'Fire over Heaven -- Da You: Abundance, Kingship, and the Mandate of Heaven in Pre-Qin Thought'
'An in-depth analysis of Hexagram 14 (Da You) of the I Ching from the perspectives of paleography and Zhou dynasty history. This article explores the original theological imagery of Da You, the political structure of Li above Qian below, and the philosophical ladder of self-cultivation and governance from commoner to Son of Heaven, revealing the ethics of wealth and the concept of Heavenly Mandate in the pre-Qin worldview.'
Chapter Five: Historical Divination Cases -- "Da You" in Pre-Qin History
In pre-Qin texts such as the Zuo Zhuan and the Guo Yu, the appearance of the Da You hexagram is consistently associated with warfare, the restoration of states, and the transfer of royal authority.
5.1 Case Study: Zuo Zhuan, Duke Xi, Twenty-fifth Year
Background: After Duke Wen of Jin (Chong'er) returned from nineteen years of exile and ascended the throne, the army of Duke Mu of Qin was encamped along the Yellow River. At this juncture, King Xiang of Zhou had fled his capital due to the rebellion of his brother Shudai. Duke Wen of Jin faced a momentous decision: should he first honor the king and drive out the barbarians (qinwang), or first attend to domestic affairs$5
Divination: The hexagram obtained was "Da You changing to Kui" -- that is, Da You with Nine-Three as the moving line.
Original text:
"The hexagram obtained was Da You changing to Kui. The diviner said: 'Auspicious. This is the hexagram of a duke making offerings to the Son of Heaven. To fight and conquer, and then be feasted by the king -- what greater fortune could there be$6'"
In-depth analysis:
- The base hexagram, Da You: Symbolizes that Jin at this moment had grown mighty and possessed the capital of "Great Possession."
- The moving line, Nine-Three: The line text reads "A duke makes offerings to the Son of Heaven." This was practically a tailor-made oracle, directly indicating that the Marquis of Jin (duke) should go to present himself before and serve the Zhou king (Son of Heaven).
- The diviner's reading: "To fight and conquer, and then be feasted by the king." The prediction was that if he dispatched troops to rescue the king, he would not only defeat the rebels but also receive a royal feast (political recognition).
- Historical outcome: Duke Wen of Jin followed the oracle, sent his army, slew Shudai, and escorted King Xiang back to the capital. The king bestowed upon Duke Wen lands and the title of "Lord Protector" (hou bo, chief among the feudal lords), thus establishing Jin's hegemony.
Significance: This case perfectly illustrates the political function of the Nine-Three line statement. In the pre-Qin era, "Great Possession" had to be transformed through "honoring the king." Had Duke Wen of Jin hoarded his military power without coming to the king's rescue, that would have been "a petty man cannot do this," likely provoking a siege by the other feudal lords. But he chose to "make offerings to the Son of Heaven," thereby securing the legitimacy of a hegemon.