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

II. The Profound Meaning of Ju Er An (Residing and Finding Ease)

The four characters "所居而安者" (that wherein one resides and finds ease) warrant careful chewing.

What is the meaning of Ju (Reside)$17 The Shuo Wen Jie Zi says: "Ju, to squat. From Shi (corpse) and Gu (ancient sound)." Duan Yucai comments: "All dwelling is called Ju." In Pre-Qin texts, Ju has several uses:

First, the physical meaning of "dwelling" or "place." For example, in the Book of Odes, Feng Wei, Qi Ao (淇奥): "Look to the banks of the Qi, with green rushes like a mat. There is a refined Gentleman, like cut and polished jade, like carved and ground lapis lazuli." Here, "Qi Ao" is the place where the Gentleman resides.

Second, the spiritual meaning of "settling" or "finding repose." For example, in Analects, Li Ren: "The Master said: 'To dwell in a place beautiful for its associations with benevolence is a virtue. If one chooses a place without benevolence, how can one be called wise$18'" Here, "dwelling" (Chu 处) carries the meaning of Ju, referring to spiritual settling.

Third, the state of being: "stillness" or "ordinary dwelling." This is contrasted with "action" (Dong 动), as seen later in the passage: "when the Gentleman resides, he observes Images... when he acts, he observes Changes..." Here, Ju refers to the state of stillness opposite to action.

What is the meaning of An (Ease/Peace)$19 The Shuo Wen Jie Zi says: "An, quiet. From Nü (woman) beneath a roof." Xu Shen's explanation suggests that a woman under a roof signifies quietude and stability. In Pre-Qin texts, An has rich meanings:

• Analects, Xue Er (学而): "The Gentleman seeks not to be full in his eating, nor to find ease in his dwelling." Here, An refers to material comfort.
• Analects, Li Ren: "The Master said: 'The non-benevolent cannot long abide in straitened circumstances, nor long abide in comfort. The benevolent are at ease in benevolence; the wise find profit in benevolence.'" Here, An Ren (at ease in benevolence) means spiritual comfort and naturalness, as natural as a fish in water.
• Doctrine of the Mean: "Therefore, the Gentleman resides in ease, awaiting his fate; the small man acts rashly, seeking mere chance." Here, Ju Yi (residing in ease) also contains the meaning of finding a secure place.

Combining Ju and An, "residing and finding ease" (Ju er An) means to be settled in a certain state or realm, and within that state to feel stable, secure, and grounded, free from anxiety, panic, or unease.

Why is "residing and finding ease" so important$20 Because in Pre-Qin thought, finding a stable place for one's spirit was a fundamental issue.

Analects, Wei Zheng (为政):

"The Master said: 'At fifteen, I set my mind on learning; at thirty, I established myself; at forty, I had no doubts; at fifty, I knew the Mandate of Heaven; at sixty, my ear was reconciled to all I heard; at seventy, I could follow what my heart desired without overstepping the line.'"

Confucius's life, from "setting his mind on learning" to "following his heart's desire without overstepping the line," is actually a process of continually seeking a place of spiritual settling. "Establishing myself at thirty" meant finding an initial foothold; "having no doubts at forty" meant no longer being shaken by external disturbances; "knowing the Mandate of Heaven at fifty" meant recognizing the existence of the Heavenly Mandate beyond human power; "ear reconciled at sixty" meant being able to encompass all differing voices; and "following his heart's desire without overstepping the line at seventy" meant achieving the state where absolute freedom and absolute norm completely unify.

In this process, what role did the Yi play$21 According to the passage we are examining, the Yi is the very foundation of the Gentleman's spiritual settling: "That wherein the Gentleman resides and finds ease is the Arrangement of the Yi."