Oriental Health Aesthetics: The Time of Professor Qiu Zhenglun’s Explanation of the Book of Changes(4)

What is the Book of Changes?

The character “经” (Jing) signifies a classic, something constant and unchanging, possessing infinite potential. It is like well water – inexhaustible and never running dry. The core meaning of “易” (Yi), on the other hand, is “continuous regeneration” or “unceasing vitality.”

As stated in the Great Commentary (Xici Zhuan) of the Book of Changes: “‘Richness is called the great enterprise; daily renovation is called abundant virtue; continuous regeneration is called Yi.’” Note the phrase “continuous regeneration” (生生, sheng sheng), formed by two characters for “life” or “birth.” “Continuous regeneration is called Yi” signifies perpetual motion and unending vitality. Crucially, this ceaseless regeneration does not imply the immortality of a single, unchanging entity. Individual lives are destined to be born and to die. What is truly undying is life itself – the life of the species or the clan.

When Zhuangzi addressed this concept, he used the idiom “薪尽火传” (xin jin huo chuan), which literally means “the firewood burns out, but the flame passes on.” (Today, we often adapt this to “薪火相传,” xin huo xiang chuan, meaning “passing on the torch.”) The original idiom emphasizes that while the firewood (the fuel) may be consumed, the flame itself does not perish. This resonates deeply because the Chinese nation venerates fire, as the legend of Suirenshi, the Fire Driller, demonstrates – was he not a figure of a “fire-worshipping clan”?

In “薪尽火传,” the “fire” (huo) represents the eternal spark or seed. As long as this seed exists, why fear the extinguishing of any single lamp? And what is this lamp? It is the Chinese script – Chinese characters. These characters are the very spark that ignites the flame of Chinese civilization. The fertile cultural soil that nourishes this spark, providing immense resources and foundation, is derived from the Book of Changes.

Therefore, in exploring the Book of Changes from an aesthetic perspective – an approach I have dedicated considerable effort to – we focus on this core relationship. Although I prepared an outline, the subject’s vastness makes exhaustive coverage impossible even in two months, let alone two days. However, over these next few days, we will concentrate on this theme. I believe the insights gained will offer significant reference and inspiration to all present, myself included.

You might wonder why a lecture on the aesthetics of calligraphy has led us to the aesthetics of the Book of Changes. To clarify: my exploration evolved from “calligraphy aesthetics” to the broader concept of “the aesthetics of writing” (shuxie meixue). This shift began during the first session at Changxin College and culminated in a book on the subject. While the initial development was somewhat hurried, this broader framework is what connects our topics today.