The Essence of the 'Great Treatise A': A Philosophical Inquiry into the Gentleman's Establishment of Life and the Order of the *Yi*
This article deeply interprets the core proposition from the 'Great Treatise A'—'That which the gentleman dwells in and finds peace is the order of the *Yi*.' It examines how the gentleman, by internalizing the Way of Heaven and Earth and utilizing the *Book of Changes* as the foundation for establishing his life, achieves a state of 'auspiciousness without detriment' through observing the images and contemplating the textual explanations, situated within the Pre-Qin context and the Confucian tradition.
VI. Four Dimensions and the Three Powers of Heaven, Earth, and Man
The Xì Cí Xia Zhuàn states:
"In the Book of Changes, it is vast and fully complete. There is the Way of Heaven, there is the Way of Man, and there is the Way of Earth. Taking the Three Powers and doubling them, we get Six. The Six are nothing other than the Way of the Three Powers."
The six lines correspond to the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, Man):
- First and Second lines—The Way of Earth.
- Third and Fourth lines—The Way of Man.
- Fifth and Upper lines—The Way of Heaven.
From the perspective of the Three Powers, the four dimensions can also correspond:
- Image—Leans more toward the levels of Heaven's Way and Earth's Way. Hexagram Images are derived from the forms of Heaven, Earth, and all things.
- Word—Leans more toward the level of Man's Way. Words are human language, used to express human concepts.
- Change—Connects the Three Powers. Heaven has the change of the sun and moon waxing and waning; Earth has the change of cold and heat arriving and departing; Man has the change of fortune and misfortune gained or lost.
- Divination—Synthesizes the information of Heaven, Earth, and Man for application in specific human affairs.