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.
IV. "Heaven Assists Him" and Personal Destiny
Finally, let us address the most concrete question: What does "Heaven assists him, bringing no harm to anything auspicious" mean for an individual's destiny$12
Analects, Yan Yuan:
"Zi Xia said: 'I have heard this from Shang: Life and death are determined by fate; wealth and honor are in Heaven.'"
"Sheng si you ming, fu gui zai Tian (死生有命，富贵在天)." "Life and death are determined by fate; wealth and honor are in Heaven."
Does this contradict "Heaven assists him"$13 If destiny is fixed, what is the use of "observing Images and contemplating Words, observing Changes and contemplating Divinations"$14
They are not contradictory. "Life and death are determined by fate" refers to aspects beyond human control (such as natural disasters or illness), whereas "Heaven assists him" refers to the aspects that can be influenced by correct human action.
To use an analogy: Whether it rains is beyond human control (Fate); whether one brings an umbrella when leaving home is a choice (observing Changes and contemplating Divinations). A person skilled in "observing Changes" sees dark clouds before leaving and brings an umbrella—this does not change the weather, but it is a correct response to the changing weather. The result: although he encounters rain, he does not get soaked. This is "Heaven assisting him"—not that Heaven stops the rain, but that he avoids harm due to his correct response.
Mencius, Jin Xin I:
"Mencius said: 'To exhaust one's mind is to know one's nature. Knowing one's nature is knowing Heaven. To preserve one's mind and nurture one's nature is the way to serve Heaven. To await what is ordained, whether short or long life, by cultivating oneself—this is how one establishes one's destiny.'"
"Xian shou bu er, xiu shen yi si zhi, suo yi li ming ye (殀寿不贰，修身以俟之，所以立命也)."
"Establishing one's destiny" (Li Ming 立命) is not "creating one's destiny" (Zao Ming 造命)—it does not mean man can arbitrarily create his fate, but that man can establish his attitude and method for facing destiny through self-cultivation. "Heaven assists him" means the same: man cannot control Heaven's will, but through the virtue of "treading on trustworthiness, contemplating compliance, and honoring the worthy," he can elicit Heaven's assistance, ensuring that in any given circumstance, he remains "auspicious with no harm."