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

Chapter V: Detailed Explanation of the Da Xiang Zhuan: "Speech Has Substance and Action Has Constancy"

Section 1: The Original Text and Interpretation of the Da Xiang Zhuan

The Da Xiang Zhuan (Great Commentary on the Images) on Jia Ren states:

"Wind arises from Fire; this is Jia Ren. The noble person thereby ensures that speech has substance ($\text{wù}$, 物) and action has constancy ($\text{héng}$, 恒)."

The first half, "Wind arises from Fire; this is Jia Ren," describes the hexagram image, which we analyzed in detail in Chapter II. The latter half, "The noble person thereby ensures that speech has substance and action has constancy," is the moral lesson derived from the image, a principle for the noble person to observe in viewing the hexagram and guiding his own conduct.

"Speech has substance" ($\text{yán yǒu wù}$, 言有物)—speech must have content, basis, and reality; it must not be empty talk or falsehood.

"Action has constancy" ($\text{xíng yǒu héng}$, 行有恒)—action must have consistency, regularity, and continuity; it must not change whimsically or stop halfway.

Why does the image "Wind arises from Fire" lead to the admonition "speech has substance and action has constancy"$4 What is the logical connection between them$5

Section 2: Why "Speech" Corresponds to "Wind"

In Pre-Qin thought, "Wind" ($\text{fēng}$, 风) has a close association with "Speech" ($\text{yán}$, 言) (language, education, command).

Firstly, one of the original meanings of "Wind" is "satire" ($\text{fěng}$, 讽)—to convey information in an implicit manner. The Mao Shi Xu states: "The superior uses wind to transform the inferior; the inferior uses wind to satirize the superior. It expresses things openly while offering subtle admonition; those who speak are not guilty, and those who hear it are sufficiently warned; thus it is called Feng (Wind/Ode)." Wind is speech, and speech is education.

Secondly, the Xun trigram (Wind) in the Shuo Gua Zhuan also symbolizes "Command" ($\text{mìng}$, 令): "Xun acts with power," "Double Xun to proclaim the command" ($\text{chóng xùn yǐ shēn mìng}$). "Command" is the most serious form of speech.

Therefore, the correspondence between "Wind" and "Speech" is an inherent symbolic logic in Pre-Qin thought. Since Jia Ren has Xun (Wind) above, it signifies "Speech."

Why must speech "have substance"$6

"Substance" ($\text{wù}$, 物) means reality. "Speech has substance" means that speech must have real content, not be empty. This aligns with the logic of the image "Wind arises from Fire": wind is not generated from nothing; it is born from fire. Similarly, speech should not be groundless but should arise from real experience and sincere thought.

The Lun Yu, Wei Ling Gong records Confucius saying:

"The Master said: 'Language is sufficient when it conveys the meaning.'" ($\text{cí dá ér yǐ xī}$, 辞达而已矣).

"Language conveys the meaning"—the purpose of language is expression, and the prerequisite for expression is having content to express. If there is no real content, the most ornate words are but empty shells.

The Lun Yu, Xue Er records:

"The Master said: 'Eloquent speech and a plausible appearance are seldom accompanied by benevolence.'" ($\text{qiǎo yán lìng sè}$, 巧言令色).

"Eloquent speech" ($\text{qiǎo yán}$, 巧言)—speech that is artful but not substantial—is precisely the manifestation of "speech lacking substance." "Speech has substance" is the opposite of "eloquent speech": the former is plain and sincere, the latter is ornate and hypocritical.

In family education, the significance of "speech has substance" is paramount. If parental instruction consists of empty preaching and maxims without practical grounding, children will not only fail to obey but will also lose respect for their parents due to the discrepancy between words and actions. Only when speech stems from genuine experience and sincere care can it produce an educational effect as natural as "wind arising from fire."

Section 3: Why "Action" Corresponds to "Fire"

The "Action has constancy" ($\text{xíng yǒu héng}$) corresponds to the lower trigram Li (Fire). Why$7

The characteristic of fire is continuous burning—as long as there is fuel, the fire will continue to burn. This continuity and constancy are precisely the symbols of "Constancy" ($\text{héng}$, 恒). "Action has constancy" means actions must persist consistently and regularly, without changing principles arbitrarily due to shifting circumstances.

Li also represents "Brightness" ($\text{míng}$, 明)—acting with constancy based on what one has clearly discerned as right—this is "action has constancy." If one lacks "brightness," there is no direction; if one lacks "constancy," there is no endurance—"brightness" and "constancy" are both indispensable.

The Lun Yu, Zi Han records Confucius saying:

"The wise are free from perplexity; the benevolent are free from worry; the courageous are free from fear."

"The wise are free from perplexity"—those with wisdom (brightness) are not confused and can therefore act with firmness. This is the principle of "Li" (Brightness) being the basis for "action has constancy."

Furthermore, in Lun Yu, Shu Er:

"The Master said: 'Failing to cultivate virtue, failing to study what one has heard, hearing of righteousness but not moving toward it, seeing an evil and not correcting it—these are what cause me distress.'"

This distress relates precisely to the lack of "constancy": failing to continuously cultivate virtue, failing to continuously study, failing to consistently act on righteousness heard, failing to continuously correct flaws. "Constancy" is the key to all cultivation and education.

In the family, "action has constancy" means that the parents' behavior must have consistency and predictability. If parents say one thing today and do another tomorrow, children will be confused. If family rules are sometimes tight and sometimes loose, with fluctuating standards, the family will fall into chaos. "Constancy" is the temporal dimension of family order—it must be correct not only in the moment but continuously so.

Section 4: The Unity of "Speech" and "Action"

"Speech has substance and action has constancy"—these two are not separate but unified. The conjunction "and" ($\text{ér}$, 而) connects them into a single whole, meaning: What you say, you must do; and you are qualified to say only what you do.

This completely accords with Master Kong’s consistent advocacy. In Lun Yu, Wei Zheng:

"The Master said: 'First practice what you preach, and then speak of it.'" ($\text{xiān xíng qí yán ér hòu cóng zhī}$, 先行其言而后从之).

To act first and then speak—this is the guarantee of "speech having substance." If one has acted first, then what one says naturally "has substance" (based on one's personal practice).

The Lun Yu, Li Ren records:

"The Master said: 'In antiquity, people were hesitant to speak, ashamed that their actions might not keep pace with their words.'"

The ancients were reluctant to speak easily, as they were ashamed if their actions could not match their words. This high regard for "consistency between speech and action" is the spiritual essence of "speech has substance and action has constancy."

In family education, the importance of consistency between speech and action cannot be overstated. Parents tell children to be honest but lie to them themselves—this is "speech lacking substance." Parents demand children study diligently but spend their own days idle—this is "action lacking constancy." Only when parents' "speech" and "action" are highly unified can the educational effect of "Wind arises from Fire" truly be achieved.

Section 5: "Speech Has Substance and Action Has Constancy" and "Guarding Solitude"

The Da Xue contains a passage on "Guarding Solitude" ($\text{shèn dú}$, 慎独):

"To make one's will sincere is to allow no self-deception. To dislike a bad odor as if one disliked a bad smell, to love a beautiful color as if one loved a beautiful color—this is called self-reverence. Therefore, the noble person must guard his solitude."

"The petty person, when dwelling alone, does all manner of evil, without restraint. When he sees the noble person, he conceals his evil and displays his good. If people could see one’s interior as if seeing one’s lungs and liver, what would be the use of this$8 This is called being sincere within and manifesting outwardly. Therefore, the noble person must guard his solitude."

"Guarding solitude"—maintaining integrity even when no one is supervising—this is the ultimate manifestation of "action has constancy." Constancy is not a performance for others but a steadfast adherence regardless of being watched.

"Sincere within, manifests outwardly" ($\text{chéng yú zhōng, xíng yú wài}$, 诚于中，形于外)—inner sincerity naturally expresses itself in outward action. Is this not exactly "Wind arises from Fire"$9 The Fire (inner sincerity) burns within, and the Wind (outward speech and action) naturally issues forth. If the inner heart is not sincere (Fire is extinguished), any outward wind, however strong, will be false—like wind artificially created by fanning, it cannot last.

In the family, the most private space, the significance of "guarding solitude" is even greater. The places others cannot see are precisely where family life is most real. A person can feign in public, but it is hard to maintain that pretense in the home long-term. "Speech has substance and action has constancy" demands this very characteristic of maintaining sincerity and consistency even in the most private domestic sphere.