Origins of the Yi Jing
The Yi Jing aka The Chinese Oracle is where all Chinese metaphysics is traced from. Its origins are traced to Fu Xi (c. 2800 BCE) who started the 8 trigrams and then Zhou Wen Wang who continued to add more meaning to the 8 trigrams for human application and thus the formation of the 64 hexagrams.
If you find the 64 hexagrams challenging, you just have
to use the 8 trigrams as these are the fundamentals. The Yi Jing is also known
as the book of changes as the lines or yao in the hexagrams change. With each
hexagram, there are 6 lines. When you have 64 hexagrams, you can expect 384 changes.
It is believed that Confucius (551BCE)
was an expert in Yi Jing and he also credited Fu Xi and Zhou Wen Wang as “great
people” before him.
Yi Jing started with a stroke across which contained the
yin and yang. By studying nature around him, Fu Xi saw the heaven and the earth
which are the (Qian 乾) gua and (Kun 坤) gua respectively. He then observed nature more and the
remaining 6 guas (trigrams) were formed.
1.
Wind - 巽 xùn
2.
Thunder - 震 zhèn
3.
Mountain - 艮 gèn
4.
Fire - 離 lí
5.
Water - 坎 kǎn
6.
Pond- 兌 duì
From 乾(heaven), 巽 (wind), 離 (fire) and 兌 (pond or swarm) are derived.
From 坤(earth), 震 (thunder), 坎 (water), 艮(mountain)
are derived.
The above were formed in sequential order of the trigrams as derived
by Fu Xi. (Qian 乾) gua and (Kun 坤).
There is much literature written about the Yi Jing but I
think it is good to explain the origins of Chinese metaphysics as well as how
the Yi Jing came about.
I really admire the wisdom of the ancient sages who have given us the Yi Jing as the fantastic of philosophy or changes or divination whatever you may term it. The lesson of this gift is to allow us as human beings to better ourselves. Do you agree with me?
Be kinder to yourself and then to others.
Namaste!
Photo by Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash
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