傳，輔以圖序，參以蓍龜，其先覺覺民之心，已可見矣。

The Yi Classic discusses what is bestowed by Heaven and revealed by the divine, and the sages merely follow it, unfolding its principles to inform the people. Even the condition before Heaven and Earth came into being is included within the scope of the Yi, let alone Heaven and Earth themselves. Even the profound mysteries of Heaven and Earth can be understood, let alone human beings and things. Therefore, the Yi Classic has manifest virtue, subtle principles, clear function, yet its essence is invisible. It is great beyond the outer, and minute beyond the inner. Observing its images, one can fully grasp its meaning; comprehending its use, one can harmonize with the divine. Though it establishes the beginning and end of human affairs, it ultimately returns to the principles of Heaven; though it verifies the destiny of past events, it ultimately extends to the future. Therefore, sages of all ages have repeatedly emphasized: explaining it to clarify its subtleties, expanding it to grasp its mysteries, dividing and combining it to exhaust its transformations, and carefully verifying it to explain its destiny, fearing that people may not fully understand its meaning. Thus, in addition to its images, it is accompanied by words; beyond its main text, there are commentaries; it is supported by diagrams and sequences; and it is verified by yarrow stalks and oracle bones. The earnest concern of the enlightened ones to awaken the people is evident.

餘於文周之遺，習之既久，卒通其義，不敢負先聖垂教之意，更集其說以筆之書，授於二三子。既承文周之作，道備言審，象當義充，足盡他易之旨，故於連山等略其說，而唯周易是傳焉。然讀斯易，亦可包舉他易，以其為言精，為義廣，讀其一足盡其餘也。若有志者將更求之，亦易達連山歸藏之文矣。今當講周易之先，略述其大旨所闡，以資參究焉。

I have studied the legacy left by King Wen and the Duke of Zhou for a long time, and finally understood its meaning and principles. I dare not fail to live up to the intention of the sages who left these teachings for us. Therefore, I gathered the views of various schools and wrote a book to pass on to my disciples. Since I have inherited the works of King Wen and the Duke of Zhou, the reasoning is complete, the words are careful, the hexagrams are appropriate, and the principles are full. It is sufficient to include the meaning of all other books of Change. Therefore, I have omitted the discussion of the "Lianshan" and others, and only passed on the "Zhou Yi." However, reading this "Zhou Yi" is equivalent to understanding all other books of Change, because its statements are precise and its meanings are broad. If one understands this one, he will have mastered the rest. If someone with a strong will wishes to go further, he will find it easy to understand the texts of the "Lianshan" and the "Guicang." Now, before I begin to explain the "Zhou Yi," I will first briefly outline its main principles for everyone to study and refer to.

講易較難於他經，非望文釋義者也。易之始作，既在上古，經歷代聖人敷文陳義，其間增滅已多。欲明作者之心，必略文而求象；然初習者舍文字外，恆不解象之真義。歷代聖人亦以此故，始推衍其旨，詳述其文，而後卦有卦辭，爻有爻辭，彖象分詮，文言附釋。猶以為末盡，則更敷演其義，博採所聞，或繫詞，或說序，以成傳文，麗於經語。

Interpreting the Book of Changes is more difficult than interpreting other classics, and one cannot rely on the meaning of words alone. The Book of Changes was first composed in ancient times, and through the ages, sages have elaborated its words and explained its principles, with many additions and revisions in between. To understand the original intention of the author, one must temporarily set aside the words and seek meaning through the images. However, beginners who abandon the words often fail to grasp the true meaning of the images. For this reason, sages began to elaborate on its meaning and explain its words in detail, thus giving each hexagram its hexagram statement and each line its line statement. The Commentary on the Judgment and the Image Commentary explain these separately, while the Wenyan provides additional explanation. Still finding it insufficient, they further expanded on its meaning, widely collecting materials they had heard, composing the Great Treatise, the Explanation of the Hexagrams, and the Order of the Hexagrams, and writing commentaries attached to the main text.

其所陳釋，亦非一人之言，蓋得之師傳，參諸他本，集合其說，序列成章，無非以易道精宏，神用莫極，變化無盡，推測維艱。且以三易有殊，取材致用，不一類，不同科，較彼量此相得必多，去短留長，歸奇於正。而辭有不備，文有難宣，或略於經則詳於傳，或重於卦則輕於爻，意有互參，用有聯及，則不獨象之宜重，文亦必詳；經之宜求，傳亦必讀。是習易者固當知也。

These statements are not the words of a single person, but have been passed down by teachers and compared with other versions, gathering together the views of different schools and arranging them in order. The reason for doing this is simply because the principles of the Book of Changes are profound and vast, with its mysterious effects without end, its transformations boundless, and its interpretation extremely difficult. Moreover, the three versions of the Book of Changes differ from each other, their sources and methods of use not being the same. By comparing and weighing them against each other, one can gain much more, eliminating the shortcomings and retaining the strengths, correcting the deviant to the correct path. As for the wording, there are always incomplete parts, and meanings that are hard to express fully. Therefore, where the text is brief, the commentary explains in detail; where emphasis is placed on the hexagrams, the lines are relatively omitted. In meaning, they should be referred to mutually, and in application, they should be connected with each other. In this way, not only should the images be valued, but the wording must also be explained thoroughly. The classics should be studied, and the commentaries must also be read. This is something that those who study the Book of Changes should already know.

古人初制象時本以會意，雖文不傳，而畫已具，當視所畫之象為最簡之文。厥後文字既建，言詞漸繁，於原象之下引申其意，綴為文辭，則文字者既原象之廣義，當視其辭為漸明漸繁之象，不可分為二也。蓋象亦會意之文，文亦釋意之象，千古聖人後先同揆，作雖異時，義無二致。故讀易者象辭並重：先熟其辭，知象之會意有定義也；後習其象，知文之釋意有微旨也。二者通之，無所疑惑，則易道可見，聖人之心可明，而後用之不違，推之能化。神明之德、天人之道，蓋莫不盡於象與辭焉。

In the beginning, when ancient people created the trigrams, they originally followed the path of meaning through association. At that time, although there were no written characters passed down, pictures had already been formed, and the images drawn should be regarded as the most concise form of writing. Later, when writing systems were established, language became gradually more elaborate, and then the meanings of the original images were extended and combined into words. Therefore, writing is actually an extension of the original image, and these words should be regarded as gradually clearer and more complex images. We should not treat them as two separate things. The image is meaning through association, and writing is the explanation of meaning; for thousands of years, sages have followed the same principle, even though their creations were in different eras, the meaning remains the same. Therefore, those who study the Book of Changes should give equal importance to both the images and the words. First, read the words thoroughly, understanding the definite meaning of the images; then study the images, understanding the subtle implications hidden in the words. When both aspects are fully understood, there will be no doubts in the mind, and the way of the Book of Changes will become clear, the mind of the sages will be understood, and using it will not lead to mistakes, and its application will be able to reach all changes. The divine virtue and the great way of heaven and humanity are probably fully contained within the images and words.

且易之為用，重在變化。以人之智慧，通天下之故，達神鬼之情，必於變化中得之。象之會意，以象一事一物一時一地者也，而通其變，則必合他象而通參之；辭者釋意以辨類，亦當合他卦爻之辭而通參之。故習易者，象外求象，辭中索辭，如審物然，上下四旁、內外形狀，必通知之，非據一面而能盡其變化也。易之變化亦有定序，則須合全易之象辭通參之。天道不變，雖雙仍不亂其序，故序者，天下之定則也。而易之序則序卦傳為主，此讀易必及之。易卦之序有數種，其用不同，故所序異。而周易之序，則凡今天下所通行之則，莫不依以變化。後所得者，雖變不止此，尚有待於後聖，然今日之數則無違於此。

Moreover, the function of the Book of Changes lies in its emphasis on transformation. Human wisdom must understand the origins of all things under heaven and the conditions of ghosts and spirits, and this can only be achieved through the study of transformation. The images (xiang) are used to symbolize particular things, objects, times, or places; to understand their transformations, one must refer to other images in conjunction. The words (ci) explain meanings and distinguish categories, and they should also be considered together with the words of other hexagrams and lines. Therefore, those who study the Book of Changes must seek images beyond images and meanings within meanings, like examining an object carefully, considering all aspects—above and below, all directions, internal and external forms—without relying solely on one aspect to fully grasp its transformations. The transformations of the Book of Changes also follow a certain order, which requires the consideration of all the images and words of the entire Book of Changes. The heavenly way remains constant, and even when there are changes, it does not disrupt its order. Thus, "sequence" (xu) is the established rule for the world. The sequence of the Book of Changes is mainly based on the "Sequence of Hexagrams" (Xugua Zhuan), which is essential for studying the Book of Changes. The sequence of the hexagrams has several different forms, each with different purposes, so their arrangements vary. As for the sequence of the Zhou Changes, it is the universally accepted principle of the present age, and all changes follow it. Although later generations may achieve further transformations, they still await the wisdom of future sages; however, within the current era, these transformations will not exceed this scope.

易之有體用者，亦由序卦之殊。如伏羲之序異於文王，連山歸藏之易異於周易，後人始有先後天之名。田先天不變，後天重在變；先天不用，後天重在用。由道言之，先天為主，後天為從；由人事言之，皆在後天，一至先天，無所為矣。故周易之用，為人道也，因時之宜，立道之極，而原始要終之事也。先天之易常靜，後天之易常動；而靜中有動，故先天必生後天；動中有靜，故後天不離先天。二者異途同歸，知其一則通其二。斯文王之聖智，乃能盡其變化，而建立周易之極，以全易之用也。

The reason the "Book of Changes" has both "essence" and "application" is due to the difference in the order of the hexagrams. For example, the sequence of Fuxi is different from that of King Wen, and the "Book of Changes" in "Lianshan" and "Guicang" differs from the "Zhou Changes." Later scholars thus introduced the terms "Earlier Heaven" and "Later Heaven." The Earlier Heaven remains unchanged, while the Later Heaven emphasizes change; the Earlier Heaven does not focus on practical use, while the Later Heaven emphasizes practical application. From the perspective of the Dao, the Earlier Heaven is the main aspect, and the Later Heaven is the subordinate; from the perspective of human affairs, all human activities are based on the Later Heaven. Once one enters the realm of the Earlier Heaven, there is no action to be taken. Therefore, the use of the "Zhou Changes" is for human affairs, following the suitability of the times and establishing the standards of the Dao, doing the work of investigating the beginning and concluding the end. The Earlier Heaven's "Book of Changes" is often in a state of stillness, while the Later Heaven's "Book of Changes" is often in motion; stillness contains motion, so the Earlier Heaven necessarily gives rise to the Later Heaven; motion contains stillness, so the Later Heaven cannot be separated from the Earlier Heaven. Although their paths differ, they ultimately converge, and understanding one allows one to comprehend the other. It was precisely due to King Wen's wisdom that he was able to exhaust these changes, establish the standard for the "Zhou Changes," and thus enable the full realization of the function of the "Book of Changes."

夫伏羲之時，豈無所用哉？豈不盡其變化以適人事哉？何以必待文王而後明也？是蓋有故焉。上古之時，人事簡略，民習於道，上有所制，下則循之，既無所多需於變化，亦無所窮於用。且以文字未備，傳佈難廣，作者心通其用，知者神會其變化，有其體已足矣。

Did the Book of Changes have any use in the time of Fuxi? Did he not already exhaust all changes to adapt to human affairs? Why then did it have to wait until King Wen to be made clear? There must be a reason. In ancient times, human affairs were simple, and the people were accustomed to following the Dao. What was set above was followed below, so there was little need for change, and the usefulness of the Book of Changes was not fully exhausted. Moreover, at that time writing was not yet complete, and transmission was difficult, so the author understood its use in his mind, and those who knew it grasped its changes through spiritual intuition. Having this 'body' was enough.

迨文字既成，文物漸備，迄乎三代，其用易已繁，其變化亦多。彼連山歸藏者，即述前人之口傳，會伏羲之本象，而以盡其變化，致其用，而後制之。文王之卦，正猶是也：上依伏羲之本卦，下采連歸之變例，沿其舊制益其新規，而後周易以成。周易既成，連歸可不復用。於是伏羲與文王二易，一體一用，一本卦，一變例，兩者著明，易道大備。

When writing was developed and systems and objects gradually became more complete, by the time of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, the use of the Book of Changes had become frequent, and its transformations also increased. The two other books of change, the Lianshan and Guicang, were created to record the oral traditions of earlier times, combining the original hexagrams of Fuxi, in order to exhaust all its transformations and fully utilize its functions, and then they were compiled into books. King Wen's hexagrams were also like this: the upper part relied on the original hexagrams of Fuxi, while the lower part adopted the transformations from the Lianshan and Guicang, continuing the old system while adding new rules, and thus the Zhou Changes were completed. Once the Zhou Changes were completed, the Lianshan and Guicang could no longer be used. Thus, the two Books of Changes of Fuxi and King Wen, one representing the essence and the other the application, one the original hexagram and the other the transformation, both became clear, and the way of the Book of Changes became greatly complete.

吾故曰易之為易，成於歷代聖人，非一人所作也。伏羲啟之，諸聖紹之，以其本天地自然之序，故作者異而易不異，易序異而易道不異。文王之易固源於歸藏，歸藏源於連山，而莫不出自伏羲。伏羲雖僅傳其體，而用仍紹於周易，則二者合而易以全，更無分於伏羲文王。不過周易傳自文王，今遂名之為周易耳。讀者要當視為一易，不可以其傳述之人不同，而謂有二易也。

Therefore I say: The reason why the Book of Changes is called the Book of Changes is because it was jointly completed by the sages of successive generations, not the work of a single person. Fuxi initiated it, and the other sages continued it. Since it is based on the natural order of heaven and earth, the authors may differ but the Book of Changes remains the same; the order of the hexagrams may differ, but the principles of the Book of Changes remain unchanged. King Wen's Book of Changes certainly originated from the Book of Changes of the Duke of Zhou, which in turn originated from the Book of Continuous Mountains, and all of them ultimately come from Fuxi. Although Fuxi only passed down the "body" (the structure), the "application" (the practical use) was continued by the Book of Changes. Thus, the combination of both makes the Book of Changes complete, and there is no need to distinguish between the Book of Changes of Fuxi and that of King Wen. The only difference is that the Book of Changes was passed down by King Wen, and hence it is now called the Book of Changes of the Zhou dynasty. Readers should regard them as a single Book of Changes, and should not say there are two Books of Changes merely because they were transmitted by different people.

夫易之有三者，非三易也，易之三變例也。既有三變，已備天地人之數，為用已足，雖有他變，終不出乎三者。文王之易，合三者而一之，故言卦之變與易之用，以周易為主，此吾贊易取文王序卦之由也。卦變雖從文王，本卦必溯伏羲，故說卦兼及二者次序。後人不明易之用有正變，不知伏羲文王之卦同異之義，不解連山歸藏不用之由，妝加揣測，不獨易道不明，既易之自出，亦不復曉；或摭拾殘編以爭執異辭，或採取他易以辨別圖序，皆失吾贊易原意者也。要知末有周易，則不得不採用連歸；既有周易，則從周已足。此吾有從周之嘆也。

The Book of Changes has three forms, not three separate books, but three variations of the Book of Changes. Since there are these three variations, the numbers of heaven, earth, and humanity are complete, and they are already sufficient for use; even if there are other variations, they cannot go beyond these three. King Wen's Book of Changes combines the three into one, so when discussing the changes of hexagrams and the use of the Book of Changes, we should take the Zhou Yi as the main reference. This is why I use King Wen's hexagram order when explaining the Book of Changes. Although the changes of hexagrams follow King Wen, the original hexagram must be traced back to Fuxi. Therefore, the "Sayings of the Hexagrams" includes the order of both Fuxi and King Wen. Later people did not understand the distinction between the standard and variant forms of the Book of Changes, did not comprehend the differences between the hexagram orders of Fuxi and King Wen, and did not understand why the Lianshan and Guicang were abandoned. They made wild speculations, resulting not only in the confusion of the principles of the Book of Changes but also in not knowing where the Book of Changes originated. Some people argue over fragmented old texts to dispute different interpretations, while others use other forms of the Book of Changes to distinguish between diagrams and orders, all of which deviate from my original intention in explaining the Book of Changes. One must know that before the Zhou Yi was established, the Lianshan and Guicang had to be used. Once the Zhou Yi was established, following the Zhou system was sufficient. This is the reason for my exclamation, "I follow the Zhou."

夏商遺典，固不可考。連山歸藏之易，吾於杞宋猶及見之，初亦以為可取；及參之周易，始知二者已在其中矣，故從周易。易中諸辭，非盡文王之作，多沿二易之舊，今猶在也。而周易之精，不在辭之美備，而在序之精當，以能參天地二道，立人道之極，全變化之用，明始終之義，非如連歸所取義狹而立極有偏也。故合伏羲之旨，盡易之變化者，唯周易為宜，此文王之所以聖者歟。夫易之有異同，既可知矣；而習易之應從周易，又無疑矣。顯後人猶不達者，則以及門之士末嘗將經傳詳為講釋，以明旨趣；二三子好事者，又竊取連歸之本，授於門人。迨漢之興，言易者遂有同異，雖非乖離不稽之說，究為門戶爭執之階，此則易道之不幸也。

In the Xia and Shang dynasties, the remaining classics are indeed difficult to verify. I once saw the two books of the Yi, namely the Lianshan and Guicang, in the states of Qi and Song, and at first I thought they were worth considering. But when I compared them with the Zhou Yi, I realized that their contents were already included in the Zhou Yi. Therefore, I followed the Zhou Yi. Many of the phrases in the Yi are not entirely the work of King Wen, but mostly inherited from the old texts of the two other Yi. They are still preserved today. The excellence of the Zhou Yi lies not in the perfection of its language, but in the proper arrangement of its hexagrams. It combines the principles of heaven and earth, establishes the standard for human conduct, preserves the function of change, and explains the meaning of beginning and end. It is unlike the Lianshan and Guicang, which have narrow interpretations and an unbalanced standard. Therefore, to conform to the principles of Fuxi and to exhaust the changes of the Yi, the Zhou Yi is the most suitable. This is probably why King Wen was considered a sage. The differences and similarities among the various schools of the Yi are now clear; studying the Yi should follow the Zhou Yi, and there is no doubt about it. However, later people have not fully understood this, because my disciples have not thoroughly explained the classics and their commentaries to clarify their meaning. Some students, out of personal interest, have secretly obtained copies of the Lianshan and Guicang and passed them on to their own disciples. When the Han dynasty arose, scholars who studied the Yi began to have disputes over different interpretations. Although these views are not entirely wrong, they have become the starting point of factional disputes, which is truly unfortunate for the way of the Yi.

然以今傳之本，既無詳解之文，則他山之石，可以攻玉，取其所異以證其同，亦足以明周易之精美，而直探文王之心矣。易之言讖緯，誇占驗，及其以本宮生變為序，以納甲合歲為用者，其書雖殊，亦屬古人之遺，參而求之，尤足推廣周易之用，蓋雖近雜，亦非無益。是在讀者知以周易為宗，勿認客作主，則占驗之說，正可為修省之助，而生變之異，又可例易道之宏，其所益於易固自有在焉。

However, in today's transmitted versions, since there are no detailed explanatory texts, one may take the saying "He who takes a stone from another mountain can polish jade" (from the Book of Songs, Xiao Ya, He Ming), and use the differences among various schools to verify their commonalities, thereby clearly seeing the elegance of the Zhou Yi and directly understanding King Wen's intent. As for books in Yi studies that discuss omens, exaggerate divination results, and use "ben gong" to generate variations in order, or employ "najia" to coordinate with years and years to apply them, although they differ from the Zhou Yi, they are also remnants from ancient times. Referring to them for study can further expand the applications of the Zhou Yi. Although these contents may seem miscellaneous, they are not without benefit. The key lies in the reader knowing to take the Zhou Yi as the main focus, not treating secondary matters as the main. In this way, statements about divination can help people cultivate themselves and examine their conduct, while the differences in variations can serve as evidence of the vastness of the Yi Dao. Their contributions to the Yi are inherently valuable.