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#Book of Changes #Great Treatise A #The Way of the Gentleman #Image and Text Interpretation #Confucian Yi Studies

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.

Tianwen Editorial Team February 7, 2026 85 min read PDF Markdown
The Essence of the 'Great Treatise A': A Philosophical Inquiry into the Gentleman's Establishment of Life and the Order of the *Yi*

IV. The Complementary Relationship Between "Images" and "Words"

There is a profoundly important discussion in the Xì Cí Zhuàn that clarifies the relationship between Xiang (Images) and Ci (Words):

"The Master said: 'Writing does not exhaust speech, and speech does not exhaust meaning.' If so, can the Sage’s meaning not be understood$6 The Master said: 'The Sage established Images to exhaust meaning, set up Hexagrams to exhaust genuine feelings and falsehood, appended Words to exhaust speech, transformed and connected them to exhaust utility, and agitated and danced them to exhaust the spirit.'"

This passage means: Writing cannot fully convey speech, and speech cannot fully convey meaning (intent). So, is the Sage's meaning incomprehensible$7 No. The Sage "established Images to exhaust meaning," "set up Hexagrams to exhaust true feeling and artifice," and "appended Words to exhaust speech."

The key here is that Xiang and Ci are complementary. Xiang can convey what Ci cannot, and Ci can convey what Xiang cannot. Only when combined can they exhaust the Sage's meaning.

Therefore, "observing their Images and contemplating their Words" is not two isolated actions but a unified cognitive process. When observing Images, one needs to reference the Words; when contemplating Words, one needs to reference the Images. Images and Words mutually illuminate and supplement each other, leading to a complete comprehension of the Yi.