An Analysis of the Structure, Ethics, and Ontology of the 'Jia Ren' Hexagram in the Zhou Yi

Chapter X: The Jia Ren Hexagram from the Perspective of Ancient Mythology and Folk Customs

Section 1: The Primal Relationship Between Fire and Home

When exploring the ancient roots of the Jia Ren hexagram, we must first return to the primal relationship between "Fire" ($\text{huǒ}$, 火) and "Home" ($\text{jiā}$, 家).

The significance of "Fire" in the history of human civilization cannot be overstated. Before mastering fire, ancient people were little different from other animals—fearing wild beasts in the dark, shivering in the cold. The invention (or discovery and domestication) of fire completely changed this:

• Fire drove away darkness, giving humans safe nights.
• Fire drove away cold, allowing humans to survive in wider regions.
• Fire cooked food, making human diet more hygienic and palatable.
• Fire allowed for pottery, enabling humans to store food and water.
• Fire smelted metal, giving humans stronger tools.

Crucially for the formation of the "family," fire created a center for gathering. On cold nights, people would gather around the fire for warmth, food, and conversation—this was the most primitive form of the "family." The hearth was the core of the home, and those gathered around the same fire constituted the "family members" ($\text{jiā rén}$).

The Han Feizi, Wu Du states:

"In the age of High Antiquity, there were few people and many animals; people could not withstand the birds, beasts, and snakes. A sage arose, who constructed nests from joined wood to avoid the hordes of pests, and the people rejoiced in him, making him king of the world, calling him Youchao Shi (The Nest-Builder). The people ate fruits, nuts, clams, and snails; their bellies and stomachs were injured by the raw and stinking flesh, and the people suffered many illnesses. A sage arose, who drilled wood to obtain fire to transform the raw and stinking flesh, and the people were pleased with him, making him king of the world, calling him Suiren Shi (The Fire-Driller)."

"Drilled wood to obtain fire to transform the raw and stinking flesh"—Suiren Shi invented drilling wood for fire to cook raw food. This invention not only improved diet but also created the living arrangement of "living around a hearth"—the nascent form of the "family."

The Jia Ren hexagram places Li (Fire) as the lower trigram (inner trigram), signifying that fire is at the core of the family. Wind is above, Fire is within—Fire is the inner foundation of the home, and Wind is its external manifestation. Without the inner fire (warmth, brightness), there can be no outer wind (education, family atmosphere).

From the perspective of ancient folk customs, the hearth or stove has always been a sacred presence in traditional Chinese families. The tradition of worshipping the Kitchen God is very ancient, although detailed records appear later, its origin undoubtedly lies in High Antiquity. The Li Ji, Li Qi states:

"When the great banquet is held for the ruler's affairs$15 The three sacrificial animals, dried fish, and cured meats are the finest products from the four seas and the nine provinces; the offerings in the stands and baskets are the harmonious energies of the four seasons; the inner metal shows harmony. Bundles of silk placed on tablets and jade plaques show reverence for virtue. The tortoise comes first, showing foreknowledge. The metal follows, showing sincerity in feeling. The red lacquer, silk thread, bamboo, and arrows are shared wealth with the multitude. The rest are not fixed goods, each offering what their own state possesses, thus inviting distant things. When they depart, they are sent off to the outer market, showing reverence for the rites."

Although this passage directly discusses sacrificial rites, the phrase "harmonious energies of the four seasons" ($\text{sì shí zhī hé qì}$, 四时之和气) is noteworthy. Harmony and beauty—this is precisely the quality symbolized by the hearth fire. The hearth fire not only cooks food but also harmonizes Yin and Yang and generates harmonious energy.

Section 2: Folk Roots of Wind and Education

In ancient folklore, "Wind" was closely associated with education and propagation.

The Guoyu, Zhou Yu Shang records:

"Thus the Son of Heaven listens to policy, making the dukes and ministers down to the lower officials present odes; the blind musicians present tunes, the scribes present documents, the music masters present admonitions, the blind poets recite, the visually impaired chant, the artisans offer critiques, the common people pass on words, the intimate ministers offer counsel, and relatives correct and examine. Only then does the king deliberate. Thus actions proceed without contradiction. The people have mouths, just as the earth has mountains and rivers; wealth and resources emerge from them; just as the earth has fertile plains and wetlands, clothing and food are produced from them. When the mouth proclaims words, good and ill fortune emerge from them. Cultivating good and guarding against ill fortune is what enriches wealth and food supplies. When the people ponder in their hearts and proclaim with their mouths, act upon it, how can it be suppressed$16 If their mouths are suppressed, how much can they accomplish$17"

This passage discusses discourse and politics, but the line "When the mouth proclaims words, good and ill fortune emerge from them" reveals the link between "wind" (speech, education) and its significant influence on social order.

In ancient folklore, "collecting the winds" ($\text{cǎi fēng}$, 采风) was an important political activity—the Son of Heaven dispatched envoys to collect folk songs to understand local customs and sentiment. The fifteen "Guo Feng" (Odes of the States) in the Shi Jing are the results of this activity. Each "Feng" represents the customs of a region—and the term "customs" ($\text{fēng sú}$, 风俗) itself reveals the close relationship between "wind" ($\text{fēng}$) and "custom" ($\text{sú}$).

At the family level, "family atmosphere" ($\text{jiā fēng}$) is the most fundamental "wind." The way a family speaks, behaves, interacts with others, and its core values and spiritual pursuits—all are transmitted to the next generation in an unconscious manner. Just as natural wind is omnipresent and penetrating, the family atmosphere permeates every corner of domestic life.

This is the deep significance of the Xun (Wind) image in the Jia Ren hexagram: Family atmosphere is like the wind of nature; it is formless, yet it is everywhere and penetrates everything, profoundly shaping the spiritual character of every family member.

Section 3: Ancient Marriage Systems and the Jia Ren Hexagram

The ancient Chinese marriage system underwent a long evolution. Although specific details are hard to verify, from scattered records in Pre-Qin texts, we can glimpse some clues.

The Li Ji, Li Yun records Confucius's reminiscence of ancient society:

"When the Great Dao prevailed, the world belonged to the public. Worthy and capable men were selected, and trustworthiness and harmony were emphasized, so that people did not only care for their own parents and children. The old were sustained until their end, the able-bodied found use for their strength, the young were nurtured to maturity, and the widowed, the solitary, the disabled, and the sick all had means of support. Men had their proper roles, and women had their place of return ($\text{guī}$, 归). They hated seeing goods wasted on the ground, and did not necessarily hide them for themselves; they hated seeing strength not exerted by their bodies, and did not necessarily work for themselves. Thus plots were blocked and did not arise, theft and rebellion did not occur. Thus doors were left open without being locked; this is called the Great Harmony ($\text{dà tóng}$, 大同)."

"Men had their proper roles, and women had their place of return" ($\text{nán yǒu fēn, nǚ yǒu guī}$): Men had their duties, and women had their proper place of return. The term "return" ($\text{guī}$) often refers in antiquity to a woman getting married ("This child is returning home"); "women had their place of return" means every woman could marry into a suitable family and secure a stable life. This is the social prerequisite for "Favorable for the woman's firmness" ($\text{lì nǚ zhēn}$): only when society can guarantee every woman has a "place of return" can the woman's "firmness" be possible.

"Now the Great Dao has become obscured, and the world belongs to the families. Each cares for his own relatives, and each cares for his own children. Goods and strength are used for the self. The great men establish inheritance as their rites, and use moats and walls for security. Rites and righteousness are used as the bonds to correct rulers and ministers, to deepen affection between father and son, to harmonize elder and younger brothers, and to bring harmony between husband and wife. They establish institutions and set up fields and hamlets. They honor the worthy, strong, and wise, and take merit for themselves. Thus schemes arise from this, and wars originate from this. Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu, King Cheng, the Duke of Zhou—these were the chosen ones from this. None of these six noble men failed to be diligent in rites. They clearly expressed their righteousness, tested their sincerity, revealed their faults, and practiced benevolence and advocated yielding, showing the people the norms. If anyone did not follow this, those in power were removed, and the masses regarded them as a disaster. This is called the Lesser Perfection ($\text{xiǎo kāng}$, 小康)."

"The world belongs to the families" ($\text{tiān xià wéi jiā}$): The world became the domain of families and clans. "Each cares for his own relatives, and each cares for his own children"—people only loved their own kin and cared for their own children. Although this is considered a regression after the "Great Harmony," it reveals an important historical reality: The establishment of the "family" as the basic social unit was a product of human society reaching a certain stage of development.

In this stage where "the world belongs to the families," "to correct rulers and ministers, to deepen affection between father and son, to harmonize elder and younger brothers, and to bring harmony between husband and wife" became the basic framework for social order—this perfectly corresponds to the Jia Ren Tuan Zhuan's requirement: "Father acts as father, son acts as son, elder brother acts as elder brother, younger brother acts as younger brother, husband acts as husband, and wife acts as wife."

The Shi Jing, Da Ya, Mian describes the establishment of the clan foundation by the Zhou ancestor, Gu Gong Dan Fu:

"Old Duke Dan Fu came, riding his horse in the morning. He led them along the western bank of the river, reaching the plain of Qi. Then he brought his wife Jiang, and they came to survey the dwelling places."

"The plains of Zhou were rich and fertile, the thorny herbs sweet as honey. Then they planned and consulted, and divined using the tortoise shell. They decided where to stop and when, and built their houses there."

"Then he brought his wife Jiang, and they came to survey the dwelling places"—Old Duke Dan Fu, with his wife Jiang, came together to examine where they would live. "Built their houses there"—husband and wife worked together to build a home. This is the ancient prototype of the ideal family depicted in the Jia Ren hexagram.

Section 4: Ancestral Sacrifice and the Sacred Dimension of the "Family"

In ancient China, the "family" was not only the dwelling place of the living but also a sacred space connecting the living with the dead (ancestors).

Ancestral sacrifice held extremely important status in Pre-Qin society. The Zuo Zhuan, Cheng Gong XIII states:

"The great affairs of the state lie in sacrifice ($\text{sì}$, 祀) and warfare ($\text{róng}$, 戎)."

"Sacrifice" and "Warfare" are listed as the great affairs of the state, indicating the supreme importance of sacrifice. And one of the core objects of sacrifice was the ancestor.

At the family level, ancestral sacrifice was the most important religious activity. Through sacrifice, family members maintained a spiritual connection with their ancestors, received their blessings, and passed down the clan's values and traditions from generation to generation.

The Li Ji, Ji Tong states:

"Of all ways to govern people, none is more urgent than ritual. The Rites have five constant principles, and none is heavier than sacrifice. ... Therefore, the filial son's service to his parents has three ways: while they live, nourish them; when they die, mourn them; after mourning is complete, sacrifice to them. In nourishing, one observes their compliance; in mourning, one observes their grief; in sacrificing, one observes their reverence and timeliness. One who fully practices these three ways is the action of a filial son."

"While they live, nourish them; when they die, mourn them; after mourning is complete, sacrifice to them"—the filial piety toward parents runs through their entire life: sustenance while living, mourning upon death, and sacrifice after death. Sacrifice gives the meaning of "family" a dimension that extends beyond the living to include the deceased ancestors—the "family" thus becomes a community that transcends life and death.

This endows the "family" with a sacred dimension: the family is not just a place where a few living people get by; it is a sacred space that carries the spirit of the ancestors, continues the lineage, and transmits generational values.

The lower trigram Li (Fire) in the Jia Ren hexagram also holds a special meaning in the context of sacrifice. Fire is indispensable in sacrificial rites (burning offerings to produce smoke that ascends to the ancestors to "receive" the fragrance). The Shi Jing, Da Ya, Sheng Min describes the sacrificial scene of Hou Ji:

"I fill the vessels with grain, on the vessels and on the trays. As the fragrance begins to rise, the High God enjoys it. How rich is the aroma! Hou Ji began the sacrifices, so that there might be no fault or regret, even down to this day."

"As the fragrance begins to rise" ($\text{qí xiāng shǐ shēng}$, 其香始升)—the aroma of the offerings begins to ascend. This image of "fragrance rising" is another manifestation of "Wind arises from Fire," is it not$18 Fire burns the offerings, and the fragrance (Wind) rises upward, reaching the High God or the ancestors—this is the bridge between the "family" and the "sacred."

Section 5: Mythological Imagery of the Family and the Jia Ren Hexagram

In ancient Chinese family myths—such as those concerning the clans of the Yellow Emperor, Yan Emperor, and Shao Hao—the theme of "using fire as the home" is evident.

The Yan Emperor (Shennong Shi) is directly associated with "Yan" ($\text{炎}$, Blaze/Fire). Although the Bai Hu Tong Yi dates later, its records have Pre-Qin origins:

"The Yan Emperor is the sun."

The Yan Emperor's clan ruled by Fire Virtue; fire was their totem. Furthermore, Yan Emperor's other title, Shennong (Divine Farmer), is directly related to agriculture—which means settled life and the material basis of the family. The combination of Fire (warmth, brightness) and Agriculture (food, settlement) forms the two pillars upon which the "family" is established.

Even more suggestive is that ancient myths about the invention of fire often connect with the establishment of the "home." We mentioned Suiren Shi "drilling wood to obtain fire." There is another legend more directly linked to the "family": the transition from "not having cooked food" to "utilizing the advantages of fire" (Li Ji, Li Yun). This transition marked a huge leap for humanity—and one of its most far-reaching impacts was the birth of the "family"—only with fire did humans have a fixed center for gathering; with a fixed center, the "family" emerged.

The Jia Ren hexagram's structure, with Fire (Li) inside and Wind (Xun) outside—Fire symbolizing the warm core of the home, Wind symbolizing the educational extension of the home—perfectly captures this ancient memory: Fire created the family.

Section 6: Synthesis of Mythological Images of the "Family"

Synthesizing the analysis above, we see that the concept of "family" in ancient mythology and customs has multiple dimensions:

Material Dimension: Fire and Dwelling—Where there is fire, there is a hearth; where there is a hearth, there is a home. The material basis of the home is fire and the house.

Procreative Dimension: Marriage and Offspring—The $\text{豕}$ (pig) in the character "Jia" is associated with fertility and generative power. The biological function of the home is to propagate the lineage.

Sacred Dimension: Sacrifice and Ancestors—The home is the site for sacrificing to ancestors, maintaining a spiritual link between the living and the dead. The home thus acquires a religious, sacred meaning.

Educational Dimension: Family Atmosphere and Tradition—The family atmosphere ($\text{jiā fēng}$) is like wind, formless yet powerful, shaping the spiritual character of family members across generations.

These four dimensions are reflected in the Jia Ren hexagram:

• Material Dimension $\rightarrow$ Line 6 in the Fourth: "Enriching the Family, Great Auspiciousness."
• Procreative Dimension $\rightarrow$ Hexagram Statement: "Favorable for the woman's firmness"; Tuan Zhuan: "When the man and woman are correct, this is the Great Righteousness of Heaven and Earth."
• Sacred Dimension $\rightarrow$ Li (Fire) as the Inner Trigram, symbolizing the sacrificial fire, the virtue of brightness.
• Educational Dimension $\rightarrow$ Xun (Wind) as the Outer Trigram, Image Commentary: "Speech has substance and action has constancy."

The reason the Jia Ren hexagram can encompass such rich content in just a few dozen characters is that its structural imagery (Wind and Fire) condenses all the core experiences and wisdom of ancient ancestors regarding the "family."