8

The saints estimated forms of everything in the world, though complex, they concluded them into eight rudimentary Guas, which symbolized these forms, and this is called Xiang (images).The saints observed the changing of all things and created sixty four Guas, including three hundred and eighty four Yaos, to simulate the way of the changing; also wrote words for them to judge its luck, what is called Yaos.

It is much less disgustful to see things of highest complexity, and much simple to see things of most rapid change, with the eight basic symbols. The eight symbols and the three hundred and eighty four Yaos is a pre-consideration of all things. Therefore, before we give a talk or carry out actions, we should investigate deeply with sufficient speculation, or through discussing. It becomes an immortal achievement when our words and actions go though so deliberate a decision-making process.

The second Yao in Zhongfu Gua says, “The crane sounds in the dark, with response from its son in immediate. I have an honorable name of lord, and I shall share the management right with you.”

Confucius says in Zhenlun, “The great man lives in his home, speaking in a tone of goodness and beauty. People from thousand miles away are effected and take action, let alone those ones nearby. His words come from himself alone, and are able to influence the people. However, he take actions nearby, and the consequence appears afar. Words and behavior, is crucial important to a great man, what dominate his honor or humiliation. How can we be ignorant and indiscreet considering that one’s words and behavior are the reason of touching the god?”

He says, “The fifth Yao in the Gua of Tongren, is in the respectful position. Before the unification of the whole world, working in the tough situation, one cried with genuine emotion which affects people. And after it, one laughed happily.”

Confucius also explains, “The principle of a great man, demanding him to go out and serve the people in the world; or to conduct himself virtuously; or to keep silent; or to speak. The teamwork of two men is so sharp that its blade is able to cut hardest metal. The meaning of teamwork is that the two should be united, sharing the same objective and interest. It is like the mixture of fragrances of two species of orchids.”

“The sixth Yao of Daguo says, it is reasonable to put the white twitch grass under the sacrificial offering as a pad. It doesn’t induce disaster.”

“It is indeed cautious enough to put the sacrificial offering directly on the ground, and now with grass pad under it with extreme cautiousness. How can this induce disaster or bad luck? So the twitch grass in fact serves great purpose though very thin and cheap itself, it is able to support the offerings. The one who do things with such cautiousness, hardly makes any mistaks.”

“The third Yao in Qian says, the god blesses the man who had done great achievement and remains humble.”

Confucius says, “The one who makes contribution, without being conceited or showing off, is extremely good-natured. This means we should not to think too highly of ourselves even though with contributions. The principle of virtue requires us to have great moral conduct. The principle of manners, demands us to be dutiful and respectful, among which, modesty, is one of the ways to show great respects that keep his position.”

When one Yao rise to the first position (the highest position), in the view of the six Yao system, it reaches the top, without any space to go further, high and lonely. It is like a dragon, flying to the sky, beyond the clouds, and when it reaches the highest and cleanest place, it looks around at a loss, because there is not space to go upper, neither no way to go down. Therefore, it feels gloomy and upset.

The first Yao in Jie Gua says, “It doesn’t induce bad luck when one even still stays in door.” Confucius says, “Disturbance emerges with the ladder of words. The king who fails to keep his secrets is tended to lose his subject and courtiers. And if the courtiers do so, they may lose their lives. The publicity of the confidentialities induces disaster. So the great men always keep his secrets very cautiously.”

And he says, “The man who wrote I-ching probably knows where burglary was born. The third Yao in Jie Gua in I-ching says, ‘The one carries goods on the back and sits in a cart easily induces robbery or steal.’ Because to carry goods is a job for lower labors, while a cart is an instrument for great man to rule the nation. And now a lower class man, without the ability of a managing the nation, sits in the instrument of a great man. This certainly induces robbery. Therefore a king, if is a tyrannical one, and with his cruel followings, could easily induce invasion.

To keep treasury in all means, is the teacher of the bandit. Similarly, women with seductive make-up could induce an insult for themselves.

I-ching says, “The one who carries on the back and sits in a cart induces robbery.” It really means that we always induce disaster only by ourselves.