Chapter Four: Line Statements in Detail -- The Stairway from Commoner to Son of Heaven

The six lines of Da You vividly depict the process by which a person (or a state) manages wealth, power, and reputation. These are not mere divination formulae but a treatise on political ethics for the Zhou aristocracy.

4.1 Nine at the Beginning: "No intercourse with what is harmful -- no blame. If one remains mindful of difficulty, there will be no blame."

• Original meaning:
  • "No intercourse with what is harmful": Several interpretations exist. One holds that "jiao" (intercourse) is cognate with "jiao" (arrogant), meaning there is no harm from arrogance. Another reads "jiao" as interaction or contact. In the pre-Qin context, Nine at the Beginning occupies the lowest rung; having just begun to acquire wealth, as long as one avoids entanglement in harmful dealings, no disaster follows.
  • "Jian" (difficulty): Hardship, vigilance.
• Pre-Qin ethical analysis: The I Ching attaches great importance to beginnings. Nine at the Beginning marks the start of Da You. Although the first shoots of growth have appeared, one's station remains humble. "If one remains mindful of difficulty, there will be no blame" embodies the Zhou people's consciousness of peril and adversity. King Wen wrote in the Xi Ci Zhuan (Great Commentary): "Was it not in a time of peril and anxiety that the I Ching was composed$1" At the outset of possession, only by maintaining the same vigilance one would have in hardship can one preserve wealth and honor in the long term. To indulge in extravagance from the very beginning is the certain path to ruin.

4.2 Nine in the Second Place: "A great cart for loading -- one may set forth; no blame."

• Original meaning:
  • "Great cart": Under the Zhou chariot system, ox-carts were "great carts" used for hauling goods, while horse-drawn chariots were "small carts" used for passengers or warfare. The Rites of Zhou (Zhou Li) contained strict regulations on vehicles. "A great cart for loading" symbolizes immense carrying capacity.
  • "You you wang" (one may set forth): One may proceed; plans can be carried out.
• Political allegory: Nine-Two is a yang line occupying the center of the lower trigram (centered and correct), corresponding to Six-Five in the sovereign's position. This symbolizes a minister of outstanding ability who bears heavy responsibilities over a long journey. He is like a sturdy great cart, capable of bearing the weight of the state (taxes, supplies, the will of the people). Under the pre-Qin patriarchal system, this is the image of a high minister (qing dafu) receiving a mandate from the Son of Heaven, governing his fief, and conveying tribute. Because he is centered and impartial, despite his heavy burden, wherever he goes there will be no disaster.

4.3 Nine in the Third Place: "A duke makes offerings to the Son of Heaven. A petty man cannot do this."

• Original meaning:
  • "Gong" (duke): A feudal lord, a duke.
  • "Heng": Interchangeable with "xiang" -- to offer sacrifice, to present tribute, to feast.
  • "Tian zi" (Son of Heaven): The Zhou king.
  • "Xiao ren fu ke" (A petty man cannot do this): Commoners or those of inferior virtue cannot accomplish this (or would suffer harm if they tried).
• Ritual archaeology: This is a line statement of exceptional historical value, directly reflecting the Western Zhou system of enfeoffment and tribute. Nine-Three stands at the top of the lower trigram (Qian), symbolizing the position of a feudal lord. He has amassed great wealth -- what should he do$2 He must not hoard it; he must "make offerings to the Son of Heaven." The Record of Rites (Li Ji, "Royal Regulations") documents the ceremonies by which feudal lords had audience with the Son of Heaven. This kind of "great possession" must be channeled through circulation and tribute to obtain political legitimacy. Why "a petty man cannot do this"$3
  1. The argument from status: A petty man (commoner) lacks the qualifications to perform this level of sacrifice and tribute.
  2. The argument from virtue: A petty man's capacity is narrow; should he come into enormous wealth, he would only be crushed by it, or, through miserliness, refuse to offer tribute, ultimately inviting catastrophe. As the saying goes, "An innocent man becomes guilty by possessing a precious jade."

4.4 Nine in the Fourth Place: "Not displaying one's magnificence -- no blame."

• Exegetical difficulties:
  • "Fei": Not; negation.
  • "Peng": The interpretation of "peng" has long been debated.
    • Interpretation one: "Peng" means grand and imposing, overbearing (Wang Bi).
    • Interpretation two: "Peng" is cognate with "pang" (beside) -- acting as though no one else exists.
    • Interpretation three (Gao Heng): "Peng" is cognate with "wang" -- lame, crippled.
  • In the pre-Qin context, the mainstream view is adopted: "peng" denotes grandeur, conspicuousness, and overpowering strength.
• Political wisdom: The position of Nine-Four is exceedingly perilous ("to attend a prince is to walk beside a tiger"). He has entered the upper trigram, standing directly beside Six-Five, the sovereign. Moreover, Nine-Four is a yang line -- forceful and strong. If Nine-Four, relying on his great achievements, were to overshadow the sovereign and lord it over others (peng), his doom would be certain. "Not displaying one's magnificence" means: although one possesses enormous power, one does not act in a domineering manner, and even deliberately dims one's own brilliance. This accords with the thought of the Most High (Laozi): "When the work is done, withdraw" or "Temper your radiance and mingle with the dust." As a close minister, only through self-restraint can one avoid blame.

4.5 Six in the Fifth Place: "His sincerity is mutually engaging; dignity -- auspicious."

• Original meaning:
  • "Jue": His, its.
  • "Fu": Sincerity, trustworthiness (the character depicts claws holding a child -- hatching, hence trust).
  • "Jiao ru": Mutually engaging, hearts meeting above and below.
  • "Wei ru": Dignified, majestic.
• The art of sovereign rule: This is the ruling line of the Da You hexagram, portraying the image of the ideal sovereign.
  1. "His sincerity is mutually engaging": The ruler governs not by power alone but through "trust and righteousness" that resonate with his ministers and people. Six-Five is a yin line -- humble -- and therefore able to "share hearts" with Nine-Two and all the yang lines.
  2. "Dignity": Though humble, the ruler is not weak or easily taken advantage of. A sovereign naturally possesses dignity and bearing. Pre-Qin dialectics: Grace and authority wielded together. "Mutually engaging" is grace; "dignity" is authority. Grace without authority leads to disorder; authority without grace leads to tyranny. Six-Five achieves the balance, and so the judgment is "auspicious."

4.6 Nine at the Top: "From Heaven comes blessing -- auspicious; nothing that does not further."

• Original meaning:
  • Blessing from Heaven above; auspicious; there is nothing unfavorable.
• Philosophical sublimation: This is one of the rarest unreservedly laudatory statements in the entire I Ching. Normally, "Nine at the Top" implies that the dragon overreaches and meets regret, that things at their extreme must reverse. Why, then, is the topmost line of Da You so perfect$4 The Master's explanation in the Xi Ci Zhuan is the key: "You (blessing) means 'help.' What Heaven helps is that which accords; what humans help is that which is sincere. To tread in sincerity, to contemplate accord, and furthermore to esteem the worthy -- therefore 'from Heaven comes blessing; auspicious; nothing that does not further.'"
  • Nine at the Top, though at the extreme position, does not claim credit for himself and is able to honor the sovereign Six-Five (esteeming the worthy).
  • He accords with the Way of Heaven (accord) and keeps faith with others (sincerity).
  • When Da You reaches its culmination, the result is not extravagant excess but a return to the sheltering care of Heaven's Mandate. This represents the supreme realm of "the unity of Heaven and humanity" (tian ren he yi).