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.
VI. The Dialectical Relationship Between "Delighting and Contemplating" and "Residing and Finding Ease"
We notice that the passage employs two distinct active combinations: "residing and finding ease" and "delighting and contemplating."
"Residing and finding ease" (Ju er An)—finding stability in the Arrangement of the Yi, emphasizing spiritual stability and grounding. "Delighting and contemplating" (Le er Wan)—joyfully savoring the Line Judgments, emphasizing spiritual pleasure and enjoyment.
When combined, they form a complete diagram of the Gentleman’s relationship with the Yi: on the one hand, the Arrangement of the Yi provides the foundation for spiritual settling, giving the Gentleman a grounding point free from wandering; on the other hand, the Line Judgments provide a continuous source of spiritual pleasure, making the daily study itself rewarding.
Stability and joy—is this not the most desirable spiritual condition in life$41
The opening of the Analects, Xue Er immediately states:
"The Master said: 'To learn and then practice it constantly—is this not a pleasure$42 To have friends come from afar—is this not a delight$43 To be unknown by others and yet not resentful—is this not a Gentleman$44'"
"Pleasure" (Shuo) and "Delight" (Le)—these are the joys brought by learning. And "to be unknown by others and yet not resentful" is the manifestation of spiritual stability. These three qualities correspond exactly to "residing and finding ease" and "delighting and contemplating."