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

Chapter 22: A Re-examination from an Ancient Perspective — Oracle Bone Divination and Yi-Grass Divination

Section 1: From Tortoise Shell Divination to Yi-Grass Divination — Evolution of Divination Methods

In ancient times, divination primarily relied on tortoise shell divination—burning tortoise shells or animal bones and observing the cracks to determine auspiciousness or inauspiciousness. The oracle bone inscriptions are products of this method.

Yi-grass divination (using milfoil stalks for divination) is generally considered to have emerged later than tortoise shell divination, roughly concurrent with the formation of the Zhouyi.

The Xici Zhuan states:

"The grand total number is fifty; its use is forty-nine. It is divided into two to symbolize the two forces (Yin and Yang); one is added to symbolize the three powers (Heaven, Earth, Man); it is stripped by fours to symbolize the four seasons; the remainder is returned to the groupings to symbolize the intercalary month. Five years have two intercalary months, hence after two groupings and then one is added." (大衍之数五十，其用四十有九。分而为二以象两，挂一以象三，揲之以四以象四时，归奇于regex以象闰。五岁再闰，故再regex而后挂。)

This passage describes the specific operational method of yi-grass divination—using fifty stalks of milfoil (practically forty-nine), through steps like dividing into two, adding one, stripping by four, and returning the remainder to the groupings, to generate hexagrams and yao.

In the tortoise shell divination system, the judgment of auspiciousness and inauspiciousness primarily relied on the shape of the cracks, carrying a strong "Mandate of Heaven" color—Heaven conveying its will through the cracks.

In the yi-grass divination system, the judgment of auspiciousness and inauspiciousness relies on the yao lyrics, carrying a strong "human affairs" color—the yao lyrics of the Zhouyi not only predict auspiciousness and inauspiciousness but also guide actions.

This transition from tortoise shell divination to yi-grass divination reflects a major shift in the concept of the Mandate of Heaven from ancient times to the pre-Qin period—from passively accepting the Mandate of Heaven to actively responding to it through virtue.

Section 2: The Ancient Concept of "Ji" (吉)

In the oracle bone inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty, the character "ji" (吉) appears frequently. "Ji" in oracle bone inscriptions primarily refers to the favorable nature of the divination result—meaning Heaven's deity or ancestral spirits approve of the matter being inquired about.

For example, a typical oracle bone inscription format is:

"Divination: Will the King hunt in place X$4 Auspicious (Ji)."

Or:

"Divination: Will it rain tomorrow$5 Inauspicious (Bu Ji)."

This kind of "Ji" is a purely divinatory judgment—Heaven's intention, without involving human virtue.

However, by the time of the Zhouyi, the meaning of "Ji" had fundamentally changed—it was no longer a pure transmission of Heaven's will but incorporated the dimension of virtue. "Ji" was not bestowed luck but the good fruit of virtuous cultivation.

Kun Six at the Fifth Place's "Yellow lower garments, supremely auspicious (Yuan Ji)" is a prime example of this new concept of "Ji"—its auspiciousness stems from inner moral cultivation ("centrality and clarity within, correctness in position and embodiment, beauty residing within"), rather than external bestowal by Heaven.

Section 3: Three Dynasties' Divination Methods and the "Most Auspicious Yao"

According to pre-Qin texts such as the Rites of Zhou (Zhou Li) (although the date of compilation of the Zhou Li is debated, the divination methods it records largely follow pre-Qin traditions), the divination methods of the Three Dynasties varied:

"The Grand Diviner was in charge of the methods of the three portents: one is the jade portent, two is the tile portent, three is the original portent. The structure of the main portents was each 120; their songs each 1,200. He was in charge of the methods of the three Yi: one is Lian Shan, two is Gui Cang, three is Zhou Yi. Each of their hexagrams was eight; each of their variants was sixty-four." (太卜掌三兆之法，一曰玉兆，二曰瓦兆，三曰原兆。其经兆之体，皆百有二十。其颂皆千有二百。掌三易之法，一曰连山，二曰归藏，三曰周易。其经卦皆八，其别皆六十有四。)

"Three Yi"—Lian Shan (Xia Dynasty), Gui Cang (Shang Dynasty), Zhou Yi (Zhou Dynasty).

According to pre-Qin traditions:

• The Lian Shan Yi begins with the Gen hexagram—the image of the mountain, signifying the beginning of all things' growth.
• The Gui Cang Yi begins with the Kun hexagram—the image of Earth, signifying the gathering and storage of all things.
• The Zhou Yi begins with the Qian hexagram—the image of Heaven, signifying the initial creation of all things.

If the Gui Cang Yi indeed began with the Kun hexagram, then the Kun hexagram's status in Shang Dynasty divination methods would be even more significant. The status of Kun Six at the Fifth Place's "Yellow lower garments, supremely auspicious (Yuan Ji)" in the Gui Cang Yi was likely even more prominent than in the Zhou Yi.

Regrettably, Lian Shan and Gui Cang have been lost, and we cannot be certain of their yao lyrics. However, judging from the overall structure of the Three Yi system, the Kun hexagram (especially Kun Six at the Fifth Place) indeed held a very important position in ancient divination methods.