The Oral Meanings of the Zhou Changes: Introduction

先生曰：夫《易》者，伏羲、文王、周公、孔子所以垂萬世之大法，三才變易之書也。自伏羲仰觀天文，俯察地理，始畫八卦，故爻有九六以盡陰陽之數，位有三畫以盡三才之道，寫天地雷風水火山澤之象以盡天下之用，明健順動入止說陷明之體以盡天下之理。然而伏羲之時，世質民淳，巧偽未興，詐端未作，故雖三畫亦可以盡吉凶之變。自神農至堯舜，莫不取法八卦之象以為大治之本。歴夏商以及桀紂之世，民欲叢生，奸偽萬狀，禮隳樂缺，天下紛然，故三爻不能盡萬物之消長、究人心之情偽。文王有大聖之才，罹於憂患，觀紂之世小人在位，詐偽日熾，思周身之防，達憂患之情，通天人之淵蘊，明人事之始終，遂重卦為六十四，重爻為三百八十四，又於逐卦之下為之彖辭，故天地通變之道、萬物情偽之理一備於此。

Master Hu Yuan said: The Book of Changes is a book used by the four sages Fuxi, King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius to establish the fundamental principles for all generations. It is a book that explains the changes and transformations of heaven, earth, and humanity, the three principles of the cosmos. In the beginning, Fuxi looked up to observe the sun, moon, and stars in the sky, and looked down to examine the mountains and rivers on the earth, and thus began to draw the eight trigrams. Therefore, the lines in the trigrams are divided into two types, nine and six, with nine representing yang and six representing yin, thus fully expressing the numbers of yin and yang. Each trigram consists of three lines, corresponding to the three principles of heaven, earth, and humanity. It also uses eight kinds of natural phenomena, namely heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain, and marsh, to depict the functions of all things in the world. Furthermore, it uses eight types of trigram qualities, namely Qian (Heaven) representing strength, Kun (Earth) representing compliance, Zhen (Thunder) representing movement, Xun (Wind) representing penetration, Gen (Mountain) representing stillness, Dui (Lake) representing communication, Kan (Water) representing depth, and Li (Fire) representing brightness, to clarify the principles of the world. However, in the time of Fuxi, the people were simple and honest, and there were no signs of cunning and deceit, so the three-line trigrams were sufficient to explain the changes of good and bad fortune. From Shen Nong to Yao and Shun, all the successive sage kings used the images of the eight trigrams as the fundamental principle for governing the world. But by the time of the Xia and Shang dynasties, especially during the reigns of Jie and Zhou, human desires proliferated, and deceit and hypocrisy took many forms. The rites were destroyed, and the music education was incomplete, leading to chaos throughout the world. The three-line trigrams were no longer sufficient to explain the growth and decline of all things or to discern the true nature of people's hearts. King Wen, possessing great wisdom, found himself in a time of hardship. He saw that in the time of King Zhou, the wicked held power, and the风气 of deceit was growing stronger day by day. Therefore, he deeply considered ways to protect himself, investigated the actual situation of worries, and comprehended the profound meanings of the heavens and human affairs. He understood the origins and development of worldly events, and thus overlapped the eight trigrams in pairs to form the sixty-four trigrams, doubling the three lines to make 384 lines in total. He also added "tong" (interpretative) texts beneath each trigram, which are the words that summarize the main meaning of each trigram. Thus, the principles of the transformation of heaven and earth and the truth of the authenticity and falsehood of all things are all fully contained in this book.

然謂之《易》者，按《乾鑿度》云：「易一名而含三義，簡易也，不易也，變易也。」故穎達作疏，洎崔覲、劉正簡皆取其說。然謂不易、簡易者，於聖人之經繆妄殆甚。且仲尼曰：「名不正則言不順，言不順則事不成。」是言凡興作之事先須正名，名正則事方可成，況聖人作《易》為萬世之大法，豈復有二三之義乎？按掦子曰：「陰不極則陽不生，亂不極則徳不形。」又《繫辭》曰：「易窮則變，變則通，通則乆。」又云：「生生之謂易。」是大《易》之作，專取變易之義，蓋變易之道，天人之理也。

As for why this book is called the "I Ching" or "Zhou Changes," according to the Han dynasty commentary text "Qian Zao Du," the name "Yi" contains three meanings: simplicity, constancy, and change. Tang dynasty scholar Kong Yingda, in his work "Zhou Changes: The Correct Meaning," adopted this view, and later scholars such as Cui Jin and Liu Zhengjian followed suit. However, including both "constancy" and "simplicity" in the meaning of the book's name is, for the sage's classic, extremely absurd. Confucius said, "If the names are not properly established, speech will not be in order; if speech is not in order, things will not be accomplished." This means that before doing anything, one must first establish the proper name, and only then can the matter be successfully carried out. How much more so for the sage in composing the "I Ching," which was meant to establish the fundamental principles for all generations! How could the book's name encompass two or three meanings at once? Yang Xiong said, "If yin energy does not reach its extreme, yang energy will not arise; if disorder does not reach its extreme, virtue and governance will not be evident." The "Great Treatise" also says, "When things reach their limit, they change; when they change, they become unblocked; when they become unblocked, they can endure." It also says, "Continuous generation and ceaseless transformation are called 'Yi.'" Clearly, the composition of this great "I Ching" is based solely on the meaning of "change." For the principle of change is the fundamental law that connects heaven and human affairs.

以天道言之，則陰陽變易而成萬物，寒暑變易而成四時，日月變易而成晝夜；以人事言之，則得失變易而成吉凶，情偽變易而成利害，君子小人變易而成治亂。故天之變易則歸乎生成而自為常道，若人事變易，則固在上位者裁制之如何耳。

From the perspective of heaven's way, yin and yang energies alternate and change, thus giving rise to all things; the coming of cold and the arrival of heat alternate and change, thus forming the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter; the sun and moon alternate and change, thus distinguishing day and night. From the human aspect, one matter has gain and loss, and through alternating change, good fortune and misfortune arise; human hearts have truth and falsehood, and through alternating change, benefit and harm emerge; in the court, the virtuous and the petty alternate in rising and falling, thus producing times of peace and times of chaos. Therefore, the change of heaven's way ultimately leads to the generation and accomplishment of all things; it itself is the constant law, requiring no concern from people. As for the change in human affairs, which direction it will take depends entirely on the judgment and control of those in power.

何則？在位之人苟知其君子小人相易而為治亂，則當常進用君子而擯斥小人，則天下常治而無亂矣；知其情偽相易而成利害，當純用情實而黜去詐偽，則所為常利而無害矣；知其得失相易而成吉凶，當就事之得而去事之失，則其行事常吉而無凶矣。是皆人事變易，不可不慎也。故大《易》之作，專取變易之義。

Why is it said like this? A person in an official position, if he understands that the rise and fall of the virtuous and the petty will bring about peace and chaos, should often promote the virtuous and exclude the petty, thus achieving long-term stability and preventing calamity; if he understands that the true and false in human hearts alternate to bring benefit and harm, he should universally employ the honest and dismiss the deceitful, thus gaining benefits and avoiding harm; if he understands that the proper and improper in matters alternate to bring good fortune and misfortune, he should act according to what is right and remove what is wrong, thus acting often in good fortune and avoiding misfortune. All these belong to the changes in human affairs, which must be taken seriously. Therefore, the great Book of Changes was written with the sole focus on the concept of change.

謂之《周易》者，自伏羲畫卦，文王重之，又從而為之彖辭，至周公又為之爻辭，仲尼又十翼之，數聖相繼，其道大備於周，故曰《周易》。謂之上經、下經者，自乾坤至坎離三十卦謂之上經，自咸恆至未濟三十四卦謂之下經。然則所以分上下二經者，以簡帙重大，故分之也。乾坤者天地之象，坎離者日月之象，故取以為上經；咸恆者夫婦之義，既濟未濟人倫終始之道，故取以為下經。先儒亦常謂不分之即無損於義，分之亦無害，其實但以簡帙重大而分之也。乾傳者，乾卦名也；傳，傳也，言傳述聖人之法以示萬世也。

The reason it is called The Zhou Yi is because it began with Fuxi drawing the Eight Trigrams, then King Wen combining pairs of trigrams to form the sixty-four hexagrams and adding the彖辞 to each, followed by the Duke of Zhou adding theLine Statement to each line, and finally Confucius writing the Ten Wings to explain it. These several sages passed down the tradition one after another, and the system became fully developed during the Zhou dynasty, hence the name The Zhou Yi. It is divided into the Upper Classic and the Lower Classic. The Upper Classic includes the hexagrams from Qian and Kun up to Kan and Li, making thirty hexagrams in total. The Lower Classic includes the hexagrams from Xian and Heng up to Wei Ji, making thirty-four hexagrams in total. The reason for dividing it into Upper and Lower Classics was because the bamboo slips were too numerous and heavy, making it necessary to split them. Qian and Kun represent the images of Heaven and Earth, while Kan and Li represent the images of Sun and Moon, so they are used to lead the Upper Classic. Xian and Heng discuss the meaning of marital union, while Ji Ji and Wei Ji discuss the beginning and end of human relationships, so they are used to conclude the Lower Classic. Earlier scholars also often said that separating them did not harm the meaning of the classics, nor did it cause any inconvenience. The real reason was simply that the bamboo slips were too heavy. As for the titles such as "Qian Transmission," "Qian" is the name of the hexagram, and "Transmission" means to explain or convey. It refers to conveying the rules established by the sages, to enlighten future generations.

義曰：此伏羲所畫之卦也。伏羲畫八卦，始有三爻，一爻為地，二爻為人，三爻為天，以象三才之道，然未能盡變通之理，故文王重之為六爻。初為地之下，有蒙泉之象；二為地之上；三於人為臣民之位；四出於臣民之上，為儲貳之象；五正當天位；六為天之上，有太虛之象。然後萬物成形而天下之能事畢矣。六爻皆陽，象天積諸陽氣而成也。既象天，其不名天而名乾者，蓋天者乾之形，乾者天之用。

Hu Yuan explained: This is the hexagram drawn by Fuxi. Fuxi drew the eight trigrams, each originally consisting of three lines. The lowest line represents the earth, the middle line represents people, and the top line represents heaven, thus symbolizing the three elements of heaven, earth, and humanity. However, three lines were insufficient to fully express the principles of change and comprehensiveness, so King Wen combined them in pairs to form six lines. The first line is beneath the earth, symbolizing hidden springs underground; the second line is above the earth; the third line, in terms of human affairs, represents the position of common people; the fourth line is above the common people, symbolizing the prince or crown prince; the fifth line is the position of the emperor; and the top line is above the position of the emperor, symbolizing the vast and empty space. In this way, all things take shape, and all possible actions under heaven are fully included. The hexagram Qian has all six lines as yang lines, symbolizing heaven. Since it symbolizes heaven, why is it called Qian instead of Tian? Because "Tian" refers to the form of Qian, while "Qian" refers to the function of heaven.

夫天之形，望之其色蒼然，南樞入地下三十六度，北樞出地上三十六度，狀如倚杵，此天之形也。言其用，則一晝夜之間凡行九十餘萬里。夫人之一呼一吸謂之一息，一息之間天行已八十餘里，人之一晝一夜有萬三千六百餘息，是故一晝一夜而天行九十餘萬里，則天之健用可知。自古及今，未嘗有毫釐之過，亦未嘗有毫釐之不及，蓋乾以至健至正而然也。

The form of Heaven is far away, appearing as a vast blue color. Its southern pole rotates beneath the horizon by thirty-six degrees, while its northern pole rises above the horizon by thirty-six degrees. The entire celestial sphere is tilted, like a crooked pestle leaning against something. This is the form of Heaven. As for the function of Heaven, it travels over ninety thousand li in a single day and night. One breath and one exhalation of a person is called "one breath." In one breath, Heaven has already moved more than eighty li. A person's day and night together amount to about thirteen thousand six hundred breaths, so Heaven travels ninety thousand li in a day and night. From this, we can imagine the vigorous and unceasing function of Heaven. Since ancient times, its movement has never been a single hair faster or slower. This is because the virtue of Heaven is extremely strong and upright, thus enabling such a constant motion.

故聖人於此垂教，欲使人法天之用而不法天之形，所以名乾而不名天也。且天之形，象人之體魄也；天之用，象人之精神也。使寒暑以成，日月以明，萬物以生，此天之健用也。若人之有耳目口鼻四體，是其形也；其口言、鼻臭、目視、耳聽、手足四體之運，此其用也。至於心之思慮，蘊於內則為五常百行，發於外則為政教禮義。故為君、為臣、為父、為子、為兄、為弟、為夫、為婦，以至於為士農工商，莫不本於乾乾不息，然後皆得其所成立也。左氏曰：「民生在勤，勤則不匱。」是皆言人當法天之健用也。故曰乾。

Therefore, the sage established this teaching to instruct people to emulate the function of heaven, rather than imitate its form. Hence, this hexagram is named "Qian" instead of "Heaven." Moreover, the form of heaven is like the body of a person, while its function is like the spirit. It brings about the alternation of cold and heat, completes the four seasons, illuminates the sun and moon, and nurtures all things. These are the ceaseless and vigorous functions of heaven. Similarly, a person has ears, eyes, mouth, nose, and limbs, which are his physical form; but the mouth can speak, the nose can discern flavors, the eyes can see, the ears can hear, and the limbs can move. These are the functions of a person. As for the mind's contemplation, it is hidden within as the five constants of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness, along with various virtues, and expressed outwardly as government orders, education, and moral principles. Therefore, whether one is a ruler, a subject, a father, a son, an elder brother, a younger brother, a husband, or a wife, or even a scholar, farmer, artisan, or merchant, none can achieve success without the fundamental spirit of ceaseless self-strengthening known as "Qian Qian Bu Xi." The "Zuo Zhuan" says, "The people's livelihood depends on diligence; diligence ensures no scarcity." These words all emphasize that humans should emulate the ceaseless and vigorous functions of heaven. Hence, this hexagram is called "Qian."

元、亨、利、貞。

The Hexagram Statement of Qian says: Qian has the virtue of "Yuan," which creates all things; the virtue of "Heng," which ensures the smooth flow of all things; the virtue of "Li," which allows all things to be suited to their proper place; and the virtue of "Zhen," which brings all things to a stable and correct state.

義曰：文王既重伏羲所畫之卦，又為此卦下之彖辭，以明乾之四徳，又配之四時五常而言也。元者，始也，言天以一元之氣始生萬物，聖人法之以仁而生成天下之民物，故於四時為春，於五常為仁。

Hu Yuan explained: King Wen first took the eight trigrams drawn by Fuxi and overlapped them in pairs, then added a commentary below each trigram to explain the four virtues of Qian. He also paired these virtues with the four seasons and the five constants of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness. "Yuan" means the beginning, referring to the primordial qi that heaven uses to give birth to all things. The sage emulates this, using benevolence to nurture the people and all things under heaven. Therefore, "Yuan" is paired with the season of spring and the constant of benevolence.

亨者，通也。夫物春始生之，夏則極生而至於大通，故高者、下者、洪者、纎者各遂其分而得其性也。聖人觀夏之萬物有高下洪纎，乃作為禮以法之，使尊者、卑者、貴者、賤者各定其分而不越於禮，故於四時為夏，於五常為禮。

"Xing" means to be unobstructed. In spring, all things begin to sprout, and by summer they have grown to their fullest and are completely unobstructed. Therefore, whether high or low, large or small, each follows its own nature and fulfills its own function. The sage observed that in summer, all things have high and low, large and small, and thus established rituals to follow this pattern, enabling the superior, the inferior, the noble, and the humble to each abide by their proper roles without transgressing the boundaries of ritual. Therefore, "Xing" corresponds to the summer season among the four seasons and to ritual among the five constants.

利者，和也。在《文言》曰：「利者，義之和。」言物之既生既育，故必成之有漸，自立秋涼風至，八月白露降，九月寒露降，以至為霜為雪，以成萬物，莫不有漸而成也。聖人法之以為義，義者冝也，天下之民雖有禮以定其分，然必得其義以裁制之，則各得其冝也，故於四時為秋，於五常為義。

"Li" means harmony. The "Wenyan Zhuan" says: "Li is the harmonization of Yi." This means that after all things have grown and developed, when they mature, there must be a gradual process: from the autumn wind starting in the beginning of autumn, to the white dew falling in August, the cold dew falling in September, until frost and snow descend, which hasten the ripening of all things. There is nothing that does not mature gradually. The sage took this principle and applied it as "Yi." Yi means appropriateness; although the people have already established their roles through ritual, they must still be guided and regulated by Yi so that everyone can attain what is appropriate for them. Therefore, "Li" corresponds to the autumn season among the four seasons and to Yi among the five constants.

貞者，正也，固也，言物之既成必歸於正，以陰陽之氣幹了於萬物。聖人法之為智，事非智不能幹固而成立，故於四時為冬，於五常為智。然則此五常不言信者何也？蓋信屬於土，土者分王四季，凡人之有仁義禮智，必有信然後能行，故於四者無所配也。

"Zhen" means uprightness and firmness, indicating that once things have matured, they must inevitably return to a state of correctness. This is how yin and yang energies complete the growth and transformation of all things. The sage took this principle and embodied it as "wisdom"; without wisdom, nothing can be accomplished firmly or successfully. Therefore, "Zhen" corresponds to winter among the four seasons and to wisdom among the five constants. But why is "trust" not included among the five constants? Because trust belongs to the earth element in the Five Phases, and earth is strongest at the end of each of the four seasons, not exclusively belonging to one season. Human beings possess benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom, but they must rely on trust as a foundation for these virtues to function properly. Hence, trust is not assigned to these four virtues alone.

然此四徳，以天下事業言之，則元為樂，亨為禮，利為刑，貞為政。何則？蓋元者始生萬物，萬物得其生然後鼔舞而和樂，聖人法之制樂以治天下，則天下之民亦熙然而和樂，故以元為樂也。天下既已和樂，然而不節則亂，故聖人制禮以定之，使上下有分，尊卑有序，故以亨為禮也。

Now speaking of these four virtues, if we apply them to the affairs of governing the world, "Yuan" corresponds to music, "Heng" corresponds to ritual, "Li" corresponds to punishment, and "Zhen" corresponds to government. Why is this so? "Yuan" is the beginning of generating all things; after all things receive vitality, they naturally rejoice and harmonize with joy; sages take this as a model, creating music to govern the world, and thus the people of the world become happy and harmonious, so "Yuan" is paired with music. The world has already become harmonious and joyful, but if there is only continuous joy without restraint, disorder will arise. Therefore, sages establish ritual to regulate it, making sure that superiors and inferiors have their proper roles and ranks, so "Heng" is paired with ritual.

夫禮樂既行，然其間不無不率教者，聖人雖有愛民之心，亦不得已乃為刑以治之，於是大則有征伐之具，小則有鞭樸之法，使民皆畏罪而遷善，故以利為刑也。夫天下既有樂以和之，禮以節之，刑以治之，不以正道終之則不可也，故政者正也，使民物各得其正，故貞為政也。夫四者達而不悖，則天下之能事畢矣。故四者在《易》則為元亨利貞，在天則為春夏秋冬，在五常則為仁義禮智，聖人備於乾之下，以極天地之道而盡人事之理也。

When rites and music have been implemented, there will inevitably be some people who refuse to obey moral education. Although the sage has a compassionate heart for the people, he is forced to establish punishments to correct them. There are major punishments such as military campaigns against criminals, and minor ones such as whipping and beating. This makes the people fear punishment and thus reform their ways. Therefore, the character 'li' is paired with punishment. The world has music to promote harmony, rites to establish propriety, and punishment to enforce discipline. If one does not use the right path to conclude matters, things will still not be resolved. 'Zhen' means to be upright, and it is to make the people and all things return to the right path. Therefore, the character 'zhen' is paired with governance. These four things are all practiced and do not contradict each other, thus completing the tasks of governing the world. Therefore, these four are in the Book of Changes as yuan, heng, li, zhen; in the seasons as spring, summer, autumn, winter; in the five constants as benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom. The sage has arranged them completely under the Qian hexagram to exhaust the principles of heaven and earth and to explain the principles of human affairs.

初九，潛龍勿用。

The line statement of Chou Jiou says: The dragon remains hidden below, at this time there is nothing to be done. According to Hu Yuan's interpretation, this sentence is the sage's warning to future generations: do not take concealment and withdrawal as a virtue to practice.

義曰：自此至用九，皆周公所作之爻辭也。爻者，效也，效一卦之動而為之，故謂之爻。謂之初者，一卦之始也；謂之九者，陽之數也。凡《易》言九六者，皆陰陽之數也。天一、天三、天五、天九是陽數之竒也，地二、地四、地六是陰數之耦也。潛者，隠也；龍者，有變化之神，陽氣之象也；陽以生成為徳，君子之象也。

Hu Yuan explained: From this passage onwards, up to "Use Nine," all are the line statements composed by the Duke of Zhou. "Yao" means to imitate; it imitates the changes within a hexagram and is thus called "Yao." The term "Chu" refers to its position at the beginning of a hexagram, while "Jiu" refers to the number nine, which represents the numerical symbol of yang. In the Book of Changes, whenever "Nine" or "Six" is mentioned, it refers to the numbers of yin and yang: the odd numbers one, three, five, and nine belong to yang, while the even numbers two, four, and six belong to yin. "Qian" means to be hidden; "Long" is a mythical creature capable of transformation, used to symbolize yang energy. Yang, which nurtures and brings about the creation of all things, is also used to symbolize the gentleman.

凡乾坤之十二爻，配之十二月，今初九乃是建子之月，一陽始萌於黃鍾之宮，雖生成之功未及於物，然已有生成萬物之心矣；若君子未得位之時，雖道未澤於世，然已有澤天下之心矣。謂之潛龍者，言陽氣未發見而在潛隠之地也；勿用者，聖人戒後世勿用此潛龍為徳也。

The trigrams Qian and Kun together have twelve lines, each corresponding to one of the twelve months. Here, the line "Chu Ji" corresponds to the eleventh month of the summer calendar, known as the "Month of Zi," when the first line of yang energy begins to stir in the underground palace governed by the "Huangzhong" pitch pipe. Although this yang energy has not yet exerted its nurturing effects on all things, it already harbors the intention to give birth to all things. This is similar to a gentleman who has not yet obtained a position; his way may not yet benefit the world, but his mind already holds the aspiration to benefit the whole realm. It is called "Qianlong" to indicate that the yang energy has not yet emerged and remains hidden and concealed. The phrase "Wu yong" means that the sage warns future generations not to regard this hidden and concealed state as a virtue to be practiced.

何以言之？凡人萃五行秀氣而生，為萬物之最靈者也，然天下之眾，愚不肖者常多，賢智者常少，況聖人挺全粹之徳，受天元之純，則又過於賢也逺矣。夫有聖人之資，則無所不通，無所不明矣，固當出見於世，輔其君，澤其民，利其物，以成天下之事業則可也。《文言》曰：「君子以成徳為行，日可見之行也。」今有聖人之徳之明，反以潛隠為事，則天下之愚不肖將誰治之？是不知天所以生聖人之意也。

Why is it said like that? Humans are born from the refined essence of the Five Phases, and are the most spirited among all things. Yet among the myriad people in the world, the foolish and unvirtuous are always the majority, while the wise and virtuous are few. How much more so for the sage, who possesses pure and complete virtue and inherits the refined vital energy from Heaven, who is far superior to ordinary virtuous people. If one has the qualities of a sage, then one should be capable of understanding everything and seeing clearly. Therefore, one should naturally appear in the world to assist his ruler, benefit his people, contribute to the welfare of the world, and accomplish a great cause that benefits the world. That is the right thing to do. The "Commentary of the Documents" says: "A gentleman puts his cultivated virtue into practice, which is a daily visible action." Now, if one possesses the virtue and wisdom of a sage, yet constantly retreats into seclusion, then who will govern the foolish and unvirtuous people in the world? This is not understanding the purpose of Heaven in producing sages.

孔穎達作疏，以謂勿用者，於此時小人道盛，若其施用則為小人所害，寡不敵眾，弱不勝強，禍患斯及，故戒勿施用。此大非聖人之。夫聖人才無所不能，智無所不周，懐道徳，持仁義，以革天下弊，舉陋典，新汙俗，矯曲為直，表邪為正，以陶冶於上而天下治矣，又何憚小人之害？若懼其見害而勿施用，則是天下常亂而不可得治也。

Kong Yingda wrote in The Correct Meaning of the Zhou Changes, explaining the phrase "do not use" as follows: at this time the power of the petty people is flourishing, if one comes out to act, he will be harmed by the petty people. Few people cannot overcome many, weak strength cannot overcome strong strength, and calamity will immediately come upon him, so he is warned not to act. This greatly contradicts the original intention of the sage. - Below the phrase "this is certainly not the intention of the sage," there is a missing character. One must know that the sage is capable of anything, his wisdom is comprehensive, his heart is filled with morality, and he upholds benevolence and righteousness, using these to eliminate the evils of the world, to abolish outdated customs, to renew corrupt customs, to straighten the crooked, and to correct the perverse. In the position of authority, he cultivates and educates the people, and the world is thus well governed. Why then should he fear the harm of petty people? If one refrains from acting merely because of fear of being harmed, then the world will remain in chaos forever and will never be properly governed.

然此勿用者，蓋言勿用此潛龍為徳也。今歴考《易》中或彖或爻言勿用者有四：若《屯》之彖云「勿用有攸往」，言屯難之時，不可徃撓其民，務安全也；《姤》之彖云「勿用取女」，言一女配一男是其正也，今一陰而遇五男，剛壯者也，若此之女勿可取之，不可與長也。

Therefore, the phrase 「勿用」 here refers to not treating concealment and withdrawal as a virtue to be practiced. Now, examining the instances in the Book of Changes where either the彖辞 orLine Statement mention 「勿用」, there are four such cases. For example, the彖辞 of the卦屯 says 「勿用有攸往」, meaning that in a time of difficulty and initial establishment, one should not hastily proceed to disturb the people, but rather ensure their stability and security. The彖辞 of the卦姤 says 「勿用取女」, meaning that a woman should be matched with one man only, and the卦姤 represents a single阴爻 encountering five阳爻, which is a group of strong and vigorous men. Therefore, such a woman should not be married to, and cannot be in a long-term relationship with.

《師》之上六曰「大君有命，開國承家，小人勿用」，言上六師道之成，大君班爵行賞，其功大者開建其國為諸侯，其功小者建立其家為卿大夫。若小人偶立一戰之效，與之金帛可也，賜之甲冑可也。後漢光武不任功臣以吏事，深得其道；不然，若用小人必亂其邦，所以韓、彭、英、盧立功受地，不旋踵而就戮也。

The sixth line at the top of the "Military" hexagram says, "The great sovereign issues a decree, establishes states and inherits families, do not employ petty men." This means that by the time the sixth line at the top is reached, the art of warfare has already been completed. The Son of Heaven issues an edict, rewarding according to merit: those with great achievements are granted territories to become feudal lords, while those with lesser achievements are given positions within noble families. As for petty men who happen to achieve a single military success, it is acceptable to reward them with gold and silk, or to grant them armor and weapons, but they should not be given land and people. Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han dynasty did not allow his founding generals to take charge of civil administration, precisely following this principle. If this were not done, once petty men were appointed, they would inevitably disrupt the state. Therefore, figures like Han Xin, Peng Yue, Ying Bu, and Lu Wan, who achieved great feats and were granted territories, were soon executed.

之六三曰「勿用取女，見金夫，不有躬，無攸利」，言婦人必當正靜其徳，以待六禮之備，然後用父母之命、媒妁之言，方可歸之。今六三持身不正，見其金夫遂欲從之，聖人戒之勿用取此女也。

The fourth instance is from the hexagram "Meng" (Obstruction), line six in the third position. The original text at the beginning of this line omits the hexagram name. The line statement says, "Do not take a wife, see a wealthy man, lose one's own integrity, there is no benefit." This means that a woman must maintain proper and quiet conduct, waiting until the six formal wedding procedures, including the presentation of betrothal gifts and asking for the name, are complete, and then proceed to marriage according to the instructions of her parents and the mediation of the matchmaker. Now, line six in the third position shows that the person is not properly behaved, and upon seeing a wealthy man, she wants to follow him immediately. Therefore, the sage warns against marrying such a woman.

由是觀之，聖人之戒後世不可用潛龍為徳，誠無疑矣。故孔子目長沮、桀溺曰：「鳥獸不可與同群，吾非斯人之徒與而誰與？」又曰：「素隱行怪，後世有述焉，吾弗為之矣。」葢後世之人多以潛隱為徳，或隱於巖野，或遯於林泉，罔徳義以沽名，傲衣冠以耀志，故有終身不見用於世而亂人倫者也。

From this, it is clear that the sages warned future generations not to regard concealment and withdrawal as virtue, and this is indeed without doubt. Therefore, Confucius commented on the two hermits, Changju and JieNi, saying, "How can a person live with birds and beasts? If I do not associate with people in the world, with whom shall I associate?" He also said, "Seeking obscure doctrines and acting in strange ways, perhaps later generations may speak of me, but I will not do such things." Probably, later generations often regarded concealment and withdrawal as a virtue. Some hide in mountain rocks and desolate places, others retreat into forests and springs, deceiving morality and righteousness to gain reputation, looking down upon clothing and rituals with arrogance to show their virtue. Thus, there are those who remain unused by the world all their lives, yet disturb the principles of human relationships and the order of society.

且疏又引舜耕歴山、漢祖為泗水亭長，是豈終潛哉？蓋養成其徳耳。然聖賢其無隠乎？曰：已道未著，已行未成，必學問之以養成聖徳，然後施為於天下耳，甘終身於山林川澤哉？

Kong Yingda's commentary also cites examples such as Shun plowing in Lishan and Han Gaozu serving as the magistrate of Sishui County, but can these two men have remained hidden all their lives? They merely cultivated and perfected their virtue during that period. So, do sages and virtuous men never retreat into seclusion? The answer is: when one's way has not yet become evident and one's virtue has not yet been cultivated, one must rely on study and seeking guidance to nurture and achieve the virtue of a sage, and only then can one apply it to the world; how could one willingly spend a lifetime in mountains and marshes?

然或上下為戾，亦有可隠之時，故《中庸》曰：「君子之道，費而隱。」雖然，豈隠遁哉？隠其身，不隠其道。所以然者，不以一己之私忘天下之公。故孔子皇皇於衰周，孟軻汲汲於戰國，皆謂有聖人之徳，身未顯而其道不自窮也。乾六爻皆聖人象也，若之何有聖人之資而潛隠自居乎？《文言》曰：「潛之為言也，隠而未見，行而未成，是以君子弗用也。」聖人之戒勿用潛隠為徳，可謂明矣。

Of course, if there is a lack of harmony between the ruler and the minister, there are indeed times when one should withdraw. Therefore, the Doctrine of the Mean says, "The way of the superior man is vast in its application and subtle in its essence." However, does this mean that one should retreat from the world? What is hidden is only one's personal self, not one's way. This is because one must not abandon the public good of the world for one's own private desires. Thus, Confucius wandered about in the declining Zhou dynasty, anxious and restless, while Mencius sought tirelessly in the Warring States period. They both carried the virtue of the sage, though they themselves were not yet successful, but their way was not thereby confined to themselves. The six lines of the Qian hexagram all represent the image of the sage. How can one possess the qualities of a sage yet be content to remain hidden and concealed? The Wenyan Zhuan says, "To be in a state of concealment means to be hidden but not yet revealed, with virtue not yet cultivated, so the superior man temporarily does not put it into practice." The sage warns against taking concealment as a virtue, which is clearly stated.

九二，見龍在田，利見大人。

The line statement for Nine in the Second says: The dragon has already appeared in the fields, at this time it is favorable to meet a great person of great virtue.

義曰：九二之爻，是十二月中氣之後、正月中氣之前，陽氣發見地上之時也。田者，稼穡所生而有資益之地也。以人事言之，則是聖賢君子有中庸之徳發見於世之時也。夫君子之道，積於內則為中庸之徳，施於外則為皇極之化。此爻但有君徳而無君位，故曰見龍在田。

Hu Yuan explains: The second line, Nine, corresponds to the period after the middle of the twelfth lunar month's Great Cold and before the middle of the first lunar month's Rain Water, which is the time when yang energy begins to appear on the surface. "Field" refers to land used for growing crops, which nourishes and benefits people. In terms of human affairs, this is the time when sages and virtuous persons embody the virtue of the Mean and appear in the world. The way of the gentleman is to cultivate the Mean within the heart and to manifest it outwardly as the great central teaching mentioned in the "Book of Documents · Hongfan" as "Huangji." This line has the virtue of a sovereign but not the position of a sovereign, hence it is called "Seeing the Dragon in the Field."

利見大人者何？蓋凡有大人之徳，必須利見有大才大徳之君，然後可以行己之道，若舜之得堯、禹之得舜、伊尹之得成湯、傅說之得高宗、呂尚之得周文是也。然則五得天位，亦曰利見大人者何？曰：有是君必須有是臣，然後萬務可舉，天民可治，若堯得舜、舜得禹皋陶、禹得稷、成湯得伊尹、文王得呂尚是也。故九二九五之爻皆言利見大人。

"What does 'beneficial to meet a great person' mean? Generally, a person who possesses the virtue of a great person must have the good fortune to meet a great and virtuous ruler in order to promote his own ideas. For example, Shun met Yao, Yu met Shun, Yi Yin met King Cheng Tang, Fu Yue met King Wen of Yin, and Lü Shang met King Wen of Zhou, all in this way. Then why does 'Nine in the Fifth' also say 'beneficial to meet a great person'? The answer is: even with such a ruler, there must also be such a minister, then all government affairs can be properly handled and the people can be well governed. For example, Yao obtained Shun, Shun obtained Yu and Gao Yao, Yu obtained Hou Ji, King Cheng Tang obtained Yi Yin, and King Wen obtained Lü Shang, all in this way. Therefore, both the second and fifth lines speak of 'beneficial to meet a great person.'

今驗於《易》，或彖或爻言利見大人者有七：《萃》之彖曰「王假有廟，利見大人」，言既作廟以萃聚先祖之神靈，必須得大才大徳之人以輔行其禮；《訟》之彖曰「利見大人」，言訟之事必須利見大才大徳之人以辨其是非；《巽》之彖曰「小亨，利有攸往，利見大人」，言申其號令法制，必須大才大徳之人以參酌恢隆之也；《蹇》之上六曰「徃蹇來碩，吉，利見大人」，言居蹇難之極，往則益蹇，若來居位則安，安則得其碩大之福而吉，必須利見大才大徳之人以求解散蹇難也。及此乾之二五，凡七，皆聖人之微也。

Now checking against the I Ching, there are seven instances in the Tuangong or Yaozhi that mention "beneficial to see a great person." The Tuangong of the Cui hexagram says, "The king comes to the temple, beneficial to see a great person," meaning that when the king has established a temple to gather the spirits of ancestors, he must rely on a great and virtuous person to assist in the sacrificial rites. The Tuangong of the Song hexagram says, "Beneficial to see a great person," meaning that in matters of litigation, it is necessary to have the opportunity to meet a great and virtuous person to clarify right and wrong. The Tuangong of the Xun hexagram says, "Slightly prosperous, beneficial to go forward, beneficial to see a great person," meaning that in clarifying orders and laws, one must rely on a great and virtuous person to make adjustments and promote them further. The Yaozhi of the Jian hexagram's upper sixth line says, "Going through difficulty brings great gain, good fortune, beneficial to see a great person," meaning that when one is at the peak of difficulty, going further will only make it worse, but returning to one's original position brings stability, and stability brings great blessings and good fortune, which also requires the opportunity to meet a great and virtuous person to remove difficulties. Adding the two instances from the Qian hexagram's ninth second line and ninth fifth line, there are a total of seven instances, all discussing the subtle intentions of the sage—there may be a missing character after "the subtle intentions of the sage" in the original text.

九三，君子終日乾乾，夕惕若，厲，無咎。

The line statement for nine in the third says: The superior person is diligent and tireless all day, striving for self-improvement, and remains cautious and vigilant even at night. Although in a dangerous situation, there will be no fault.

義曰：九三居下卦之上，在人臣之極位，正當公相之權也。上則須輔弼於君，下則須總領百官以平均天下之民，凡朝廷之幾務，莫不一責於已。若專奉上而怠於恤下，則有佞邪之謟；若勤恤於下而簡於奉上，則有侵權之誅。固宜終朝乾乾，日不自暇，慎思之，力行之，不倦以終之，是上則以思輔其君，下則以思總百官以治天下之民，自朝及夕常戒懼而惕若，則可以無咎矣。若者，辭之助。注以為至於夕猶惕然，若厲，今則不取。

Hu Yuan explains: Nine in the Third is located at the top of the lower trigram, which is the highest position a minister can reach, equivalent to the authority of the Three Dukes and Prime Minister. Toward the sovereign, he should assist in rectifying the ruler's conduct; toward the people, he should lead the officials and ensure that all the people receive their due. All the important state affairs of the court must be entrusted to him. If he only attends to serving the sovereign and neglects the welfare of the people, he becomes a flatterer and a cunning minister. If he only attends to the people and neglects serving the sovereign, he will be punished for encroaching upon the sovereign's authority. Therefore, he should be diligent all day long, never allowing himself to be idle, carefully considering and striving to carry out every matter, without fatigue, until the end. This is to have the sovereign in mind all the time, thinking of assisting the ruler, and the officials and people in mind, thinking of leading the officials to govern the people. From morning to night, he should always remain cautious and alert, thus avoiding mistakes. The word "若" here is merely a sentence-ending particle. Wang Bi interpreted it as "still being vigilant at night, as if in danger," but this interpretation is no longer adopted.

九四，或躍在淵，無咎。

The line statement for nine in the fourth says: The dragon may rise up or remain in the deep, thus there will be no fault.

義曰：或者，疑惑也；躍者，騰躍也；淵者，龍之常處也。九三已極人臣之位，九四出人臣之上，切近至尊之位，既非人君，又非王官，是儲貳之象也。何哉？仲尼曰：「或躍在淵，乾道乃革。」言人道近於地，今九四近於天位，已出人臣之上，是乾道革變之始也。

Hu Yuan explains: "Or" signifies uncertainty; "leap" means to jump up; "deep pool" refers to the deep water where a dragon usually resides. Nine in the Third has already reached the peak of a minister's position, while Nine in the Fourth goes beyond the rank of ministers, closely approaching the position of the supreme ruler. It is neither the king nor part of the court officials, which is the image of a crown prince. How do we know this? Confucius said: "Or leaps in the deep pool, the principle of the Creative (Heavenly) changes." Human affairs are naturally close to position, but now Nine in the Fourth is close to the throne, surpassing the ranks of ministers, which marks the beginning of the change in the principle of the Creative.

夫太子者，天下之本，生民之望也。不有所進則無以副四海之望，欲進其位又恐侵君之權，處多懼之地，故不得不疑也。始則疑惑，終則無咎者，蓋或躍以進其徳，在淵以守其位分，是進其徳不進其位也。故昔者太子必入太學，求賢師以教諭之，就賢友以漸摩之，使知為君、為臣、為父、為子之道，目見正色，耳聞正聲，是躍以進已徳而在淵以守已位也。

The crown prince is the foundation of the state and the person whom the people look up to. If he does not strive for advancement, he would be辜负ing the expectations of the four seas; yet if he wishes to advance in position, he fears infringing upon the authority of the sovereign father. Thus, he is in a position where he is constantly in fear, and therefore must be full of doubts. Initially doubtful, he ultimately has no fault, because "or yue" (leaping up) refers to advancing in virtue, while "zai yuan" (in the abyss) means maintaining his proper position and status. This means advancing in virtue without advancing in position. Therefore, in ancient times, the crown prince was required to study in the Taixue (Imperial Academy), to invite virtuous teachers to instruct him, and to associate with virtuous friends to refine and influence him, so that he would understand the principles of being a sovereign, a subject, a father, and a son. His eyes would see proper expressions, and his ears would hear refined speech. This is using "yue" (leaping) to enhance his virtue and using "zai yuan" (in the abyss) to maintain his proper position.

《震》曰：「震驚百里，不喪匕鬯。」言百里者，威不逺也；匕鬯者，宗廟之器也。有威而不過，守禮而循常，是以見臣子之道全而不侵於君父也。

The Commentary on the Zhen hexagram says, "Thunder rumbles for a hundred li, yet the sacrificial knife and wine used in worship do not get lost." Saying "a hundred li" indicates that this power does not spread far, but has its limits. "Bi" is a ritual tool used in ancestral worship to take sacrificial animals, and "Chang" is the fragrant wine used in worship, both being objects found in the ancestral temple. The Zhen hexagram is associated with the eldest son acting as the chief worshipper, possessing authority but not exceeding proper bounds, observing rituals and following established norms. This shows that the duties of a subject or a son are fully maintained, without overstepping to harm the sovereign or father.

今輔嗣之注曰「近乎尊位，欲進其道，廹乎在下，非躍所及」，孔頴達從而疏之曰「以其遲疑進退，不敢果敢以取尊位」。且聖人六經垂萬世之教，為天下之法，所以教人臣之忠、人子之孝也，今其言曰「不敢果敢以取尊位」，是何人臣之忠、人子之孝哉？又言曰「西伯內執王心，外率諸侯以伐紂」，此尤違聖人之。如其言，則簒逆之道也，今故不取。

Now Wang Bi's commentary says, "The ninth line in the fourth position is close to the noble position of the sovereign, wishing to advance his own way, but is restrained by still being in a lower position, and cannot be achieved in one leap." Kong Yingda then explains, "Because he hesitates and is caught between advancing and retreating, he dares not decisively take the noble position." One must know that the Six Classics of the sages are the teachings for all generations and the laws for the world, used to teach ministers to be loyal and sons to be filial. Now they say, "Dare not decisively take the noble position," what kind of loyalty of a minister or filial piety of a son is this? They also say, "King Wen of the Western State had the thought of becoming king, and externally led the feudal lords to attack King Zhou," which further contradicts the original intention of the sages. The text below "this is especially contrary to the sages" also has a missing character. According to their interpretation, this is simply the way of usurpation and rebellion, so it is not adopted now.

夫聖人之言，不勸則戒。勸之者，欲其進徳也；戒之者，懼其侵君之權也。為儲貳者，但進修其徳，以禮法而守其位，則《文言》所謂「進徳修業，欲及時也」，故無咎。

The sage speaks either to encourage or to warn. Encouragement is to hope that he will improve in virtue; warning is to prevent him from infringing upon the authority of the sovereign and father. As a crown prince, he should only constantly cultivate his own virtue and maintain his position with propriety and law. This is exactly what the "Wenyan Zhuan" says: "To increase virtue and cultivate achievements is to seek the right opportunity." Therefore, there will be no mistakes.

九五，飛龍在天，利見大人。

The line statement for the ninth line at the fifth position says: The dragon has already flown and soared in the sky, at this time it is favorable to meet the great talent and virtue of the 'great person'.

義曰：九五之爻，當建辰之月，陽氣盛而上升於天，如龍之騰飛然，猶聖人積中正誠明之徳，徳既廣，業既成，即人君之位，上合天心，下順人情，以居至尊之地也。然乾之六爻，九二九五並言利見大人者，九五雖有聖人之徳之位，必須得大才大徳之臣輔佐之，然後可以有為於天下，使一民不失其所，一物必遂其性，此聖人之心也，故言利見太人。

Hu Yuan explained: The line nine in the fifth position corresponds to the third lunar month, the month of Chen, when the yang energy is flourishing and rising to the heavens, like a dragon taking flight. This is analogous to a sage who has accumulated the virtue of uprightness and sincerity, whose virtue is vast and whose achievements are complete, and who then ascends to the position of a ruler. He harmonizes with the will of heaven and the sentiments of the people, occupying the supreme position. As for why both the line nine in the second and the line nine in the fifth of the Qian hexagram mention 'favorable to see a great person': although the line nine in the fifth possesses both the virtue and the position of a sage, it still requires the assistance of a great and virtuous minister to achieve great deeds in the world, ensuring that every person has a place to live and that every thing fulfills its nature. This is the wish of the sage, hence it is said 'favorable to see a great person' — in the original text, the term 'great person' is written as 'too person'.

九二雖有聖人之徳，固須得大才大徳之君，然後得已道之行。先聖云：「水流溼，火就燥，雲從龍，風從虎，聖人作而萬物覩。」此言聖人在位，天下有聖人之徳者皆來仕於朝，皆以類應也。《禮》曰：「天降時雨，山川出雲。」如聖人在上，則天下聖人皆來輔佐之也。孟子曰：「堯以不得舜為己憂，舜以不得禹、稷、皋陶為己憂。」堯，大聖人也，必得舜；舜，大聖人也，必得禹、稷、皋陶，故可以治。是雖有大才大徳之君，必利見大才大徳之臣，然後成天下之治也。

As for the Nine in the Second, although possessing the virtue of a sage, one must encounter a great and virtuous ruler and have one's own views realized. Confucius said, "Water flows to the damp place, fire burns in the dry place, clouds arise with the dragon, and wind rises with the tiger. When a sage arises, all things look up to him." This means that when a sage holds the position of a ruler, all those with the virtue of a sage will come to serve in the court. This is the principle of mutual感应 between similar things. The Book of Rites says, "When heaven is about to send timely rain, the mountains and rivers first rise clouds." Just as when a sage is in power, the sages and virtuous men of the world will all come to assist him. Mencius said, "Yao regarded not obtaining Shun as his concern, and Shun regarded not obtaining Yu, Houji, and Gao Yao as his concern." Yao was a great sage, and he must obtain Shun; Shun was a great sage, and he must obtain Yu, Houji, and Gao Yao, only then could he govern the world. Thus, even with a great and virtuous ruler, one must have the fortune of meeting a great and virtuous minister in order to achieve the peace and governance of the world.

上九，亢龍有悔。

The line statement of the Upper Ninth says: The dragon flies too high, reaching the extreme, and there will certainly be regret.

義曰：此一爻居卦之終，亢極之地也。若聖人當衰耗之年，不可更專己任，必得聖賢之人以代己之聰明也。故堯之耄期倦於勤，則授之舜；舜耄期倦於勤，則授之禹；禹耄期，則授之啟。是聖人與時消息，知進退存亡而不至亢極，故無悔耳。

Hu Yuan explains: This line is at the very end of the hexagram, representing the highest point of elevation. It is like a sage reaching the late years of his life when his energy has declined, and he cannot continue to bear the heavy responsibilities alone. Therefore, he must find a sage to take over his duties and assist him. Thus, when Yao was in his eighties and tired of governing, he passed the state to Shun; when Shun was in his eighties and tired of governing, he passed the state to Yu; and when Yu grew old, he passed the state to his son Qi. This is how sages rise and fall with the times, knowing when to advance and when to retreat, when to stay and when to leave, thus avoiding excessive elevation and thus there is no regret.

然聖人之徳固無亢也，蓋其年有亢耳；聖人之道固無悔也，蓋其身有盛、有長、有耄耳。今上九是年齒衰耗、精神倦怠之時，若居此時不能自反而求代己任，則必有悔矣。《離》之九三曰：「日昃之離，不鼔缶而歌，則大耋之嗟，凶。」《太玄》首之上九曰：「巔靈氣形反正。」此謂也。是皆聖賢謂耄必求代而著萬世之戒也。

However, the virtue of the sage is originally not excessive, it is only his age that becomes excessive; the way of the sage is originally without regret, it is only his body that has differences of youth, strength, and old age. Now, when one is at the upper nine, it is precisely the time of old age, when the spirit is tired and the body is weak. If at this time one cannot turn inward for self-reflection and seek someone to take over his responsibilities, there will certainly be regret. The line statement of the third line of the "Li" hexagram says: "When the sun is setting, the brightness of attachment is there. If one cannot beat the earthen drum and sing songs, calmly facing it, then there remains only the lament of old age and physical decline, which is ominous." The upper nine of a certain line in Yang Xiong's "Tai Xuan" also says: "Reaching the peak, the vital energy and the body should return to the correct state." This is exactly the meaning of this principle — the original text here may have a missing word. These are all the words of sages and virtuous people: when one reaches old age, one must seek someone to take over, thus leaving a warning for generations to come.

用九，見群龍無首，吉。

The phrase "用九" says: A group of dragons appear, none competing to be first, which is auspicious.

義曰：乾之六爻，自初至上皆稱龍者，終始全用剛陽之徳也。王者法天之健，居兆人之上，亦當終始用其剛陽之徳也，故言用九見群龍。然謂無首吉者，言全用剛徳，不可居物之首也。

Hu Yuan explains: In the Qian hexagram, all six lines from the first line to the top line are called Long, indicating that the entire process fully applies the virtue of strong and vigorous yang. A ruler who follows the strong and vigorous nature of heaven, who is above millions of people, should also apply this strong and vigorous virtue throughout. Therefore, it is said, "Use nine, see a group of dragons." As for "no head is auspicious," it means that although all strong virtue is used, one should not be the first to take the initiative and act ahead of others.

何則？夫國家兵武，至剛威者也，動則蠧民之財，殘民之命，聖人不得已而用之也。凡人臣有背叛，四夷有侵撓，天子於是加兵以誅討之，去其元惡大憝，以安天下之生靈，待其有犯，然後應之耳，不可先之也。先之則窮黷矣。夫窮兵黷武，豈聖人事哉？秦之始皇、漢之孝武、隋之煬帝、唐之明皇，皆為首以自取敗亡之道耳，故聖人戒之，言無首乃得無咎也。

Why is that? The military force of a state is the most fierce and formidable thing. Once it is used, it consumes the people's wealth and injures their lives. Therefore, sages only use it when absolutely necessary. Whenever ministers rebel or the four barbarian tribes invade the borders, the Son of Heaven then sends troops to punish the chief offenders and restore peace to the people. When the enemy attacks first, then we respond. We must never strike first. To strike first is to be aggressive and wasteful in warfare. How could such behavior be that of a sage? Qin Shi Huang, Han Wu Di, Sui Yang Di, and Tang Xuanzong all took the initiative in starting wars, and thus brought about their own downfall. Therefore, the sages warn us that not taking the lead can avoid blame.

彖曰：大哉乾元，萬物資始，乃統天。雲行雨施，品物流形。大明終始，六位時成，時乘六龍以御天。乾道變化，各正性命，保合太和，乃利貞。首出庶物，萬國咸寧。

The Commentary on the Judgment says: How great is the primal virtue of Qian! All things rely upon it to have their beginning, and it governs the entire heavenly way. Clouds flow, rain falls universally, and all creatures take form and spread out. The sun shines, continuing without end, and the six lines are established in proper order. Thus, the sage rides six dragons in accordance with the seasons to manage the heavenly way. The movement and transformation of the Qian path enable all things to be upright in their nature and destiny, maintaining and harmonizing the great unity of Taihe. Thus there is 'advantage' and 'uprightness'. The virtue of Qian surpasses all things, and thus the world and all states find peace.

義曰：彖曰者，仲尼為十翼之文，贊明易道，以觧文王所作卦下彖辭之辭，以明一卦之大要，故亦謂之彖。大哉乾元，萬物資始，乃統天者，此三句釋乾元之義也。大者，無限極之辭；乾者，剛陽至健之氣；元者，始生長養之徳。言天以一元之氣生成萬物而無有限極也。

Hu Yuan explained: The phrase "彖曰" refers to the text written by Confucius in the Ten Wings, which is used to elaborate and explain the principles of the Book of Changes. It interprets the hexagram commentaries attached by King Wen beneath each hexagram, highlighting the main essence of each hexagram. Therefore, this section is also called the Commentary on the Judgment. The three sentences "Great is the Primordial Power of Heaven, all things receive their beginning, and thus unify the heavens" explain the meaning of "Qian Yuan." "Great" means boundless and limitless; "Qian" refers to the pure, vigorous, and extreme yang energy; "Yuan" refers to the virtue of initiating and nurturing all things. This means that Heaven uses its pure and original energy to generate all things, without any limits or boundaries.

然坤則稱至哉者，蓋天氣降於地為萬物之始，地承天之氣以育成萬物之形，是有所至，故曰至哉。資者，取也，言乾以一元之氣發育施生，故萬種之物資而為始；坤則待天氣之降然後能生萬物，故乾言資始，坤言資生，此聖人於一字皆有意。乃統天者，夫天者，形之名，今以剛健之徳運行不息，故得天氣常存，是乾元能統領天之形也。

As for the Commentary on the Judgment of the Hexagram of Earth (Kun), it says, "How profound is the beginning of the Earth's vital force!" This is because the vital force of Heaven descends to the earth, becoming the beginning of all things. The earth receives the vital force of Heaven to nurture and shape all creatures. It is through receiving that it comes to be, hence the phrase "how profound." The term "资" means to take or use, indicating that the vital force of Heaven, being pure and original, initiates the generation of all things. Therefore, all things take this as their beginning. The Earth, however, can only nurture and bring forth life after the vital force of Heaven has descended. Hence, Heaven is said to "initiate" and Earth to "nurture." This shows that the sage's use of each word is precise and intentional. As for "乃统天," "天" refers to the form of Heaven. Now, with its strong and vigorous virtue, it moves ceaselessly, allowing the vital force of Heaven to endure. Thus, the vital force of Heaven is able to govern the form of Heaven.

雲行雨施，品物流形者，此釋亨之徳也。乾為陽氣而上統於天，天將降雨，山川出云，雲氣升行，雨澤下施，故品彚之物各流佈其形體而得亨通也。

Clouds move and rain is dispersed, allowing myriad things to take form. These two sentences explain the virtue of "heng" (smoothness). The Qian trigram represents yang energy that ascends and governs the heavens. When the Heavenly General is about to rain, mountains and rivers first rise up to produce clouds, which then spread and move, causing rain to descend. Thus, all things are able to spread and take shape, achieving smoothness.

大明終始，六位時成，時乘六龍以御天者，此四句總結乾之徳。大明終始之道，六爻之位各有次序：初則潛，陽氣潛萌於黃鍾之宮；二則見，陽氣見於地之上；三則處人臣之極；四則出人臣之上，為儲君；五則陽氣至盛，隮升於天；上則亢極，在太虛之中。時潛則潛，時見則見，時躍則躍，時升則升，是六位以時而成也。

"The great illumination begins and ends, the six positions are formed in sequence, and the times ride upon six dragons to govern the heavens." These lines summarize the virtue of the Qian trigram. The principle of the sun's illumination and its continuity from beginning to end is expressed through the six lines, each in its proper order: the first line is "hidden," with yang energy concealed and beginning to stir in the underground palace ruled by the Huangzhong tone; the second line is "manifest," with yang energy appearing above the ground; the third line is at the peak of a minister; the fourth line is beyond the ministers, the position of the crown prince; the fifth line is when yang energy is most vigorous, rising to the heavens; the top line is at the highest point, in the vast emptiness of the heavens. When it should be hidden, it is hidden; when it should appear, it appears; when it should leap, it leaps; when it should ascend, it ascends. This is how the six lines are established in accordance with the sequence of time.

時乘六龍以御天者，夫以上下定位而言之謂之六位，以陽氣變化而言謂之六龍。陽氣自十一月漸升，冬至之日萌於黃鍾之宮，至五月而陰氣漸升，是乘此六龍之位以時而升降，故大明生成萬物終始之道，以控御天體也。且人之神氣，萃之則生，散之則亡；天有剛陽之氣運行不息，故天體常存也。

The phrase "riding the six dragons to govern the heavens" refers to "six positions" from the perspective of positioning above and below, and to "six dragons" from the perspective of the changing yang energy. Yang energy begins to rise gradually from the eleventh lunar month, and on the winter solstice it becomes active in the Yellow Bell Palace. By the fifth lunar month, the yin energy starts to rise again. This is the way of riding the six dragon positions, following the sequence of time to rise and fall. Thus, the sun can illuminate and nurture all things, maintaining a consistent principle throughout, and is used to govern and control the entire heavens. As for human spirit energy, when it gathers, a person lives; when it disperses, a person dies. The heavens have the vigorous yang energy that never stops moving, so the heavens can exist for a long time.

乾道變化，各正性命者，此二句申明乾元之徳。變者，後來改前，以漸變易也；化者，一有一無，全然而化也。性者，天生之質，有剛柔遲速之別也；命者，人所稟受，有貴賤夭壽之等也。天以剛陽之徳，自然以漸變化，各正其萬物之性命。按《書》曰：「惟天陰隲下民。」是或富或貴、或夭或壽，皆上天黙定之也。至於草木之性，有甘有苦，有益人者，有害人者，皆天所賦性命之然也。

"The way of the Heaven Trigram brings about transformation, enabling each thing to establish its nature and destiny." These two sentences further explain the virtue of the Creative Power of Heaven. "Transformation" refers to the replacement of the previous by the later, a gradual change; "change" refers to a complete transformation from existence to non-existence and from non-existence to existence. "Nature" refers to the innate quality bestowed by Heaven, which may be strong or gentle, slow or quick. "Destiny" refers to the portion each person receives, which may be noble or humble, short or long-lived. Heaven, by its strong and yang virtue, naturally brings about gradual transformation, enabling all things to properly establish their nature and destiny. The Book of Documents, The Mandate of Heaven says: "Only Heaven silently establishes the people." This shows that a person's wealth or nobility, longevity or early death, are all determined secretly by Heaven. As for the nature of plants and trees, some are sweet, some bitter, some beneficial to humans, some harmful, which are all originally as they are by the nature and destiny bestowed by Heaven.

保合太和，乃利貞者，此釋利貞之徳也。天以剛陽之徳生成萬物，必以漸成之，以保合太和之道。蓋剛陽不以健而利物，則不能保合者也，故必漸成之。若立秋涼風至，八月白露降，九月寒露降，以至為霜為雪，是漸成其物而不暴，終能正固而幹了之也。若其大暑之後寒涼暴至，則萬物能成乎？故曰保合太和乃利貞。

"The preservation and harmonious union of the great harmony, thus benefiting and maintaining the principle of constancy" are explanations of the virtues of "benefit" and "constancy." Heaven generates all things by means of its strong and vigorous yang virtue, and it must proceed step by step to maintain the harmonious and unified state of the great harmony. Because if yang strength is not used to benefit all things, it cannot preserve harmony, so it must proceed gradually. Like the autumn breeze that brings coolness in the first month of autumn, the white dew falling in the eighth month, the cold dew falling in the ninth month, and eventually frost and snow, this is a gradual process that allows all things to mature without being abrupt or hasty, ultimately enabling all things to be properly established and firmly grounded, achieving a complete harvest. If after the height of summer heat, cold and coolness suddenly arrive, can all things mature? Therefore, it is said, "Preserve and harmonize the great harmony, thus benefiting and maintaining the principle of constancy."

首出庶物，萬國咸寧者，自大哉而下明乾之四徳：元為春以始生，亨為夏以大通，利為秋以漸成，貞為冬以幹了，是天道自然而然也。此二句言人為天下之君，首出萬民之上，法乾之四徳，為禮樂刑政以生成天下之萬民，故樂為元，禮為亨，刑為利，政為貞，四達而不悖，萬國所以皆得安寧也。

"The first two sentences, 'First comes the chief among all things, and all the states are at peace,' are explaining the four virtues of Qian (Heaven) from 'Great indeed is the creative power of Qian.' These virtues are: Yuan (origin) corresponds to spring, governing the beginning of life; Heng (greatness) corresponds to summer, governing the flourishing of things; Li (advantage) corresponds to autumn, governing the gradual maturity of things; Zhen (uprightness) corresponds to winter, governing the completion of things. This is the natural operation of the heavenly way. The last two sentences say that when a person becomes the sovereign of the world, occupying the position of the people's leader, he follows the four virtues of Qian, establishing rites, music, punishment, and government to nurture the people under heaven: music corresponds to Yuan, rites correspond to Heng, punishment corresponds to Li, and government corresponds to Zhen. These four are universally applied and do not contradict each other, so all the states under heaven can thus attain peace."

象曰：天行健，君子以自強不息。

The Great Image Commentary says: The heavenly way proceeds with unceasing strength and vigor; the gentleman takes inspiration from this, striving ceaselessly and never ceasing.

義曰：此先聖所作大象之辭，所以明一卦之用也。天行健者，蓋言天以至健而行，故一晝夜之間凡行九十餘萬里。而君子之人則當法之而健健不已，以至為君、為臣、為父、為子，小之一身，次之一國，大之天下，皆當法天之至健之徳，強勉於已，夕思晝行，無有休息，則可以成天下之事業而行天下之大道也，故曰天行健，君子以自強不息。

Hu Yuan explained: This is the text of the Great Image Commentary composed by Confucius, used to explain the function of a single hexagram. "The heavens act vigorously" means that the heavens operate with extremely vigorous strength, thus traveling over ninety thousand li in a single day and night. A gentleman should emulate this, maintaining continuous vigor. Whether he is a ruler, a minister, a father, or a son, or even in personal cultivation, governing a country, or managing the world, he should emulate the heavens' vigorous virtue, constantly striving. He should think during the night and act during the day, never ceasing for a moment, in order to accomplish the world's affairs and promote the world's great way. Therefore, it is said, "The heavens act vigorously, and the gentleman should strive ceaselessly."

潛龍勿用，陽在下也。見龍在田，徳施普也。終日乾乾，反復道也。或躍在淵，進無咎也。飛龍在天，大人造也。亢龍有悔，盈不可乆也。用九，天徳不可為首也。

The Small Image Commentary says: "When the dragon is hidden and not yet in use," it is because the yang energy is still below. "When the dragon appears in the field," it means the virtue has spread widely. "All day long the dragon toils diligently," meaning it constantly adheres to the right path. "The dragon may leap in the deep pool," meaning it advances only in virtue, thus having no fault. "The dragon flies in the heavens," meaning the great man has reached the time for initiating creation. "The dragon exalts to the extreme and regrets," meaning the state of fullness cannot be maintained. "Use all nines," meaning one should follow the heavenly virtue and not be the first to act rashly.

義曰：潛龍勿用至不可為首也，此先聖又解釋周公之爻辭，故謂之小象。潛龍勿用，陽在下也者，言建子之月陽氣始發，而功尚未及於物，是猶以聖人之徳而在於潛隠之時也。

Hu Yuan explains: From "The Hidden Dragon is Not Yet Used" to "It is not suitable to be the leader," this passage is Confucius further explaining the line statements composed by the Duke of Zhou, hence it is called the Small Image Commentary. "The Hidden Dragon is Not Yet Used, the Yang is at the bottom," refers to the Yang energy just beginning to emerge in the eleventh lunar month, the month of Zi, where its effects have not yet reached all things. This is like a person possessing the virtue of a sage but still being in a hidden and concealed state.