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

Within this structure, there’s a simple three-character mnemonic for memorizing the Eight Trigrams:

Qian San Lian (乾三连), Kun Liu Duan (坤六断), Zhen Yang Yu (震仰盂), Gen Fu Wan (艮覆碗), Li Zhong Xu (离中虚), Kan Zhong Man (坎中满), Dui Shang Que(兑上缺), Xun Xia Duan (巽下断).

This is essentially a rhyme for recalling the trigrams. Frankly, once you truly grasp them, memorization becomes unnecessary. But in the beginning, it’s helpful as an aid for both memorization and understanding.

Then there’s Zhu Xi’s Sequence Song for the 64 Hexagrams.  I’ll recite it once:

Qian Kun Zhun Meng Xu Song Shi,

Bi Xiao Xu Xi Lü Tai Pi,

Tong Ren Da You Qian Yu Sui,

Gu Lin Guan Xi Shi He Bi,

Bo Fu Wu Wang Da Xu Yi,

Da Guo Kan Li San Shi Bei,

Xian Heng Dun Xi Ji Da Zhuang,

Jin Yu Ming Yi Jia Ren Kui,

Jian Xie Sun Yi Guai Gou Cui,

Sheng Kun Jing Ge Ding Zhen Ji,

Gen Jian Gui Mei Feng Lü Xun,

Dui Huan Jie Xi Zhong Fu Zhi,

Xiao Guo Ji Ji Jian Wei Ji,

Shi Wei Xia Jing San Shi Si.

Young as you are, put in the effort to memorize this. Honestly, when sharing culture with others, merely repeating what they already know isn’t impressive. But if you can say, “I’ve memorized the I Ching’s 64-hexagram rhyme,” you’ll instantly stand head and shoulders above the rest—that’s a whole different level, isn’t it? As for understanding, we’ll take it step by step. Within this sequence lies the Jian  hexagram (渐卦), which symbolizes gradual progress—just like our learning journey.