The Great Treatise: Chapter on Making Instruments and Admiring Images (In ancient times, the Emperor Fuxi ruled over the world)

古者包犧氏之王天下也，仰則觀象於天，俯則觀法於地，觀鳥獸之文與地之宜，近取諸身，逺取諸物。

In the ancient times, when Fuxi was the king of the world, he looked up to observe the various phenomena of the sun, moon, and stars in the sky, and looked down to examine the various principles displayed by mountains, rivers, grass, and trees on the earth. He also observed the patterns and colors of feathers and fur on birds and beasts, as well as the kinds of plants and animals suitable for growth in different lands. He took inspiration from the human body nearby and from all things in the universe far away.

義曰：自此已下至「葢取諸夬」為一章。言包犧氏以聖人之才徳以王天下，為天下之主。然於上古洪荒之世，典章法度未立，而包犧氏仰則觀象於天，俯則觀法於地，既觀察天地之象，又觀鳥獸之文與地之宜，以畫成其八卦也。

Hu Yuan explained: From here on down, until the sentence "Covering the meaning of Guai" is reached, it forms one chapter. The Emperor Fu Xi ruled the world with the virtue and talent of a sage, becoming the sovereign of all people. However, in the ancient times when the world was still wild and untamed, there were no established systems or laws, so he looked up to observe the celestial phenomena and looked down to examine the geographical features. He studied the forms of heaven and earth, the patterns of birds and beasts, and the suitability of water and soil in different regions. Based on these observations, he created the "Eight Trigrams" — using symbols of three lines to summarize the eight fundamental natural phenomena: heaven, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain, and marsh.

然則上既言觀法於地，下又言與地之宜；既言觀鳥獸之文，下又言逺取諸物者，何哉？葢上文言仰則觀象於天、俯則觀法於地者，葢是伏羲始觀象之初也。此又言鳥獸之文者，葢東方之宿則為蒼龍，南方之宿則為朱鳥，西方之宿則為白虎，北方之宿則為龜蛇。如此之類，是伏羲仰觀天之垂象之宿、鳥獸之文，又觀其地之動植山川丘陵之象、萬物所生之宜。

Since the previous text mentioned "looking down to observe the patterns of the earth," why does the following text say "adapting to the suitability of the earth"? And since it already mentioned "observing the markings of birds and beasts," why does it then say "drawing from things far away"? This is because the previous discussion about looking up to observe celestial phenomena and looking down to examine earthly conditions refers to the initial stage when Fuxi began to observe the forms of things. Here, mentioning "the markings of birds and beasts" refers to the images formed by the distribution of the Twenty-Eight Star Mansions in the four directions. For example, the seven stars of the Eastern mansions form the image of a blue dragon, the seven stars of the Southern mansions form the image of a red bird, the seven stars of the Western mansions form the image of a white tiger, and the seven stars of the Northern mansions form the image of a turtle and a snake entwined. Such images are all the results of Fuxi looking up to observe the celestial patterns of the star mansions and the markings of birds and beasts, and looking down to examine the growth of animals and plants, the forms of mountains, rivers, hills, and the conditions suitable for the generation of various things.

既觀天之垂象之文，又觀地之所生之宜，然後近取諸身者，至如乾為首，坤為腹，震為足，艮為手，又近取人之一身，其有思慮口鼻之屬。如此之類，是近取諸身也。既近取諸身，又逺取諸萬物之象，若乾為龍、坤為馬、山澤風雷之類是也。

After observing the patterns of the stars in the heavens and the conditions suitable for the growth of all things on earth, the next step is "nearby taking from one's own body." For example, the Trigram Qian is taken as the image of the human head, the Trigram Kun as the human abdomen, the Trigram Zhen as the human feet, and the Trigram Gen as the human hands. Considering the human body further, there are also functions such as thinking and the mouth and nose. All these are called taking from one's own body nearby. After taking from one's own body, one then takes from the images of things far away. For example, Qian is taken as the image of a dragon, Kun as that of a horse, and also the images of mountains, marshes, wind, and thunder, all of which are called taking from things far away.

於是始作八卦。義曰：作者，起也。言伏羲因此天地萬物之象，然後興起八卦，以象動植之宜也。以通神明之徳。義曰：神明即謂天地之道、陰陽之運、變通不測之宜、吉凶未兆之事，如此之類，則謂之神明，是八卦通此神明之徳也。以類萬物之情。義曰：夫萬物之情狀至繁至眾，故不可得而知之也。聖人作此八卦，取其天地水火山澤風雷之象，以類聚萬品之情偽，皆可見也。

The text says, "Thus he first made the Eight Trigrams." Hu Yuan explains: "Making" means arising or coming into being. It refers to Fuxi observing the forms of heaven and earth and all things, and then creating the Eight Trigrams to symbolize the appropriate nature of animals and plants. The text also says, "To communicate the virtue of the divine and bright." Hu Yuan explains: The term "divine and bright" refers to the regular patterns of heaven and earth, the ebb and flow of yin and yang, the changes that are unmeasurable and unaccountable, and the occurrences of good and bad fortune that have not yet shown their signs. All these are called divine and bright. The Eight Trigrams are precisely able to convey this mysterious virtue. The text further says, "To classify the nature of all things." Hu Yuan explains: The nature of all things is extremely varied and cannot be fully understood one by one. The sage created the Eight Trigrams, using the images of heaven, earth, water, fire, mountain, marsh, wind, and thunder as categories, thus classifying the true nature and false appearances of all things, making them clearly distinguishable.

作結繩而為罔罟，以佃以漁。義曰：網罟者，取魚獸之物也。言伏羲既畫八卦以通神明之徳，以類萬物之情，以至天地之始終、人事之淵蘊，無不畢備於其間。然而於人事之間未有所食之物，是故伏羲又結繩以為網罟，以佃以漁，使人取其魚獸以為所養。

The text says, "He made ropes into nets for hunting and fishing." Hu Yuan explains that nets are tools used to catch fish and animals. This indicates that after Fuxi created the Eight Trigrams, he had already comprehended the profound and mysterious virtues, could classify the forms of all things, and even included the beginning and end of heaven and earth, as well as the subtle aspects of human affairs, all fully contained within the Eight Trigrams. However, in practical daily life, people still lacked a reliable source of food, so Fuxi wove ropes into nets and fishing nets, enabling people to hunt in the mountains and forests and fish in lakes and marshes, obtaining fish and animals to sustain themselves.

葢取諸離。義曰：葢者，疑之之辭也。離者，麗也。言山之髙而禽鳥麗之，水之深而魚鱉麗之，然則山之髙、水之深而人莫能及之，而聖人創立其事，結繩而為網罟，使人用之，雖禽鳥居山之髙、魚鱉居水之深，皆得而取之，是使人麗而用之也。然謂之葢者，即疑之辭也。言聖人創立其事，不必觀此卦而成之，葢聖人作事立器，自然符合於此之卦象也，非準擬此卦然後成之，故曰葢取諸離。

The text says, "It is taken from the Li trigram." Hu Yuan explains: "Gui" is a particle expressing tentative inference rather than certainty; "Li" means attachment or reliance. Mountains are high and steep, so birds rely on them; rivers are deep and wide, so fish and turtles rely on them. However, mountains are so high and rivers so deep that humans cannot reach them directly. The sage created this method, making a net from a rope and giving it to people to use. Thus, even birds resting on high mountains and fish and turtles hiding in deep waters can be captured—this is about taking advantage of the principle of reliance to use all things. As for why "Gui" is used here as a tentative term: the sage created objects, not because he first saw this trigram and then made the object, but rather, the making of objects naturally corresponds to the trigrams, not by imitating the trigrams. Therefore, it is only said "it is probably taken from the Li trigram." Later generations combined the thirteen principles of making objects based on trigrams into a single term called "Zhi qi shang xiang" (making objects with the image of trigrams).

包犧氏沒，神農氏作，斵木為耜，楺木為耒，耒耨之利，以教天下，葢取諸益。

After the death of Fuxi, Shen Nong came to power. He carved wooden plows called "si" and bent wood to make plow handles called "lei," teaching the people the convenience of using these tools for farming. This is probably based on the principle of the "Yi" hexagram.

義曰：言包犧氏既沒之後，又有神農氏以聖人之才興起於世。以其人既得其網罟以佃以漁，然而未有飲食之道，神農氏是以樸斵其木以為之耜。耜者，博五寸，其首有華觜，以為耕作之用。又揉其曲木，其曲有鉤，以為之耒。耒耨之利以教於天下之人，使四時耕作之，種其禾黍之利，以為飲食之養。葢取諸益，益者，取其有益於人，為萬世之利也。

Hu Yuan explained: After the death of Fuxi, there emerged Shen Nong, who rose to prominence with the talents of a sage. At that time, people already had nets and traps for hunting and fishing, but they had not yet established a stable way of farming and cultivating food. Therefore, Shen Nong roughly carved wood to make a plowshare. The plowshare is the blade of the plow, five inches wide, with a sharp edge at the front, used for turning over the soil. He also bent a piece of wood into shape, with a hook at the bend, to make a plow handle. Shen Nong taught the people the convenience of using the plow and the plowshare to till the land and remove weeds, instructing them to follow the seasons in their farming, to sow millet, rice, and other grains, and to reap their benefits as sustenance. Therefore, it is said, "Ge qu zhu Yi" — the name of the Yi hexagram comes from its meaning of benefiting people and providing a lasting advantage for generations.

日中為市，致天下之民，聚天下之貨，交易而退，各得其所，葢取諸噬嗑。

At noon, a market is established, attracting people from all over the world, gathering goods from everywhere, exchanging them with each other and then departing, each person obtaining what they need. This is probably based on the principle of the Hexagram of Eating into the Fire.

義曰：言於日中為其市，以貿遷於貨財，以萃聚於天下之人，使皆貿易之相交。民之無者従而有之，民之有者従而散施之。既貨財交易，貿遷有無，天下之民各得其所，各得其宜，故曰市也。然必取於日中者，葢日之早而逺者必不能及，若日之晚而又失其時，必於日中之時，取其逺近之人皆得以及矣，故於日中為市也。然則葢取噬嗑者，以其噬嗑之卦上體是離，下體是震，震動於下，離明於上，是下動而上明，聚之則為之市也。又頥中有物曰噬嗑，凡頥中有剛梗之物，必囓而去之也，然後得其通而物有所合也。

Hu Yuan explained: Setting up a market at noon is used to circulate goods and money, gathering people from all directions so that they can trade with each other. When the people lack something, they obtain it through trade; when they have surplus, they give it away through trade. Goods and money can be exchanged, and what is lacking can be obtained, so that people all over the world can each obtain what they need and be content. Therefore, it is called "market." As for why it is specifically set at noon, it is because if the market opens too early, people who live far away cannot arrive in time; if it opens too late, it will miss the proper time. Only by setting it at noon can people both near and far arrive in time, hence the market is opened at noon. Furthermore, the reason for drawing an analogy to the hexagram "噬嗑" is that the upper trigram of this hexagram is "离" (Fire) and the lower trigram is "震" (Thunder): "震" in the lower position signifies movement, while "离" in the upper position signifies brightness. This represents the scene of people moving about actively below and the bright sunlight above, which together form a market. Moreover, when something is stuck in the mouth, it is called "噬嗑." Any hard and difficult-to-chew obstruction in the mouth must be bitten through and removed in order to achieve smoothness and proper bite. The way of market transactions is similar: by removing the obstruction in the middle, things can be exchanged and combined smoothly.

神農氏沒，黃帝、堯、舜氏作，通其變，使民不倦。義曰：夫法之久則必弊，弊則物有所不通，法既不通，則人情多至怠情而有厭倦之心。是故神農既沒之後，復有黃帝以聖人之才徳繼世而興起，能通人事之理。以其伏羲既結繩而為網罟，而斵木為耜，楺木為耒，又聚天下之民財以交易之為之市，然事之久必有其弊壊，故黃帝能通其變化而裁之，引而伸之，隨其物之變通，因其時而更造之，以為萬世之法，使民宜之，皆得其利用。民既得其利用，則無怠倦之心也。

The classic text says, "After Shen Nong died, the Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun came into power, and they made changes so that the people would not become weary." Hu Yuan explained: when a system is in place for a long time, it inevitably leads to problems, and when there are problems, things become difficult to handle. When the system becomes ineffective, people's hearts become slack, and they develop feelings of weariness and frustration. Therefore, after Shen Nong died, the Yellow Emperor, with his wisdom and virtue, took over and understood the principles of human affairs. Fuxi had already made ropes into nets and traps, Shen Nong made wooden plows and hoes, and also gathered goods from all over the world to set up markets for trade. However, any practice that continues for too long will eventually lead to corruption, so the Yellow Emperor was able to understand the changes within these practices and make judgments. He extended the old methods, adapted them according to the changes in things, and reformed them according to the times, creating a system that could be followed by generations, making it suitable for the people and providing them with real convenience. When the people received this convenience, they naturally no longer felt weary or frustrated.

神而化之，使民宜之。義曰：神而化之，使民宜之者，言天下之民既得其利用，則不知聖人之制作所以然而然也。既不知所以然而然，則所作為用皆得其宜也。易窮則變，變則通，通則久。義曰：言黃帝既能通其變使民不倦，神而化之使民宜之，如此者，葢得大易通變之道也。夫大易之道，窮極而復變，變極而必通，天地生成之道、人事終始之理，無有限極，周而復始，無有窮際，可以永久為萬世通行之法也。

The text says, "Divine and transform, so that the people may find it appropriate." Hu Yuan explains: what is meant by "divine transformation" and making the people find it appropriate is that when the people have already gained the convenience of objects and systems, they do not realize how the sage's creation was achieved, only feeling that it has always been so. Since they do not perceive any trace of human effort, all actions and applications naturally become appropriate. The text also says, "When the Book of Changes reaches its limit, it changes; when it changes, it becomes unobstructed; when it becomes unobstructed, it endures." Hu Yuan explains: Huangdi was able to change and adapt old methods so that the people would not become weary, and also could divine and transform, making the people find things appropriate. This is precisely grasping the great principle of change and adaptability in the Book of Changes. The principle of the Book of Changes is that when something reaches its limit, it changes; when it changes to its extreme, it becomes unobstructed; the laws of heaven and earth generating all things, and the principles of human affairs having a beginning and an end, have no boundaries, and are cyclic and endless, thus able to endure as a rule for generations.

是以自天佑之，吉無不利。義曰：言黃帝之法如此，為萬世久行之道，則自天而下至於鬼神皆佑助之。在鬼神尚且佑助，況於天下之人乎？鬼神人民既以佑助，則盡善盡美之功所往之處，何所不利哉？故引易文而證之。

The classic text says, "Therefore, if heaven supports him, there will be no misfortune and everything will be beneficial." Hu Yuan explains: Since the laws established by the Yellow Emperor have become the great path followed by all generations, heaven above and ghosts and spirits below will support him. If even ghosts and spirits assist him, how much more so will the people of the world? With both ghosts and spirits and the people assisting, this perfect achievement, when carried out anywhere, will have no obstacles. Therefore, Confucius cites the line statement from the hexagram Dà Yǒu (Great Possession) at the top, "Heaven supports him, and there will be no misfortune and everything will be beneficial," to confirm this.

黃帝、堯、舜垂衣裳而天下治，葢取諸乾坤。義曰：自此已下凡有九事，皆黃帝堯舜因象而立制也。夫上古之時，世質民淳，民皆敦樸，則上如槁枝，下如野鹿，則上下自然而正矣。迨黃帝堯舜之世，垂衣裳而天下治，以其乾有剛陽之徳在於上，故為尊；坤有柔陰之徳在於下，故為卑。爰作衣裳，以分尊卑上下貴賤之等，此葢取乾坤之象也。然則黃帝堯舜連言之者，葢衣裳之起始於黃帝，成於堯舜之時，故以黃帝堯舜而通言之也。

The classic text says, "The Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun governed the world by simply wearing robes, which was derived from the trigrams Qian and Kun." Hu Yuan explains: from here onwards there are nine matters, all of which were systems established by the Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun according to the trigrams. In ancient times, the world was simple and honest, people were sincere and upright, those in power were as plain as withered branches, and those below were like wild deer living naturally. Thus, the relationship between superiors and inferiors was naturally upright and free from wrongdoing. By the time of the Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun, they simply wore their robes and the world was well governed. This was because Qian, with its virtue of strong and bright yang, occupied the upper position, thus symbolizing honor; and Kun, with its virtue of gentle and quiet yin, occupied the lower position, thus symbolizing humility. Therefore, they made upper garments and lower garments to distinguish ranks of honor and humility, superiority and inferiority, and wealth and poverty. This is probably derived from the imagery of the trigrams Qian and Kun. As for why the Yellow Emperor and Yao, Shun are mentioned together, it is because the system of garments began with the Yellow Emperor and was finally perfected in the time of Yao and Shun, so they are mentioned together.

刳木為舟，剡木為楫，舟楫之利，以濟不通，致逺以利天下，葢取諸渙。

By hollowing out a tree trunk to make a boat and cutting wood into oars, one can cross waters that were previously impassable and reach distant places to benefit the world. This is probably the principle illustrated by the Hexagram of Dispersal.

義曰：刳者，謂刳木之中，虛其中以為舟也，以濟於水，使人乗載之，以濟不通，免其沈溺之患也。剡木為楫者，又剡削其木以為舟之用也。凡人有川險之深而不可以涉之，而黃帝能刳木之中為舟，又剡削其木為楫，以濟川險之患，使人乗之皆得以濟，致逺之處皆得以利。葢取諸渙者，葢渙之卦上是巽，下是坎，巽為木，坎為水，故其彖辭曰「利涉大川，乗木有功也」，是言巽木為舟，有涉川之象也。又曰渙者，散也，能散釋其民難，令為舟以濟於天下，使人免其沈覆之患，故此亦得變通之一端也。

Hu Yuan explains: "Ku" means hollowing out the middle of a piece of wood to make it hollow, forming the body of a boat, which is used to cross water, allowing people to sit on it and cross over waters that were previously impassable, thus avoiding the danger of drowning. "Shan mu wei ji" refers to further cutting the wood into oars for use in rowing the boat. Whenever encountering deep and dangerous rivers where people could not cross by foot, the Yellow Emperor hollowed out tree trunks to build boats and cut wood into oars, thereby removing the danger of crossing rivers, enabling people to cross and reach even distant places to gain benefits. As for the general idea of drawing from the "Huan" hexagram, it is because the upper trigram of Huan is Xun (wind), and the lower trigram is Kan (water). Xun represents wood, and Kan represents water. Therefore, the "Huan" hexagram's zhuang (interpretation) says "favorable for crossing great rivers, riding on wood achieves success," which precisely refers to making a boat from wood, symbolizing the ability to cross great rivers. Moreover, "Huan" also means dispersion and dissipation, capable of eliminating the difficulties of the people, teaching them to build boats to cross rivers and save the world, thus freeing people from the fear of capsizing and drowning. Therefore, this is also one aspect of the principle of change.

服牛乗馬，引重致逺，以利天下，葢取諸隨。義曰：夫物之重者，人力不能及之；地之逺者，人力不能至之。是故聖人服習其牛，調習其馬，使重者得以及之，逺者得以至之。然則牛馬本無知之物，而聖人能馴服之，使其至重之物亦得以行之，至逺之地亦得以至之。重者引之，逺者利之，天下之人皆得其利，葢取諸隨也。然則隨者，是動作必隨於人，以之逺則亦隨於人，以之近則亦隨於人，是動作所在皆隨於人也。

The text says, "Domesticating oxen and riding horses to carry heavy loads and travel long distances, benefiting the world, is derived from the hexagram of Following." Hu Yuan explains: when something is too heavy, people cannot carry it by hand; when the distance is too far, people cannot walk there. Therefore, sages tamed oxen and trained horses so that heavy objects could be transported and distant places could be reached. Oxen and horses are originally senseless animals, yet sages could tame them, enabling the transportation of extremely heavy goods and the reaching of extremely distant places. For heavy loads, they are used to pull; for long distances, they are used to carry. Thus, people throughout the world benefit. Therefore, it is said that this is derived from the hexagram of Following. Following means to follow along: oxen and horses move in accordance with human commands. If told to go a long way, they follow and go a long way; if told to go a short way, they follow and go a short way. All their actions are subject to human direction.

重門擊柝，以待暴客，葢取諸豫。義曰：夫治平之世，不能無奸宄之人，是故聖人用其兩木相擊，昏夜之間擊其聲以為之警備，使其奸人暴客不能踰越也。然而必取諸豫者，葢豫者，樂也。按豫卦「雷出地奮，豫」，言雷自地奮出以發生萬物，物既生，各遂其安，故曰豫樂也。此重門擊柝以待暴客而云葢取諸豫者，葢言凡人居治平之時，外既有警備，則奸人不能犯；奸人既不能犯，則在內者自然安矣。

The text says, "Setting up many doors and striking wooden blocks to guard against violent guests, this is derived from the hexagram Guan." Hu Yuan explains: Even in a time of peace and order, there are still people who commit crimes and violate laws, so the sage established many doors and used two pieces of wood to strike each other—this is the wooden block used for night patrols and alarms. In the darkness, the sound of striking the block serves as a warning, preventing thieves and robbers from entering through the walls. As for why it specifically refers to the hexagram Guan, it is because "Guan" means joy and ease. The image of the hexagram Guan says, "Thunder emerges from the earth, Guan," meaning that spring thunder arises from the earth, promoting the growth of all things; once all things have grown, they each rest in their proper place, hence called Guan, meaning joy. Here, setting up many doors and striking wooden blocks to guard against violent guests and drawing from the hexagram Guan, it refers to: when people are in a time of peace, there are external defenses, so villains cannot invade; once villains cannot invade, those living inside naturally enjoy peace and security.

木為杵，掘地為臼，臼杵之利，萬民以濟，葢取諸小過。義曰：言聖人既能教民以粒食五穀，然又不能精治其五穀以為飲食之養，是故後世聖人復其木為杵，又掘其地為臼，以其臼杵之利以精治其五穀。夫既精治其五穀，則天下之萬民皆得以濟，故取諸小過焉。然則必取小過者，葢小過之卦，聖賢之人過為其事以矯過於人。今此杵臼而取小過者，葢聖人既教人粒食以自養，又教人精治其五穀，是小有過為其事故也。

The text says, "Wood is used as a pestle, and the ground is dug to make a mortar; the efficiency of the pestle and mortar benefits all the people, hence it is taken from the hexagram of Xiao Guo." Hu Yuan explains: Although the sage had already taught the people to eat grain, it was still not possible to process the grain finely enough for nourishment. Therefore, later sages made wooden pestles and dug the ground to make mortars. By using the pestle and mortar to pound the grain, they could process it finely. Once the grain was finely processed, all people in the world could be sustained, hence it is said that the method is taken from the hexagram of Xiao Guo. As for why it specifically takes from Xiao Guo, it is because the hexagram of Xiao Guo speaks of sages and virtuous persons slightly exceeding the ordinary in doing something, using slightly excessive actions to correct the deficiencies of the world. Now, saying that the pestle and mortar take from Xiao Guo is precisely because the sage had already taught people to sustain themselves by eating grain, and then further taught them to process the grain finely, which was an extra step beyond the ordinary.

弦木為弧，剡木為矢，弧矢之利，以威天下，葢取諸睽。義曰：夫治平之世，不能無奸暴之人；堯舜之代，不能無逆命之人。是故聖人雖立刑罰之事以懲戒之，然其間亦有不庭不軌之人，非刑罰之威可以懲也。是故復以弦繫於木上以為弧，弧者即弓也。既以弦於木為弓，又剡削其木，取其矯厲，故為矢以中於人。弧矢既成，以威中於不庭不軌之人；威既中於不庭不軌之人，則天下之奸暴者皆畏而懼矣。

The text says, "Using curved wood to make a bow, and cutting wood to make arrows, the power of the bow and arrow is used to intimidate the world, which is derived from the hexagram Guī (Strife)." Hu Yuan explains: In times of peace, there will inevitably be wicked and violent people, even in the era of Yao and Shun. Therefore, although sages established punishments to admonish them, there would still be those who refused to come to court and did not abide by the laws, which could not be punished by the power of punishment alone. Thus, they made bows by stretching curved wood, and made arrows by cutting wood, taking advantage of its straight and strong nature. After the bow and arrow were made, their power was used to shoot at those who did not come to court and did not follow the laws. Once their power had been applied to these people, the wicked and violent throughout the world would then fear and restrain themselves.

然蓋取諸睽者，蓋睽者，離也，言人心之乖離者必用弧矢以威之。至如蠻夷之人，當奉於中國，反抗衡於中國，有離叛之心；又如諸侯當尊奉於王者，今不能貢賦，反有倍於王者之心；又如奸猾之俗，不能歸奉於上，反有離二之心。如此之人，聖人因其有睽離之心，故制弧矢以威服之，故云蓋取諸睽也。

As for why it is said that the method is roughly based on the "Kui" hexagram, it is because "Kui" means separation and rebellion. It refers to the situation where people's hearts are separated and rebellious, and thus require the power of bows and arrows to subdue them. For example, the four barbarian tribes should have honored the Central Kingdom, yet they now oppose it and treat it as equal, harboring rebellious intentions. Similarly, the feudal lords should have honored the Son of Heaven, but now they refuse to pay tribute and instead harbor thoughts of abandoning the king. Also, there are deceitful customs that refuse to submit to the sovereign and instead have divided loyalties. In such cases, the sage created bows and arrows to intimidate and subdue these people based on their rebellious and divided hearts. Therefore, it is said that "the method is roughly based on the Kui hexagram."

然則弧矢、杵臼、服牛乘馬、舟楫皆云利者，此葢器物有益於人，故稱利也。然重門擊柝不言所利者，蓋擊柝之事止以御暴客，是亦利之異名也。垂衣裳不言利，此亦隨便立義，故云天下治，治亦利也。此皆義便而言，故不可一例取也。

Thus, the passages mentioning "benefit" or "advantage" in the cases of bows and arrows, pestles and mortars, domesticated cattle and horses, and boats and rafts are so because these objects are indeed beneficial to people, hence called "benefit." The passage about fortified gates and the sound of a wooden clapper does not mention "benefit," because the clapper is used solely for defense against violent intruders, and defense itself is another name for benefit. The passage about clothing with robes and skirts does not mention "benefit," as it is based on the text itself, stating only "the world is well governed"—meaning the world is well ordered, which is also a form of benefit. All these are expressions that follow the meaning of the text for convenience, and cannot be rigidly applied with the same formula.

上古穴居而野處，後世聖人易之以宮室，上棟下宇，以待風雨，蓋取諸大壯。

In ancient times, people lived in caves and slept outdoors; later sages changed this by building houses, with beams above and eaves below to form a shelter, thus protecting against wind and rain. This is probably based on the principle of the Great Strength hexagram.

義曰：夫上古之時未有宮室，當此之時，人但冬則居營窟，夏則居層巢，人既安居，然於風雨之時無可御止。是故後世聖人易之以宮室，上隆其棟，下為之宇，以待風雨，有所棲止，故取諸大壯也。然必取諸大壯者，以其制度宏壯，有便於人，故取大壯也。

Hu Yuan explained: In ancient times, there were no houses. People lived in earth pits dug into the ground in winter and in layered nests built on trees in summer. Although they had places to live, they had no way to shelter from wind and rain. Therefore, later sages changed this into houses, with high beams on top and eaves extending out below, to protect against wind and rain and provide people with a stable place to live. Hence, it is said that this is modeled after the Great Strength hexagram. As for why it specifically takes the name Great Strength, it is because the structure of the house is grand and magnificent, and convenient for people, so it is called Great Strength.

古之葬者，厚衣之以薪，葬之中野，不封不樹，喪期無數，後世聖人易之以棺槨，蓋取諸大過。

In ancient times, when burying the dead, they simply wrapped the body in thick straw and buried it in the wilderness, without making a mound or planting trees as markers, and the period of mourning had no fixed duration; later sages changed this practice to using coffin and outer case for burial, which probably followed the principle of the Great Exceeding hexagram.

義曰：夫上古之時，凡人之死不能蔽其尸，但厚衣之以薪，及塟之中野之間，又不能封土為墳，是不封也；又不能種樹為別，是不樹也。及其哀慼又無時而止，但哭除則止，喪之期制又無其日月之限，是無數也。其於死者知耶不知耶？是故後世聖人以木合為之棺槨以庇其尸，又封其土以為之墳，又種其樹以為之別，又立五服之制、三年之喪，使其哀慼有時者也。

Hu Yuan explained: In ancient times, when people died, there was nothing to cover their bodies, so they were wrapped in thick firewood and buried in the wilderness; they did not pile up earth to make a mound, which is called 'not making a mound'; they also did not plant trees as markers, which is called 'not planting trees'. As for mourning and lamenting, there was no end to the period of grief; after crying once, it was considered enough, and there were no fixed months or days for mourning, which is called 'no fixed mourning period'. Treating the dead in this way, is it considered to understand the meaning of life and death, or not? Therefore, later sages made inner coffins and outer caskets from wooden boards to protect the body, piled up earth to form mounds, planted trees as markers, and established the 'five mourning garments' with different levels of mourning and the custom of mourning for three years, so that people's grief would have a definite period.

然則葢取諸大過者，原大過之卦，是聖人大有所為，過越常分以拯救天下，則為之大過。今此人之死不能蔽其尸而取此大過者，何也？葢聖人重人之生、孝子哀慼之情，以其人之生必有其死。葢死者是人之終，人之既終，孝子之大事，重其死者人之大事，故過為棺槨以庇其尸，又封土以為之墳，種樹以為之別，立其五服之制，又立饗祀之禮，其事過越至大，故取諸大過也。

As for taking the example of the Great Excess hexagram, investigating its original meaning, it refers to the sage's great actions, surpassing ordinary standards to save the world, which is called Great Excess. Now, when a person dies, even the body cannot be properly covered, so why take the example of Great Excess? This is because the sage values human life and understands the grief of filial sons: since people are born, they must die. Death is the end of life. When parents have passed away, properly handling the funeral is the most important duty of a filial son. Valuing the deceased is a major matter in life, so the sage carefully made coffins to protect the body, piled earth to make a grave, planted trees as markers, established the five mourning robes according to rank, and created rituals for worship and offerings. This act went beyond ordinary standards and was extremely solemn, so it is said to take the example of the Great Excess.

上古結繩而治，後世聖人易之以書契，百官以治，萬民以察，蓋取諸夬。

In ancient times, people used knots on ropes to record events and manage affairs. Later sages changed this method into writing and contracts. Officials used these to handle government affairs, and the true circumstances of the people could be understood through them. This is probably based on the principle of the卦夬 (Gua Guai) divination.

義曰：夫上古之時，世質民淳，情偽未遷，凡人有事必結其繩而取信。若有大事，則結之以大繩；若有小事，則結之以小繩。迨及後世，情偽已遷，利害漸作，巧詐萬狀，不可以救正之。是故後世聖人易之以文書，成之以契券。文書所以取其信驗，契券所以取其要約。文書既立，契券既明，則百官之事皆得其治，萬民之情皆得以察。然而蓋取諸夬者，蓋夬者，決也，能明決其事，驗人之情偽以決之，自此而後，民之利病、事之奸詐不可以隠也。

Hu Yuan explained: In ancient times, the customs were simple and sincere, people's feelings were pure and thick, truth and falsehood had not yet been separated. When people had affairs, they tied a knot on a rope as a sign of trust. For major matters, they tied a big knot, and for minor matters, they tied a small knot. However, in later generations, people's hearts became mixed with truth and falsehood, and conflicts of interest gradually arose. Deceit and cunning tricks became rampant, and it was no longer possible to rely on knots to correct these issues. Therefore, the sages of later times replaced this with written documents and supplemented them with contracts. Written documents were used to obtain and verify trust, while contracts were used to establish agreements. Once the documents were established and the contracts were clear, the affairs of officials could be managed in an orderly manner, and the true conditions of the people could be fully understood. As for the general principle of following the Gua (Hexagram) of "Gua," it is because "Gua" means decision-making: being able to clearly decide matters and verify the truth or falsehood of people's hearts to make judgments. From then on, the people's interests and grievances, as well as the deceitful nature of affairs, could no longer be concealed.

是故易者象也。義曰：自此已下至「小人之道」為一章。夫大易之道皆本諸萬物之形象而成，至如乾為龍、坤為馬、艮為山、兌為澤，如此之類，皆是本於物象也。象也者，像也。義曰：言聖人立六十四卦之象，皆因其物像而名也，至如兼山艮、麗澤兌、巽為木、坎為水、離為火，如此之類，皆是本諸象也。彖者，材也。義曰：彖者，即六十四卦下彖辭也，如「乾，元亨利貞」，「坤，元亨，利牝馬之貞」，此類皆聖人設其彖辭，以象一卦之材徳而成之也。

The text says, "Therefore, the Book of Changes is about images." Hu Yuan explains: from here until the sentence "the way of the petty person" forms one chapter. The principles of the Book of Changes are all based on the images of things. For example, the trigram Qian is taken as the image of a dragon, the trigram Kun as a horse, the trigram Gen as a mountain, and the trigram Dui as a marsh. All such cases are based on the images of things. The text further says, "An image is like a likeness." Hu Yuan explains: the sixty-four hexagrams established by the sage are all named according to the forms of things. For example, the trigram Gen, with two mountains stacked on top of each other, is called "dou shan" (double mountain); the trigram Dui, with two marshes connected, is called "li ze" (beautiful marsh); the image of Xun is wood, the image of Kan is water, and the image of Li is fire. All such cases are based on the images of things. The text then says, "Tuan is material." Hu Yuan explains: "Tuan" refers to the Tuan statements that follow the names of the sixty-four hexagrams. For example, "Qian, yuan heng li zhen" and "Kun, yuan heng, li pin ma zhen." These kinds of statements are all composed by the sage to summarize the material and virtue contained in each hexagram.

爻也者，效天下之動者也。義曰：夫六十四卦，一卦則象其一時，一爻則象其一人。然而爻有變動，位有得失，變而合於道者為得，動而乖於理者為失。人事之情偽、物理之是非，皆在六爻之中，所以象天下之動，使人效法之也。

The text says, "A yao is something that imitates the movement of the world." Hu Yuan explains: among the sixty-four hexagrams, one hexagram symbolizes a period of circumstances, and one yao symbolizes a person within that period. However, yao can change, and the position of the yao can be appropriate or inappropriate: change that conforms to the right path is called "getting it right," and action that goes against reason is called "missing the mark." The sincerity and hypocrisy of human affairs, and the right and wrong of things, are all included within the six yao. Therefore, yao is used to imitate the movement and change of all things in the world, so that people may take it as a model to follow.

是故吉凶生而悔吝著也。義曰：夫六十四卦之爻，有得位、有失位者，有凶、有吉者，皆繫於爻之動靜也。若動得其道則吉，動失其道則凶。然動靜之間，有可追悔者，有可鄙吝者。若能慎於動靜，則凶害不生矣；若不能慎於動靜，則凶咎著焉。是吉凶悔吝著見於外，皆繫於爻之變動也，故上文所謂「吉凶悔吝生乎動」者也。

The text says, "Therefore, fortune and misfortune arise, and regret and shame become evident." Hu Yuan explains: among the sixty-four hexagrams, each line is either in a proper position or not; some show good fortune, others show bad fortune, depending on whether the line is active or still. If the action is in accordance with the right path, it is good fortune; if it deviates from the right path, it is bad fortune. Between movement and stillness, some outcomes lead to regret after the fact, while others cause shame and sorrow. If one acts with caution, misfortune and calamity will not occur; if one lacks caution, misfortune will manifest. Thus, good fortune, bad fortune, regret, and shame all appear externally and are determined by the movement of the lines. Therefore, the previous text says, "Good fortune, bad fortune, regret, and shame arise from movement."

陽卦多陰。義曰：陽者即剛也，陰者即柔也。夫八卦之設，有純陽之卦，有純陰之卦，有一卦有二陽者，有一卦有二陰者。至如坎之一卦，上下二陰而一陽在其中矣；艮之一卦，一陽在上而二陰在其下矣；震之一卦，二陰在上而一陽在其下矣，是陽卦多陰也。

The text says, "Yang trigrams contain more yin." Hu Yuan explains: Yang represents strength, and yin represents softness. The eight trigrams are established with some being entirely yang (Qian), and some entirely yin (Kun). There are also trigrams containing two yang lines and trigrams containing two yin lines. For example, the Kan trigram has two yin lines at the top and bottom, with one yang line in the middle; the Gen trigram has one yang line at the top and two yin lines below; the Zhen trigram has two yin lines above and one yang line below. These three trigrams all have one yang line as the main line, while the yin lines are more numerous, hence the saying "Yang trigrams contain more yin."

陰卦多陽。義曰：夫八卦之中有陰卦而多陽者，至如離之卦，二陽在外，一陰在內矣；兌之一卦，一陰在上而二陽在下矣；巽之一卦，二陽在上而一陰在下，是陰卦多陽也。其故何也。義曰：此是孔子疑問之辭也。言陽卦多陰、陰卦多陽，其故果如何多也。

The classic text says, "Yin trigrams contain many Yang lines." Hu Yuan explains: among the eight trigrams, there are also Yin trigrams that contain more Yang lines. For example, the trigram Li (Fire) has two Yang lines on the outside and one Yin line inside; the trigram Dui (Lake) has one Yin line on top and two Yang lines below; the trigram Xun (Wind) has two Yang lines on top and one Yin line below. These three trigrams all take the single Yin line as their main element, yet they contain more Yang lines, hence the statement "Yin trigrams contain many Yang lines." The classic text then asks, "What is the reason for this?" Hu Yuan explains: this is a question posed by Confucius — why do Yang trigrams contain mostly Yin lines, and Yin trigrams contain mostly Yang lines? What is the reason behind this?

陽卦竒，陰卦偶。義曰：此是孔子復陳陽卦多陰、陰卦多陽各有本末也。言陽卦所以多陰者，葢陽卦純一，故多竒也；陰卦多陽者，蓋陰卦純二，故多偶也。是故聖人因其竒偶之數，所以如此也。其徳行何也。義曰：此孔子又發問之辭，言陽卦所以多竒、陰卦所以多偶，其於徳行果如何哉。

The classic text says, "Yang trigrams are odd, Yin trigrams are even." Hu Yuan explains: This is Confucius once again explaining the reasons behind the principle that Yang trigrams have more Yin lines and Yin trigrams have more Yang lines, each having their own beginning and end. Yang trigrams have more Yin lines because they are dominated by a single Yang line, and the number one is an odd number, hence called "odd." Yin trigrams have more Yang lines because the Yang lines they are dominated by come in pairs, and the number two is an even number, hence called "even." The sage arranged it this way based on the distinction between odd and even numbers. The classic text then asks, "What about their virtue?" Hu Yuan explains: This is another question by Confucius — since Yang trigrams take the odd and Yin trigrams take the even, how should this be explained in terms of virtue?

陽一君而二民，君子之道也。義曰：此是孔子又自釋陽卦竒、陰卦偶之所由也。言陽之卦是君，陰之卦是民。一陽在上則眾陰歸之，一君在上則二民歸之，猶天下一統，眾歸於一主，則成邦國之道，是至治之本，此是君子之道者也。

The classic text says, "A single yang line represents a sovereign, and two yin lines represent the people; this is the way of the gentleman." Hu Yuan explains: this is the reason why Confucius himself further explains that a yang trigram is odd and a yin trigram is even. A yang line symbolizes a sovereign, while a yin line symbolizes subjects. One yang line at the top, with many yin lines all following it; one sovereign at the top, with two subjects following him. This is like the whole world being unified under one sovereign, with all people looking up to one ruler. This realizes the correct way of the state and is the fundamental principle of universal peace, hence it is called the way of the gentleman.

陰二君而一民，小人之道也。義曰：言陰者是小人之象也。夫二陰在上而一陽歸之，是由二君在上而在下之人無所的従。在下之人既無所的従，則天下不能統一。如此則乖邦國之道，是致亂之本，此是小人之道也。

The text says, "Two yin lines and one yang line represent the way of the small person." Hu Yuan explains: Yin symbolizes the small person. When two yin lines are above and only one yang line is below, it is like two rulers standing at the top while the people below do not know whom to follow. Since the people have no clear direction, the world cannot be unified; this goes against the proper way of the state and is the source of disorder, hence it is called the way of the small person.

易曰：「憧憧往來，朋従爾思。」義曰：自此已下至「徳之盛也」為一段。「憧憧往來，朋従爾思」者，此是咸卦九四之爻辭。凡易卦中有義理深逺、卦爻之內未能盡其義者，孔子特引於此而明之。言天地之道、生成之理，不能感於物，蓋物自然而咸感之；聖人之道亦不求感於人，蓋但任仁義之道以行於世，則天下之人自然而歸之。今九四以陽居陰位，是不正也。當咸感之時，以不正之身，不能任以仁義之道以感於人，反自思慮其朋以求所感，故所感之道不廣，但其憧憧然朋従爾思之，惟是己之朋黨者則感之也。

The Zhou Changes say, "In a state of confusion, people come and go, and friends follow your thoughts." Hu Yuan explains: From here down to the sentence "This is the perfection of virtue," they form a single paragraph. "In a state of confusion, people come and go, and friends follow your thoughts" is the line statement of the ninth line in the fourth position of the Xian hexagram. Whenever the meaning in the Zhou Changes is profound and not fully explained within the original hexagram and its line, Confucius deliberately brings it up here to clarify it. This means: The great way of heaven and earth, the principle of generating all things, does not intentionally move things, yet things naturally respond to it. The way of the sage does not intentionally move people, but by constantly upholding the way of benevolence and righteousness in the world, people naturally come to him. Now, the ninth line in the fourth position is a yang line in a yin place, which is not in the proper position. At a time when the world should be in mutual response, he, being in an improper position, fails to uphold the way of benevolence and righteousness to move people, but instead constantly calculates with his own group, hoping to gain response. Therefore, his influence is extremely limited—only wandering anxiously, thinking constantly of his faction, and only his small group responds to him.

子曰：「天下何思何慮？天下同歸而殊塗。」義曰：此孔子自釋九四之辭。言天下之大、萬宇之廣，為感之道，聖人未嘗思之，但任其仁義之道以感於天下，則天下雖廣而人自感悅而隨之，故云同歸而殊塗。一致而百慮。義曰：言人之百慮雖然煩多，及其歸也，終歸於一致也。天下何思何慮。義曰：此重言之者，言聖人凡有天下之眾，為感之道不在思慮以感於人，如是則所感之道至廣也。

Confucius said: "What does the world think and consider? The world tends toward the same goal through different paths." Hu Yuan explained: This is Confucius himself interpreting the line statement of the fourth line. The world is so vast and the universe so broad; when it comes to the way of mutual response, sages have never used cunning plans, but instead upheld the way of benevolence and righteousness to influence the world. Though the world is vast, people will naturally be pleased and follow him. Therefore, although people take different paths, they ultimately arrive at the same place. The classic also says, "Harmonious in intent, yet myriad considerations." Hu Yuan explained: Although human thoughts and considerations are numerous and varied, when they are summed up, they all converge on the same principle. The classic further states, "What does the world think and consider?" Hu Yuan explained: This repetition is to indicate that sages govern the world's multitude and influence people's hearts not by exhausting their minds in planning. Because they do not act with deliberate intent, the scope of their influence is the most extensive.

日往則月來，月往則日來，日月相推而明生焉。義曰：此已下又明天地之道、陰陽之端、人事之理、萬物之情亦自然而然也。言日往則月來，月往則日來，日月之道互相推蕩於天地之間，而晝夜之道自然明矣。然則日月之道不求照耀於人，而天下之人物自然感日月之照臨也。

The text says, "When the sun sets, the moon comes; when the moon sets, the sun comes; the sun and moon push each other and thus light is generated." Hu Yuan explains: from here on, it further explains the patterns of heaven and earth, the origins of yin and yang, the order of human affairs, and the conditions of all things, which are all natural and spontaneous, requiring no artificial effort. When the sun sets in the west, the moon rises; when the moon sets in the west, the sun rises. The movement of the sun and moon in the space between heaven and earth mutually propel and stir each other, and thus the principle of day and night and the emergence of light appear naturally. Clearly, the sun and moon do not deliberately illuminate anyone, yet all people and things beneath the heavens naturally receive their illumination.

寒往則暑來，暑往則寒來，寒暑相推而歲成焉。義曰：夫天地之道，晝則為陽，夜則為陰，以陰陽之道互相推蕩而成寒暑，寒暑之道互相推蕩而成歲功。然則寒暑之道非自求成其歲功，葢歲功自然而隨於寒暑也。

The text says, "When cold departs, heat comes; when heat departs, cold comes; cold and heat alternately give rise to the completion of a year." Hu Yuan explains: The principle of the operation of heaven and earth is that day belongs to yang, and night belongs to yin. Yin and yang alternately shift and interact, giving rise to the coming and going of cold and heat. The accomplishment of agricultural work in a year naturally follows the alternation of cold and heat. It is evident that cold and heat do not themselves achieve the agricultural work, but the agricultural work is naturally completed along with the alternation of cold and heat.

往者屈也，來者信也，屈信相感而利生焉。義曰：此一節又明萬事之理亦皆本於自然而然也。屈者，去也；信者，進也。往者既去，來者求進，屈信之間而利害生焉，是利害自然而生於屈信也。

The text says, "What went before was a contraction, what comes after is an expansion; through the mutual interaction of contraction and expansion, benefit arises." Hu Yuan explains: this passage further illustrates the principles underlying all worldly affairs, which originate from the natural and spontaneous. "Contraction" refers to withdrawal, and "expansion" refers to extension and advancement. What has already receded in the past will now extend forward in the future; between contraction and expansion, benefit and harm arise. Thus, benefit and harm naturally emerge from the alternation of contraction and expansion.

尺蠖之屈，以求信也；龍蛇之蟄，以存身也。義曰：夫尺蠖之屈，雖一本於天賦，然而凡於動靜之間，非自樂也，蓋所以求其信也。龍蛇之蟄，潛其所處，蓋所以求其安身也。

The text says, "The inchworm bends itself in order to straighten out later; the dragon and snake hibernate in order to preserve their lives." Hu Yuan explains: the inchworm, when crawling, arches and contracts its body, though this is a natural instinct. However, in the process of bending and stretching, it is not enjoying the curled state, but rather preparing for the next stretch. Similarly, dragons and snakes hibernate in winter, hiding in deep and secluded places, also to preserve their lives and seek security.

精義入神，以致用也。義曰：夫人得天性之自然，稟五常之至正，然而有服君子之事者，有服小人之事者，何也？蓋曰操心積慮，學而致諸善，不學而致諸不善也。惟是聖人得天地之全性，凡所動作，精思逺慮，以合於義，以通神妙，及發於外也，可以措天下之用，興天下之利也。至如網罟取諸離、書契取諸夬、宮室取諸大壯，凡百所為之事有利用於民者，皆由聖人精義入神然後能也。

The text says, "By refining the profound meaning to the level of the divine, one can apply it in practice." Hu Yuan explains: All people inherit the natural nature of heaven and earth, possessing the pure essence of the five constants—ren, yi, li, zhi, and xin. Yet some act as gentlemen while others act as petty men. Why is this so? The key lies in their use of mind and accumulation: those who are willing to learn tend toward goodness, while those who are not tend toward wickedness. Only the sages possess the complete nature of heaven and earth. When they act, they think carefully and consider deeply, ensuring their actions conform to righteousness and reach the realm of the divine. When they express these thoughts outwardly, they can establish systems useful for the world and promote the public good of the people. For example, nets are modeled after the trigram Li (Fire), writing and seals are modeled after the trigram Guai (Breaking), and houses are modeled after the trigram Da Zhuang (Great Strength). All these beneficial practices for daily life are the result of the sages' "refining the profound meaning to the level of the divine"—studying the principles to their finest details and entering the realm of the divine.

利用安身，以崇徳也。義曰：言聖人既能精義入神以致天下之用，又能宴樂以安其神，飲食以養其體，居富貴而不自充詘，在貧賤而不自隕穫，如此則安於身而崇大其徳業也。過此以往，未之或知也。義曰：言聖人舍其精義入神以致用、利用安身以崇徳，舍此二道而往，則雖聖人亦不能知之也。窮神知化，徳之盛也。義曰：言聖人既能精義入神、利用安身，如是則可以窮極鬼神之情狀，通曉變化之終始，此是徳之至盛者也。

The text says, "It is useful for securing one's body, in order to cultivate virtue." Hu Yuan explains: The sage is able to study principles and reason to such a refined and divine level that he can achieve practical benefits for the world; he can also enjoy leisure and comfort to settle his spirit, and use food and drink to maintain his body. He remains unarrogant in wealth and unproud in poverty; thus, his body and mind are both tranquil, and his virtue grows ever more exalted. The text also says, "Beyond this, there is nothing that anyone knows." Hu Yuan explains: The sage has these two paths, "refining principles to the divine level to achieve practical use" and "using things conveniently to secure one's body and cultivate virtue." If one goes beyond these two paths, even the sage cannot know. The text further says, "To exhaust the divine and know the transformation, this is the height of virtue." Hu Yuan explains: The sage is able to study principles and reason to the divine level, and also use things conveniently to secure himself. Thus, he can exhaust the subtle conditions of ghosts and spirits, and understand the beginning and end of the transformation of all things. This is the state of virtue reaching its highest perfection.