The principles of imagery and numbers depend on each other.

象與數，不可相離。象為主，而數為用。如天是象，三百六十五度四分度之一是數；日、月是象，一日一度、一月十三度十九分度之七是數。天與日、月運而為春夏秋冬，又積為元、會、運、世，天與日月是象，春夏秋冬、元會運世是數。《易》之有象數，所以法天，卦主象，而蓍主數，二者相湏。但象有定而數無窮，故成變化、行鬼神，必歸之數也。

Images and numbers cannot be separated from each other: the image is the main body, and the number is its function. For example, heaven is the image, and the number of 365 and 1/4 degrees in a full circle is the number; the sun and moon are images, and the number of one degree traveled by the sun in a day and thirteen and seven nineteenths degrees traveled by the moon in a day is the number. The movement of heaven and the sun and moon forms the four seasons, and when accumulated, it forms the terms yuan, hui, yun, and shi. Heaven and the sun and moon are images, while the four seasons and the terms yuan, hui, yun, and shi are numbers. The I Ching has both images and numbers because it follows the pattern of heaven; hexagrams govern images, and the yarrow stalks govern numbers, and the two depend on each other. However, images have a fixed form while numbers are endless, so the Great Treatise says, "It brings about transformation and movement, and acts like ghosts and spirits," ultimately returning to numbers.

又澤《舊說》云：卦以象告，而蓍以數行，二者不可相離。象具吉凶悔吝，而數以行其吉凶悔吝。蓋《繫辭》言天一、地二，止天九、地十，下文即繼之曰：夫《易》何為者也？止如斯而已者也。《易》道雖大，然亦不能外此。十數，夫天與日月星辰之運。非數，無以紀之四時迭運，萬物始終莫有逃乎數者，此成變化、行鬼神所以必歸之數也。

I have also said before that hexagrams use images to convey meaning, and the yarrow stalks use numbers to carry out the process, and the two cannot be separated. The images contain the elements of good fortune, misfortune, regret, and hardship, while numbers bring these elements into manifestation. The Great Treatise explains starting from "Heaven one, Earth two" up to "Heaven nine, Earth ten," and immediately follows with "What is the purpose of the Book of Changes?" continuing until "This is all there is to it." Although the way of the Book of Changes is vast and profound, it cannot go beyond these ten numbers. The movement of Heaven and the sun, moon, and stars cannot be recorded without numbers; the changing of the four seasons and the beginning and end of all things cannot escape the realm of numbers. This is why "producing change and acting like ghosts and spirits" ultimately must return to numbers.

孔子曰：《易》之興也，其於中古乎？作《易》者，其有憂患乎？鄭仲復問：作《易》者，其有憂患乎？如何只取九卦，晦庵云：聖人論處憂患，偶然說此九卦，意思白足，若更添一卦也不妨。更不說一卦也不妨，只就此九卦中，亦自盡有道理，且《易》中盡有處憂患底卦，非除九卦之外皆非所以處憂患也。若以困為處憂患底卦，則屯、蹇非處憂患而何？晦庵之說如此。

Confucius said, "The emergence of The Zhou Changes probably took place in the middle ancient times. The person who composed The Book of Changes probably had some anxieties in his mind." Zheng Zhongfu asked, "If the person who composed The Book of Changes had anxieties, why does the Great Treatise only mention nine hexagrams: Lu, Qian, Fu, Heng, Sun, Yi, Kun, Jing, and Xun?" Zhu Xi answered, "The sage discussed the way of dealing with anxieties, and occasionally cited these nine hexagrams, and the meaning was already sufficient. Adding one more hexagram would not be a problem, nor would omitting one. Within these nine hexagrams, there are endless explanations. Moreover, there are many hexagrams in The Zhou Changes that deal with anxieties, and it is not the case that only these nine can be used to deal with anxieties. If Kun is considered a hexagram dealing with anxieties, then Tun and Jian are not also hexagrams dealing with anxieties?" This is Zhu Xi's explanation.

澤謂：聖人處此九卦，必真有處憂患之理，決非偶然。今若於屯、蒙、需、訟、師、比、小畜、泰、否、同人、大有內再說一卦，亦恐不可。如屯本以象開闢之時、洪荒之事，其在中世，則是經營、創造之象，比於九卦，非其類也。蹇是險在前，教人以見險則止，不是在險中處險難之道，於九卦亦不類。

I think the sages arranged these nine trigrams with definite reasons concerning matters of concern and hardship, not merely by chance. If we were to add another trigram from among Zun, Meng, Xu, Song, Shi, Bi, Xiao Xu, Tai, Pǐ, Tong Ren, and Da You, it would probably be inappropriate. For instance, the Zun trigram originally symbolizes the beginning of creation, the chaotic and primitive state of the world; if interpreted in terms of middle ancient human affairs, it represents the image of establishing and founding enterprises, which does not belong to the same category as the nine trigrams. The Jian trigram represents encountering obstacles and difficulties, teaching people to stop when facing danger, rather than explaining how to deal with difficulties when in a dangerous situation, and thus differs from the nine trigrams as well.

蓋此九卦，是以卦名、卦義、卦象取之，如上天、下地，豈不可以辨上下、定民志？卻取履卦者，以澤處於地，尤卑。此尊卑之極，蓋有感於君臣之際，故又極於卑順也。謙以九三一陽處於眾陰之間，又在下體，君子勞謙之象。復是有過則改，不逺之復，亦是。自剝而坤，自坤而復，渉歴艱難，而誠不已之象。雷風動盪卦之名恆，所以見其於勞擾之中而有恆者在。

These nine trigrams are selected from three aspects: the name of the trigram, its meaning, and its symbolic image. For example, the trigrams of "Obstruction" and "Great Crossing" with heaven above and earth below, could also be used to distinguish between superior and inferior, and to stabilize the people's minds. However, the trigram "Footsteps" (履卦), which has heaven above and marsh below, is chosen because the marsh is located beneath the earth, especially humble. This represents an extreme distinction between high and low, and contains a deep meaning regarding the relationship between ruler and subject, thus selecting a trigram that is extremely submissive. The trigram "Humility" (谦卦) is chosen because the single yang line in the third position is located among many yin lines and is in the lower trigram, which symbolizes the image of a gentleman who works diligently yet remains humble. The trigram "Returning" (复卦) discusses the idea of correcting mistakes when they occur and turning back when one has not gone far ("not far returning"), which conveys the same meaning. The transition from the trigram "Splitting" (剥卦) to "Earth" (坤卦), and then from "Earth" to "Returning," represents enduring great difficulties while never losing a single sincere heart, which is exactly the symbolic image. The trigram "Constant" (恒卦), which depicts thunder and wind interacting and stirring, is named "Constant" precisely to show that even amidst turmoil and disturbance, there is something constant within a person.

損以懲忿窒欲，益以見善則遷、有過則改，困者人臣以致命遂志，井取其不變、不窮而常潔新。巽者，酌事而處始，終不失於卑順，所以巽卦辭稱“小亨”者，是主陰爻言之：初陰所處甚卑，至六四柔而得位，不失其正，夫柔而得位，所以能推行也；四乃人臣之位，而柔巽不失其正，文王所以率殷之叛國以事紂，則亦取諸此，但以此之事亦非得已，故稱“小亨”。

The hexagram of Sun teaches people to restrain anger and suppress private desires; the hexagram of Yi teaches people to follow good deeds and correct mistakes when they occur. The hexagram of Kun teaches that a subject should be willing to sacrifice his life to fulfill his aspirations. The hexagram of Jing takes its meaning from the well, which remains unchanged, never runs dry, and remains clean and fresh. The hexagram of Xun signifies acting after careful consideration, maintaining humility and obedience throughout. The hexagram statement of Xun is called "small success" because it refers to the yin lines: the first line is a single yin line in the most humble position, and the fourth line is a yin line in a yin position, which is proper and does not lose its correctness. Being gentle and in the proper position allows for the implementation of orders. The fourth line is also the position of a minister, who remains humble and respectful without losing correctness. King Wen once led the rebellious states of Yin to serve King Zhou, following exactly this principle; however, this was done out of necessity, hence it is called "small success."

凡此九卦在《連山》、《歸藏》取義、取象，必不如是。文王衍易，實寓此意，但其用意雖深，而其言簡畧，微夫子孰能極其旨、發其微哉？澤又疑：九卦之中，巽是八純卦，恐卦名古亦如此，履、謙等卦當是文王所名。如此解尤為明白，蓋象義與名皆文王意也，其餘卦名出於文王者，亦不止此焉。

The nine trigrams in the ancient books of "Lianshan" and "Guicang" must have taken their meanings and images in a different way. King Wen's derivation of the Zhou Changes was genuinely intended to express this meaning; although his intent was profound, his wording was very concise. Without Confucius, who could fully elaborate on his meaning and reveal his subtle intentions? I also have a further speculation: among the nine trigrams, Xun is one of the eight pure trigrams, and the name of the trigram may have been the same since ancient times; however, the names of trigrams such as Lu and Qian were probably determined by King Wen. If interpreted this way, it becomes much clearer—because the images, meanings, and names of the trigrams all originated from King Wen's intention. There are also other trigram names that originated from King Wen's hand, not just these few.

禮以卑下為基，故履是徳之基。居下而有所守，不失其正，故謙是徳之柄。復則不妄，故復是徳之本。雷風動盪比於事變叢雜，而處之不失其常，故恆是徳之固。損其過，所以為徳之修。遭事變之多，而自處益厚，所以為徳之裕。處困窮之極，則識理愈精，操心危慮患深，諳悉情偽，而後處事各有所當，所以為徳之辨。不變不窮，所以為徳之地。巽順，則不違理，乃能制事，所以為徳之制。

Etiquette is based on humility and being lowly, so the Great Treatise says that "walking" is the foundation of virtue. Being in a low position yet maintaining one's principles without losing righteousness, so humility is the handle of virtue. Being able to return to one's original mind avoids falsehood, so "returning" is the root of virtue. Thunder and wind interact and stir up, like complex and varied events, yet remaining steady in the midst of them, so constancy is the firmness of virtue. Reducing one's own faults, so "reduction" is the cultivation of virtue. The more events one encounters, the more solid one's character becomes, so "increase" is the abundance of virtue. Being in the extreme of hardship, one's understanding of principles becomes more refined; being cautious in mind and deeply concerned, one thoroughly understands the true nature of human relationships, thus handling affairs appropriately, so "difficulty" is the discernment of virtue. The well remains unchanged and its water never runs out, so "well" is the foundation of virtue. Humility and gentleness do not violate principles, thus enabling one to govern affairs, so "wind" is the regulation of virtue.

又據剝、明夷，亦當是憂患之卦，而不在此數者。剝自是陰陽消長之機，君子小人進退之理，於文王事不切。明夷義太顯。眾人所知，九卦是發其漸，乃人之所未識者也。困卦雖亦甚顯，然所謂徳之辨，窮而通，困以寡怨，亦是發其微。所謂寡怨者，蓋責已而不責人，亦文王之事也。退之《琴操》曰：“臣罪當誅兮，天王聖明。”可謂得文王之心者。凡人遇險陷，能責已而不責人，則心亨矣，何怨之有？

Now looking at the卦 of Pei (Bao) and Mingyi (Bright Light), they should also be considered as calamity and worry hexagrams, yet they are not among the nine. The Pei hexagram originally discusses the dynamics of yin and yang, and the principles of the virtuous and the petty advancing and retreating. However, it is not particularly fitting for King Wen's own situation. The Mingyi hexagram speaks of the injury to brightness, which is too obvious in meaning, and everyone understands it. But these nine hexagrams are meant to reveal things that people have not yet recognized in layers. Although the meaning of the Guan (Confusion) hexagram is also quite clear, the idea of "distinguishing virtue," being in困境 and then achieving success, and "being inpredicament without resentment" still reveals its subtle aspects. What is meant by "without resentment" is to blame oneself rather than others, which was exactly how King Wen acted. Han Yu (with the courtesy name Tuizhi) in his "Qincao" (Songs of the Zither) spoke on behalf of King Wen with the words, "The minister's crime deserves punishment, but the Heavenly King is wise and virtuous," which can be said to deeply understand King Wen's heart. When ordinary people encounter difficulties and fall intopredicament, if they can blame themselves rather than others, their hearts will naturally be at ease, and there is nothing to resent.

晦庵云：取象亦有來歴，不是假設、譬喻，但今以《說卦》求之，多所不通，故不得已而缺之，或且從先儒之說耳。又曰：易象也，湏有此理，但恁地零零碎碎去牽合傅會，得來不濟事，須是見他一個大，原許多名對象數皆通貫在裡面方是。又曰：象如此，而理在其中，卻不是因欲說道理，而後說象也。又曰：看《易》當靠定象看，便滋味長，若只懸空看，也沒甚意思。

Zhu Xi said: The images used in the Yi Classic have their origins, and are not made up out of nowhere or used casually as metaphors; however, when we check them against the Shuo Gua Zhuan, many of them do not make sense, so we are forced to leave them blank or follow the interpretations of previous Confucian scholars. He also said: The Yi Classic discusses images, but there must be a principle behind them; however, if we try to connect them in a scattered and forced way, it will not be helpful. We must see the fundamental principle and integrate all the names, relationships, and images into a coherent whole. He also said: The images are like this, and the principle lies within the images; it is not because we want to explain the principle that we then talk about the images. He also said: To study the Zhou Yi, one should rely closely on the images, for only then does it have meaning; if we look at it in an abstract way, it will be meaningless.

又《易象說》云：《易》之有象，其取之有所從，其推之有所用，非茍為寓言也。然兩漢諸儒必欲究其所從，則既滯泥而不通；王弼以來直欲推其所用，則又疏畧而無據，二者皆失之一偏，而不能闕其所疑之過也。

Zhu Xi also said in "Yi Xiang Shuo" that the "Zhou Yi" has images because the images have their origin and the use of the images has a purpose, and it is not just some arbitrary expressions. However, the Confucian scholars of the Han dynasty insisted on tracing the origin of the images, resulting in being overly rigid and unable to understand; those since Wang Bi only focused on the application of the images, resulting in being too superficial and lacking foundation. Both sides are biased, and the problem lies in not leaving the doubts unresolved.

且以一端論之乾之為馬、坤之為牛，《說卦》有明文矣：馬之為健，牛之為順，在物有常理矣。至於案文索卦，若屯之有馬而無乾，離之有牛而無坤，乾之六龍則或疑於震，坤之牝馬則當反為乾，是皆有不可曉者。

Let us take one example: Qian represents a horse and Kun represents an ox, as clearly stated in the "Commentary on the Hexagrams"; horses are naturally strong and vigorous, while oxen are naturally gentle and compliant, and there is a regular pattern in the nature of things. However, when we check according to the text of the classic, we find that the line statement of the Zun hexagram mentions a horse, yet the hexagram itself does not contain Qian; the statement of the Li hexagram mentions an ox, yet the hexagram itself does not contain Kun. The Qian hexagram speaks of "six dragons," and dragons seem to belong to Zhen; the Kun hexagram speaks of "female horse," and horses would logically belong to Qian. These points are all unclear.

是以漢儒求之《說卦》而不得，則遂創為互體、變體、五行、納甲、飛伏之法，叅互以求，幸其偶合，其說雖詳，然其不可通者終不可通，其可通者又皆傅會穿鑿，而非有自然之勢，唯其一二之適，然而無待於巧說者為若可信，然上無所關於義理之本原，下無所資於人事之訓戒，則又何必苦心勞力以求於此而欲必得之哉！

Therefore, Han dynasty Confucian scholars could not find answers in the "Shu Gua Zhuan," so they invented methods such as mutual trigrams, changing trigrams, the Five Phases, Najia stem assignment, and flying and hidden trigrams, using them in combination to try to achieve a coincidental match. Although their explanations were detailed, those that did not make sense remained incoherent; those that did make sense were mere forced interpretations without natural reasoning. Only a few parts coincided perfectly without the need for clever arguments, making them seem credible. However, these did not relate to the fundamental principles of meaning or help in guiding human conduct. So why should they expend so much effort to pursue them so desperately?

故王弼曰：“義茍應健，何必乾乃為馬；爻茍合順，何必坤乃為牛？”而程子亦曰：“理，無形也，故假象以顕義。”其所以破先儒膠固支離之失，而開後學玩辭、玩占之方則至矣。然觀其意，又似直以《易》之取象無復有所自來，但如《詩》之比興、《孟子》之譬喻而已。如此，則《說卦》之作為，無所與於《易》，而“近取諸身，逺取諸物”者亦剩語矣！故疑其說，亦若有未盡者。

Therefore, Wang Bi said: "As long as the meaning conforms to strength and vigorousness, why must Qian be specifically horses; as long as the line conforms to flexibility and compliance, why must Kun specifically be oxen?" Cheng Yi also said: "Principle has no form, so it uses images to manifest meaning." They used these views to break through the rigid and fragmented interpretations of earlier Confucian scholars, and to open a path for later learners to ponder the statements of the hexagrams and the divinatory statements. They can be said to have fully expressed their point. However, looking at their meaning, it seems they might simply regard the imagery used in the Zhou Yi as having no particular origin, merely like the metaphor and analogy in the Book of Poetry and the Mencius. If this is indeed the case, then the book of Shuo Gua Zhuan would have nothing to do with the Zhou Yi, and the statement in the Xi Ci Zhuan that "nearby we take from our own body, and far we take from external things" would become superfluous. Therefore, I suspect their view also has something not fully explained.

因切論之，以為《易》之取象固必有所自來，而其說已具太卜之官，顧今不可復考，則姑闕之，而直據辭中之象，以求象中之意，使足以為訓戒而決吉凶。如王氏、程子與吾《本義》之雲者，其亦足矣，固不必深求其象之所自來，然亦不可直謂之假設而遽欲忘之也。

Thus Zhu Xi profoundly argued that although the imagery in the Zhou Changes certainly has its origin, that system of thought was originally present among the officials in charge of divination, but since it is no longer possible to verify it, we may leave it as it is. Instead, we should directly rely on the imagery found in the statements of the hexagram and line statements, to seek the meaning contained within the imagery, so that it can serve as a moral instruction and a means of determining fortune and misfortune. As discussed by Wang Bi, Cheng Yi, and myself in my The Original Meaning of the Zhou Changes, this is sufficient: there is no need to deeply investigate the origin of the imagery, yet we should not hastily dismiss it as mere assumption and forget it altogether.

澤謂：漢儒必欲求象之所自來，則泥而不通；王輔嗣只欲明其用而忘象，則疎畧而象學遂廢；晦庵亦已深知其非，而猶有取於“義茍應健，何必乾乃為馬；爻茍合順，何必坤乃為牛”之語，斯亦不得已之辭。

My view is that Han dynasty scholars had to trace the origin of the images, resulting in being overly rigid and unable to understand properly; Wang Bi wanted only to explain the use of the images and forgot about the images themselves, leading to negligence and the decline of image studies. Zhu Xi also realized that both approaches were wrong, yet he still relied on the statement, "As long as the meaning conforms to strength and firmness, why must Qian be a horse; as long as the lines conform to flexibility and gentleness, why must Kun be an ox"—this was also a statement made out of necessity.

後之慾求文王、周公、孔子之旨者，則不可以此而遂怠其稽古探索之志。蓋此心本無限量，豈可據王氏之說，以自界畫而忘其乾乾不息之誠乎？夫潛心玩索、求而不得者有之，未有不求而得者也。孔子曰：後生可畏。止如今學者，當以聖人勉人者而自勉。

Later generations who wish to explore the original intent of King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius should not use this statement as an excuse to slacken their determination to investigate ancient methods and seek the fundamental principles. Human nature originally has no limits, how could one confine oneself by relying on a single statement from Wang Bi, forgetting the sincere effort of self-improvement? There are indeed cases where one diligently studies and still cannot reach an understanding; there is no way to gain understanding without seeking. Confucius said, "The young are to be feared," a statement that still applies to scholars of today. One should take the words of the sage as a self-motivation.

所貴於象學者，可以辯諸家之得失。凡紛紜雜錯之論，至明象而後定。象學不明，則如制器無尺度，作樂無律呂，舟車無指南，自然差錯。如晦庵解損上九得：“臣無家”。若以象求，則惠而不費之說太逺也。

The value of xiangxue lies in its ability to distinguish the merits and drawbacks of various interpretations. Whenever there are confused and conflicting opinions, once the xiang is clearly explained, right and wrong become evident. If xiangxue is not clear, it is like making objects without measurements, composing music without the twelve tones, or navigating without a compass, inevitably leading to errors. For example, Zhu Xi's interpretation of the line "getting a minister without a home" in the Xun hexagram's upper ninth line, when checked against the hexagram's image, reveals that his explanation of "benevolent without expense" is far from the original meaning.

又按，《邵氏聞見錄》云：王弼注鼎“其形渥，凶，以為沾濡之形也”，蓋弼不知古《易》形作刑，渥作剭，故《新唐史》元載贊用“刑剭”亦用剭誅雲。按，元載以罪誅，贊雲《易》稱“鼎折足，其刑剭”。《周禮.秋官.司烜氏》：“軍旅修火禁，邦若屋誅”。鄭司農云：屋誅，謂夷三族。屋讀如其刑剭之剭，謂所殺不於市，而以適甸師者也。

Now looking at what Shao Bowen said in his "Shao Shi Wen Jian Lu": Wang Bi commented on the line "Its form is soaked, calamity" in the Ding hexagram's Nine in the Fourth, thinking that "soaked" refers to being wet by the soup in the tripod. This was because Wang Bi did not know the ancient version of the "Zhou Changes" where "form" was written as "xing" and "soaked" as "zeng". Therefore, the eulogy for Yuan Zai in the "Xin Tang Shu" used "xing zeng", which refers to the meaning of "zeng" as execution. Yuan Zai was executed for his crimes, and the eulogy cited the "Zhou Changes" saying "The tripod breaks its leg, its punishment is zeng". The "Zhou Li · Autumn Official · Si Xuan Shi" has a passage: "In military campaigns, fire prohibitions are enforced; the state or house is punished." Zheng Zhong (known as Zheng Si Nong) explained that "house punishment" meant the extermination of three families; "house" is read as "zeng", referring to the punishment of killing people not displayed in the market but sent to the Dian Shi Shi for disposal.

澤謂：以屋誅解鼎折足，乃學秦法酷烈者之所為，非經意也。三公不稱其職，當以禮退，自非秦法，安可以屋誅為義？晦庵於此亦誤從之，此由象學不明，故訛錯如此。王弼雖不明象，然解作渥義，卻與象合。所以知王義為得者，餗既覆，則有鼎汁淋漓沾濡，此正是象，屋誅之說謬矣。一字之訛，所失如此，可不謹哉！

I think that using the brutal punishment of "wu zhu" (execution of three families) to explain the hexagram DING's line "ding zhe zu" (the tripod breaks its leg) is something that only those who follow the harsh laws of the Qin dynasty could come up with, not the intended meaning of the classic text. If the three high officials are not competent, according to ritual they should retire gracefully; unless using the Qin law, how could "wu zhu" be regarded as the meaning of the classic? Zhu Xi also mistakenly followed this view, which is exactly due to the unclear understanding of the symbolic meaning, leading to such errors. Although Wang Bi did not understand the symbolic meaning, his interpretation of "wo" as meaning "wetness" coincides with the hexagram's symbolism. Therefore, we know that Wang Bi's interpretation is correct — the delicious food in the tripod has already overturned, naturally there is the situation of the soup dripping and wetting, which is exactly what the hexagram shows; the idea of "wu zhu" is absurd. A single word error leads to such a great loss, how can we not be cautious!

《易》固非一象，亦非一用，聖人之意，但揀緊處說。如姤“勿用取女”是也。離“畜牝牛，吉”，想亦當然，但卻不可曉。

The Zhou Changes originally have not only one kind of image, nor only one method of use; the sage's intention is simply to point out the important aspects. For example, the Hexagram Statement of Gou says "Do not take a wife," which warns people against marrying this woman, which is pointing out the important aspect. The Hexagram Statement of Li says "Keep a female ox, which is auspicious," which seems to be the same principle, but I still do not fully understand what image is being referred to.

豐，卦辭多不可曉，蓋本雷電，卻又稱王“照天下”，似即難解。剝，有床蓐之象，故六五稱“宮人”，無妄是戒其妄動，謂天下有雷，懼其過也。此是一義。又一義，則是天下雷行，物知儆懼，不敢有妄。又一義，是天下雷行，萬物之生，各正性命，亦是無妄。程子以無妄是誠，然無妄是儆戒之意多，若以誠言，乃是思：誠者，人之道。

The hexagram statement of the Gong (Abundance) hexagram has many parts that are difficult to understand: the Gong hexagram is originally an image of thunder and lightning coming together, yet it speaks of the ruler "illuminating the world," which seems hard to interpret. The Bo (Breaking Up) hexagram has an image of a bed and a couch, so the line statement of the sixth line in the fifth position mentions "court attendants." The Wuwang (Without Falsehood) hexagram is a warning against reckless action: the image is thunder beneath the heavens, causing people to fear their own mistakes, which is one meaning. Another meaning is that the thunder moves throughout the heavens, and all things become cautious and do not act recklessly. A third meaning is that the thunder moves throughout the heavens, and all things grow and maintain their proper nature, which is also "wuwang." Cheng Yi interprets "wuwang" as "cheng" (sincerity); however, the main meaning of the Wuwang hexagram is caution and restraint. If one insists on interpreting it as "cheng," then one must understand it in the way the Zhongyong says, "Thinking of sincerity is the way of human beings."

屯、隨、無妄等卦，聖人立教之意甚深，或謂孔子之《易》說道理始多，不知文王之《易》已寓意焉，但未有其辭，至孔子始推明之耳。凡卦辭、爻象、取象、取義皆不一，亦多說未盡，所以孔子於乾坤二卦皆推致其義，使人知立象盡意，則未盡之意皆可推也。但六十四卦若皆如此推，則亦不可，故止推乾坤為例。或謂孔子《易》與文王、周公不同，此未然也。

The hexagrams Zun, Sui, and Wuwang and others, contain profound meanings that the sages used to establish teachings. Some people say that it was only when Confucius interpreted the Book of Changes that the emphasis on reasoning began. But in fact, King Wen's Book of Changes already contained these meanings, though they were not written down explicitly. It was only Confucius who elaborated and clarified them. The imagery and meanings in the hexagram statements and line statements are not limited to one approach, and often they are not fully expressed. Therefore, Confucius explained the principles of the hexagrams Qian and Kun to the fullest extent, so that people would understand the idea of "establishing images to convey meaning." In this way, the meanings not fully expressed can be inferred by oneself. However, if all sixty-four hexagrams were explained in this manner, it would be excessive, so Confucius only used Qian and Kun as examples. Some people say that Confucius' Book of Changes is different from that of King Wen and the Duke of Zhou, which is incorrect.

象學多端，不可一例取。澤於《六經補註》已言其畧。其乾九三，是用象解“或躍在淵”，“龍戰于野”亦然，但所說未詳。象學當舉豐、明夷、蠱、巽為比，例豐與明夷相似，蠱與巽相似，故卦辭、爻辭有相似者，然此只是一例。

The study of images is complex and cannot be approached with a single formula. In my "Supplementary Annotations on the Six Classics," I have already given a general explanation: in the section on the third line of the Qian hexagram, the image is used to explain "leaping from the abyss," and similarly, the image is used to explain "dragons fighting in the fields" in the sixth line of the Kun hexagram. However, the explanation is not yet detailed enough. To study images, one should compare several hexagrams such as Feng, Mingyi, Gu, and Xun. Feng and Mingyi are similar, and Gu and Xun are similar, so their hexagram statements and line statements have similar features. However, this is only one example among many.

大凡易象，皆聖人用意深逺，當虛心以求，不可淺躁，仍竢其體會，不可牽合，茍精神之至，必有黙相之者。

In general, the images in the Zhou Changes are the profound intentions of the sage, which should be sought with a calm and open mind, not with superficiality or haste. One must patiently wait for them to be naturally understood, rather than forcing a connection. As long as one's spirit is fully focused, there will certainly be unseen assistance from the unseen.

澤嘗作《讀易吟》十二章，今錄四章，以見大意。

I once wrote twelve chapters of "Reading the Book of Changes," and now I copy four of them to show the general meaning I have gained from studying the Book of Changes.

萬事多於近處迷，貪前說後更參差。 不從言外窺三聖，虛說淮南有九師。 井困乾枯乾有水，豐睽闇昧觀生輝。 如何天地都顛倒，卻道賢人正得時。

In the world, many things often become lost precisely where they are most immediate; focusing solely on the front while looking back to address the rear only makes things more confused and disordered. If one reads the Book of Changes without understanding the intentions of the three sages, Fuxi, King Wen, and Confucius beyond mere words, then even if one writes extensively like the "nine masters" in the court of Prince Huainan, it is merely empty talk. The hexagrams of Well and Obstruction originally symbolize dryness and depletion, yet water is present within the hexagram of Heaven; the hexagrams of Abundance and Strife originally represent darkness and confusion, yet one must see the light within them. How could the heavens and earth appear entirely inverted? Yet precisely in this inversion, the virtuous person meets his proper time.

不是浮花爛漫開，有枝有乾有根荄。 一聲也自喉嚨出，六脈元從腑臟來。 莫向壁間看舊畫，也依火後撥寒灰。 要餐一斛黃連後，恐怕餘甘稍自回。

The imagery and numbers in the Book of Changes are not superficial flowers blooming randomly in the air; they have branches, trunks, and roots, each layer connected to their origin. When a person opens his mouth and speaks, the sound comes from the throat; the six pulse readings in medicine naturally connect to the five viscera and six bowels. Do not merely look at an old painting on the wall and stick to old interpretations; do not wait until the fire is out and then try to stir the cold ashes, searching through the remnants of previous scholars. One must first swallow a full measure of bitter yellow连 (a type of bitter herb) before there is any hope of tasting a little sweetness in return.

天機地軸誰曾見，脈絡相關也要知。 隻眼不開千眼閉，一波才動萬波隨。 便成儡子終非活，已出蠶蛾不是絲。 直要渾然方見易，斷章取義且尋詩。

The vital center of Heaven and the axis of Earth, who has ever seen them with their own eyes? Yet the connections between them must not be unknown to those who study the Book of Changes. If one eye is closed, it is as if all eyes are shut; when a single ripple appears on the water's surface, myriad ripples follow. Explanations pieced together from fragments, though they may be shaped like wooden puppets, are never truly alive; once the silkworm moth breaks free from its cocoon and flies away, the empty shell left behind is no longer silk. One must achieve a complete and integrated understanding to truly see the Book of Changes; as for interpretations that take passages out of context, they may be used for poetry, but not for the Book of Changes.

卦情物理兩堪疑，此處誰能析隱微。 鳴鶴胡然逢子和，髙鴻何事不云飛。 干將有氣須沖斗，龍馬雖神必受羈。 役使陰陽全是易，躊躕未易洩天機。

The situation contained in the hexagram and the principles inherent in things both raise doubts in people's minds. The subtle and hidden aspects in between are something no one can fully unravel. The second line of Zhongfu hexagram says, "A crane calls in the shade, and its young respond in harmony." Why does this crane specifically have its kind respond? The hexagram Jie takes its image from wild geese, yet why can't the high-flying geese soar endlessly into the clouds? A treasure sword like Ganjiang's sword qi inevitably rises straight to the constellation Dou and Niu; even a mythical dragon horse, though extraordinary, cannot escape being tethered and restrained. The ability to command yin and yang lies entirely within this Book of Changes; yet I have hesitated repeatedly, for the heavenly mechanism is not easily revealed.

易象兩端，不可一說取，不可一例求。如漸是山上有木，若推未盡之象，則亦是山上有風。又漸是漸進之義，卻取象於鴻，鴻飛髙舉，而取象於鴻，則不使之髙舉，蓋鴻雖有髙舉之資，然風物之中繫於氣運，受役於陰陽者，唯鴻為最甚。又其一南一北，亦必以其漸始，終不自由而卒，莫知其所以然。此鴻之謂也。大抵陰陽役使萬物，而萬物不自知。聖人作《易》，又所以役使陰陽而人亦未易知。

The images in the Book of Changes have two aspects, and one cannot take only one interpretation or follow only one pattern. For example, the hexagram Zhan (Gradual) has the upper trigram Gen (Mountain) and the lower trigram Xun (Wind), symbolizing a mountain with wood. If we push the image further, it can also represent a mountain with wind. Moreover, the meaning of Zhan is gradual progress, yet it takes the image of wild geese. Although wild geese are naturally able to fly high, when they are used as an image, they are not allowed to fly straight up. This is because wild geese, among all creatures, are most influenced by the forces of yin and yang and the natural conditions of heaven and earth. They come from the south at one time and go to the north at another, and they must proceed step by step, always without control, until they die without knowing why they behave this way. This is the purpose of using the image of wild geese. In general, yin and yang drive all things, yet the things themselves are unaware. The sages composed the Book of Changes to use it to drive yin and yang, yet people are also not easily aware of this.

太極既判，盈乎兩間者，有象有數，有形有聲，而《易》已用其三，唯聲音不可知。然康節邵先生明於先天之學，聲音之畧具於《經世書》。又《易.大象》曰：“先王以作樂崇徳，殷薦之上帝，以配祖考。”然則《易》於天地間，無所不該矣，萬世無康節，則聲音之學實亦未知。

After the Taiji splits into two, the things filling the space between heaven and earth include images, numbers, forms, and sounds. The Zhou Yi has already used three of these, but sound remains unclear. However, Shao Yong was skilled in the study of theEarlier Heaven (Earlier Heaven) principles, and the general idea about sound is already recorded in his book The Supreme Principles Governing the World. For example, the Great Image Commentary of the Yu hexagram says, "The former kings used music to honor virtue, offering it to the supreme deity and pairing it with their ancestors." From this, we can see that the Zhou Yi truly encompasses everything in the universe. Yet, if there is no Shao Yong in ten thousand generations, the study of sound will still remain unknown.

姑置勿論其形有分隸於卦者，自古通謂之象，有象則有數，故說《易》者只專從事於象數焉，二者之中數為最難。若總而言之，則聲音難於數，數難於象，是象為若易然。古之所傳通於音律者，率能知政治得失，世或有其人。而精於數者，如揚子雲、關朗、陳希夷之流，往往得數之用，是世蓋有得其難者？

Let us set aside the discussion of sound for now. All tangible things are generally categorized under the trigrams, and since ancient times, they have all been called "xiang" or images. Where there is an image, there is also a number, so those who explain the Zhou Changes focus exclusively on images and numbers. Among these two, numbers are the most difficult. If we consider them altogether, sound is more difficult than numbers, and numbers are more difficult than images. Thus, images seem to be the easiest. It is said that those who were skilled in music could judge the success or failure of governance through the tones of music; there have occasionally been such people in the world. As for those skilled in numbers, such as Yang Xiong (styled Zi Yun), Guan Lang, and Chen Tuan (styled Xiye Xiansheng), they often could make use of the subtleties of numbers. This shows that there are indeed people in the world who have attained the more difficult aspects.

而於所謂象學，自虞周至兩漢，至今寥寥千七百年，諸儒非不精思力索，而竟未有得其彷佛者，故象學遂廢。而說《易》者率皆□□蹇淺、支離牽合，而凡聖經之文理密察，《易》之變通神妙，皆不可復知。是何？難者或易，而易者更愈難，而無復可通之機與！

Only in the so-called "xiangxue" (image learning) has there been a cold and desolate state from Yu and Zhou dynasties up to the Two Han dynasties, and until today, spanning over seventeen hundred years. The scholars have not failed to think deeply and strive hard, yet none have even approached its essence, so the study of xiangxue has been abandoned. Those who explain the Zhou Changes mostly have shallow and obstructed understandings, fragmented and forced connections; all the subtle and meticulous reasoning in the sage's texts, and the marvelous adaptability of the Zhou Changes, have all been lost. Why is this so? Is it that the difficult has become easy, and the easy has become even more difficult, with no path at all to reach understanding?

蓋諸儒明象僻而迂，王氏忘象決而野，唐李鼎祚著書自謂刋輔，“嗣之闕文，補康成之易象”，□□義生。漢氏諸儒之說，頼鼎祚以存。然以愚觀之，則亦各自以所見求象，而非文王、周公之本意矣。

It is roughly like this: the various Confucian scholars who discussed the images in the Zhou Changes were obscure and roundabout. Wang Bi neglected the images, being decisive and crude. In the Tang dynasty, Li Dingzuo compiled the Collected Explanations of the Zhou Changes, claiming that he corrected the omissions left by Wang Bi and supplemented the interpretations of Zheng Xuan (styled Kangcheng) on the images of the Zhou Changes, thereby generating new meanings. The interpretations of the Han dynasty scholars were all preserved only through this book. However, in my view, he merely sought the images according to his own understanding, and was not in line with the original intention of King Wen and the Duke of Zhou.

澤自早歳讀而病焉，磨勵積思，凡數十年。年五十始，黙有所悟，若神明陰有以啟之者。又積思十年，大抵十通五六，然構思既深，立例亦異，自其三聖精微曠代絶學，患其虧□，□不敢易言，稍欲發揚，又懼褻瀆區區弊帚之意，芹子之心，無以自明。此《思古吟》、《炙背吟》所由作也。

I have been worried about studying the Yi Jing since I was young, pondering it diligently for decades. At the age of fifty, I began to have some subtle understanding, as if guided by a divine inspiration. After another ten years of deep thinking, I had grasped about six or seven parts out of ten. However, since my thoughts were profound and my approach differed from traditional views, I hesitated to share them. I feared that if I were to reveal them, they might be flawed, and if I were to keep them hidden, I would be disrespectful to the tradition. Thus, I felt a deep sense of humility and reluctance to present my insights, like offering a humble gift or a modest contribution. This is the reason for the two groups of poems, "Reflections on the Past" and "Roasting My Back."

延佑五年，東平王子翼始為刋《六經辯釋補註》既成，重惟《易》、《春秋》二注，未能脫藁，而駸駸老境，事不可緩，若必待完備，亦貧者最難，倘黙而不言，又孰知所到，凡象學可以心悟而不可以言傳，今指其大義，含蓄頗深，比類與象學相邇，且補註所未有者為一卷，名曰《易學濫觴》。

In the fifth year of the Yanyou era, the person from Dongping, Wang Ziying, just finished printing the "Six Classics Interpretation and Annotation Supplement" for me. After the book was printed, I thought repeatedly that the annotations for the "Zhou Yi" and "Chunqiu" were still not completed, and with my old age advancing rapidly, I could not afford to delay. If I had to wait until the entire work was complete, it would be especially difficult for a poor person. If I remained silent, who would know how far I had progressed. This discipline of learning can only be understood through careful contemplation and cannot be transmitted through words. Now I will point out its main principles. All those that are profound and similar to this discipline, and which are not included in the "Supplement," I will compile them into one volume, and name it "The Wellspring of Changes Studies."

雖曰涓流，而本原在焉，未可忽也。世傳黃河自崑崙來，伏流地中，數千里然後有渾灝之勢，今將發明曠絶之學，而更隱其義，蓋事大、體重難以直遂，不得不致慎焉！延佑七年夏五資中，後學黃澤敬書。

"The term 'lan shang' may seem merely a narrow stream, but its origin lies here, and it should not be disregarded. It is said that the Yellow River originates from Kunlun, first flowing underground for thousands of miles before emerging with a mighty and grand flow. Now, I intend to revive this long-abandoned discipline, yet I have concealed its meaning to some extent: because the matter is of great importance, it cannot be fully explained at once, and thus I must be especially cautious. In the fifth month of summer in the seventh year of Yanyou, Huang Ze, a later student from Zizhong, respectfully wrote this."