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 1: The Concept of "All Under Heaven" (Tiān Xià) in Pre-Qin Thought, Seen Through Tóng Rén
The statements "Tóng Rén yú Yě" (Gathering in Accord in the wilds) and "Only the noble man can fully connect the will of all under Heaven" both involve a core concept in Pre-Qin thought: "Tiān Xià" (All Under Heaven). In the Pre-Qin worldview, "Tiān Xià" was not merely a geographical concept but also a political and spiritual one.
The term "Tiān Xià" appears frequently in Pre-Qin texts:
Analects (Yan Yuan): "All within the four seas are brothers." Mencius (Lǐ Lóu I): "The root of the world is in the states; the root of the states is in the families; the root of the families is in the self." Laozi (Chapter 29): "All under Heaven is a sacred vessel; it cannot be acted upon. He who acts upon it spoils it; he who grasps it loses it." Zhuangzi (Xiaoyao You): "If one regards all under Heaven as muddy and turbid, one cannot speak profound words with Zhuangzi."
"Tiān Xià" is the space where all people live together. "Tóng Rén yú Yě" achieves harmony among people at the level of "Tiān Xià."
The concept of "Tiān Xià" in Pre-Qin thought differs fundamentally from the later concept of "state" (guó jiā). "Tiān Xià" is open and boundless—it includes everyone, without distinction of race, region, or class. The "state" is closed, bounded—it distinguishes inside from outside and demarcates territory. The spirit of the Tóng Rén hexagram clearly aligns more closely with the concept of "Tiān Xià"—it strives for a harmony that transcends all boundaries.
The Doctrine of the Mean quotes Confucius:
"Wherever boats and carriages can reach, wherever human strength can penetrate, wherever Heaven covers, wherever Earth supports, wherever the sun and moon shine, wherever frost and dew fall—all beings that have blood and breath will surely honor and feel affection for the virtuous." (舟车所至，人力所通，天之所覆，地之所载，日月所照，霜露所队，凡有血气者，莫不尊亲。)
All beings with blood and breath should be respected and loved. This is the broadest expression of Tóng Rén—transcending not only race and region but even species.