The YIJING (I Ching) or ZHOUYI in the Zuozhuan

translated by James Legge

Duke Chuang, 22nd Year -- 671 B.C. (Legge, p. 102, col. 8 & p. 103, col. 2)

Duke Li of Chen was the son of a daughter of the house of Cai. In consequence, the people of Cai put to death Wu Fu and raised him[ i.e., Li] to the marquisate. He begat Jing Zhong, during whose boyhood there came one of the historiographers of Zhou to see the marquis of Chen, having with him the Zhou Yi. The marquis made him consult it by the milfoil [on the future of the boy], when he found the diagram Guan, and then by the change of manipulation, the diagram Pi.

"Here," he said, "is the deliverance: ‘We behold the light of the state. This is auspicious for one to be the king’s guest.’ [cf. the Yi on the 4th line of the diagram Guan]. Shall this boy in his generation possess the state of Chen? Or if he do not possess this state, does it mean that he shall possess another? Or is the thing foretold not of his own person but of his descendants? The light is far off, and its brightness appears reflected from something else. Kun [lower trigram of Guan] represents the earth; Xun [upper trigram of Guan], wind; Qian [top trigram of Pi], heaven. Xun becoming Qian over earth [as in the diagram Pi] represents mountains. [Thus this boy] has all the treasures of mountains, and is shone on by the light of heaven. He will dwell above the earth. Hence it is said, ‘We behold the light of the state. This is auspicious for him to be the king’s guest.’ A king’s guest fills the royal courtyard with the display of all the productions [of his state], and the offerings of gems and silks, all excellent things of heaven and earth. Hence it is said: ‘It is auspicious for him to be the king’s guest.’ But there is still that word, ‘Behold,’ and therefore I say the thing perhaps is to be hereafter. And the wind moves and appears upon the earth. Therefore I say it is to be perhaps in another state. If it be in another state, it must be in that of the Jiang, for the Jiang are the descendants of the Grand Mountain [Yao’s chief minister]. But the mountains stand up as it were the mates of heaven. There cannot be two things equally great. As Chen decays, this boy will flourish."

When Qin received its first great blow [in 533 B.C.], Chen Huan [the representative of the Gongzi Huan in the 5th generation] had begun to be great in Qi. When it finally perished [in 477 B.C.], the officer Cheng was directing the government of the state.

Duke Min, 1st Year -- 660 B.C. (Legge, p. 124, col. 9 & p. 125, col. 2)

At an earlier period, Bi Wan had divined by the milfoil about his becoming an officer of Jin and obtained the diagram Zhun, and afterwards, by the manipulation, Bi. Xin Liau interpreted it to be lucky. "Zhun," he said, "indicates firmness, and Bi indicates entering. What could be more fortunate? He must become numerous and prosperous. Moreover, the symbol Zhen [lower trigram of Zhun] becomes that for the earth [the lower trigram of Bi]. Carriages and horses follow one another; he has feet to stand on; an elder brother’s lot; the protection of a mother, and is the attraction of the multitudes. These six indications [arising from the change of the lowest line in the diagram Zhun] will not change. United, they indicate his firmness; in their repose, they indicate his majesty. The divination is that of a duke or a marquis. Himself the descendant of a duke [Bi Wan was descended from one of the lords of Bi, but of the early history of that principality we know nothing], his posterity shall return to the original dignity."

Duke Min, 2nd Year -- 659 B.C. (Legge, p. 126, col. 10 & p. 129, col. 1)

Just before the birth of Zheng Ji, duke Huan made the father of Chu Qiu, master of the diviners, consult the tortoise-shell, which he did, saying, "It will be a boy, whose name shall be called You. His place will be at the right of the duke, between the two altars of the land. He shall be a help to the ducal house, and when the family of Ji shall perish, Lu will not flourish."

He also consulted the milfoil about the child and obtained the diagram Da You, and then Qian. "He shall come back," said he, "to the same distinction as his father. They shall reverence him as if he were in their ruler’s place." When the boy was born, there was a figure on his hand, that of the character "you," and he was named accordingly.

Duke He, 15th Year -- 644 B.C. (Legge, p.164, col. 11 & p. 167, col. 2)

Tu Fu, the diviner, consulted the milfoil about the expedition [of the earl of Qin to invade Jin], and said, "A lucky response: cross the He; the prince’s chariots are defeated." The earl asked to have the thing more fully explained, and the diviner said, "It is very lucky. Thrice shall you defeat his troops and finally capture the marquis of Jin. The diagram found is Gu, of which it is said, ‘The thousand chariots thrice are put to flight. What then remains you catch, the one fox wight.’ That fox in Gu must be the marquis of Jin. Moreover, the inner symbol of Gu [Xun - the lower trigram] represents wind, the outer [Gen - the upper trigram] represents hills. The season of the year is now the autumn. We blow down the fruits on the hill, and we take the trees. It is plain we are to overcome. The fruit blown down and the trees taken: what can this be but defeat to Jin?"

(Legge, p. 165, col. 12 & p. 169, col. 1)

Years before this, when Duke Xian of Jin was divining by the milfoil about the marriage of his eldest daughter to [the earl of] Qin, he got the diagram Gui Mei, and then the diagram Kui. The historiographer Su interpreted the indication and said, "It is unlucky. The sentence [on the top line in Gui Mei] is, ‘The man cuts up his sheep, and there is no blood; the girl presents her basket, but there is no gift in it.’ The neighbor on the west reproaches us for our words which cannot be made good. And Gui Mei’s becoming Kui is the same as our getting no help [from the union]. For the symbol Zhen [top trigram of Gui Mei] to become Luo [top trigram of Kui] is the same as for Luo to become Zhen; we have thunder and fire: the Ying defeating the Ji. The connection between the carriage and its axle is broken; the fire burns the flags: our military expeditions will be without advantage; there is defeat in Cong Qiu. In Gui Mei’s becoming Kui we have a solitary, and an enemy against whom the bow is bent [Legge comments: See the Yi on the top line of the diagram Kui. But it seems to me of no use trying to make out any principle of reason in passages like the present.] Then the nephew follows his aunt. In six years he makes his escape; he flies back ["gui"] to his state, abandoning his wife. Next year he dies in the wild of Gao Liang."

When Duke Hui came to be in Qin, he said, "If my father had followed the interpretation of the historiographer Su, I should not have come to my present condition." Han Jian was by his side and said, "The tortoise shell gives its figures, and the milfoil its numbers. When things are produced, they have their figures; their figures go on to multiply; that multiplication goes on to numbers. Your father’s violations of virtue were almost innumerable. Although he did not follow the interpretation of the historiographer Su, how could that increase your misforture? As the ode says:

The calamities of the inferior people

Do not come down from Heaven.

Fair words and hatred behind the back:

The earnest, strong pursuit of this is from men. (Shi II, ii, ode IX. 7)

[Legge: In this paragraph there appears for the first time in the text the great state of Qin, which went on till it displaced the dynasty of Zhou in about four centuries from this time.] [The text of the Chun Qiu reads: In the eleventh month, on Ren Xu, the marquis of Jin and the earl of Qin fought at Han, when the marquis of Jin was taken.]

Duke He, 25th Year -- 634 B.C. (Legge, p. 194, col. 3 & p. 195, col. 2)

The earl of Qin was with an army on the He, intending to restore the king, when Hu Yan said to the marquis of Jin, "If you are seeking the adherence of the states, you can do nothing better than to show an earnest interest in the king’s behalf. The states will there by have faith in you, and you will have done an act of great righteousness. Now is the time to show again such service as was rendered by the marquis Wen and to get your fidelity proclaimed among the states."

The marquis made the master of divination, Yan, consult the tortoise-shell about the undertaking. He did so and said, "The oracle is auspicious: that of Huang Di’s battle in Fan Quan." The marquis said, "That oracle is too great for me." The diviner replied, "The rules of Zhou are not changed. The king of today is the emperor of antiquity." The marquis then said, "Try it by the milfoil." They consulted the reeds and found the diagram Da You, which then became the diagram Kui. The diviner said, "This also is auspicious. In this diagram we have the oracle: ‘A prince presents his offerings to the Son of Heaven.’ A battle and victory; the king receiving your offerings: What more fortunate response could there be? Moreover, in these diagrams, the trigram of heaven [lower trigram of Da You] becomes that of a marsh [lower trigram of Kui] lying under the sun, indicating how the Son of Heaven condescends to meet your lordship. Is not this also encouraging? If we leave the diagram Kui and come back to Da You, it also tells of success where its subject goes."

On this the marquis of Jin declined the assistance of the army of Qin and went down the He. In the third month, on Jia-Chen, he halted at Yang Fan, when the army of the right proceeded to invent Wen and that of the left to meet the king.

Duke Xuan, 12th Year -- 596 B.C. (Legge, p. 312, col. 11 & p. 317, col. 2)

The leaders of the army of Jin are debating whether to cross the He and engage Chu. Part of the force, under the command of Zhizi has crossed.)

Zhuangzi of Zhi said, "This army is in great peril. The case is that indicated in the change of the diagram Shi into Lin. [On Shi] it is said, ‘A host must be led forth according to the rules of service. If these be not good, there will be evil.’ When the commanders all observe their proper harmony, the rules are good; if they oppose one another, they are not. [The change of the lower trigram of Shi into that of Lin indicates] the separation of the host producing weakness; it is the stopping up of a stream so as to form a marsh. The rules of service are turned into each one’s taking his own way. Hence the words: ‘The rules become not good.’ They are, as it were, dried up. The full stream is dried up; it is stopped and cannot have its course. Consequently evil must ensue. Lin [moreover] is the name for what does not proceed. When a commander does not follow the orders of his leader, what greater want of on-going could there be? And it is the case we now have. If we do meet the enemy, we are sure to be defeated, and the calamity will be owning to Zhizi. Though he should now escape, yet, on his return to Jin, great evil will await him."

Duke Xiang, 9th Year -- 563 B.C. (Legge, p. 437, col. 5 & p. 439, col. 2)

Mu Jiang died in the eastern palace [where she had been confined because of her intriguing]. When she first went into it, she consulted the milfoil and got the second line of the diagram Gen. The diviner said, "This is what remains when Gen becomes Sui. Sui is the symbol of getting out. Your ladyship will soon get out of this." She replied, "No. Of this diagram it is said in the Zhou Yi, ‘Sui indicates being great, penetrating, beneficial, firmly correct, without blame.’ Now that greatness is the lofty distinction of the person; that penetration is the assemblage of excellences; that beneficialness is the harmony of all righteousness; that firm correctness is the stem of all affairs. The person who is entirely virtuous is sufficient to take the presidency of others; admirable virtue is sufficient to secure an agreement with all propriety. Beneficialness to things is sufficient to effect a harmony of all righteousness. Firm correctness is sufficient to manage all affairs. But these things must not be in semblance merely. It is only thus that Sui could bring the assurance of blamelessness. Now I, a woman, and associated with disorder, am here in the place of inferior rank. Chargeable moreover with a want of virtue, greatness cannot be predicated of me. Not having contributed to the quiet of the state, penetration cannot be predicated of me. Having brought harm to myself by my doings, beneficialness cannot be predicated of me. Having left my proper place for a bad intrigue, firm correctness cannot be predicated of me. To one who has those four virtues the diagram Sui belongs. What have I to do with it, to whom none of them belongs? Having chosen evil, how can I be without blame? I shall die here. I shall never get out of this."

Duke Xiang, 25th Year -- 547 B.C. (Legge, p. 510, col. 3 & p. 514, col. 1)

The wife of the commandant of Tang of Qi was an elder sister of Dong Guo Yan, who was a minister of Cui Wuzi. When the commandant died, Yan drove Wuzi [to his house] to offer his condolences. Wuzi then saw Tang Jiang [the wife of the commandant] and, admiring her beauty, wished Yan to give her to him for his wife. Yan said, "Husband and wife should be of different surnames. You are descended from Duke Ding and I from Duke Huan. The thing cannot be."

Wuzi consulted the milfoil about it and got the diagram Kun, which then became the diagram Da Guo, which the diviners all said was fortunate. He showed it to Chen Wenzi, but he said, "The [symbol for] a man [in Kun] is displaced by that for wind [in Da Guo]. Wind overthrows things. The woman ought not to be married. And moreover, [upon Kun] it is said, ‘Distressed by rocks; holding to brambles; he enters his palace and does not see his wife. It is evil.’ ‘Distressed by rocks’: in vain does one attempt to go forward. ‘Holding by brambles’: that in which trust is placed wounds. ‘He enters his palace and does not see hiw wife; it is evil’: there is nowhere to turn to." Cuizi replied, "She is a widow. What does all this matter? Her former husband bore the brunt of it." So he married her.

Afterwards Duke Zhuang had an intrigue with her and constantly went to Cui’s house. [On one occasion] he took Cui’s hat and gave it to another person, and when his attendants said that he should not do so, he remarked, "Although he be not Cuizi, should he therefore be without a hat?"

Cuizi [was enraged] by these things, and because the duke took occasion [of its troubles] to invade Jin, thinking that Jin would be sure to retaliate, he wished to murder the duke in order to please that state. He did not, however, find an opportunity. . .

Duke Zhau, 5th Year -- 536 B.C. (Legge, p. 600, col. 16 & p. 604, col. 1)

At an earlier period, on the birth of Nuzi, Zhuang Shu [his father], consulted the Zhou Yi by the reeds about him and got the diagram Ming Yi, which then became Qian. He showed this to the diviner Chu Qiu, who said, "This [son] will have to leave [the state], but he will return and offer the sacrifices to you. The entrance of a slanderer, of the name of Niu, will be sufficient to make him die of starvation. [The diagram] Ming Yi relates to the sun. The solar numbers are ten. Hence there are ten periods in the day, which correspond also to the ten ranks. Reckoning from the king downwards, the rank of duke is the second and that of minister is the third. The highest point of the day is when the sun is in the meridian. When it is meal time, that represents the second rank, and early dawn represents the third. Ming Yi’s becoming Qian represents brightness, but that which is not yet fully developed, corresponding, we may presume, to the early dawn. Therefore I say: [this child will be minister and] offer the sacrifices for you. [The diagram for] the sun’s becoming Qian has its correspondency in a bird. Hence we read [on the lowest line of the diagram Ming Yi], ‘The brightness is injured in its flight.’ And as the brightness is not fully developed, we read, ‘It droops its wings.’ There is an emblem of the movement of the sun, and hence we read, ‘The superior man goes away.’ This happens with the third rank, in the early dawn, and hence we read, ‘Three days he does not eat.’ Li [the lower trigram of Ming Yi] represents fire, and Gen [the lower trigram of Qian] represents a hill. Li is fire; fire burns the hill, and the hill is destroyed. But applied to men, [Gen] denotes speech, and destroying speech is slander. Hence we read, ‘He goes whither he would, and to him, the lord, there is speech.’ That speech must be slander. In [the diagram of] the double Li there is [mention made of] a cow. The age is in disorder and slander overcomes; the overcoming goes on to dismemberment, and therefore I say: His name will be Niu [= bull or cow]. Qian denotes insufficiency. The flight is not high. Descending from on high, the wings do not reach far. Hence, while I say that this child will be your successor, yet you are the second minister, and he will fall somewhat short of your dignity."

Duke Zhao, 7th Year -- 534 B.C. (Legge, p. 615, col. 3 & p. 619, col. 2)

The lady Jiang, wife of Duke Xiang of Wei, had no son, but his favorite, Zhou He, bore to him, first of all, Meng Zhi. Kong Zhengzi dreamed that Kang Shu [the first marquis of Wei] told him that he must secure the succession to Yuan, adding, "I will make Ji’s grandson, Yu, and Shi Gou his ministers." She Zhao also dreamed that Kang Shu said to him, "I will appoint your son, Gou, and Yu, the great-grandson of Kong Zheng Chu, to be ministers to Yuan." Zhao went to see Zhengzi and told him this dream, agreeing with that which he had had.

In the year that Han Xuanzi became chief minister of Jin and went paying complimentary visits to the states, Zhou He bore a [second] son and gave him the name of Yuan. The feet of Meng Zhi [her first son] were not good, so that he was feeble in walking. Kong Zhengzi consulted the Zhou Yi by the reeds, propounding the inquiry whether Yuan would enjoy the state of Wei and preside over its altars, and he got the diagram Tun. He also propounded the inquiry whether he should set up [Meng] Zhi, and if this appointment would be acceptable, in answer to which he got Tun and then Bi. He showed these results to Shi Zhao, who said, "Under Tun we have the words, ‘Great and penetrating [the character Yuan may be intrepreted as meaning "great"].’ After this, can you have any doubts?" "But is it not," said Zhengzi, "a description of the elder?" He replied, "Kang Shu so named him, and we may therefore interpret it of the superior. Meng is not a [complete] man; he cannot have a place in the ancestral temple; he cannot be pronounced the superior. And moreover, under Tun it is said, ‘A prince must be set up.’ If the heir were lucky, no other would have to be set up. That term indicates another, and not the heir. The same words occur in both your divinations. You must set up Yuan. Kang Shu commanded it, and both your diagrams direct it. When the reeds accorded with his dream, King Wu followed them. If you do not do so, what will you do? He who is feeble in walking must remain at home. The prince has to preside at the altars, to be present at sacrifices, take the charge of the people and officers, serve the spirits, attend at conferences and visit other courts. How is it possible that he should remain at home? Is it not right that each [of the brothers] should have what is most advantageous to him?" In consequence of this, Kong Zhengzi appointed Duke Ling [i.e., Yuan] in his father’s place, and in the twelfth month, on Gui Hai, Duke Xiang was buried.

Duke Zhau, 12th Year -- 529 B.C. (Legge, p. 637, col. 7 & p. 640, col. 1)

The Yi gives a valid oracle only in matters of loyalty and good faith.

When Nan Kuai was about to revolt, a man of the same village was acquainted with his purpose and passed by him, sighing as he did so. He also said, "Alas! Alas! A case of difficulty and hazard! His thoughts are deep, and his plans are shallow. Circumscribed is his position, and his aims are far-reaching. The servant of a family, his schemes affect the ruler. Such a man there is!"

Nan Kuai consulted by some twigs about his object, without mentioning it and got the diagram Kun which then became Bi. As it is said [upon the changed line], "Yellow for the lower garment; great good fortune," he thought this was very lucky and showed it to Zi Fu Hui Bo, saying, "If I am contemplating something, how does this indicate it will turn out?"

Hui Bo replied, "I have learned this: If the thing be one of loyalty and good faith, you may go forward with it. If it be not, it will be defeated. The outer figure indicates strength, and the inner mildness: expressive of loyalty. We have [also] harmony leading on solidity: expressive of fidelity. hence the words, ‘Yellow for the lower garment; greatness and good fortune.’ But yellow is the color of the center; the lower garment is the ornament of that which is beneath; that greatness is the height of goodness. If in the center [= the heart] there is not loyalty, there cannot be the color; if below [= in an inferior] there be not the respectful discharge of duty, there cannot be the ornament; if the affair be not good, there cannot be that height. When the outer and inner are mutually harmonious, there is loyalty; when affairs are done in fidelity, there is that discharge of duty; an earnest nourishing of the three virtues makes that goodness. Where there are not these three things, this diagram does not apply.

"Moreover, [this passage of] the Yi cannot be a guide about anything hazardous. What thing are you contemplating that should require that ornamenting? With what is admirable in the center, you can predicate the yellow; with what is admirable above, you can predicate that great goodness; with what is admirable below, you can predicate that lower garment. Given these three all complete, and you may consult the reeds. If they are defective, though the consultation may [seem to] be lucky, it is not to be acted on."

Duke Ai, 9th Year -- 487 B.C. (Legge, p. 818, col. 10 & p. 819, col. 2)

Zhao Yang consulted the tortoise-shell about relieving Zheng and got the indication of fire meeting with water. He asked an explanation of it from the historiographers Zhao, Mo, and Gui. Gui said, "This is called ‘quenching the Yang [light or fire].’ [On the strength of this] you may commence hostilities, with advantage against Jiang [i.e., Qi] but not against Zishang [Song]. You may attack Qi, but if you oppose Song, the result will be unlucky." Mo said, "Ying [said to be the surname of Zhao Yang] is a name of water. Zi [the surname of Song] is in the position of water. To put the name and the position in antagonism is not to be attempted. The emperor Yan had his fire-master from wom the house of Jiang is descended. Water overcomes fire. According to this, you may attack the Jiang." Zhao said, "We may say of this that we have indicated the full channel of a stream, which cannot be swum through. Zheng is now an offender [against Jin] and ought not to be relieved. If you go to assist Zheng, the result will be unlucky. This is all that I know."

Yang Hu consulted the reeds on the principles of the Yi of Zhou about the subject and found the diagram Tai, which then became the diagram Xu. "Here," he said, "luck is with Song. We must not engage [in conflict] with it. Qi, the viscount of Wei [the first duke of Song] was the eldest son of Di Yi; there have been intermarriages between Song and Zheng. The ‘happiness’ [that is mentioned in the comment on the third line] denotes dignity. If the eldest son of Di Yi by the marriage of his sister has good fortune and dignity, how can we have good fortune [in an expedition against Song]?" [The purpose of helping Zheng] was accordingly abandoned.