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

Section 2: Family Ethics in Funeral Rites

Funeral rites in Pre-Qin times contained extremely rich implications of family ethics. The core of funeral rites is "grief" ($\text{āi}$, 哀)—sorrow for the deceased—but this "grief" was subject to strict hierarchical differences and behavioral norms.

The Li Ji, Sang Fu states:

"The great structure of Ritual corresponds to Heaven and Earth, follows the four seasons, models Yin and Yang, and complies with human sentiments. Thus it is called Ritual. Those who criticize it do not know the source from which Ritual arises."

"The Rites of Mourning have different methods for good fortune and bad fortune, they must not interfere with each other, derived from Yin and Yang. The Mourning Rites have four measures, which change according to appropriateness, derived from the four seasons. There is kindness and there is righteousness, there is moderation and there is discretion, derived from human sentiment. Kindness is benevolence; righteousness is righteousness; moderation is ritual; discretion is wisdom. Benevolence, righteousness, ritual, and wisdom—these are the essential tools of man."

These four virtues embodied in the mourning rites are not just principles for funerals but are also the cornerstone of family ethics:

• Kindness ($\text{ēn}$, 恩): The affection between family members—corresponding to Line 9 in the Fifth, "mutual love."
• Righteousness ($\text{lǐ}$, 理): Righteousness within the family—corresponding to the Tuan Zhuan's "Father acts as father, son acts as son."
• Moderation ($\text{jié}$, 节): Restraint and rules within the family—corresponding to Initial 9, "Guarding the family."
• Discretion ($\text{quán}$, 权): Wisdom and flexibility in family management—corresponding to Upper 9, "Turning back upon oneself."

The concept that best illustrates the hierarchy of family ethics in funeral rites is the "Five Grades of Mourning" system. The Yi Li, Sang Fu stipulates five levels of mourning attire, from the heaviest (hanging the unhemmed garment) to the lightest (fine hemp cloth), reflecting the degree of kinship closeness:

• Hanging Unhemmed Garment for Three Years: Worn by a son for his parents.
• Plain Hemp for One Year: Worn by a husband for his wife, etc.
• Great Tribute for Nine Months: For cousins of the same generation, etc.
• Small Tribute for Five Months: For distant cousins, etc.
• Fine Hemp for Three Months: For distant ancestors, etc.

The logic behind this system is: the closer the relationship, the heavier the mourning attire and the longer the mourning period; the more distant the relationship, the lighter the attire and the shorter the period. This perfectly embodies Mencius's principle of "killing by degrees" ($\text{qīn qīn yǒu shā}$, 亲亲有杀) in kindness—the closest relatives receive the deepest love (and heaviest mourning attire), and this radiates outward.

This structure has a deep correspondence with the Jia Ren hexagram: the progression of the six lines from the bottom (Initial 9) to the top (Upper 9) represents not only a spatial progression from the core to the periphery of the family but also the passage of time (from beginning to end). The innermost lines (Initial 9, Line 6 in the Second) represent the core relationships (husband/wife, parent/child); the outermost lines (Upper 9) represent the extremes or boundaries of family relationships. The "gradation of mourning" from close to distant follows the same logic as the Jia Ren hexagram's six lines progressing from the inside out.