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.
V. The Unity of Self-Cultivation and Governance
In Pre-Qin thought, self-cultivation and governing the state were unified.
The Great Learning states:
"From the Son of Heaven down to the common people, all must consider the cultivation of the person the root of everything. If the root is in disorder, the branches cannot be regulated. If what is held dear is treated as trivial, and what is treated as trivial is held dear, this can never be."
"Zi Tian Zi yi zhi shu ren, yi shi jie yi xiu shen wei ben (自天子以至于庶人，壹是皆以修身为本)." "From the Son of Heaven down to the common people, all must consider the cultivation of the person the root of everything."
The "observing Images and contemplating Words, observing Changes and contemplating Divinations" discussed in the Xì Cí Zhuàn appears to be personal cultivation effort, but its ultimate goal is not just individual "auspiciousness with no harm" but also the "auspiciousness with no harm" for the entire society and state.
The Xì Cí Xia Zhuàn asks:
"Did the maker of the Yi have worries and anxieties$22"
"Zuo Yi zhe, qi you you huan hu$23 (作《易》者，其有忧患乎？)"
The Sages composed the Yi out of deep concern for the worries and anxieties of the world. They hoped, through the Yi, to teach later generations of Gentlemen how to cultivate themselves, manage affairs, and govern the state, thereby bringing the world to peace.
Therefore, "Heaven assists him, bringing no harm to anything auspicious" is not just a personal reward, but also a noble aspiration for the entire society and state. A Gentleman capable of "observing Images and contemplating Words, observing Changes and contemplating Divinations" will, when governing and teaching the people, cause the entire state to receive Heaven's assistance, resulting in "auspiciousness with no harm."