Between Emulation and Resemblance: A Fundamental Inquiry into the Microcosm of the Dao of Change
This article deeply analyzes the core proposition of 'Yáo imitating Xiàng' found in the *Xici Zhuan II* of the *Zhou Yi*, distinguishing the dynamic differences between 'imitation' (xiào) and 'analogy' (xiàng), tracing the referent of 'this' (cǐ), and interpreting how Yáo-Xiàng constitutes the epistemological framework for revealing the subtle workings of the Dao within the Pre-Qin context.
III. Historical Example: The Oracle Encountered by Duchess Mu of Jin in the Kun Hexagram
Let us use a famous historical example to illustrate the operation of "when the Yao and Xiang move within, fortune and misfortune are revealed without."
The Zuo Zhuan, Duke Xiang, Year 9, records a well-known divination:
Duchess Mu died in the Eastern Palace. Initially, they performed divination for her departure and obtained Gen transforming into the Eighth Line of Gen. The Diviner said: "This is called Gen transforming into Sui (Following). Following means departure. The ruler must quickly depart." The Duchess said: "No! In the Zhou Yi, it says: 'Sui, Great success, advantageous, firm, without blame' (Suí, yuán hēng lì zhēn, wú jiù). 'Great' (yuán) is the foundation of the substance; 'Success' (hēng) is the convergence of the auspicious; 'Advantageous' (lì) is the harmony of righteousness; 'Firm' (zhēn) is the foundation of action. If the substance embodies benevolence, it is sufficient to lead others; if the beautiful virtue is sufficient to harmonize with propriety, if benefiting things is sufficient to harmonize with righteousness, if firmness is sufficient to secure action—only then is it 'without blame' when Sui-ing. Now, I, a woman, have participated in disorder; being in a low position, I lack benevolence—I cannot be called 'Great'; I have not pacified the state—I cannot be called 'Successful'; my actions harm my own body—I cannot be called 'Advantageous'; I abandon my position for licentiousness—I cannot be called 'Firm'. Since I lack all four virtues, how can I achieve 'without blame' when Sui-ing$16 I shall take on the negative, can I avoid blame$17 I must die here and cannot depart."
This case is highly insightful. Duchess Mu divined Gen transforming into Sui, and the diviner interpreted it as meaning she could leave. However, the Duchess deeply analyzed the conditions of "Great Success, Advantageous, Firm, without blame" in the Sui hexagram text, concluding that since she lacked the four virtues (yuán, hēng, lì, zhēn), she could not obtain the result of "without blame" even though she had the Sui hexagram.
This is a vivid illustration of "when the Yao and Xiang move within, fortune and misfortune are revealed without": The revelation of the hexagram image is "within," but the judgment of fortune and misfortune must be combined with the concrete situation (revealed "without"). The same hexagram image, for different people or in different circumstances, will present completely different meanings of fortune and misfortune. The hexagram image itself does not automatically determine fortune/misfortune—fortune/misfortune is the result "revealed" (jiàn) when the hexagram image interacts with the concrete situation.
The Duchess’s interpretation demonstrates an exceptionally high level of Yi scholarship. She did not judge mechanically based on the hexagram name but delved into the principles (yi) of the line texts and contrasted them with her own actual circumstances—this methodology precisely embodies the dual operation of xiào and xiàng: the Yao emulate the dynamics of Heaven and Earth, the Xiang resemble the structure of all things, but the final judgment of fortune and misfortune requires combining these two with concrete human experience.