Abstract: LU Jiu-yuan interprets Yi by his hear-mind theory to seek classical basis for the establishment and opening up of his heart-mind theoretical system. Aspects of ontology, moral cultivation training and realm of thought embraced in his heart-mind theory are closely related to his views on Zhouyi . His wisdom reflected in the heart-mind theory also enriched the cultural treasure of the Yi -ology.

Key words: LU Jiu-yuan; heart-mind theory; Zhouyi ; simplicity of Yi

 

Though LU Jiu-yuan claimed his thought was attained through reading Mencius, yet, Zhouyi also played a very important role when he was establishing and unfolding his heart-mind theory system, especially in his theories of ontology, moral cultivation training, and realm, he brought the hermeneutic principle of “expounding one's own idea in interpreting the Six Classics” into full play, to seek theoretical basis for his academic thought, and his wisdom reflected in his heart-mind theory in turn enriched the cultural treasure of the Yi -ology, being significant in inspiring the later generations to acknowledge the cultural connotations conceived in Zhouyi and hermeneutics of the traditional classics.

 

I. The Dao Fills Up the Universe, and the Intrinsic Heart Is the Idea

 

The origin of LU Jiu-yuan's heart-mind theory was undoubtedly at first from Mencius. Not only did he himself claimed that he achieved it in reading Mencius, but also his contemporaries and the great master of the heart-mind theory WANG Yang-ming also admitted this. ① Both of his assertions of expanding the intrinsic heart-mind and establishing the great at first developed Mencius theories. But we should also recognize that in the process of LU Jiu-yuan's abruptly acknowledging “the cosmos is my heart, and my heart is also the cosmos” upon which he primarily established the theoretical logic for his heart-mind theory, the cosmology of the trinity of heaven, earth, and human, i.e. the views of the Dao of heaven and human, embraced in Zhouyi was undoubtedly an important theoretical basis. Later he also frequently proved the versatility of his theory of intrinsic heart-mind by this kind of thought conceived in Zhouyi :

What that fills up the cosmos is the Idea. The sage in the highest antiquity first of all acknowledged this Idea, and thus he governed all under heaven as kings. Looking up, he contemplated the brilliant forms exhibited in the sky, and looking down he surveyed the patterns shown on the earth. He contemplated the ornamental appearances of birds and beasts and the (different) suitablities of the soil. Near at hand, in his own person, he found things for consideration, and the same at a distance, in things in general. On this he devised the eight trigrams, to show fully the attributes of the spirit-like and intelligent (operations working secretly), and to classify the qualities of the myriads of things, hence the remarks, changes, images, divinations were established, to awaken people. For the subsequent sages, even for hundreds and thousands of years, what they were conscious of and acknowledged could not differ from this, but as what had been said “tallies with it”, and “the spirit is one”. Without real acknowledgement of this, one could not utter these words. 1 (vol. 15: With WU Dou-nan)

Here he quoted the explanative words for the origin of the eight trigrams in Section II of Xi Ci Zhuan (One of the Ten Wings, Yi Zhuan , Commentaries on Yi ) to explicate the Idea conceived in the Yi is just the Idea of the universe, and the sage first of all become conscious of this Idea. Consciousness refers to heart-mind, so the Idea of the cosmos is just (the exhibition of) the sage's mind. With the help of Mencius' theory of preserving the heart-mind, he further demonstrated the intrinsic heart and mind is just the Idea as follows:

The Dao fills up the cosmos, without and hidings. In (the Dao of) heaven, it is called Yin and Yang; in (the Dao of) earth, it is called soft and hard; and in (the Dao of) human, it is called benevolence and righteousness. Thus, benevolence and righteousness are (the exhibition of) human intrinsic heart. Mencius said: “What were preserved in human were not the heart of benevolence and righteousness?” and “they were intrinsically possessed by me, but not forced the external powers.” The foolish and unworthy are not able to attain to this state, for they are hoodwinked by the external things and thus lose their intrinsic heart; the sagacious and wise men reach too far, for they are deceived by their own will and thus lose their intrinsic heart. So, it says in Yi Da Zhuan: “The benevolent see it and call it benevolence. The wise see it and call it wisdom. The common people, acting daily according to it, yet have no knowledge of it. Thus it is that the course (of things), as seen by the superior man, is seen by few.” 1 (vol.1: With ZHAO Jian)

Here he quoted from Shuo Gua (one of the Ten Wings) that “Anciently, when the sages made the Yi , it was with the design that (its figures) should be in conformity with the principles underlying the natures (of men and things), and the ordinances (for them) appointed (by Heaven). With this view they exhibited (in them) the way of heaven, calling (the lines) Yin and Yang; the way of earth, calling (them) the weak (or soft) and the strong (or hard); and the way of human, under the names of benevolence and righteousness.” 2 (vol.9, P.326) From the angle of that the Dao fills up the universe, and the heaven, earth, and human concurrently possess this Idea, he demonstrated that all men possess the heart of benevolence and righteousness, and this heart is endowed by the heaven, as well as the heart (or mind) is (the manifestation of) the Idea. He further emphasized:

This Idea fills up the cosmos. Heaven and earth show that docile obedience in connection with movement, and hence the sun and moon make no error (in time), and the four seasons do not deviate (from their order). The sages show such docile obedience in connection with their movements, and hence their punishments and penalties are entirely just, and the people acknowledge it by their submission. 1 (vol. 10: With HUANG Yong-nian)

He here quoted the Tuan (Judgment) of Yu (Hexagram 16 in the current version of Zhouyi ) to expound “this Idea” is the universal and highest criterion abided by the heaven, earth, and human concurrently. Well, how should men act according to this Idea to attain to the state of the heart is the Idea, the same greatness as the heaven and earth? From “guarding against depravity to preserve sincerity” held in Wen Yan of Qian (Hexagram 1) (one chapter of the Ten Wings, Yi Zhuan) and Mencius's theory of “preserving heart”, Xiang-shan (courtesy name of LU Jiu-yuan) set forth his purport of the heart-ology taking the heart as the governor:

It sys in the Yi: “Guarding against depravity, he preserves his sincerity”, and Mencius said: “preserving his heart”. In the past, I had once upheld “preserving” (the heart). Mencius said: “Common people lose their heart while the superior man preserves it”, and “if one's desire is not much, there are few of his heart will not be preserved; if one's desire is much, there are few of his heart will be preserved.” Only the word “preserving” is enough for one to acknowledge the Idea. This idea is innately endowed to me, but not added externally. As long as the Idea is acknowledged, the governor is attained to. 1 (vol. 1: With ZENG Zhai-zhi)

By this he further stressed the sole-ness of this heart and Idea:

Perhaps the heart refers to One Heart, and the Idea to One Idea. They ultimately reach to one, being not two things. This heart and Idea are not admitted to have two. Therefore Confucius said: “My Dao (Way) is threaded through with One”. Mencius said: “The Dao is but One”, and “the Dao and non-Dao are just exhibited as benevolence and non-benevolence”. Acting with the Dao is attributed to benevolence, otherwise, non-benevolence. Benevolence is just (the exhibition of) the heart and Idea. 1 (vol.1: With ZENG Zhai-zhi)

Then, he based on the Wen Yan corresponding to the second line of Kun (Hexagram 2) of “the superior man, by the self-reverence maintains the inward (correctness), and in righteousness adjusts his external acts” to interpret the remarks affiliated to the line, and combined Mencius' theory of intuitive knowledge and capacity, to demonstrate this Idea is man's intrinsic Heart:

Reverence refers to revering this Idea, and righteousness is also this Idea; the inward (correctness) (exhibits) this Idea, and external acts also (exhibit) this Idea, hence the remarks of “being straight, square, and great. (Its operation,) without repeated efforts, will be in every respect advantageous.” Mencius said: “The knowledge which could be got without thinking is intuitive knowledge; the capacity which could be obtained without learning is intuitive capacity. They are immanently endowed inside me, and possessed innately by me, but not obtained through external trainings”, and so he extended: “the myriad things are innately ready inside me, and returning to the person (heart) and being sincere is the greatest pleasure”. This is what my intrinsic heart refers to. 1 (vol.1: With ZENG Zhai-zhi)

The intrinsic heart is also what Mencius had said of the heart of the four terminals:

The four terminals refer to the Heart. What the heaven endows me is this Heart. All human have this Heart, and all the Heart possesses this Idea, for the Heart is the Idea. 1 (vol.11: With LI Zai)

Therefore, to acknowledge this Idea, one need not to seek it externally, it is enough for him only to preserve and nourish the Heart, for “the myriad things densely exist in the Heart, and what that stretches full from the Heart and fills up the cosmos is but the Idea.” 1 (vol.14) This Idea fills up the cosmos, i.e. this Heart fills up the cosmos, therefore “the things within the cosmos belong to those within oneself, and vice versa”, and “the cosmos is my Heart, and vice versa.”1 (vol36: Annals)

This kind of theory was naturally as “(He who attains to this) ease (of Heaven) will be easily understood, and (he who attains to this) freedom from laborious effort (of the Earth) will be easily followed. He who is easily understood will have adherence, and he who is easily followed will achieve success. He who has adherents can continue long, and he who achieves success can become great. To be able to continue long shows the virtue of the wise and able man; to be able to become great is the heritage he will acquire. With the attainment of such ease and such freedom from laborious effort, the mastery is got of all principles under the sky.” 2 (vol7: Section I of Xi Ci , P.259) So, LU Jiu-yuan called his heart-ology a theory of “ease and simplicity”. Basing upon Mencius' theoretical logic, he raised his theory of the practice of “ease and simplicity” by preserving the Heart and founding the vastness and greatness:

The Idea exists within the cosmos and hides nothing. The reason for the heaven and earth are so vast and great is that they follow this Idea without any selfishness. Human stand side by side with the heaven and earth and is one of three powers, should one be selfish and not abide by this Idea? Mencius said: “he who first of all founds on the vastness and greatness, the trivial things will intervene with.” Only because man does not establish the vastness and greatness, he is intervened with by trivial things and thus goes against this Idea and is not similar to (the vastness and greatness of) heaven and earth. 1 (vol.11: With ZHU Ji-dao)

This is the interpretation of the connotations of the Yi by human Heart, and what is more, to establish his heart-ology on the basis of the classic of Yi .

 

II. Three Times of Accounts of the Nine Virtues, and the Practice of Ease and Simplicity

 

In the discussion at the Egg Lake , LU Jiu-yuan formally claimed his theory, which differs from ZHU Xi's theory, was the theory of ease and simplicity, as he expressed in one of his poems:

With the rise and decline of the dynasties, never has he had his hearted trained since the antiquity. Trickles could flow into deep oceans, and stones as small as fists into Mounts Tai and Hua. The practice of ease and simplicity is after all great, and fragment (complexity) would cause fluctuations. To know how to ascend from the lower to higher, truth and false should be discriminated now. 1 (vol.25: A Poem Replying to the Brother Professor)

He claimed his theory is a practice of ease and simplicity, while ZHU Xi's was fragmental. He explained later:

Those speaking of the Yi in later generations think the Dao of Yi is deep and profound, and thus scholars dare not rashly touch upon it. But the sages had said in praising the Yi: “It is by the ease with which it proceeds that Qian directs (as it does), and by its unhesitating response that Kun exhibits such ability (of simplicity). (He who attains to this) ease (of Heaven) will be easily understood, and (he who attains to this) freedom from laborious effort (of Earth) will be easily followed. He who is easily understood will have adherents, and he who is easily followed will achieve success. He who had adherents can continue long, and he who achieves success can become great. To be able to continue long shows the virtue of the wise and able man; to be able to become great is the heritage he will acquire. With attainment of such ease and simplicity, the mastery is got of all principles under the sky.” 1 (vol.1: With ZENG Zhai-zhi)

He quoted from Section I of Xi Ci Zhuan to demonstrate his concept of “ease and simplicity” and theory derived from Zhouyi . He also taught students by this way:

A disciple from Lin chuan paid a visit to LU. LU asked: “How do you read everyday?” The disciple answered: “according to the rules and principles”. LU then pleasantly asked: “How to abide by the rules and principles?” The answer was: “To read Yi-chuan's Commentaries on Yi, HU's Commentaries on the Spring and Autumn Annals, SHANG Cai's Commentaries on the Analects of Confucius, and FAN's Commentaries on the Object Lessons of the Tang.” Mr. LU suddenly scolded loudly: “Vulgar!” After a good while, (Mr. LU) asked: “What are the rules?” and immediately followed: “And what are the principles?” The disciple became afraid and could not answer. On the second day, when the disciple came again, (LU) began to cite the chapter within which there are the following words: “ Qian (symbolized Heaven, which) directs the great beginning of things; Kun (symbolizes Earth, which) gives to them their completion. It is by the ease with which it proceeds that Qian directs (as it does), and by its unhesitating response that Kun exhibits such ability (of simplicity).” Having finished the citing, (LU) said: “The Wen Yan of Qian asserts: ‘Vast is the great and originating (power) indicated by Qian ', and the Wen Yan of Kun ‘Consummating is the great and originating (capacity)' indicated by Kun'. When the sage was praising the Yi, he summaries it with easy and simple words.” Then he looked around the learners and said: “But he does not mean that the Dao is difficult to be understood”, and then said: “The Dao is near but you seek it in far distance; things is easy but you solve it in a difficult way. (By this way, how could you attain to the spirit of the Dao?)” Looking back to the disciple, he said: “This (ease and simplicity) is called the rules and principles. Yet, what are the rules and principles you said yesterday!”1 (vol.34: Part I of the Analects)

All the words of the two sections of the Xi Ci are praising the Yi. Just viewing by Xi Ci, could we be clear. It is the case to everything: we must grasp the essential of it (with ease and simplicity). 1 (vol.34: Part I of the Analects)

For Xiang-shan's adherence of ease and simplicity, scholars of later generations tend to study it from Mencius' theoretical logic of first of all establishing on the vastness and greatness to expand the intrinsic heart, and only pay attentions to the mode similar to sudden enlightenment in the Chan Sect of Buddhism when he taught his disciples as YANG Jian, and thus they always feel difficult to grasp. As a matter of fact, for Xiang-shan, though sudden enlightenment of the intrinsic heart are fundamental, the practice of learning is also indispensable, otherwise, how could the intrinsic Heart acknowledged be distinguished from the appearance of the Chan Sect of Buddhism? In fact, Xiang-shan times and again applied the principles of Yi to expounding the practice and learning and cultivation which could be seen in his communication with other scholars and his disciples as well as in teaching disciples face to face. There are a good number of records about this in the Analects and letters. By a comprehensive summary, it can be seen that there are rules and regulations in his practice of ease and simplicity.

Ancient and contemporary scholars differ in interpreting the “three times of accounts of the nine virtues” mentioned in Section II of Xi Ci. In the discussions of the Goose Lake , Xiang-shan took the opportunity of discussing the order of the hexagrams to explicate his heart-ology, in the course of which he also expounded the process of the practice of ease and simplicity:

ZOU Bin-jun's father recorded: “When discussing the order of the nine hexagrams with Mrs. ZHU and Lü, Mr. LU interpreted them one by one. The general sayings are: ‘Fu (Returning) is the place for the Intrinsic Heart to return, why should it be arranged as the third hexagram after Lü (Treading Carefully) and Qian (Modesty)? Perhaps because hexagram Lü is formed with heaven (symbolized by trigram Qian) in the upper and marsh (symbolized by trigram Dui) in the lower position, indicating that, after man's birth, he should first of all recognize that he is between the heaven above and earth beneath, to know how to tread. The treading is appropriate or inappropriate, that depends on whether he is modest or not. With modesty, his spirit will be absorbed inward, otherwise, it will disperse to the outside world. Only with this recognition and hiding and preserving his spirit in the inner world, to make it exist internally but not externally, could this heart be obtained and returned to its place. Then, follows Heng (Perseverance), Shun (Decrease), Yi (Increase) and Kun (Oppression). Perhaps after the Intrinsic Heart has returned, one should preserve it constantly till it become solid, then decrease selfish desires with the Idea become clearer and clearer day by day, it is called Increase, in the course of which though one might meet dangers and be oppressed, the Heart remarkably keep motionless. Then, he will have attainment of the Dao, and meet resources one way or another, as having dug a well and found the spring, with water fountains everywhere. To this state, he will act according to the Idea without any leak, just like the wind which could penetrated into everywhere, inclusive of secret houses and each crack.' The two misters were deeply convinced.” 1 (vol.36: Annals)

By this argument, Xiang-shan just applies the meanings of the hexagrams of Yi to expounding his heart-ology. And his explanation to the order of the nine hexagrams was just based on his heart-ology, a typical explication of his own idea by interpreting the classic, from which we could vaguely find the stages for the cultivations of his heart-ology. The first stage is formed by the hexagrams L ü , Qian, and Fu, the second Heng, Shun, and Kun, the third Jing and Xun. For this issue, there is an explanation in detail in the Analects:

Hence the saying of “L ü shows us the foundation of virtue” (in Xi Ci). It says in Za Gua (Treatise on the Hexagrams taken promiscuously, according to the opposition or diversity of their meaning): “Movement in L ü , unresting, never ends”, indicating acting. This hexagram is formed by (symbolized) heaven in the upper and marsh in the lower positions, (showing us) the respect to the distinction between honor and humbleness is of foundation of rites. The cardinal rites are 300 kinds, and the variants are 3000, all of which are based on the eternal Dao. “L ü , the foundation of virtue” means that (virtuous) actions form the foundation of virtue. Foundation indicates the beginning, and the virtue is enhanced through constant acts. Without acts, how could the virtue be accumulated? “Qian shows us the handle of virtue”. Possessing the merits but not showing off is called modesty. Modesty indicates non-fullness. With fullness, the virtue will wane. Persisting in non-fullness, one could accumulate the virtue one day after another. Hence “Qian shows us the handle of virtue”. Modesty could lead one to return, and returning means returning to goodness. Human is inherently good-hearted. Yet evil results from external tempts. Knowing this, one can consciously return, and thus he can know that he himself inherently possesses goodness. Following one's inherent possession to advance in virtue, one will not go astray. Hence “Qian shows us the handle of (approach to) virtue”. Knowing return will result in the unity of the internal (virtue) and external (conducts). But without perseverance, the virtue will not be solidified, so called that though one has obtained it, (without perseverance,) he will lose it. Hence “Heng shows us the solidity of virtue”. For the superior man to cultivate virtue, he must get rid of the aspects harming the virtue, and thus the virtue will be expanded day by day. Hence the saying of “Shun shows us the cultivation (and promotion) of virtue”. The accumulation of virtue day by day will result in abundance. Hence the saying of “Yi shows us the abundance of virtue”. Without facing adversity, it is not enough to manifest one's virtue. Hence the saying of “Kun shows us the exercise of discrimination”. The well is to nourish people and profit things, and the superior man's virtue also like this. Hence the saying of “Jing shows us the field of virtue”. In this way, one could act, and act timely and expediently. Otherwise, the virtue will not reach abundance. Acting timely and expediently does not mean following the vogue and do evil with others, and Yu Ji and Mr. YAN Hui are the examples. Hence the saying of “Xun shows us the regulation (for virtuous cultivation). 1 (vol.34: Part I of the Analects)

He holds that the order of the nine hexagrams just exhibits the process for the cultivation and advancement in virtue, a process to return to one's good-heartedness. The former three hexagrams indicate the foundation the Intrinsic Heart, the middle four the expansion of the Intrinsic Heart, and the last two the realm under which the Heart is as big as the cosmos, and as long as one act according to the Heart, one will comply with the Dao no matter he moves or keep still. His interpretation to “L ü shows us the foundation of virtue” was base upon the veneration to virtue and embodied his heart-ology stressing daily practice of virtue. And his explication to the hexagrams Heng, Shun, Yi, and Kun emphasized the practice of the cultivation of virtue. His advocate manifested in his explication to the hexagram Jing exhibits his attention to external causes, embodying the practical quality of his heart-ology. Actually, the “three accounts of the nine hexagrams in Section II of Xi Ci are just an explanation to the Dao of Yi. Yet, through LU Jiu-yuan's explication by his heart-ology, the practice of internal virtue and external sphere was included. Therefore he pays particular attentions to the implications of the Yi, holding:

As the Dao of Yi is known, the superior man is made to cultivate himself and the world under heaven will be governed in order. 1 (vol.34: Part I of the Analects)

Then he particularly stressed the arrangement of the order of the nine hexagrams, holding:

The arrangement of the order of the nine hexagrams shows us the essentials for us to cultivate ourselves. The order is such that each one is indispensable, so (the Xi Ci) praised them in detail repeatedly. 1 (vol.34: Part I of the Analects)

In this way Xiang-shan explicated his theory for the practice of the heart-ology of ease and simplicity.

 

III. The State of the Loss of All Consciousness

 

With outstanding wisdom, Xiang-shan established his distinctive heart-ology, which was impressed with some color of mystery and thus was mistaken as a theory of the Chan Sect (of Buddhism) by ZHU Xi. ① As a matter of fact, this is related to Xiang-shan's studying of Zhouyi since his childhood. Yi is originally an oracular book, thus it is difficult to avert mystery. Though the philosophy of the later generations desalinated its divinatory orientation, the traditional thought of the unity of heaven and man is difficult to avoid the aspects of subjective psychological experience. LU's theory is a highly mentalized theory of wisdom. His heart-ology benefits from his experience to the implications conceived in Yi, with which he also explicates the mental realm of his heart-ology. Especially to the purport of Gen (Hexagram 52), he paid more attention. He even use the meaning of stopping implicated in the hexagram as an approach to the Dao and Yi:

“The lightly flying bird, stops at a corner of the hill”. Even the bird knows where she ought to stop, are men inferior to bird? “Knowing where to stop, one could attain to stillness, then calmness, then tranquility, then pondering, and then obtaining.” I do not believe that one who learns but does not know where to stop (i.e. the final purpose) could be able to ponder and obtain (knowledge and experience). It is a tendency that man does not know his selfish will and theory, and thus suspects the intellectuals of letters. If one really knows where to stop, he will have his own idea, and become still and calmed naturally, but not attaining to this state by external forces. This collects the discrimination between what the righteousness gives birth to and following the righteousness, between the righteousness and benevolence's expansion and the carrying out of them, between the Zeng zi and Zi Xia's bravery, between Mencius and Gao zi's calmness. It says in the Book of History: “uphold stopping (at where one should stop)”. If one does not know where to stop, could he uphold (the spirit of) stopping? It also says: “Calm and tranquilize yourself.” If one could not stop at where he ought to stop, could he calm and tranquilize himself? If you at first believe the implications of Yi, and really know where to stop, for the past instructions, you will just like going to my home and become my disciple. 1 (vol.1: With DENG Wen-fan)

The reason for him to like hexagram Gen so much is that the implications of Gen could help him explicate the realm of life of his heart-ology. Even when he was young, he was dissatisfied with the interpretation of Gen in Yi-chuan's Commentaries on Yi and got the purport of “non-self and non-things” implicated in Gen:

When Fu-zhai saw the interpretation to remarks affiliated to the hexagram Gen of “erecting his back, one loses all consciousness of self; when he walks in his courtyard, he does not see anything in it” in Yi-chuan's Commentaries on Yi, he asked me: “How do you think of Yi-chuan's interpretation?” I answered: “strange!” Then he asked for my interpretation. I said: “ ‘erecting his back, one loses all consciousness of self' (is a state of) non-self; ‘when he walks in his courtyard, he does not see anything in it' (expresses a state of) non-things.” 1 (vol.34: Part I of the Analects)

Later he used to comments on some theoretical issues by this view. For example:

The innate calmness of man is endowed from the heaven; to move with sensation shows the desire of nature, which result from not knowing the purport of “erecting the back and walking in the courtyard”. 1 (vol.34: Part I of the Analects)

He also uses this idea to teach. It records in the Analects:

FU Zi-yan asked for learning by a simple sentence (to summarize LU's idea). LU replied: “erecting his back, one loses all consciousness of self; when he walks in his courtyard, he does not see anything in it”. 1 (vol. 34: Part I of the Analects)

Among the disciples, FU Zi-yuan was the most favorite one. In the being, what Zi-yuan heard from Mr. LU include theories of erecting the back, walking in the courtyard, non-self, and non-things. Later, Zi-yuan said: “In the past, I went to learn from Nan-xuan and Hui-eng whose theories hindered me, and thus for ten years I did not affirm Mr. LU's theories. Three years after I have taught students at Heng yang, I began to believe his theories.”1 (vol.34: Part I of the Analects)

“Erecting the back and walking in the courtyard, and non-self and non-things” are Xiang-shan's practice methods by which the life realm of his heart-ology was enriched and attained to. The purport of “erecting the back and walking in the courtyard is through getting rid of selfishness to preserve the “greatness of body”, expand it full-heartedly to attain to the state of “the cosmos is my heart, and vice versa” with heaven, earth, and human united. Under this state, “issues within the cosmos become that of oneself, and vice versa.” 1 (vol.36: the Annals) In a volume concerning Yi, LU Jiu-yuan explicated this state in detail:

With one's absurdness cleansed off, few of his nature will not return to the quality endowed from heaven; with one's heart accomplished, he may not be exhausted by external things. The attributes of the hexagrams and lines are what by which the sages return to the heaven and connect with the external things. How consummate it is! Mind being cleansed in this way, one's absurdness will be complete cleansed off. Once man's absurdness was cleansed off, the heavenly principle will accordingly become sound. Then, he retires and lays the virtues in secrecy (of his own consciousness), to return to the innate nature. By this way his anxiety about the good and bad fortune with the common people, and no aspects of his heart is not accomplished. As his heart has been accomplished, when touching and connecting with external things, he could know (the character of) coming events by their spirit-like ability, and store up (all experience of) the past in their wisdom, thus could he be tired? 1 (vol.29)

This is an interpretation to the sentence of “the sages having, by their possession of these (three virtues), cleansed their minds, retired and laid them up in the secrecy (of their own consciousness)” in Xi Ci. In his opinion, the quality of the hexagrams and implications of the lines lie in eliminating man's (selfish) desire and resuming the heavenly principles, only through which could the Intrinsic Heart be expanded to one entity with cosmos and the myriad things, and thus the heart will not be imbued by the external things. This is what Mencius mentioned the accomplishment of heart: “Those who have their heart accomplished could know their innate nature. And those who know their innate nature are able to know the heaven” 3 (Part I of the Accomplishment of the Heart, P. 301) . This is a sate attained to by the sages, by which the sages may “know (the character of) coming events by their spirit-like ability, and store up (all experience of) the past in their wisdom”.

This state has united the heaven and human, things and self, mind and Idea, the Dao and concrete events into one entity. And therefore “there is no events out of the Dao, and there is no the Dao out of the events.” become an important view in his heart-ology. The first sentence in the Analects is:

There is no events out of the Dao, and there is no the Dao out of the events. So did Mr. LU usually say. 1 (vol.34: Part I of the Analects)

He used to teach students, too:

There is no events out of the Dao, and there is no the Dao out of the events. In the past, I had explicated with wisdom and foolishness, sagaciousness and disabled, excessiveness and impletion, and therefore I think you may have no doubts about this issue. The Book of Poetry claims that King Wen (of Zhou) “loses all consciousness of self and knows nothings, but follows the God's principles”. Kang-qu also praises Yao in such a way. The analects of Confucius praised Shun and Yi as: “Towering like (they) possess the world under heaven, but (they) do not force their ideas on it”. If one is aware of the error of forcing ideas on the external world and not hindered by acknowledgement and cognitions, his (Intrinsic) Heart will be bright or shining, and the Idea unperturbed, and things will be things themselves, and gather at and return to their pristine state. Under this state, what one experiences are (natural) changes, and what he preserves is the spirit, he follows (unites with) the changes of the heaven and earth. Can you say it is of small benefit? Otherwise, he will be selfish with individual likes and dislikes, anxious about the struggles between different parties. Even the sagacious and wise men are difficult to avoid it, and thus the mean is difficult to be carried out, and the harmoniousness not easy to be attained to. 1 (vol.1: With ZHAO Jian)

Non-self and non-things, transformations flowing, things possessing their innate nature, gathering at and return to their ultimate described a should-be rational state with harmoniousness. LU Jiu-yuan held that the time of King Wen described by the Book of Poetry and that of Shun and Yu mentioned in the Analects of Confucius were under such a state. In this time when the great Dao spreads fluently, this Intrinsic Heart and Idea participate into the changes of the heaven and earth, experience the transformations, preserves the spirit, under the state of which the event is but the Dao, and the Dao is in the event. Therefore this state is state of “out of the Dao, there is no events; and out of the events, there is no the Dao” with the heart flows fluently, the internal mind and external conducts organically united. This is also an ideal social state in which the grand ultimate is established and the harmony is attained to, a state finally advocated by LU Jiu-yuan.

 

IV. The Grand Ultimate, the Dao of the Great Mean

 

LU Jiu-yuan also interprets the Yi with Idea, yet his Idea is the great Dao, the Grand Ultimate, and the idea of great mean, which differs from ZHU Xi's thought taking the Tai ji as the motionless noumenon. For example, in interpreting CHENG's the yellow lower-garment symbolizing great good fortune, and the subject in his place in yellow indicating great good fortune , he by the Dao of Mean interpreted the remarks attached to the fifth line of the hexagram Kun (the 2 nd ) and the second line of the hexagram Li (the 30 th ). He interpreted the “yellow lower-garment” as “keeping the Mean and positioning at the lower place”, and “yellow attaching to” as “what the subject attaches to is in the mid position. Though the positions and time indicated by the two hexagrams are different, they all take “keeping the mid (Mean)” as virtue, and thus both forebode great good fortune. He said:

Though the Mean could be applied to different times, the advantageousness is great. As a virtue, the Mean (or Mid) indicated all appropriateness. Yellow is a mid color. The mid line in hexagram Kun is the fifth one, which indicates yellow lower-garment purporting keeping the mid in the lower position. The subject in the upper position is anxious that he could be positioned in the lower. One who can keep the mid and stay in the lower position, how could he not attain great good fortune? The mid line in hexagram Li is the second one, which indicates yellowing attaching, purporting that what the subject attaches to is in the mid. One who attaches is anxious that he could not get the mid and correct position. If what he attaches to are in the mid and correct position, how could he not obtain great good fortune? Though the positions of the second and fifth lines are different, and the remarks also differ, the great good fortune the subject will obtain is the same. If it is not the virtue of the mid, could this be realized?

In contemplating the remarks affiliated to the two lines, I had said the greatness of the Dao of the Mean. Others have contemplated on it, but did not wake up to the truth. The same meaning of “adhering to the great Mean” had been transmitted between the three sages of Yao , Shun, and Yu. Thus none of other Dao could be greater that it. So Zi si's book (i.e. the Doctrine of the Mean) repeatedly explicates the theory of the great Mean, and exhort over and over the theory of timeliness and the Mean. 1 (vol.29: the yellow lower-garment symbolizing great good fortune, and the subject in his place in yellow indicating great good fortune)

He held that this Dao of Mean was handed down from Yao to Shun to Yu. In discussing Taiji and Wuji with ZHU Xi, he took the term Huang ji to interpret the principle of Taiji . He thought this is the universal fundamental principle and the Dao of great Mean for human society. He said:

So it is the word Ji (literally, ultimate). Both Taiji and Huang ji refer to a substantial thing, could they be admitted to refer two things? What that fill up the cosmos is but the Idea, should we be admitted to be restricted by the superficial meanings of the words? The Mean (or mid) contains consummate Idea, could it not consist of consummate connotations? Both the Great Leaning and Wen Yan (of Yi Zhuan) mentioned consummate acknowledgement. What the Consummate refers to is this Idea. This is to say, if one who studies Yi can acknowledge Taiji (literally, the Grand Ultimate), his acknowledgement reaches the consummate; and if one who studies Hong fan (a chapter in the Book of History) can acknowledge Huang ji, his acknowledgement also attains to the consummate. They concurrently refer to the Idea, then the reality of Ji (ultimate), Zhong (Mean), and Zhi (Consummate) are actually one thing. 1 (vol.2: With ZHU Yuan-hui, section II)

This Idea is innately possessed by the cosmos, could we say it is non-existence? If it is non-existence, the principles for the king and his subjects, the father and his sons will not exist. YANG Zhu did not immediately deny (the venerable position of) the king, but Mencius thought so; MO Di did not deny (the respected position of) the father, but Mencius thought so. This revealed Mencius' acknowledgement. Ji (ultimate) exhibits the Idea, so does Zhong (the Mean, Mid, Center). The number of 5 is positioned in the center of nine palaces (a magic square) and called the Huang ji, is it because it is placed in the center? It says in the Doctrine of the Mean: “Zhong (Mean, center, mid) is the great foundation under the heaven; and harmoniousness is the thorough Dao (way) under the heaven. Once the state of Mean and harmoniousness is attainted to, the heaven and earth will well positioned and the myriad things grow.” This Idea is consummate. Except this, is there Taiji anywhere! 1 (Ibid)

When he interpreting the Book of History at another place, he again interpreted Huang ji in the book with Taiji in Zhouyi :

Huang connotes “great”, and Ji the center. In the nine palaces in Hong fan, 5 is positioned in the center, hence it is called the Ji. This Ji is so great that it fills up the cosmos, and the heaven and earth are positioned by it, and the myriad things' growth depends on it. 1 (vol. 23)

Huang ji is just man's Intrinsic Heart. To establish the Huang ji , the emperor first of all ought to expand this Heart. “If he can preserve this Heart, he can protect this Ji (ultimate)”. The thorough Dao of Huang ji is just the extern practice theory in his heart-ology. Through interpretations of Taiji in Zhouyi , LU Jiu-yuan expounded the purport of his heat-ology was just to show clearly the direction to the Great Dao in which the society is well ordered and the higher and lower coordinate harmoniously for the Song Dynasty, actually for human society. He also explicated his practice theory for external conducts, finding a settlement point for his heart-ology to face the social reality. This adequately embodied his hermeneutic principle of “different classics with the same purport”. ①

In short, basing on his hermeneutic principles of “interpreting the Yi by the heart-ology” and “different classics containing the same purport”, and through studying and expanding the Yi, LU Jiu-yuan founded a classical basis for this heart-ology. His explication to the philosophical connotations embraced in Yi jing directly influenced YANG Jian. The hermeneutic method and principle of interpreting Yi by one's own idea exhibited in Ci-hu's Commentaries on Yi is just a one-sided and extreme development from LU's heart-ology.

 

Notes and references:

 

1. LU Jiu-yuan. Collected Works of Mr. LU Xiang-shan [M]. Si bi Chong kan ben, the version for the series of libraries.

2. KONG Ying-da. Zhou yi Zheng yi , the Rectifications of the Meanings of Zhouyi [M]. Beijing : Beijing University Press, 1999.

3. YANG Bo-jun. Meng zi Yi zhu , Annotations and Interpretation of Mencius [M]. Beijing : Zhong hua Publishing House, 1960.

 

(Originally published in Chinese in the STUDIES OF ZHOUYI /No. 2, 2003)