Cosmological Construction and Rational Essence of the Original Functions of the *Book of Changes* Based on Divination Tracing

Section 2.3: The "Narrative Nature" of Hexagram and Line Statements — The Neglected Literary Dimension

If we carefully read the hexagram and line statements of the sixty-four hexagrams, we will discover a feature that is often overlooked: a large number of hexagram and line statements are not divinatory judgments, but narrative, descriptive, and even poetic texts.

For example, the first line statement of the Tun (屯) hexagram:

"Hesitating, it is favorable to abide in correctness; it is favorable to establish feudal lords." (磐桓，利居贞，利建侯。)

This is a description of a situation—a time of hesitation and indecision; it is favorable to remain steadfast in correctness, and favorable to establish feudal lords. It is more like a maxim of political wisdom than a divinatory judgment.

Another example is the line statements of the Jian (渐) hexagram:

"The goose gradually ascends to the bank." "The goose gradually ascends to the rock." "The goose gradually ascends to the land." "The goose gradually ascends to the tree." "The goose gradually ascends to the hill." "The goose gradually ascends to the land." (鸿渐于干... 鸿渐于磐... 鸿渐于陆... 鸿渐于木... 鸿渐于陵... 鸿渐于陆)

This is clearly a complete poem—describing the process of geese flying higher and higher from the water's edge, to the rocks, to the land, to the trees, to the hills. It uses a beautiful natural image to symbolize the gradual development process of things. This is poetry, philosophy, a condensation of wisdom—not divination.

Yet another example is the sixth line statement of the Mingyi (明夷) hexagram:

"Entering the left flank, one captures the heart of Mingyi, and goes out of the courtyard gate." (入于左腹，获明夷之心，于出门庭。)

This is almost a narrative—someone penetrates deep into the "left flank" (metaphor for a dangerous situation), understands the truth of "Mingyi" (brightness injured, the worthy suffering misfortune), and then walks out of the courtyard gate. It describes a process of cognition and awakening.

Why are there so many narratives, metaphors, and poems in the hexagram and line statements$23 Because they were originally not written for divination. They are a systematic summarization by ancient peoples of life's circumstances, a crystallization of life's wisdom, and a condensed expression of the "principles of human affairs." The hexagrams provide a classificatory framework (sixty-four basic situations), and the line statements provide specific wisdom for dealing with different stages within each situation.

This is more akin to an "Encyclopedia of Life Situations" rather than a "Divination Manual."