Interpreting and Investigating the Chapter: 'The Sage Perceived the Profundities of the World' — The Primordial Code of *Xiang* and *Yao*
This paper deeply investigates the core proposition, 'The Sage perceived the profundity (Ze) of the world,' within the *Xi Ci Zhuan* (Commentary on the Appended Judgments) of the *Zhou Yi*, analyzing the original Pre-Qin semantics of 'Ze,' 'Xiang' (Image), and 'Yao' (Line). It focuses on explaining the cognitive leap of the Sage through 'looking up and observing down,' transforming deep textures (Ze) into external simulations (Xiang), and reveals the intrinsic connection between the 'Yao' and ancient ritual systems, thereby reconstructing the foundation of Yi learning theory.
II. Han Kangbo's Interpretation
Han Kangbo inherited Wang Bi’s path of rationale, commenting on this chapter:
"Zé refers to the subtle and deep principles that are hidden and difficult to see. Simulating and comparing serves to accomplish transformation."
Han's gloss directly equates zé with "subtle and deep principle," elevating zé to the level of "Principle" (lǐ, 理)—it is not just "complex and hard to see," but the "ultimate principle that is subtle and deep." This interpretation influenced the direction of later Rationale schools.