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

Section 1: Initial 9: "Guarding the Family in the Beginning, Regret Vanishes"

Line Statement:

"Initial 9: Guarding the family ($\text{jiān yǒu jiā}$, 闲有家), regret vanishes ($\text{huǐ wáng}$, 悔亡)."

Lesser Image Commentary ($\text{Xiǎo Xiàng}$):

"Guarding the family in the beginning, the will has not yet changed."

Interpretation:

"Jian" ($\text{闲}$) means to guard against or prevent. "Guarding the family in the beginning" means establishing preventative measures and rules right at the start of family life. "Regret vanishes" means that by doing so, regret will not occur.

Initial 9 is the first line of the Jia Ren hexagram, symbolizing the beginning of the Family Way. What is most important when a family is first established (newly married)$10 It is establishing rules and setting principles.

Why must one "guard against" ($\text{jiān}$, 闲) at the "beginning" ($\text{chū}$, 初)$11 Because at the start of anything, it is easiest to shape and easiest to deviate. If one deviates from the start, the cost of correction later will be enormous. The wisdom of "Guarding the family in the beginning" is: Prevent small problems from becoming big, and prepare for things before they happen.

The Zhou Yi, Xi Ci Xia contains a famous passage:

"The Master said: 'Danger comes from those who are secure in their position; loss comes from those who are confident in their survival; chaos comes from those who are governed and feel at ease. Therefore, the noble person, while at ease, does not forget danger; while preserving, does not forget loss; while governing, does not forget chaos. Thus, his person is safe and the state can be protected.'"

"While at ease, does not forget danger" ($\text{ān ér bù wàng wēi}$, 安而不忘危)—this is the spirit of "Guarding the family in the beginning." When a family is newly established, it is usually the time of greatest harmony and happiness. But precisely at this moment, one must begin to "guard"—to establish rules, set principles, and guard against potential problems.

The Xi Ci Zhuan also states:

"Goodness accumulated is not enough to achieve fame; evil accumulated is not enough to destroy oneself. The petty person considers small good deeds as unprofitable and fails to do them, and considers small evils as harmless and fails to remove them. Thus, evil accumulates and cannot be concealed; the crime grows great and cannot be resolved."

"Evil accumulated is not enough to destroy oneself"—disaster arises from the accumulation of small evils. The petty person thinks small errors are inconsequential and does not correct them, leading to the accumulation of small evils into great evil. The "guarding" ($\text{jiān}$) of Initial 9 is precisely to prevent this accumulation of small evils—any negative tendency in family life should be corrected in its initial stage, rather than waiting until the problem becomes intractable and then regretting it.

The Lesser Image Commentary states: "the will has not yet changed." This describes the characteristic of the Initial 9 stage: at the beginning of the Family Way, the intentions of the family members are still pure and uncontaminated by external things. Precisely because the will is still pure, establishing rules and setting principles at this time is most easily accepted and most effective. Once the will has changed (e.g., eroded by bad habits), it is too late to "guard."

This corresponds to the emphasis on "early education" in Pre-Qin educational thought, as seen in the Li Ji, Nei Ze:

"When the son can manage his own eating, he is taught to use his right hand... When he can speak, the men speak, and the women reply... At six years old, he is taught numbers and names of directions... At seven years old, men and women no longer share a mat or eat together. At eight years old, when entering or leaving gates or taking a seat at a meal, he must wait for the elder, and is first taught deference... At ten years old, he goes out to an external teacher and lodges elsewhere to study writing and calculation."

Education begins in infancy—this is the practical application of "Guarding the family in the beginning" in the educational realm. The earlier rules are established, the better the effect, and the less regret there will be.