Heaven Fire Tongren: Confucian-Daoist Dialogue and the Investigation of Ancient Spiritual Origins from a Pre-Qin Perspective
This article deeply examines the *Tian Huo Tong Ren* hexagram from the *I Ching*, contextualizing it within Pre-Qin Confucian and Daoist thought and ancient culture to sequentially analyze the implications of its trigrams, hexagram statement, and line statements. By differentiating between 'Sameness' (Tong) and 'Harmony' (He) and integrating the structural logic of the *Xu Gua Zhuan*, it explores the pivotal role of the *Tong Ren* hexagram in the transition from stagnation to prosperity, revealing the primordial wisdom of seeking Great Consensus amidst difference.
Section 2: Factionalism (Dǎng) and "Accord" (Tóng)—The Problem of Factionalism in Pre-Qin Politics
An important aspect of the Tóng Rén hexagram concerns the warning against "forming cliques" (jié dǎng). Among the six lines, the "regret" (lìn) of Six Two "Gathering in the ancestral temple" and the conspiracy of Nine Three "Hiding armed men in the brush" can both be interpreted as descriptions of improper "clique formation."
Confucius clearly distinguished between "Uniting in Righteousness" (zhōu) and "Forming Cliques" (bǐ):
"The noble man unites others in righteousness but does not form cliques; the small man forms cliques but does not unite others in righteousness." (Analects, Weizheng)
"Zhōu" is impartial, righteous concern (Tóng Rén yú Yě); "Bǐ" is collusion in private factions (Tóng Rén yú Zōng or worse).
"Forming cliques" was a serious problem in Pre-Qin politics. When court officials formed cliques bound by kinship or personal interest to exclude rivals, the public interest of the state was harmed. The numerous political struggles recorded in the Zuo Zhuan—the infighting between clans, the conspiracies among ministers—can all be seen as concrete examples of "gathering in the ancestral temple" or even "hiding armed men in the brush."
When Master Guan Zhong assisted Duke Huan of Qi, he proposed a famous policy:
"Divide the state capital into three parts and the countryside into five parts." (Guoyu, Qi Yu)
This administrative division aimed, in part, to break up traditional clan settlements and prevent clan power from growing too large, thereby promoting broader social integration—a move from "gathering in the ancestral temple" toward "gathering in the wilds."