The Essence of the 'Great Treatise A': A Philosophical Inquiry into the Gentleman's Establishment of Life and the Order of the *Yi*

I. The Connotation of Junzi (Gentleman)

The term Junzi (君子) appears frequently in the Canons and Commentaries of the Zhou Yi. In the Xiang Zhuan alone, nearly every Great Image Judgment (Da Xiang Ci 大象辞) uses the construction, "The Gentleman, therefore,..." For instance:

• Hexagram Qian (Heaven): "Heaven moves vigorously; the Gentleman, therefore, constantly strives for self-perfection."
• Hexagram Kun (Earth): "The disposition of Earth is receptive; the Gentleman, therefore, carries all things with broad Virtue."
• Hexagram Meng (Obstruction): "Water springs forth under the mountain; Obstruction. The Gentleman, therefore, acts decisively and cultivates Virtue."
• Hexagram Xu (Waiting): "Clouds rise above Heaven; Waiting. The Gentleman, therefore, partakes in food and drink and enjoys himself."
• Hexagram Song (Contentiousness): "Heaven and water move in opposition; Contentiousness. The Gentleman, therefore, plans the beginning of his undertakings."
• Hexagram Shi (Army): "Water within the Earth; Army. The Gentleman, therefore, accommodates the people and gathers the masses."

From this, it is clear that the Junzi is the core object of discussion in the Zhou Yi. What, then, does Junzi refer to$14

In the Pre-Qin context, the term Junzi held multiple meanings. Initially, it referred to the "son of a ruler," the aristocratic class. However, by the time of Confucius, the meaning of Junzi underwent a fundamental shift from a concept of status to a concept of morality.

Analects, Li Ren (里仁):

"The Master said: 'Wealth and honor are what men desire. If they cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and obscurity are what men dislike. If they cannot be avoided in the proper way, they should not be cast off. If a Gentleman departs from Benevolence, how can he be established$15 A Gentleman does not transgress Benevolence for the space of a single meal. He must be steadfast in it in moments of haste, and must be steadfast in it when he is destitute.'"

Analects, Xian Wen (宪问):

"The Master said: 'There are three paths by which a Gentleman may attain virtue; I cannot manage them. To be benevolent is not to worry; to be wise is not to be perplexed; to be courageous is not to be afraid.'"

Analects, Wei Ling Gong (卫灵公):

"The Master said: 'The Gentleman takes righteousness as his substance, governs by propriety, expresses himself with modesty, and accomplishes through trustworthiness. Truly a Gentleman!'"

For Confucius, the Junzi was the ideal personality possessing the three cardinal virtues of benevolence, wisdom, and courage, acting based on righteousness, propriety, modesty, and trust.

However, in the context of the Zhou Yi, the meaning of Junzi has a deeper layer. The Junzi in the Zhou Yi is not merely a moral exemplar but also a wise person capable of perceiving the transformations of Heaven and Earth, conforming to the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang, and grasping the timing of advance and retreat. In other words, the Junzi of the Zhou Yi is both a moral agent and a cognitive agent—he not only knows what is good and righteous but also knows when to advance and when to retreat, when to be firm and when to be yielding.

The Wen Yan Zhuan on the Qian Hexagram offers a magnificent discussion:

"The Great Man harmonizes his Virtue with that of Heaven and Earth, his brightness with that of the sun and moon, his order with that of the four seasons, and his blessings and misfortunes with those of the spirits. He anticipates Heaven and is not opposed; he follows Heaven's timing and is not late. If even Heaven does not oppose him, how much less can men! How much less the spirits!"

The "Great Man" (Da Ren 大人) here, synonymous with or higher than the Junzi, harmonizes his Virtue with Heaven and Earth, his brightness with the sun and moon, his order with the seasons, and his fortunes with the spirits. This is the highest realization of the ideal personality in the Zhou Yi.

Why discuss the connotation of Junzi in such detail here$16 Only by understanding what kind of person the Junzi is can we grasp why he can "reside and find ease" (Ju er An) in the Arrangement of the Yi, and why he can "delight and contemplate" (Le er Wan) the Line Judgments. A person lacking moral cultivation and cognitive ability cannot derive a basis for life's stability or the joy of contemplation from the Yi.