Structure, Ethics, and Ontology of the Jiaren (Family) Hexagram in the Zhouyi
This article offers a deep exploration of the philosophical significance of Hexagram 37 'Jiaren' (Family) in the Zhouyi (Book of Changes), analyzing the relationship between the Wind-over-Fire trigram image and the Way of the family, and elucidating the foundational status of 'family' in ancient social structures through pre-Qin Confucian thought on 'roots' (ben) as found in Confucius, Mencius, and the Great Learning.
Chapter Eleven: The Deep Connection Between the Jiaren Hexagram and Pre-Qin Ritual Institutions
The pre-Qin wedding's "Six Rites" correspond spiritually to the Jiaren hexagram: careful beginning (Initial Nine), examination (hexagram statement), confirmation (Six in the Second), generosity (Six in the Fourth), orderliness (Xun), and personal presence (Nine in the Fifth). "Sharing a meal from the same animal" at the wedding inaugurates the new household's "provisions" function.
The "five-grade mourning dress" system reflects "love of kin has gradations" -- the closer the relationship, the heavier the mourning. This "from close to distant" follows the same logic as the six lines' "from inner to outer."
The capping ceremony (coming-of-age ritual) formally initiated one's role as a family member: "The capping ceremony is the beginning of all ritual." Held in the family temple, it connected personal maturation with ancestral responsibility.