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.
V. Zhu Xi's Interpretation
Zhu Xi comments on this chapter in the Zhou Yi Benyi:
"Xiang refers to the upper and lower trigrams of the hexagram, and the statements attached by the Duke of Zhou. This speaks of the Sage, having established the Yi, attaching statements based on the already existing images."
A notable feature of Zhu Xi’s interpretation is his emphasis on "based on the already existing images" (yīn yǒu yǐ zhī xiàng). The Sage does not create the Xiang out of thin air; rather, because there already exist "images" (Xiang) in Heaven and Earth (the external manifestations of zé), the Sage merely discovers and expresses them. This view aligns with our analysis above: the Xiang is not subjective construction but objective discovery.
Zhu Xi also particularly emphasized the divinatory function of the Zhou Yi. In his Yi Xue Qimeng, he stated: "The Yi is fundamentally a book of divination." In his view, "attaching statements to determine auspiciousness and inauspiciousness" is the original face of the Yi; rationale is derived from divination, not the other way around. While this position has been criticized by some later scholars, it is arguably correct based on the actual practice of high antiquity Yi studies.