An Analysis of the Structure, Ethics, and Ontology of the 'Jia Ren' Hexagram in the Zhou Yi
This paper deeply investigates the philosophical implications of the 37th Hexagram, 'Jia Ren' (The Family), in the *Zhou Yi* (Book of Changes), analyzing the relationship between the 'Wind over Fire' trigrams and the Way of the Family, while interpreting the fundamental position of the 'family' within ancient social structures through the lens of early Confucian concepts of 'foundation' (ben).
Section 4: Family Roles as Seen Through Line Positions
The Yin-Yang distribution of the six lines in Jia Ren is: Initial 9 (Yang), 6 in the second (Yin), 9 in the third (Yang), 6 in the fourth (Yin), 9 in the fifth (Yang), Upper 9 (Yang).
In the six-line system of the Zhou Yi, odd-numbered positions (Initial, Third, Fifth) are Yang positions, and even-numbered positions (Second, Fourth, Upper) are Yin positions. Let us examine whether each line in Jia Ren is in its "proper position" (a Yang line in a Yang position is proper, a Yin line in a Yin position is proper):
- Initial 9: Yang line in a Yang position (Initial), Proper Position.
- Line 6 in the Second: Yin line in a Yin position (Second), Proper Position.
- Line 9 in the Third: Yang line in a Yang position (Third), Proper Position.
- Line 6 in the Fourth: Yin line in a Yin position (Fourth), Proper Position.
- Line 9 in the Fifth: Yang line in a Yang position (Fifth), Proper Position.
- Upper 9: Yang line in a Yin position (Upper), Improper Position.
Among the six lines, five are in their proper positions, only the Upper line is misplaced. What message does this structure convey$17
Firstly, the five lines being in their proper positions signifies that Jia Ren, overall, is a highly ordered state—family members each occupy their proper place and fulfill their role. This echoes the analysis of the inner hexagram being "Jì Jì" (Completion).
Secondly, the sole misplaced line, Upper 9, is at the very top of the hexagram, symbolizing the most senior member or the oldest person in the family. The misplacement of Upper 9 suggests that in a highly ordered family, the part most likely to cause problems lies "above"—in the excessive exercise of authority, or the stubborn self-will of the patriarch/matriarch. This corresponds to the admonition in the line statement of Upper 9, "Possessing sincerity, yet appearing stern; in the end, good fortune." We will analyze this in detail later.
Looking at "response" ($\text{yìng}$, 应) relationships: in the six-line system, Initial responds to Fourth, Second responds to Fifth, and Third responds to Upper. In Jia Ren:
- Initial 9 responds to 6 in the Fourth: Yang responds to Yin, There is Response.
- Line 6 in the Second responds to 9 in the Fifth: Yin responds to Yang, There is Response.
- Line 9 in the Third does not respond to Upper 9: Yang does not respond to Yang, No Response.
The response between Initial and Fourth symbolizes the harmonious cooperation between the youngest member and the middle-level managers of the family. The response between the Second and Fifth lines symbolizes the proper spousal relationship between the wife and husband—this is the most crucial relationship in the Jia Ren hexagram. The non-response between the Third and Upper lines symbolizes potential conflict between the strong and active members and the highest authority within the family.
The responsive relationship between Line 6 in the Second and Line 9 in the Fifth is particularly important. Line 6 in the Second is central to the inner trigram, representing the woman; Line 9 in the Fifth is central to the outer trigram, representing the man. Their Yin-Yang response and mutual positioning—this is the concrete embodiment of the Tuan Zhuan's statement: "the woman occupies the proper place within, and the man occupies the proper place without."