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YI JING OR I CHOU
ONE INDIVIDUAL'S [ MIS - ] [ ? ] UNDERSTANDING
Chapter 4

The Co-ordinate Value #1 is derived from the starting value, by replacing the base line with its complementary line --- yin changes to yang, and vice versus. Co-ordinate value #2 is created by changing the base line and the middle line to their complementary line. The complimentary opposite is created by changing all three lines to their complementary line. The parallel value is created by changing the middle line to the complementary opposite line. Later on, we will touch upon why the top line , the top and bottom line, or middle and top lines are not changed to derive the family. We could respectively term these Complementary Co-ordinate value #1 and Complementary Parallel value, and Complementary Co-ordinate Value # 2.

Why not place all the trigrams above "A" or below "A", instead of the way shown? That would then make every trigram, from each trigram. However, by not using all eight trigrams, but just five, one can relate each trigram to the five-element-theory-of-the-multiverse. Of course, with eight trigrams, the four-element-theory-of the-multiverse could be utilized, with each element having two trigrams attached to it. But utilizing eight elements would result in a minor, but significant problem --- some hexagrams would belong to two or even three families, whilst others would only belong to one family.

With five trigrams, the family is produced thus:

A Subject trigram
C1 Co-ordinate Value # 1
C2 Co-ordinate Value # 2
O Complementary Opposite
P Parallel Value

The, our table would look like this:
Trigram first:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
A  Qian  Dui   Li   Zhen  Sun   Kan   Gen   Kun
C1  Sun   Kan   Gen   Kun   Qian  Dui   Li    Zhen
C2  Gen   Kun   Sun   Kan   Li    Sun   Qian  Dui
O  Kun   Gen   Kan   Sun   Zhen  Li    Dui   Qian
P  Li    Zhen  Qian  Dui   Gen   Kun   Sun   Kan
E1  Dui   Qian  Zhen  Li    Kan   Sun   Kun   Gen
E2  Zhen  Li    Dui   Qian  Kun   Gen   Kan   Sun
E3  Kan   Sun   Kun   Gen   Dui   Qian  Sun   Li

Hexagrams are:

QianKanGenZhenSunLiKunDui A/A  1   29  52  51  57  38  2   58 A/C1  44  60  22  16  9   56  24  47 A/C2  33  3   26  40  37  50  19  45 A/O  12  63  41  32  42  64  11  31 C1/O  20  49  38  46  25  4   34  39 C2/O  23  55  10  48  21  59  43  15 P/O  35  36  61  28  27  6   5   62 P/A  14  7   53  17  18  13  8   54

The point of having the houses is that we can then relate them to more than the trigrams, but the hexagrams can thus come into closer contact with each other, and share the same characteristics. Furthermore, by arranging them into houses, one can do a reconstruction of the trigrams, and hexagrams, into what is most likely the original order, which Fu Xi had them in. Assuming that:

  1. He did exist.
  2. He constructed the hexagrams and trigrams.
  3. He had a mathematical reason for his arrangement.

Now, you might be asking why they are not all simply placed above A, or below A, instead of the « maybe » strange looking order in which they are, in the diagram. Basically, it is due to if each family were to only have the base trigram, or top trigram, the hexagram would have an overabundance of that element, which was represented by the trigram.

This would result in the families being at war with each other, so to speak, rather than harmonious living together as they currently do.

Thus :

Thus, our table would look like this:
Trigrams first:

A Qian Kan Gen Zhen Sun Li Kun Dui
C1 Sun Dui Li  Kun QianGen ZhenKan
C2 Gen Zhen Qian Kan Li  Sun Dui Kun
O Kun Li  Dui Sun ZhenKan QianGen
P Li  Kun Sun Dui Gen Qian Kan Zhen
E1 Dui Sun Kun Li  Kan Zhen Gen Qian
E2 Zhen Gen Kan Qian Kun Dui Su  Li
E3 Kan Qian Zhen Gen Dui Kun Li  Sun

On the next page are the tables for both A/Trigram, and Trigram/A.

Hexagrams, with Trigram "A" on top:

Qian Kan Gen Zhen Sun Li Kun Dui
A/A Hexagram 1 Hexagram  2 Hexagram 9 Hexagram 52 Hexagram 51 Hexagram 57 Hexagram 30 Hexagram 2 Hexagram 58
A/C1 Hexagram 44 Hexagram 60 Hexagram 22 Hexagram 16 Hexagram 9 Hexagram 56 Hexagram 24 Hexagram 47
A/C2 Hexagram 33 Hexagram 3 Hexagram 26 Hexagram 40 Hexagram 37 Hexagram 50 Hexagram 19 Hexagram 45
A/O Hexagram 12 Hexagram 63 Hexagram 41 Hexagram 32 Hexagram 42 Hexagram 64 Hexagram 11 Hexagram 31

The Following hexagrams would be new to these Houses

A/P Hexagram 13 Hexagram 8 Hexagram 18 Hexagram 54 Hexagram 53 Hexagram 14 Hexagram 7 Hexagram 17
A/E1 Hexagram 10 Hexagram 48 Hexagram 23 Hexagram 55 Hexagram 42 Hexagram 21 Hexagram 15 Hexagram 43
A/E2 Hexagram 25 Hexagram 39 Hexagram 4 Hexagram 34 Hexagram 20 Hexagram 38 Hexagram 46 Hexagram 49
AE3 Hexagram 6 Hexagram 5 Hexagram 27 Hexagram 62 Hexagram 61 Hexagram 35 Hexagram 36 Hexagram 28

Hexagrams, with Trigram "A" on the base:

Qian Kan Gen Zhen Sun Li Kun Dui
A/A Hexagram 1 Hexagram 29 Hexagram 52 Hexagram 51 Hexagram 57 Hexagram 30 Hexagram 2 Hexagram 58
P/A Hexagram 14 Hexagram 7 Hexagram 53 Hexagram 17 Hexagram 18 Hexagram 13 Hexagram 8 Hexagram 54

The following hexagrams are new to these Houses

C1/A Hexagram 9 Hexagram 47 Hexagram 56 Hexagram 24 Hexagram 44 Hexagram 22 Hexagram 16 Hexagram 60
C2/A Hexagram 26 Hexagram 40 Hexagram 33 Hexagram 3 Hexagram 50 Hexagram 37 Hexagram 45 Hexagram 19
O/A Hexagram 11 Hexagram 64 Hexagram 31 Hexagram 42 Hexagram 32 Hexagram 63 Hexagram 12 Hexagram 41
E1/A Hexagram 43 Hexagram 59 Hexagram 15 Hexagram 21 Hexagram 48 Hexagram 55 Hexagram 23 Hexagram 10
E2/A Hexagram 34 Hexagram 4 Hexagram 39 Hexagram 25 Hexagram 46 Hexagram 49 Hexagram 20 Hexagram 38
E3/A Hexagram 5 Hexagram 6 Hexagram 62 Hexagram 27 Hexagram 28 Hexagram 36 Hexagram 35 Hexagram 61

A natural procession of order can be seen, if their order was Earth, Mountain, Water, Wind, Thunder, Fire, Lake, and Heaven. This shows a number of symmetrical patterns, which could be utilized for further understanding. However, do take care not to get involved in any of the mind-games the Yi Jing can bring on.

To extract the total meaning out of all the possible arrangements, is to delve into the Yi Jing, and stay buried in it, from one's birth, until one's death, a few millennia later, if so short a period of time is there. « After all, the Yi Jing considers its own cycle to be in the range of an eternity and then some.» 6 to the power of 64 years -- but Chinese years of 384 days, not 365 days. While glancing across calendars, I ought to point out that there are days that are a part of the Chinese calendar, but not a part of the cycle, by not being there, represented by the Yi Jing. The Chinese year is based upon the Yi Jing, and hence the number of days in year, and the value of the number of years in its cycle. See Khiegh Alx Dhiegh ( 1982; 1983) for more information on the Chinese year.

If one could survive that long, then maybe one could understand it, in its entirety. However, Daoist priests and practitioners have claimed that immortality is there for the taking, « for example: Lu K'uan Yu: 1970 » especially by using White Tiger, Green Dragon Alchemy, with fourteen ounces of unsmelted silver, to use the traditional expression. White Tiger is Metal, and thus is Dui, whilst Green Dragon is Wood, and thus is Sun. The actual union itself is depicted in the Yi Jing through the following abridged sequence of hexagrams:

 61  30  49  63  28

The wind whistles over the lake, absorbing the moisture. A fire is lit, and the cauldron is placed thereon. However, the cauldron overheats, and the water is released. The subsequent energy is absorbed by both, through both. The outcome, however is an unequal,almost disharmonious relationship between the two, with the gold and the silver going their own separate ways. The separate ways, is, of course, a reference to the receiver having attained the elixir, that leads towards the attainment of immortality, whilst the provider is left to possibly die an early death.

Lu K'uan Yu does not admit to the virtue of that method, advocating, instead a strict celibacy. It is appropriate, however, to point out that such a union was permissible, only if there was no sexual desire, per se. One must love, maybe, but not have any lust, of any form within one. In this case, it is not just the lust for sex, but also the lust for money, for "things" including immortality, that must be overcome. To have no desires within one is the way. However, it is not the only way, but merely a way, for some. Other ways of achieving immortality are easier, but not much. Furthermore, the question then arises as to why one wishes to be immortal, when one could transform one's self, and ride the dragon.

End of digression.

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