Interpreting and Investigating the Chapter: 'The Sage Perceived the Profundities of the World' — The Primordial Code of *Xiang* and *Yao*

Chapter 5: Diǎn Lǐ — The Foundation of Institutions and Order

I. What Does "Enacting Their Rites and Regulations" (Yǐ Xíng Qí Diǎn Lǐ) Mean$19

The scripture continues: "he thereby enacted the rites and regulations (diǎn lǐ, 典礼)." This phrase has led to significant divergence among commentators.

First Interpretation (Han Kangbo, Kong Yingda): "Diǎn lǐ" refers to "standard rites" (diǎn cháng zhī lǐ), meaning the norms and institutions governing human activity. "Enacting their rites and regulations" means that after observing the convergence and connection of the world's movements, the Sage established and implemented the fundamental codes and regulations for human society accordingly.

Second Interpretation (Zhu Xi): "Diǎn lǐ" refers to "constant principles" (cháng lǐ). "Enacting their rites and regulations" means that after observing huì tōng, the Sage used these principles to carry out conduct standards that accord with constant principles.

Third Interpretation (Some modern scholars): "Diǎn lǐ" refers to the rites of divination—specifically, the ritual procedure of using yarrow stalks to cast trigrams. "Enacting their rites and regulations" means that the Sage used the ritual of divination to make decisions.

While each interpretation has its basis, if we return to the primordial context of the Pre-Qin era, the first interpretation is likely closest to the original meaning, for the following reasons:

In Pre-Qin texts, "diǎn" fundamentally means "classic text," "constant standard," or "eternal law." The Shangshu (Yao Dian) begins: "In reviewing antiquity, Emperor Yao was called Gong-sun, he was respectful, bright, versed in culture, and accomplished..." This "diǎn" takes the meaning of "constant standard"—recording the eternal laws of the rulers. The oracle bone script for "diǎn" depicts hands holding a scroll, its original meaning being an important document or law.

"Lǐ" in the Pre-Qin context is a concept with immense scope—from sacrificial rites to daily etiquette, from state institutions to personal cultivation—nearly all normative behavior could be called "lǐ." The Liji (Li Yun): "The rites are what the former kings received from Heaven, and used to regulate the emotions (qíng) of the people. Therefore, those who lose them die; those who attain them live."

The combination "diǎn lǐ" means "standardized rites"—those constant, fundamental norms and institutions.

Therefore, "enacting their rites and regulations" means: After observing the convergence and connection of the world’s movements, the Sage established and implemented the fundamental institutions and norms of human society according to this observation.

II. Why is "Movement of the World" (Dòng of the World) Connected to "Rites and Regulations" (Diǎn Lǐ)$20

This connection may seem abrupt, but it is profound.

All things in the world are changing (dòng), but human society cannot simply follow the flow or be dictated by change—humanity must establish order (diǎn lǐ) within change so that life has a foundation to rely upon. However, this order cannot be arbitrarily imposed by humans in opposition to the Dao of Heaven and Earth—it must conform to the internal laws of the world's movements (huì tōng) in order to endure.

In other words, the diǎn lǐ is not a human invention or creation, but the institutional expression of the internal laws governing the world's movements. Heaven has the order of the four seasons, so humans have the seasonal rites; the Earth has the division of the nine provinces, so humans have hierarchical distinctions; yin and yang have the law of waxing and waning, so humans have positions of respect and inferiority. These diǎn lǐ were not imagined out of thin air by the Sage; they are the product of the Sage observing the huì tōng of the world’s movements and transforming it into human order.

This idea is extensively echoed in Pre-Qin texts.

The Liji (Yue Ji):

"Grand music harmonizes with Heaven and Earth; grand rites accord with Heaven and Earth’s measure. Harmony, thus nothing is lost; measure, thus Heaven is sacrificed to and Earth is revered."

"Grand rites accord with Heaven and Earth’s measure" (dà lǐ yǔ tiān dì tóng jié)—the greatest ritual system is synchronized with the measure of Heaven and Earth. Is this not another expression of "The Sage perceived the movements of the world, and observed their convergence and connection; he thereby enacted the rites and regulations"$21

The Liji (Li Yun):

"Therefore, the Sages harmonize with Heaven and Earth, and align with the spirits, in order to govern. Where they reside, there is the order of rites; what they enjoy, there is the governance of the people."

The Sage "harmonizes with Heaven and Earth"—establishing rites by referencing the Dao of Heaven and Earth. This is entirely consistent with "observing their convergence and connection, thereby enacting the rites and regulations."

In the Zuo Zhuan (Zhao Gong 25), Zichan argues about rites:

"Rites are the constant law (jīng, 经) of Heaven, the righteousness (yì, 义) of Earth, and the conduct of the people. The constant law of Heaven and Earth, and the people follow it. They follow the clarity of Heaven, follow the nature of Earth, produce the six qi, and utilize the five xing (elements)."

"Rites are the constant law of Heaven, the righteousness of Earth"—the system of rites is the human projection of the order of Heaven and Earth. This is the best commentary on "The Sage perceived the movements of the world, and observed their convergence and connection; he thereby enacted the rites and regulations."

III. The Unity of Ancient Ritual and Divination

If we push our view back to high antiquity, the relationship between "diǎn lǐ" and divination becomes even tighter.

In ancient society, almost all major ritual activities—sacrifice, warfare, marriage and funeral rites, construction, hunting—required prior divination. The oracle bones preserve numerous divination records, documenting the divinatory acts performed by the Shang people before undertaking various ritual activities.

For example:

"Divined: Will the King hunt at Qin$22 Will he succeed$23" (zhēn: wáng qí tián yú qín, huò$24) "Divined: Will it rain tomorrow$25" (zhēn: yì rì yǔ$26) "Divined: Will the High Lord grant us a good harvest$27" (zhēn: dì shòu wǒ nián$28)

These oracle texts tell us that, in the ancient consciousness, all human activities (diǎn lǐ) had to be coordinated with the laws of Heaven and Earth's movements, and divination was the means to confirm whether this coordination was achieved.

Therefore, the phrase "enacting their rites and regulations" in the context of high antiquity may have a richer meaning than later commentators assumed: It not only means the Sage established human rites based on the Heavenly Dao, but also that the Sage grasped the laws of the world's movements through the special "rite" of divination, thereby guiding all human activities.

From this perspective, the generation of the Yao (Line) is not merely an epistemological event (how to express change), but also an institutional history event (how to establish order). The generation of the Yao allowed the laws of the world's movements to be incorporated into the framework of rites, thereby grounding human order in the Dao of Heaven and Earth.