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#Book of Changes #Great Treatise A #The Way of the Gentleman #Image and Text Interpretation #Confucian Yi Studies

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.

Tianwen Editorial Team February 7, 2026 85 min read PDF Markdown
The Essence of the 'Great Treatise A': A Philosophical Inquiry into the Gentleman's Establishment of Life and the Order of the *Yi*

IV. From "No Blame" to "Auspiciousness with No Harm"

In the value system of the Zhou Yi, "No Blame" (Wu Jiu) is a very important level.

"No Blame" does not mean the absence of difficulties or setbacks, but rather that even after experiencing difficulties and setbacks, one ultimately leaves no fault or regret.

The Xì Cí Shang Zhuàn states:

"No Blame is good at remedying faults."

"Wu jiu zhe, shan bu guo ye (无咎者，善补过也)."

"Good at remedying faults"—good at correcting mistakes. A person cannot avoid making errors forever, but if he can recognize and correct them promptly after making them, he can reach the state of "No Blame."

And "Auspiciousness with no harm" is a level higher than "No Blame"—not only is there no fault, but the outcome is actively beneficial.

The progression from "No Blame" to "Auspiciousness with no harm" requires a sequential process of cultivation:

  1. Recognizing Faults—First, one must be able to recognize one's own errors. This requires the skill of "observing Images" and "contemplating Words."
  2. Correcting Faults—Then, one must be able to correct those faults. This requires the skill of "observing Changes" and "contemplating Divinations."
  3. Absence of Major Faults—Subsequently, one reaches a state of rarely making major mistakes. This requires long-term accumulation and cultivation.
  4. Auspicious Outcome—Finally, reaching the state where all actions are auspicious. This requires the complete virtue of "treading on trustworthiness, contemplating compliance, and further honoring the worthy."

Confucius's statement "studying the Yi can avoid great error" points precisely to this cultivation process—by studying the Yi, one first avoids "great error," and then gradually approaches the ideal state of "auspiciousness with no harm."