I Ching vernacular full translation

Chapter 2 Qian Gua (1)
The Qian hexagram, the upper and lower hexagrams are all composed of "Qian", and the shape of the hexagram is "—", and the dry symbolizes "heaven" in form, so this hexagram is called Chongtian Qian hexagram.Why is it said that dry symbolizes "heaven" in a metaphysical sense?The ancients believed that the sky is formed by the accumulation of yang energy and has the nature of pure yang.Li Shizhen in the Qing Dynasty said in "Zhouyi Zhu" that "heaven is the ancestor of yang, and there is nothing first and nothing great, so the painting is based on the image." So "three paintings form one hexagram".

The Qian hexagram is represented by the number "—" of the pure yang in the 64 hexagrams. It is believed that the dry has the same nature as the sky: pure yang to health, symbolizing the operation of the heavenly way, which goes round and round, healthy and without interest.The image of the Qian hexagram is heaven, its meaning is health, and its virtues are Yuan, Heng, Li, and Zhen. Ming Qiandao changes, and encourages people to emulate the virtue of "Heaven", constantly strive for self-improvement, follow the sky, and move with the times.

Dry: Yuan, Heng, Li, Zhen.

"Yuan" said: "Great Qianyuan, the beginning of all things, is the unification of heaven."The cloud travels and the rain applies, and the product flows in shape.At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the six people were completed at one time, and they rode six dragons to control the sky at that time.The main road changes, and everyone lives.Baohe Yamato is Nai Lizhen.The first common thing to come out is Xianning in all countries.

"Xiang" said: Tian Xingjian, gentleman keeps striving for self-improvement.

The translated Qian hexagram symbolizes the sky: Yuanshi, prosperity, harmony and benefit, righteousness and lasting.

"Biography" said: Great, Qianyuan!Everything begins here, and everything returns to heaven.Qianyuan changes like floating clouds, and rain falls, creating thousands of shapes.Sunrise and sunset, over and over again, illuminate the earth.The six lines of stems each have their own positions and are formed according to the time, just like the yang energy rides the six dragons to move in the sky and control the changes of the heavenly way.The change of the way of heaven endows all things with their own nature and life, and the vitality of Taihe is preserved and integrated, so that the nature of things is harmonious, each has its own benefits, and all things can grow steadily and permanently.Heaven is the beginning of all things, just like the king is at the head of the people, instead of being the head of the world, so that everyone in the world can find their own place, each can settle their own affairs, and all can get peace.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: The way of heaven runs, and it goes round and round, healthy and endless. A gentleman should follow the way of heaven and strive for self-improvement.

Interpreting the two hexagrams of Qian and Kun ranks first among the 64 hexagrams and is the foundation of the 64 hexagrams.

There is a reason why the "Book of Changes" puts the two hexagrams of Qian and Kun at the top of the 64 hexagrams. "Book of Changes" believes that heaven and earth are the origin of all things, heaven and earth are like heaven and earth, and 64 hexagrams are like all things, and heaven and earth are before all things, so Qiankun ranks first in the 64 hexagrams, and Tunmeng hexagrams follow Qiankun.Qian Hexagram takes the sky as a symbolic image, and believes that the sky embodies the four virtues of Yuanshi (Yuan), prosperity (Heng), harmony and benefit (Li), and integrity and persistence (Zhen). Cheng, with the nature of pure yang, can naturally start all things with yang qi, and then have the beginning and prosperity, can make the nature of things harmonious and have their own benefits, and be firm and upright to achieve their end.This kind of yang qi, which is constantly running, changes endlessly and goes back and forth along the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, restricting and dominating the whole nature.

Therefore, the "Book of Changes" praises heaven, in fact, it praises the virtue of masculinity. It reveals the enterprising philosophy of the strong, and encourages people to imitate the vigorous spirit of heaven, forge ahead and strive for self-improvement.

Ninth day: Do not use Qianlong.

"Xiang" says: Don't use Qianlong, the sun is below.

Translation: The ninth day of the lunar month: The dragon hides in the deep, waits for the time to prosper, it is not suitable to make a difference.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: "The dragon hides in the abyss and thrives when the time comes. It is not suitable to make a difference, because the yang energy is still underground when it is first born."

Interpreting the hexagram at the beginning of the ninth part of the first day, the yang energy is hidden, and there is an image of a dragon hidden underground. The dragon represents that the development of things is still in the latent stage, and it is advisable to accumulate strength and wait for the time to flourish.

[-]: See the dragon in the field, and see the lord.

"Elephant" said: Seeing a dragon in the field, Depu Shi also.

Translation Ninety-two: The appearance of dragons on the earth is conducive to the appearance of adults.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: "The dragon appeared on the earth, although it has not reached the state of leaping and flying, but the yang energy has sprouted on the ground, the sage has been born, and the world will surely receive his moral grace."

Interpret this line as ninety-two.It means that the dragon has left its hidden state and appeared on the earth, and it is time to play a role and make a difference.From the level of nature, Yang Qi has appeared on the earth, and it is time for all things to recover; from the level of personnel, although it is still far from success in [-], it already has the quality of success, so it is said that there is The image of "adult".At this time, people in the world are also happy to see the appearance of a virtuous person.This line represents that after the previous accumulation and preparation, the "adult" has revealed the quality of success, and the external environment is relatively favorable.

Nine three: A gentleman works hard all day long, and is vigilant at night, without blame.

"Xiang" says: Doing things all day long, repeating the Tao.

Translation Nine Three: A gentleman works hard all day long, and is still cautious and vigilant at night. Even if he is in a dangerous place, he will not be blamed.

"Xiang Zhuan" says: A gentleman works diligently all day long, which means practicing the way repeatedly and perseveringly.

Interpretation of the other lines of Qian Gua is called "Dragon", only Jiusan is called "Gentleman".In the line of Jiu San, the position is not up or down, the achievements have not yet been accomplished, and there are many variables. Those who are ambitious should always cheer up, work hard, be careful in everything, and not be negligent even at night.Only by strictly demanding yourself in this way can there be no mistakes and the possibility of remorse.

Ninety Four: Or leap in the deep, no blame.

"Xiang" said: "If you jump into the abyss, there is no blame for entering."

Translation Ninety-Four: The dragon will not harm if it leaps up or retreats to the abyss.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: The dragon may jump up, or retreat to the deep, which means that there will be no harm if it advances during the trial.

Interpretation: Although the dragon in this line has not yet soared, it is either leaping or lurking, and it is eager to try. It already has unlimited potential power, but it still needs to wait and move. As long as it grasps the favorable time to advance and retreat, there will be no mistakes or disasters. .This line shows that when the conditions are ripe, we should seize the most favorable opportunity to make progress, and we will be free of blame.

Ninety-five: Flying dragon is in the sky, good to see adults.

"Xiang" said: "Flying dragons are in the sky, and adults are also man-made."

Translation Ninth Five: The dragon soars in the sky, which is conducive to the emergence of adults.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: The dragon soars in the sky, which means that adults can do a lot.

Interpreting the yang energy symbolized by the dragon went through the "submergence" in the ninth day of the ninth day, the "seeing" in the second year of the ninth day, the "vigilance" in the third year of the ninth day, and the "leap" in the fourth day of the ninth day, and finally flew into the sky in the fifth day of the ninth day, indicating that the yang energy comes from the bottom. So far, it has flourished to the sky, just like the noon sun shining on the earth, and everything is bathed in the warm light of the sun.

The Qian hexagram is the hexagram of pure yang and health, and the ninth and fifth hexagrams are in the upper hexagram, and Dezheng is in the position of the monarch. The most auspicious line of the Qian hexagram symbolizes the development of things to the most perfect stage, so in ancient times people often referred to the "Ninth Five-Year Zun" as the position of the monarch.Compared with the "adults" mentioned in this line, compared with the "adults" who had high morality but no high position in [-], the "adults" mentioned in the [-]th are vigorous, upright and pure, not only a higher level of virtuous and dignified people, but "Beginning as a scholar, passing through a gentleman, and becoming a sage", he has both talents, virtues and status, the subjective and objective conditions have been perfected, and he has reached the realm of a sage, enough to deal with any difficulties, like a dragon swimming in the sky, spreading clouds and rain, and the world Feeling the benefits, such an adult is of course what people in the world hope to see.

Top [-]: Kang Long has regrets.

"Xiang" says: Kanglong has regrets, and it will not last long.

Translation Shangjiu: The dragon ascended to the limit and regretted it.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: The dragon ascended to the limit and regretted it.This is to warn people that they have just entered too much, and it is impossible to keep it full for a long time.

Interpretation of this hexagram implies the development of things, prosperity must decline. "Shangjiu" means Yang Yao is on top.The upper line is the last line in a hexagram. When the hexagram develops to the upper line, things, whether good or bad, have reached the point where the accumulation of small things becomes prosperous, and the extreme is about to change.At this time, the development of yang qi has turned from the peak to the decline, so the line of speech is drawn from the "hyperactive dragon" flying high to the extreme, indicating that when it is time to stop and retreat, if you continue to move forward at this time, you will go to the opposite side, so you regret it. "Excitement" is the objective situation of Shangjiu, and "regret" is the subjective cultivation of Shangjiu. Zhu Xi said: "When it is at its peak, you have to worry about it. This is the most important place." Take precautions when you are full." ("Zhu Zi Yu Lei") The key to the first nine lies in the word "regret". " is the end.

Use nine: see dragons without a leader, auspicious.

"Xiang" says: With the nine, the virtue of heaven cannot be the first.

Use nine in the translation: A group of dragons appear, and they do not regard themselves as leaders, which is auspicious.

"Xiang Zhuan" said: Using "nine" as a number shows that Tian's virtue is not the first among all things.

Interpreting the meaning of "a group of dragons without a leader" here is very different from what is said now. In the "Book of Changes", there are not only the opposite thoughts of heaven and earth, yin and yang, but also the idea of ​​mutual transformation of heaven and earth, yin and yang.This line has the characteristics of both Qian and Kun, which best embodies this kind of thinking.Zhu Xi said that "the six lines are all changed, rigid yet soft", "seeing the dragons" is the vigorousness of Qian, and "seeing the dragons without a leader" is the softness of Kun.With vigor as the body and suppleness as the function, vigor and suppleness are inevitable.

"Classical Chinese" says: Yuan who is good is also good.Heng, Jia Zhi Hui also.Those who benefit are the sum of righteousness.Those who are chaste do what they do.A gentleman's body and benevolence are enough to grow others, grand gatherings are enough to be courteous, benefits are enough to be harmonious, and chastity is enough to do things.A gentleman who practices these four virtues is called: "Qian: Yuan, Heng, Li, Zhen."

(End of this chapter)