《集注太玄经(司马光)》Vol. 3

One who can properly grasp the Dao indicated by “Tang” (the name of a heading in the Taixuan) is therefore able to recover the lost rank and emoluments. Sima Guang says: The eighth position is right amid misfortune, and blessings and emoluments have already been dispersed; but when it meets daylight, it has the power to revive the declined and restore the abandoned, and so it says, “Tang recovers emoluments.” The spirits of the altars of soil and grain once again receive blood sacrifices, and so weeping stops; the common people, already withered and haggard, again receive moisture, and so it says, “some obtain its moistening.” Top Nine (the uppermost Praise) says: Using a bright pearl to shoot a flying bird, what is gained cannot compensate for what is lost. The Measuring Statement says: Using a bright pearl to shoot flesh, expenditure and gain are not commensurate. “Dang” is read dàng and means “commensurate.” Fan Wang says: “Flying flesh” refers to flying birds; a pearl is extremely heavy and a bird extremely light; seeking the light by means of the heavy, one therefore cannot recover it. Wang Ya says: Top Nine dwells at the extreme of exaltation, has lost its position, and corresponds to night; it is the image of emptiness that yet touches on the Great Number; it is like using a pearl to shoot a sparrow, where what is gained does not equal what is lost. Sima Guang says: Top Nine is the extreme of misfortune and also corresponds to night; it figures the petty person who gives free rein to passions and desires, is dissolute, and forgets to return. The final line, “Two Fang, Three Zhou, Two Bu, Three Jia, Chang,” is a label of the Fang, Zhou, Bu, and Jia divisions of the Taixuan, used to locate the “Chang” heading.

This passage discusses the seasonal time of the Beginning of Autumn and the constant Way of ruler and minister corresponding to the “Chang” shou (a section in the Taixuan, Great Mystery, that models the Heng hexagram of the Zhouyi and belongs to the Yang family and Water). Entering the seventh zan (appraisal) of the “Chang” shou, the calendrical count reaches 23 fen and 26 miao, corresponding to the solar term Beginning of Autumn; the sun travels to Chunwei (the name of a zodiacal station), the handle of the Northern Dipper points to the shen position, and the pitch pipe corresponds to Yize (one of the twelve pitches, matched to the first month of autumn). By the ninth zan, the sun lodges in the Wing mansion (one of the twenty-eight lunar mansions). Yin can represent the minister and yang the ruler; bi means ruler, and Song Zhong notes, “Bi is the ruler.” This marks the start of Beginning of Autumn. Autumn succeeding summer is the constant order of the Way of Heaven; therefore at this time yin knows that it is minister and yang knows that it is ruler. Sima Guang holds that autumn succeeding summer and yin succeeding yang are the image of minister succeeding ruler.

The first zan: He wears divine ink on his head and treads the numinous pattern with his feet; with the One he responds to the ten thousand ends, and in the end he suffers no loss. The Ce statement says: “Wearing divine ink” embodies the form of single-minded oneness. Wang, Wu, and other commentators say that ji and wu are the same (following the commentators’ view); ink and pattern are both norms, and they are revered because of their numinous spirit. The One is the beginning of thought, and it also occupies day (the yang position). The gentleman’s mind keeps the One as a constant norm, responds to the transformations of the ten thousand things, and to the end suffers no loss. The Yi says: the movements of the ten thousand things under Heaven must be settled in the One.

The second zan: The inner constant Way declines; even a woman keeping correct is in danger. The Ce statement says: “The inner constant is weak” means the woman is not correct. The Wang edition reads “the constant is inwardly weak”; here I follow the various commentators. Wang’s commentary says: When situated in the time of “Chang,” one should rectify the ways of ruler and minister, husband and wife. This zan loses its position and occupies night (the yin position), symbolizing a lowly woman in the inner position; this is an image of incorrectness and is close to danger, hence “zheng li” (keeping correct and guarding against danger).

The third zan: The sun maintains constant virtue; for three years there is no eating (no solar eclipse). The Ce statement says: The sun maintaining constant virtue means the Way of the ruler is bright. This zan is self-so and occupies day. The sun guards constant virtue, so it escapes the calamity of being encroached upon and eclipsed; the ruler guards constant virtue, so he has no fault of arrogance and usurpation. Yi Yin (a worthy minister at the beginning of the Shang) admonished Tai Jia (the Shang king) and composed “Xian You Yi De” (All Possess One Virtue).

Fourth line: The moon is not constant; at times it deviates from its course. The Appraisal says: “The moon is not constant” symbolizes a minister losing his standard of conduct. “Xing” is read in its original pronunciation and means “the Way.” The moon waxes and wanes, becomes full and deficient; hence it is said to be inconstant. The fourth line occupies an outer position and is not correct; moreover, it meets with “night” (in the Taixuan, day is auspicious and night is unfavorable). If a minister’s virtue cannot remain constant, he will lose the correct Way.

Fifth line: Whether vertical or horizontal, all accords with the constant Way of Heaven and Earth. The Appraisal says: “Its following and its horizontal” refers to the constant Way of ruler and minister. “Following” here is read as “vertical.” Mr. Fan said: Heaven is vertical and Earth is horizontal; this is the constant Way. Mr. Wang said: The fifth occupies the central position and is the master of the constant Way; it obtains its position and corresponds to day, so vertical and horizontal, warp and woof, all accord with the constant Way of Heaven and Earth, attaining a Way unchanging for ten thousand generations. Sima Guang held: Five is centrality and harmony, the place where the constant Way is most flourishing; the Way of ruler and minister is just like warp and woof, interwoven with each other.

Sixth line: Attaining seven and then nine, the soft and weak will disturb the hard and strong, and cannot keep to the constant Way. The Appraisal says: “Attaining seven and then nine” means abandoning the flourishing yang and taking advantage of the declining yang. Seven is yang at its height; nine is yang in decline. The sixth line passes beyond the central position and corresponds to night; therefore it is “abandoning the flourishing and riding the declining.” The petty person is weak and cowardly and will defeat the hard and strong; he cannot keep the constant Way.

Seventh line: Like rushing water flowing back and forth without cease, though the constant Way shows signs of decline, one can still uphold integrity and correctness. The Appraisal says: “Rushing and flowing back and forth” means using the correct Way to withstand what is not correct.

Eighth line: When the constant Way already has defects but one does not treat them as defects, once the fault has formed there is no way to blame it afterward. The Appraisal says: “A chronic ailment not treated as an ailment” means being unable to govern oneself. The eighth line is amid calamity and corresponds to night. When the constant Way has lasted long, defects arise; hence it is called a “chronic ailment.” One who is ill and knows he is ill can still be treated; if he does not know he is ill and moreover dislikes having others point it out, he will certainly be incurable. The petty person does not know calamity and dislikes having others point it out; by the time the ominous fault has formed, there is no blaming it afterward.

Top nine: If one regards illness as illness and faces it squarely, the shaman-physician (ancient healer) will not fail in treatment. The Appraisal says: To be able to face one’s own illness squarely is to be able to heal oneself.

Wang says: Nine occupies the position of Kangji (the utmost height and fullness), yet it obtains the correct position and meets day (yang day, symbolizing brightness and good fortune); this is a person who can confront his own illness directly. If one is good at self-admonition, then when physicians and shamans (here metaphors for worthy people) come to treat him, they will not act improperly. Sima Guang holds: Nine is the final stage of calamity, yet it corresponds to day; when a ruler is ill, he can heal himself. A gentleman can reflect on calamity and prepare for it in advance, accept loyal counsel, and seek worthy talents to assist him, and thus calamity can be dispelled. “Second fang, third zhou, third bu, first jia; degree twenty-three” is the numbering of the fang, zhou, bu, and jia and of the zan position in the Taixuan.

This passage discusses the “Du” section of the Taixuan that corresponds to the Jie hexagram in the Zhouyi. What is called fa is what serves as a model for people; what is called du is what sets the measure and proportion for people. Yin Qi day by day grows restless and advances to fullness, while Yang Qi day by day withdraws, hides, and comes to rest; Yin increasingly advances and Yang increasingly retreats, each keeping to its constant measure. Song Zhong says that zao means “movement” and she means “hiding”; Wang Ya says that she means “stopping”; Sima Guang synthesizes these views, holding that zao refers to Yin Qi advancing and flourishing, and she refers to Yang Qi withdrawing.

At the first line, one alone loses the middle measure. The Ce commentary says: losing the middle measure, one cannot achieve anything. This is because the first line stands at the position where thought begins and also falls under “Night,” an unfavorable position; if the standards and measures preserved in the petty person’s heart have already gone awry and erred, how can affairs be accomplished? The Shangshu says: it is like a forester drawing a crossbow—he first examines whether the arrow’s nock accords with the standard, and only then releases the shot. Once the measure in the heart is lost, success is naturally difficult.

In the second line, bestowing beneficence without stopping secretly accords with the middle measure. The Ce commentary says: only when beneficence is bestowed without ceasing can one return to correctness.

In the third line, a small error in measure becomes a ladder to great ruin. The Ce commentary says: when small measures go wrong, great measures will topple. The term la is read as lai and means “to tear apart.” The third line stands at the position where thought concludes and also falls under “Night”; when thought does not accord with the middle measure, affairs go awry. Thus it says that a small error in measure is a ladder to great ruin: the loss may be small, but the destruction it causes is great.

In the fourth line, it is like the main wooden posts in building a wall: beneficial for city defense. The Ce commentary says: the benefit of the stem-and-pillar support lies in managing and constructing. The fourth line occupies the position of “lower emolument” and falls under “Day,” a favorable position, and so it is beneficial for undertaking and construction.

When the noble person has already taken his place and always makes laws and regulations the backbone and foundation, he can protect the people and accomplish things. The fifth line: To be called a backbone yet not truly function as a backbone will ruin what one manages. The Ce statement says: “If the backbone does not act as a backbone, there can be no peace.” Wang’s commentary says: It has lost its position and corresponds to “Night” (in Taixuan divination, losing one’s position is an inauspicious image), so it cannot become the head of affairs; having the name of a backbone but lacking the ability of a backbone, it will surely overturn what it manages. Sima Guang says: When one does not observe laws and regulations, the people have no standard to follow, just as a backbone that is not a backbone will destroy the undertaking and cannot bring peace.

The sixth line: The great standards are strict and examinable; they take their image from Heaven and display a model. The Ce statement says: “The great standards are orderly; they display an image and are upright.” Fan is the same as the word for “model,” meaning a norm. Wang’s commentary says: The sixth occupies a flourishing position and is one whose standards are grand; it has obtained its position and corresponds to “Day” (the auspicious image of obtaining position), understands legal institutions, and uses standards to restrain things—this is to take the image of Heaven and hand down laws to people. Sima Guang says: When the noble person establishes laws and regulations, he does not do so from private inclination but observes the celestial images to display a model for the world; therefore it says, “Heaven displays the image and sends down its model.” The Yi says: Heaven displays images, and the sage takes them as his model.

The seventh line: If one does not correct oneself by laws and regulations, ghosts will mock him. The Ce statement says: “Not measuring and correcting oneself by the standard, the clear-sighted will laugh.” Zi means slander and mockery. Wang’s commentary says: The seventh occupies excessive fullness, has lost its position, and corresponds to Night, and so it says that one does not observe the standards; du means regulation, and zi means slander and laughter. The Zan statement says “ghosts mock,” while the Ce statement says “the clear-sighted,” meaning that the hidden and the manifest laugh together; the expressions are interchanged to convey the meaning. Sima Guang says: The seventh is defeat and loss and corresponds to Night; the petty person is arrogant and overflowing, does not correct himself by laws and regulations, and so is slandered and mocked by ghosts, and calamity will descend upon him. There is no clearer observer than ghosts; foolish people may not know, but ghosts see his calamity first.

The eighth line: Like the color of red stone that cannot be taken away, this is the firmness of a person of integrity. The Ce statement says: “The stone is red and cannot be taken away; this is the certainty of a person of integrity.”

The Ce text (the lines in the Taixuan that explain the zanci) says: just as stone cannot be deprived of its hardness and cinnabar cannot be deprived of its redness, such a person can be bound by covenant and entrusted with matters. “Yao” is read as yi-yao qie and means “to covenant.” Master Fan says: stone cannot be deprived of hardness, cinnabar cannot be deprived of redness. Master Wang says: the eighth zan stands at the point where the “Du” head is about to end; it obtains its position and corresponds to day, so it must be able to hold fast to something and not alter its norms and measures. Sima Guang says: the eighth is amid disaster and yet corresponds to day; even when a gentleman encounters calamity and disorder, he does not change the norms and measures, and he keeps his resolve firm and clear, so that it cannot be moved or taken from him. Therefore one can make a covenant with him; that is, one can “entrust to him the fate of a hundred-li state and the orphan of six chi” (entrust him with state affairs and a young ruler).

Upper Nine says: accumulated errors (“dai”; Sima Guang reads it as “te”) cannot be recovered from in ten years. The Ce text says: accumulated errors, dai, cannot reach (recover). In the editions, the Fan edition has “shan” for “cha”; now I follow the two Song, Lu, and Wang editions, which read “cha.” The Wang edition has “seven” for “ten”; now I follow the various editions and read “ten.” Master Lu says: zao means “to arrive.” Master Wang says: Upper Nine occupies the end of the “Du” head; it loses its position and corresponds to night, which is the extreme of losing due measure. Accumulating errors and faults, it gradually deviates and becomes estranged; “dai” means slackening and falling behind the times. Even after as long as seven years, it cannot recover its measure. Sima Guang says: “dai” should be “te,” pronounced tu-de qie, the same as “te,” meaning that the error is very serious. The Yi says, “Deluded return: misfortune,” so that for ten years one cannot set out on a campaign.

The final phrase “second fang, third zhou, third bu, second jia, Yong” is the Taixuan’s positional label for the chapter, marking the “Yong” head.

This Head belongs to the “Yang-family Wood,” and its image corresponds to the Tongren hexagram of the Changes. The old commentaries by Song, Lu, Fan, Wang, and others all take it to image the Heng hexagram; Mr. Wu, however, says that the Chang Head first images the Heng hexagram. The Second Seven corresponds to the Beginning of Autumn. The First One corresponds to the 226th day, when the sun reaches the fifteenth degree of the Zhang lunar mansion; in the Changes’ day correspondences it matches the Heng hexagram. Nine Four: next is the “Du” Head, imaging the Jie hexagram; the First One has already reached the second degree of the Yi lunar mansion, and what follows is the “Yong” Head; the Second Seven corresponds to the 238th day, when the sun reaches the ninth degree of the Yi lunar mansion, and in the Changes’ day correspondences it matches the Tongren hexagram. Sima Guang says that this interpretation is now adopted.

“Yin takes by martial means, Yang gives by civil means; thus the Dao can endure.” Song Zhong’s commentary says: Yin is the Qi of punishment and killing, so it is described as “martial”; Yang is the Qi of virtue and life-giving, so it is described as “civil.” The martial is used to assist the civil, and the civil is used to assist the martial; this is the principle of Yin and Yang’s taking and giving, and therefore its Dao can endure.

The First One: “Without substitution, without error, is the constancy of the eldest son.” The Appraisal says: “Without substitution, without error, this is the eternal way of the ancestral line.” The Wang edition writes ti as li and says it is the ancient form of the character jian; here we follow the Song, Lu, and Fan editions. “Chang” is read as zhang (the fanqie zhi-zhang). Yong means enduring and has the image of continuing heirs; ti means to abolish. The First One corresponds to the daytime of a day and is what attains the Dao of “Yong.” The system of the former kings established the legitimate eldest as heir by seniority, thereby stabilizing the ancestral temples and giving weight to the state altars; not abolishing and not erリング is the constant law for ten thousand generations. There is no greater way of enduring than this.

The Second Two: “Within harboring substitution and error, one forever loses upright auspiciousness.” The Appraisal says: “Within harboring substitution and error, how can it endure?” The Second Two corresponds to the nighttime of a day and is what loses the Dao of “Yong.” A benighted ruler violates the rites, establishes whom he loves, and replaces the legitimate line with concubine-born offspring; inwardly he harbors a mind of abolition and error. If he treats the eldest son in this way, he will permanently lose the correct and good Dao.

The Second Three says “make enduring its Dao,” and also says “before nightfall, it loses the Dao of Yong,” meaning that before night has even arrived it has already lost the way of permanence. The later passage, “A benighted ruler violates the rites, establishes whom he loves, replaces the principal line with concubine-born offspring, and inwardly harbors a mind of abolition and error; if he treats his eldest son in this way, he will permanently lose the correct and good Dao,” has the same meaning as the earlier Second Two: it explains that violating the rites, deposing the legitimate heir, and replacing the principal line with concubine-born offspring will cause one to lose the enduring correct and good Dao.

The third [line]: By persistently holding fast to the upright way for a long time, even if one has not yet obtained blessings and emoluments, there will be no fault. The Ce commentary says: Being able to practice the Dao for long indeed allows one to be preserved. The third symbolizes “completed intention” and rightly occupies “day” (in the Taixuan, day is yang and auspicious); it is like a noble person whose Dao and vocation are already accomplished but who has not yet ascended to a salaried position. A noble person does not worry about lacking a position; he worries about what he relies on to establish himself. If he can renew his Dao daily and not slacken over time, then even if he has not obtained blessings and emoluments, what fault is there?

The fourth [line]: Acting as a “son” but not keeping the order proper to a son, one will “put the guest first and permanently lose the host.” The Ce commentary says: If the order of the son is incorrect, this is not the way of long endurance. Wang says: The fourth position is close to the fifth, yet it places yin in a yang position and also falls in “night” (night is yin and inauspicious), thus losing the way of durability. If one who is a son does not occupy the order proper to a son, then sacrifices and guest-host affairs will long have no one to preside over them; therefore it says that by first disrupting the order of guest and host, one permanently loses the host.

The fifth [line]: When the Three Bonds attain the utmost of centrality and uprightness, Heaven bestows blessings for long. The Ce commentary says: The Three Bonds can endure because their Dao is far-reaching. Wang says: Occupying the center and embodying uprightness, being the leader and lord of the multitude, attaining the position and falling in day, it has the virtue of a ruler and can cause the Three Bonds each to attain their center; being aided by Heaven, it therefore obtains blessings for long. Sima Guang says: The Three Bonds are that the ruler is the bond of the minister, the father the bond of the son, and the husband the bond of the wife. The fifth occupies the central position, is central harmony, and falls in day; when the ruler rectifies the Three Bonds to establish the Royal Ultimate (the highest norm of imperial governance), he can forever preserve Heaven’s emoluments.

The sixth [line]: Making the utmost effort to enjoy blessings for long, one instead returns to an empty courtyard and falls into gloom (Qiuming, a place of deep and distant darkness). The Ce commentary says: “Greatly prolonging blessings”—blessings instead are lost. The sixth passes beyond the central position and falls in night; the petty person relies on the idea that blessings will long endure, becomes arrogant, extravagant, licentious, and self-vaunting; when blessings are exhausted, disaster comes. Thus “returns to an empty courtyard” means that nothing at all is gained. As for the wording of “enters into Qiuming,” the Fan edition, the Xiaosong edition, and the Song, Lu, and Wang editions differ slightly; here I follow the Song, Lu, and Wang editions.

To enter into deep obscurity and darkness means that when people do not know to repent and fear, and the source of disaster has already been brewed, they will fall into gloom. The seventh appraisal (ciqi), one of the appraisal positions in the Taixuan, says, “An old tree produces transplanted shoots (shi, side-grown new plantings)”: an old tree, over a long time, causes branches and leaves that were not originally there to twine forth and grow. The Ce (explanatory words) says, “An old tree produces shade branches, forever preserving its body”: the old tree produces shade-giving branches, enabling its main body to endure. Wang’s commentary says: Seven occupies an overfull position and has the image of an old tree; yet it obtains its position and meets day (day is auspicious), according with the way of long endurance, and therefore it side-produces new plantings. Shi means a side-grown planting; since it has flowers and leaves and can also endure, what was originally absent is now present, and so it says “twining around what it did not have.” The eighth appraisal says, “Enduringly not on the track, misfortune and death flow to later generations”: if one long remains out of accord with the right way, disaster and death will flow down to descendants. The Ce says, “His life is to be pared away”; ji (cutting away) means that his life will be cut off. Wang’s commentary says: occupying a position about to reach its extreme, with yin dwelling in a yang time and also meeting night (night is inauspicious), this is a matter of long-standing lawlessness; the harm does not stop at oneself—misfortune and death will also flow to later people. Sima Guang comments: Eight is within disaster and meets night; when a petty person has long been lawless, once he himself has met misfortune and death, his residual calamity flows to descendants. The top nine says, “Enduring to the end, compliant at the head”: enduring until the final outcome while being compliant toward the beginning. The Ce says, “Long joy and ease”; xun means compliant, kai means joyful, ti means easy and gentle. Nine is at “enduring to the end” and meets day; the way of the noble person is long-lasting, harmonious and joyful, easy and gentle; being careful at the end as at the beginning, with beginning and end as one, the way of endurance is then complete. “Second fang, third zhou, third bu, three” and the like are the positional designations of fang, zhou, bu, and jia in the Taixuan, explaining that this appraisal belongs to the second fang, third zhou, and third bu, and that nine is at “enduring to the end” and meets day; “second fang, third zhou, third bu, third jia, Kun” then marks out the second fang, third zhou, third bu, third jia, and the head-name “Kun.”

Kun (kun, meaning “same/together”)—this section belongs to the Yin category and is correlated with Metal; its meaning is close to the Tongren (“Fellowship with Others”) hexagram of the Zhouyi (Book of Changes). Commentators say: Yin Qi (vital energy) is about to take charge of killing and cause the myriad things to scatter, while Yang Qi governs benevolence and gathering, causing the myriad things to return together. Therefore the Dao of Kun emphasizes concord and union. But “sameness” depends on what one is the same with.

First One: One flows only together with “black” and does not know the value of “white.” The prognosticating text says, “Kun in black—one cannot be called a person.” Commentators use white to symbolize wisdom and integrity, and black to symbolize ignorance and turbidity. This appraisal stands at the beginning of thought and also encounters night; it symbolizes a petty person who willingly merges with what is turbid, not knowing the beauty of integrity, and therefore cannot be regarded as a true human being.

Second Two: White and black interweave yet are clearly distinguished (the term feifei here means “finely patterned and distinct”); three birds share a single horn and a common tail. The prognosticating text says, “Three birds, one horn—no harmful intent.” This appraisal attains its proper position and corresponds to daytime, like a noble person in dealings with others: he is pure and upright himself yet does not wound others; he dwells in a turbid world without being polluted; he mingles with the crowd without becoming disordered. The three birds symbolize three people; “one horn” means jointly resisting external aggression; “same tail” means beginning well and ending well. This is precisely what Confucius meant by “The noble person harmonizes but does not seek sameness.”

Third Three: It is the same only with white; its fault lies in being unable to tolerate black, so that there is no boundary (in one edition, ji is written chu), one tail and three horns. The prognosticating text says, “Kun is white, not black; they do not draw close to one another.” This means that identifying only with “white” and rejecting “black,” dividing too sharply and lacking inclusiveness, prevents mutual closeness. It is the opposite of Second Two: sameness must be principled, but one must also not lose amiability by priding oneself on purity.

This passage follows the Song and Lu editions; in the Fan and Wang editions, “ji” (border) is here written “chu” (remove).

The fourth (the fourth appraisal): the bird entrusts its nest to dense vegetation (zou is the ancient form of cong, “cluster”), while people entrust their lives to the impartial. The Ce commentary (the explanatory statement on the appraisal) says, “The bird entrusts its nest; the impartial are not impoverished.” Song’s commentary glosses gong as “equal and even”; Sima Guang holds that gong is the Great Dao’s Great Unity, without distinctions of self and other. The fourth position is of lower emolument and corresponds to day; the noble person can extend the mind of Great Unity and utmost impartiality in treating others, and the multitude then submit and entrust their lives to him. Therefore it says, “gong wu pin”—when one is impartial and selfless, all people have something to rely on.

The fifth: the hub (the round piece at the center of a wheel that receives the spokes), when receiving the spokes, loses the evenness of their spacing; many light hairs, when accumulated, can also destroy jade. The Ce statement says, “The hub loses its spacing and number; how can it be equal?” (gu, “valley,” and gu, “hub,” are interchangeable in ancient script; jun means “even/equal.”) Wang’s commentary says: the fifth position occupies a flourishing place and should originally be lord of the ten thousand things, yet it uses yang to occupy a yin position and also corresponds to night, losing the way of blending and encompassing. The hub is where the many spokes gather; since the fifth has lost the Dao and cannot encompass, it is called “a hub that is not a hub.” Light hairs, though light, accumulate and will destroy jade, just as many mouths melt metal. Sima Guang says: the hub receives the spokes and must have even spacing before it can turn; the fifth, with a petty person occupying a flourishing position, lacks the mind of utmost impartiality; likes and dislikes are left to private feeling; slanderers and flatterers advance together; hence “many hairs destroy the jade.”

The sixth: they gather together in the marketplace, and carriage tracks are unified. The Ce statement says, “Kun in the wells and markets—they are of one kind.” Wells and markets are places where people gather. The sixth position is flourishing and abundant and corresponds to day; the noble person’s Dao is lofty and his De is abundant; the four seas turn toward him; writing is standardized and carriage tracks are uniform; whether far or near, all are blended into one category.

The seventh: if the canopy is tilted, it cannot cover universally; if rain falls late, it cannot save the drought. This means that one in a high position who is partial and cannot shelter and nurture the multitude gains nothing from later remedies.

The “Appraisal” (Ce) in the Taixuan explains the symbolic meaning of the corresponding position. The Appraisal text says: When a canopy is tilted, it cannot cover completely, symbolizing uneven virtue. The character fu is read with the fanqie spelling fu-jiu qie, and the same applies below; yan means “late.” When rain falls too late, tender shoots receive moisture and grow, but crops already mature are harmed. The seventh position belongs to defeat and loss and is also in the “night,” symbolizing that the petty person’s virtue cannot be in great harmony with the multitude; the mind is biased, with likes and dislikes. Just as when the cover is tilted some things cannot be covered, when rain comes late some sprouts cannot be saved in time.

The Ci Eight position lies “within calamity” and has the image of depletion, stripping away, and danger. But it is exactly in the “day”; the noble person ordinarily uses the way of “Kuntong” (commonality, concord) to love broadly and embrace the multitude, treating all with equal regard, and so in time of danger can shelter the myriad things and bring them peace. The Appraisal text says, “Safety in danger comes from having habitually practiced benevolence”—that is, being able to be safe amid danger is because one has practiced benevolence in ordinary times. Where the commentary repeats earlier and later, the meaning is the same.

Top Nine says, “Kun in death; abandon the bandit and leave [him].” The Appraisal text says, “Kun in death; abandon his body”—that is, all return together to death and abandon one’s own body. The character yi is read with the fanqie spelling yi-zui qie. Wang’s commentary says: To abandon the body and leave behind the bandit trouble is the utmost of ominous danger. Sima Guang says: Although the ways of doing evil differ, in the end all return to calamity and disorder; Nine occupies the extreme of calamity and is also in the “night,” and so has this image.

At the end of the scroll, “Collected Commentaries on the Taixuan Jing, juan 4, ends” indicates the end of juan 4. The notes below record textual collations: for example, fou was originally mistakenly written as bu; shi was originally defective and was supplied from the Beiyao and Quanshu editions; the water-radical huang was originally written as huang (“yellow”) and was changed according to the Fan edition and others. Also, according to another edition, the line “Do not think of the man far away; my heart is grieved” was supplied, whereas the Shisanjing Zhushu quotes it as “Do not cultivate the great fields; the weeds are rank; do not think of the man far away; my heart is sorrowful.”

This passage consists of the collation notes to Sima Guang’s Collected Commentaries on the Taixuan Jing—that is, the editor’s record explaining the corrections and supplements made to the original text on the basis of different editions.

In item 5, the character yuan was originally written as sui; it is now corrected according to the Beiyao edition, the Quanshu edition, and the later occurrence of “dongyuan.” In item 6, the character originally written as yi was corrected according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In items 7 and 8, the character ben was originally omitted and has been supplied according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 9, yu was originally written as wang and was corrected according to the Fan edition and the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 10, the character yang was incomplete in the original text and has been restored according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 11, the character fa was incomplete in the original text and has been restored according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 12, “jinbi” was originally written as “zhoubi,” and “dangzhou” was originally written as “dangjin”; these were corrected according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 13, ben was originally written as tai and was corrected according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 14, the character li was incomplete in the original text and has been restored according to the Fan edition and the Beiyao and Quanshu editions; this passage also contained wording such as “dangjin,” which was likewise corrected during collation according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions.

In item 15, shi was originally written as fu and was corrected according to the Fan edition. In item 16, the character yue was originally omitted and has been supplied according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 17, an was originally written as men and was corrected according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 18, the character er was originally omitted and has been supplied according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 19, jie was originally written as yu and was corrected according to the Fan edition and the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 20, “wenzhi” was incomplete in the original text and has been restored according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 21, ze was incomplete in the original text and has been restored according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 22, yi was incomplete in the original text and has been restored according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 23, “sanbu” was originally written as “erbu” and was corrected according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 24, the character zhi was originally omitted, and the character fan was incomplete in the original text; both were supplied according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions. In item 25, yin was incomplete in the original text and has been restored according to the Beiyao and Quanshu editions.

In short, these are all notes on emending and supplying characters in the collation of ancient texts: some characters were originally written incorrectly, some were originally omitted, and some were incomplete in the original; the editor has corrected or completed them on the basis of other editions and the context.

This passage consists of the collation notes and juan title preceding juan five of the Collected Annotations on the Taixuan Jing; it is not the main text of the Taixuan. The collation notes explain how the editor repaired the base text on the basis of other editions: in item 26, the character “qu” is missing from the base text and has been supplied according to the Beiyao edition and the Quanshu edition; in item 27, the character “Wu” was originally miswritten as a graphically similar “Wu” and has been corrected according to the two editions; in item 28, “huilie” is missing from the base text and has been supplied according to the two editions; in item 29, where the base text has “the Song and Lu editions,” there is a lacuna, supplied according to the two editions; moreover, the “Wang” in “the Song, Lu, and Wang editions” is a superfluous character, deleted according to the preceding sentence and the two editions. In items 30 and 31, the characters “zhe” and “jiao” are missing from the base text and have been supplied according to the two editions; in item 32, the character “qi” was originally miswritten as “ju” and has been corrected according to the two editions; in item 33, the character “kou” was originally omitted and has been supplied according to the two editions; in item 34, the character for “five” was originally miswritten as the character for “three” and has been corrected according to the preceding text and the two editions; in item 35, the character “ren” was originally miswritten as “zhu” and has been corrected according to the two editions. Finally, “Collected Annotations on the Taixuan Jing, juan five: Three Regions, One Province, One Section, One Family—Jian” is the juan title: “Three Regions, One Province, One Section, One Family” is the hierarchical organizational unit by which the Taixuan is divided into regions, provinces, sections, and families, and “Jian” is the first name—the chapter title—annotated in this juan. As a whole, this is a textual-editorial note intended to restore the original state of the text.

“Yang-family Water, corresponding to Sun”: The “Jian” (Reduction) Head of the Taixuan belongs to Yang-family Water and corresponds to the Sun (Decrease) hexagram of the Zhouyi. Entering the First Line of the Jian Head, the calendrical count is forty-one fen and seventeen miao, exactly corresponding to the Chushu (End of Heat) solar term; at the next ninth, the sun travels to the Zhen mansion (one of the twenty-eight lunar mansions). At this time yin Qi gradually grows and yang Qi recedes; yin flourishes and yang declines, and the myriad things therefore wane.

First Line: Being good at reduction yet not regarding it as reduction, hidden and unmanifest. The Ce commentary (explanation of the Zan text) says: Being good at reduction without appearing reduced is because one can constantly empty and humble oneself. Master Lu says: “Chong” means emptiness. Sima Guang says: The First Line is the beginning of reflection, and it also meets with day (an auspicious position in Taixuan divination); to be able constantly to be humble and self-effacing is to be one who is good at reduction. One who diminishes himself will be supplemented by others, hence it says “not reduced.” The First Line also belongs to the lower-lower position; the modest virtue of being good at reduction and the benefit of not being reduced are both in obscurity, and people cannot see them, hence it says “Ming” (the dark/unseen).

Second Line: Diminishing oneself in the heart and manifesting it in the body. The Ce commentary says: Reducing in the heart and forming it in the body is being trapped within the heart. When people cultivate virtue and advance in their work, they must first strengthen themselves within the heart and only afterward reveal it outwardly. The Second Line is situated in the midst of reflection, yet it meets with night (an inauspicious position); the aspiration has already been diminished first—from where then can virtue and work be increased? This is the inner heart first trapping itself. Confucius said to Ran Qiu: One whose strength is insufficient stops only halfway; now you are drawing a line on the ground to limit yourself.

Third Line: Reducing one’s demeanor and conduct, it is fitting that one shines brightly when advancing in rank. The Ce commentary says: Reducing one’s demeanor is wanting to restrain oneself. The Third Line occupies the lower-upper position; it is the end of reflection and also a person who advances. Dwelling in a high position makes one prone to arrogance and fullness; when reflection reaches its end, it will manifest outwardly, appearing in demeanor and appearance. What is called “reducing one’s demeanor” is self-deprecation and self-restraint. The step is the means by which one advances. By diminishing oneself one can advance, and therefore there is brilliance.

Fourth Line: Reducing upon “Ai,” lowering one’s rank.

This passage discusses Positions Four through Seven of the “Jian” (Decrease) Head in the Taixuan, using “decrease” to explain the ways of conducting oneself in different positions. “Ce” is the explanatory text that comments on the pronouncements; “Position Four” and the like refer to the fourth through seventh positions of that Head; “dang ye” (falling at night) and “dang zhou” (falling in daytime) are Taixuan divination expressions for judging brightness or darkness and good or ill fortune according to day and night.

Position Four: “Decrease in ai (read as yi, meaning ‘to govern’); there is no way to oversee the multitude.” Fan Wang’s edition has “yi” for “ai”; here the reading follows the editions of the two Songs, Lu, Wang, and others. The fourth position belongs to “lower emolument” and falls at night. If a petty person is not diligent in governing, he cannot rule the multitude, nor can he preserve his emolument and position. Therefore it says “decrease in ai,” indicating that his position is diminished.

Position Five: “Decrease, yellow, steadfast; the lower supports the upper, and there is peace.” The Fan edition has “decrease its yellow steadfastness”; here the reading follows the various commentators. In the Ce text, “the Way of ministers is ding”; “ding” means “fitting” or “appropriate.” The fifth position obtains its proper place and falls in the daytime; it can practice the way of decrease and also attains yellow-centered steadfast correctness. The multitude submit and attach to him, and so the lower supports the upper position and obtains peace. Sima Guang says: Five is the extreme of centrality and harmony, hence it is called “yellow”; yang occupies the correct position, hence it is called “steadfast.” When prosperity reaches its extreme it must decline, so one cannot but decrease oneself. Only when a minister uses this way to serve his ruler can he be secure; hence it says the way of ministers is fitting.

Position Six: “Darkly opening and accumulating; not sealing, not bestowing—stone.” The Ce text says: if one darkly opens and expands but does not bestow, grace is not evenly distributed. Fan Wang says six is water, hence “dark”; Mr. Song says greatly opening is “chan”; Sima Guang says the sixth position and the inherent nature of this Head both belong to water, hence “dark”; six is upper emolument, hence “opening and expanding”; and because it is abundant and extremely great, hence “accumulating.” The noble person should reduce the abundant and supplement the scant, weigh things, and bestow equally. But now, since he neither decreases nor bestows, stubborn as stone, grace is not equal.

Position Seven: “Decrease his illness, reduce his anxiety; danger will not arrive.” The Ce text says: if illness is decreased and removed, one will not reach a dangerous point. By decreasing one’s own ailments and removing worries, danger and peril will not come.

Fan's commentary: “Xu” means sorrow, and “li” means danger. Wang’s commentary says: The seventh Zan occupies the position of overfullness and is inherently a dangerous path; but it obtains its position and meets “Day” (which is auspicious in Taixuan divination), and can by itself diminish illness and reduce grief, so danger has no way to arise. Sima Guang says: Seven is the beginning of calamity, but it meets Day and is also in the “Decrease” family; hence this image. The Book of Changes says, “Diminish his illness; let him quickly have joy,” that is, diminishing illness so that joy comes quickly.

The Ci Ba (eighth Zan) says: “Flowing and rippling, it diminishes the root of growth.” The appraisal text says: “The decrease of flowing and rippling—the root of growth is destroyed.” Fan notes: Eight belongs to Wood; in autumn wood begins to decline. “Liu” means flow, and “lianlian” describes water flowing downward (the original text explains it with the ancient character for “flow”). Sima Guang says: Eight is Wood, is Sinking Heaven, is illness and stagnation, is depletion, is peeling away; Sinking Heaven refers to the turn between autumn and winter. Wood lives by its roots and flourishes by nourishing fluids; now the nourishing fluids flow downward in ripples, diminishing the root that sustains its life—how can it flourish again? Wang’s edition lacks the second “lian”; here I follow the Song, Lu, and Fan editions.

The Shang Jiu (ninth Zan) says: “Decrease ends; it is beneficial to climb the western mountain and look down upon the great river.” The appraisal text says: “The climbing at the end of decrease is truly feasible.” Fan notes: West belongs to Metal, hence “western mountain”; Metal generates Water, hence “great river.” Sima Guang says: When things reach an extreme they reverse; when decrease reaches its end, it must turn into increase. Climbing high and looking down is rarely without danger; one who can abide in the way of decrease is therefore practicable. The west is also the position where the myriad things are brought to completion.

The heading “Three Regions, One Province, One Section, Two Families, Yin (Chant)” belongs to Yin-family Fire and corresponds to the Pi (Stagnation) hexagram. Mr. Chen reads the character yin as qīn and also as qín; editions such as Xiao Song’s and Wu’s also preserve related phonetic glosses.

The poem “Yin” belongs to the yin family of fire and corresponds to the Pi hexagram in the Yijing (Book of Changes). The character yin was formerly read with pronunciations such as qin or qin; Xiao Song and the Wu family give the reading jujin cut. The Shuowen says it means “mouth urgent,” the same as jin (to close the mouth); the present text follows the Shuowen. Lu also says yin means obstruction. When yin does not transform and nourish, and yang does not bestow, the ten thousand things each close up and hide. Ordinarily yang bestows refined essence and yin transforms and forms the body, and only then do the ten thousand things grow; at this time it is the qi of “Stopping Heat” (chushu): yin does not transform and yang does not bestow—it is the season when the ten thousand things are shut in.

First line: Blocked and not giving—like a husband yet dwelling as a wife would. The prognostic says: blocked and not giving—what people turn away from. Yu means “to give.” Wang’s note: shutting the door and not receiving things is a husband imitating a wife’s staying indoors. Sima Guang: the first line is the beginning of deliberation, and it meets night, dwelling at the bottom of exhaustion; the junzi’s thought of the Dao was meant to reach others, but now he closes up and does not share—like a husband acting as a wife at home; isolated without kin, everyone turns from him—hence “what people turn away from.”

Second line: Closing up and storing the blood to nourish the withered bones (gan gu). The prognostic says: closing up the blood—the thin seeking to fatten themselves. The character for emaciation (qu) varies in different editions; the present text follows qu. Wang’s note: closing the blood to nourish the withered bones, fearing leanness and wishing to fatten oneself. Sima Guang: the second line is the middle of deliberation, and it meets day; one can store and nurture virtue to beautify the person. The Great Learning says, “Wealth adorns the house; virtue adorns the person.”

Third line: In appearance not mingling with others; in the mouth there is sound but no formed speech—mouth closed, no words. The prognostic says: appearance not mingling—the human way declines. Fan and Wang lack the “mouth” character; the present text follows the two Song editions and Lu’s text. Qi (formerly read quyi cut) is having sound without words; the other character was formerly read yuji cut. Fan: qi is sound without words. Wang: the human way is nearly cut off and declines.

Sima Guang says: The third Zan indicates the end of thought and deliberation, and also indicates that intention has already taken shape. Once deliberation has taken shape, speech and countenance could originally serve to receive people and respond to the world. But the nature of this Shou is “jin” (closing the mouth, storing away, begrudging), and it also falls in the nighttime portion of the day; if one remains closed off and does not interact, then the way of human relations and social exchange is nearly cut off. The Yi, “Jie,” nine in the second place, says, “Not going out of the gate and courtyard: misfortune,” which is exactly this meaning.

The Fourth Zan: One stores grain away and does not give it out; one neither relieves the people of the world nor communicates with the outside, and in the end drags down the elders and clan members. The Ce commentary says, “Jin one’s grain, one cannot look to one another,” meaning that they cannot rely on each other.

The Fifth Zan: It does not accord with the middle way; even when the grain has rotted and become worm-eaten, one is still stingy and does not give it out. The Ce commentary says, “Not centered, not du; its jin is wrong.” Xiao Song says: Stipend grain was originally meant to await worthy men; when the millet in the granaries has already turned red, run with rot, and become worm-eaten and spoiled, yet one still begrudges it and keeps it stored—this is wrong. Sima Guang says: “Du” also means “centered.” The noble man can both accumulate and distribute: when it should be stored, he stores; when it should be given, he gives. The Fifth Zan occupies a flourishing position; the nature of this Shou is stingy, and it also falls at night and loses the middle way; therefore even when grain rots and is worm-eaten, there is still stinginess.

The Sixth Zan: The spring water is abundant, yet it is closed up and stored in the high mound and garden. The Ce commentary says, “The jin of the spring source cannot be ridiculed” (here following Fan’s edition, which reads “ridiculed”). Master Fan says: Six belongs to Water, and so it is a spring source; the mound and garden are a metaphor for a high place. Sima Guang says: Six symbolizes abundance and extreme greatness. To store water in a high place and wait for the time to release it means the places it can moisten will be far-reaching. Today’s storing up is precisely for the sake of tomorrow’s beneficence; therefore it cannot be criticized.

The Seventh Zan: Stinginess reaches one’s own person, and the yellow flesh is damaged. The Ce commentary says, “Jin in the body: flesh and bone are injured,” meaning that stinginess injures the flesh-and-bone ties of kinship. Here “the yellow flesh is damaged” follows the editions of Song, Lu, and Fan; Wang’s edition reads “the yellow flesh and bone are damaged.”

The Seventh Zan symbolizes diminution and damage/loss, and it also meets “night” (the time of yin closure). Yellow is the color of the center; bone and flesh occupy the center of the body, hence the term “yellow flesh.” Qi and blood are originally what nourish the body; if the qi of “qin” (blockage and contraction) cannot reach the four limbs, bone and flesh will be injured. Benevolence and grace are originally what bind one’s kin together; if they cannot extend to the nine degrees of kinship, inner and outer relatives will scatter.

The Eighth Zan says: When qin-blockage meets disaster, one may resolve the disaster by praying with an ox. The Explanation text says: “Qin meets disaster; great expense is fitting.” Fan Wang says: “The ox is the great expense.” Mr. Wang says: “Although excessive qin-blockage brings calamity, one can use an ox prayer to remove the danger.” Sima Guang says: “The eighth Zan is precisely amid disaster, so it says, ‘Qin meets disaster’; it is just on duty as a daytime Zan, so it says, ‘Pray with an ox, and resolve it.’ To spare no expense in resolving disaster—this is the appropriate course.”

Upper Nine says: Qin-blockage does not bring rain; truly it has dried into meat jerky. The Explanation text says: “With qin-blockage and no rain, what is there left to hope for?” Fan Wang says: “‘Fu’ means trustworthiness.” Mr. Wang says: “The ninth Zan occupies the extreme of qin-blockage and also corresponds to night; yin and yang are both closed, therefore it does not rain.” Sima Guang says: “The nourishing moisture has already dried up, leaving no hope; truly the meat has dried and become jerky. This means that the ruler’s grace has dried up, and the common people and the myriad things are all withered and exhausted.”

“Three Regions, one Province, one Section, three Families: Shou” is the arrangement position in the Taixuan and refers to the “Shou” head; it belongs to the Yang family, Wood, and also corresponds to the Pi hexagram. “Yin guards the door” means that yin qi guards the gate, governing closure and conservatism; what follows still reiterates that the nourishing moisture is exhausted and there is no hope, that the meat dries into jerky—a metaphor for the ruler’s grace being exhausted and the people and things being distressed and worn out.

This passage of the Collected Commentaries on the Taixuan Jing discusses the “Yang Family Wood” head, and its doctrinal meaning also corresponds to the Pi hexagram of the Yi. “Yin guards the inner door, Yang guards the outer gate; things do not interfere with one another” means that Yin and Yang each keep to their own door and gate, and the myriad things do not encroach on one another.

The encomium for the First One says, “Close the window of friends, guard the primal possession”: close the window through which one peers out toward companions and is enticed from outside, and guard what was originally possessed at the beginning. The appraisal says, “Close the window of friends; one is good at holding and preserving.” Here there are textual variants: the Wang edition and the Younger Song edition read “close the bright window, guard the primal possession”; the present text follows the Song, Lu, and Fan editions. Fan’s commentary says “friends” means partisans or factions. Sima Guang explains: The Yi says, “Coming and going in restless succession, friends follow your thoughts,” meaning that when the mind is stirred, external things respond according to their kind. A window is for peering outward; “primal” means beginning. He also cites the Record of Music: “When a person is born, he is tranquil—this is the nature bestowed by Heaven; when moved by external things, this is the desire of that nature.” The First One stands at the beginning of thought and also corresponds to day (Yang); it can close off the enticements of external kinds and guard the nature possessed at the beginning.

The Second Two says, “Confused, one guards oneself; it is not as good as the First One’s having something to hold to”: being confused yet guarding oneself is not as good as the First One’s having something to preserve. The appraisal says, “Confused, one guards oneself; within there is nothing to use.” Song’s commentary says “use” is yong, that is, having nothing available and merely guarding oneself. Wang’s commentary says: The Second Two guards its confusion, while the First One guards its Dao, and therefore it is not as good as what the First One possesses. Sima Guang says: The Second Two lies amid thoughts and corresponds to night (Yin); enticed by external things, it becomes confused and loses what it guards. The Book says, “The people’s nature is generous, but because of things they change”—human nature is thick and generous, yet it can be altered by external things.

The Third Three says, “No loss and no gain; coming and going in silence”: there is neither loss nor gain; one comes and goes in silence. The appraisal says, “No loss and no gain; one guards the old.” That is, one guards one’s former, original nature. The Third Three is “advancing man,” “self-so,” and “completing intention,” and it exactly corresponds to day (Yang). Virtuous nature is completed within, and one can hold and preserve it without loss. When external things depart, what loss is there for me? When external things arrive, what gain is there for me? Completing silently, one earns trust without speaking. The Yi says, “No loss and no gain; coming and going, they draw from the well.”

The Fourth Four says, “Imaging Gen, there is guarding”: it takes its image from the Gen hexagram—stopping and having something guarded.

The Ceci (the measuring commentary) says, “The guarding that images Gen—integrity without partiality.” Its general meaning is to discuss guarding by means of the image of Gen (one of the Bagua, symbolizing stopping and mountain), with emphasis on integrity and self-guarding. The wording of this sentence differs among editions: the Song and Lu editions read “xiang bei zi shou,” the Xiao Song edition reads “xiang mao you shou,” and here I follow the Wang edition. The graph [□] is read like hu; Mr. Song says that “bei” is pronounced “gou,” while Mr. Lu says that [□] means “to restrain and ward off,” that is, like a dog, it can only guard and ward off but cannot scrutinize with integrity. Fan Wang says that “xiang” means “resemblance,” as with the straw dog (a dog made of straw for sacrifice). Sima Guang holds that [□] is pronounced “gou” and must be a mistaken use of the character in “Gen is a dog”; “imaging a dog” is like “imaging a dragon,” merely taking the image of a thing as an analogy.

The Fifth says, “Guarding the center so as to achieve harmony, one restrains the feudal lords by uprightness”: the fifth position guards the middle way and brings about harmony, restraining the feudal lords by what is correct. In the Ceci’s “Guarding the center with harmony—the lords’ su,” Sima Guang explains su as “toward.” The Fifth symbolizes the Son of Heaven; guarding the way of central harmony is what the feudal lords take as correct and turn toward. Various editions have variants such as “guarding the center with single harmony” and “binding the lords to uprightness”; here I follow the Fan edition.

The Sixth says, “The carriage is held fast by the wheel-block; the jade tablets and discs are covered in dust”: the carriage is stopped by the wheel-block (the wooden block that holds back the wheel), and the jade tablets and discs (ritual jades) gather dust. The Ceci says that this means not having dealings with neighboring states. Commentators say that when the feudal lords do not use arms, jade tablets and discs and the like were originally implements by which the feudal lords rectified themselves; now, if one keeps guard but loses uprightness, does not receive neighboring states, the carriage cannot move, and the jades are left unused and gather dust. Sima Guang says that the nature of the “Shou” category is chiefly guarding; the Sixth exceeds the center and corresponds to night, so this is excessive self-guarding.

The Seventh says, “The many yang do not guard; this is the uprightness of a man”: the many yang do not guard, yet the man still guards uprightness. The Ceci says, “The guarding of the many yang is the guarding of uprightness and trustworthiness,” that is, what the many yang guard lies in uprightness and sincerity.

In Wang’s edition, “the host of yang does not keep guard” is written as “the host of yang does not generate”; I have now corrected it according to the various editions.

The eighth Zan symbolizes having a mortar but no pestle: although the pounding device is raised, it cannot hull rice; the sky is overcast but does not rain, and the heat of the day is also damaged. The Ce text, which explains the Zan text, says: “With a mortar but no pestle, guarding it brings only poverty.” Wang’s commentary says: “With a mortar but no pestle, guarding it is ultimately useless; the pounding device is raised but does not fall, and guarding it ultimately brings no accomplishment.” Sima Guang says: “The pounding device is raised but there is no grain to pound; the sky is overcast but does not rain, so there is no moisture to hope for.” The eighth Zan stands amid calamity and is an image of depletion; hence it has these symbols.

The Top Nine says: “Guarding together with tu, and dismissing the lu heads, one will not be in danger.” The Ce text says: “With tu there is guarding, so the longer it lasts, the newer it becomes” (“yu” means to surpass, to be better). The Song and Lu editions read “there is tu, there is guarding,” and the Ce text reads “its tu, its guarding”; I now follow the Fan, Wang, and Xiao Song editions; “tu” is pronounced tu. Fan’s commentary says: “Tu is white and lu is black; nine belongs to the west, so white is chosen.” Sima Guang says: “Tu is the flower of cogon grass, white in color; nine is the end of calamity and corresponds to daylight, and it is able to repent of its calamity. Therefore one thinks of mature white-haired people and guards the old way together with them; one dismisses black-haired clever talkers, and the state will not come to danger. The Qin Oath says: ‘Although the white-haired good men are physically weak, I still keep close to them; although the strong and brave men do not fail in archery and charioteering, I do not seek them.’”

“Three Regions, One Province, Two Sections, One Family: Xi.” Xi Shou is placed in the third region, first province, second section, and first family. Xi Shou belongs to the Yin family; among the Five Phases it belongs to Metal; it is modeled on the Xun trigram of the Zhouyi. According to the Taixuan calendar, entering the fifth Zan of Xi Shou is 18 fen and 34 miao, exactly corresponding to the White Dew solar term; the sun is in the Shouxing station, the Dipper handle points to the You position, and the pitch corresponds to Nanlü. Lu Ji says: “Xun means ‘to enter,’ and xi also means ‘to enter.’” The final “Family Xi” marks this Shou as Xi Shou.

This passage is Sima Guang’s compilation and explanation, in the Jizhu Taixuan Jing, of the scripture text and old commentaries related to the “Xi” header. The Taixuan Jing is a work by Yang Xiong of the Han dynasty modeled on the Zhouyi; each header has nine zan (appraisals), and after the zan there is a “Ce” (Explanation) that provides commentary. In the Taixuan system this header is assigned to the Yin family, belongs to Metal among the Five Phases, and corresponds to the Xun trigram of the Zhouyi. “Xi” means gathering in and closing or merging: Lu Ji says that Xun is “entering,” and Xi is also “entering”; Wang Ya says that Xi is “closing/merging.” Sima Guang adds that since the Xun trigram takes the chicken as its image, the Xi header mostly adopts images of flying birds.

The calendrical passage says: On entering the fifth zan of the Xi header, the calendrical number is eighteen fen and thirty-four miao, corresponding to the White Dew solar term; the sun moves into the Shouxing station, one of the twelve celestial stations; the handle of the Northern Dipper points to the you position; and the pitch corresponds to Nanlü, the name of an ancient pitch standard.

“Yin comes and reverses, Yang goes and transforms; things retreat, descend, and gather.” The general meaning is: Yin Qi comes and moves counter to the normal order and changes; Yang Qi goes and moves with the order and transforms; the myriad things retreat, hide, descend, and gather. Song Zhong explains this in terms of above and below: Yin comes from below, so it is called “reversing”; Yang goes from above, so it is called “following.” Sima Guang explains it in terms of function: Yin Qi rises and harms things, so it is called “reversing”; Yang Qi descends and nurtures things, so it is called “following.” The commentary also records some textual variants: for “Yang goes and transforms in accord,” one edition has “Yang goes by accord”; for “shaoyao,” one edition has “xiaoyao” (the two words are interchangeable); for “zheng yu,” one edition has “zheng gong”; here the established edition is followed.

The First One zan says, “Madly rushing in the dark, he contracts his will. Though he wishes to be unrestrained, Heaven does not let him grow”; the Ce says, “Madly rushing in the dark, Heaven has not yet given him support.” The First One is the beginning of thought and also falls under “night” (in the Taixuan, day is auspicious and night is inauspicious). This means that a petty person has an unwholesome mind and madly rushes about in the darkness, but contracts his will and has not yet manifested it outwardly. “Shaoyao” is the same as “xiaoyao,” meaning self-indulgence and ease. Even if he wants to indulge his mind, Heaven does not help him. “Zi” is the ancient form of “zi” (to increase or nourish), meaning that he cannot grow. The Ce’s phrase “Heaven has not yet given him support” means that Heaven does not approve of or help him.

The Second zan says, “Contracted in the dark, shooting at the upright”; the Ce says, “Contracted in the dark: correct approval.” “Yu” is interchangeable with “yu” (to give or assist). The Second is the middle of thought and also falls under “day.” This means that a gentleman has a good mind and also contracts it in obscurity; like shooting an arrow, he rectifies his mind and only then releases, and when he releases he never misses, hence “shooting at the upright.” “Zheng yu” means “only what is correct is approved”; it affirms and approves only the correct Way.

The Third zan says, “Contracted, eating, chuai-chuai”; the Ce says, “Contracted, eating, chuai-chuai; its benefit is like dancing.” The character is read according to the fanqie “Chu-fu.” The general meaning is that he eats while in a contracted state, making a chuai-chuai chewing sound; the Ce holds that such eating in contraction has its benefit, being rhythmic like dancing.

Mr. Fan says that “chuai-chuai” describes hurried eating; Mr. Wang says that it indicates unrestrained gluttony and an anxious pursuit of profit, as urgent as a dance closely keeping time. Sima Guang holds that the third position symbolizes the intention having already formed, yet it occupies the dark “night” position and above is close to the emolument position; when petty people see emolument and profit, they greedily scheme and stop at nothing. The fourth position says, “It gathers its wings; it is beneficial to rise,” and the appraisal text says, “It gathers its wings; friends assist it”: the fourth position is at a lower emolument rank and is also an outer position, exactly in daylight; it is like a crow folding its wings and gathering force for takeoff—when a scholar gains the help of friends, it is beneficial for advancement. The fifth position says, “It gathers its belly and avoids grain,” and the appraisal text says, “It gathers its belly; this is not how one gains praise” (the collated edition has variant readings for “avoids grain” and “praise”): the fifth position occupies the middle emolument and also symbolizes the belly, yet it is in the night, so it can only gather blessings and emoluments to itself; hence it is called “gathering its belly.” One who only takes for himself will surely have it taken by others; this is in fact the way to turn away from blessings and emoluments—moreover, whence would a good reputation come? The sixth position says, “A yellow heart and goose wings, gathering in the sky,” and the appraisal text says, “A yellow heart and goose wings: beneficial to obtain assistance” (one edition has “harmony” for “beneficial”): the sixth position occupies a middle-upper place, hence it is called “yellow”; the goose is a high-flying bird, and six also symbolizes abundance; it dwells at a time when blessings and emoluments are flourishing and is exactly in daylight. The noble person makes the Mean his heart, and those who assist him are numerous, like adding wings to a goose—in high flight there is nowhere it cannot reach. The seventh position says, “Gathering the arrow cord, sorrowful and grieved,” and the appraisal text says, “Gathering the arrow cord, sorrowful and grieved: it suffers separation and harm”: gathering in the arrow cord while the heart is grieved indicates suffering dispersal and harm; “jiao” is read as “zhuo.”

This passage of commentary explains the three appraisals—the seventh, the eighth, and the top ninth—and their prognostic statements in the “Gathering” (Ju) header of the Taixuan jing. In the Taixuan, an appraisal position that falls on “day” is auspicious, while one that falls on “night” is inauspicious; the various commentators all explain good and bad fortune in relation to this. Fan Wang says: Seven corresponds to cord and shooting; shooting uses a cord, meaning the silk cord tied to an arrow (zhuó). Sima Guang says: Seven is a ladder of disaster and also falls on night, so it suffers separation and injury. The eighth says, “Its fú, cutting off its juàn—peril”: fú is a cart-covering net, and juàn is a snare; the nets are broken, yet danger remains. The prognostic statement says, “The fú is cut, the juàn [broken]; in danger one obtains escape,” meaning that when the nets are broken, one gets free amid danger. Wang says: Falling on day allows one to be vigilant; although it may not end in disaster, it is still very dangerous. Xiao Song says: fú is a cart-covering [net], and juàn is a net. Sima Guang says: Eight is amid disaster but falls on day, so it can escape. The top ninth says, “Its horns—only used to butt its kind”: it is like using horns to gore one’s own kind. The prognostic statement says, “Its horns—it will exterminate its kind,” that is, it will wipe out its kind. Wang’s edition has “pu” for “zu”; here I follow the various commentators and read “zu.” Fan Wang says: di means to strike. Wang says: Horns are used to resist external things and are what all creatures alike detest. Sima Guang says: Nine corresponds to annihilation, the extreme of disaster, fierceness, and horns, and also falls on night; disaster gathers without cease, and when it reaches the utmost limit it still wants to prevail by fierce force, and so it comes to the extermination of its kind. This section belongs to the “Gathering” (Ju) header under the classification three regions, one province, two divisions, and two families.

This section belongs to the Yang family and Earth and corresponds to the Cui hexagram of the Zhouyi. The “Ju” (Gathering) section explains that Yin Qi contracts and gathers while Yang Qi cannot stop or resist it; thus the myriad things gather and exalt one another. “Chong” also means gathering. Entering the seventh “Ju” section, the sun moves to the Jiao (Horn) Mansion. The Changes says, “Cui: the king arrives at the temple,” and so “Ju” often takes the imagery of ghosts and spirits.

First One: Ghosts and spirits are numinous by being formless. The Ce commentary says, “Ghosts and spirits are without visible numinosity; their forms are not seen”—that is, ghosts and spirits leave no visible traces. Wang’s commentary says that ghosts and spirits are numinous because they are formless. Chen’s commentary says: “Gathering” is the contraction of Yin Qi; as the myriad things decline, the formed returns again to the formless, and things return to their root. The root is nothingness—if this is not numinosity, what is it? Jing and Qi gather to form things; the wandering hun-soul scatters and becomes transformation. When gathered, they form things; when scattered, they are formless. Therefore ghosts and spirits are numinous by being formless. Sima Guang’s note says: The First One is the lower-lower position and also belongs to Water; it has the image of dark profundity.

Second Two: It images a festive drinking gathering, laughter, and joy. The Ce commentary says, “Feasting and gathering with laughter—pleasure to excess becomes fault.” When joy is excessive, it becomes a transgression. This line occupies the middle of “Si” (Thought), is a common person, and corresponds to night; gathering at night for secret pleasure, if taken to excess, becomes a fault.

Third Three: Revering the aged—this is the gate of the host of ghosts. The Ce commentary says, “Honoring the aged, the ghosts wait to be reverenced”—that is, when the aged are honored, ghosts too will wait and show respect. Fan’s commentary says, “The third is the gate.”

Fourth Four: Leading a sheep and displaying it before a shrine in the thickets; holding a gui tablet and performing the rite while extending the thigh, in the open country. The Ce commentary says, “Leading a sheep to the thickets is not enough for glory”—leading a sheep to a thicket shrine does not suffice as glory. “Xin” is interchangeable with “shen” (to stretch). A sheep is a middling sacrificial animal; establishing a shrine among the thickets means sacrificing to relatively minor ghosts; holding a gui is a weighty rite; in performing the ritual and kneeling in worship, one should properly extend the right thigh. This line corresponds to the night of the day; although there may be blessings and emoluments, they cannot be put to use—like merely displaying a sheep before a thicket shrine, which is not enough for glory.

Holding a jade gui tablet and performing the bowing rite, yet extending the left leg, his bearing does not conform to ritual propriety, so he still cannot avoid appearing coarse and ritually improper.

The fifth line: A ding cauldron is filled with blood offerings, and firewood is piled for a burnt offering; only after uniting the nine clans and close kin can one win the trust of others. The Ce text, which explains the appraisal, says, “ding xue zhi you, xin wang ming ye”—meaning that only thus can one be considered to have trusted and followed the king's command. Wang's commentary says that “zhu” is interchangeable with “you,” referring to piling firewood for a burnt offering.

The sixth line: Reverence for ghosts and spirits and respect for ritual norms are proper in themselves, but if one is wild and confused and indulges in licentious sacrifices that violate ritual, ruin and death will follow. The Ce text says, “wei gui zhi kuang, guo qi zheng ye”—revering ghosts and spirits to the point of frenzy is to deviate from central correctness. In old editions “mi” is sometimes written “mei”; here the reading “mi” is followed. Wang's commentary says that “mi” means the eyes cannot see, meaning that fanatical blind adherence in seeking licentious sacrifices will lead one into darkness.

The seventh line: Respectfully gathering among the mounds and graves. The Ce text says, “song cui qiu zhong, li bu fei ye”—respectfully gathering at the graves, showing that funeral rites have not been abandoned. Wang's commentary says that “song” means respect. Sima Guang's note says: The seventh position is high and pertains to ritual, and is also the beginning of calamity, while it exactly corresponds to day (yang); therefore gathering respectfully at the graves is a symbol of burial according to ritual.

The eighth line: The chijiu, a vile bird, settles in the forest, and the other birds will surround it and clamor. The Ce text says, “chi jiu zai lin, zhong suo zao ye.” Old editions sometimes have “gu” or “fei”; here the Fan edition and the Xiao Song edition are followed, and it is read as the clamor of many voices. Wang's commentary says that the chijiu is a vile bird; when it gathers in the forest, it is sure to be screeched at by the flock. Sima Guang's note says: The eighth position lies amid calamity and corresponds to night; the petty person's evil reputation is already conspicuous, like the forest where a vile bird is, and the birds will surely gather and clamor at it.

Top Nine: Tears flow down to the tip of the nose, and clan and kindred gather to wail. The Ce text says, “chui ti jing bi, shi ming jue ye”—tears streaming down mean that the time and fate have ended. Xiao Song says that “hui” means kind or class. Sima Guang's note says: The ninth position is the image of extreme calamity and annihilation; it is like a noble man who had virtue in life and causes grief after death. When Zhao Wenzi completed his palace, he said, “Sing here, wail here, gather the state's clans here”—this is precisely the scene of the clan gathering to wail.

This passage is the “Ji” (Accumulation) head of the Taixuan (Great Mystery); its position belongs to the third region, first province, second section, and third family. It belongs to the Yin family and to Water, and is compared to the Daxu (Great Accumulation) hexagram of the Zhouyi. The image-meaning of “Accumulation” is this: Yin Qi is about to close and store away on a grand scale, while Yang Qi has only just begun to open slightly; mountains, rivers, lakes, and marshes are the places where the myriad things return and gather. Wang’s commentary says: hills, lakes, and marshes are precisely what is used to store and harbor the myriad things. Sima Guang says: when Yin Qi is abundant and Yang Qi is faint, the myriad things, having come to the end of Yang Qi, all return to hide within the mountains, rivers, marshes, and swamps, piling up there.

First One: In hidden darkness one accumulates what is not good, becoming the foundation for future manifest punishment. The Ce text says: to accumulate what is not good in secret is to be already situated in evil at the beginning. (Here “at the beginning one is in evil” is sometimes read as “already one is in evil”; “foundation” is sometimes read as “resources”; the various editions differ slightly in wording, and here I follow the Wang edition and the editions of the various masters.) Fan’s commentary says that “Pi” means precisely “not good.” Sima Guang says: the First One is at the beginning of “Si” (Thought) and also falls at night; the petty person secretly accumulates evil and brings disaster upon himself in the open, so hidden evil is precisely the foundation of manifest punishment.

Second Two: One accumulates good virtue and for a time is not employed, but in the end will come to great use; the noble person broadens his mind. The Ce text says: accumulating without being employed is something that cannot be measured by ordinary standards. Fan’s commentary says that “jie” means great. Song’s commentary says: accumulating for a long time without being used, one’s bright virtue is deeply stored; in the end, when the opportunity comes, it will surely reach great use. Sima Guang says: the Second Two is in the middle section of “Si” and also falls in the daytime; the noble person accumulates good virtue within, is trapped in a low position, and is not employed by the times, but if accumulation does not stop, its effect will surely be great. The noble person simply broadens his virtuous mind and does not anxiously seek to be used.

Second Three: Piling up stones, one cannot eat them; labor is wasted. The Ce text says: accumulated stones cannot be eaten, and there is nothing to be gained. Sima Guang says: the Second Three is in the upper section of “Si” and also falls at night; to spend one’s mind on what is useless and one’s labor on what is inappropriate is like piling up stones that cannot be eaten—toil without gain.

Second Four: The noble person accumulates good deeds and reaches the “cart ears” (the ear-shaped side pieces on either side of a cart, a metaphor for a place that can bear and support). The Ce text says: the noble person accumulates good and reaches flourishing. The Xiao Song edition differs in wording here, reading something like “it cannot be eaten; toil without gain”; this is a textual variant.

The Xiaosong edition writes “zhi yu fan” as “zhi yu da fan”; here I follow the various scholars’ editions. Wang (an old commentator) says that fan means “luxuriant and numerous,” read with the fanqie fù-yuán; Xiaosong (an old commentator) says that fan means “carriage ear,” read with the fanqie fū-yuán. Sima Guang holds that “carriage ears” are the two side boards (fan) on either side of the carriage box; “reaching the carriage ears” means being so full and overflowing that it manifests outwardly.

The Fifth Praise (ciwu; in the Taixuan, a “praise” is the unit of line statement) says, “What is stored is not full; the thief does not profit.” The Ce statement (the text explaining the Praise) says, “When the store is full, the thief profits; it returns to harm oneself.” Wang’s edition has jian for cang; here I follow the various editions. Cang is read with the fanqie cú-làng and means storehouse. The Fifth Praise occupies an honored position and receives abundant blessing, yet it does not devote itself to bestowing virtue; instead it keeps accumulating, which is exactly what becomes profit for thieves. Qin stored grain at Aocang (a Qin granary), which later became a prize in the Chu-Han struggle; Sui stored grain at Luokou (a Sui granary), which was later exploited by Li Mi (a rebel leader at the end of Sui)—both belong to this category.

The Sixth Praise says, “Great fullness and great bestowal; gaining people without opposition.” The Ce statement says, “Great fullness and great bestowal: this is what people come for.” Wang’s edition has fang for kang; here I follow the various editions. Shi is read with the fanqie shì-chǐ. Wang says: The Sixth Praise occupies a flourishing position; it obtains the time and corresponds to daylight. What it has accumulated is greatly full, and it can bestow widely, succoring the myriad things; therefore people’s hearts all attach to it, and its way is inexhaustible. Sima Guang says: When wealth is dispersed, people gather; therefore one gains people. Kang means “enemy” or “opponent.” The Book of Songs says, “There is none to contend with the man who has the people”; thus he is without rival in the world.

The Seventh Praise says, “Chief and conspicuous, jade and silk displayed, deciding to gratify desire invites bandits.” The Ce statement says, “Chief and conspicuous: this is what attracts thieves.” Fan’s edition has shou for zhao, and Wang’s edition has kuai for jue; here I follow the two Song, Lu, and Wang editions. Kui means “coming forth first”; yan means “conspicuous”; ban means “arranged in order.” The Seventh Praise is the beginning of misfortune and meets with night; continually accumulating, standing out first and shining, displaying jade and silk—although it may satisfy a moment’s desire, it does not realize that thieves will come afterward.

The Eighth Praise says, “Accumulating goodness and encountering timely misfortune: it is the crime of one’s forebears.” The Ce statement says, “Accumulating goodness and encountering timely misfortune is not one’s own fault.” In the Xiaosong edition, chen is written zhan; here I follow the various editions. Chen means “time.” To practice good and accumulate virtue yet meet with timely misfortune is caused by the crimes of one’s forebears; the Ce statement says that accumulating goodness and meeting timely misfortune is not one’s own fault.

A household that accumulates unvirtuousness will surely leave calamity behind. The eighth Zan lies amid calamity; when divining, one should precisely draw this Zan. Even if one has oneself accumulated goodness but encounters the calamity of the times, it is also because one’s forebears were guilty. Upper Nine: the petty person continually accumulates faults, and the harm reaches descendants. The Ce text says: when the petty person accumulates evil deeds, calamity will pile up. Collation note: where the text has “miao,” the Wang edition reads “wang”; the Xiaosong edition reads “di” (pronounced di); the present text follows the Song, Lu, and Fan editions and reads “miao.” The rare graph “wei” is the ancient form of the common graph “wei.” Fan Wang says: when evil deeds are great, they may even extend to the households of descendants. Sima Guang says: when accumulated evil reaches its utmost and the calamity one meets reaches its limit, that is where calamity has gathered, and so it extends to later descendants. The Shou titled Shi belongs to the third Fang, first Zhou, third Bu, and first family.

Yang-family Fire corresponds to the Bi hexagram (here “correlation” is the Tai Xuan term for matching a Head with a Zhouyi hexagram; the Bi hexagram governs adornment). Entering the eighth Zan of the “Shi” (Adornment) Head, calendrically it is thirty-six fen and fifteen miao, corresponding to the solar term Autumn Equinox, and therefore it also correlates with the Dui hexagram. The Dui hexagram symbolizes mouth and tongue; thus “Shi” has the image of abundant speech and embellishment through words. Yin is white and Yang is black; yin and yang each attend to their office, and both going out and coming in have adornment. In the original text the character is jue; various scholars sometimes read it as qi, and here I follow the editions of Song, Lu, and others. Mr. Song says: Yin qi goes forth and governs above, so white is used as adornment; Yang qi enters within and governs below, so black is used as adornment. Mr. Lu says: Yin governs the west, hence it is called white; Yang retreats to the north, hence it is called black. Mr. Wang says: White is manifestation, black is concealment. White and black each complete their forms; this is the symbolism of “Shi.”

The first Zan says: To speak yet seem not to speak, not relying on words. The Ce commentary says: To speak without speaking is to be silent and yet trustworthy. In Wang’s edition the Zan text reads only “to speak not by words”; here I follow the various scholars. The first Zan is the beginning of thought and also corresponds to day (in the Tai Xuan the Zan have a distinction of day and night; day symbolizes the bright and correct Way). The noble person guards utmost sincerity within, is deep and silent yet trustworthy, and takes not speaking as speaking; the reason is that without speaking he can win trust. Confucius said: What does Heaven say? The four seasons proceed as usual, and the hundred things grow as usual.

The second Zan says: Without plain substance yet seeking adornment, one first has literary brilliance and later loses the proper garment one wore. The Ce commentary says: Without substance yet putting adornment first, one will lose the correct Way. In Wang’s edition the word zhen meaning “constancy” is written as zhen meaning “truth”; here I follow the various scholars. Mr. Wang says: Lacking substance yet wishing to seek adornment, though one first displays literary brilliance to others, afterward one will surely lose what one wore. Sima Guang says: The second Zan is within thought and also corresponds to night (night symbolizes darkness and deviation). The petty person has no honesty within and engages only in outer adornment; at first the literary brilliance is indeed beautiful, but in the end he loses the proper garment. “Garment” is used to describe the outward manifestation of virtue.

The third Zan says: To spit out words that are central and correct (yellow is the color of centrality and correctness), to restrain the writing brush (yu refers to the brush), it is beneficial to see a wise and discerning person. The Ce commentary says: The utility of the tongue and brush lies in being beneficial for being understood by those with insight.

In terms of textual collation: the Song, Lu, and Fan editions write “tu huang she” as “tu huang qiu she”; here the reading follows the Xiaosong edition and reads “tu huang she.” The Song and Lu editions write “qian” as “gan”; here the reading follows the Fan, Wang, and Xiaosong editions and reads “qian.” “Qian” is pronounced by the fanqie “qu lian qie” and means “to hold or grasp”; the graph zhi meaning “to know” is interchangeable with the graph zhi meaning “wisdom”; “yu” means “brush.” When the noble person issues words and composes writings, he does not deviate from the way of centrality and correctness; only the wise can understand it, while the foolish are not worth addressing with such matters. The Fa Yan says: Words are the sound of the heart, and writing is the picture of the heart; once the sound and picture appear, the noble person and the petty person are revealed.

“Ci Four: ‘A beneficial tongue, wawa; this is the merchant’s zhen.’ The Ce says: ‘The zhen of wawa is beneficial for merchants.’” Here “Ci Four” is the fourth zan in one shou of the Taixuan (a zan is roughly equivalent to a yao position in the Zhouyi), and the “Ce” is the text that explains the zan statements. Textually, the Song and Lu editions have “li she wawa” as “she wawa,” while the Fan and Xiaosong editions have “li kou wawa”; here the reading follows the Wang edition. “Wa” is pronounced by the fanqie “wu jia qie.” Wang’s commentary says: To display and hawk one’s wares with embellished and empty words—this is why it is the merchant’s “zhen,” not the noble person’s proper way. Sima Guang holds that the fourth position belongs to wealth and encounters “night” (in Taixuan divination there is a distinction between day and night; night mostly indicates misfortune or impropriety), and so this image arises.

“Ci Five: Words below are like water, filled by the Heavenly Female. The Ce says: The water of words below can rush onward by itself.” The Wang edition has “pin” as “bi”; here the reading follows the editions of the various commentators. Xiaosong’s commentary says: Though firm and strong and occupying the middle position, one can still harbor humility, listen to upright discussion, and follow remonstrance like flowing water—where would there be words one cannot accommodate? Sima Guang holds that “pin” means valley and “tian pin” refers to the sea. The fifth position occupies a honored place and encounters “day,” so one can place oneself humbly to receive others’ words. In this way people vie to tell him the good way, like water flowing into the sea. The sea, because it lies low, is rushed upon by the hundred rivers and so achieves its greatness; the ruler, because he is humble, has all good return to him and so achieves his sagely clarity.

“Ci Six: Words cannot be chased back; or perhaps they fly away; the great person raises thunderous wind. The Ce says: Words cannot be chased back; or perhaps they are spread abroad.” “Great person” refers to one who occupies a noble position. The sixth position exceeds the middle and encounters “night”; this is a person who loses words. If one word is spoken wrongly, a team of four horses cannot chase it back, hence “words cannot be chased back.” What one wishes to clarify but instead makes more muddled is the tongue. The “32” at the end should be a page number or similar marker and is not part of the meaning of the main text.

This passage discusses how words, once spoken, are hard to recall, and how a minister’s remonstrance must depend on timing and on the person addressed. At the beginning it says: though one may wish to hold the words back, they have already flown out; therefore this belongs to “night” (in the Taixuan, day is auspicious and night inauspicious; here it signifies the image of a slip of the tongue) and constitutes a slip of speech. Once a single word is misspoken, even a team of four horses cannot chase back the tongue; hence it says, “Words cannot be chased back.” To try to clear things up with the tongue only makes them murkier; to try to suppress them, the words have already scattered—hence it says, “Even restrained, they fly.” How much more so for one who holds the power of reward and punishment: his words come as swiftly as wind and thunder and can determine the weal or woe of others—how could he fail to be cautious?

The seventh appraisal (the seventh of the nine appraisals in the Taixuan) says: when it is not the time to speak out, one should use subtle and gentle words; otherwise one will be suspected by those above. The Ce commentary says: if one speaks when it is not appropriate to speak, how can one make one’s meaning manifest in straightforward speech? Fan Wang’s commentary says that “ding” means “dang” (appropriate): one may only offer gentle, breeze-like indirect criticism, not make things clear and exposed. Sima Guang says: seven is the beginning of misfortune, yet this appraisal corresponds to “day.” When a gentleman serves a tyrant, it is not a time for blunt speech; therefore he uses only subtle words for indirect admonition. If he makes his meaning clear and exposed, the ruler will certainly become suspicious. Confucius said, “The gentleman first wins trust and then remonstrates; if he has not won trust, [the ruler] will regard it as slander of himself.” That is, one should first gain trust and only then remonstrate; to remonstrate before trust is gained will be taken as slander.

The eighth appraisal says: the cicada chirps yongyong (yongyong: continuous and unceasing, like earnest instruction), and blood flows from its mouth. The Ce commentary says: “The cicada chirps yongyong”—this is the mouth injuring itself. Diao is the same as tiao, that is, the cicada; Wang’s commentary says the cicada is a creature skilled at chirping. Sima Guang says: eight is situated amid misfortune and also corresponds to “night.” When the ruler does not accept remonstrance and the minister stubbornly clamors at them with words, he will either suffer humiliation or punishment. Like a cicada chirping without stop, even if blood comes from its mouth, who will still listen to it? It merely injures itself.

The top nine says: “White tongue, yuyu” (empty mouth and white tongue, slowly unceasing), in the end it curls back at the root of the tongue; the gentleman will not believe such words. The Ce commentary says, “White tongue, yuyu”—such empty talk is indeed something to be taken as a long-lasting warning. Here the Song and Lu editions have slight textual variants, but the general meaning remains a warning against merely indulging in glib speech.

This passage is Sima Guang’s collation and commentary, in his Collected Commentaries on the Taixuan Jing, on the “Doubt” shou (a chapter heading in the Taixuan; it is positioned under the third fang, first zhou, third bu, and second jia). The collation note says: the Wang edition writes “yuyu” as “gangan,” and its ce-text reads “words are not trusted”; the Xiao Song edition reads “the white tongue is not white; it bends at the root” (bai she bu bai, yu qu yu gen); the present text follows the Fan edition. “Fou” and “bu” are synonymous, and the pronunciation gloss is fangjiu fanqie; “yuyu” describes a bent, curved appearance. “Nine” is the extreme of calamity, yet it falls under “day” (in the Taixuan, “day” belongs to yang and is auspicious). When a noble person lives in an age without the Dao (the Way) and his words are not trusted, he should simply curl his tongue and keep his mouth closed; this is indeed a way that can be practiced for the long term. The Yi says, “When words are not trusted, to prize the mouth leads to exhaustion”: that is, when one’s words are not believed, resorting to clever speech and argument will instead bring hardship.

This passage discusses the temporal position and divinatory judgments of the “Doubt” header in the Taixuan Jing (Yang Xiong’s book modeled on the Zhouyi). This header, “Yin-family Wood,” also corresponds to the Bi hexagram of the Zhouyi; the Bi hexagram chiefly concerns adornment, whereas here the main theme is doubt, hence the saying “That is adornment; this is doubt.” Entering the fourth line, Ci Si, of the “Doubt” header, the sun travels to the Kang mansion (one of the twenty-eight lunar mansions). Old commentaries by Song, Lu, Wang, and others take this image to be the Xun hexagram; Mr. Fan takes it to be the Zhen hexagram; Sima Guang considers both incorrect.

“Yin-Yang grind against each other; all things are carved and scattered; it seems so and yet not so”: Yin and Yang mutually grind, and all things are carved, injured, and scattered, so that it appears both right and not right. The character is read with the fanqie wu-dui; Mr. Song says that when things cut and grind one another it is called wei. At this time Yin and Yang grind together; their power and allotment are evenly matched, and day and night are equal. Mr. Lu says that “carved” means injured and “scattered” means dispersed; although Yin is lowly, it takes charge of affairs, and although Yang is noble, it retires and is set aside, so it seems right but is not, causing doubt. Sima Guang notes: From the perspective of Qi movement, it seems that Yin is right and Yang is wrong; from the perspective of the nature of things, it seems that Yang is right and Yin is wrong; hence doubt arises.

First One: “Doubtful and confused, he loses uprightness and straightness.” The appraisal says: How can an incorrect doubt be settled? “Huihui” describes a confused and muddled appearance; “shi” means upright and straight. Sima Guang says: First One is the beginning of thought, yet it encounters “night” (the Taixuan uses day and night to distinguish Yin and Yang, brightness and darkness; night is dark and obscure); the petty person’s mind is not upright, he is full of doubt and lacks decisiveness, and in the end has no fixed standard.

Second Two: “In doubt, one turns back to oneself; sincerity is not far.” The appraisal says: To doubt and reflect on oneself is to return to clarity and stillness. Second Two lies in the midst of thought; its main tendency is reversal, and it encounters “day” (brightness). When the noble person has doubts, he should set aside profit and desire, calm love and hatred, make the mind clear and still, and seek within himself. If something accords with righteousness, he carries it out; if it does not, he abandons it. If he resolves doubt in this way, how far from correctness could he be?

Third Three: “In doubt, one forces illumination; receiving compassion, one is grieved and worried, at the ancestral source of the heart.” This means: forcing clarity amid doubt, receiving compassionate pity while being endlessly anxious, one should return to the source of one’s own heart and seek there.

The Ce statement says, “Doubt and forced illumination: the center is dark.” Where the mind has doubts yet forcibly seeks clarity, inwardly it is benighted. The Fan edition has a variant character here; I now follow the Song, Lu, and Wang editions. “Qiang” is read with the fanqie qi-liang. Wang’s commentary says: To have doubts yet force understanding, to be in darkness yet force brightness, one will naturally suffer grief at the root of the mind (“zu” means root). Sima Guang says: The third line symbolizes Cheng Yi (“Completing Intent”) and falls on a night position (in the Taixuan, day is bright and correct, night is dark and obscure), hence this image. Confucius says: “To know when you know, and when you do not know, that is wisdom.” The Quli says: “In doubtful matters, do not make a positive judgment.”

The fourth line: “Doubt; investigate the old; meet with upright sincerity.” The Ce statement says, “Doubt and investigate the old: first ask.” Wang’s commentary says: When there is doubt in the mind, one investigates and examines the old statutes to clarify it, and the doubt will surely be resolved. Sima Guang says: The fourth line symbolizes outward seeking, orderly and penetrating, and it also falls on a day position, hence this image. Both old statutes and old people may be consulted; if in consulting one meets with correct sincerity, one may follow it. Confucius says: When in doubt, one thinks of asking.

The fifth line: “Reddish yellow; one suspects gold within.” The Ce statement says, “Reddish yellow and suspecting within: evil seizes the correct.” In the Song and Lu editions the graph is written xia, a character not found in dictionaries; the Fan edition writes fang; I now follow the Wang and Chen editions. The graph is read with the fanqie tu-dong. Fan’s commentary says it is red; Wang’s commentary says it is the same as tong (“red”). Wang also says: Though it occupies a flourishing position, it is in a yin place and falls on a night position; it cannot analyze what is doubtful. Seeing a red-yellow color, it suspects there is gold in it. Xiao Song’s commentary says: “The graph is pronounced xiong; it is realgar stone. Its red-yellow color is lustrous and brilliant, and so one suspects there is fine gold (gold of good quality) within it.” Sima Guang says: The fifth line occupies an honored position but falls on a night position; it is doubtful and unclear. Great flattery resembles loyalty, and therefore evil can seize the correct.

The sixth line: “The oath is upright and can be heeded; where there is doubt, then there is sincerity.” The Ce statement says, “The oath is upright and can be heeded: it makes clear the king’s command.” Wang’s commentary says: The sixth line obtains its position and falls on a day position; it can dispel the doubts of the multitude. With the upright Dao it admonishes and swears, and people can all heed, thereby distinguishing what perplexes them. If any still have doubts and are not awakened, then the Dao of sincere clarity runs through them, upright and heeded; this is precisely the bright manifestation of the king’s command.

This passage explains several lines of the “Doubt” (Yi) section of the Taixuan Jing. In the Taixuan, “day” (zhou) is bright and auspicious, while “night” (ye) is dark and inauspicious. Wang says (an old commentary): The sixth line occupies the proper position and corresponds to day, so it can dispel the doubts of the multitude. By using proclamations and oaths—announcements and covenants—to rectify people’s hearts, all can be made to obey, and thus what confuses them is clarified. If doubts still remain and are not understood, one should penetrate them with the way of sincerity and clarity, so that the foolish and deluded are all dissolved; this is declaring the king’s command in order to settle the doubts of the multitude. Sima Guang says: Only when people’s feelings are doubtful are oaths established; when the oath is upright, people can obey. If after the oath doubts remain, one should clarify them with utmost sincerity. With sincerity, people submit; without sincerity, they do not. The sixth line belongs to “Upper Blessing” (Shanglu), and so it is called the “king’s command.”

The seventh line: Ghosts and spirits are doubtful and emit moaning sounds; shooting birds in trees and foxes in burrows, ears and eyes are inverted, and there is danger and peril. The appraisal text says: The doubts of ghosts and spirits are truly not to be trusted. Sima Guang says: Ghosts and spirits are indistinct, as if present and as if absent, truly doubtful; yet crows are never not black and foxes never not red, so they are originally easy to distinguish. To see with the eyes and hear with the ears is the normal principle. The seventh line is loss of purpose, diminution, and damage, and also corresponds to night; one is already unclear oneself, and those who are confused are numerous, so, like a ghost or spirit, one cannot discriminate and can only sigh. Crows and foxes are easy to distinguish, yet even they, because of gain and loss, cannot avoid doubt; when one’s own ears and eyes cannot be trusted, but instead one uses the ears to see and the eyes to hear, of course there is danger.

The eighth line: Amid inversion and doubt one meets a dry guest; for three years one does not tire of him. The appraisal text says: Meeting a guest amid inversion and doubt is very worthy of respect. “Shooting” is read as “yi”; Fan’s commentary says, “Shooting means to be weary of,” that is, to reject or grow tired of. The top nine: Doubtful and without anything to trust, one draws the bow and aims at a deer, yet gains nothing. The appraisal text says: Doubt without trust ultimately yields no achievement worth naming. Fan’s commentary says: “Without trust” means there is nothing that can be trusted.

Drawing a bow and aiming at an elk, yet still saying there is no target—this is doubt taken to its extreme. Sima Guang says: When the nine appraisals reach the ninth, doubt is at its extreme, and so this image appears; hesitating and remaining unresolved from beginning to end, one will ultimately fail to establish a reputation.

“Third Region, First Province, Third Division, Third Family: Shi” is a positional marker in the Taixuan: the third region, first province, third division, third family, and the section heading is named “Shi” (Viewing). Shi belongs to the Yang family, is correlated with Metal among the Five Phases, and is modeled on the Guan hexagram of the Zhouyi. Yin Qi congeals to form the moon’s po, while Yang Qi generates bi (the maternal body, the root of birth and generation); by this the forms and appearances of the ten thousand things can all be seen. Wang’s commentary says: At this time the forms and appearances of the ten thousand things have already taken shape and all become manifest; if one doubts and does not decide, one will certainly fail to establish a name. At the end it again marks “Third Region, First Province, Third Division, Third Family: Shi,” still indicating the position of the Shi heading.

This first heading belongs to the Yang family, corresponds to Metal among the Five Phases, and matches the Guan (Contemplation) hexagram of the Zhouyi. At the autumn equinox, yin qi forms the moon's dark body and yang qi forms its mate (the graph bi should be pi, read with the fanqie pi-ji, meaning “to match”); yin and yang are each half and thus pair with one another, and the shapes and appearances of the ten thousand things all take form and become visible. Wang Ya's commentary says: at this time the forms and appearances of the ten thousand things have already been completed, and all can be seen. Sima Guang says: at the autumn equinox the yin qi is like the moon completing its dark body; “bi” should be “pi,” a spouse; yin and yang are divided in half and become a pair.

First One: keeping brightness stored within, not using its radiance outwardly. The Ceci (appraisal verse) says: employing brightness inwardly is peering deeply into oneself. Fan Wang says: when the heart reflects inward and one feels no shame, what worry or fear could remain? Sima Guang says: the One is the beginning of thought, and it also falls in the daytime; one should draw in one's eyesight and illuminate the interior, not make use of outward light.

Second Two: the junzi (noble person) looks at what is within, the petty person looks at what is without. The Ceci says: the petty person looks outward and cannot see the inner mind. Whether the body flourishes or decays, whether a person is worthy or unworthy—all is like this.

Third Three: observe his De (Virtue); he can bear the kingdom's backbone. The Ceci says: observing virtue as the backbone, his capacity is complete. Three is “completed intention” and also “the advancing person”; it falls in the daytime, so De is complete and takes form outwardly. Hence the king, observing the measure of a man's virtue, confers rank accordingly and makes him a backbone of the state.

Fourth Four says again: applying cosmetics to the kingdom; the Ceci says: observing virtue as the backbone, his capacity is complete. Three is completed intention and also the advancing person; it falls in the daytime, De being complete and taking form outwardly; therefore the king, according to the measure of virtue, assigns rank and makes him a backbone of the state. Fourth Four also says: powdering the forehead, the rain soaks the beard, and it does not look beautiful. The Ceci says: powder on the forehead and rain on the beard—it is not fit to be looked at squarely (the graph ren here follows the editions of Fan and Wang; the Wang edition reads shun, and the minor Song edition has a graph read with the fanqie pi-jiong, denoting a face without color; here the Fan edition is followed). Fan Wang says: “ti” means the forehead; the graph read with the fanqie bo-bian refers to the face; “shu” means fine. Sima Guang says: Four corresponds to the color white, to a low salary, and to an “outer other”; it is the petty person who embellishes his outward appearance and thereby obtains salary and position; pretense long sustained must fail, as when one powders the forehead and meets rain that soaks the beard, so that to bystanders it does not look fine at all.

Sima Guang believed that “the four colors are white” symbolizes lower-grade emolument and outward ostentation; it is the image of a petty person obtaining rank and emolument by cosmetic embellishment of appearances. Prolonged disguise will inevitably be exposed, like applying powder to the forehead and then meeting rain: the powdery water runs down and wets the beard; how could onlookers still see anything beautiful?

“Second Five: Phoenixes in profusion; their virtue is radiant. The Commentary says: Phoenixes in profusion; the light of virtue is bright.” Here the character hao is written shi in the Xiao Song edition; the present text follows the various editions. The fifth occupies an exalted position, receives abundant blessing, and also corresponds to “day” (the Taixuan takes day to mean timeliness and brightness), symbolizing the king’s abundant virtue and radiance, with auspicious omens arriving in profusion; hence the many phoenixes. Jia Yi said: The phoenix soars a thousand ren high in the sky and flies down only when it sees the radiance of virtue.

“Second Six: Plain carriage with kingfisher canopy; looking at it brings harm; steadfastness. The Commentary says: Plain carriage and kingfisher canopy are merely attractive on the outside.” The sixth occupies an upper-grade emolument position but corresponds to “night” (loss of timeliness, darkness). A petty person without virtue enjoys emolument; outwardly attractive but inwardly ugly, like riding a plain carriage with a kingfisher canopy: if one looks only at the exterior, it is splendid, but inwardly there is no refined virtue. “Steadfastness” means: if one observes only the exterior, one will suffer harm; one should view it with rectitude, and beauty and ugliness will naturally be clearly distinguished.

“Second Seven: Look at its flaws, and there will be no defilement. The Commentary says: Looking at its flaws, one can correct oneself.” The Xiao Song edition has wang for wu; the present text follows the various editions. Wang says: The seventh occupies a place of excessive fullness, yet it obtains its position and corresponds to day; it can accord with the times and reflect on its flaws. If one is cautious and fearful before misfortune has sprouted, blame and regret will not arise, and ultimately there will be no defilement. Sima Guang held that the seventh is the beginning of misfortune and yet corresponds to day; that is why it can examine itself in this way.

“Second Eight: The kingfisher in flight loses its wings; the fur of the fox and marten is a thief to the body. The Commentary says: The kingfisher and fox-marten, fond of display, bring blame.” “Marten” is read as diao. Fan says: Each, because of its beautiful colors and the usefulness of its fur, invites fatal disaster. The wording in the Xiao Song edition differs slightly. The general meaning is: the kingfisher is caught because its wings are beautiful, and the fox and marten are harmed because their fur is precious; a fondness for showing off external ornament and display is precisely the cause of inviting disaster.

Fan's commentary says: Birds and beasts each, because their feathers and markings are useful to people, ultimately invite the calamity of death. Xiao Song's commentary says: The net is cast over its wings; it is harmed precisely because of its wings. Sima Guang comments: In the Taixuan numbers, “eight” lies within misfortune, and also meets the night division (night belongs to Yin); outward attractiveness becomes precisely one's own disaster. Mencius said that Pen Chengkuo (a person's name) had a little talent but had not heard the great Way of the gentleman; this alone was enough to bring about his death.

The Top Nine line statement says: The sun conceals its radiance, yet shines back in the east, thereby looking back to its beginning. The Ce statement (the explanation in the Taixuan analogous to the Small Image commentary in the Yi) says: The sun sets in the west and shines in the east; at the end it reviews the beginning. Fan's commentary says: “Bi” is yellow-white. Xiao Song's commentary says: When the sun is about to set, it shines in the east. Sima Guang comments: Top Nine occupies the endpoint of the “Shi” head and also corresponds to the day division; when the gentleman cultivates virtue and establishes merit, he must be as cautious at the end as at the beginning. As the sun is about to set, it reflects back toward the east. The Zhouyi says: “Looking at one's treading, one examines the auspices; when it returns, there is great good fortune” (reviewing one's conduct to examine good and ill; returning to the right path brings great good fortune).

“Three Directions, Two Provinces, One Section, One Family, Shen 39” is an organizational marker in the Taixuan, indicating that this passage belongs to the “Shen” head (the 39th head) of the Three Directions, Two Provinces, One Section, and One Family.

The Chen Head belongs to the Yin-family Water and is also correlated with the Guan hexagram of the Zhouyi; in the calendrical sequence it enters the fourth position of Chen, and the sun lodges in Di (the lunar mansion assigned by the Taixuan calendar). “Chen” means to look downward. Most old commentators took it to imitate the Dui hexagram, but Sima Guang considered this incorrect. This Head speaks of Yin longing for Yang and Yang longing for Yin, with both intentions fixed on the “Xuangong” (the Northern Water Palace, also meaning the dark and mysterious palace). Song Zhong said that “huai” means longing: Yin and Yang have each been moving separately for a long time, and by mid-autumn they long for each other; therefore the aspirations of both are in Xuangong.

First One: “Sinking the ear within the boudoir, one does not hear uprightness.” The Ce text (the explanation of the praise text) says: Sinking the ear within the boudoir, one loses the fundamental substance of De. Fan Wang’s commentary: The first position corresponds to the ear; the ear is in water, and so it is called “chen.” Sima Guang held: The first position is lower-lower and occupies night; the petty person loves to hide his ears in the women’s quarters to eavesdrop and pry into others’ private affairs, and so cannot hear the gentleman’s proper Way. The gentleman, by contrast, wears a cap with hanging beads that block the ears; he need not peer or listen, and yet the myriad things naturally have nothing to conceal.

Second Two: “Sinking the gaze and seeing oneself is better than the sidelong glance of the one-eyed.” The Ce text says: What is seen by sinking the gaze is upright and beautiful. Fan Wang’s commentary: The second position corresponds to the eye; since it is in the Chen family, it is “sinking the gaze.” Xiao Song said: “miao” is blindness in one eye, and “mian” is a sidelong look. Sima Guang held: The second position lies in the midst of thought and occupies day; turning inward in quiet stillness to examine oneself, one sees one’s own good and evil and attains upright beauty. This is better than the petty person who cannot examine himself inwardly but peers sideways at others’ right and wrong, like a one-eyed person who is himself unclear yet fond of looking askance.

Third Three: “Sinking into beauty, one loses uprightness.” The Ce text says: Sinking into beauty is equivalent to becoming deaf and blind. Fan Wang’s commentary: “Shi” means uprightness. Sima Guang held: The third position lies above thought and occupies night; the petty person sinks into the beauty of sounds and colors and loses his upright nature.

Laozi says, “The five tones deafen the ears, and the five colors blind the eyes.” This means that if what one hears and sees is not set right, one is like the deaf and blind.

The fourth line: The yuanchu (a kind of phoenix) gazes down deeply, eats bitter things, and keeps to the upright. The appraisal says: The yuanchu gazing down means it has a proper method in choosing food. Wang says the yuanchu belongs to the phoenix category. Sima Guang says: Four is the position of low stipend and corresponds to day; the gentleman chooses his stipend before eating, keeps a bitter discipline, and follows the right Way—like a phoenix looking down on states in the four directions that possess the Dao: it will not eat unless it is bamboo seed, and it must choose a place where it can eat before settling.

The fifth line: The eagle-hawk soars high, sinks its belly, loves to conceive but hates to nurture. The appraisal says: The eagle-hawk soaring high has its intention on rotten grain. Mr. Wu says that the square mark is the ancient graph for “pregnant”; the graph for “gruel” is interchangeable with “nurture”; “love” and “hate” are to be read literally. Sima Guang says: Five occupies an honored position and corresponds to night; it seems to look high, but its aspiration is base. Like the eagle-hawk, a fierce bird, its flight is not low, yet it looks down at a rotting rat, its will set on seizing it to fill its belly; at first it seems good, but in the end it becomes evil. Therefore it says, “it loves to conceive but hates to nurture.”

The sixth line: Seeing millet piled up, one understands in one’s heart; it is beneficial to offer it to the ruler through the right Way. The appraisal says: Seeing millet as if piled up, its Way is bright.

The seventh line: With vision as clear as Lilou (the ancient sharp-sighted man), one yet takes red meat and attracts owls (evil birds)—there is danger. The appraisal says: Lilou sees red meat; what he eats is not good. Seven belongs to red, has the function of brightness, and its category belongs to feathers; seven is also loss of resolve and corresponds to night. Even if one is as discerning as Lilou, to take the red meat as soon as one sees it is to get an evil bird instead; to eat without choosing one’s stipend is a dangerous way.

The eighth line: Hoping and obtaining medicine, it is beneficial to travel. The appraisal says: Hoping to get its medicine, it is beneficial to set out and advance.

The Fan Wang edition and the Xiaosong edition write “li zheng” as “zheng li”; here I follow the Song, Lu, and Wang editions and read “li zheng.” Ci Eight is situated amid misfortune and falls on “day,” hence the statement about obtaining medicine and being beneficial for verification. The Shang Nine praise statement says: Blood is like a ridge, sinking down to the forehead; in front one sees a corpse, behind there is mourning. The Ce commentary says: Blood has just sunk to the forehead; ultimately, because of greed, one is ruined and dies. In the Song and Lu editions this sentence reads, “Like blood, like hardness, it sinks into the forehead”; the Wang edition reads, “Like blood, like a ridge, it sinks into the forehead”; the Xiaosong edition reads, “Like blood, like a ridge, sunk into the forehead”; here I follow the Fan edition. Wang says: The roads of peril and ruin come in succession, hence “a corpse in front and mourning behind.” Sima Guang says: Blood may be compared to fat and moisture; “hardness” should be “ridge”; “sinking” has the image of plundering profit; Shang Nine is the image of disaster at its extreme, the exhaustion of ills, and the forehead. The fishing for profit does not stop; squeezing out the people’s fat and moisture, amassing wealth like a ridge, and not knowing to stop even when it has submerged the forehead—thus danger and ruin follow one after another. “Within the third fang, second zhou, first bu, second jia” is a structural marker indicating the fang, zhou, bu, and jia to which that passage belongs.

This passage belongs to the “Nei” shou of the Taixuan; “Nei” symbolizes the household. This shou belongs to the Yang-family Fire and corresponds to the Guimei category in the Yijing (the original text writes the name with a variant form). In the calendar, it enters the third [position] of the Nei shou at 13 fen 22 miao; the sun travels to the Dahuo station, corresponding to the Cold Dew solar term; the Big Dipper is established at the xu position, and the pitch pipe corresponds to Wuyi (fen and miao are division units in the Taixuan calendar). At this time yin qi emerges from within to without and yang qi enters from without to within; the myriad things reach the time of completion and gathering in. Song Zhong comments: “ji” means to exhaust, to complete.

First One: Be cautious in marriage (yi, an ancient form of fei, meaning spouse); keep upright at the beginning, and there will be peace later. The Ce text says: Being cautious in marriage means governing the politics of the women within the household (one edition has “shi nü zheng” in place of “zhi nü zheng”). Fan Wang comments: If one carefully chooses a spouse, the way of man and woman is correct, and the household is at peace. Sima Guang says: “Nei” symbolizes the family; First One occupies the beginning of the Nei shou, and so a warning is given. He cites the initial nine of Jiaren in the Yijing, “Xian you jia, hui wang”—that is, when precautions are properly taken at the beginning of household management, regret disappears.

Second Two: If the mistress of the household (neizhu, meaning the wife) acts perversely, she will be far from the place of peace (yu means far; huang means center; Xiao Song uses the “bed” as a metaphor for the place where one settles). The Ce text says: When the mistress is perverse, she is far from peace.

Third Three: The spouse (yi, a match) grieves, and anxious thoughts are at my western steps (kan means grief). The Ce text says: The spouse’s grief is the feeling of “substituting for the mother” in the wedding ritual: at the personal welcome, the bride ascends the western steps, and there is also the meaning that she will succeed her mother-in-law in presiding over household affairs; this is what stirs the sorrow. Commentators cite the Hunyi: on the day after the wedding, the parents-in-law together feast the bride and perform the one-presentation rite; the parents-in-law first descend by the western steps, precisely indicating that the new bride will take the mother-in-law’s place.

The parents-in-law (jiugu) first descend by the western steps (the guest steps), while the daughter-in-law descends by the eastern steps (the host’s steps). This shows that the daughter-in-law will take over from the mother-in-law in managing household affairs (zhuodai, assuming succession).

Fourth line: Fondness for small profits and fondness for risky conduct; losing the old padded robe (wenpao)—danger. The appraisal says: Loving small things and loving danger is not worthy of glory. Textually, the Fan edition writes yun for wen, and the Wang edition writes bao for pao; here I follow the Song and Lu editions, reading wenpao.

Fifth line: The dragon descends into the mud; the noble man should take a wife (qu, “take,” is interchangeable with qu, “marry”; yi means spouse), encountering an ordinary person of matching family status (yongyi: yong is constant/ordinary; yi is equal/match). The appraisal says: The dragon descending into the mud is yang descending to yin. The Wang edition writes fu for yong; here I follow the various editions. Fan’s commentary says: The dragon symbolizes yang; yang descending to yin is the meaning of personally welcoming the bride. Sima Guang says: In the rite of personally welcoming the bride, the groom drives the bride’s carriage, and the wheel turns three times; this is yang descending to yin. Yong means attaining the constant way; yi means equality.

Sixth line: Flying at dusk, gathering its feathers. Though it wishes to fill the chambers, it does not see the woman. The appraisal says: Gathering feathers at dusk is the inability to restrain oneself (Wang’s commentary means the inability to restrain the inner quarters). Wang’s commentary says: The sixth occupies fullness but loses its position and meets the night, contrary to what is fitting for staying at home; flying at dusk means having no fixed place; gathering feathers means being unable to restrain what is within; though it wishes to fill the palace, its desires are endless; not seeing the woman means losing the way of spouse, and in the end it gains nothing.

Seventh line: Weeds grow on a withered wall; a white-haired man (gao-headed: white but not pure) marries a young wife; there is wealth. The appraisal says: Weeds growing on a withered wall means the myriad things rejoice in obtaining their kind. The Wang edition writes xiu (“sprout/flower”) for you (“weeds”); here I follow the various editions. The Fan and younger Song editions write wu (“do not”) for wu (“things”); here I follow the Song, Lu, and Wang editions. Gao is pronounced hu-jue. Fan’s commentary: White but not pure is called gao. Sima Guang says: Seven is the beginning of misfortune yet corresponds to day; it is decline followed by revival; “there is” means wealth; “things rejoice in their kind” means the feelings of things delight in obtaining their own kind. The Yi says: A withered poplar puts forth sprouts (new buds); an old man gets a young wife; nothing is unfavorable.

Eighth line: The inner quarters cannot control the wife, causing family and state to become desolate and disordered, like wading into deep water that cannot be fathomed. The appraisal says: If within one cannot subdue the wife, it is a calamity for the state.

Collation note: The Fan Wang edition (a commentary edition) writes “bukece” for “buce”; here, following the various editions, it is read as “buce.” “An old man takes a young wife; nothing is unfavorable”: when an older man marries a younger woman, there is nothing unfavorable. Ci Eight: in the household one cannot overcome the woman, causing the household to fall into disorder and bringing calamity to the state; it is like wading into deep water—good fortune and misfortune are unfathomable. The Ce text (explanatory commentary) says: If within one cannot control the wife, this is a calamity for the state. Fan Wang’s commentary: “ke” means “to overcome.” Top Nine: rain falls upon the earth; one cannot make it stop, nor can one make it excessive. The Ce text says: Rain falling upon the earth moistens the myriad things, but there must be moderation. The final line indicates that this passage belongs to the “Qu” head of the Taixuan Jing (composed by Yang Xiong in imitation of the Zhouyi).

The “Yin Family Wood” (Yinjia Mu) shou is modeled on the Wuwang hexagram of the Zhouyi. Han Confucians interpreted “wuwang” as “nothing further to hope for,” so Yang Xiong used “qu” (departing/leaving) to model it. The main appraisal says “reckless action,” and the fourth appraisal says “what is not hoped for”; this combines both meanings. At this time yang leaves its yin and yin leaves its yang; the myriad things all are “tichang” (ti is annotated by the fanqie zhang-liu; chang is pronounced chang), that is, yin and yang each depart and have not yet settled into union, and the myriad things likewise are tichang and do not know where to abide. Wang (a commentator) says: “Ti” is the same as “zhou,” describing the myriad things as rampant and scattered.

First One: Leave this “Numinous Abyss” (Lingyuan) and dwell in that “Withered Garden” (Kuyuan). The appraisal says: To leave the Numinous Abyss is not to hold to humility. Fan (Fan Wang) says: The One is water and occupies the lowest position, hence it is called the Numinous Abyss; leaving the low and proceeding to the high is not the virtue of humility. Xiao Song (a commentator) says: The Withered Garden is like a high and elevated place. Sima Guang says: The trees in the garden are withered; it must be that the terrain is high and lacks water moisture. The First One is at the beginning of “Si” (Thought) and also meets night; the petty person dislikes lowliness and wants to rise high, wishing to leave this place and go to that place, and will surely meet disaster.

Second Two: Leave that Withered Garden and dwell below in the Numinous Abyss. The appraisal says: Dwelling below in the Numinous Abyss, the way of humility becomes radiant. The second is in the middle section of “Si” and also meets day; the noble man thinks of humbling himself and deferring to others, and therefore his way is radiant.

Third Three: Raising one’s steps high and walking up into the hall, there is dew. The appraisal says: High steps with dew are reckless action. In the Fan and Xiao Song editions, “reckless action” is written as “reckless ascent”; in the Wang edition it is written as “peaceful action”; here I follow the Song and Lu editions. Dew moistening a person’s clothes is a symbol of disaster and disgrace. The third is in “Chengyi” (Completed Intention) and meets night; the petty person sees a high position and flocks to it, unaware of falling into disaster and disgrace.

This is Sima Guang’s Collected Commentaries on the Taixuan Jing, a compilation of comments on the Zan statements of the Taixuan and on the explanations of various commentators. “The fourth zan,” “the fifth zan,” and so on are the positions of the zan within a given shou; “the Ce statement says” is an exposition of the Zan statement; “day” and “night” are the temporal positions by which the Taixuan judges auspiciousness and inauspiciousness. Generally, being in the day is auspicious and being in the night is inauspicious.

The fourth zan: The Zan statement says, “Leaving the son and returning to the father; leaving the subject and returning to the ruler.” The Ce statement says, “To leave the son for the father is not what was expected”—that is, this departure was not what had originally been hoped for. The Fan edition has “to leave the father and son”; here the text follows the two Song, Lu, and Wang editions. Wang’s commentary holds: The fourth zan obtains its position and corresponds to day, so departure is appropriate; leaving the son for the father and the subject for the ruler accords with the order of superior and inferior, and thus there will be no blame or regret. Sima Guang says: The fourth zan stands at the beginning of good fortune and also corresponds to day; leaving a low position to obtain an exalted one, the blessing exceeds expectation, and so the Ce statement says “not what was expected.”

The fifth zan: The Zan statement says, “Lifting one’s robes, one walks into the courtyard; in the courtyard there are deer.” The Ce statement says, “Lifting one’s robes and encountering deer is also something to fear”—that is, lifting one’s robes and walking, yet meeting deer, is also worthy of fear. Xiao Song’s commentary notes that qian is pronounced qian and means “to lift.” Sima Guang says: When one lifts one’s robes and walks, there are thorns in the courtyard; deer roaming in the courtyard is the image of a ruined state. The fifth zan occupies a venerable position but corresponds to night; the circumstances are fearful, and it further takes “clothing” as its image. About to lose its position and lose its state, how could one not fear?

The sixth zan: The Zan statement says, “In person he withdraws when the work is accomplished; Heaven leaves behind his name.” The Ce statement says, “He withdraws in person when success is achieved; he yields and does not dwell in it”—that is, when the work is accomplished he retires, yielding and not claiming merit. “Rang” is the ancient form of “to yield”; “yi” is read with the fanqie spelling yi-zui. Fan’s commentary says: The sixth zan is upper emolument; the nature of this shou is governed by “departure.” When the work is accomplished he withdraws, and therefore Heaven leaves behind his good name.

The seventh zan: The Zan statement says, “If one removes the integrity and correctness of one’s virtue, even if one dies three times, one will have no good name.” The Ce statement says, “Remove the integrity of his virtue; in the end he dies in disgrace”—that is, if one abandons the integrity and correctness of virtue, in the end even after death one is covered with a disgraceful name. Fan’s commentary: “Ling” means good. Wang’s commentary: The seventh zan occupies excessive fullness and also loses its position and corresponds to night; departure is not appropriate. The worst is nothing more than discarding the principle of virtue, righteousness, integrity, and correctness; therefore even if one faces death many times, an unwholesome name remains undispersed. “Three” is used to indicate a large number.

The eighth zan takes “the moon high and crescent” as its image, indicating that departure and staying must be appropriate; the commentary once again emphasizes that the greatest evil is nothing other than abandoning virtue, righteousness, integrity, and correctness, for then even in death one leaves behind an evil name.

These are the two appraisals “Ci Ba” (“Second Eight”) and “Shang Jiu” (“Upper Nine”) in the “Hui” section of the Taixuan (Great Mystery), together with the explanations of the commentators. The Taixuan was composed by Yang Xiong in imitation of the Zhouyi (Book of Changes); “Hui” carries the meanings of darkening, decline and lateness, and storage or concealment.

“Ci Ba” says: The moon hangs high like a bowstring, and the Great Fire star (Antares in Scorpio, called “Great Fire” in antiquity) is about to hang at the edge of the sky. At this time one must not act rashly; if one moves, there will be error. The prognostic verse says: “Moon at the bowstring and fire suspended—I fear this will invite blame and fault.” The character ji is read with the fanqie spelling “ju-yi,” also pronounced “qi,” and means “to approach”; xian is the ancient form of “to suspend.” Fan Wang’s commentary says: “The moon high at the bowstring refers to the time after the twentieth day of the lunar month; fire refers to the Great Fire star. The star is about to hang [at the sky’s edge], indicating that the year is drawing to its close. Eight is the position of old age and illness, corresponding to an age of about eighty. Just as the moon in its course becomes ever more dim, and the Great Fire star recedes day by day, when a person reaches the time of retirement and ‘suspending the carriage’ (hanging up the carriage and no longer using it—that is, resigning office and retiring), he should leave norms and standards for later generations; he must not act recklessly and thereby incur fault.” Sima Guang says: “When the Great Fire star travels to midheaven, cold and heat then withdraw; eight is the position of depletion and stripping away; like a person in old age and decline, it is fitting to be still and not to move.”

“Shang Jiu” says: Coming to seek me, one does not obtain me, because I have already departed from the northwest. The prognostic verse says: “Seeking me and not obtaining me—how can this last long?” Xiao Song, citing the Xuantu (Chart of the Mystery), says: “For the generation of yang, nothing is better than the zi position; once it turns toward the northwest, all the goodness of the zi position is lost.” Sima Guang says: “The northwest is a yin position; nine is total exhaustion and annihilation, situated at the extreme of departure and also at night; since it has already departed, seeking it does not obtain it. It is like the sun and the year passing from the west into the north—how can they last long?”

At the end, “Three Regions, Two Provinces, Two Departments, One Family: Hui” indicates that this section belongs to the Three Regions, Two Provinces, Two Departments, One Family and is named “Hui.”

This section belongs to the “Yang family”; among the Five Phases it is paired with Metal, and it corresponds to the Mingyi hexagram in the Zhouyi (Mingyi is the image of light being damaged). At the seventh occurrence of “Hui,” the sun reaches the Fang mansion, one of the twenty-eight lunar mansions. Yin qi rises above yang qi, yang qi retreats below yin qi, and all things lose their brightness. The word “sang” is read in the departing tone and means “to lose.” Wang’s commentary says: All things rely on yang qi to be bright; when yang qi descends, all things lose their brightness.

First One: “Together in darkness, alone he sees the hidden and upright.” The Ce appraisal says: “Together in darkness, alone he sees; within, he alone is illumined.” Everyone dwells together in gloom, but he alone can see what is hidden and upright; in his heart alone there is bright illumination. For the character “zhao” meaning “to illumine,” the Fan and Wang editions read “bright”; here I follow the two Song editions and the Lu edition. Wang’s commentary says: Being in a time of dark obscurity, yet obtaining the proper position and corresponding to daytime, is why it is called “together in darkness, alone he sees”; he can keep himself within the obscure and mysterious without losing the right Way. Sima Guang notes: First One occupies “Si Xia” and also belongs to “Xia Xia”; since it exactly corresponds to daylight, it can alone see the hidden and upright.

Second Two: “Blindly advancing: not.” The Ce appraisal says: “Blindly advancing: not; brightness does not see the Way.” The character “fou” is read with the fanqie fang-jiu and is the same as “bu,” “not.” Wang’s commentary says: Being already in dark obscurity and also losing its position so as to correspond to night, darkness is added to darkness; this is like a blind person still pressing forward, who must surely be anxious about falling. Sima Guang notes: Second Two occupies “Si Zhong” and corresponds to night, and so has this image.

Third Three: “Yin acts, Yang follows; beneficial to undertake action, not inauspicious.” The Ce appraisal says: “Yin acts, Yang follows; the affair is great and external.” For the word “great,” the Fan and Wang editions read “certainly”; here I follow the Song and Lu editions. The meaning is that yin acts first and yang follows after; it is beneficial to undertake action and not inauspicious; the affair extends outward and is vast.

Fourth Four: “Darkening its kind, losing the metal cabinet.” The Ce appraisal says: “Darkening its kind; laws and measures are abandoned.” Fan’s commentary says: Fourth Four belongs to Metal; situated in this sequence and encountering an age of obscurity, it is therefore called “darkening its kind.” Sima Guang notes: Laws and measures are used to secure the state, just as a metal cabinet is used to store metal objects securely. Within a state, when there is obscurity and there is brightness, the laws and measures can still be maintained; but if that side is dark and this side is also dark, each side flattering and illicitly joining the other, and similar kinds gather into a single bloc, then the laws and measures fall into ruin.

The Taixuan regards “night” as dark and unfavorable and “day” as bright and favorable, and it judges good and bad fortune by whether a position is properly obtained or lost. The fourth Zan symbolizes a meager salary and misfortunes coming from outside; since it also occupies the position of “night,” this image appears.

The fifth Zan says: When the sun is exactly at noon and the moon is exactly full, the noble person knows how to conceal himself, and so does not fall into destitution. The Ce text says: At noon and at the full moon, the light may suffer a setback. Wang’s commentary says: The fifth occupies the central position and possesses the Qi of centrality and harmony; it also obtains its position and corresponds to “day.” At the moment of noon and full moon, it can be wary of excess and conceal its traces. Since it understands the principles of waxing and waning, bending and stretching, its Way will not be exhausted.

The sixth Zan says: The dark bird—a bird that knows the seasons, or, some say, the heavenly stem Yi—carries sorrow, and light descends into darkness. The Ce text says: The dark bird grieves because it is about to descend into dimness. Wang’s commentary says: The dark bird is a bird that knows the seasons. The sixth dwells in fullness and repletion, yet loses its position and corresponds to night; this is the image of departing from light and going toward darkness. Xiao Song says: The dark bird is “Yi.” Sima Guang says: The sixth is Kuotian (Expansive Heaven), entering early autumn; hence this image.

The seventh Zan says: “Holding up the light”—lifting a brightness, such as a candle flame—someone follows it and acts accordingly. The Ce text says: “Holding up the light” means that bright virtue will be followed and put into practice by people. Wang’s commentary says: “Qiao” is an ancient form of “xiao” (night). The seventh obtains its position and corresponds to “day”; amid the night it holds up the light to illumine itself, and one who follows it does not lose the Way. “Holding up the light” refers to things like candle fire. Sima Guang says: The seventh is decline and loss; it has the image of night, but because it is a daytime Zan at this point, it is called “holding up the light.” “Virtue” refers to a person of bright virtue. In a dark and benighted age, when a person of bright virtue leads, the multitude follows, as when people obtain a candle flame at night and all follow it. (In various editions, “holding up the light” is sometimes written “qiaoming”; qiao has the sense of poor eyesight. Characters such as “virtue” and “follow” also vary between editions; here the general meaning is adopted.)

The eighth Zan says: Seeing indistinctly, one takes the unreal as real, injures the right eye, and ultimately brings about the destruction of the state and the loss of the family.

This passage belongs to the “Meng” head in the Taixuan Jing (Canon of Great Mystery), the divination book composed by Yang Xiong of the Han dynasty in imitation of the Zhouyi, specifically its Ci Eight, Shang Nine, and their Ce statements, together with Fan Wang’s commentary, Sima Guang’s note, and textual collation.

The Ce statement says: What is seen is not a real thing; instead it injures the eye, and the state thereby perishes. Here “yi” is explained as “injure.” As for the wording, in most editions “zhen” is written as “zhi”; here I follow the Song and Lu editions. In the Ce statements of the various commentators it is mostly written as “shi zhi yi mu”; here I follow Fan Wang’s edition. Fan Wang’s commentary says: “Yi means injury.” Sima Guang holds: the number of Ci Eight corresponds to “ji yu” (illness and stagnation) and “hao” (depletion), and it precisely occupies “night” (in Taixuan divination, night is inauspicious), and so this image arises. The scripture text of Ci Eight says: What is looked at is not a real thing; it injures the right eye, to the point of destroying the state and ruining the family. The Ce statement accordingly says: “Looking at what is not real injures the eye; the state thereby perishes.”

Shang Nine says: Dark and obscure, layer upon layer; favorable to keep correct in an unclear time. The Ce statement says: The reason dark obscurity is favorable is that one cannot shine forth alone. Here the Song, Lu, and Wang editions have “hui zai shang xia” for “hui ming zhi li,” and the Xiao Song edition has “hui ming ming”; now I follow Fan Wang’s edition. Shang Nine is darkness at its utmost, yet it is situated in the position of “day”; the noble person, amid darkness, takes concealment in darkness as his practice, and thus it is sufficient. The Zhouyi says: “There is difficulty within, yet he can rectify his will”—Jizi was such a one. It also says: “Jizi’s Mingyi: favorable to persist in correctness.” Mingyi is the hexagram signifying injured light and obscurity.

“Three Regions, Two Provinces, Two Departments, Two Families: Meng” marks this head’s position in the Taixuan system of regions, provinces, departments, and families; the head name is “Meng.”

Meng (the ancient graph for “dream”; also read as modeng qie) is classified under Yang-family Earth in the Taixuan and likewise imitates the Mingyi hexagram (the image of brightness entering the earth). The calendrical annotation says: “It enters the Pu sequence, sixth, at thirty-one fen, thirteen miao, fifty-nine; the qi of Frost Descent responds. At the eighth, the sun lodges in Xin.” This is the Taixuan calendrical system, showing that the Meng head corresponds to the qi of Frost Descent and that the sun lodges in the Xin mansion. The so-called “Hui” is external darkness; the so-called “Meng” is inner dimness. Someone asks: The second praise of the Hui head says, “Blind advance—no”; is this not inner dimness? The second praise of the Meng head says, “A bright belly flashes at heaven”; is this not external darkness? The answer is: The Heng hexagram can also contain “not constant in one’s virtue,” and the Jie hexagram can also contain “not moderate”; lines and hexagrams are sometimes contrary. Blindness is the opposite of brightness, and brightness is the opposite of Meng. Yin qi moves south, Yang qi moves north; when the myriad things lose luminous rectitude, none is not benighted. The Wu edition writes yan for zheng and says it is the ancient graph for zheng; the Wang edition writes jin, which is wrong. Master Lu says: When Yang qi is in the south, the myriad things appear in the Li hexagram and are bright; now Yang is in the north, and so it is called Meng.

First One: “A dim belly flashes at heaven, but it does not see its boundaries.” The Appraisal says: “A dim belly flashes at heaven—there is nothing it can see.” The Fan edition has fu for both “dim belly” and “bright belly,” and zhen for “boundaries”; here I follow the Two Song, Lu, and Wang editions. Shan is read as shiran qie; zhen is read as zhangren qie, and also pronounced zhen. Master Fan says: Shan means to peer. Master Wang says: Shan means a brief glance. The First One loses its position and falls on night; heart and belly are dim, merely peering at the sky for a moment—how could it know its boundaries? Sima Guang says: Heaven is exceedingly vast and hard to know; the First One is the beginning of thought and also meets night, hence this image.

Second Two: “A bright belly flashes at heaven, and it sees its root.” The Appraisal says: “A bright belly flashes at heaven—within, it alone is bright.” Master Fan says: The second is the eye, hence it is bright; lan means brightness. Master Wang says: It obtains its position and corresponds to day; with a bright and penetrating heart-and-belly it looks up at heaven and will surely exhaust its root. Sima Guang says: The second is the middle stage of thought and also corresponds to day, hence this image.

This passage is Sima Guang’s (a Northern Song scholar) Collected Commentary on the Taixuan Jing, a combined explanation of several scriptural passages, ceci (explanatory remarks on the scriptural text), and old commentaries from “Ci San” through “Ci Liu” in the Taixuan Jing (composed by Yang Xiong of the Han dynasty in imitation of the Zhouyi), with textual variants appended. “Ci” may be understood as the rank or position within each shou; “dang ye” refers to being in an obscure, unmanifest temporal position; “hua” refers to the position of daylight and brightness.

For the scriptural text of Ci San, “The blind music master is led to shoot, but the target is far off,” the ceci says, “When the blind music master is led to shoot, there is no way to accomplish it.” Fan Wang (a Jin-dynasty commentator on the Taixuan) notes: “Shi” is a blind musician (gu zhe); “tun” is interchangeable with “dun,” meaning far; “zhun” is an archery target. The meaning is: to have a blind master teach people archery and moreover set the target far away will of course make it impossible to hit, and the affair cannot be accomplished. Sima Guang says that Ci San symbolizes lofty thought, the advancement and employment of talent, and assistance from the thigh-and-arm (supporting ministers), but it is precisely in the dark temporal position of “night”; it is like a blind master teaching archery with the target far away—he certainly cannot hit. “Tun” written as “dun” is an ancient interchangeable usage; “zhun” is pronounced “zhi yin qie.” Wang’s edition has “dao” as “zun”; the Wang and Xiao-Song editions have “tun” as “dun,” an ancient interchangeable usage; here the reading follows the Song, Lu, and Fan editions.

For the scriptural text of Ci Si, “The mirror is upright and does not cause confusion; it is what people rely on,” the ceci says, “The mirror is upright and does not cause confusion; truly it can be trusted.” This means: when a mirror is upright and clear, it does not cause people to become confused; people can take it as a mirror and have something to rely on. Fan Wang notes: the fourth position belongs to Metal, and so the image is taken from a mirror; if a mirror, being upright, still does not confuse, how much more so when worthy people are obtained to govern together. “Zi” means to take and use. Wang’s commentary says: obtaining the position and being in “day” (the position of brightness), one can make one’s mirror upright and not confuse; not only is one oneself upright, one can also provide others with one’s clarity for their use.

For the scriptural text of Ci Wu, “Turning away from brightness and reversing the light, one encounters darkness and confusion,” the ceci says, “Turning away from brightness and reversing the light, one is rejected by others.” This means: to turn one’s back on brightness and reverse the light’s radiance is to fall into obscurity and confusion, and therefore to be turned away from by others. “Bei” is interchangeable with “bei” (to turn the back); “fan” means to reverse. Wang’s commentary says: Ci Wu is originally in a flourishing position, yet it is in Yin and at night, deluded and not returning, and so it has the image of turning away from brightness. Here the ceci follows Wang’s edition as “one is rejected by others”; there are also variant readings such as “bin” and “pin.”

For the scriptural text of Ci Liu, “In the attachment or encounter of dimness and darkness, it is not fitting to be dazzling,” the ceci says, “In the attachment or encounter of dimness and darkness, the center is not dazzled.” The meaning is: when situated in obscure and unclear attachment or encounter, it is not fitting to display dazzle and confusion outwardly; one’s inner mind must not be dazzled or disordered. Textually, Wang’s edition has “yi” as “ken” (the ancient character for “ken”), and here the reading follows the two Song editions, the Lu edition, and the Fan edition; the Song and Lu editions have “qie” as “gui,” which is a textual variant. The main purport remains that in darkness one must not dazzle or confuse, and the inner mind must not be deluded.

This passage is collation and annotation text from Sima Guang's Collected Commentary on the Taixuanjing. It concerns variant readings among editions, the pronunciation and meaning of characters, and the zan, or praise, phrases of the Taixuan. The Taixuanjing was composed by Yang Xiong of the Han in imitation of the Zhouyi; it has shou, or heads, corresponding to hexagrams, zan, or praises, corresponding to lines, and ce, or appraisals, corresponding to the image statements. The Xiaosong edition, Fan edition, Wang edition, Lu edition, and others are different commentary editions or printed editions.

The collation notes say: the Xiaosong edition writes qie as qi, with the pronunciation gloss ju yi qie, and explains it as a slender-waisted beautiful woman; here we now follow the Fan and Wang editions. The Fan edition has ai ai for bu xuan; the Xiaosong edition has a certain character, with the pronunciation gloss fu shao qie, explained as the appearance of all things withering and falling; here we now follow the Wang edition. Gui is pronounced niu wei qie; a certain character has two fanqie readings, nai guo and wu guo. Fan says that this certain character means a small appearance. Wang says: the sixth occupies a yin position and also falls at the time of the day picture, where hua means daytime; it is the ruler of the Meng shou and is used to correct the deluded multitude.

Mengmeng zhi li, zi hun er ming means to separate out amid dimness and confusion and to go from darkness to light. Ying is a small light that can dazzle and confuse people; a certain character means weak. Sima Guang says: going from darkness to light cannot be achieved unless one is strong and flourishing; therefore it is not fitting to be faint and weak and thereby dazzled and confused.

The seventh praise, Meng hao, ming qi suo wu, means to have likes amid dimness and confusion, yet to make clear what is disliked. The ce text says, Meng hao zhi e, zhu bu mei ye, meaning that likes and dislikes amid dimness and confusion are manifest and not obscured. The Fan edition has zhu bu ke mei ye; the Wang edition has zhu mei ye; here we follow the two Song editions and the Lu edition.

The eighth praise, Hun chen li yu yue, xiao zhen, wei you ji xing, means that in dim times it is beneficial to have the moon; with small uprightness, it still does not come up to the stars. The ce text, Hun chen li yue, shang ke yuan ye, says that it may still be wished for. The Fan edition has wei ji xing for wei you ji xing; the Wang edition has mo you ji xing; here we follow the two Song editions and the Lu edition. Song says: the moon follows the sun, and therefore it may still be wished for.

The top nine, Shi cuocuo, bu huo qi jia. Nanzi zhe ji, furen yi ge, means that the times are thwarted and delayed, and one does not obtain the good; the man breaks his hairpin, and the woman changes her jia ornament, jia being a woman's head ornament. The ce text, Bu huo qi jia, nan si fu tan ye, means that because the good is not obtained, the man dies and the woman sighs. The Wang edition writes ji as suan; here we follow the various masters. Wang treats cuo as the ancient character jie, meaning a sigh, and reads ge as jia, pronounced jia.

At the end, San fang er zhou er bu san jia qiong is a chapter-order marker in the Taixuan; it indicates that this piece belongs to the third fang, second zhou, second bu, and third jia, and that its shou name is Qiong, meaning Exhaustion.

“Yang family, Water, matching Kun” means that this Head of the Taixuan belongs to the Yang family and Water, and is comparable to the Kun (Oppression) hexagram of the Zhouyi. “Entering the ninth zan of the Qiong Head, the sun lodges in Wei” means entering the ninth zan of the Qiong Head, with the sun moving to the Wei (Tail) lunar mansion. At this time yin qi fills heaven and earth (yu: above, below, and the four directions), yang qi has no place to lodge, and the myriad things are trapped, pressed, and in dire straits. The commentary explains that “between the six directions” is called yu; the collation notes that “yin qi” appears in one edition as “qun yin” (all yin), and “qiong ju” as “qiong chu”; here the text follows the Song, Lu, and Fan editions.

Initial One: Though situated in hardship and exhaustion, one can keep to that hardship and exhaustion to the end; then the people delight in centrality and correctness. The Appraisal says: Being able to keep to hardship and exhaustion—the truth of it lies in keeping to the center. Second Two: In hardship and exhaustion, yet unwilling to keep to exhaustion, the people then do not keep to centrality and correctness. The Appraisal says: If one is in hardship and does not peacefully keep to one’s place, deceit will flourish (long: flourishing). Third Three: In hardship and exhaustion, one thinks of seeking breakthrough. The Appraisal says: Thinking of breakthrough in hardship is because the teacher’s model and deliberation lie within the heart (in one edition, “teacher” is written as “thought”).