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. Echoes with Other Chapters of the Xici Shang Zhuan
This chapter is not isolated but forms close echoes with other sections of the Xici Shang Zhuan.
Echoing Chapter 1:
"Heaven is venerable and Earth is humble; Qian and Kun are thereby established. Humility and loftiness are arrayed, establishing the noble and the base. Motion and stillness have their constants, establishing firmness and yielding."
Chapter 1 establishes the basic framework of the order of Heaven and Earth (venerability/humility, nobility/baseness, firmness/yielding), which is the macroscopic manifestation of the "profundities of the world" (zé). This chapter explains how the Sage transforms this framework into the "Xiang."
Echoing Chapter 4:
"The Yi corresponds to Heaven and Earth, thus it can encompass the Dao of Heaven and Earth. Looking upward to observe the celestial patterns, and looking downward to examine the terrestrial models, thus one knows the causes of the dark and the bright."
Chapter 4 discusses why the Yi can "encompass the Dao of Heaven and Earth"—because it "corresponds" (zhǔn, 准, i.e., aligns with) Heaven and Earth. This chapter then specifies how this alignment is achieved—by "perceiving zé and simulating the Xiang" and by "perceiving dòng and modeling the Yao."
Echoing Chapter 10:
"The Yi has four ways of the Sage’s Dao: in speaking, one values its statements (cí); in moving, one values its changes (biàn); in constructing artifacts, one values its images (xiàng); in divination, one values its oracle (zhàn)."
Chapter 10 summarizes the four functions of the Yi—Statements, Change, Images, and Divination. Among these, "Statements" and "Images" correspond to the "Xiang" in this chapter (simulating forms, depicting appropriateness), while "Change" and "Divination" correspond to the "Yao" in this chapter (observing huì tōng, determining jí and xiōng).
Echoing Chapter 12:
"The Yi is what the Sage uses to reach the utmost depth and research the subtle (jí shēn ér yán jī, 极深而研几). Only through depth can one connect the intentions of the world; only through subtlety can one accomplish the tasks of the world."
Chapter 12 discusses the ultimate state of the Yi—"reaching the utmost depth and researching the subtle." "Depth" corresponds to zé (the subtle and hard-to-see principle); "Subtlety" (jī, 几) corresponds to dòng (the budding and trend of change). The Sage grasps zé through "reaching depth" and grasps dòng through "researching subtlety"—this is the expression of the cognitive process discussed in this chapter at a higher level.