"Zhou Yi" is a well-known and rather mysterious book. Many people believe that this is a book of divination, which is used for such mysterious and unfathomable things as divination and the future. But is that really the case? In addition to divination, is there any other use for "Zhou Yi"? In other words, do we have any other perspectives for studying Zhou Yi? That's the question this article is trying to ask.
First, let's talk about the view that the Zhou Yi is a book of divination. This view has a very ancient origin, and there are many examples of divination using Zhou Yi in the "Zuo Chuan" and "Chinese", which are more than 2,000 years old.
Sima Qian once sighed at the magic of divination, and it was able to ** 300 years (10 lifetimes, 30 years for the first generation) later. "Historical Records: Tian Jingzhong Completes the Family" cloud: "Cover Confucius late and happy. Easy is the technique, the light is far away, and the non-well-known people can pay attention to it! Therefore, the hexagram of Zhou Taishi Tian Jingzhong was completed, and he was occupied after the tenth generation; And after the end of the run, Yi Zhongbu is also cloudy. Tian Qi and Chang so than the two kings, monopolize the government of the country, it is not necessary to gradually change the situation, and Gai Ruo is tired of Zhao Xiangyun. ”
The magic of divination is known to everyone. However, it is estimated that no one will leave everything to the divination to make decisions without reservation, right? This is because, if there is an accurate calculation, there will be an inaccurate calculation - there are the most accurate and convincing, and there are inevitably obvious errors and unbelievable. The ancients have realized this, and Yan Zhitui's "Yan's Family Motto: Miscellaneous Arts" cloud: "The diviner is also the cause of the sage; But in recent times, there is no good teacher, and many of them can't be hit. "Ma Wang Dui Silk Book Yi Biography Yao" cloud: "Zigong said: 'The master also believes in it? The son said, "I occupy a hundred and seventy." Although Zhouliang Mountain is occupied, it will only be from its more. Confucius's level of easy learning was the highest level at that time, and was respected by the whole country. (Six arts, referring to the Book of Songs, Shangshu, Rites, Zhou Yi, Book of Music, Spring and Autumn) accuracy is only 70, others can be known. Therefore, the wise men of history would have a more rational understanding of the results of divination. Wang Chong's "On Heng and Divination" cloud: "King Wu of Zhou fell, divination, reverse, and said: 'The big murderer. Taigong pushed the yarrow and said: "Dry bones and dead grass, how do you know and be fierce?" Thanks to Jiang Taigong's self-confidence and decisiveness, there was a later battle of Muye in which King Wu of Zhou defeated King Shang, and the people of the world were rescued from the ** of the Shang Dynasty. In view of this, Wang Chong realized the limitations of divination, so he said, "Divination cannot be used purely. "The Twelfth Year of Zhao Gong" cloud: "Husband "Yi", you can't take risks. "I believe that when we encounter dangerous things, we need to rely on people's own wisdom and experience to face them, rather than blindly listening to the results of divination. (As for the little things in everyday life, it doesn't hurt to try.) This shows that he does not trust the ** ability of "Zhou Yi". Liu Bowen also said: "Fu Yong, withered grass; Turtles, dry bones also. Things also. People, who are spiritually in things, why not listen to themselves and listen to things? (Yu Ion Heavenly Dao).
So, in addition to divination, how else can we read and study "Zhou Yi"? "Ma Wang Dui Silk Book Yi Biography Yao" provides a new perspective, from Confucius's experience of reading "Yi":
The master is old and good, "Yi", the residence is at the table, and the line is at the house. Zigong said: "Master it teaches this day ** and says: 'Those who are virtuous and die, the trend of the gods; Those who are wise and far-sighted are divined. 'Give it as it is. Take it with this word, and give it away. Why is the Master so old and good? The master said, "A gentleman's words are .......""Zhou Yi" has not been lost, and there are ancient last words. It is also used for non-security, and it is also enjoyable. Why are you so much more so? ”
In his later years, Confucius liked "Zhou Yi" very much, and he couldn't do without it. Zigong didn't understand and asked Confucius: "Didn't you say it, teacher?" Whoever is not virtuous, the gods will avoid him and will not bless him. This means that if people want to be blessed by the gods, they only need to be virtuous. Only those who are ignorant and unwise will indulge in divination. ** I thought that what the teacher said was very right, so I worked hard to cultivate my virtues. But now, why does the teacher himself love "Zhou Yi"? Confucius replied, "You are right, but I am not addicted to divination, I like the ancient precepts preserved in the Zhou Yi, which are like the words of a gentleman, with strict rules and laws." Why do you reproach me? This shows that Confucius read the "Zhou Yi" as a moral proverb and a moral admonition (the so-called "Guanqi Virtue and Righteousness"), and read it in order to help himself better cultivate himself and govern the country with his family. This is a very different path from the warlocks who use Zhou Yi as divination. Confucius said that he was on the same path as the sorcerers because he was not concerned with what kind of luck or bad luck would befall him in the future; It's about how to improve your personality at the moment.
Zi said: ""Yi", I wish it later! I look at its virtue and righteousness, and I ...... itThe people of later generations are suspicious, or they are easy! I just seek its virtue, and I am also the one who is on the same path as Shi Wu. The gentleman is virtuous and seeks blessings, so he sacrifices and widows; Benevolence and righteousness seek good fortune, so divination and hope also. I wish the witch divination the follow-up! (Ma Wang piles silk books and easy to pass on).
By studying the Book of Changes, Confucius hoped that he would be able to do more right things and make fewer mistakes. (The so-called "widowed") "Analects and Narratives" cloud: "Zi said: 'Add me a few years, fifty years to learn "Yi", you can be no big deal. By studying the proverbs and admonitions in the Zhou Yi, one can practice morality more boldly and think more profoundly. Confucius believed that if you read the classic "Zhou Yi" and do not pay attention to the wisdom of self-cultivation and cannot improve your self-cultivation, but only try to spy on the heavens like a warlock and weigh your own gains and losses, then you will not be able to read "Zhou Yi".
Ma Wang piles silk books and easy to pass on the cloud: "Do its righteousness, long its thoughts, and cultivate it to know the "Yi". Ruofu wished the witch a ......Without virtue, you can't know "Yi". Press:" means that the original text is incomplete, I think it should be the word "body" here, and "self-cultivation" is a pre-Qin idiom. ）
What's more, in many cases, the fate of good and bad luck will be affected by people's moral character, and if they lack the necessary good character, even good luck will be corrupted; If the character is tenacious, upright and kind, bad luck can also be reversed. The so-called "good luck and evil are caused by people". The best example of the former is the king of Shang, as the king of the world, but he acted perversely and committed many atrocities, and finally died. The king also used to divinate for himself, and he occupied more than 70 times in a row, and the results were all "fierce". (On Divination: Divination must also have good fortune and evil.) The commentator may say that according to the good and evil deeds of people, Yurui should come with good, and disasters should come with evil. The good and evil of governance, caused by good and evil, are suspected to be not the cause of heaven and earth. Jiren drills turtles and follows good signs; The murderer pulls the yarrow, and the number is reversed. Why? Xuan, the most evil king, at that time, there were many disasters, seventy and all were fierce, so Zu Yi said: "Geren Yuan Turtle, dare to know the auspicious." "The sage does not lift, the big turtle does not omen, the catastrophe is imminent, and Zhou Wu is ordered. The best example of the latter is Yuan Huang of the Ming Dynasty, who changed his destiny through tangible good deeds, and his Four Teachings, based on his own experience, have a wide influence in the Ming Dynasty and even today.
It is precisely because the "Zhou Yi" preserves the moral precepts and admonitions of early China that it has the function of encouraging people to cultivate virtue and do good, enlightening life wisdom and providing political precepts. "Zuo Chuan: The Second Year of Zhao Gong" cloud: "The Marquis of Jin sent Han Xuanzi to hire ......Viewing the book in **, see "Yixiang" and "Lu Chunqiu", saying: "Zhou Li is all in Lu. I know the virtue of the Duke of Zhou and the reason why the king of Zhou is also. It is believed that the moral wisdom contained in the hexagram image of "Zhou Yi" is the foundation of the Zhou Dynasty's reign over the world and the continuation of worship for 800 years. The Book of Han also believes that what is recorded in the "Zhou Yi" is the avenue of self-cultivation, family harmony, governing the country, and leveling the world, which should be cherished and loved by the emperors of the past dynasties: "Repair the "Yi" ......The way of the Emperor of the Ages. (Liu Xin's biography) "The ancient Confucian, erudite is the literature of the six arts. The six arts, the classics of the king, the first saint so tomorrow's way, righteous people, to the law of governance. "Zhuangzi Tianyun" also believes that the "Six Classics" is "the way of the first king". Jia Yi's "New Book: Six Techniques" cloud: "Mortals can be self-willing. Therefore they must wait for the teachings of the kings of the past, and they know what they do. It is to set up a religion for the world by the previous king, because it is owned by people, and it is used as a training; The feelings of the Taoist are true. ......With the "book", "poem", "Yi", "Spring and Autumn", "rites", "music" six techniques as the great righteousness, called the six arts. It is a recipe for self-study. It is believed that the "six arts" are the training of the ancestors and kings, and they are the humanistic resources that the descendants should take from self-cultivation.
In fact, not only gentlemen, scholars, and doctors will pay attention to moral admonitions, but the real warlocks will not only use divination, but "educate in divination", combining divination and morality. Such as Yan Zun (Junping) in the Western Han Dynasty:
Yan) Junping divination in Chengdu, thinking that "diviners are cheap, and can benefit everyone." If there is a ** unrighteous question, it will depend on the yarrow turtle as the benefit. With the son of man words according to filial piety, with the words of the brother according to the obedient, and the words of the ministers according to the loyalty, each according to the situation to guide the good, from my words, has been more than half. "Cutting a few people every day, getting a hundred dollars to support themselves, then closing the curtain and giving Lao Tzu. The expo is incomprehensible, according to Lao Tzu and Yan Zhouzhi, who pointed to more than 100,000 words. ......Jun Ping is more than 90 years old, and then he ends with his career, and the Shu people love and respect, and he is still praised. (Hanshu Wang Gong Liang Gong Bao Biography).
Saying filial piety to children, saying harmony with younger brothers, saying loyalty to courtiers, saying love to parents, and saying generosity to leaders is really the best way to change one's life and luck. Whether it's "Zhou Yi" or divination, the best utility is probably like this. Chu Shaosun's "Historical Records: The Biography of the Japanese" recorded his observations: "When the minister was a lang, he traveled to Chang'an, saw the wise doctor of divination, watched his daily life, sat up automatically, swore to be dressed correctly and be a villager, and had the style of a gentleman." Seeing that the sex is good, the woman comes to the divination, and the color is stern and vibrant, and he laughs without seeing the teeth. "At that time (Western Han Dynasty), the warlocks who set up stalls for divination in Chang'an, walked and sat and lay down, all had laws, neat and tidy, polite, and respectful and respectful in the face of the people in the village;In the face of Miao Ling**, he will also be polite and polite, and do not make frivolous jokes. Such a warlock, De Jong's appearance, pure and gentle, can be forgotten. Combining the art of virtue and foreknowledge into one, such a warlock is truly remarkable!
The main purpose of this article is to propose another method of studying the Zhou Yi in addition to divination, a humanistic resource that uses the Zhou Yi as a moral precept and admonition, and uses its sincerity and wisdom to cultivate the cultivation. Different from divination, which focuses on the future, this method focuses on one's own moral cultivation in the present, which can be known and grasped practically. However, it is not separated from divination by the Hehan Dynasty, and the two are still the same in the ideals and goals of Mingshan and cultivating virtue and human culture, and can complement and learn from each other. Finally, write down two sentences from "Zhou Yi" to encourage everyone:
Tianxingjian, a gentleman strives for self-improvement.
The terrain is good, and the gentleman carries things with virtue.