A Detailed Inquiry into the Most Auspicious Hexagram Lines in the Zhou Yi: From 'Yuan Ji' to 'Ji Wu Buli'

Chapter 17: Examining the "Most Auspicious Yao" through Pre-Qin Divination Cases from the Zuo Zhuan and Guoyu

Section 1: The Practical Dimension of Pre-Qin Divination

The previous analysis focused primarily on the theoretical aspects of canonical texts and the Yi Zhuan. Now, let us shift to the practical dimension—examining which yao were considered supremely auspicious in actual pre-Qin divination cases.

The Zuo Zhuan and Guoyu record numerous divination cases, which serve as invaluable materials for understanding the application of the Zhouyi in the pre-Qin era.

Section 2: Important Divination Cases in the Zuo Zhuan

Case 1: Divination for Duke Mu of Qin's Invasion of Jin (Fifteenth Year of Duke Xi)

"In the first instance, Duke Xian of Jin divined about marrying his daughter Bo Ji to Qin, obtaining Gui Mei changing to Kui. The diviner Su interpreted it saying: 'Inauspicious. The judgment states: The scholar slaughters a sheep, but there is no blood. The woman carries a basket, but there is no blessing. The neighbor on the west makes demands; they cannot be repaid. Gui Mei changing to Kui is like having no mutual support.'" (初，晋献公筮嫁伯姬于秦，遇归妹之睽。史苏占之曰：'不吉。其繇曰：士刲羊，亦无衁也。女承筐，亦无贶也。西邻责言，不可偿也。归妹之睽，犹无相也。')

This case is an inauspicious example and not directly related to the "most auspicious yao," but it demonstrates the method of divination in the pre-Qin period.

Case 2: Duke Wen of Jin Divines About Rescuing the King (Twenty-fifth Year of Duke Xi)

"He obtained Da You changing to Kui, saying: 'Auspicious. It is a hexagram of the ruler making offerings to the Son of Heaven. If victory is achieved and the king makes offerings, what could be more auspicious than this$3'" (遇大有之睽，曰：'吉。遇公用享于天子之卦也。战克而王飨，吉孰大焉？')

In this case, Duke Wen of Jin divined whether to dispatch troops to rescue the King of Zhou. He obtained the Da You hexagram changing to Kui. The diviner interpreted it based on the yao lyric of Da You Nine at the Third Place, "The ruler makes offerings to the Son of Heaven" (公用享于天子), stating, "What could be more auspicious than this$4" (吉孰大焉？)

The yao lyric for Da You Nine at the Third Place states:

"The ruler makes offerings to the Son of Heaven; the petty person cannot bear it." (公用享于天子，小人弗克。)

Although this yao lyric merely states "making offerings to the Son of Heaven," not "Yuan Ji," in the specific context (rescuing the king), it was interpreted as extremely auspicious—"What could be more auspicious than this$5"

This case again demonstrates that: The degree of auspiciousness of a yao lyric depends not only on the judgment itself but also on the specific context of its application. In a particular context, an ordinary "auspicious" judgment can be interpreted as "supreme auspiciousness."

Case 3: Nan Kuai Divines About Rebellion (Twelfth Year of Duke Zhao)

(Cited previously) Nan Kuai divined and obtained Kun changing to Bi (Kun Six at the Fifth Place changed). Zifu Huibo interpreted it using "Yellow lower garments, supremely auspicious (Huang Shang Yuan Ji)," stating that Nan Kuai did not possess the necessary virtues to attain "Yuan Ji" (disloyal, disrespectful, not good), hence he could not achieve auspiciousness.

The key point of this case is: The realization of "Yuan Ji" requires moral conditions—those without virtue, even if they obtain a "Yuan Ji" yao, cannot achieve "Yuan Ji."

This again confirms our previous assertion: The auspiciousness in the Zhouyi is rooted in virtue.

Case 4: Mu Jiang Divines About Residing in the Eastern Palace (Ninth Year of Duke Xiang)

"Mu Jiang died in the Eastern Palace. She initially performed a divination and obtained Gen changing to the eighth hexagram which implies a specific interpretation within the lineage. The diviner said: 'This is called Gen changing to Sui. Sui signifies emergence. The Duke must quickly depart.' Jiang said: 'No. This is in the Zhouyi commentary stating: Sui, Yuan Heng Li Zhen, Wu Jiu. Yuan is the beginning of the substance; Heng is the convergence of goodness; Li is the harmony of righteousness; Zhen is the support of affairs. Embodying benevolence is sufficient to lead others; meritorious virtue is sufficient to align with propriety; benefiting things is sufficient to harmonize righteousness; persistence is sufficient to support affairs. Therefore, it cannot be falsely accused, hence although following, there is no blame. Now I, a woman, participate in chaos, am inherently in a lower position, and possess inhumanity; I cannot be called Yuan. I do not secure the state; I cannot be called Heng. Acting and harming myself, I cannot be called Li. Abandoning my position and being frivolous, I cannot be called Zhen. Possessing these four virtues, one follows without blame. I possess none of them; how can I be following$6 I embrace evil; how can I be blameless$7 I must die here and cannot escape.'" (穆姜薨于东宫。始往而筮之，遇艮之八。史曰：'是谓艮之随。随，其出也。君必速出。'姜曰：'亡。是于《周易》曰：随，元亨利贞，无咎。元，体之长也；亨，嘉之会也；利，义之和也；贞，事之干也。体仁足以长人，嘉德足以合礼，利物足以和义，贞固足以干事。然故不可诬也，是以虽随无咎。我皆无之，岂随也哉？我则取恶，能无咎乎？必死于此，弗得出矣。')

This is one of the most classic pre-Qin divination cases. Mu Jiang's interpretation of the four virtues "Yuan, Heng, Li, Zhen" is extremely profound:

• Yuan (元)—The beginning of the substance; embodying benevolence is sufficient to lead others.
• Heng (亨)—The convergence of goodness; meritorious virtue is sufficient to align with propriety.
• Li (利)—The harmony of righteousness; benefiting things is sufficient to harmonize righteousness.
• Zhen (贞)—The support of affairs; persistence is sufficient to support affairs.

Mu Jiang honestly admits she does not possess these four virtues, and therefore, even obtaining a good hexagram cannot result in a good outcome—"I embrace evil; how can I be blameless$8"

The implication of this case, like Nan Kuai's, is consistent: The auspiciousness of a yao lyric is conditional, and the condition is virtue. Those without virtue do not deserve auspiciousness.

Case 5: Marquis Chen Divines About Establishing the Crown Prince (Twenty-second Year of Duke Zhuang)

"Marquis Li of Chen was born in Cai. Therefore, the people of Cai killed Wu Fu and established him. He gave birth to Jing Zhong. When he was young, a Zhou historian who understood the Zhouyi met Marquis Chen. Marquis Chen asked him to divine about it. He obtained Guan changing to Pi. The diviner said: 'This is called "Observing the radiance of the state; beneficial to be a guest of the king." Will he replace Chen in ruling the state$9 Not in this life, but in his descendants. Radiance is far-reaching, shining from elsewhere. Kun is Earth. Xun is Wind. Qian is Heaven. Wind above Heaven on Earth; this is a mountain. Possessing the material of a mountain and illuminating it with Heaven's light, thus residing above the Earth, hence it is called "Observing the radiance of the state; beneficial to be a guest of the king." The courtyard is filled with travelers, offering him jade and silk; the beauty of Heaven and Earth is complete, hence it is called "Beneficial to be a guest of the king." There is still observation, hence it is said his descendants will rule. Is it not so$10'" (陈厉公，蔡出也。故蔡人杀五父而立之。生敬仲。其少也，周史有以《周易》见陈侯者，陈侯使筮之，遇观之否。曰：'是谓"观国之光，利用宾于王"。此其代陈有国乎？不在此，其在异国；非此其身，在其子孙。光，远而自他有耀者也。坤，土也。巽，风也。乾，天也。风为天于土上，山也。有山之材而照之以天光，于是乎居土上，故曰"观国之光，利用宾于王"。庭实旅百，奉之以玉帛，天地之美具焉，故曰"利用宾于王"。犹有观焉，故曰其在后乎。')

In this case, the diviner interpreted the Guan hexagram's Six at the Fourth Place ("Observing the radiance of the state; beneficial to be a guest of the king") to predict that Marquis Chen Jingzhong's descendants would prosper in another state (Qi). Indeed, the Chen clan later established the Tian Qi state in Qi.

This case, while not directly involving the judgment of the "most auspicious yao," demonstrates the method of interpreting yao lyrics by pre-Qin diviners—considering not only the judgment but also the hexagram structure, yao position relationships, and symbolic meanings.

Case 6: Zhong'er Divines About Obtaining the State of Jin (Guoyu, "Discourses of Jin")

"The Duke personally divined. He asked: 'Does the state of Jin still exist$11' He obtained Zhen, changing to Hui and Yu, all eight meaning the same line changed, resulting in similar hexagrams. The diviners interpreted it, saying: 'Inauspicious. Blocked and not communicating; the yao has no function.' Vice Minister Ji Zi said: 'Auspicious. It is in the Zhouyi, all stating 'beneficial to establish feudal lords' (Li Jian Hou). If one does not have the state of Jin, but assists the royal house, how can one establish feudal lords$12 My divination question was 'Does the state of Jin still exist$13' and the divination tells me 'beneficial to establish feudal lords.' This is the essential matter of obtaining the state. What could be more auspicious than this$14'" (公子亲筮之，曰：'尚有晋国？'得贞屯悔豫，皆八也。筮史占之，皆曰：'不吉。闭而不通，爻无为也。'司空季子曰：'吉。是在《周易》，皆利建侯。不有晋国，以辅王室，安能建侯？我命筮曰"尚有晋国"，筮告我曰"利建侯"，得国之务也，吉孰大焉？')

This case again shows that pre-Qin diviners interpreted "auspiciousness" flexibly and contextually—not rigidly adhering to judgment levels but interpreting in conjunction with the specific question.

Section 3: Implications from Pre-Qin Cases

From the above pre-Qin divination cases, we can draw the following implications:

First, the judgment of auspiciousness and inauspiciousness is context-dependent. The same yao lyric can have different auspicious or inauspicious interpretations depending on the context. From the perspective of pre-Qin diviners, there might not be a fixed answer to the question "which is the most auspicious yao"—it depends on the specific context and question.

Second, virtue is the fundamental condition for auspiciousness and inauspiciousness. Regardless of how auspicious a yao lyric is, if the person involved does not possess the corresponding virtues, they cannot achieve auspiciousness. This is the principle clarified by both Mu Jiang and Zifu Huibo.

Third, pre-Qin diviners valued yao position relationships such as "centrality," "correctness," and "correspondence." When interpreting yao lyrics, they considered whether the yao position was central and correct, whether there were corresponding yao, and the symbolic meaning of the hexagram structure.