The Book of Changes is a treasure of the Chinese nation and is known as "the head of the group of classics" and "the ancestor of all classics". It is an extremely rich philosophical work, covering all aspects of the universe, life, and society.
The core ideas of the I Ching can be summarized in the following three aspects:
Yin and Yang are born together: Everything in the universe is composed of two opposing forces, Yin and Yang. When yin and yang are born together, all things are born;Yin and yang are mutually restrained, and all things will perish.
Change: Everything in the universe is constantly changing and developing, and nothing is immutable. Change is the law of the development of all things in the universe.
Poor change: When things reach their limits, they must change. Only by constantly changing can we maintain development and endure for a long time.
These three ideas, like the three movements in a symphony, complement each other and together form the ideological system of the I Ching.
First Movement: Yin and Yang Grow Together
"Yin and yang" is one of the core ideas of the Book of Changes. It believes that everything in the universe is composed of two opposing and unified forces, yin and yang.
Yin represents the attributes of softness, darkness, quietness, receiving, and innerness;Yang represents the attributes of strength, brightness, movement, hair, and exterior. The two forces of yin and yang are opposed to each other, but they are also interrelated and interdependent.
The interaction of the two forces of yin and yang gives rise to all things in the universe. For example, the alternation of day and night, the change of seasons, and the growth of all things are all the result of the interaction of the two forces of yin and yang.
The mutual transformation of the two forces of yin and yang has also promoted the continuous change and development of all things in the universe. For example, water vapor rises, condenses into clouds, and falls into rain, which is the result of the mutual transformation of the two forces of yin and yang.
The second movement: Change is not lived
"Change is not living" is another core idea of the I Ching. It believes that everything in the universe is constantly changing and developing, and nothing is immutable.
Change refers to the change of things;Non-dwelling refers to the impermanence of things changing.
Everything in the universe is in constant flux. This kind of change happens all the time, and it is also endless.
There are internal laws to the changes of things. For example, the law of weather change, the law of economic development, and the law of social development are all laws of change.
The third movement: Poor is changing
"If you are poor, you will change" is the crystallization of the wisdom of the Book of Changes. It tells us that when things are pushed to their limits, they have to change.
Poor refers to the limits of things;Change refers to the change of things.
When things have developed to the limit, it means that things have reached the end of development, and if they do not change, they will go into decline.
Only by constantly changing can we maintain development and endure for a long time.
The trio of the I Ching reveals the law of the development of all things in the universe. Understanding the trio of the I Ching helps us better understand the world, transform the world, and guide us to move forward on the road of life.