Chapter 6: Comparative Study of the Da You Hexagram with Pre-Qin History

Section 1: The Governance of Emperor Yao and the Image of Da You

The era of Emperor Yao is considered the most ideal period of governance in Pre-Qin legends. Examining Yao’s virtues and achievements, we find they consistently align with the image of Da You.

I. Yao’s "Yielding Obtaining the Position of Honor."

The Shangshu, Yao Dian, states: "Let us examine the past, Emperor Yao: He was called Fang Xun, reverent, wise, civilized, thoughtful, and accomplished; sincerely respectful and supremely yielding" (曰若稽古帝尧，曰放勋，钦明文思安安，允恭克让).

"Reverent, wise, civilized, thoughtful, and accomplished" (钦明文思安安) — Reverent yet bright, civilized yet deep in thought, calm and composed. These virtues are not those of fierce strength but of yielding culture. Yao occupied the position of Son of Heaven with this yielding and cultured virtue, perfectly matching the image of "yielding obtaining the position of honor."

"Sincerely respectful and supremely yielding" (允恭克让) — Sincere and respectful, capable of yielding. The virtue of respect and yielding is especially a manifestation of the yielding way.

II. Yao’s "Great Center."

The Shangshu, Yao Dian, records Yao’s governance: "He clearly understood superior virtue, connecting intimately with the Nine Relations. When the Nine Relations were harmonious, he brought clarity to the hundred surnames. When the hundred surnames were enlightened, he harmonized the myriad states" (克明俊德，以亲九族。九族既睦，平章百姓。百姓昭明，协和万邦).

From connecting the Nine Relations to bringing clarity to the hundred surnames, and from the enlightenment of the surnames to the harmonization of the myriad states, his expansion was layered, without bias or partiality—this is the Way of the "Great Center."

III. Yao’s "Responded to Above and Below."

Yao’s governance resulted in harmony throughout the world and accord among the myriad states—this is the image of "responded to above and below." The Shangshu, Yao Dian, further states: "The common people were transformed into harmony and peace" (黎民于变时雍). People’s hearts united, and the four directions submitted.

IV. Yao’s "Firm and Persistent, Yet Civilized and Bright."

Yao’s virtues of "reverent wisdom and civilized thought" (qin ming wen si) represent the virtue of civilization. Yet Yao was also decisive in action: he appointed Xi He to manage the calendar, appointed Gun to control the floods (though Gun failed later), and passed the throne to Shun rather than his son Danzhu—all of these were acts of firm resolution. Combining firmness with civilization perfectly matches the virtue of Da You.

V. Yao’s "Responding to Heaven and Acting According to the Times."

The Shangshu, Yao Dian, records Yao instructing Xi He: "He then commanded Xi He: 'Be reverent towards the vast Heaven, observe the movements of the Sun, Moon, and stars, and respectfully deliver the proper times to the people'" (乃命羲和，钦若昊天，历象日月星辰，敬授人时). Yao’s governance began with "respectfully delivering the proper times," ensuring the people understood the seasonal sequence and did not violate Heaven’s Dao. This is the concrete practice of "responding to Heaven and acting according to the times."

VI. Yao’s "Stopping Evil and Promoting Good, Conforming to Heaven and Enjoying its Mandate."

Yao knew how to employ the worthy: he promoted Shun from the fields—this is "promoting good." He banished the Four Evils (Hun Dun, Qiong Qi, Tao Wu, Tao Tie)—this is "stopping evil." By promoting good and stopping evil simultaneously, the world achieved great order.

The Shangshu, Shun Dian, records Shun continuing Yao’s governance: "Gong Gong was exiled to You Province, Huan Dou was banished to Mount Chong, the San Miao were exiled to San Wei, and Gun was executed at Mount Yu. With these four punishments, the whole world submitted" (流共工于幽州，放驩兜于崇山，窜三苗于三危，殛鲧于羽山。四罪而天下咸服). Although this relates to Shun’s actions, it followed Yao’s will. The thoroughness of stopping evil ensured the world submitted—this is the model for Da You’s "stopping evil and promoting good."

In summary, the governance of Emperor Yao completely accords with the spirit of the Da You hexagram. Yao, with the soft virtue of culture, occupied the position of honor; he governed the realm using the Way of the Great Center, causing all above and below to submit their hearts; he acted with firmness and civilization, responding to Heaven and acting timely, stopping evil and promoting good, thus conforming to Heaven and enjoying its auspicious mandate, culminating in the great governance of Da You praised throughout generations.

Section 2: The Virtue of King Wen and the Dao of Da You

King Wen of Zhou (Ji Chang) is one of the most important Sage Kings in Pre-Qin history, and his virtue and achievements particularly match the image of the Da You hexagram.

I. King Wen’s "Yielding Obtaining the Position of Honor."

King Wen was the Western Earl under the Shang Dynasty, tasked with guarding the feudal lords of the West. King Wen’s nature was gentle and humble. The Shijing, Da Ya, "Da Ming," states: "In this King Wen, cautious and careful in all things. Diligently serving the High God, he accumulated much fortune" (维此文王，小心翼翼。昭事上帝，聿怀多福).

The four characters "cautious and careful in all things" (xiaoxin yiyi) perfectly capture King Wen’s virtue of yielding caution. Occupying the position of Western Earl with utmost yielding and cautious virtue, he governed the western lords—this is the image of "yielding obtaining the position of honor."

Furthermore, the Lunyu, Tai Bo, records Confucius saying: "He possessed two-thirds of the realm and used it to serve Yin. The virtue of Zhou, it can be called the ultimate virtue!" (三分天下有其二，以服事殷。周之德，其可谓至德已矣). King Wen held two-thirds of the realm but still served the Shang Dynasty with the way of yieldingness, not relying on force for self-assertion. This is the ultimate expression of the yielding way.

II. King Wen’s "Great Center."

King Wen’s governance adhered to the Middle Way. The Shijing, Da Ya, "Huang Yi," states: "He did not raise his voice or alter his expression, nor did he prolong the summer with violent measures" (不大声以色，不长夏以革). King Wen did not intimidate people with loud voice or stern looks, nor did he use violence to change them, cultivating the masses with the Way of moderation.

Also, the Shangshu, Wu Yi, records the Duke of Zhou’s words: "King Wen was humbly dressed, attending to the affairs of the palace and the fields. Gentle, mild, and respectful, he cherished and protected the small folk, helping the widowed and orphaned. From dawn till dusk he hardly found time to eat, thus harmonizing all the people. King Wen dared not indulge in leisure hunting, focusing instead on providing justly for his numerous states" (文王卑服，即康功田功。徽柔懿恭，怀保小民，惠鲜鳏寡。自朝至于日中昃，不遑暇食，用咸和万民。文王不敢盘于游田，以庶邦惟正之供). King Wen diligently served the people, from dawn till dusk without rest. This is not the inactivity of the Center, but the Center of diligence—diligent but not excessive, striving but not forced—this is the ultimate of the Middle Way.

III. King Wen’s "Sincerity Mutually Felt, Dignity Imposing."

King Wen connected with the realm through the virtue of sincerity. The Shijing, Da Ya, "Wen Wang," states: "Majestic, majestic King Wen, how diligently he reverently dwells in virtue" (穆穆文王，於缉熙敬止). Mu Mu describes a demeanor of harmony and reverence. King Wen treated all under heaven with harmony and reverence, so the realm was moved by his sincerity and submitted to him.

Moreover, the Zuo Zhuan, Xi Gong 24, records Fu Chen’s words: "In the past, the Duke of Zhou settled the discord between the two younger brothers of King Wu, so he enfeoffed his relatives to expand the perimeter of Zhou" (昔周公吊二叔之不咸，故封建亲戚以蕃屏周). The enfeoffment by the Duke of Zhou was rooted in the benevolent grace of King Wen. King Wen connected with the feudal lords through sincerity, and the lords submitted because they were moved by his virtue—this is the image of "sincerity mutually felt."

Although King Wen was gentle and humble, he possessed inherent dignity. The Shijing, Da Ya, "Huang Yi," states: "The High God said to King Wen: Do not lean aside, do not yearn excessively, but be the first to reach the shore" (帝谓文王：无然畔援，无然歆羡，诞先登于岸). King Wen did not rely on strong force but moved the world with virtue. This is the ultimate state of "imposing dignity"—dignity without anger, credibility without speech.

IV. King Wen’s "Assisted by Heaven, Auspicious and Without Anything Unfavorable."

The Shijing, Da Ya, "Wen Wang," states: "King Wen is in the high place, making clear his virtue to Heaven. Though Zhou was an old state, its mandate has been renewed. If Zhou did not shine brightly, the mandate of the High God would not arrive in time. King Wen ascended and descended, by the side of the High God" (文王在上，於昭于天。周虽旧邦，其命维新。有周不显，帝命不时。文王陟降，在帝左右). This poem states that King Wen’s virtue ascended to Heaven, and the Heavenly Mandate was renewed, arriving timely due to the High God. King Wen ascending and descending by the side of the High God is akin to saying the High God constantly assisted King Wen. This is the clear proof of "assisted by Heaven, auspicious and without anything unfavorable."

The Shijing, Da Ya, "Da Ming," also states: "In this King Wen, cautious and careful in all things. Diligently serving the High God, he accumulated much fortune. His virtue was not crooked, so he received the peripheral states" (维此文王，小心翼翼。昭事上帝，聿怀多福。厥德不回，以受方国). Because King Wen diligently served the High God, he received much fortune. His virtue was not crooked, so he received the states in the four directions. This is the effect of Heaven's assistance.

V. King Wen’s Special Relationship with the Da You Hexagram.

Tradition holds that King Wen was responsible for affixing the hexagram statements to the sixty-four hexagrams. If this is true, when King Wen affixed the statement "Yuan Heng" to Da You, he might have infused it with his own experience and realization. King Wen, imprisoned at Youli, composed the Zhou Yi, harboring the aspiration of Great Possession for the entire realm despite being a captive—what a lofty spiritual state!

When King Wen was at Youli, though in distress (aligning with the image of the Kun hexagram, Distress), his heart maintained the aspiration of Da You. Not losing his aspiration in distress, not forgetting the Dao while in lowliness—this is why King Wen was able to finally achieve Da You.

Section 3: King Wu’s Conquest of Yin and the Realization of Da You

The conquest of Yin by King Wu can be seen as the historical process of realizing the ideal of the Dao of Da You.

I. King Wu Inheriting the Enterprise of Da You.

King Wen laid the foundation for the Dao of Da You; King Wu completed the enterprise of Da You. The Shangshu, Tai Shi Shang, records King Wu’s oath: "The sovereign is the parent of Heaven, Earth, and all creatures; man is the spiritual essence of all creatures. If the ruler is truly enlightened, he is the chief among men, the parent of the people" (惟天地万物父母，惟人万物之灵。亶聪明，作元后，元后作民父母).

King Wu regarded Heaven and Earth as the parents of all things, and man as the spiritual essence of all creatures, and the chief ruler as the parent of the people. This is the highest ideal of governance in Da You: the Son of Heaven acting as parent to the people, nurturing them with the virtue of Great Possession.

II. The Battle of Muye and the Decision of Da You.

The Shangshu, Mu Shi, records King Wu’s oath: "Now the King of Shang, Zhou, follows the words of his women, neglecting the sacrifices to his ancestors, refusing to answer the calls of his brethren; he honors and advances the culprits and fugitives from the four quarters, making them his high officials and great ministers. They are abusive to the common people and practice wickedness in the city of Shang. Now, I, Fa, am merely executing Heaven’s punishment with reverence" (今商王受，惟妇言是用，昏弃厥肆祀，弗答；昏弃厥遗王父母弟，不迪，乃惟四方之多罪逋逃是崇是长，是信是使，是以为大夫卿士。俾暴虐于百姓，以奸宄于商邑。今予发，惟恭行天之罚).

King Wu’s campaign against Zhou was not for selfish desire, but for "reverently executing Heaven’s punishment." This accords with the meaning of "responding to Heaven and acting timely" in Da You. The Dao of Heaven punishes the guilty, and King Wu followed this Dao in his punitive action—this is "responding to Heaven." Zhou’s tyranny reached its limit, and the Heavenly Mandate was due to shift; King Wu rising at this time is "acting timely."

Moreover, King Wu’s conquest of Yin aligns with the spirit of Da You’s "stopping evil and promoting good." Zhou’s wickedness was known to all; Zhou’s virtue was welcomed by the four quarters. King Wu stopped the evil of Zhou and promoted the good of the Zhou, this is the action of Da You.

III. The Structure of Da You after the Conquest of Yin.

After King Wu conquered Yin, the realm submitted to Zhou, and the House of Zhou attained great possession of the realm. This structure perfectly matches the entirety of the Da You hexagram.

The Shangshu, Wu Cheng, records King Wu’s policies: "There are five ranks of nobility, and three grades of territorial division. Officials are appointed according to worth, and positions according to ability. The five teachings are emphasized for the people, focusing on food, mourning, and sacrifice. Sincerity and righteousness are made prominent, virtue is exalted and merit rewarded" (列爵惟五，分土惟三。建官惟贤，位事惟能。重民五教，惟食丧祭。惇信明义，崇德报功).

"Five ranks of nobility" (列爵惟五)—establishing the five ranks of nobility creates order. "Officials are appointed according to worth" (建官惟贤)—employing the worthy aligns with the meaning of "honoring the worthy" (shang xian) in Upper Nine. "Sincerity and righteousness are made prominent" (惇信明义)—emphasizing sincerity and clarifying righteousness. This aligns with the meaning of "sincerity mutually felt" in Six Five. "Exalting virtue and rewarding merit" (崇德报功)—This is one aspect of "stopping evil and promoting good."

King Wu’s governance everywhere adhered to the spirit of the Da You hexagram. It can be called the historical practice of the Dao of Da You.

Section 4: The Duke of Zhou’s Regency and the Preservation of Da You

After King Wu’s death, King Cheng was young, and the Duke of Zhou served as regent. The Duke of Zhou’s regency can be seen as the model for preserving the enterprise of Da You.

I. The Duke of Zhou’s "Not Puffed Up."

The Duke of Zhou held supreme power as regent, yet he never became arrogant due to his authority. This perfectly accords with the line statement of Nine Four: "Not puffed up, no blame."

The Shangshu, Jin Teng, records the Duke of Zhou’s words: "My virtue is not equal to that of my father; I possess many talents and abilities, and I can serve the spirits. Yet my grandson King Cheng is not as talented or able as Dan myself, and cannot serve the spirits" (予仁若考，能多材多艺，能事鬼神。乃元孙不若旦多材多艺，不能事鬼神). The Duke of Zhou spoke of his many talents but did not boast of them, instead facing the Heavenly Mandate with humility.

Also, the Shangshu, Da Gao, records the Duke of Zhou’s words: "I am but a young child, I dare not neglect the mandate of the High God" (予惟小子，不敢替上帝命). The Duke of Zhou referred to himself as a "young child," daring not to become arrogant—this is the ultimate manifestation of "not puffed up."

II. The Duke of Zhou’s Establishment of Rites and Music.

The Duke of Zhou acted as regent for seven years, establishing the rituals and musical institutions of the Zhou Dynasty. This was the institutional realization of Da You’s "stopping evil and promoting good."

Rites distinguish the high from the low, and clarify differences, ensuring everyone remains in their proper station—this is the institutional guarantee for "stopping evil." Music harmonizes human hearts and regulates temperaments, causing people to delight in goodness—this is the spiritual tool for "promoting good."

The Liji, Yue Ji, states: "Music is the harmony of Heaven and Earth; Rites are the order of Heaven and Earth. Because of Harmony, all things transform; because of Order, all things are distinguished. Music is made by Heaven; Rites are established by Earth" (乐者，天地之和也；礼者，天地之序也。和故百物皆化；序故群物皆别。乐由天作，礼以地制). The parallel functioning of Rites and Music, order and harmony combined, forms the institutional foundation for governance in Da You.

III. The Duke of Zhou’s Return of Power.

After seven years as regent, the Duke of Zhou returned power to King Cheng. This act was praised by later generations for ages.

The reason the Duke of Zhou could return power lies precisely in his refusal to privatize the enterprise of Da You. The enterprise of Da You is not the private property of one person, but the public enterprise of the entire realm. The Duke of Zhou acted in place of the ruler, and when King Cheng grew up, he returned governance. This spirit of public ownership aligns with the great meaning of Da You.

The Mengzi, Wan Zhang Shang, records: "The Duke of Zhou not taking the realm is like Yi and Tai Jia returning power to Qi" (周公之不有天下，犹益之于启与太甲也). The Duke of Zhou did not treat the realm as his private possession; this is the very meaning of Da You. Da You is not private possession; it is public possession.

Section 5: The Rise and Fall in the Spring and Autumn Period as Verification of Da You

The rise and fall of the feudal states during the Spring and Autumn Period can serve as positive and negative verification of the Da You hexagram.

I. Duke Huan of Qi’s Hegemony—The Zenith of Da You.

Duke Huan of Qi appointed Guan Zhong as his minister; he brought the feudal lords together nine times and unified the realm under one hegemony—this was the image of Da You during the Spring and Autumn period.

The reason Duke Huan could achieve hegemony was precisely his alignment with the Dao of Da You:

He appointed the worthy Guan Zhong as minister—this is a variation of "yielding obtaining the position of honor"—although Duke Huan himself was not "yielding," he could employ the worthy in a yielding manner, not imposing his own will—this is a form of yieldingness.

Guan Zhong's governance of Qi resulted in: "When the granaries were full, people knew courtesy and propriety; when clothing and food were sufficient, people knew honor and shame" (Guanzi, Mu Min), making Qi rich and strong—this is the realization of "Da You."

Duke Huan respected the Son of Heaven and expelled the "barbarians," honoring the Son of Heaven above the feudal lords, and leading the lords to audience at the Zhou court—this accords with the meaning of "the noble lord feasts with the Son of Heaven."

However, in his later years, Duke Huan ignored Guan Zhong’s advice and relied on the three petty men: Zidiao, Yiyi, and Kaifang, violating the principle of "stopping evil and promoting good," eventually dying without proper burial, and his five sons fighting for the throne, causing Qi to fall into chaos. This serves as a warning against failing to maintain the state of Da You.

II. Duke Wen of Jin’s Hegemony—Verification of Da You.

Duke Wen of Jin was in exile for nineteen years and suffered many hardships. This aligns with the meaning of the Initial Nine statement: "If strenuous, there is no blame." Duke Wen maintained himself with arduousness, never forgetting his ultimate goal, and finally returned to his state to assume the throne.

After ascending, Duke Wen employed worthy ministers like Zhao Ci, Hu Yan, and Xian Zhen as his aides. In the Battle of Chengpu, he decisively defeated the Chu army, and subsequently held an audience with the Son of Heaven at Jian Tu, leading the realm to rally to him—this was the flourishing of Da You.

The Zuo Zhuan, Xi Gong 28, records Duke Wen’s strategy: "Chu has just taken Cao, and is newly allied with Wei; if we attack Cao and Wei, Chu will surely come to their rescue, and Qi and Song will be spared" (楚始得曹，而新昏于卫；若伐曹、卫，楚必救之，则齐、宋免矣). Duke Wen’s planning was firm and decisive, matching the meaning of Da You’s virtue being "firm and persistent, yet civilized and bright."

Furthermore, Duke Wen’s audience with the Son of Heaven, where he received the bow, arrows, and axe as a reward, is an instance of "the noble lord feasts with the Son of Heaven." The Zuo Zhuan, Xi Gong 28, records: "The King hunted at Heyang." In reality, it was Duke Wen who summoned the King, but they used the pretext of the King hunting, so as not to show the minister’s presumption. This is Duke Wen’s "not puffed up"—despite his great achievements, he did not consider himself supreme but still respected the authority of the Son of Heaven.

III. King Zhuang of Chu’s Hegemony—An Alternate Interpretation of Da You.

In the early years of his reign, King Zhuang of Chu remained silent and inactive for three years. The Han Feizi, Yu Lao, records: "King Zhuang of Chu governed for three years without issuing an edict, without making a policy decision... The Right Minister of Cavalry sat by the throne and said to the King in jest: 'A bird lands on a southern mound. For three years it has neither flapped its wings nor sung, silent and without sound. What is this called$24' The King replied: 'For three years it has not flapped its wings so it can grow its wings; for three years it has not sung so it can observe the people's conduct. Though it does not fly now, when it flies, it will soar to the heavens; though it does not sing now, when it sings, it will startle men'" (楚庄王莅政三年，无令发，无政为也。右司马御座而与王隐曰：“有鸟止南方之阜，三年不翅，不飞不鸣，嘿然无声，此为何名？”王曰：“三年不翅，将以长羽翼；不飞不鸣，将以观民则。虽无飞，飞必冲天；虽无鸣，鸣必惊人。”). King Zhuang’s three years of inaction mirrors the Initial Nine's "without connection, there is no harm"—avoiding external engagement to accumulate inner strength. Later, he soared to the heavens in one flight and achieved hegemony.

King Zhuang’s questioning of the cauldrons in the central plain ("questioning the cauldrons" mentioned in Zuo Zhuan, Xuan Gong 3) shows the ambition of Da You, although it carried a hint of presumption.

The Zuo Zhuan, Xuan Gong 12, records King Zhuang saying after conquering Zheng: "If the ruler is capable of humbling himself, he will surely be trusted by his people. How could we refuse him$1" (其君能下人，必能信用其民矣。庸可乎？). King Zhuang’s ability to retreat the army shows one aspect of "not puffed up"—despite having the momentum of great victory, he was able to restrain himself and yield.

Section 6: Divination Examples in Zuo Zhuan and Guoyu Involving Da You

The Zuo Zhuan and Guoyu record many divination instances, though not all directly involve the Da You hexagram. However, the divination thoughts and methods reflected therein provide important reference points for understanding Da You.

I. The Divination Example in Zuo Zhuan, Xi Gong 25—"Guai of Da You."

This passage is a precious record of the direct application of the Da You hexagram in Pre-Qin divination.

The text states: "The Duke of Qin was drilling his army by the river, about to escort the King back to the capital. Hu Yan said to the Duke of Jin: 'Seeking the allegiance of the feudal lords, nothing is as effective as diligently serving the King. If the lords trust him, it will also be a great righteousness. Following the achievements of Wen Duke Wen of Jin, manifesting trust among the lords, this is the time!' He sent the diviner Yan to divine, who said: 'Auspicious. It portends the sign of the Yellow Emperor battling at Banquan.' He performed the stalks, and obtained the Guai of Da You. He said: 'Auspicious. It is the hexagram of the noble lord feasting with the Son of Heaven. After a successful battle, the King grants a feast—what could be more auspicious$2 Moreover, this hexagram means Heaven transforms into a lake to face the Sun; the Son of Heaven lowers his heart to welcome the Duke. Is this not acceptable$3'" (秦伯师于河上，将纳王。狐偃言于晋侯曰：“求诸侯，莫如勤王。诸侯信之，且大义也。继文之业而信宣于诸侯，今其可矣。”使卜偃卜之，曰：“吉。遇黄帝战于阪泉之兆。”筮之，遇大有之睽。曰：“吉。遇公用享于天子之卦也。战克而王飨，吉孰大焉？且是卦也，天为泽以当日，天子降心以逆公，不亦可乎？”)

This record is crucial. Duke Wen of Jin wished to serve the King (restore King Xiang of Zhou) and first performed divination. He obtained the Guai of Da You—meaning the Da You hexagram transformed into the Guai hexagram.

What is the "Guai of Da You"$4 This means one line of Da You changed to produce the Guai hexagram. Da You is Li above Qian below. Guai is Li above Dui below. Transforming Da You into Guai requires the lower trigram Qian to change into Dui, meaning one of the three lines in the lower trigram changed from Yang to Yin. Specifically, if Nine Three changes to Six Three, the lower trigram changes from Qian to Dui, while the upper trigram Li remains unchanged, resulting in Li above Dui below, the Guai hexagram.

Thus, the "Guai of Da You" signifies the transformation of Nine Three. The statement for Nine Three is precisely "The noble lord feasts with the Son of Heaven." The diviner Yan interpreted: "It is the hexagram where the noble lord feasts with the Son of Heaven. After a successful battle, the King grants a feast—what greater auspiciousness is there$5" (遇公用享于天子之卦也。战克而王飨，吉孰大焉？). This directly uses the Nine Three line statement of Da You for prognostication. The feudal lord (the "Gong") will make a presentation to the Son of Heaven (feasting), which is exactly what happened.

The diviner also said: "Moreover, in this hexagram, Heaven transforms into a lake to face the Sun" (且是卦也，天为泽以当日). This interprets the hexagram image: the transformation from Da You to Guai involves the lower trigram changing from Qian (Heaven) to Dui (Lake), while the upper trigram remains Li (Sun). "Heaven transforms into a lake to face the Sun"—symbolizing that the Son of Heaven (Heaven) lowers his disposition like water in a lake to face the brilliance of the Duke of Jin (Sun). "Is it not acceptable for the Son of Heaven to lower his heart to welcome the Duke$6" (天子降心以逆公，不亦可乎？). Is this not a good thing$7

This divination perfectly illustrates the practical application of the Da You hexagram in Pre-Qin divination. The diviner used the statement of the changing line as the primary basis for judgment, supplemented by the image of the resulting hexagram, combining them to conclude "auspicious."

The outcome$8 Duke Wen of Jin successfully escorted King Xiang of Zhou back to the capital and was rewarded by the King with land. Subsequently, Duke Wen defeated Chu at Chengpu and held an audience with the Son of Heaven at Jian Tu, leading the realm to rally to him. This completely verified the divination of "the noble lord feasts with the Son of Heaven."

This example provides immense insight into the principles of the Da You hexagram. The "feasting with the Son of Heaven" of Nine Three found a concrete and vivid historical interpretation in this divination: the feudal lord, through his merit in serving the King, is received by the Son of Heaven—this is the best practice of the Nine Three line statement.

II. The Status of the Da You Hexagram in the Divination System.

From the above example, it is clear that in Pre-Qin divination, the Da You hexagram was regarded as extremely auspicious, second only to Qian and Kun. The phrase "After a successful battle, the King grants a feast—what greater auspiciousness is there$9" shows the high evaluation given to Da You by the diviner Yan.

However, the auspiciousness of Da You is not unconditional. For example, Initial Nine requires "if strenuous, no blame"; Nine Four requires "not puffed up." These indicate that "no blame" is obtained only if preconditions are met. If one fails to be "strenuous" or "not puffed up," "no blame" will turn into blame. This shows that the auspiciousness of Da You varies according to the line position and the time, and cannot be generalized across the board.

III. Related Records in Guoyu.

The Guoyu, Jin Yu IV, records some divination events during Chong'er’s (Duke Wen of Jin) exile. Although not directly involving Da You, the underlying principles of Yi thought referenced can serve as a reference point.

The Guoyu, Jin Yu IV, records: "The Young Lord performed divination himself, saying: 'There is still the state of Jin.' He obtained the divination for Zhen (Stagnation) and Yu (Joy/Excitement), both resulting in eight changes. The diviner judged them all, saying: 'Inauspicious. Closed and blocked; the lines have no action.'" (公子亲筮之，曰：“尚有晋国。”得贞屯悔豫，皆八也。筮史占之，皆曰：“不吉。闭而不通，爻无为也。”)

Although this example does not involve Da You, the method of judgment—relying on the changing lines—is the same as in the Da You Guai example. The fundamental principle of Pre-Qin divination: use the encountered hexagram as the basis, use the statement of the changing line as the primary judgment, and use the resulting hexagram as a reference. This principle applied to all sixty-four hexagrams, including Da You.