《集注太玄经(司马光)》Vol. 2

The calculation number obtained is relatively small.

In the Fourth Zan: the tiger roars and shakes itself into arousal; the leopard can restrain its own selfish desires. The oracle statement is “Fou” (No). The Ce commentary says: the tiger roars and shakes, like an eagle soaring. In the commentary’s textual collation, “overcoming one’s private [desires]” here follows the Song, Lu, and Fan editions; the Wang edition has “soaring” for “overcoming,” and “private” follows the Wang edition, while the Song, Lu, and Fan editions have “secret.” It also notes that xiao is the sound of a roaring tiger, xin is the appearance of violent anger shaking, and fou is pronounced like fou, an earthenware vessel. Fan Wang says: xiao is a sound of anger; zhenxin is the appearance of great anger. Wang Ya says: this zan stands among the multitude yet is close to the honored position; it is the charge of a general. Obtaining its position and meeting “Day,” it is good at employing its multitude, like a tiger roaring and rousing itself. Sima Guang holds: the fourth zan is a lower emolument yet obtains a position; it is one who commands the multitude. The tiger and leopard are both images of martial ferocity. Although one who employs troops is like a roaring tiger, his timing must be like an eagle soaring; yet he does not use armed force to contend for profit or vent anger, and can overcome his own selfish desires. Therefore he can be employed, but does not employ force. The Fayan says: someone asked about martiality, and the answer was “ke” (overcoming); to be able to overcome selfishness is what is called “ke.”

In the Fifth Zan: fierce combat, with sounds jiejie, like bears, like chi (chi being a legendary hornless dragon). The Ce commentary says: fierce combat means relying on armed force to claim kingship. The commentary says that ju (to occupy) is the same as ju (to crouch) and should be read as ju (extreme); ju means “very” or “extreme.” The fifth zan occupies a flourishing position but meets “Night,” an inauspicious quality in Taixuan divination; relying on armed force to win is not enough to make the world submit in heart.

In the Sixth Zan: the great army is like thunder and lightning; it shakes their ears, using only its awe-inspiring power to make their hearts submit. The Ce commentary says: the great army is like thunder and lightning; its awe-inspiring shock is boundless. The commentary’s collation notes: “wei yong” follows the various editions; the Wang edition has “hou” for “wei.” “Qu” is the same as “qu” (to bend); “bending the belly” means making their hearts submit. The sixth zan is at the height of flourishing and meets “Day,” an auspicious time. When a king employs troops, he does not take killing and wounding as his aim; he only makes people fear and submit. Thus he is like thunder and lightning, using an awe-inspiring sound to shake them and make their hearts submit. The Shi says: “It shocked the Xu region, an ancient state; like thunder and lightning, the Xu region was shocked.”

The Baihu Tong says that zhan (“battle”) carries the sense of fear and trembling dread.

The Seventh Zan: banners are tangled and interlaced, while shields, axes, and other weapons are densely massed, presenting an appearance of defeat and disorder. Many pregnant women console one another; weeping, they steal glances at those above, resentment in their hearts. The Ce text says: banners tangled and interlaced indicate that the people harbor deep resentment. The old commentary also explains: in the Fan and Wang editions, “yue” (battle-axe) is written “ge” (dagger-axe); here I follow the Song and Lu editions. “Gua” is read according to the fanqie hu-gua; “yan” is read with the sound of yan. To console the living is called yan; it also has the sense of peeking or spying. Sima Guang says: The Seventh Zan is the beginning of calamity and falls on “Night” (inauspicious), symbolizing the defeat and ruin of an army. Banners entangled and weapons in disorder are the appearance of defeat and chaos. “Shi” means the multitude; husbands dying in battle while women are pregnant is an especially tragic case among the people’s sorrows. The many pregnant women consoling one another, weeping and peeking upward, expresses resentment.

The Eighth Zan: the army is weary and weak, showing the appearance of distress and illness, yet no carts are seen carrying corpses. The Ce text says: the army is weary and weak, but no bloody clash occurs. Sima Guang says: “Shuai shuai” is the appearance of exhaustion and distress. The Eighth Zan belongs among illness, stagnation, depletion, stripping away, and calamity, but it meets “Day” (relatively auspicious); therefore it can wear down an enemy state and make the enemy submit without engaging in battle.

Upper Nine: the axe blade is chipped and the axe handle broken; one may stop, and must not attack again. If one advances, there will surely be the calamity of bloodshed. The Ce text says: blade chipped and handle broken means the commander is not sufficient to go forth on campaign. Wang’s commentary says: advancing will surely bring bloodshed and self-injury. Sima Guang says: the Ninth Zan is where the use of arms reaches its extreme and calamity reaches its end—that is, exhausting military force and militarism without knowing when to stop.

The concluding phrase “second direction, first province, second division, third family, Mi” is a Taixuan marker of direction, province and division, and family number, indicating the divinatory position to which this passage belongs.

The Mi Head belongs to the Yang family and the Water phase, corresponding to the Bi hexagram in the Zhouyi. “Mi” has two senses: closeness and meticulous density. Yang qi above is intimate with Heaven; the myriad things flourish (“wanlan” describes a flourishing appearance), all tightly joined without gaps. Wang’s edition reads xian as sheng; here I follow the various editions. Wang says: The myriad things ride the Yang qi and are all flourishing, dense, and without interstices. Sima Guang says: Yang qi rises and is close to Heaven; this is the utmost height.

First One: Peering through a crack, one still cannot see any gap; this is the “Gate of Great Obscurity.” The Commentary says: “Peering at it without seeing a gap” means it is so dense that there is no place or direction to be found. Song says: Everything is dense, and therefore “no direction” is used to describe it. Sima Guang says: One is the beginning of thought and also corresponds to “day” (the image of Yang and good fortune); the noble man devotes his mind to meticulous and confidential matters, using them to establish affairs and secure merit, and others cannot peer into them. The Yi says: If secret matters are not kept confidential, they will bring harm.

Second Two: Not dense and not close, my heart is about to go and lodge (ji means to proceed to; ci means an inn). The Commentary says: “Not dense and not close” means turning one’s back on one’s own village. The noble man cherishes what is near in order to conciliate what is far; the petty man does the opposite. Two is in the middle of thought and corresponds to “night” (the image of Yin and misfortune); one cannot embrace the near but instead wears out the mind over the far. To leave one’s native village and yet wish to lodge at an inn is to abandon the near and seek the far. The Book of Songs says: Do not till the great fields—only weeds will grow tall; do not think of the distant man—it only wearies the heart.

Third Three: Being close to kin is beneficial for nurturing people. The Commentary says: “Being close to kin” is beneficial and good. Three is above thought and corresponds to day; the noble man loves his own kin and thereby knows to love the kin of others, extending his own heart to others; therefore it says it is beneficial for nurturing people.

Fourth Four: Drawing close to rank-smelling things, for three days one does not notice their stench. The Commentary says: “Being close to rank-smelling things” means petty evils are connected with one another. Wang says: Drawing close to evil virtue. Sima Guang says: Four occupies the “outer other” position and corresponds to night; this is to be intimate with unvirtuous people. After being intimate with unvirtuous people for a long time, one will be assimilated by them.

Ci Five, Ci Six, and the like are the appraisal positions in each “head” (shou) of the Taixuan; “Ce yue” (“the Ce says”) is the explanatory wording that explains the appraisal text; “Wang yue” (“Wang says”) refers to Wang Ya’s commentary, and “Guang wei” (“Guang says”) is Sima Guang’s note.

Confucius said: To associate with people who are not good is like entering a shop that sells salted fish; after a long time one no longer smells the fishy stench, and one has become assimilated to it. The phrase “small evils connect” means: at first it is only a small evil; if it is not removed, after a long time one becomes connected with it and becomes one with it. “Yao” means “mixed together.”

Ci Five: Being tightly joined without any gap, one can be paired with Heaven. The Ce says: Tightly joined without a gap means being able to merge with the work of Heaven. Wang Ya says: Dwelling in the center and holding fast to correctness, attaining the position and matching the day, this symbolizes that the enlightened ruler of the time draws near to those worthy of being drawn near; therefore it says “tightly joined without cracks,” that is, without any gap. In this way one’s merit and virtue can match Heaven. Sima Guang says: “Tightly joined without a gap” means that rulers and ministers, and the common people as well, are all intimate with one another, with no estrangement.

Ci Six: Attaching oneself to great evil may instead increase anxiety. The Ce says: Attaching oneself to great evil means pairing with a different kind and standing in the same rank. The sixth position is where blessing is about to end and disaster draws near; therefore, attaching to great evil only adds anxiety. When they are not of the same clan or kind, their minds must differ; pairing with a different kind precisely drags one down. The Yi says, “Bi zhi fei ren” — associating with those one should not associate with.

Ci Seven: Being close yet with a small obstruction at the mouth, of the sort of a small gill; if a great ruler is present, one will not fall behind. The Ce says: The mouth is sealed and the gills are small; only by relying on the ruler can one get through. (There are textual variants here; the commentators settled on the readings “When the great ruler is present, there is no falling behind” and “It relies on the ruler to get through.”)

Ci Eight: Chiseling the teeth and leaning on the gums; for three years there is no ruler. The Ce says: Chiseling the teeth and leaning on the gums means the ruler uproots himself. Wang Ya says: Teeth and gums are originally intimate; if one injures the teeth by chiseling and instead leans on the gums, then one has lost what was intimate.

Top Nine: Closely attaching to the company of disaster; first dwelling in a low position, afterward obtaining the outcome it deserves.

This appraisal says: To attach closely to one another in the midst of misfortune, uniting for mutual protection—such a bond will in the end not be torn apart. Nine is the extreme of misfortune, yet it occupies “Day” (in the Taixuan, “Day” symbolizes the position of brightness and rectitude). Gentlemen attach themselves to one another because they share the same aspiration and path; their union is firm and immovable. They first yield and defer to one another, and their minds become even closer. Therefore, even if they encounter great misfortune, in the end they can obtain the life-and-death allegiance of the multitude. The final phrase, “two regions, one province, three divisions, one family, Qin 9,” is an arrangement marker in the Taixuan; it refers to the ninth zan of the Qin Shou, precisely bringing out the meaning of close attachment and unity.

The “Qin” (Closeness) Head belongs to the Yin-family Fire and also models the Bi hexagram of the Zhouyi. When the calendrical sequence reaches the segment of the eighth Praise of the “Qin” Head, the sun is in the Dongjing lunar mansion, and the calendrical number is sixteen fen and seven miao, corresponding to the Xiaoman solar term. “Qin” means mutual deep affection; when yang qi is exercising benevolence, pure and sincere, generous and honest, all things draw close and live in harmony. Because the yang qi is pure, it is called “Quanzhen” (Complete Perfection).

The First One Praise says: What one draws close to is not flesh-and-blood kin, and yet the mind resists and does not agree. The appraisal says: What is drawn close is not kin of skin and flesh, because there is a barrier in the heart. Wang’s commentary holds: Being in the initial position of “Qin” yet out of place and in a night position, one loses the way of closeness; “not his skin” means that distant people are originally not close kin of skin and flesh; if one goes to draw close to them, then intentions clash and are hard to join, and in their hearts they guard against and are separated from one another. Sima Guang holds: The First One is the beginning of thought and is in a night position; what is drawn close is not truly worthy of closeness; though outwardly close, inwardly not in harmony, in the end they must separate; “xian” means blocked and impassable. Here one edition lacks the character “qin”; the present text follows the Song, Lu, and Fan editions.

The Second Two Praise says: Sincerity issues from within, and the mind is set on obtaining closeness. The appraisal says: With inner sincerity, others cannot come between them. Wang’s commentary: “Zi” means to take; “qi” means closeness; the mind seeks only to be close and attached. Sima Guang holds: The Second Two lies in the middle of thought and is in a daytime position; this is the noble person deeply drawing close through sincerity, and so it says “sincerity within.” This sentence follows the Song and Lu editions; in the Fan and Wang editions, “nei” (within) is written “rou” (flesh), and “jian” (discord) is sometimes written “wen” or “xian.”

The Third Three Praise says: The mingling (míng líng, a mulberry insect) cannot join with its own kind; the guoluo (guǒ luǒ, a slender-waisted wasp, called pulu in antiquity) carries it away, and it cannot resist external insult. The appraisal says: The mingling cannot connect with its kind; it has lost its original body. In the Wang edition, “does not meet insult” is written “luo insult”; here we follow the Song, Lu, and Fan editions. “Shu” means to connect; “ya wu” means to defend against insult. Sima Guang holds: The Third Three is the end of thought and is in a night position; the petty person cannot unite relatives to resist external insult, but instead causes kin to become estranged and joins with outsiders.

This passage uses the Book of Songs line “The mingling has young; the guoluo carries them” as a metaphor: the ancients mistakenly believed that the mingling (míng líng, the larva of the corn borer moth) could not raise its young, so the guoluo (guǒ luǒ, a slender-waisted wasp) took them away and raised them in its place. The poem also says, “Instruct your children, and make them follow goodness,” meaning to teach children by the way of goodness and make them emulate goodness. This is used here to explain that kinsmen should originally be linked together to resist external aggression; if they are made estranged, they will join with outsiders.

The Fourth Line (one of the line positions in the Taixuan) says: Guests and hosts draw close through ritual propriety; even in eating and drinking there is proper measure. The Ce commentary says that guest and host both accord with ritual. Wang’s commentary explains “jiji” as having proper measure. Sima Guang says that the fourth line is orderly and unobstructed and corresponds to day; the gentleman uses the rites of feasting to foster mutual affection, and the reason guests draw close lies in ritual propriety, not in food and drink. Confucius said that when he ate at the home of Shaoshi (a grandee of Lu) and was satisfied, it was because Shaoshi treated him according to ritual. “Guest and host together” means both sides observe ritual propriety.

The Fifth Line says: What should be treated generously is not treated generously; those who are close and attached will leave. The Ce commentary says that one loses one’s kind and has nothing to rely on. Wang’s commentary says that although the fifth is centered, it loses its position and corresponds to night; if one is not generous to those who should be treated generously, all those who attach themselves will leave. Sima Guang says that if one cannot be close to those to whom one should be close and generous to those to whom one should be generous, causing those near one to abandon one and flee, one loses one’s kind and stands isolated, with danger imminent; as Zitaishu (a grandee of Zheng) said, if Jin does not treat its neighbors with kinship, who will come close to it?

The Sixth Line says: Generous and again generous, the gentleman is like one holding the Northern Dipper. The Ce commentary says that the generous, generous gentleman wins people without limit. The sixth is abundant and corresponds to day; one can be close to those to whom one should be close and generous to those to whom one should be generous. The gentleman treats those near him generously, and those far away come; he cherishes his kin, and those less close attach to him, like the Northern Dipper residing in the center while all the stars surround it. Therefore it says, “The gentleman grasps the Dipper.”

The Seventh Line says: He occupies a high and lofty position, yet his conduct is lowly. The Ce commentary says that a high position with lowly conduct means virtue and conduct cannot match each other.

Let us begin with the textual collation: in the Song and Lu editions, cong is written zhou; in the Fan edition it is written tong; here we follow the Wang edition. Bi is read with the two fanqie spellings bian and bi-zhi, and is also pronounced bei; it means lowly, minute, and fragmentary. Wang's commentary says: Seven occupies a place of excessive fullness; it has lost its position and corresponds to night. Although its position is high and exalted, what it does is very lowly and fragmentary.

The Second Eight and Top Nine are praise positions among the nine praises of the Taixuan; the Ce is the explanation of the scripture text. The scripture text of the Second Eight says, "Fei fu gan hou, qi gan yi liang, junzi you xing" ("Lung-like attachment and dried provisions; its stem is already good; the gentleman sets forth"), and the Ce statement says, "Fei fu zhi xing, bu wo cai ye" ("The conduct of lung-like attachment does not take me as material"). An old collation note says: in the Song and Wang editions fei is written fu (dried meat), gan is written qian, and xing is written wang; in the Wang edition fu is written fu (viscera). Here we follow the Fan edition and the Small Song edition. Hou is pronounced hou. Fan's commentary says, "Xiao yue fei" ("Paring is called fei"); fei fu is like lungs attached to wood. Wang's commentary says: when there is a kinship relation like fei fu, yet resentment arises over something as slight as gan hou (dried provisions), the gentleman departs. The Book of Songs says, "Min zhi shi de, gan hou yi qian" ("When people lose virtue, dried provisions become the fault"), meaning that people often fall out over the trivial matter of dried provisions. Sima Guang held that fei fu is a metaphor for clansmen attaching themselves to the clan head. Although common people are lowly, they should still set aside dried provisions to relieve their kin; if even fei fu kinship is already thin, one should still use gan hou to show care, how much more so with good stem (good timber), which should not be discarded unused. This is precisely why Weizi (a royal clansman at the end of Shang, who later went over to Zhou) went over to Zhou.

The scripture text of Top Nine says, "Tong qin bu zhen" ("Childlike kin are not upright"), and the Ce statement says, "Tong qin bu zhen, huan zi gai ye" ("Childlike kin are not upright; they return to their own root"). Gai is pronounced gai and refers to the root or stubble. Song's commentary says this means exhausting one's own root and stubble. Wang's commentary says: at the extreme of close attachment, yet losing position and corresponding to night, it is like a benighted child; those it draws near must be improper.

"Er fang yi zhou san bu er jia lian" is the fang-zhou-bu-jia ordering of the "Lian" (Gathering) head in the Taixuan: two fang, one zhou, three bu, and two jia.

This first belongs to the Yang family, is correlated with Wood among the Five Phases, and corresponds to the Xiaoxu (Small Accumulation) hexagram of the Zhouyi. Its image is yang qi grand and full on the outside, with subtle yin slightly contracting on the inside. Lu Ji’s commentary says: this is yin qi slightly gathering the roots of the myriad things. First One: slight collection without calling on the common people for loans (dai, pronounced ta-dai qie; another edition holds that dai should be huo), fitting for stabilizing the people and rectifying the state. The Ce text says: collecting lightly without harsh exaction—its practice is appropriate. In this head, from First One through Third Three, yin qi is still subtle and not yet conspicuous, so all have the image of small restraint. First One occupies daytime; the gentleman’s taxes are light and governed by regular rules, and he does not call on the people for loans; therefore it benefits calming the people and rectifying the state.

Second Two: greedy and corrupt in accumulation and collection, yet what is obtained is very little (the phrase “tie tie” means “little”; the critical edition says the Small Song edition reads “jie” for “tie,” the Wang edition reads “qin,” and here the Song, Lu, and Fan editions are followed); this is not the way of keeping rectitude. The Ce text says: greedy and corrupt accumulation and collection yield little and cannot bring brightness and goodness. Sima Guang says: “mo” means greed; petty persons are greedy for accumulation, delight in seeing small gains, and gradually fall into what is not upright; this is not a glorious and good matter.

Third Three: when seeing that things are still small, do not take or use them; let them, through me, be supported and grow luxuriantly. The Ce text says: seeing the small and not using them means waiting for them to grow. Wang’s commentary says: Three obtains its position and occupies daytime, according with what is fitting for restraint and collection; seeing the small and not using them means letting them, because of my nourishment, grow until they are spreading and grand. Sima Guang says: when things are still tiny, the gentleman nurtures them and waits until they have grown before taking or using them. The Li says: do not cut short the young, do not take eggs, do not kill fetuses, do not harm the young; only after grasses and trees have withered and fallen does one enter the mountains and forests—all have this meaning.

Fourth Four: seeking profit through accumulation and collection while applying punishments lightly; although there is small advance, there will be great retreat. The Ce text says: accumulating profit and light punishment—such governance is in retreat and decline.

This passage discusses the praises from the fifth through the ninth in the “lian” (gathering and accumulation) category: when gathering is timely and moderated, livestock and sericulture flourish; when it is untimely and excessive, it breeds resentment and invites disaster. The opening note, “The Fan edition writes zheng (government) as zheng (correct); here I follow the Song, Lu, and Wang editions,” is a collation note explaining that the character zheng is written as zheng (correct) according to the Song, Lu, and Wang editions.

Fifth Praise: Raising and nurturing in peace and joy leads to multiplication, and the cocoons in the fields are pure and fine. The prognostic verse says: “Raising in peace and joy, and pure, fine cocoons,” is because they do not interfere with or rob the farming seasons. The commentators say that “pan” means peace and joy, and “chun” means fine and beautiful; Five, in the symbol of the cocoon, also occupies a flourishing position and corresponds to daytime. Taxes and levies are collected in order and are not arbitrarily exacted; growth has its seasons, and taking and using have moderation. Therefore the six domestic animals multiply, and sericulture is abundant and fine.

Sixth Praise: From anxious concern over minute matters, things stretch on and develop; though small at first, they will brew into a great issue, yet the petty person does not take warning. The prognostic verse says: “The warning about minmian” refers to failure to recognize subtle signs. The Wang edition reads “minmian bu jie”; here I follow the Song, Lu, and Fan editions. “Minmian” describes something minute; “yuan” means beginning. Six, in the “accumulation” category, has passed the middle position and corresponds to night; it is the person who accumulates resentment. Resentment begins small and gradually becomes great; the petty person does not take warning, so resentment reaches his own person while he himself does not yet know it.

Seventh Praise: The husband pulls a cart and performs heavy labor; the wife strips bitter herbs. This benefits the wanggu (the grandfather’s sister, that is, the grand-aunt) but not the public household, and so there is hardship and illness. The prognostic verse says: “Pulling the cart and stripping bitter herbs” is the image of accumulating resources and wealth. Lu’s commentary says that “zi” means wealth: husband and wife gather wealth, benefiting the family but not the state. Wang’s commentary says: pulling the cart is heavy service with meager profit; stripping bitter herbs is bitter greens with little efficacy. It can supply the private household and benefit the grand-aunt, but is insufficient to serve the public authorities.

Eighth Praise: Great accumulation brings great overturning. The prognostic verse says: “The fall of great accumulation” means that what is accumulated is not proper. Wang’s commentary says: Eight occupies the extreme of “accumulation” and has also lost its position while corresponding to night; it is the person of great accumulation. Being amid calamity yet still seeking great accumulation, there must be the calamity of overturning and falling.

Top Nine: Accumulate according to the seasons; it benefits in resisting great calamity (“yu” means to resist, and “zai” means calamity).

The Ce commentary says, “Gathering in according to the seasons—how could this be ridiculed?” Wang’s commentary says that “yu” is interchangeable with “yu,” meaning “to defend.” Sima Guang says: Nine is the extreme of calamity, yet it occupies the “day” (the yang and auspicious position). The noble man, in a year of abundant harvest, levies heavily and stores up, and the common people do not regard this as harsh; his purpose is to make advance provision against lean years and to ward off this extreme calamity. “Ji” should be emended to “ji,” meaning “to ridicule”: it says that collecting in accordance with the season, even if the collection is heavy, should not be ridiculed. Mencius bitterly condemned the situation in which, in a good year, pigs and dogs ate people’s grain but [the rulers] did not know to restrain [consumption] and accumulate stores, while on the roads there were people dying of starvation but they did not know to open the granaries and provide relief. The final phrase “Two Fang, One Zhou, Three Bu, Three Jia, Qiang” is the heading by which the Taixuan marks the position of the “Qiang” head using fang, zhou, bu, and jia.

In the Taixuan Jing, the “Qiang” (Strength) header belongs to the Yin family and to Metal among the Five Phases; it is modeled on the Qian hexagram. It speaks of yang qi as pure and firm, moving without cease, so that among the myriad things none is not firm and flourishing.

First One: To be strong within but not to hold to correctness is of no use. The appraisal says: If one is strong within but not correct, one cannot plan matters with him. The commentary says: The First One stands at the beginning of deliberation but occupies a night position (belonging to Yin); the mind is strong but not correct, and so it has no use.

Second Two: The phoenix flies and preens its wings; when the noble man meets the time, in the end no one can stop him. The appraisal says: The phoenix flies, symbolizing the noble man obtaining the time. Fan’s commentary says: “Yu” means to obstruct. Sima Guang says: “Chen” means time. The Second Two is in the middle of deliberation and occupies a day position (belonging to Yang); when the noble man obtains the time and strives to practice righteousness, others cannot stop him, just as when the phoenix flies with long wings no one can subdue it. All who occupy the “middle” position have the symbol of obtaining the position and obtaining the time.

Third Three: If the pillar is not centered and upright, and the beam is not high and large, the great house will decline. The appraisal says: If the pillar is not upright, the foundation cannot be made upright. The Third Three occupies the first position of the lower body and supports what is above; it is the image of beam and pillar. It occupies the night and is weak, symbolizing that the petty person is not strong but weak and cannot bear his duties; if he cannot bear them, the foundation of the state will fall.

Fourth Four: Then he is intelligent, then he is clear-sighted; those assisting him on left and right are strong and abundant. The appraisal says: Being intelligent and clear-sighted, the many officers are just now coming to attach themselves. Commentators note variant readings in this sentence. The Fan edition and others take “qiang” and “sheng” as describing the multitude supporting one another; Fan, because the fourth position belongs to Metal and this header also belongs to Metal, therefore spoke of the line number as supporting it—not of “qiang” as support.

The Taixuan takes entries such as “Ci Four” and “Ci Five” as appraisal positions; daytime is auspicious and nighttime inauspicious. “Ce” is the explanation of the appraisal text, and “qiangliang” means overbearing and showing off one’s strength. Sima Guang says: The fourth appraisal symbolizes unimpeded flow and free passage, and it also coincides with daytime. The noble man possesses the virtue of intelligence and perceptiveness, so the multitude of scholars come to submit to him and assist him on left and right; this is the manifestation of “strength.” The fifth appraisal says: The noble man is strong through virtue, while the petty person shows strength through force. The Ce text says: When a petty person uses force to show strength and obtains authority, his fault becomes even more serious. Wang’s commentary says: The fifth occupies the ruler’s position but loses the proper time and coincides with night; it lacks a ruler’s virtue and is merely a petty person’s overbearing strength. To rely on force to show strength will surely bring overthrow and danger. The sixth appraisal says: One who can restrain his own overbearing strength will be boundless like Heaven. The Ce text says: To be able to restrain one’s overbearing strength—its great beauty has no limit. Wang’s edition writes “wu ji” as “wu jiang”; here, following the Song, Lu, and Fan editions, the reading is “wu ji.” Song Zhong says that “wu ji” means “without boundary,” describing something vast and far-reaching. Wang’s commentary says: The sixth is strength at its height; it mainly obtains the position and coincides with daytime. It can restrain overbearing strength and strengthen its own virtue; the way of the ruler becomes even more luminous, and so it reaches Heaven and is inexhaustible. Sima Guang says: From the fifth upward one enters the position of decline and diminution; although the sixth surpasses the middle position, it coincides with daytime. The noble man can accord with the rise and fall of circumstances and overcome his own overbearing strength; in this way he enjoys long-lasting blessings, boundless like Heaven. The seventh appraisal says: Metal is hard and flesh is soft; blood flows in the field. The Ce text says: Metal hard and flesh soft is a symbol of excessive punishment. Wang’s edition lacks the character “flows”; here I follow the various editions. The seventh is ruin and loss and coincides with night; it means the petty person uses punishment excessively. With hard metal cutting soft flesh, there is none that it does not overcome; blood flows in the field—this is utterly lacking in benevolence. The eighth appraisal says: Make the declining strong, make the weak exert themselves. The Ce text says: Making the declining strong is encouraging them to strengthen themselves.

The eighth Praise is “Ji Yu” (“Illness and Stagnation”) and corresponds to “Day” (in the Taixuan, Day is auspicious and symbolizes the noble person): the noble person can strengthen himself amid decline, illness, and hardship, encourage the weak, and keep himself from sinking into ruin. The Upper Nine Praise says: Mount Tai collapses and is uprooted, beams and pillars snap, and the person falls and suffers setback. The Measurement says: the mountain collapsing and the beams breaking ultimately come from excessive hardness and fierceness. Wang’s edition writes “Mount Tai is uprooted” as “large branches are uprooted”; here the commonly transmitted editions of the various scholars are followed. Wang says: being at the extreme of strength but losing one’s position and corresponding to “Night” (Night is inauspicious and symbolizes the petty person) means being excessively hard and lofty. Sima Guang says: the petty person is so overbearing and violent that, like a collapsing mountain or breaking beam, he brings about his own fall. The final line, “second fang, second zhou, first bu, first jia, Sui,” is a sequencing marker in the Taixuan, indicating the fang, zhou, bu, and jia position of the “Sui” Head.

This section belongs to the Yang family and Water and imitates the Qian hexagram. The heading is named “Sui,” interchangeable with “cui,” meaning pure and refined. Lu Ji (a Wu scholar of the Three Kingdoms) glossed Qian as pure and cui as essence. At this time the yin qi withdraws and hides beneath the earth, while the yang qi is even, pure, and clear; all things, high and low alike, once again manifest their radiance, peacefully keep to their displayed yang qi, and receive the virtue of warmth and nurturing. “Jun” is interchangeable with the homophone jun meaning “even”; Song Zhong (an Eastern Han scholar) explained bao as “peace.” “Jun-sui” also seems to describe a single, undivided gaze. Sima Guang (the compiler of the collected commentary in this book) and others used this to emend the text.

First One: The heart within is pure, clear, and without defilement. The Appraisal says: The heart within is pure, clear, and without defilement. This section stands at the beginning of “Si” and falls in the daytime; it symbolizes the noble person being pure in heart and clear without admixture, so that he can govern the fundamental source of all good and bring the myriad affairs to completion.

Second Two: In darkness, with a mixed and impure mind, one offends purity, and in the heart one feels ashamed. “Nü” means shame; “yi” has the sense of concealment and shame. Fan Wang (a Jin commentator) said that “nü” means shame and “bo” means impure. Sima Guang said: This section stands midway in “Si” and falls at night; the petty person, in obscurity, uses a mixed mind to affront purity. Even if outwardly he deceives others, inwardly he cannot avoid shame.

Third Three: The eyes look upward to heaven, the ears listen downward to the abyss, and one still maintains reverence. The Appraisal says: The ears and eyes are one above and one below, and keen hearing and perception reach their utmost. This section stands at the end of “Si” and falls in the daytime; when the noble person’s thoughts are pure, his intelligence is unobstructed in all directions, and so it says that the eyes are upward toward heaven and the ears downward toward the abyss. Even so, he does not dare to rely on himself; he remains solemn, respectful, reverent, and cautious, and thus can preserve his purity intact.

Fourth Four: The petty person admires purity, yet loses his rank and the right way. The Appraisal says: The petty person admires purity, but the Dao cannot be attained. Wang Ya (a Tang commentator) said: This section loses its position and falls at night, and its Dao is already mixed. That is to say, although the petty person admires purity, because his position is not correct and his mind is already mixed, in the end he cannot truly attain the Dao.

This passage discusses the fifth, sixth, and seventh Praises of “sui” (suì, the virtue of purity and refinement) in the Taixuan (Great Mystery), along with the various commentaries. It begins by saying: although people admire the Dao of purity, they lose blessings and rank as well as upright correctness; this shows that mere aspiration, without guarding centrality and correctness, still cannot bring purity to completion.

The fifth Praise says, “Sui in the dark yellow, primordial uprightness without fixed direction.” This means that the virtue of purity is hidden in the dark and profound, and also possesses the virtue of yellow centrality that penetrates principle; it is primordially upright and correct, without fixed direction or place, and cannot be named or described. The Ce commentary says, “It is the norm of rectifying Earth,” and Lu Ji glosses ze as “norm” or “law.” Wang’s commentary holds that this Praise occupies the center and embodies correctness; it obtains its position and meets day, and is the sovereign of sui. Pure virtue is greatly bright yet hidden in the dark and profound; it possesses the virtue of yellow centrality that penetrates principle, is primordially upright and correct, and its Dao cannot be named. Sima Guang says: “Yuan” is the root of goodness; five occupies the central position, symbolizing central harmony, and also meets day. Even when a gentleman dwells in obscurity, he does not lose the way of central harmony, and so can complete his purity; by guarding primordial correctness in responding to the myriad affairs, he will find nothing unsuitable—just as the virtue of Earth, through dark yellow and primordial uprightness, brings the myriad things to completion.

The sixth Praise says, “Great sui bears fault; easy.” The Ce commentary says, “The petty person cannot bear it.” In Wang’s edition the Praise text reads, “Great sui bears fault; the petty person cannot bear it,” and the Ce commentary reads, “The Dao of great sui—the petty person cannot bear it”; here the reading follows the editions of the various commentators. Wang’s commentary says: Six occupies a flourishing position and is “great sui,” but it loses its position and meets night, and so receives fault. Sima Guang says: From five upward one enters the phase of decline; six surpasses the central position and also meets night, and cannot preserve purity intact. White jade easily acquires flaws; clear water easily becomes polluted. Therefore the great Dao of purity is not something a petty person can preserve; he will inevitably take on fault and error.

The seventh Praise says, “Sui’s time has fault; the gentleman repairs the fault,” and the Ce commentary says, “He is good at repairing errors.” Wang’s commentary says: Seven occupies the beginning of calamity and misfortune; this is the time when sui has an error. But because it obtains its position and meets day, it does not lose the virtue of the gentleman, and so can repair the fault and be without blame. Sima Guang says: When the age has faults, only the gentleman can make up for them, thereby completing purity.

The Book of Songs says, “When the duties of the Son of Heaven (or the Three Dukes) have shortcomings, only Zhongshan Fu (a worthy minister under King Xuan of Zhou) can make them good.” This brings out the sense of “assisting.” In the Taixuan (Canon of Supreme Mystery), composed by Yang Xiong of the Han in imitation of the Zhouyi, the Eighth Zan of the Sui Head says: “Pure virtue has already decayed; only evil remains, and there is no good.” The Ce commentary explains: “A person who is evil and without good ultimately cannot be used to assist.” Wang Ya’s commentary says: “This zan has lost its position and meets ‘Night’ (in the Taixuan, Day is auspicious and Night is inauspicious); it is purely an evil quality, so good has no way to enter.” Sima Guang says: “The eighth zan occupies a position of illness and stagnation and also corresponds to Night; it is a person wholly evil and without good—how could such a one assist?” The Upper Nine Zan of the Sui Head says: “One can guard purity to the end and long maintain the upright Way of the beginning; therefore it is Zhen (upright/steadfast).” The Ce commentary says: “This preserving of purity to the end is truly worthy of praise.” Wang Ya’s commentary says: “The ninth zan occupies the extreme of number, obtains its position and meets ‘Day’; it can maintain purity, not lose the good Way, and remain forever upright as at the beginning.” Sima Guang says: “The ninth zan is the extreme of purity; it can be cautious at the end as at the beginning and preserve purity intact.” “Second Fang, Second Zhou, First Bu, Second Jia: Sheng” is the entry location in the Taixuan, referring to the second Fang, second Zhou, first Bu, and second Jia, corresponding to the Sheng Head.

The “Sheng” (Flourishing) head belongs to the Yin-family Fire and models the Dayou (Great Possession) hexagram of the Zhouyi. In the calculation, entering the second line of the Sheng head, the calendrical figure is thirty-three fen and thirty seconds; the sun moves into the Chunshou (Quail Head) station, one of the twelve stations; the solar term corresponds to Mangzhong (Grain in Ear); the Dipper handle is established at wu, the fifth month; and the pitch pipe matches Ruibin. At this time yang Qi is at its height and fills all things; the myriad things are full, completely fulfilling their intent. As for the tian in tianran, the Wang edition reads ming; here I follow the Song, Lu, and Fan editions, reading it as tian, meaning “full.”

First One: If it flourishes but does not keep to law and measure, it loses its hidden virtue. The Ce commentary (an explanation of the Zan appraisal) says: To flourish yet be unable to keep oneself is for the inner mind to be unable to restrain itself. One edition writes the character for “end” in place of “middle”; here I follow the Fan and Wang editions. Lu says that ke means “to overcome,” that is, it cannot overcome its desires. Wang says: First One occupies the beginning of flourishing and corresponds to night; if it flourishes yet cannot be silent, it loses its virtue of obscurity. Sima Guang says: The inkline is the standard; flourishing is not difficult to attain, but it is difficult to dwell in flourishing. First One is the beginning of thought and corresponds to night; if it flourishes without law to restrain itself, it loses its hidden virtue.

Second Two: Acting without relying on oneself, one can achieve Great Possession. The Ce commentary says: To act without relying on it accords with mysterious De (Virtue/Power); the word cheng, fanqie chi-zheng, means “commensurate.” Wang says: Dwelling in the time of flourishing, it obtains its position and corresponds to day (the original text has hua, “to draw”); understanding the way of nature, it has the merit of action but does not rely on merit, and so it can reach Great Possession. Sima Guang says: Second Two is the middle of thought and corresponds to day; it acts without relying, does without possessing; precisely because it does not possess, it can be Great Possession. “Cheng” means commensurate.

Third Three: A breast full of profit is not beneficial to the public. The Ce commentary says: Harboring profit filling the breast does not fit the public gate. Third Three is the top of thought and corresponds to night; the noble person understands righteousness, the petty person understands profit. The petty person’s thoughts seek flourishing, but they are no more than pursuing private profit; therefore it says, “Harboring profit fills the breast.” Benefit to the private harms the public.

Fourth Four: Having a small measure of flourishing force yet able to act as a minister should—reverent and keeping to one’s proper place—this is the gateway to entering the realm of the great person. The Ce commentary says: Small flourishing occupies the upper position and corresponds to night; the noble person understands righteousness, the petty person understands profit.

The petty person’s thoughts and schemes in pursuing prosperity are nothing more than a quest for profit. Hence it is said, “Harboring profit, the breast is full” (the mind is filled with thoughts of gain). Once private profit succeeds, will it not necessarily harm public righteousness?

The Fourth Praise says: “Small flourishing, humble and submissive—the gate of the great person.” When one has a little flourishing and can still keep oneself humble, this is the gateway to the realm of the “great person” (one whose virtue is abundant). The Ce statement says: To be modest in small flourishing is to serve the benevolent and worthy. The commentary says: The fourth praise is the beginning of blessing, and so it is called “small flourishing”; “chenchen” means to humble and lower oneself. If a noble person at the first stage of small flourishing can place himself in a lowly position, serve the benevolent and worthy, and thereby bring about great flourishing—then there is no one who becomes a great person who does not come forth by this road. Hence it is called “the gate of the great person.” (In Wang’s edition “benevolent” is written as “person”; here I follow the Song and Lu editions.)

The Fifth Praise says: “What blessing fills the shoulders, drawing calamity in tangles (most commentators write ‘shanshan’ and read it as ‘chanchan’).” Blessings are so many that they fill the shoulders, and calamity comes entwined with them. The Ce statement says: What is called “what blessing draws calamity” is the way of the petty person. The commentary says: The fifth praise occupies a flourishing position, and so it asks “what blessing?”; when blessing reaches extreme abundance, and so it says “fills the shoulders”; extreme flourishing must reverse, and so it says “draws calamity.” Sima Guang says: All praises that fall on “night” belong to the way of the petty person; when a petty person enjoys abundant blessing, calamity is sure to follow, and so it says, “What blessing fills the shoulders, drawing calamity in tangles.” (Here “shanshan” has variants such as “chanchan”; commentators take “shan” to be read as “chan,” conveying the image of calamity entwining and not departing; “he” is read with the fanqie hu-ke; Chen additionally glosses “shan” with the sounds dan and tu-dan fanqie.)

The Sixth Praise says: “The light bestowed by Heaven, greatly opening strength; in humility there is blessing.” Heaven bestows light, greatly opening the force of strength; if one can be humble, there will be blessing. The Ce statement says: “Heaven bestows light” means that through humility there is great abundance. The commentary says: The sixth praise symbolizes abundant greatness and falls on “day” (that is, the way of the noble person); the noble person receives Heaven’s mandate and greatly opens the foundations of his territory. Extreme flourishing is the hardest state in which to conduct oneself, and so one must use humility; only then is there blessing. (In the Fan and Wang editions “bestowed” is written as “xi”; here I follow the Song and Lu editions.)

The Seventh Praise says: “Riding fire, a cold spring arrives.” Riding the force of fire, a cold spring comes. The Ce statement says: Riding fire and a cold spring arriving means calamity cannot prevail. A collation note in the commentary says: The Fan edition’s Ce statement reads, “Riding fire, the spring arrives; calamity is not far,” and here I follow the Song, Lu, and Wang editions.

Wang’s commentary says: When at the time of flourishing, the seventh praise is already overfull; therefore one must practice the way of modesty and retreat, and only then will blessing and felicity come. The praise text for the seventh line says, “Riding fire, the cold spring arrives”: riding when the force of fire is at its height, the cold spring comes, symbolizing that extreme flourishing invites suppression. The explanatory text says, “Riding fire and the cold spring arrives, calamity cannot proceed smoothly”—meaning that when one rides fire and the cold spring arrives, calamity is hard to bring to fulfillment; the Fan edition has “calamity is not far,” which says that disaster is near. Here the text follows the Song, Lu, and Wang editions. Wang’s commentary explains: At the time of flourishing, seven is already overfull, and together with the head it is also a fire number; two fires are vigorous, blazing upward, and are dreaded by the sixth, so the cold spring is about to arrive, with the worry of being extinguished. Sima Guang notes: Seven is the beginning of calamity and also occupies the night position; “riding fire” means flourishing to the utmost, and “the cold spring arrives” means destruction is not far off.

The praise text for the eighth line says, “Scooping from full brightness, one nearly afterward topples”: when full and brightly flourishing, one ladles out and restrains, yet almost afterward comes overthrow. The explanatory text says, “Scooping from fullness, one nearly avoids it”—that is, only by ladling out from fullness can one come close to avoiding disaster; the Fan edition has “nearly in danger,” emphasizing the danger of fullness. As for textual variants: the Song and Lu editions have “ju” for “yi”; here the text follows the Fan and Wang editions. The Wang edition lacks the word “ying”; here it follows the Song, Lu, and Fan editions. “Nearly avoids” follows the Song, Lu, and Wang editions. The word ji is pronounced ji, as in “capital region,” and also ji, as in “mechanism.” Wang’s commentary says: Obtaining the position and occupying the day position, one is good at dwelling in fullness and can be modest and restrained; though later there may be danger of overthrow, one will not topple, because modest retreat avoids calamity. If one dwells at the extreme of flourishing and does not practice the way of ladling out fullness, then one will almost inevitably meet calamity.

The praise text for the top nine says, “Extreme flourishing cannot be saved; calamity descends from Heaven.” The explanatory text says, “Extreme flourishing cannot be saved; the Way of Heaven reverses”: when flourishing reaches its extreme, it must reverse—this is the Way of Heaven. Nine dwells at the extreme of flourishing and also occupies the night position; meeting the exhaustion of calamity is precisely the principle that extreme flourishing must decline.

The closing “second region, second province, first section, third house” is an arrangement marker of the Taixuan, indicating that this shou is placed under the second region, second province, first section, and third house.

This passage uses the meaning of the Jiaren (Family) hexagram in the Zhouyi to discuss the way of the household and protection. Yang qi is full and strong (the character “ju,” pronounced jù, describes a state of fullness and robust force), as if building city walls for the myriad things so that yin qi cannot harm them; the myriad things thereby each find peaceful dwelling. Sima Guang points out that “fu” should also be written as “ju,” and “du” should be “zhai,” which is the ancient graph for “zhai,” meaning to dwell; what is called “making city walls for things” is simply nurturing and protecting the myriad things.

The First One says: Not seeking fame and not incurring blame, one can preserve one’s household. The Appraisal says: In this way its Way is constant. Commentators hold that the First One is placed at the very bottom of the household, which is the image of children and grandchildren; it also coincides with daylight and can maintain the constant Way. Therefore it has neither blame nor praise and is the master who preserves the family.

The Second Two says: In the household there is no hu-vessel (a vessel for holding water to support the elderly); the daughter-in-law ought to serve and support her mother-in-law, but now instead she makes her mother-in-law look after her, and even has her wash away her filth and perform laborious and humiliating tasks. The Appraisal says: When the household has no hu-vessel, there is nothing with which to support superiors and nourish people. Commentators say that the second line occupies the middle of the lower trigram and has the image of a daughter-in-law; a daughter-in-law ought to serve her mother-in-law, but now superior and inferior are reversed—nothing is more contrary to proper order than this.

The Third Three says: Elder and younger have their order, and the son can carry on his father’s work. The Appraisal says: Only when the son can carry on his father’s work can the way of the household flourish. The final sentence is a collation note: the Fan edition reads “elder and younger ordered, ordered” (changyou xuxu), but the present text follows the Song, Lu, and Wang editions in reading “elder and younger have their order” (changyou xu).

Wang’s commentary says: This line occupies the proper position and corresponds to “Day” (the Taixuan uses “Day” to symbolize the way of the noble person), and so the household has ethical order, elders and juniors each attain their proper sequence, and sons can carry on their fathers’ undertakings. Sima Guang says: The third line sits above the lower body and corresponds to Day; it symbolizes that the young can serve their elders and that sons can take on their fathers’ affairs.

The fourth line: Seeing a pig in the hall, a dog follows its tracks. The Ce commentary (the explanation of the line statement) says: “Seeing a pig in the hall—its body is not auspicious or good.” “Hang” means animal tracks; dogs and pigs are both filthy creatures. The hall is where respected elders dwell. The fourth line occupies a lower emolument and is in the middle body, so its position is slightly honorable; but it exactly corresponds to “Night” (the Taixuan uses “Night” to symbolize the way of the petty person), and it is the way of the petty person. The way of managing the family is first to rectify oneself, and only then can one regulate the family. Now the fourth line is in the hall, and the self has pig-like filthy conduct; then those in lower positions will also follow like dogs tracking, and cannot be stopped. “Qing” means good.

The fifth line: The stern and bow are harmonious and stable; it is beneficial to be wealthy and to maintain correctness. The Ce commentary says: “The stern and bow are peaceful and harmonious” means complying with their bounds and course. Zhu is the place at the rear of the boat where the rudder is handled; lu is the place at the front where the oar is plied. Wang’s commentary says: Not losing one’s dwelling, and on long journeys nothing is unfavorable—this is the meaning of “being in the boat.” The fifth line both occupies the proper position and corresponds to Day; as the master of the household, when it advances it will surely cross over and succeed. Therefore the stern and bow are harmonized and stable, bringing benefit and wealth, without losing the way of the household. Sima Guang says: Zhu is the place at the rear of the boat where the rudder is set; lu is the place at the front where the oar is thrust. The fifth line occupies a flourishing position and corresponds to Day; it means the noble person can manage the family. When the stern and bow are harmonized and stable, the multitude relies on them for peace; when upper and lower are harmonious and compliant, the household relies on them for order. Wealth is the blessing of the family.

To be rich without losing the upright Way—this is why it is called beautiful. The word qi here should be read as wu.

Sixth (Ci-liu): To cast one’s own well and stove outside—after three years one will be abandoned. The Ce text says: Casting the well and stove outside, after three years one will have no food or drink. Wang’s commentary says: Three years is the end of the number. Sima Guang says: The well and stove are what food and drink depend on and are essential to household affairs; if they are cast outside, what will the household rely on for support? The sixth has already passed the midpoint and occupies the night. Petty people cannot be harmonious with the worthy in their clan; instead they alienate them. In no more than three years, all their kin will betray them. “Not enjoying” means not obtaining food and drink.

Seventh (Ci-qi): The old father pulls the cart, the young girl carries the pot; it is beneficial for establishing a household. The Ce text says: When the old father pulls the cart, his bearing is dignified. Wang’s edition has yu in place of kao; I now follow the Song, Lu, and Fan editions. Huan is pronounced “hwan” and means to thread through; one passes the hand through the cart shaft to pull the cart, so as to carry loads. Carrying the pot means serving one’s elders and providing for the family. Kao means to complete. The seventh occupies the upper part and has the image of an elder. The old father is the most honored in the household, the young girl the most lowly; when the honored elder can carry the multitude and the lowly can support those above, it is beneficial for establishing a household. In managing a household one cannot but be strict; therefore the bearing is solemn, and only then can one carry the multitude. The Yi says: “The family is he-he (strict and severe); though there be remorse and danger, it is auspicious. The wife and children are xi-xi (laughing and giggling without restraint); in the end there will be regret.”

Eighth (Ci-ba): To turn the armrest upside down and set out the ladles in pairs—his household will not be beautiful. The Ce text says: Reversing the armrest and doubling the ladles, the household’s use is not good. Pi is the same as bi; the armrest should be turned upward to support, and the ladle should be used singly—this is the constant principle. The eighth is in the midst of misfortune and occupies the night; therefore the way of the household is not beautiful.

The “An” note below is correcting the text: in the old edition, “qi” is written as “ji,” and this has caused a textual error; it is now corrected according to the Wang edition, an annotated edition by a scholar surnamed Wang. “Pi” and “bi” are synonymous. A table should be supported from above, and only one spoon should be used—this is the ordinary principle. The eighth appraisal stands in “misfortune within” and meets “night” (the Taixuan judges good and bad fortune by day and night). If it contravenes the ordinary principle of the table’s support, then the young do not support the elder, and those above cannot be at peace. The appearance of two spoons indicates that the household is not unified under the elders and that there are too many people managing affairs. “Zhi” means fine. When the young do not support the elder and the honored do not govern the lowly, the family way is ruined and thrown into confusion; hence it is not fine.

The Upper Nine appraisal says: a cut stump produces new shoots, and its lineage will not be cut off. The prognostic text says: when the stump sprouts, its kind will continue to grow. “Nie” is read with the two fanqie spellings yu-lie and wu-ge; “zhong” is read with the fanqie zhang-yong. Wang says: Nine occupies an over-high position and has the image of withered decay, but it obtains its position and meets day, and so it is a stump producing shoots. Sima Guang says: when a tree has been cut and afterward produces new shoots, this is called “nie.” Nine is the extreme of calamity, and the family had originally been cut off; but because it meets day, it shows that a surviving seed remains and can restore the family fortunes.

This heading is arranged as “two directions, two regions, two divisions, one family”; its heading is named “Fa.” It belongs to the Yin family and Metal and corresponds to the Jing hexagram of the Zhouyi, that is, the meaning of “one may change the town but not the well.” Sima Guang further reiterates: when a tree is cut and then comes back to life, this is “nie”; Nine is the extreme of calamity, and the family is already cut off; because it meets day, there is still a surviving seed that can restore its family.

In the Taixuan system, this section belongs to the Yin family, is associated with Metal, and is modeled on the Jing (Well) hexagram. The Jing hexagram says, “The town may be changed, but the well is not changed; it neither diminishes nor increases; people come and go, drawing water in an orderly way.” This means that the town may be altered while the well remains unchanged, that the well water neither increases nor decreases, and that people come and go to draw water in good order—a symbol of the stability of standards. At this time, yang qi is at its height and hangs its standards on high; the myriad things look up to and receive its plumb line, and none is not bound by its rules. “Xian” is interchangeable with “xuan” (“to suspend”) and is read as “xuan.” Song’s commentary says that “mo” means the carpenter’s ink line of standards; Sima Guang says that at this time all things emulate yang qi and receive its standards.

First One: One begins to establish laws, but they do not accord with proper standards. The Ce commentary says that such standards are not worth adopting. Wang’s commentary says that at the beginning of lawmaking it loses its proper position and falls into a “night” position (an unsuitable position), and so is not worth taking as a model; Sima Guang says that “one” is the beginning of thought, and so it is called “creating laws.” The Fayan says that when a model is not like a model and a mold is not like a mold, such cases are many.

Second Two: Emulating the model and establishing standards, one conforms to the middle way and can succeed. The Ce commentary says that because it conforms to the middle way, the multitude all follow it together. “Mo” is the same as “mu” (“model” or “mold”), with the sense of making; the “second” lies amid thought and falls in a “day” position (a suitable position). Only by making standards according to the middle way can one then succeed. The “Royal Ultimate” in the Hongfan is precisely the highest norm that all people follow together.

Third Three: The plumb line and measuring cord are not refined, and the compass and square are lost. The Ce commentary says that its application will go wrong. “Fu” means fine and good; “shuang” means error. If one cannot rectify oneself, how can one rectify others?

Fourth Four: The plumb line, measuring cord, compass, and square do not contravene what I practice. The Ce commentary says that this means starting from oneself. The noble person first cultivates himself; when he himself is upright, others will follow without orders being issued.

Fifth Five: The drawing rope hangs down, but the jar is stopped up and cannot hold water; though the well water is brimming, in the end one still cannot drink. The Ce commentary says that a jar with a stopped-up belly is not the correct method for learning the Dao. Wang’s commentary says that a jar with a stopped-up belly cannot hold things; “the well is vast and overflowing” describes abundant water; that in the end one gets no drink is because the method of drawing is wrong. Sima Guang says that “yu” is the well rope, and “lulu” describes the rope hanging down. Here there is a textual variant between “bin” and “ming”; the present text follows the Fan and Wang editions.

This passage uses the “Well” to discuss the norms of scholarship and governance. If a bottle is first filled with things, water cannot be poured into it; although the well water may brim over, in the end it cannot be drunk. This means that learners must first be humble and empty like a valley, and only then will others be willing to teach them. The Fifth Line (a line-position designation in the Taixuan), situated at the time when the Way of the Well is full to overflowing yet encountering “Night” (a symbol of darkness), is like a petty person who first becomes proud and full of himself and can no longer accommodate anything external.

The Sixth Line says: Establish the guiding principles and norms, and show people uprightness and brightness. The Ce commentary says: Once the guiding principles are established, the great order becomes clear. Wang Ya (a commentator on the Taixuan) notes: Use the way of uprightness and brightness so that people are not deluded. Sima Guang says: The sixth occupies a high position and emolument, puts laws and standards into practice, can give order to all under Heaven, and shows people the way of uprightness, greatness, and brightness.

The Seventh Line says: A fine-meshed net spread in the deep pool is not beneficial to fish. The Ce commentary says: The fine-meshed net in the deep pool means harsh laws are displayed. Wang Ya notes: The seventh occupies excessive fullness and meets Night; making laws too dense is like a net attached to the spring, so that fish cannot be at peace; when laws are applied to the state, the people are not at ease. Sima Guang says: The seventh is the net and also ruin and loss, and it meets Night; this means the laws are harsh and the people are terrified, and so it says, “A fine-meshed net attached to the deep pool is not beneficial to scaly creatures.”

The Eighth Line says: Correct those who are guilty and bring them to reach no evil. The Ce commentary says: Correct the guilty and drive them to arrive. Song Zhong (a commentator on the Taixuan) notes: Drive the common people so that they arrive at no evil. Wang Ya notes: The eighth occupies the middle of the upper body and meets Day (brightness); it can use the law to correct the guilty and make people have no evil hearts. Sima Guang says: “Ge” means to arrive; to correct the guilty so that they arrive at no evil is the good use of punishment. Shun said: As for punishment, the hope is to reach no punishment.

The Top Nine says: If the well has no curb (well wall), the water simply overflows; it is neither a stream nor a valley, and in the end this becomes a fault. The Ce commentary says: The well without a curb means the norms recklessly give themselves over to excess. This is a metaphor for laws and standards losing restraint and acting recklessly.

This passage of collected commentary first lists textual variants: in the Wang edition this sentence reads, “Not a stream, not a valley, it makes profit; the heart is not a stream” (fei xi fei gu zuo li xin fei xi); the present text follows the editions of Song Zhong, Lu Ji, Fan Wang, and others. The “gan” in jinggan is read as “han.” Fan Wang’s commentary says: the well railing (jinggan, the wooden railing enclosing the well mouth) is used to restrain and guard the well mouth, so that drawing water and draining water both have fixed times. Wang Ya’s commentary says: to stand at the extreme of legal standards and also encounter “Night” (an inauspicious time in Taixuan divination) symbolizes the absence of legal standards; when the state lacks legal standards, people readily violate prohibitions; when a well lacks a railing, water will overflow. Sima Guang holds that the number nine has already reached the extreme of disaster, and it also falls on Night; reckless enforcement of laws and unregulated indulgence are the same as having no legal standards; the common people are confused at heart and do not know what to follow, so they will offend legal prohibitions and end in disorder. The commentary again repeatedly emphasizes: it is like a well without a railing—water will overflow, and since it is neither a stream nor a valley, yet rushes and flows wildly, in the end it only produces fault. The final sentence, “Second Fang, Second Zhou, Second Bu, Second Jia correspond,” is a corresponding marker in the Taixuan divination system, referring to the correspondence of the second fang, second zhou, second bu, and second jia.

The Yang family is assigned to Earth; this Shou corresponds to the Xian hexagram of the Zhouyi. Entering the sixth Zan of the Shou Ying, the calendrical number is 18 fen and 5 miao, corresponding to the summer solstice solar term, and therefore also corresponding to the Li hexagram. Yang Qi reaches its utmost above, while Yin Qi begins to stir below; above and below resonate with each other. “Xin” here refers to an omen or harbinger.

First One: Six stems are arrayed, and five branches adhere. The Ce statement says: “Six stems are arrayed” means adhering to the ruler.

Second Two: Above, the twelve Chen are spread out; below, the twelve pitch pipes respond in harmony. If it does not conform to the rules, it does not resonate. The Ce statement says: Above bestows and below harmonizes; if it is not a true conjunction, it is not true response. The commentary explains that “li” refers to the twelve Chen and “lü” to the twelve pitch pipes; the Dipper’s establishment of the twelve Chen is above, and the pitch pipes spread the twelve tubes below. Above and below respond; if they do not match, there is no response.

Third Three: One vertical and one horizontal form the net of Heaven. The Ce statement says: One vertical and one horizontal is the image of warp and weft laid out.

Fourth Four: Take up my fugu nets, and spread nets in the open country; the affair is about to arrive. The Ce statement says: To use fugu nets is to be unable to act through benevolent virtue. The commentary says that in the fourth Zan Yang Qi is about to die out and Yin Qi is about to be born; De retreats and punishment arrives. The Li hexagram also has the image of nets, and so it says to spread nets in the wild. “Zhi” means the matter is about to come, like “treading on frost, solid ice arrives,” becoming manifest from the subtle.

Fifth Five: The dragon flies high in Heaven, holds to correctness, and is cautious about its scales and armor.

The Appraisal says, “The dragon flies and trembles; at the extreme it fears falling.” This means: the dragon flies extremely high yet trembles, most afraid that when prosperity reaches its peak it will fall. The fanqie for “han” is hu-an, and it simply means “to fly.” Wang’s commentary says: Five occupies the center and its body is upright; it obtains its position and is suited to it, and is the master to whom all respond, hence the image of a dragon flying in heaven. Sima Guang says: the dragon is used to figure yang; Five is pure yang, flourishing to the utmost, and so it says, “The dragon flies in heaven.” When the noble man is at the extreme of flourishing, he cannot fail to keep upright and cannot fail to be vigilant and fearful; hence it says, “Upright and trembling in its scales”—keeping upright while fearful at heart, like the trembling of dragon scales.

The Sixth Line says, “Blazing and receiving from heaven, ice sprouts in earth.” The Appraisal says, “Receiving from heaven and sprouting in earth, yang begins to retreat”—that is, yang qi receives heaven and blazes, while yin ice has already sprouted in the earth, indicating that yang has begun to retreat. “Blazing” is yang at its fullness; “ice” is yin at its extreme. The Sixth Line corresponds to the beginning of the summer solstice, precisely the moment when yang reaches its extreme and yin is born; the way of petty people gradually grows, and the way of the noble man gradually wanes, and so it says, “Blazing and receiving from heaven, ice sprouts in earth.” All the subtleties of reverence, caution, and vigilance are here. Wang’s edition reads “blazing and receiving” as “rising clouds”; “long” is an ancient graph for “chi”; here the text follows the Song, Lu, and Fan editions.

The Seventh Line says, “Daily strengthening in its decline; the responders are numerous and upright.” The Appraisal says, “Strengthening oneself in decline, because he hates to bring ruin upon his kind” (wu is read wù, meaning “to hate”). The Seventh Line is the beginning of calamity, yet it occupies a drawn position; if the noble man can strengthen himself amid decline, those who respond to him will be many, and he will not lose his uprightness.

The Eighth Line says, “Extreme yang summons yin; before the day shifts, there is response.” The Appraisal says, “Extreme yang summons yin; the response comes when it issues forth.” When yang qi is at its utmost, it attracts yin qi, and within less than a day it is fulfilled. Order at its extreme invites chaos, flourishing at its extreme invites decline, and blessing at its extreme invites disaster—all are responses “before the day shifts.” Wang’s edition reads “summons” as “subtle” and “its” as “time”; here the text follows the Song, Lu, and Fan editions.

The Top Nine says, “The utmost of Yuanli; the noble man responds with the Great Millet.” The Appraisal says, “The utmost of Yuanli cannot be stopped”—that is, when Yuanli (Great Li, the dispersal of yang qi) reaches its extreme, its momentum cannot be checked; the noble man should respond with the Great Millet (the foundation of the state, a grave responsibility). The Fan edition has “cannot be stopped”; here the text follows the Song, Lu, and Wang editions.

Mr. Lu says that “e” means stop. Mr. Wang says that “da” refers to the sun about to set. Mr. Wu says that “ji” has the same pronunciation and meaning as “wu.” Sima Guang holds that “Yuanli” is the Great Brightness, that is, the light of the sun; when brightness reaches its extreme, after peak prosperity it must inevitably turn toward decline. The noble person should comply with the times and advance or retreat, wax or wane, in accordance with changes of prosperity and decline. Therefore it says that the noble person should emulate “Da Wu” (“Da Wu” is interchangeable with “Da Hao,” referring to vast Heaven, that is, complying with the Heavenly Dao).

These entries are collation notes appended to the edited edition of the Collected Commentaries on the Taixuan Jing (with commentary by Sima Guang). They explain the corrections and supplements that the editor made to the base text on the basis of various editions, including the Shisanjing Zhushu (Exegeses and Commentaries on the Thirteen Classics), the Beiyao edition (Sibu Beiyao), the Quanshu edition (Siku Quanshu), and the Fan edition. “Original text reads” means that the base text originally had a certain character; “original omission” means that the base text lacks this character; “original lacuna” means that this character is damaged or incomplete in the base text; and “corrected/supplied according to such-and-such edition” means corrected or supplied on the basis of a consulted edition.

Entry 14: the base text has “ren” where it should be “min” (the people), corrected to “min” according to the Shisanjing Zhushu and the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. Entry 15: “zuo” is missing from the base text and is supplied according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. Entry 16: “xi” is damaged in the base text and is supplied according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. Entry 17: “qi” is damaged in the base text and is supplied according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. Entry 18: the base text has “ku” where it should be “sha,” corrected to “sha” according to the Shisanjing Zhushu and the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. Entry 19: the base text has “chun” where it should be “can,” corrected to “can” according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. Entry 20: the base text has “liang” (millet) where it should be “liang” (beam), corrected to “liang” (beam) according to the Fan, Beiyao, and Quanshu editions. Entry 21: “ren” is damaged in the base text and is supplied according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. Entries 22–27: these concern the term “qiangliang” (overbearing/violent); the base text has “qiangliang” with the “millet” liang, corrected according to the Fan, Beiyao, and Quanshu editions. Entry 28: the base text has “qiang” where it should be “jiang” (boundary/territory), corrected to “jiang” according to the Fan, Beiyao, and Quanshu editions. Entries 29 and 30: again collating “qiangliang” (overbearing), the base text has “qiangliang” with the “millet” liang, corrected according to the Fan, Beiyao, and Quanshu editions. Entry 31: “shang zuo” is damaged in the base text and is supplied according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. Entry 32: the base text has “qiang” where it should be “jiang,” corrected to “jiang” according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. Entry 33: the base text has “qiangliang” with the “millet” liang where it should be “qiangliang” (overbearing), corrected according to the Fan, Beiyao, and Quanshu editions. Entry 34: the base text has “liang zhe” with the “millet” liang where it should be “liang zhe” (the beam breaks), corrected according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. Entry 35: “shan” is missing from the base text and is supplied according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. Entry 36: the base text has “shi” where it should be “tu,” corrected to “tu” according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. Entry 37: the base text has “yu” where it should be “gan,” corrected to “gan” according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions.

This passage is mainly a set of collation notes from the critical edition of the Jizhu Taixuan Jing: the editor compares the base text with the Beiyao edition, the Quanshu edition, and other editions, explaining which characters are missing and which characters have been supplied or corrected according to other editions. For example, after “ju ju” one character was originally missing and has been supplied according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions; “xiang” was originally written “jia” and has been changed to “xiang” according to the two editions; “xia” was originally written “jia” and has been changed to “xia” according to the two editions; “jia zhi” was originally incomplete and has been restored according to the two editions; “Wang edition” was originally written “Fan edition” and has been corrected according to the two editions; “sheng” was originally written “zuo,” “long fei” was originally written “long long,” and “xu yun” and “xi” were originally omitted; all have been supplied or corrected according to the two editions. The preceding “gan” was originally written “yu” and was also changed to “gan” according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. These entries themselves are not the scripture text of the Taixuan but are notes on textual variants.

The final line, “Jizhu Taixuan Jing, juan zhi si” (Collected Commentaries on the Taixuan Jing, Volume Four), is the volume title; “er fang er zhou er bu san jia Ying” belongs to the Taixuan’s system of arranging the head names by “fang, zhou, bu, jia” and means that the head named “Ying” is located in the second fang, second zhou, second bu, and third jia.

The Collected Commentaries on the Taixuan Jing is Sima Guang’s collected commentary on the Taixuan Jing. The Taixuan was modeled on the Zhouyi. Here the “Ying” head belongs to the Yin-family Water and corresponds to the Xian hexagram of the Yi; “Xian” means resonance. Entering the Second Two of the Ying head, the Sun’s station is in the Yugui lunar mansion, one of the twenty-eight mansions. Yin Qi takes form below, and the myriad things all face and welcome it. The word su is pronounced su and means “to face toward.” The Song commentary says: su means facing toward.

First One: To go forth to welcome what should not be welcomed means that one cannot keep to rectitude, and so there is evil. The Ce (Appraisal) text says, “Welcoming another that does not correspond”; this means that what is welcomed is not an object that can be joined and paired with it. Wang’s commentary holds: at the beginning of the Ying head, it loses its position and occupies a night place; its welcoming does not accord with its Dao. A thing that is inherently unsuitable nevertheless responds, and one goes to welcome it; thus one loses rectitude and falls into evil. Sima Guang says: the Ying head is modeled on the Xian hexagram, and Xian means feeling-response. First One is the beginning of thought and occupies a night place; to be moved by external things is not proper resonance.

Second Two: The jiao dragon hides in the deep pool and lays eggs on the high mound; the eggs can transform and come to life. Someone speaks in the dark, and the common people respond. The Ce text says: the transformation of the hidden jiao lies in inner sincerity. Fan’s commentary says: the jiao hides in the water, lays eggs on the high mound, and then returns down into the deep pool; Qi responds and mutually stimulates, and only then do they hatch. Sima Guang says: Second Two is the middle of thought and occupies a day place; when the noble person’s sincerity reaches its utmost, there is nothing that is not penetrated. The Yi says: “A crane calls in the shade, and its young responds.”

Third Three: Subtle Qi comes and goes, and anomalous omens appear before spiritual awareness. The Ce text says: the coming and going of subtle Qi is the sign of uncanny calamity. Third Three is the end of thought and occupies a night place. Between Heaven and humanity, subtle Qi and the Qi of calamity and anomaly resonate with each other; when humans lose their Dao, the numinous powers of anomaly perceive it first.

Fourth Four: Outside the lower garment there is an upper jacket, a short garment; the man fixes his eyes on a pearl; the woman pecks at a hook; maintaining rectitude brings good fortune. The Ce text says: the lower garment having an upper jacket means Yin resonates with Yang. Wang’s edition has sheng, “flourishing,” in place of gan, “resonance”; here I follow the editions of the various commentators. The character ru is pronounced ru and denotes a short jacket.

In this shou, the character pronounced by the fanqie se-jia (the Wu edition reads it as ti, pronounced di):

The fifth line says, “The yellow rides on the not-upright,” and the Appraisal says, “It cannot form a companion.” Wang’s commentary holds that although the fifth position is centered, it occupies a yin position and corresponds to night; its position is not upright, and yet it rides upon a centered position, and so it is called “The yellow rides on the not-upright.” Sima Guang holds that if the position is not proper, it is insufficient for mutual matching; therefore one cannot form a peer group with it.

The sixth line says, “The dark and the yellow meet each other; their intentions are stirred,” and the Appraisal says, “They respond according to kind.” Fan’s commentary says: Heaven is dark and Earth is yellow; when Heaven and Earth meet and respond to each other, wind and rain come in timely harmony; when ruler and minister meet and respond to each other, government and teaching have standards. Sima Guang holds that the sixth position is the position of the utmost great, and its resonance is very strong. From Heaven and Earth to the myriad things, ruler and minister, above and below, husband and wife, friends—none is not a case of the same kind resonating with one another.

The seventh line says, “Keep it far off, bring it near—strike it; meet the father by chance,” and the Appraisal says, “It loses the father’s kind.” Here “pou,” pronounced by the fanqie pu-hou, means “to strike”; “jia” is the same as “xie,” pronounced xie, and “hou” is pronounced hou, meaning to meet without prior arrangement; another variant reads it as “glaring angrily.” The general meaning is: whether one distances oneself from it or approaches it, one strikes it, and then meets the father by chance; the Appraisal’s statement that both far and near are struck means that it has lost the way of mutual response belonging to the father’s kind.

The eighth line says, “Seeing blood enter the gate, one bends down to meet it in the central courtyard,” and the Appraisal says, “One uses the worthy to defend oneself.” The commentary notes that the character fu, pronounced fu, means “to guard.” The eighth position lies amid calamity and misfortune, and so it says, “Seeing blood enter the gate”—those who would do harm have arrived; but since it is in the daytime, one can use worthy people to defend oneself, meeting and resisting in the central courtyard, so that external things cannot injure one; therefore it says, “Guard and meet it in the central courtyard.”

The top nine says, “Dampness meets the feet of the bed and entangles the walls and house,” and the Appraisal says, “The overturning is within.” In the commentary, one edition has ze in place of “dampness,” and another has fu, meaning “to cover,” in place of “entangle.” The ninth position is the extreme of calamity and also corresponds to night. The general meaning is: the qi of dampness and yin presses close to the feet of the bed and further involves the walls and house; the Appraisal says that the overturning and calamity are within. Nine is the extreme of calamity and corresponds to night, and so it is an internal trouble.

Petty persons and women can cause a state to overturn, but this is not brought about in a single morning or evening; it is the result of a long-standing and gradually accumulated process. It is like dampness entering from beside the legs of a bed, slowly seeping upward, until it eventually spreads to the walls and the house, and by then nothing can be done. If one traces the root of a state’s turmoil and ruin, it arises from within. “Night” symbolizes a dark and hidden tendency. The concluding label “er fang, er zhou, san bu, yi jia, yu” is a positional annotation in the Tai Xuan, indicating that this passage belongs to the “Yu” head.

This is the scriptural text and commentary for the “Yu” (Encounter) head of the Taixuan (Supreme Mystery); “yu” means meeting or coming together. “Yang family, Fire; corresponds to Gou” means that the “Yu” head belongs to the Yang family and Fire and corresponds to the Gou hexagram of the Zhouyi; on the first day, the sun reaches the Liu lodge. Yin Qi begins to arrive and Yang Qi begins to depart; Yin and Yang come and go and meet each other, and thus the temporal configuration of “Encounter” is formed.

First One: In darkness one encounters spirits and teachers; dream divination obtains what is correct. The appraisal says: Encountering spirits in darkness means that thought and deliberation attain the principle. Wang’s commentary says: At the beginning of “Encounter,” spiritual communion has not yet taken visible form; it is the image of a hidden spiritual meeting. Sima Guang says: The First One is the beginning of thought and also falls on day; when pure sincerity resonates and penetrates, one therefore encounters spirits and teachers, and even when this occurs in dreams and sleep, one does not lose the correct way—like King Gaozong of Yin (Wu Ding) obtaining Fu Yue in a dream. Dreams are inherently hard to rely on, yet when sincerity reaches its utmost, they can still obtain correctness and be relied upon; how much more so in human affairs that have been deliberated by the many and recommended by the many?

Second Two: “Chongchong”—meeting without intention, rashly, like a child—has the saying “not fixed.” The appraisal says: “Chongchong child encounter” means “unworthy son.” Wang’s commentary says: Meeting without intention is called chongchong; “child” is a term for childish ignorance. How then could what is encountered have any fixed standard? This is because it has lost its position and falls on night, and does not fit the timeliness of “Encounter.” “Unworthy son” indicates that this is not a wise child. Here “the saying of indeterminacy” appears in some editions as “the saying of not receiving fixity”; Sima Guang follows the various commentators.

Third Three: Neither going nor coming, one obtains the constancy and correctness of the young man and woman. The appraisal says: Not going and not coming is the norm for the young man and woman. Song’s commentary says: “Norm” means standard. Sima Guang says: To display oneself and to arrange one’s own betrothal are shameful conduct for a young man or woman; therefore not going and not coming, meeting naturally, is precisely what is proper for the young man and woman. Here some editions add the two characters “not seeking” after “not going and not coming”; Sima Guang follows the Song and Lu editions.

Fourth Four: The original character is missing; it describes being brave but lacking ritual propriety. The Dui people encounter rain, and there is danger. The appraisal says: The Dui people meeting rain instead bring harm upon themselves.

Fifth Five: In hunting, one encounters birds and beasts; no one prohibits it. The appraisal says: Hunting and encountering birds and beasts—truly one may exert effort. The fifth is abundant blessing and also falls on day; therefore it is an image of good fortune in which one may strive.

This passage belongs to the “Zao” (Stove) shou of the Taixuan (the second fang, second zhou, third bu, second jia). In the Taixuan each shou is divided into zan; the “Ce” following a zan text is an explanation; “Fan yue” is Fan Wang’s commentary; “Guang wei” is Sima Guang’s note; “corresponding to day” mostly yields auspicious readings, while “corresponding to night” mostly yields inauspicious ones.

Wang’s commentary says that “(this character)” has the appearance of being bold and fierce but not conforming to ritual propriety.

Fifth: In hunting one encounters game, and no one can stop him. The Ce says: In hunting encountering game, one can indeed strive to obtain it. The fifth occupies the position of abundant fortune and also corresponds to day; it is like encountering game in hunting—if caught, take it; who can obstruct?

Sixth: Make a spider weave its web, but it encounters a bee. Though the benefit is great, one cannot follow it and obtain it. The Ce says: When a spider weaves its web, the harm is not far off. Fan’s note says: One causes a spider to set its web, but it meets a bee; the bee is a stinging insect, and the spider cannot overpower it. Therefore, though there appears to be profit, one cannot follow it to reap profit. Sima Guang says: The sixth is the position of highest emolument but corresponds to night; the petty person sees profit and advances hastily, yet does not obtain what he wants.

Seventh: It raises its horns; when ruler or father encounters humiliation, this is not a proper destiny. The Ce says: Raising its horns is practicing the straight way. The seventh is the beginning of calamity and corresponds to day; if ruler or father unfortunately suffers humiliation, the noble person then rises and acts according to the straight way, and to die for this is acceptable. Although it is not counted as a proper destiny, to die for righteousness is unavoidable.

Eighth: Two si (a kind of rhinoceros) fight; one horn is broken, and unable to win, it perishes. The Ce says: When two si fight, losing a horn means death. The eighth is in the midst of calamity and corresponds to night; it is like two si meeting and fighting, when one side breaks a horn, it certainly cannot win and loses its life. The horn is used as a metaphor for a warrior who resists external aggression.

Top Nine: Some editions read “di qi jiao” (butt its horns), that is, to gore with the horns; yet it damages its foot in a low place. The Ce says: When horns butt against each other, who can withstand them? The Fan Wang and Wang Ya editions have “shi qi jiao” as “di qi jiao”; Sima Guang follows the Song and Lu editions, and reads di with the pronunciation of the fanqie “du-li qie.”

This section discusses the text and old commentaries on the “Zao” (Stove) heading in the Taixuan jing (Canon of Supreme Mystery). The Taixuan imitates the system of the Zhouyi (Book of Changes). The “Zao” heading belongs to the Yin family and to Wood among the Five Phases, and it corresponds to the Ding (Cauldron) hexagram of the Zhouyi. The calendrical markers say that on entering the ninth [day] of the Zao heading, at twenty-eight fen and twenty-eight miao, the sun travels to Chunhuo (one of the twelve stations) and corresponds to the Minor Heat solar term; the Big Dipper is established at the Wei position, and the pitch pipe corresponds to Linzhong (one of the twelve pitches). The Ding is used for great cooking to provide for sages and worthies, so “Zao” often carries the symbolism of nourishing worthies. The Yin side pours and sprinkles water, while Yang still holds fast to harmonization; “he” is the ancient graph for “harmony.” Song Zhong’s commentary says that the stove is used to harmonize Yin-Yang, and so there is pouring and sprinkling as well as harmonization; Sima Guang holds that Yin sprinkling and Yang harmonizing is precisely the image of cooking.

For the First One: there is no substance in the stove, and one begs from a neighboring house. The Ce text says, “The stove has no substance; it has an empty name,” that is, it has only an empty reputation. Wang Ya comments: being at the initial position of Zao, it loses its position and falls on the night side, and within there is no solid reality; since it has lost the way of cooking and providing food, it has nothing with which to provide food, and so it begs food from a neighboring house. Sima Guang says: the First One is the beginning of thought and falls on the night side; the petty person has no inner substance and borrows the good qualities of others to serve as his own reputation.

For the Second Two: the yellow Ding stands firmly alone, its center broad and empty so that it can receive; it neither drinks nor eats, yet being sincere and trustworthy it is without harm. The Ce text says, “The yellow Ding stands firm; in the middle it is incorruptible and steadfast,” meaning that it occupies the center and possesses the virtue of integrity and uprightness. Wang Ya comments: the Ding is the utensil of the stove; “jie ran” means standing alone; “the center is broad” means being tolerant, empty, and receptive. Sima Guang says: the Second Two is in the middle of the lower body and falls on the day side; its position is just then obstructed, and it has not yet obtained the lower emolument. This is the image of the noble person holding to the middle way, living in reclusion and nourishing himself, and not seeking food improperly. He nourishes his will within and does not envy external things, so although he neither drinks nor eats, he is firmly without harm.

For the Third Three: there is no firewood in the stove, yet yellow gold is nearby at its side. “Bin” is read as “pin,” meaning near. The Ce text says, “The stove has no firewood; there is that which is not used,” that is, without firewood, even if there are valuables such as yellow gold, they are not what cooking requires and cannot be used to feed the stove.

Fourth: When the li (pronounced “li,” a small ding; another interpretation says a ding with hollow legs) is filled with food, one can obtain people’s service. The Ce text says, “The li is filled with food; it is the time for me to serve,” meaning that a worthy person comes out to take office when he meets the right time. Sima Guang’s commentary: The fourth position symbolizes a lower-grade salary and also encounters “Day” (in Taixuan divination, Day is auspicious). The junzi uses salary to support worthy talents; although the salary is meager, he can still obtain the worthy talents’ full effort. What is meant by “it is the time for me to serve” is that a worthy person, having found the time, takes office.

Fifth: The ding is very large and can be used for cooking food, but if one does not fast and maintain solemn reverence, it will not do. The Ce text says, “The ding is large and can be shang; the feast has no sincerity,” meaning that the banquet lacks sincerity. “Qi” is interchangeable with “zhai,” read as zhai, and refers to fasting and solemn reverence. Wang’s commentary says: There is none of the fasting solemnity and sincerity that one has when holding a great feast. Sima Guang says that “shang” in the sense of “cup” should be read as “shang,” pronounced the same, meaning “to cook.” The fifth position occupies a flourishing position and could originally nourish the worthy, hence “the ding is large and can be shang”; but it happens to encounter “Night” (inauspicious), and moreover cannot treat the scholars of the world with ritual propriety—then none of the scholars will be willing to attach themselves to him. The Hongfan says, “As for all the upright people, only when they are enriched can they be made good,” meaning that only after first making upright people prosperous can one require them to do good.

Sixth: When the five flavors are harmonized and the taste is excellent, this is the banquet enjoyed by the great man. The Ce text says, “The feast of harmonized flavors is the affair of the ministerial assistant,” meaning that harmonizing the five flavors to provide a feast is the duty of the ministerial assistant. Wang’s commentary says: The affairs of a chancellor are like harmonizing the five flavors; the great man need only employ the right people and he can peacefully enjoy the completed result. Sima Guang says: The sixth position symbolizes the highest grade of salary and also encounters “Day.” The junzi assists the state, proposes what is practicable and abolishes what is not, advances worthy talents and dismisses the unworthy, and harmonizes governmental affairs, like preparing a well-seasoned soup and presenting it to the ruler; when the ruler enjoys it, the world is greatly governed. Emperor Gaozong commanded Fu Yue, saying, “If you are to make a harmonized soup, you are the salt and the plum.” The Three Ducal Ministers serve the ruler and have the symbolic meaning of the ding.

Seventh: The fat ox has just the right fat, but if the ding and cauldron are not washed clean before cooking, it will bring on the disease of oujue (the sound of vomiting). The Ce text says, “The fat ox and oujue: the will is not clean,” meaning the mind is impure. Fan’s commentary says: Oujue is the sound of vomiting.

This is the commentary on the “Da” (Great) head of the Taixuan jing. The textual coordinate “second fang, second zhou, third bu, third jia, Da” is the marker by which the Taixuan arranges each head according to fang, zhou, bu, and jia. Wang’s commentary says that “fat ox” means a fattened ox; Sima Guang’s commentary says that “fang” means fat, “ou” means to vomit, and “jue” refers to vomiting from disgust in the heart; Fan’s commentary says that “ou jue” is the sound of vomiting upward. The commentary further uses the fat of the fattened ox as a metaphor for generous emolument: although a ruler supports scholars with generous emolument, if he does not treat them with a sincere and pure mind, the scholars will feel disgust. The Taixuan takes “seven” as the beginning of misfortune, precisely symbolizing the beginning of losing the hearts of the scholars.

The “Ci Eight” says, “Eating what has been stored up for it, though it cries out, it is not destroyed”: it eats what has been accumulated and supplied to it; even if it cries out, it is not cast off. The Ce commentary says, “Eating what has been stored up for it, it receives its De”—that is, receiving its provisions is receiving its beneficence. “Wei” is read wèi; here it means accumulated stores and provisions. “Jiao” is the same as jiao, “to call out.”

The “Shang Nine” says, “The stove extinguishes its fire; it is the misfortune of the household”: the stove fire going out is a misfortune for the family. The Ce commentary says, “The stove extinguishing its fire is a robber of the state”: the stove fire going out is a metaphor for not providing for worthy talents; one who does not nurture worthy talents is one who harms his own state. Cases such as Xia Jie’s killing of Guan Longfeng (a loyal minister of Xia), Shang Zhou’s killing of Bi Gan (a loyal minister of Shang), King Fuchai of Wu’s killing of Wu Yuan (Wu Zixu), and Xiang Yu’s expulsion of Fan Zeng (his strategist) are all of this kind.

“Yang Family, Metal, Matching Feng”: This header belongs to the Yang family; among the Five Phases it is Metal; in doctrinal meaning it is compared to the Feng hexagram of the Zhouyi. The scriptural text says: Yin Qi is empty within and Yang Qi is abundant without; the myriad things are all like a domed dish-cover—outwardly luxuriant and tall, inwardly empty. (“Peng” is taken in the sense of grand and abundant; “within” follows the Song and Lu editions.)

First One: Vast and expansive like a deep abyss, encompassing without bound, hidden and not yet manifest. The Appraisal says: The deep abyss is vast; what it contains and embraces has no fixed place. The commentary says: First One belongs to Water and is also the beginning of thought, and it occupies day (matching Yang and attaining its time); the mind of the noble person is like a deep abyss, encompassing all, and so it is called great. It dwells below the lower body; what is called “the dark” is hidden and not yet manifest.

Second Two: Expanding one’s thoughts, one in the end suffers injury from the furnace’s grinding. The Appraisal says: Expanding thoughts, one is instead injured by thought. Wang’s commentary: When situated in the time of “greatness,” it loses its position and occupies night (losing its time), not fitting what is appropriate; vainly conceiving broad and great thoughts while wisdom cannot be complete, one instead injures oneself. “Furnace” is a tool for filing and grinding; if filing and grinding are excessive, injury necessarily occurs. Sima Guang says: Second Two dwells in the middle of “thought” and occupies night; this is the petty person whose wisdom is small but whose plans are great. The Book of Songs says: Do not plough and cultivate the great fields—it will only make the weeds grow tall and rank; do not think of the distant person—it will only weary the heart with grief.

Third Three: Able to be great without considering oneself great; it is beneficial for accomplishing that greatness. The Appraisal says: Being great without self-greatness means taking the small and fine as root and foundation. Wang’s commentary: It attains its position and occupies day, and so can be great without self-greatness, guarding itself through modesty and humility, and it is beneficial to accumulate the small and fine in order to accomplish the tall and great. Sima Guang says: Third Three dwells above “thought” and occupies day.

In the Tai Xuan, “ci si” and similar terms are Zan positions; “Ce” is the explanation of the Zan text; “day” and “night” are symbols for judging gain and loss. The noble person has grand aspirations but a cautious mind, and therefore can accomplish great undertakings.

The fourth Zan: Making both the gate courtyard and the outskirts grand and expansive, yet not obtaining the knife (the tool of cutting and deciding), one has only empty reputation. The Ce text says: “Exaggerating the gate and the outskirts, the substance departs while the name arrives.” Wang says: “There is only sound and no substance, hence it is called ‘hollow sounding.’” Sima Guang says: “The gate is near outside, the outskirts are farther away; the knife is used for cutting and deciding; ‘ming’ means the reputation is loud.” The fourth position belongs to the outer position and meets night. The petty person does not cultivate the inner but devotes himself exclusively to expanding the outer, hence it says “making grand his gate and outskirts,” meaning abandoning the near and pursuing the far. “Not obtaining his knife” means being unable to decide. Even if the reputation is heard afar, inwardly it is actually empty.

The fifth Zan: Embracing the remote wilds with the middle way, one can succeed. The Ce text says: “Embracing the remote wilds with the middle way, one can supervise and lead the Nine Yi (border tribes).” In Wang’s edition “nine” is written as “four”; here we follow the various commentators. Fan says: “Ke means ‘to be able.’” Sima Guang says: “The fifth position occupies a flourishing position and meets day; the sage holds fast to the Way of the Great Middle and can pacify and make the four seas submit.”

The sixth Zan: What is great will be lost from a small point; what is abundant will be lost from a little. The Ce text says: “In great matters a small loss occurs; disaster is caused by the subtle.” In Wang’s edition the Ce text reads “disaster issues from within”; here we follow the various commentators. Fan says: “The sixth position is water; where water leaks away is through cracks and holes; affairs arise from the subtle, and disaster rises from the minute.” Sima Guang says: “The sixth position passes beyond the middle position and meets night; it is the time when ‘greatness’ first begins to show fault.”

The seventh Zan: Excessive extravagance and far-reaching expansion, one uses the gu (standard/measure) to pare and correct oneself, or one obtains bu (food) as supplement. The Ce text says: “Extravagant and far-reaching yet self-reducing, this is being able to criticize oneself.” Gu is pronounced gu; bu is pronounced by the fanqie spelling bo-gu. Fan says: “Gu is the standard/measure.” Sima Guang says: “Extravagance is comparable to exaggeration; yu means far; bu is food. The seventh position is the beginning of disaster, but it meets day; the great fault has already become excessive, reaching the point of exaggeration and remoteness.”

This is the Zan eulogy for the “Kuo” Head in the Taixuan (the phrase “two regions, three provinces, one division, one family” is the Taixuan’s organizing coordinate), together with the notes of Fan Wang and Sima Guang. The noble man can discern subtle omens and knows that disaster is about to arrive; if he can follow the norms and restrain and limit himself, he will instead obtain blessings and emoluments. Therefore it says, “Someone increases his food.” The Eighth Zan says: A high wall with a steep base, if it is not repaired for many years, will collapse. The Ce commentary says: A high wall with a steep foundation—its collapse will not be long delayed. Here zhi (site) is interchangeable with zhi (toe), referring to the wall’s foundation. Fan Wang notes: Feng means “great”; qiao means “steep”; zhi means “foot” or “base”; three indicates final exhaustion. When the wall is great and its foundation steep, if it is not reinforced with rammed-earth construction throughout the year, there is the worry of collapse. This is like the way of the noble man: if he does not make the root thick and solid, the branches will inevitably be endangered. Sima Guang says: The Eighth Zan is situated amid misfortune and also corresponds to “night” (symbolizing obscurity and disadvantage); the petty man does not know that misfortune has come and seeks only to magnify himself, without regard for the root; “three” is the symbol of a number reaching completion. Upper Nine says: The great ultimately wanes; the image of obstruction extends far beyond heaven. The Ce commentary says: When greatness comes to an end it wanes; the small becomes the support of the great. There are textual variants: the Wang edition lacks the character yi; the Ce text reads “Da zhong mie fou”; the Song, Lu, and Fan editions have zhi (substance) in place of zi (support); here the reading follows the Yu and Wang editions and uses zi (support).

The Yin family is associated with Water, and this section likewise takes the Yi hexagram Feng (Abundance) as its standard. In the fourth position of “Kuo” (the name of a Taixuan section, meaning “to expand” or “to enlarge”), the sun lodges at the Seven Stars. The scripture says that Yin Qi is concealed and gathered, while Yang Qi remains vigorous and expands and enlarges it. The commentaries of Fan, Wang, and others interpret the term yi as harmony and union, saying that Yin Qi is still weak, hidden, and gathered together. Sima Guang summarizes: Yin Qi obscures, conceals, and closes up the myriad things, while Yang Qi still strives to expand and enlarge them; for this reason the section is named “Kuo.” “Kuo” means expansion and enlargement. The diagram commentary explains the meaning of kuo with the phrase “empty within and vast without.”

First One: It simply expands and extends, but does not rectify its foundation. The appraisal says: with such expansion and extension, the initial foundation will topple. Wang’s commentary says: at the beginning of Kuo, it loses its position and meets night (in Taixuan divination, being at night is unsuitable); although it wishes to enlarge, it cannot rectify its beginning. Sima Guang says: First One is at the initial stage of thought and meets night; the petty person is devoted solely to self-aggrandizement and does not rectify the foundation, so as soon as it moves, it topples.

Second Two: With metal as the gan and jade as the zhen, it expands the outer city like building a city wall. The appraisal says: metal gan and jade zhen are a protective screen and support that rectifies. Fan’s commentary says: metal and jade are both fine materials. Wang’s commentary says: Second Two occupies the middle of the lower body, obtains its position and meets day (which is fitting); using metal and jade as zhen and gan is a metaphor for obtaining worthy talent. Zhen and gan are tools for rammed-earth construction: the side uprights are called gan, and the top crossbeam is called zhen. Sima Guang says: Second Two is at the middle stage of thought and meets day.

This passage consists of the appraisal verses, explanatory verses, and commentary for several ci (subsections) under the “Kuo” head in the Collected Commentaries on the Taixuan jing. In the Taixuan, “heads” (shou) govern chapters, and within each chapter are “ci,” analogous to line positions. “Falling on day” and “falling on night” often symbolize the way of the noble man and the way of the petty man.

Ci two occupies the middle position of “Si” (Thought) and falls on day; therefore the noble man can rely on worthy and wise men as assistants to expand his virtue and use it to protect himself. Sima Guang’s commentary says, “For the implements of board-built rammed-earth walls, the side pieces are called gan, and the top piece is called zhen.” This means the tools for building walls with boards: the vertical timbers on both sides are called gan, and the horizontal timber at the top is called zhen.

The appraisal verse for ci three, “Kuo wu zi, shi shi fu”: his thoughts expand but cannot continue, so he is like one without descendants; he takes a wife but gets a stone woman, who cannot bear children. The explanatory verse says, “Kuo wu zi, yan de hou sheng ye”—how can there be descendants afterward? Wang’s commentary says: taking a stone woman as wife means there is no way to continue the line. Sima Guang says: ci three is in the upper position of “Si” and falls on night; the petty man’s thoughts expand but cannot be continued, so it says “Kuo wu zi”; “shi shi fu” means seeking a wife but obtaining a stone woman.

Ci four, “Hui qi men hu, yong yu kou lu”: expand his doors and gates and use them to defend against bandits and enemies. The explanatory verse says this is a “great undertaking.” The Fan edition writes “yong yu” as “yi yu,” the Wang edition writes “yong gu,” and the Little Song edition writes “yong yu”; here I follow the Song and Lu editions. “Yu” is the same as “yu” meaning “to defend.” Ci four occupies the “Wai Ta” position and falls on day; the noble man expands ritual propriety and righteousness and uses it to defend against petty men, so it says, “Expand his doors and gates and use them to defend against bandits and enemies.”

Ci five, “Tian men da kai, hui tang zhi jie, huo sheng zhi cha”: the heavenly gate opens wide, the hall and its steps are vast, but perhaps a mistake will arise. The explanatory verse says, “The heavenly gate opens wide, but virtue cannot fill the hall”—that is, although he is successful and exalted, his virtue cannot fill his position. The Wang edition has “hui dang” for “hui tang”; the explanatory text in the two Song editions, the Lu edition, and the Wang edition lacks the character “tang”; here I follow the Fan edition. Five is in the “Kuo” head and occupies a flourishing position, so it says the heavenly gate opens wide and the hall and its steps are vast, indicating success and exaltation; but it falls on night, and the petty man cannot enjoy this flourishing blessing. His virtue cannot fill his position, and there will surely be a misstep, leading to overthrow.

Ci six, “Wei feng wei chong, bai bi feng feng, yi de you xing”: both abundant and lofty, the many lords rely on him in great numbers, and virtue thereby arises. The explanatory verse says, “Both abundant and lofty—this is great peace,” meaning that abundance and loftiness are the image of great peace. The Wang edition has “yu” for “zi”; here I follow the various commentators. “Feng” is the ancient form of “ping”; “feng feng” describes an abundant and numerous appearance.

This section consists of the scriptural text and commentary for the sixth through ninth Praises of the “Kuo” head in the Taixuan Jing. In the Taixuan, each head is divided into nine Praises. “Day” marks the position of light, auspiciousness, and correctness, while “night” marks the position of darkness, danger, and misfortune. The “Appraisal” is an exposition of the Praise text. “Kuo” carries the sense of openness, breadth, and expansiveness.

The sixth Praise says: This Praise symbolizes “the exceedingly great” and also exactly occupies the day position. The gentleman magnifies his virtue in order to bring about peace under Heaven; his virtue and achievements are abundant, great, and lofty, the myriad states submit, and the people are numerous like “Fengfeng” (meaning abundant), hurrying swiftly to come and attach themselves, like spokes gathering at the hub.

The seventh Praise says: Outwardly it is expansive, great, tall, and robust, but inwardly it has lost centrality and correctness. The gentleman is pushed out into the wilds, while petty men enter the chamber and seize power. The Appraisal says, “Outwardly great and tall, but within there is no one”—that is, although the outside is tall and great, inside there is no worthy person and no inner substance. Sima Guang believed that the word here should be read as “ge,” meaning tall and robust. The seventh Praise belongs to the “Kuo” head and occupies the upper body, hence the phrase “outwardly great and tall,” referring to expansiveness, greatness, tallness, and robustness. But it exactly meets the night division: petty men occupy great positions and become arrogant and unrestrained, keeping the worthy at a distance and drawing close to the unworthy, so disaster and disorder arise from within. Therefore it says, “It loses its center; the gentleman goes to the wilds, and the petty man enters the chamber.”

The eighth Praise says: Outwardly expansive, inwardly empty, it is beneficial for drums and zheng (drums and zheng being ancient percussion instruments). The Appraisal says: Only with an expansive exterior and an empty interior can sound be heard far away. The eighth Praise occupies the outer position and meets the day. The gentleman expands outwardly to make his virtue shine and empties himself inwardly to accommodate the myriad things; therefore his fine reputation can spread far. It is just like drums and zheng: only when expansive outside and hollow inside can they produce sound. The gentleman’s virtue manifests outwardly and is broad and expansive, for the sake of making his good name heard far away.

The Shang Jiu Praise says: It is extremely expansive and empty, towering like a high wall; for three years there are no young servants. The Appraisal says: “Extremely expansive and high like a wall, in the end there are none who can be made subjects.” This means that emptiness, breadth, and height have reached their extreme, yet there is no actual content and no assistance; therefore one is isolated and without support, and no one comes to attach himself or render service.

Here, yong is interchangeable with tang and refers to a city wall. Wang’s commentary says: it occupies the highest extreme position of the Kuo heading, yet it loses its proper position and corresponds to “Night.” Although one can extend the city wall until it is broad and high, inside there are no young servants to command; it is high but has no one below to support it, so its regret can well be imagined. Sima Guang holds that the Nine rests at the upper extreme and also corresponds to Night; this is the image of a petty person who single-mindedly pursues grandeur and loftiness without knowing when to stop or be content. Hence the saying “expanding the high wall.” If such a person cannot humble himself and receive his subordinates with courtesy, those below will betray him, and hence “for three years without a boy,” that is, for a long time having no servants available for use. “Er fang san zhou yi bu er jia wen” is a marker in the Taixuan indicating the chapter and its section placement.

The Wen head of the Taixuan models itself on the Huan hexagram. Yang Xiong understood huan as huan in the sense of radiant brilliance, and so named this head Wen. In the sequence, the Wen head is placed ninth, with the sun standing in the Zhang lunar mansion. Its basic meaningis: Yin Qi contracts the substantive body of things, while Yang Qi diffuses their patterned expression; pattern and substance are distinctly matched, and so the myriad things become bright and brilliant.

The appraisal for First One says: Paint colors on the collar, wear outside a plain silk garment without pattern, and maintain jade-like uprightness. The Ce statement says, "Shi he man, wen zai nei ye" - gathering and covering with plain silk, the pattern is within. Jia is the collar, hui is painting, he is covering, and man is undecorated silk. First One stands at the beginning of Si and corresponds to day; it symbolizes the noble person who has pattern within and displays plainness without, like painting on a collar covered by plain silk, hiding brilliant beauty within pure simplicity, and like fine jade preserving uprightness - this is the utmost of beauty. The Zhongyong says, "Yi jin shang jiong" - wearing brocade with a plain outer garment - because it dislikes pattern being too outwardly exposed.

The appraisal for Second Two says: Pattern is luxuriant and abundant, but substance is insufficient. The Ce statement says, "Wen wei zhi fou, bu neng ju cui" - pattern and substance cannot both be pure. Wang's commentary says: In the constitution of pattern, pattern and substance should be well matched; the Second Two position corresponds to night, and since it lacks substance, even abundant pattern is not enough for beauty. Sima Guang says that wei is the appearance of being fine, dense, and luxuriant. Second Two is in the middle of Si and corresponds to night; it symbolizes the petty person whose ornamental brilliance, though beautiful, in reality cannot match it. Ning Ying's appraisal of Yang Chufu - "Hua er bu shi, yuan zhi suo ju," ornate but not solid, this is where resentment gathers - is precisely this meaning.

The appraisal for Third Three says: Great pattern is instead closer to plainness; great trustworthiness appears insufficient. The Ce statement says: "Da wen mi pu, shi zhi you yu" - great pattern approaches plainness, meaning substance is in excess. In Wang's edition, mi is written zhen and pu is written pu, the graph for uncarved jade; here I follow the editions of the two Songs, Lu, and Fan. Fu means great trustworthiness. Third Three is at the end of Si and corresponds to day; it symbolizes the noble person whose great pattern is as if plain and whose great trustworthiness is as if insufficient.

The appraisal for Fourth Four says: Pattern is brilliantly refined and well balanced, like the hide markings of a tiger or leopard. But if it is not what Heaven brings to success and what solid virtue can sustain, then it becomes blocked. The Ce statement says: This kind of brilliantly refined and well-balanced fou - how could it be worthy of praise? Bin is interchangeable with bin, meaning well balanced; fou is read as bi, meaning base. Fan's commentary takes the tiger and leopard as its explanation, stressing that mere outward pattern is insufficient for praise.

The Taixuan Jing (Canon of Supreme Mystery), Yang Xiong’s divination manual modeled on the Zhouyi (Book of Changes), discusses good and bad fortune in this passage in terms of refined pattern and ritual refinement. The Ce (prognostic) statement says: “Feibin—that is, binbin, the appearance of abundant refinement—in its fou (fou is read as bi, meaning unlovely and unworthy of praise): how is it worth praising?” Fan’s commentary says: Wild beasts such as tigers and leopards are prized for the patterns of their hides; feibin is the appearance of abundant refinement. Wang’s commentary says: The fourth position has lost its proper place and corresponds to Night (in Taixuan divination, “corresponding to Night” is inauspicious). It is like a tiger or leopard that is harmed by its own pattern and is not favored or aided by Heaven; hence it is called fou. The word xiang (“to enjoy”) is here to be read as xiang (“to turn toward,” that is, to receive favor).

The fifth position says: “Bright and splendid, he exalts refinement and makes it luminously clear; with chariots and robes he rewards merit.” This means that refined pattern shines brightly, ritual refinement is esteemed and made clearly distinct, and chariots and robes are used to display the merit of worthies. The Ce statement says, “Splendid above, the heavenly pattern shines”—that is, refinement appears in the upper position, bright like the patterned lights of Heaven. Wang’s commentary says: The fifth position dwells in the center with a correct substance, obtains its proper place and corresponds to Day; it is the lord of culture and brightness, radiant and worthy of contemplation. Sima Guang says: “Exalting refinement and making it luminously clear” means that the sage king values ritual refinement and makes distinctions luminously evident; “with chariots and robes he rewards merit” means using chariots and robes to display the merit of worthies—there is no greater way of employing refinement than this. The Shun Canon says, “Receive them and accept their words; clearly test their achievements; give chariots and robes according to merit”—that is, accept their words, clearly examine their achievements, and bestow chariots and robes according to merit. Commentators also note that “exalting refinement” follows the Song, Lu, and Fan editions, while Wang’s edition has “substance and refinement.”

The sixth position says: “The wild goose’s pattern has no model; it roams freely by the river.” The Ce statement says, “The wild goose’s pattern has no model; it goes according to its own will.” Fan’s commentary says: fan means rule or standard. Sima Guang says: In flight, wild geese occasionally form patterns like writing, but they have no rule; when they meet a stream, they go wherever they please. The sixth position exceeds the center and corresponds to Night, symbolizing a petty person whose refinement lacks rule and who acts recklessly.

The seventh position says: “The pheasant does not receive its stipend, while the chicken advances to the grain.” The Ce statement says, “The pheasant does not receive its stipend; it is hard to keep it secluded and nourish it.” Wang’s commentary says: Although the seventh position is overfull, it obtains its proper place and corresponds to Day. It is like a long-tailed pheasant, which has refined markings and harbors an upright, pure nature, refusing to be tamed by humans; hence it is called “not receiving stipend” (not accepting sustenance). In the end it is not as good as the chicken, which can advance to eat grain; jin means “to advance.” The wording of this sentence differs among editions; here I follow Fan’s edition. Wang’s commentary takes “the chicken advances to grain” as “the chicken advances to the grain.”

Sima Guang says: The seventh position lies in the outer body and also encounters “Day” (leaning auspicious and timely); it symbolizes a gentleman who has literary brilliance yet is upright and independent, a person who withdraws from the world and does not take office. The seventh position is a stairway that invites disaster, and so the worthy person chooses reclusion.

The “following eight” (the eighth position) says, “Carved slips” (carving and polishing writing slips, showing off literary diction): doing so will cause grain and cloth to miss their seasons; excessive ornamentation will breed disorder. The Ce statement says: Polishing fine and delicate wording merely wastes the days. Wang’s commentary says: The eight has already come close to the ultimate end and has lost its position, and it also encounters “Night” (leaning inauspicious and untimely); if one pursues carved and polished wording and pointlessly consumes the days, causing both grain and cloth to miss their seasons, the defect of such ornamentation is disorder. Sima Guang says: The eight is “Depletion” and also encounters Night; hence there is this image.

The “top nine” (the ninth position): When ornamentation is at its most flourishing and finely detailed, one should instead use the regulated fu and fu patterns. The Ce statement says: To alter extreme ornamentation, one should return to plainness. Wang’s commentary says: The nine occupies the extreme of ornamentation yet obtains its position and encounters Day; it can reverse the defect of excessive ornamentation. Even when the work of ornamentation reaches its finest and most detailed point, it can still be altered, making it regulated like the fu and fu patterns. Sima Guang says: The nine is “Exhausting the Defect” and encounters Day, hence this image. Alternation of white and black is called fu; alternation of black and blue-green is called fu. Although fu and fu have patterns, compared with carved slips they already count as plain.

“Second fang, third zhou, first bu, third jia: Li” marks this as the first entry under “Li”; its arrangement position belongs to the second fang, third zhou, first bu, and third jia.

This passage discusses the fourth position within the Li (Ritual Propriety) head of the Taixuan Jing (Classic of Supreme Mystery) and the relevant commentary. The Yin family belongs to Wood and is correlated with the Lü (Treading) hexagram. Entering the fourth position of the Li head corresponds calendrically to six fen and three miao, and to the qi of Great Heat. Yin is below and Yang above; above and below each attain their proper place, and on this account the myriad things possess ritual propriety. Some editions write "Yang is above" as "Yang grows ever higher"; here I follow the editions of the various scholars.

The first line: "Treading on tiptoe, one puts one's grandfather and father behind." The appraisal says: "Treading on tiptoe—it pushes away its kin." Wang's commentary holds that being placed at the beginning of ritual yet losing its proper position and corresponding to night means that it contravenes ritual from the very start; "treading on tiptoe" is not the way of reverence. Sima Guang says that qi means standing on tiptoe. The first line occupies the very bottom of the lower body, the lowest and most humble position, yet it wishes to stand on tiptoe and force its way to prominence; this is the image of one in a low position overstepping those above. A minister serving his ruler is like serving his father; serving a great ruler is like serving his grandfather. If one in a lower position has ritual propriety that oversteps those above, it is like putting grandfather and father behind oneself—how could this not be disorder? Some editions have bo (lame) in place of qi (tiptoe); here I follow the Fan and Wang editions.

The second line: "The eyes are mumu, the feet are susu; then one threads them with ji." The appraisal says: "Mumu and susu—reverence comes from the heart." Wang's commentary says that ji conveys the meaning of a red heart. Sima Guang says that mumu and susu both describe a respectful and cautious bearing. The second line occupies the middle position of Si (Thought) and also corresponds to day; outward reverence must be pervaded by sincerity, and only then is it considered good.

The third line: "Painting an image and giving it form—sincerity brings no completion." The appraisal says: "Painting an image and giving it form—this is not its true reality." Wang's commentary says that loyalty and trustworthiness are the root of ritual propriety; once the root has been violated, what ritual propriety can there be? Sima Guang says that the third line occupies the final position of Si and corresponds to night; it is a person who adorns the outward appearance without inner substance, and so it is said, "Painting an image and giving it form—sincerity brings no completion." Nü Shuqi said to Duke Zhao of Lu: hastily practicing ceremonial forms cannot be called ritual propriety.

The fourth line: "The deportment of peacocks and geese; it is beneficial to ascend the steps." This means that, like peacocks and geese, with ranks in order and demeanor according with ritual propriety, one is fit to ascend the steps to perform ritual or to advance.

“The Ce says” is the prognostic text that explains the appraisal; “Yu says” is Yu Fan’s commentary; “Guang says” is Sima Guang’s note. The Ce text says: the bearing of the peacock and the wild goose can serve as a model. Yu Fan says: wild geese fly in rows, and peacocks also go in rows. Sima Guang says: the peacock has patterned markings, and wild geese fly in rows and files; both are manifestations of dignified bearing. “Steps” is a metaphor for advancing to a position. The fourth appraisal symbolizes a lower grade of rank and stipend, and it meets Day (auspicious). When a ruler occupies his position with awe-inspiring dignity and with a demeanor that can be emulated, his ministers revere and love him, and they imitate and model themselves on him. Thus moral instruction succeeds without harshness, and government orders govern without severity.

The fifth appraisal says: harboring thoughts that violate ritual propriety, one breaks the ritual ladle and through fault loses the nine arrows bestowed. The Ce text says, “Harboring violation, breaking the ladle”—this means demoting his rank and stipend. The textual variant here follows the various commentators and the Song and Lu editions, which read “demote his stipend.”

The sixth appraisal says: arranged in ranks like fish scales, with distinctions, and then greatly put into practice, the emperor thereby ascends to be matched with Heaven. The Ce text says, “Fish scales differentiate them,” meaning that noble and base each obtain their proper place. The sixth appraisal is of the utmost greatness and falls on Day (auspicious). The noble person establishes ritual institutions so that noble and base have order, their gradations like fish scales; holding to this Way and greatly applying it throughout the world, there is no world that would not be well governed. If the emperor uses this, he can move and communicate with August Heaven. The “great” in “greatly apply” follows the Song, Lu, and Wang editions.

The seventh appraisal says: to overstep ritual propriety and feel no fear is to enter a fearsome condition. The Ce text says, “Overstepping ritual without fear”—this means being abandoned by others. The seventh appraisal is the beginning of calamity and falls on Night (inauspicious); it speaks of the petty person who transgresses ritual propriety without regard. Precisely because he has no fear, he falls into what is fearsome—namely, falling into punishment and execution. The Book of Documents says, “Without fear, one enters fear”—that is, without reverence one enters a fearsome condition.

The eighth appraisal says, “The cap grieves; the shoes are whole,” meaning that the cap has the image of sorrow and grief, while the shoes on the feet are intact.

This passage consists of the Ce (prognostic) statement and commentary for the “Escape” (Táo) section of the Taixuan Jing, with “two directions, three provinces, two divisions, one family” being its arrangement position in the Taixuan. The Ce statement says: even if a cap is worn out, it should still be worn on the head; even if shoes are intact, they can only be trodden underfoot. Thus the cap cannot but be above, and the order of high and low, noble and base, cannot be inverted. There are textual variants here: the Song, Lu, and other editions sometimes read “cannot but be correct”; the Fan edition reads “it is clear that it cannot be above”; the Wang edition reads “cannot but be above”; Sima Guang followed the small Song edition and adopted “cannot but be above.”

Fan Wang’s commentary says: “Qi” is a metaphor for ruin; although a cap is ruined, it should still be placed on the head; although shoes are intact, they should still be trodden underfoot. Sima Guang holds that “Eight” occupies the upper body and is situated amid calamity, which is the symbol of a ruined cap; it coincides with daylight (the time when yang is at its height), so those below cannot encroach upon those above. When it reaches Upper Nine, it is like wishing to wear a cap but having no head—what use is this “Nine”? The Ce statement says, “To wear it without a head, where can one go?” meaning that if there is no head on which to wear the cap, where else can it go? “Nine” is the image of yang qi at its utmost flourishing. Ritual propriety takes humility and yielding as its foundation, so even the Son of Heaven must observe ritual propriety. Upper Nine is at the extreme of excessive flourishing and also meets with “night”; above there is nothing to bear it, and a high position is inevitably perilous. For example, wearing a cap without a head—what use is a position at the extreme of flourishing?

This passage is one “head” (shou) in the Taixuan, belonging to “Yang family, Metal” and corresponding to the Dun hexagram of the Zhouyi. Its general meaning is: Yin qi has already become manifest and strong, Yang qi hides and withdraws, and the myriad things are about to decline and perish. Song Zhong’s commentary says that the myriad things flourish and decline in accordance with the flourishing and decline of Yang qi. When Yang qi has diminished to seven parts, the hexagram image becomes Dun; weak Yin qi has already formed within and is about to emerge above ground. Wang Ya’s commentary says that zhang means “manifest” and qiang means “strong.”

The First Line Praise says: He avoids disaster as if fleeing into water; the water immediately becomes calm, and even his footprints are wiped out. The Ce statement says, “Fleeing into water, it levels; no trace is made,” meaning that not even a trace is left behind. The First Line stands at the beginning of thought and also corresponds to “day” (in the Taixuan, day is Yang and auspicious). Therefore the noble person avoids before misfortune has sprouted, flees before evil has taken shape, and controls it when thought has just arisen; others cannot see his traces, so how could hardship catch up with him? For example, when one flees into water, the water immediately calms, the traces all close up, and people cannot see where he has gone.

The Second Line Praise says: In his heart he is vigilant and fearful, yet on his feet he still wears sturdy golden shoes (gold is taken as the image of firmness), and he is unwilling to make the ravine his final destination. The Ce statement says, “The heart is fearful and anxious, but righteousness does not guide him,” that is, although he is afraid, he cannot use righteousness to decide and guide himself. Sima Guang explains: The Second Line stands in the middle stage of thought and corresponds to “night” (Yin, ill omen). The petty person, though he sees misfortune about to arrive and is vigilant and afraid, cannot decide by righteousness; he covets favor and salary, lingers and does not leave, not knowing that the ravine is right beneath his feet and that he will soon fall. Confucius’s remark, “To see what is right and not to do it is cowardice,” refers precisely to this.

The Third Line Praise says: He is so frightened that his thighs tremble; he hastens to whip his horse and run. The bandits have already caught sight of his gate; at this time it is advantageous to flee. The Ce statement says, “Trembling thighs, whipping the horse: he has seen what is near.” This means that because he sees the bandits already approaching, he is able to be vigilant and quickly get away.

Sima Guang holds that the third Zan is the end of thought and that it also meets “day” (the Taixuan takes day as yang and as auspicious), so at this moment “escape” is appropriate. The line statement says the legs tremble, which is fear; whipping the horse means wishing to leave quickly; the robbers have already caught sight of the gate, which means disaster is about to arrive. At this time, fleeing is beneficial.

The fourth Zan says: in the tall, dense trees, flying birds pass by, and some stop and alight. The Ce statement says that birds on the tall trees alight when they wish to stop. There are textual variants here. Sima Guang collated the editions of Fan Wang and others, settled on the reading chuang, and held that chuang means a tall and dense appearance; Fan Wang, by contrast, explained it as a tree that rises high, on which birds do not roost, so they fly past and go away. Sima Guang says: the fourth Zan is the “lower emolument” position and meets “night” (the yin position); the petty person’s intention to flee is not firm, and on encountering good emolument he stops and does not leave, and so cannot avoid disaster.

The fifth Zan says: in the forest one sees birds and beasts trampled, and the otter dives into the deep pool; this is an omen. The Ce statement says that seeing birds harmed and the otter dwelling deep are both ways of fleeing danger. Cu is pronounced with the fanqie ci-xu qie and means to trample; Song Zhong says this creature harms birds, and the otter harms fish; Wu’s commentary also says cu means to tread or trample. Sima Guang holds: the fifth Zan is “middle emolument” and meets day; although the noble person occupies a prominent position and enjoys generous emolument, when he sees petty persons taking charge in court and knows that disorder will certainly arise, he should leave.

The sixth Zan says: possessing many fields but not managing them, one wastes my effort. The Ce statement says that “many fields not lou” means labor expended without merit. In old editions, fei is sometimes written hui; Sima Guang follows the editions of Fan Wang and Wang Ya. Wang Ya says: the sixth Zan occupies a position of excessive fullness, has lost its proper place and faces night, and cannot accord with the timeliness of “escape”; it is like cultivating many fields but not tending them, vainly consuming grain and effort with no benefit.

The Six, Seven, Eight, and Upper Nine in the Taixuan are zan positions: those matched with “day” are auspicious, and those matched with “night” are inauspicious. Sima Guang says: The Six position symbolizes upper-grade emolument, abundance and multiplicity, and extreme greatness, but it loses its position and encounters night, so it does not accord with the proper timing for preserving oneself in flight. It is like owning many fields but not regularly tending them: one merely wastes grain and effort, with no benefit. Sima Guang also says: Although the Six position symbolizes high emolument, abundance, and extreme greatness, it coincides with night. When a petty person is thin in virtue but honored in position, and small in strength but heavy in responsibility, even if he has grand resources and undertakings, he cannot put them in order; the worthy all abandon him and flee, and he vainly consumes grain and manpower—how could he succeed?

Next Seven: Entangled by cords, only afterward can it fly up. The Ce commentary says: “It is seen in entanglement; it is nearly not high enough.” The character ji is read in the sense of “near.” Song Zhong says: Ji means “near.” Having already been entangled by cords, it can only barely escape; this is what “near” indicates. Mr. Wang says: At the time of fleeing from calamity, Seven is at the beginning of misfortune; it has fled late, and so is entangled by cords. But it obtains its position and meets day, and can secure a good end; therefore only afterward can it fly up and escape misfortune. Although the noble person is bound, he does not dwell in a disorderly state; in the end he should withdraw of his own accord and go far away. Hence it says, “Only afterward can it fly.”

Next Eight: The neck has already been struck by a zeng (an arrow for shooting birds), and it is again tied with cords. The Ce commentary says: “With a cord added to the neck, there is no point in exerting oneself.” Mr. Wang says: Eight loses its position and meets night, so it cannot avoid misfortune; therefore its head and neck are struck by a zeng. Even if it still flaps its wings within the cord-net, in the end there is no way for it to fly up. Sima Guang says: A zeng is an arrow used in fowling. Eight is amid misfortune and meets night; it cannot flee far to avoid misfortune. The zeng has already been placed on its neck—even if it again strains its wings and pulls at the cords, how can it get free? It merely seeks fatigue for itself.

Upper Nine: It is fitting to flee, fleeing until thick calluses form on the soles of the feet; “robber virtue surrounds the city” roughly means that robbers use virtue to encircle and guard the city. The Ce commentary says: “Robber virtue surrounds the city—how could one fail to flee?” As for “robber virtue,” the Wang edition has “virtue robber,” and the Younger Song edition has “robber obtains”; here we follow the Song, Lu, and Fan editions. Mr. Chen says: “Pian” is pronounced ping, and also pronounced pu-xian qie; dictionaries say that pian means calluses on the hands and feet and hardened skin. “Two directions, three provinces, two divisions, two families, Tang” is the chapter-title marker for the next shou, “Tang.”

This passage consists of the scripture text and old commentary for the “Tang” shou in the Collected Commentaries on the Taixuan Jing. The Taixuan was composed by Yang Xiong in imitation of the Zhouyi; a shou roughly corresponds to a hexagram, and the ce explains the zan statements. It first gives editions and phonetic/textual notes: here, following the Song, Lu, and Fan editions, the reading is “to flee”; the Wang edition reads De-Dao, and the Xiao Song edition reads Dao-De. Chen’s commentary says the character in question is pronounced ping, also read with the fanqie pu-xian, and dictionaries gloss it as “thick, hard skin.” In the Taixuan structure this shou is listed as “two regions, three provinces, two sections, two families,” and the shou is named Tang. It belongs to the Yin family, is Earth among the Five Phases, and corresponds to the Dun hexagram of the Zhouyi. Lu’s commentary says Tang can be interchanged with dang, “to sway” or “to be vast”; when all under Heaven retreats, retreat also has the sense of being swept empty. Sima Guang says Tang is just dangdang, without restraint or check, and also carries the meaning of loss. As Yin qi gradually increases and comes, Yang qi gradually departs, and the myriad things therefore sway and become utterly empty; Song’s commentary takes zi as “increase,” while Lu’s takes dangdang as “the appearance of being empty and exhausted.”

First One: Within, one is empty and expansive; one must not act rashly, for rash action brings danger. The Ce says, “Tang within, with nothing held or guarded”—that is, the heart is broad and empty and without principle or integrity. This zan marks the beginning of deliberation and corresponds to night; with nothing held within, any movement is dangerous.

Second Two: Abiding in obscurity with a vast, empty heart, it is fitting to travel east. The Ce says that the benefit of this emptiness and obscurity lies in benefiting the bright Dao. Ming means obscure or dark; east is the place of sunrise. This zan is the middle stage of deliberation and dwells within the lower body, hence “Tang abides in the dark,” meaning that the heart is empty and has lost its direction. But it corresponds to day, and the noble person can seek the bright Dao in order to advance.

Third Three: Vast and empty yet habitually not upright, one will lose that tinkling jade sound. The Ce says that losing the longling is not what one should have. Wang’s commentary: longling is the sound of jade.

Fourth Four: Broad and unconstrained, not rigidly fixed on what must be, but taking Dao and righteousness as ruler. The Ce says, “Tang has no shi; it is only righteousness that it associates with”—that is, it does not fix on what must be, but only turns toward righteousness. Shi is read with the fanqie ding-li and means “necessarily”; bi is read with the fanqie bi-yi and means “ruler”; yu is read with the fanqie yu-lü and is the same as “to associate with.” Wang’s commentary: this zan obtains its position and corresponds to day, fitting what is appropriate to Tang; broad and unconstrained, with no “must” and no “must not,” taking only Dao and righteousness as master and knowing where to go—this is the beauty of Tang. Sima Guang also says: shi means necessarily; the Four is smooth and unobstructed and corresponds to day. Confucius said, “The noble man in relation to the world has no ‘must’ and no ‘must not’; it is righteousness that he associates with.” Thus when it speaks of Dao and righteousness as ruler, it means that this is the most exalted.

Fifth: Like a running deer that still keeps thinking of a small mouse (a kind of field mouse), what it obtains is not worth relying on. The Ce statement says “bu zu gong”—not sufficient for achievement—meaning insufficient to accomplish merit or work; some old editions have “xi zu gong,” but here I follow the Song and Lu editions. Commentators hold that the Fifth occupies a flourishing position and should have become the master of a single shou (header), yet it loses its position and “occupies night” (is in an obscure time); lacking the virtue of a ruler, it is empty and has nothing to hold to, lost among the directions of benefit and harm. It both runs after the deer and turns back to care for the mouse; what it obtains is insufficient for use. The word zi here is synonymous with zi meaning “resources/support.”

Sixth: Tang (meaning vast, grand) does not content itself alone but acts on behalf of Heaven to grant ranks and emoluments. The Ce statement says “wu si rong”—there is no self-serving, monopolizing acceptance. Wang’s commentary says: obtaining the position and “occupying day” (being in a time of light), it becomes the master of Tang, broad-minded and unselfish, not seeking to satisfy itself alone but sharing excellent benefits with all under Heaven; therefore it can dispense ranks and emoluments on behalf of Heaven. As an enlightened ruler of the time, situated in the beauty of Tang, nothing surpasses this. Sima Guang says: Six is “upper emolument” and abundance, and it also occupies day; the noble person does not enjoy Heaven’s emoluments alone but should share them with the worthy and outstanding throughout the world.

Seventh: Shooting at those three flying birds, setting out openly, not returning all day, and in the end losing them. The Ce statement says “yi bi san fei, shi wu suo cong”—shooting those three flyers, truly there is nowhere to follow—that is, there is nowhere to turn. Wang’s commentary says: dwelling in an overly full place yet losing its position and occupying night, not understanding the Dao (the Way), it brings danger and ruin upon itself; it is like wanting to get three birds with a single stringed-arrow shot, with the result that there is nowhere to turn. Reliant on its own clear-sightedness, it acts, and by evening forgets to return; being benighted, it is without benefit. Sima Guang says: Seven is loss of purpose and occupying night; the petty person is of two minds, losing one while seeking the other, empty and with nothing to hold to, laboring in vain, and from youth to old age ultimately gaining nothing.

Eighth: Tang gathers emoluments and blessings; the spirits of the soil cease weeping, and someone receives its grace. The Ce statement says, “Tang gathers emoluments, and again they are lost”; the word fu is read according to the fanqie fu-mu. Wang’s commentary says: obtaining the position and occupying day is good. This zan (appraisal) shows that the time and position are originally good, symbolizing the gathering of emoluments, the cessation of the spirits’ weeping, and someone receiving grace; but the Ce statement again warns of “fu wang” (again lost), showing that the emoluments gathered will still return to loss, containing the meaning of obtaining and then losing.

“Fu” is the title of one section in the Taixuan; its pronunciation is given by the fanqie gloss “fu mu qie,” and the same pronunciation applies throughout the remainder of this section. Wang (an old commentator) says: the situation corresponding to this section is “obtaining the appropriate position and matching ‘day’”—that is, the position obtained in divination is fitting, and it also coincides with the temporal image of “day.”