Oriental Health Aesthetics: The Time of Professor Qiu Zhenglun’s Explanation of the Book of Changes(69）

So next, we will engage in some fundamental exploration and reflection on the beauty of change within the Book of Changes (I Ching).

Within the concept of change, the first thing we encounter is the beauty of Yin and Yang. Regarding the beauty of Yin and Yang, as we often say in the I Ching, or as Laozi summarized in one phrase: “One Yin, one Yang—this is called the Tao.” How should we understand this phrase? We will contemplate that further later.

In the Great Treatise (Xici Zhuan) of the Book of Changes, it is written: “The Master said: ‘Are not Qian (Heaven) and Kun (Earth) the gateway to Change?’ Qian is the symbol of what is of the Yang nature (the male); Kun of what is of the Yin nature (the female). When the virtues of Yin and Yang are united, firmness and yielding have their embodiment, thereby giving physical form to the operations of Heaven and Earth, and penetrating the power of the spiritual and intelligent.”

By observing the transformations of Yin and Yang, the trigrams were established; by developing and applying firmness and yielding, the lines were produced. Then, in the Treatise on the Remarks on the Trigrams (Shuogua Zhuan), it speaks of “distinguishing Yin and Yang” and “alternately employing firmness and yielding.”

The Great Image (Daxiang) commentary on the Qian hexagram states: “Heaven moves with vigor; thus the superior person ceaselessly strengthens himself.”

The Great Image commentary on the Kun hexagram states: “The Earth’s condition is receptive devotion; thus the superior person carries all things with his profound virtue.”

How should we understand this?

First, when it mentions “Qian and Kun are the gateway to Change,” it is preceded directly by “The Master said.” Who is this “Master”? You might know—it is Confucius. Among the pre-Qin philosophers, specifically within Confucianism, whenever “The Master said” (子曰, Zi yue) is used, it refers exclusively to Confucius.

So, consider the Book of Songs (Shijing). When Confucius compiled and edited it, he famously said: “In the Book of Songs there are three hundred pieces, but the meaning of them all may be summed up in one phrase: ‘Have no depraved thoughts.’” (思无邪, Si wu xie). This was his overarching summary.

Similarly, when discussing the Book of Changes, specifically in the Great Treatise I mentioned this morning: “What is above form is called the Tao; what is within form is called the concrete.” These distinctions between the metaphysical Tao and the physical concrete, and all such statements, are the words of Confucius, recorded by his disciples.

Therefore, many people misunderstand the Book of Changes, not having consulted the sources, and mistakenly believe it to be Taoist doctrine. While Taoism—especially later religious Taoism—undoubtedly incorporated many concepts from the I Ching, its true origin lies within Confucian scholarship. It was systematized and transmitted primarily by the Confucian school, and particularly compiled and organized by Confucius himself.