I read the "Book of Changes": Talk about the materialism and dialectics in the two hexagrams of Qian and Kun
Qian and Kun are the core of the entire "Book of Changes" and the two roots of the building of the Book of Changes If any of the pillars is missing, it is in danger of collapse. I have read several books about the I Ching, and my understanding of it is getting deeper and deeper, becoming more and more true. At first, I thought it was a divination book focusing on fortune telling, a treasure trove for fortune tellers. Now, I have long understood that this is not the case. Its predictive function emphasizes more on man-made actions, that is, the positive actions of self-improvement and kindness, rather than the passive state of resignation. There is no absolute "final conclusion" in it, and there is no absolute pronouncement or guarantee of "sudden misfortune or good fortune". In fact, the original intention of divination is to make choices based on the information obtained, seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, and maximize people's subjective initiative. Once you understand this, you basically understand the truth of the I Ching.
Let’s look at the materialism and dialectics contained in it line by line.
Stem: On the ninth day of the lunar month, do not use Qianlong. "Xiang" says: Don't use Qianlong, because the Yang is down.
Kun: On the sixth day of the lunar month, walking on frost, the ice arrives. "Xiang" says: "Walking on frost and solid ice" means that the yin begins to condense; taming its way leads to solid ice.
Analysis: The ninth day of the two hexagrams Qiankun and Kun are about proceeding from reality, recognizing the current situation clearly, and not acting rashly.
Qian mainly emphasizes not to act rashly when you are immature, but to spend your time on cultivating internal strength, which belongs to the accumulation stage of "accumulation and development".
Kun Gua mainly emphasizes the need to prepare for a rainy day in the face of crisis. See frost and prepare to walk on the ice or even break it. As the saying goes, everything is difficult at the beginning. Without ten years of hard work, where would the honor of being named on the gold list come from?
Stem: Ninety-two, seeing a dragon in the field will help you meet an adult. "Xiang" says: "Seeing a dragon in the field" means De Shi Pu.
Kun: Sixty-two, straight and large, there will be no disadvantage if you don’t practice it. "Xiang" says: The movements of six and two are straight and square. "If you don't practice it, there will be no disadvantage." It is pure light.
Analysis: The shortcut to "one blockbuster success" may be the recommendation of an authoritative person. Xu Shao (a talent appraisal expert in the late Eastern Han Dynasty) gave Cao Cao's comment - a capable minister in times of trouble and a traitor in troubled times are Cao Cao's. Emerging clears the way. We can understand this content from a broader level, which is to make friends and establish a good interpersonal network. There are three stakes in a fence, and three gangs in a hero. No matter how many nodes there are on this network, the most important thing is to be strong, otherwise it will be counterproductive.
Kun Gua mainly focuses on inculcating the principles of life, integrity, principle, and generosity (circle on the outside and square on the inside). This is also a very important principle for establishing a network of interpersonal relationships. As Confucius said: People There is no foundation without faith.
Qian: Jiu San, a gentleman works hard all day long, is vigilant at night, and is strict without blame. "Xiang" says: "Do it all day long", which is a repeated saying.
Kun: Sixty-three, containing Zhang Kezhen, or working for the king, without success. "Xiang" says: "The chapter can be chaste", which means it will be published at the right time; "maybe it will follow the king's affairs", which means it will be great.
Analysis: Qian Gua mainly emphasizes the need for perseverance in hard work and not to spend three days fishing and two days drying the net. As the saying goes: "It doesn't take a day to freeze three feet of ice, and it doesn't take a day to penetrate a stone by dripping water." Read, do homework, and the truth will come out after you read it a few times. This is the shortcut that successful people often say. The key is an iterative process.
Kun Gua mainly emphasizes finding the backbone and not following the crowd, that is, grasping the main contradiction. In study, work, and life, we often lose in this aspect. We scratch our beard and eyebrows, and the result is that both of them slip away quietly.
Stem: Ninety-four, or jumping into the abyss, no fault. "Xiang" says: "Maybe leaping into the abyss", there is no fault in advancing.
Kun: June 4th, including everything, no blame or honor. "Xiang" says: "There is no fault in including the bag", so be careful and do no harm.
Analysis: This line of the two hexagrams of Qian and Kun mainly talks about the strategy of storage and forbearance. You need to seize the opportunity for Yue and find the right place for Yuan. This pair of contradictions has always been with us in our growth process. No matter how big or small, there are always ups and downs in life. The motivation to float is often too strong, and the wisdom of sinking is often insufficient. But if you want to reach the realm of "Kuo Nang" (silence is golden) or "Zai Yuan", you will always have to cut things off and make things confusing.
Qian: On the 9th, the flying dragon is in the sky, which is good for meeting adults. "Xiang" says: "The flying dragon is in the sky", and the master made it.
Kun: Liu Wu, Huang Shang, Yuan Ji. "Xiang" says: "Huang Shang Yuan Ji", the text is in the middle.
Analysis: This line of Qian Gua belongs to the thin stage of "thick accumulation and thin hair". It is high and supreme. The adults here are very interesting. I think it is more appropriate to understand them as the people. The people are like the foundations of skyscrapers. Once they are corroded, everything will return to the horizon again. The change of dynasties has most profoundly confirmed this point. I hope that today’s “people in heaven” will not ignore the real “adults”. Alas! Just hope.
Kun hexagram mainly talks about the principle of humility, which is consistent with the principle hidden in the previous line. In fact, the spirit running through the whole Kun hexagram is compliance and humility. Full of losses, modesty of gains. It is best for subordinates not to steal the leader's limelight. Once they are on the blacklist of "the one in heaven", the gains outweigh the losses.
Stem: Shangjiu, the dragon has regrets. "Xiang" said: "A strong dragon has regrets", and it cannot last long.
Kun: On the sixth day, the dragon fights in the wild, its blood is black and yellow. "Xiang" says: "Dragon fights in the wild", the way is poor.
Analysis: Everyone understands the principle that things must be reversed when they reach their extremes, but they often fall into its cycle.
Stem: Use nine to see a group of dragons without a leader, which is auspicious. "Xiang" says: "Use nine", heavenly virtue cannot be the first.
Kun: Use six to benefit Yongzhen. "Xiang" says: Use six "eternal chastity" to achieve a great end.
Analysis: Qian Gua mainly emphasizes the importance of the team. A leaderless group often leads to a state of chaos, but at specific stages it often leads to order.
Kun Gua mainly emphasizes the principle of starting well and ending well. In the final analysis, persistence is the last word.
The above insights seem too general and a bit simplistic. But as long as you do it honestly, there is no need to be bound by complicated motives.
I wrote a paper like this when I was an undergraduate, but unfortunately it was handwritten and has not been preserved. This article is a diary I wrote on my blog while I was studying. It may not meet your requirements, but I hope it can inspire you.