Chapter 8: Comparing Information Capacity from the Perspective of "Images"

Section 1: The Information Science Essence of "Image" (Xiàng)

The preceding analysis focused mainly on the aspect of "Number" (shù). However, the essence of pre-Qin Yi learning lies not in "Number" but in "Image" (Xiàng).

The Xici Zhuan states:

"The Yi is Image; Image is likeness." (Yì zhě xiàng yě, xiàng yě zhě xiàng yě.)

"Therefore, the Sage perceived the intricacy (zé) of the world below, and modeled it on its forms, symbolizing its suitability for things; therefore, it is called Image. The Sage perceived the movement of the world below, and observed its connections and transformations, to enact its rites, and attached statements to judge its auspiciousness and inauspiciousness; therefore, it is called Line (Yáo)."

"Image" precedes "Number"—or rather, "Number" is the quantification of "Image." The information capacity of arcane arts lies in the capacity of "Image"—it cannot be exhausted by "bits."

Why is this so$3 Because the mapping of "Image" is open-ended—one trigram image can correspond to an infinite number of specific things. In contrast, "Number" mapping is closed—a number corresponds to a specific value.

For example:

The "Jia Wood" in Bazi includes, but is not limited to: tall trees, structural timber, upright objects, the head, the gallbladder, the East, Springtime, the color blue-green, the sour taste, benevolence, virtue... This list of mappings can extend infinitely.

The "Open Gate obtaining Yi Qi on the Tianxin Star" in Qimen Dunjia, its "Image" includes, but is not limited to: a good doctor, a skilled artisan, an affair initiating a new venture, construction work, favorable sounds from the Northwest... This too can extend infinitely.

If we measure information capacity by the volume of the "Image Semantic Space," then every character in Bazi and every symbol in Qimen Dunjia has an information capacity tending toward infinity. In such a case, calculating "bits" is no longer applicable—we need to introduce the concept of "Image Semantic Space."

Section 2: Comparison of Image Semantic Space

Definition: The "Image Semantic Space" of a symbol is the set of all concrete things it can map to.

Image Semantic Space of a Bazi Stem (e.g., Jia):

Image of Five Phases (the entire set of Wood-related things).
Image of Yin/Yang (the entire set of Yang-related things).
Image of Ten Gods (ten types of interpersonal relationships when Jia is the Day Master).
Image of Direction (the entire set related to the East).
Image of Season (the entire set related to Spring).
Image of Form (upright, tall, slender forms, etc.).
Image of Five Tastes (sour taste related things).
Image of Five Colors (blue-green related things).
...

The size of this semantic space depends on the precision of categorization. If categorized by Five Phases, all things are divided into five large classes, each containing about one-fifth of all things. If categorized by Heavenly Stems (ten), each contains one-tenth. If categorized by the Sixty Jiazi, each contains one-sixtieth.

Bazi Semantic Space Size $\approx$ Total Number of Things / Number of Categories.

Categorized by Four Pillars: Total Things / 518,400.
Categorized by adding Dimensions like Ten Gods: Total Things / $(518,400 \times 10^7)$ $\rightarrow$ extremely fine.

Qimen Dunjia Semantic Space Size $\approx$ Total Number of Things / Number of Categories.

Categorized by one chart state: Total Things / 4,320 (number of independent charts per year).
Categorized by adding Nine Palaces: Total Things / $(4,320 \times 9)$.
Categorized by adding multi-layer interactions: Total Things / $(4,320 \times 9 \times 81 \times 8 \times 8)$ $\rightarrow$ extremely fine.

In terms of the fineness of semantic space, the multi-layer structure of Qimen Dunjia, upon superposition, can achieve classification precision comparable to, or even finer than, Bazi.

However, the "direction" of the semantic space of the two differs:

Bazi Semantic Space leans toward Human Fate and Destiny—information regarding the trajectory of a person's life.
Qimen Dunjia Semantic Space leans toward Time-Space Events—information about events that will occur in a specific time and specific space.

This difference in "direction" is fundamental—they cannot be simply compared by "size."

Section 3: Layers of Image and Recursion

In pre-Qin Yi learning, "Image" has layers of division.

The Xici Zhuan states:

"The Yi is Image; Image is likeness." (Yì zhě xiàng yě, xiàng yě zhě xiàng yě.)

"Therefore, the Yi has the Supreme Ultimate, which gives birth to the Two Modes; the Two Modes give birth to the Four Images; the Four Images give birth to the Eight Trigrams; the Eight Trigrams determine auspiciousness and inauspiciousness; auspiciousness and inauspiciousness give birth to great undertakings."

Supreme Ultimate $\rightarrow$ Two Modes $\rightarrow$ Four Images $\rightarrow$ Eight Trigrams $\rightarrow$ Auspicious/Inauspicious $\rightarrow$ Great Undertakings—this is the recursive unfolding of "Image." The "Image" at each layer is a refinement and elaboration of the layer above it.

Layers of Image in Bazi:

Supreme Ultimate Layer: Strength/Weakness of the Day Master (divided into two).
Two Modes Layer: Day Master strength/weakness + Pattern level (quadripartition).
Four Images Layer: Day Master + Pattern + Utility God Favorability + Great Cycle Trend.
Eight Trigrams Layer: Symbolic expansion of the images of the four Pillars.
Sixty-Four Hexagram Layer: Symbolic combination of the interactions among the Four Pillars.
384 Lines Layer: Detailed analysis of every Hidden Stem and Ten God in the Eight Characters.

Bazi has about 6 layers of Image, with each layer recursively unfolding by a factor of about 2 to 8 times.

Layers of Image in Qimen Dunjia:

Supreme Ultimate Layer: Yin/Yang nature of the Bureau Number (division into two).
Two Modes Layer: Yin/Yang Bureau + Prosperity/Decline of the Utility Palace.
Four Images Layer: Comprehensive analysis of Utility Palace + Heaven Plate + Man Plate + Spirit Plate.
Eight Trigrams Layer: Symbolic expansion of the images of the Nine Palaces.
Eighty-One Pattern Layer: The 81 combinations of Heaven/Earth Plate Qiyi.
Multi-layer Interaction Layer: Comprehensive cross-analysis of Gates, Stars, Spirits, and Qiyi.
Positional Expansion Layer: Specific auspiciousness judgments for each direction.

Qimen Dunjia has about 7 layers of Image, with each layer unfolding by a factor of about 2 to 9 times.

The more layers and the larger the unfolding factor at each layer, the larger the "Image Semantic Space"—this implies that the Image Semantic Space of Qimen Dunjia is theoretically slightly larger than that of Bazi.

However, more layers also mean greater interpretive difficulty—more information, but limited by the cognitive capacity of the interpreter. This is the predicament described by Zhuangzi as "the skilled calculator cannot arrive."