A study of the ancient Way (Tao) – The studies

If Yijing aficionados put on their thinking cap for a while; they would realized that the holy sages who wrote the Book of Changes and the three great ancient sages – Laozi, Confucius, and the Buddha - were incredibly wise. If intended neidan (inner alchemy) practitioners have the affinity to consult Daoist celestial immortals; they would also find these divinities extremely wise.

The question to be addressed in this article is how that these personages and divinities became so wise?

Since there is a dearth of records on how the holy sages, Laozi, and the Buddha became so knowledgeable, intelligent, and wise; it could be appropriate to look into what Confucius and Daoist celestial immortals had done before they became great.

However it would be pertinent to first look into the Ten Wings on what the holy sages had done:

In the Discussion on the Trigrams (Shou Gua) (Eight Wing), ancients of great antiquity indicated that “the holy sages by thinking through the order of the outer world to the end, and by exploring the law of their nature (Xing) to the deepest core, they arrived at an understanding of fate (Ming).

Their purpose was to follow the order of their nature and of their fate. Therefore they determine the Tao of heaven and called it the dark and the light. They determined the Tao of earth and called it the yielding and the firm. They determined the Tao of man and called it benevolence (Ren) and righteousness (Yi).” [Book of Changes - W/B]

Since the very actions of the holy sages stated in the Eight Wing could act as a guide but could be beyond many a Yijing aficionado or a neidan practitioner, it is suggested that they look at something simpler to learn more about human nature and fate.

Confucius had had compiled five ancient classics for posterity. They are the Book of Changes (Yijing), Book of History (Shujing), Book of Odes (Shijing), Spring and Autumn Annals (Chun Chiu), and the Book of Rites (Li Ki).

According to Sima Qian (the grand historian of Han), Li Er better known as Laozi was a Royal Zhou Court librarian which means that he also had access to versions of the five ancient classics.

Since both sages are known to greatly admire the ancients, they would have studied and practised their teachings embedded in these five classics. Probably by studying and practising the teachings, both became knowledgeable, intelligent, and wise.

Confucius, his students, and his grandson’s student, Mencius, had had made it even more simpler and easier for posterity to learn about human nature and fate by recording their thoughts and teachings in what is known as the four books. These books are the Analects of Confucius, the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean (Chung Yung), and the Works of Mencius.

The Chinese called these writings; the “Four books and five classics”.

From tradition, the four books and five classics were imperative readings for scholars who sat for and/or passed the imperial exams to become court officials in olden China. By diligently studying the writings over the years or decades, a student could gain extreme intelligence and clarity. This is important for the intended neidan practitioner since according to Lu Dongbin in his Secret of the Golden Flower, only those with extreme intelligence and clarity can work the secret charm in the ancient Circulation of the Light.

Therefore those who delve into the Circulation of the Light meditation without first having the extreme intelligence and clarity would find to their chagrin that they have wasted much of their time and efforts. That probably explains why the many who have had claimed online that they got it after spending decades practising what is taught in the Secret of the Golden Flower actually never did. How could they when they seemed not to possess the extreme intelligence and clarity to make it work?

Furthermore, none of them have had ever mentioned the requisite studies and/or the eternal signposts of the Way that can be witnessed. This statement is equally applicable to the many ‘masters’ who currently teach neidan or its meditation. So be careful.

The dual cultivation of nature (Xing) and fate (Ming) start not with meditation as many tend to believe but with the studies. For without the requisite studies how do students emulate the holy sages to think through the order of the outer world to the end and investigate into their own nature to understand fate? And without the studies, how could they possess extreme intelligence and clarity to work the secret charm in the Circulation of the Light?

The skeptical and those with bias of things Confucian could be in for a surprise to know that several of the renowned Neo Daoists who went on to become celestial immortals have had read the four books and the five ancient classics from a young age. From their biographies, most of these Neo Daoists have been court officials or have had sat for the imperial exams.

If anyone can penetrate the real teachings in the four Confucian books and the Book of Changes; they would deepen their knowledge of the Yijing, they would be able to change and/or master their fate (Ming), they could rectify and keep still their heart (Xin) and by cultivating the four cardinal virtues taught therein they could become good to also enjoy the protection of Heaven. By putting these teachings into practice, they could become a Junzi (superior person) of old.

In the Records of the Grand Historian, Sima Qian had indicated that the Han Court officials who followed the Huang / Lao tradition read the Tao Te Ching during their leisure. Intended neidan practitioners must also study this ancient classic in time to come. Reading the Tao Te Ching could become rather more meaningful after several years of practising the Circulation of the Light meditation; since this particular ancient classic contains many eternal signposts of the Way.

By now, readers would understand a bit more on how the holy sages, the great ancient sages and the Daoist celestial immortals had had become so incredibly wise.

Therefore whether you are young or old, if you really want to practise neidan and/or learn more about Chinese culture, it is best that you read the four books and five classics.

However since the studies, the meditation, and the cultivation could take a lifetime to master, it is for those with seriousness of purpose to consider properly before they decide to embark on the magical far journey to Tao. Probably millions have tried and only a handful of them have had succeeded in the return to Tao.

This brings to mind, an archaic truth where Confucius said: “By nature, men are nearly alike: by practice, they get to be wide apart.” This deep insight into humanity remains true till today.

Note on Hexagram 24 Fu / Return

On May 1, 2006 I have provided simple notes on Hexagram 24 Fu / Return and since regular readers could be a bit more familiar with the Circulation of the Light and the Book of Changes (I Ching / Yijing) what with the several articles written on the subject matter and of neidan (inner alchemy) over the years, it could be the right time to delve deeper into the meaning of its Judgment.

The Judgment of Hexagram Fu says:

Return. Success. Going out and coming in without error. Friends come without blame. To and fro goes the Way. On the seventh day comes return. It furthers one to have somewhere to go.


The Judgment informs Yijing aficionados and/or neidan adepts of the magic and phenomena of Tao. That is why the ancient Circulation of the Light meditation begins with Hexagram 24 Fu where the (single) Light line at the bottom starts its ascent and fills up the five dark empty spaces (lines) as it goes up to Heaven – represented by Hexagram 1 Qian / The Creative Heaven. (Refer to the Circulation of the Light and I Ching articles.)

Perhaps after reading this article, Yijing aficionados and scholars may obtain a better understanding of the Book of Changes and its relationship with Tao. While the sages and the wise already told us about that in the Ten Wings, what is written in this article could be an eye opener for many especially those deep thinkers still trying to figure out the level of spiritual clarity (Shen Ming) of the Holy Sages who wrote the Book of Changes.

If pedant wannabe scholars are still ignorant on wherefrom Laozi got the term, Tao, it is not by coincidence that he obtained it from the Judgment of this Hexagram. And please do not show up your ignorance and/or indolence on public online Tao Forums by claiming that there is no link whatsoever between his Tao Te Ching and the Book of Changes. And that there is no documentary proof in the four Confucian books of Confucius having studied the Yijing – probably influenced by the late Professor Homer H. Dubs 1928 well written but specious article. (See my review dated October 7, 2012 on his article, “Did Confucius study the Book of Changes?” if interested.)

Do they understand what the Tao Te Ching says? Have they studied the Book of Changes for decades? Is the Doctrine of the Mean not one of the four Confucian books?

Hopefully the undergraduates of Harvard University would not go the way of these “lost generations” of Western students and “scholars” who continue to propagate misleading statements on Tao and on the Book of Changes. If American and European undergraduates want to study Confucian and Daoist ethics to become better persons in life like what those from Harvard are currently doing, please study the Book of Changes. Since the Confucian and/or Daoist ethics are in the main derived from this ancient Chinese Classic.

The Tao Te Ching is written for top or first class scholars of Tao and not for any type of scholars. If someone does not practise the dual cultivation of human nature (Xing) and fate (Ming), how much can they know about Tao and the delights and magic of Heaven?

If they only have elementary knowledge of the Book of Changes, what do they really know about its embedded wisdoms and the profound Tao? If they do not cultivate virtues or ethics as taught therein by the Holy Sages, they might as well be reading “dead” books.

Confucius had made comments on certain lines of several hexagrams of the Book of Changes. If Yijing scholars worth their salt understand why this great ancient sage made those commentaries as he did, then they could be onto something very deep and profound.

In Chapter 40 of the Tao Te Ching, Laozi said, “Return is the movement of Tao”. Is this statement not the same as “To and fro goes the Way” in the Judgment of Hexagram Fu / Return?

And penetrating the Book of Changes could be something like this:

“In Return if you have success you would be going out and coming in without error, similar to the ancients. Much later, friends come without blame. To and fro goes the Way, act at the right time. On the seventh day comes return - if not that is it. It furthers one to have somewhere to go – it furthers because it can be a matter of life and death.” (Judgment sentences in italics.)

Now that I have explained the Judgment to proficient top scholars of Tao who may or may not have witnessed the eternal phenomena, can any other reader get anywhere anyway with the experiential and yet cryptic explanation on each of its sentences? (This statement is also in reply to the comment from a female reader in the previous article.)

Do Yijing aficionados see how deep and profound the Holy Sages were when they wrote the Book of Changes and the Judgment(s)? It could be one of the reasons why Confucius held King Wen and his son, the Duke of Zhou, who wrote the Judgments to their Zhou Book of Changes (Zhouyi) in such high esteem.

That is why I verily agree with Wang Bi, the whiz kid, that this ancient Classic is also a Book of Wisdom! It probably depends on how much Yijing aficionados and/or neidan adepts know about Tao and the Book of Changes. If Wang Bi did not have such a short life, probably we could have learned more about Tao and the Book of Changes from him. But then again, he could be revealing too much of Heaven’s secrets! And that is not the way.

Apart from making the explanations cryptic, one still has to withhold the Heaven’s secrets. This is in line with the established order and one’s writings would therefore not transgress Heaven’s laws and get punished for nothing.

Review of Homer H Dubs’ article on ‘Did Confucius study the Book of Changes?’

Over the past eight decades, anyone after reading the late US Professor Homer Dubs’ 1928 influential article published in the Tongbao, the first international journal in sinology established in 1890, would be confounded as to whether or not Confucius had actually studied the Book of Changes. The article in simple English is very persuasive and well supported by several quotations from the Analects, and one each from the Book of History and from the Records of the Grand Historian. (Homer H Dubs’ article on ‘Did Confucius study the Book of Changes?’, is kindly made available by Steve Marshall for those interested at http://www.biroco.com/yijing/dubs.pdf )

Professor Homer Dubs (1892 to 1969) was a Yale graduate in philosophy, a Columbia University masters, and after having earned a PhD from the University of Chicago with a dissertation on the Chinese philosopher, Xunzi that he would publish in two volumes, taught at several US Universities before taking up the Chair of Chinese at Oxford that had been held by James Legge. In addition, Dubs grew up in China as a child of missionary parents and returned there as a missionary after obtaining his masters and his Bachelor of Divinity. The professor, an American sinologist and polymath, is best known for his translation of sections of Ban Gu’s Book of Han. (The life, credentials, works, and later eccentricities of Homer Dubs can be further read at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_H._Dubs)

Anyone not having studied ancient Chinese philosophy as deep as Homer Dubs, a professor at the University of Minnesota when he published the well debated article, could be influenced or swayed by his persuasive and substantiated arguments to believe likewise that Confucius would have nothing to do with the Book of Changes anymore than about spirits. With his impressive array of scholarly credentials and works, his immense knowledge of ancient Chinese philosophy, and stature, it would seem nigh impossible to provide a substantive review of the article. To challenge such a scholarly article supported by various historical citations appears daunting even to those who continue to believe that Confucius did study the Book of Changes; unless they happened to be equally or more steeped in ancient Chinese philosophy than him. Of his contemporary sinologists, Richard Wilhelm would have been the ideal candidate and/or Yijing aficionado to review Dub’s 1928 article even though his eminent Chinese mentor has had passed away by then. However, Wilhelm was probably too ill when the article was published, and had passed away two years later.

Apparently, this influential 1928 article has yet to be reviewed. Therefore under the circumstances, this student who knows only a touch of the ancients and the Zhouyi, with no particular talent or virtue to speak of, takes up the challenge to review Homer Dubs’ article readied to be shamed if he falters. In the review, reasons would be submitted on why the article has had blindsided both Dubs’ admirers and dissenters for more than eighty years.

Dubs had probably started out the article to provide a contrary view to that of Professor Hu Shih’, which according to him was the best and most critical scholar of the day. And I would tend to agree with Dubs’ poor assessment of Hu Shih, if the eminent Chinese Professor had not provided any further evidence that Confucius actually used the Book beyond his famous saying that ‘if some years were added to his life, he would give fifty to the study of the Book of Changes and then might come to be free from great faults’ (VII, xvi) and/or that of Sima Qian’ Records of the Grand Historian on the life events and works of the great sage. (Pages 82 and 83 Tongpao XXV 1928)

Now to write a scholarly article to uphold or to refute the age old Chinese belief that Confucius has had studied the Book of Changes, it could do great injustice to the ancient sage for not having discussed the ancient classic, the ten wings, and the four Confucian books as a whole.

If Professor Hu Shih only knew what his peers would know, it reflects a run-of-the-mill mentality, and no special in-depth knowledge of both the four Confucian books and the Book of Changes that we can learn from. However, neither did Professor Dubs know much about the Book of Changes of Zhou or the Ten Wings, if at all, since he rarely touched on them in his article, if his admirers and/or dissenters have not noticed.

The following analyses and findings of Dubs would depict his level of knowledge, if any, of the Zhouyi and the Ten Wings:

According to Dubs, Sima Qian in his monumental Historical Record states that Confucius wrote various appendixes to the Book of Changes. Relying on Legge’ correct assessment that the attribution of the entire Ten Wings to Confucius is wrong and that we cannot be sure that any of it is from the pen of Confucius himself. He reasoned that: ‘They (The Ten Wings) were too trivial and unworthy to a great man. So we cannot conclude from the Book of Changes itself that Confucius had any connection with it, rather the contrary. Likewise Sima Qian’ evidence must be ruled out as secondary and based on insufficient evidence’. (pages 83 and 84)

The fact that Confucius did write various appendixes to the Book of Changes of Zhou as indicated by Sima Qian had been likely confirmed by James Legge (and Richard Wilhelm in his W/B translation) seemed to be lost on Dubs probably in his over eagerness to refute the age old belief. The whitewashing of the Records of the Grand Historian, which he himself ascribed as monumental, was to be repeated in the article when Dubs tried to cover up (Xunzi’ student) Li Si’ infamous acts. If Dubs had been a student of the Book of Changes, he would not have so lightly dismissed the involvement of Confucius in the writing of the Ten Wings by just relying on the thoughts and the feelings of Legge.

Dubs has had cleverly blindsided Yijing aficionados and scholars by quoting sources from the Analects which supported his prejudices against Chinese ancestor worship, prayers, and divination. Such prejudices could have arisen because of his previous missionary background together with his adoration for Xunzi (who hated the evil princes who did not follow the Way but gave their attention to magic and prayers and believed in omens and luck – Shiji). He provided an unclear quotation - and considered it without basis as ancestor worship - on Confucius teaching Chi Lu that he must be able to serve men before learning how to serve the dead, to support his contention that the sage has nothing to do with divination (and spirits). (In his translation, James Legge had mentioned the distinction by way of notes between ghosts (Gui) and spirits (Shen); and that Confucius had used ghosts (Gui) in the quotation. And the differing views offered by past eminent scholars on this particular quotation.) (XI, xi) (84)

Dubs further displayed a lack of deep understanding of ancient Chinese philosophy when he contended that Confucius holds prayers useless by offering two inappropriate supporting quotations from the Analects, ‘He who offends against Heaven has none to whom he can pray.’ (III, xiii) And – “where the sage had indicated there was no necessity for his student to offer prayers on his behalf for his illness, because his praying has been for a long time.” (VII, xxxiii) (84) By applying the first quotation, he like his idol, Xunzi, clearly did not understand that Heaven has a moral will. Also did he not understand what Confucius has said about his own prayers in the latter quotation? Therefore the presented argument of Dubs that since Confucius holds prayers useless, divination is useless too, holds no water.

By quoting the statement ‘divination, when fortunate, should not be repeated’ from the Book of History to support his contention that indeed divination is superstition, he laid bare his ineptness, if he had any knowledge at all, of the Book of Changes. (84) Only the ignorant would be foolish enough to again ask the Book of Changes after obtaining a fortunate prognostication, or a happy omen. Furthermore there was no cause whatsoever for Dubs to cast aspersions on the exemplary Emperor Shun and the Great Yu, as superstitious, just to sway readers to his preferred way of thought or belief. (The historical statement on divination was made by Shun to Yu, in the Great Counsels of Yu.)

To answer his questions as to why there were no records of Confucius teaching or of his recommending the Book of Changes to his students, I can only submit my opinion that if the great sage knew that he has not fully comprehended a profound subject like the Book of Changes, he would not have proceeded to teach the subject to his students. And since Confucius was versed with the Odes, the Rites, and the Music, and found them easier to learn, he recommended his students to study them instead. (85)

This usual opinion of mine is probably now supported by the missing and recently found chapter Yao of the Analects wherein Confucius indicated that his divination accuracy is 70% and about the same as one of his students. (But it would be rather unfair to the late Professor Dubs to use the Yao Chapter to counter his well articulated points on why Confucius did not study the Book of Changes.)

Dubs then tried to hoodwink less knowledgeable readers in ancient Chinese philosophy by making the statement that, ‘Should Confucius have honored and admired it, we should expect that his disciples and followers would have likewise studied and spoken of it. On the contrary they maintain a complete silence for centuries after his death.’ And immediately after that he launched into a vile attack on the author of the Doctrine of the Mean as superstitious, because the author believes in spirits and in divination. (85)

Surely, the learned Professor of ancient Chinese philosophy like James Legge knew that it was Confucius’ beloved grandson (and student), Zisi who wrote the Doctrine of the Mean! Therefore was there or was there not evidence that Confucius’ disciples did study and speak about the Book of Changes? Or did Dubs again try to whitewash important ancient writings that supported the age old belief by casting aspersions on the texts and/or personages? Furthermore, would this renowned grandson of Confucius who is the accredited teacher of Mencius, turn against his own grandfather’s teachings by writing something deemed unbecoming? It is left to readers of this review to decide.

In addition, Dubs indicated that Mencius was quiet on the matter and so was Xunzi. Without knowing much about the Book of Changes and the Ten Wings, Dubs certainly would be clueless as to the profound Yijing knowledge of Mencius; even though he has had read his Book. From brief accounts of Xunzi in the Wikipedia, it is quite possible that this particular philosopher did not study the Book of Changes since unlike Mencius he disbelieved that Heaven has moral will. Therefore, Xunzi may not even know what the Mandate of Heaven was. Similar to some pedant scholars, Dubs argued that it was not until Zuo Zhuan that the Book of Changes was mentioned, totally disregarding the existence of the Doctrine of the Mean which is traditionally honored as one of the four Confucian books.

One can discern that Dubs then at the age of 36 adored Xunzi as his hero, probably influenced by his teachings while writing the thesis on the ancient Chinese philosopher for his PhD. Since in the article, he had made several attempts to raise the stature of both Xunzi, and his rouge student, Li Si who as the prime minister of Qin buried Confucians alive, and burned many categories of books. However, in the eyes of the learned and the wise, Xunzi would never be equally great as Mencius as Dubs has had wished. (85) And Li Si is still rouge because of his despicable acts against humanity and learning. Since Xunzi the teacher did not understand much about Heaven, neither would his student or followers! And to the Chinese, the acts of a student reflect upon the teacher. Mencius is honored as a Confucian sage while Xunzi will remain as an eminent philosopher because his theory on human nature directly contradicts that of Mencius’ Man is born good.

On Li Si’s infamous acts of ‘Burning of books and burying of scholars’, an event recorded by Sima Qian, the Grand Historian of Han, Dubs again tried to cast aspersions on the integrity of the Records of the Grand Historian. (88) While Dubs will certainly know the fact that Sima Qian on the pain of death dared to record the dastardly acts of the first Han Emperor’s wife, Empress Lu after Liu Bang’s death, the professor because of his vested interests still tried to mislead readers; admirers and dissenters alike. That Li Si was subjected to the Five Tortures by the second Qin emperor and later put to death by the prime minister of the day was no more than what he had deserved.

Even though he did not quite make out a convincing case to those in the know for condemning the Book of Changes as superstition; Dubs deviously praised the wisdom of Confucius for not having anything to do with superstitious things. This would confound both the Yijing aficionados and those who hold on to the age old belief.

Without an in-depth Yijing knowledge, how could one appreciate the age old connection between the commentaries by Confucius and/or his students, and Mencius contained in the Ten Wings and the Zhouyi?

Using selective irrelevant citations coupled with flawed analyses which led to incorrect findings, Professor Dubs still unabashedly conclude that Confucius did not concern himself with the Book of Changes anymore than about spirits. Yet his flawed findings and misleading conclusion that Confucius did not study the Book of Changes had stood unchallenged for more than eight decades!

Surely, the late Professor Dubs would not mind it a bit, if my review can finally put his misleading arguments to rest, once and for all. If the influential and yet misleading article is not brought to light and shamed, it would continue to be a disservice to the Book of Changes, Confucius, the current and future generations of Yijing aficionados. Although it is never too late or too old to study the Book of Changes, the ‘lost’ generations (the misled) in between the eighty odd years cannot be brought back to the Light.

In case readers think that the review is nothing but hype, and that this student only know the famous quote used by generations of scholars - including the late eminent Chinese Professor Hu Shih - to support the belief and/or contention that ‘Confucius did study the Book of Changes’, I append below just a few assorted quotations from the Analects for your reading pleasure. Please put on your thinking cap before reading the quotations since they have proven too deep even for generations of eminent Chinese scholars of ancient Chinese philosophy, and without any exception, readers should also know their Yijing studies well otherwise the quotations’ trails to the ancient classic will remain hidden:

‘I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there.’

[Analects 7.19]

‘The Fang bird does not come; the river sends forth no map; - it is all over for me!’
[Analects 9. 8]

‘When Tao pervades all under heaven, be prominent. When Tao recesses, go into hiding.’ [Translated by AL]
[Book 8 Chapter 13 of the Analects]

The Master said,
‘The people of the south have a saying – ‘A man without constancy cannot be either a wizard or a doctor.’ Good!

‘Inconstant in his virtue, he will be visited with disgrace.’

The Master said,
‘This arises simply from not attending to the prognostication.’

[Analects 8. 22 Legge]

Allan Lian

All rights reserved.

The sage in Hexagram 28 Da Gou / Preponderance of the Great

The twelfth prophecy of the Ma Qian Ke had indicated the appearance of a sage. If Yijing aficionados cannot perceive the sage in Hexagram 28 Dao Gou which accompanied the prophecy, do not get too upset since it could be way over your heads. When even past top eminent scholars of ancient Chinese philosophy – the Chinese mentors of both James Legge and Richard Wilhelm - have had failed to discern the sage in the Hexagram, this phenomenon – like the closure of Heaven and Earth - will certainly prove too deep and profound for many Yijing scholars and experts. Therefore there is no necessity to worry too much about your own capability in the study of the Yijing. Just plod on with sincerity since only the entire sincere can achieve the ability to divine like a spirit (Shen) down the ages. For sincerity is the Way of Heaven.

Also how many would be able to discern the profound knowledge of Laozi, Confucius, and Mencius of the Book of Changes where these ancient sages indicated that there is No Tao all under Heaven whenever heaven and earth close? Few will really comprehend what this phenomenon actually means, even though the modern world has been experiencing the absence of Tao since 15th September 2008 – the collapse of Lehman. This is also way above the heads of Yijing scholars and the experts, and the neidan adepts too. (Refer to various blogged articles on this particular phenomenon over the past three years, if interested.)

Thus far, Zhuge Liang has had seen the sage in Hexagram 28 Da Gou as depicted in the twelfth prophecy of his Ma Qian Ke. My perceiving of this sage is only circumstantial because of my interpretation and commentary of Zhuge Liang’s accredited 12th prophecy, therefore following his guidance.

However, more than two and the half millennia ago, the great ancient sage, Confucius has already known that the Junzi depicted in Hexagram 28 Dao Gou represents a sage? How?

In the Doctrine of the Mean, the Master said: ‘The superior man accords with the course of the Mean. Though he may be all unknown, un-regarded by the world, he feels no regret. – It is only the sage who is able for this.’ [Chapter XI paragraph 3 James Legge]

In Book II of his Yijing translation, Richard Wilhelm mentioned that ‘the whole range of ideas contained in the commentary on the Great Images places it on proximity to the Great Learning and hence in very close proximity to Confucius as well.’ How right were his mentor and him when he wrote that down?

Yi aficionados would note that the Great Image in Hexagram 28 Dao Gou as translated by Wilhelm / Baynes while implying the same meaning is worded differently from James Legge’s translations of the Doctrine of the Mean and of the Book of Changes.

In the W/B translation it reads: Thus the superior man, when he stands alone, is unconcerned, and if he has to renounce the world, he is undaunted.

If we compare that to Legge’s translation it reads: The superior man, in accordance to this, stands up alone and has no fear, and keeps retired from the world without regret. [Refer to Xiang Zhuan of Hexagram 28 Da Gou at http://ctext.org]

If those interested check the Chinese in both the Doctrine of the Mean and the Great Image, they will find therein the repetition of almost the exact words. This means that Richard Wilhelm and his mentor, Lao Nai-hsuan, were correct with the comment on the close proximity of the Great Images, known as the Third Wing, to Confucius. It also means that Confucius knew about the sage in Hexagram 28 Da Gou / Preponderance of the Great. Although the sage phenomenon escaped the grasps of the personage who embedded the words of Confucius in the Great Image of this Hexagram and also the eminent mentors of both renowned translators. Otherwise we could have learnt more about it from the ancient sage himself. The personage and the eminent mentors of the translators are without blame since this phenomenon also goes beyond their own comprehension.

This is why the self-taught like Confucius before us need talent and virtue to know the Yijing. Since sometimes we may need to provide ‘national service’ for Yijing aficionados across the world!

Hence my detailed cryptic commentary on the yet-to-unfold 12th prophecy in the Ma Qian Ke ascribed to Zhuge Liang would probably unfold exactly as indicated, especially on this verse:
‘The sage arises from Xun to bring salvation.’

Cheerio!

Allan Lian


All rights reserved.

‘Hill pours water’ revisited

Two years ago, when the Book of Changes told this student with the fourth line of Hexagram 27 Yi / Providing nourishment to spy with the eyes of a tiger to spot helpers and to turn to the sage for nourishment; I had thought the ancient classic was joking, since there were no Shi (ancient priest / neidan master) and Wu (magician / ancient Yijing master), let alone sages in the Daoist and Yijing forums.

Knowing that the Book of Changes rarely jokes, I did keep my eyes open. Only a few days ago did I realize that I have found the sage I was looking for, all this time. This sage happens to be a Shi and surprisingly, a Wu as well. After twenty long years of searching, I have found the final missing piece to fit the jigsaw puzzle - the sixth cryptic message - given by a Quanzhen celestial immortal back in 1993. Eureka!

In his sixth and last cryptic message, the divinity had said: “When you can do ‘Hill pours water’ (Shan Dou Shui), then you have reached my four immortals’ door front.” ‘Hill pours water’ infer to Hexagram 39 Jian / Obstruction. (For those interested, refer to my post on September 27, 2005 titled ‘Short cryptic messages’ and the subsequent post on October 6, 2005 titled ‘Hills pour water’. Click on 2005 archives and scroll down to read.)

Without revealing too much, the missing piece relates to a fourth Daoist celestial immortal. Now that I found him, it all upholds the happy omen given by the Quanzhen divinity.

For the sage and/or immortal is none other than the renowned Zhuge Liang. His immortal status is substantiated by the several temples dedicated to him in China.

It so happened that Zhuge Liang’s first prophecy in the Ma Qian Ke comes from the accompanying Hexagram 27 Yi / Providing nourishment, and his tenth prophecy happens to be ‘Hill pour water’, that is Hexagram 39 Jian / Obstruction.

Anyone familiar with his various exploits depicted in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms would agree that he is a Shi (ancient priest) and though he has had special skills to read the stars and the weather, nowhere is it written that he is a Wu (magician or ancient Yijing master) as well. Therefore it was surprising to learn that he had left behind fourteen prophecies each with accompanying Yijing hexagrams. If I have not recently read the entire Ma Qian Ke, and had not interpreted the first prophecy for my full commentary, I would not have realized that Zhuge Liang was the sage I was looking for. (The Ma Qian Ke – PDF preliminary translated by Steve Moore is linked under the Resources / Link and just one click away for your reading pleasure.)

Rereading my two years’ old post on Hexagram 27 given by the Yijing and by rechecking the fourteen hexagrams in the Ma Qian Ke of which Hexagram 39 accompanied the tenth prophecy made me realized there were too many coincidences or synchronicity, not to ponder deeper.

Can I see what Zhuge Liang have had seen from the accompanying hexagrams to his prophecies? Yes. Since also by coincidence, my self-taught method of interpreting omens and heaven’s secrets (Tian Ke) happens to be similar to that of this sage. Anyone down the ages who also happened to possess Zhuge Liang’s supernatural skills to divine like a spirit (Shen), as indicated by the Doctrine of the Mean (Zhong Yung), will be able to interpret these hexagrams which uphold his prophecies.

Can I interpret all his cryptic messages and the accompanying hexagrams contained in the fourteen prophecies in the Ma Qian Ke? Over the past several days, I have already deciphered the first (and have published my full commentary on it), the tenth, and the eleventh prophecies. Currently working on the twelfth, which could be more interesting – China would probably need advice or salvation from a sage from what I have seen and have interpreted so far. I would have to spend more time pondering the portended calamities depicted therein before arriving at a conclusion.

And also in case, the sage turns out to be someone I know! - (Just pulling your legs)

From Hexagram 39 Jian / Obstruction accompanying the tenth prophecy in the Ma Qian Ke, there are obvious reasons for ‘the pig and the bull to appear behind and in front respectively’. ‘Thousand men one voice’ and ‘five two reversed’ are also not difficult to decipher and confirm. So is the remaining verse, ‘Friends come without blame’. But how would I know? New readers may have cause to think that I was only able to interpret the first prophecy by fluke, since I also happened to know some history of the Three Kingdoms. Perhaps, my talk on omens and prophecies from the Book of Changes as a preamble to the full commentary on the first prophecy of the Ma Qian Ke has settled some doubts.

In line with the topic at hand, and for clarity, I will interpret the happy omen given to me by the Quanzhen divinity:

“When you can do ‘Hill pours water’ (Shan Dou Shui), then you have reached my four immortals’ door front.”

Having raised my skills’ level to obtain a clearer view of received omens over the past several years, I have done ‘Hill pours water’. With this ability, I can in turn interpret the prophecies of the renowned Zhuge Liang, and am still learning from this sage, how cryptic messages from Daoist celestial immortals are formed and presented. Therefore regular readers should learn together with me, otherwise they may get stumped by my likewise presentation of forthcoming omens in the blog.

Since the divinity’s omens sometimes take twenty years to unfold and the jigsaw puzzle fits perfectly together, and with the proven ability to write cryptic messages for previously obtained omens, it would not be wrong to claim that ‘I have reached his four immortals’ front door’.

Ah, the lengthy and lofty processes that Yi aficionados need to go through to gain the ability to divine like a spirit (Shen) and only then be able to assist the gods (Shen)!

By leaving behind the Ma Qian Ke for posterity and by allowing those who possess the ability to provide nourishment to the multitude down the ages, the sage Zhuge Liang have had assisted the gods with his prophecies on China.

And as the saying goes, “Seeing is believing.”

A talk on omens and prophecies from the Book of Changes (Yijing)

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I am honored to see the number of illuminaries and some familiar faces attending the talk today. A warm welcome to everyone!

In this talk, I would touch on how omens from the Book of Changes (Yijing) can be obtained and what the ancients had indicated about them. Yi aficionados who are experts and scholars after understanding what has been said, can do further research on the subject matter, if they so wish. Therefore please lend me your ears and bear with me, lest you miss the forest for the trees. Again!

According to The American Heritage Dictionary, the definition of “Omen is a phenomenon supposed to portend good or evil; a prophetic sign”. The definition of prophecy, in the same dictionary is wider but for the purpose of this discussion: “Prophecy is a prediction of the future, made under divine inspiration.”

Based on these definitions, in my opinion, there is not much of a difference between an omen and a prophecy obtainable from this foremost ancient Chinese classic, the Book of Changes. The only real difference will be the time factor in their unfolding. For I had the good fortune to obtain word from Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, three decades ago, and from a Buddha, thirteen years later that the Yijing is indeed divine. And in between those years, in 1993 a Quanzhen Daoist celestial immortal by giving six cryptic messages indirectly taught me how to improve on my interpretation of Yijing prognostications and omens.

When I first started writing the blog, ‘A touch of ancients and the Zhouyi’, in 2005, a number of Yi aficionados had turned away in disgust after reading my thoughts on foreseeing and foretelling the future, and my claims to receiving omens and heaven’s secrets from the Book of Changes. After all, since they have never seen anyone having the ability to do so, how could my thoughts and claims be true? Yet I persevere and slowly managed to push back the tide of disbeliefs and ignorance with some encouragement from Steve Marshall who knows much about Yijing studies. Steve Marshall, as many of those attending this talk know, is the author of The Mandate of Heaven.

If Yi aficionados really want to learn the Book of Changes, sincerely follow its oracle guidance. Reread the classic, consult the oracle, ponder the prognostications, interpret them as far as possible and over time with perseverance, they would gradually improve their art and science of divination. As discussed in previous articles, it is my contention that the interpretation of prognostications and omens are repeatable and therefore testable. However, this would only become obvious through extended divination experience. And through extended divination experience, psychics excepted, Yi aficionados can raise their intuition levels. If they also happen to possess a touch of spiritual clarity (Shen Ming), obtainable via real neidan practice and deep contemplation, then their ability to obtain and interpret omens from the Yijing will improve by leaps and bounds.

If we do not improve our own art of Yi divination, it could prove difficult to understand the science of Yi divination. Without a sound knowledge of the art and science of divination, how can we ever hope to divine like a spirit like Zhuge Liang, Shao Yong, and Liu Bo Wen had done, and later to assist the gods?

Furthermore, without improving our art and science of divination, even when an omen is received from the Book of Changes, we and/or our peers would not have the ability to recognize it as such, or know how to interpret it. To provide more clarity on this statement, I present a real example below for your consideration.

Back in 2003, a lady from the US opened a forum thread each and every time she received a Yi prognostication seeking help for interpretations from her peers. Similar to her peers, she has or claimed to have studied the Book of Changes for a few decades. This went on for five or six times. Yet none of the interpretations given by her peers seemed to provide her much peace. She is a trained psychic by the way and her recurring dreams told her something very different from the proffered interpretations. Near the end, she was literally begging for help on what to do. That was when I decided to step in to alleviate her misery. I had to spend some time reading all of the Yi prognostications given to her and ponder over them. And thereafter in one post, I interpreted all of the five or six prognostications to her great satisfaction, since my interpretations tied up with her recurring dreams. From the prognostications and from extended experience, I had told her, she would be unemployed shortly, and should move out from the small town, where she was working, to the big city where she had been planning to move to. I told her she would become a flying dragon in the new place, a happy omen. (The moving fifth line of Qian prognostication) Since there was no further feedback from her, only lately did I realize the Book of Changes was right again. One of her recurring dreams had her walking under some scaffolding with construction workers busily working above. That was back in 2003. She was unemployed shortly after my interpretations and left for the big US city. If she have had invested in properties there and then, I reflected, she would become rich a few years later when property prices doubled or more in big US cities. Thus becoming a flying dragon in the heavens and achieving supreme success.

When the Yijing speaks, the prognostication or omen is true and if the interpretation is correct, the results can be foreseen, thereby making it clear as day. As long as the Yi speaks, an able interpreter can interpret the prognostication or omen correctly even if he or she is from a different era or oceans apart with the diviner. This means that my theory on the science of divination can be and has been tested many times and proved. My commentary on the first prophecy of the Ma Qian Ke by Zhuge Liang presented at the end of this talk, will also serves as an example to further support this contention.

But before we go into that, let us look at examples of global omens, the older ones published by me in Yijing forums before the predicted events occurred, and my thoughts. Also take note of the pseudonym used then, sounds familiar? For the great Zhuge Liang also known as Zhuge Kongming is my hero too.

1) An I Ching prediction on the Iraqi war in 2003 posted by me on the IChing_Yijing @yahoogroups.com probably on 23rd April 2003(?).

In IChing_YiJing@yahoogroups.com, "chuko_kungming" wrote:

Hi to everyone. This is my first post. Just joined the group (23rd April). Now on the Iraqi war and Iching predictions:

From the hexagram # 57 obtained by me in Feb 2003, the Iching indicated that the Iraqi war would start within 5 days of 15th March. And the war will be over by end April or first week of May 2003.

For the record:

US President George Bush declared deadline for Iraq to disarm by March 17th and ordered the attack on Iraq on March 19th (US time) / March 20th (Asian time). He declared end of attack and victory over Iraq on May 2nd, 2003.



2) If I have not read the accompanying notes made after the divination and days of pondering, I would probably not have remembered how the timing of the two events – the Iraq war and the end of it - was calculated. On the following page of my journal, I noticed that the Yi again insisted on this student asking a question. Similar to the above prognostication, it was another heaven’s secret or omen.

It came in the form of Hexagram 2 Kun and the accompanying notes containing my prediction and the subsequent unfolding filled up an entire foolscap page. (I no longer do this since I can log the unfolding in this blog.) This heaven’s secret or omen was published by me in the I Ching Community in the summer of 2003:

“The ominous omen foretold of groups of Muslim terrorists acting as holiday makers or tourists bombing trains and national libraries in the US and Europe that summer.”

During those few months there were substantial US intelligence reports online that terrorists were planning to bomb bridges and trains. Then it suddenly went all quiet.

In the summer of 2004, groups of Muslim terrorists bombed trains in Madrid, Spain.

In the summer of 2005, groups of Muslim terrorists bombed trains in London, England.

Almost three years after the publication of this omen, the then US President George Bush inexplicably revealed that a group of Muslim terrorists were arrested days before they could fly to the US to bomb the Library Tower that summer of 2003.

If the Book of Changes can give omens to this student and to the American lady, there is no reason whatsoever other Yi aficionados cannot obtain them. They either do not know the significance of the prognostication or they fail to interpret it properly. This gave me reason to previously rant about the foolishness of over reliance on the interpretations of incompetents - usually arising from their indolence -; since it may give cause for regrets. For without realizing it, diviners could suddenly find themselves facing impending disaster(s), financial or otherwise, as a more severe example. They may find out later, with regrets that the Book of Changes had actually forewarned them on those disasters which had unfolded accordingly.

The ignorant can be tolerated and taught, but even if Confucius is still alive, he would leave the indolent well alone. (Refer to the Analects)

And since I have mentioned the great ancient sage, let us take a look at what one of the four Confucian books say about omens from the Book of Changes.

In the Doctrine of the Mean (Zhong Yung) (XXIV), it is said:

“It is characteristic of the most entire sincerity to be able to foreknow. When a nation or family is about to flourish, there are sure to be happy omens; and when it is about to perish, there are sure to be unlucky omens. Such events are seen in the milfoil and tortoise, and affect the movements of the four limbs. When calamity or happiness is about to come, the good shall certainly be foreknown by him, and the evil also. Therefore the individual possessed of the most complete sincerity is like a spirit (Shen).” [James Legge]

Without a proper understanding of the omens and prophecies obtainable from the Book of Changes by using milfoil also known as yarrow stalks to test it, the renown sinologist, James Legge went on to disparage the whole chapter on entire sincerity as absurd. He added, “The foreknowledge attributed to the Sage, - the mate of Heaven, - is only a guessing by means of augury, sorcery, and other follies.”

Perhaps many modern Yi scholars and aficionados, excluding those who follow the good examples of Carl Jung, and another renowned sinologist, Richard Wilhelm, would tend to agree with James Legge. They would also disbelieve in the possibility of foreknowing the future, and of anyone’s capability to obtain omens and prophecies using the Book of Changes as an Oracle instead of a Book of Wisdom. How could they know what the ancients taught is true or not without testing it through proper study and practice? Therefore one has to do all the work and present the omens in the World Wide Web before their unfolding for the entire online world to see, and to prove these indolent Yi aficionados wrong. If Yi aficionados can become real dragons, why be false ones and mislead Yi students?

For Yi aficionados to further appreciate the value and importance of the Book of Changes to the ancients we turn to another ancient Chinese classic, the Book of History (Shujing):
Of the Great Plan accredited to the Great Yu of the Xia Dynasty, in the section on the Settlement of doubts, it is said:

“Officers having been chosen and appointed for divining by the tortoise shell and the milfoil stalks, they are charged to execute their duties. They will find rain, of clearing up, of cloudiness, of want of connection, and of crossing; and the inner and outer diagrams. ……. When you have doubts about any great matter, consult with your own mind; consult with your high ministers and officers; consult with the common people; consult the tortoise shell and divining stalks. If you, the shell, the stalks, the ministers and officers, and the common people, all agree about a course, this is what is called a great concord, and the result will be the welfare of your person and good fortune to your descendants.” [Book IV of the Book of Zhou - The Great Plan – James Legge, sacred-text]

If what is recorded in the Book of History is correct, officers have been chosen and appointed to consult the tortoise shell, and by milfoil the Book of Changes, since the beginning of the Xia Dynasty (21st century B.C.) until at least the end of the Zhou Dynasty (221 B.C.) These officers were known as Court historiographers during the Spring and Autumn era. The Zuo Zhuan contains several prognostications and omens obtained by these historiographers after consulting the Yijing. The Zuo Zhuan shows that even these professional historiographers have had made mistakes in their interpretation of omens.

Therefore we have to learn to improve our art and science of divination until we get it right, no matter how long it takes to obtain an omen, recognize it, and be able to make its interpretation clear as day. Just be diligent in our Yi studies and sincerely follow the guidance provided by the prognostication or omen and the Book of Changes would teach you more things since the student is able and ready.

If Yi aficionados happen to be ‘in tune with the music’ with omens and prophecies, let us learn together from the famous historical personage, Zhuge Liang. In his Ma Qian Ke or Quick predictions, comprising of fourteen prophecies, he had provided the means for Yi aficionados and those familiar with cryptic messages from Daoist celestial immortals to interpret the accompanying hexagrams and the verses respectively. The interpretation will stretch you to your limits, but there is no harm in trying since you can come away with more knowledge. If you can make the prophecy clear as day, then you are a worthy person and will be well nourished, and you can also nourish others.

If Yi aficionados can understand the rationale and the technique behind my following interpretation of the first prophecy of the Ma Qian Ke, I am sure the Book of Changes will give you more profound lessons in the years to come since you are more than ready. For example, my past few years’ lessons from the Yijing have been Heaven, Earth and Man, and how to make omens clear as day. And therefore my slight advantage as the great Carl Jung would say. But, you may hold a slight advantage over Chinese Yi aficionados in China, since their government has disallowed them access to this talk on omens and prophecies from the Yijing!

Since this talk is free of charge, no lunch will be provided. (That is no questions on omens and prophecies, and their timing will be fielded.)

Many thanks for staying tuned, ladies and gentlemen. May you become a real dragon!

Cheerio!

The Art and Science of Yi divination

According to The American Heritage Dictionaries:

Art is a skill that is attained by study, practice or observation.

And Science is the observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena etc. which can be tested.

For more definitions of Art and Science, please check online via thefreedictionary.com

Yi aficionados would be very familiar with the art of divination obtainable through the study of the Book of Changes (I Ching / Yijing / the Yi), practising divination by consulting the Oracle and observing the results. They will learn to master this art of Yi divination over the years or decades of study eventually to reach the highest stage ever recorded in ancient books – that is divining like a spirit. (Refer the Doctrine of the Mean)

Yi aficionados can also improve their divination skills by testing their ability in the interpretation of prognostications.

When the Yi speaks, the prognostication is true and if its interpretation is correctly done, the results can be foreseen, thereby making it clear as day. As long as the Yi speaks, a good interpreter of the Oracle could interpret the prognostication correctly whether he or she is next to or oceans apart from the diviner. This means that this theory can be ‘scientifically’ tested many times, and proven.

However, sad to say, many have yet to reach that requisite level and I am still on the lookout for some over the past ten years on the World Wide Web. Not surprising since the Yi has only spoken to a remarkable few diviners who blog their prognostications or posted them on I Ching websites, some of whom I have previously named.

If aficionados do not rise to the occasion, how could they know about the science of Yi divination and test their skills and the theory?

There are several instances of interpretation of other diviners’ prognostications in this blog over the past five years – those whom the Yi spoke to. Their prognostications were true and therefore reliable. The interpretations and the predicted outcomes unfolded – many times to a T.

Take for example, the interpretation of a prognostication on a stock investment given by the Book of Changes to a fellow Malaysian by way of Hexagram 29 Kan / The Abysmal. (Refer February 19, 2008 entry, ‘An interpretation of Kan / The Abysmal’ and the result in December 27, 2008 entry, ‘Few can alter Yi prognostications’)

The stock, Transmile, has recently fallen to its lowest price, 32.5 sen, after it became designated a PN 17 stock because its share capital and reserves had fallen below the threshold due to continual huge losses. (Have earnest Yi aficionados taken note of the continuous unfolding and the time?)

In the entries, I had mentioned that from experiences and observations, Kan is a bad hexagram for investments. The same emphasis on good and bad hexagrams was also made on the March 26, 2007 entry on ‘When the Yi speaks’. This theory of good and bad hexagrams have also been tested.

If some so called Yi experts or scholars still insist there are no good and bad hexagrams in divination, let them be. Just like those modern scholars who claim that Confucius has never read the Yi, or those who believe that real Daoist teachings do not touch on good and evil, they do not know what they are missing or learning.
If we do not improve our own art of Yi divination, it could prove difficult to understand the science of Yi divination. Without a sound knowledge of the art and science of divination, how can we ever hope to divine like a spirit and later to assist the gods?

Impartiality (Gongzheng)

Impartiality (Gongzheng) or in simpler terms, fairness, is important to the progress of human beings down the ages. It forms part of human nature.

Public anger will be aroused if any person or a people is treated or deemed to be treated unfairly. There are many instances of such cases occurring during modern times not unlike happenings in ancient China. Take for instance that of Hurricane Katrina and the floods of the Yellow River. (The only difference is there were no executions of culprits in modern times.)

If rulers or their laws are not impartial not only will the people suffer needlessly, the unfairness will also make them angry. Therefore the ancient sages exhort rulers to cultivate cardinal virtues in order that public laws and taxes of the land can be fair to the multitude.

The holy sages through the Yi (Book of Changes) teach the Junzi how to cultivate these virtues, so did Confucius and Laozi in the Analects and the Tao Te Ching respectively.

According to Laozi in TTC 16, acceptance of the principle of returning to destiny leads to impartiality which in turn leads to completeness. Impartiality also relates to Centered Harmony. (To know more about centered harmony, refer to the Doctrine of the Mean).

Fellow students of the Tao and the Yi can also learn more about public sentiment on impartiality, and the cardinal virtues, by watching the Taiwanese series of the trials of Justice Bao Zheng better known as Baogong of the Song Dynasty. (Readers in Malaysia can currently follow the series, dubbed in Cantonese, shown on the Astro network on weekdays.) Any fair or impartial trial has to be based on the grounds of confirmed facts and verified evidence, and not based on mere assumptions or false beliefs.

Mere assumptions and false beliefs can lead to bypaths and not the Way.

If we do not know how to sit and forget, we cannot be empty like Heaven. If we do not cultivate virtues, we cannot be still like Earth. When we do not know how to become empty and still, can we venture to talk about the ancient Way? But people still do!

If someone is partial to Heaven and talks nothing about Earth, it would be perfectly alright to ignore his teachings, even if he happens to be an ancient sage.

Since the three great sages – Laozi, Confucius, and Buddha – taught about Heaven and Earth and so did the holy sages in the Yi. That is being impartial, and a bit more on TTC 16, if you catch the drift.

Moving heaven and earth

The ancients say that sincerity is part of human nature. And that sincerity is the way of heaven. According to the Doctrine of the Mean (Zhong Yong), there are different levels of sincerity and the most complete of it allows the Yi diviner to divine like a spirit (shen).

The Judgment in Hexagram 61 Zhong Fu / Inner Truth says:

Inner Truth. Pigs and fishes. Good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water. Perseverance furthers.

Commentary:

Pigs and fishes are the least intelligent of all animals and therefore the most difficult to influence. The force of inner truth must grow great indeed before its influence can extend to such creatures. In dealing with people as intractable and difficult to influence as a pig or a fish, the whole secret of success depends on finding the right way of approach. One must first rid oneself of all prejudice and, so to speak, let the psyche of the other person act on one without restraint. Then one will establish contact with him, understand and gain power over him. When a door has thus opened, the force of one’s personality will influence him. If in this way one finds no obstacles insurmountable, one can undertake even the most dangerous things, such as crossing the great water, and succeed.
[Wilhelm / Baynes]

If you have ever visited pig or fish farms, you may find that pigs and fishes are happiest when it comes to feeding time. Just like humans, creatures need to eat, to fill their empty stomachs. To the pigs and fishes, their owners by feeding and taking good care of them are sincere. This can also apply to reliable teachers and students.

Nine in the second place means:
A crane calling in the shade. Its young answers it. I have a good goblet. I will share it with you.

Confucius says about this line:

The superior man abides in his room. If his words are well spoken, he meets with assent at a distance of more than a thousand miles. How much more then from nearby! If the superior man abides in his room and his words are not well spoken, he meets with contradiction at a distance of more than a thousand miles. How much more then from nearby!

Words go forth from one’s own person and exert their influence on men. Deeds are born close at hand and become visible far away.

Words and deeds are the hinge and bow spring of the superior man. As hinge and bow spring move, they bring honor or disgrace.

Through words and deeds the superior man moves heaven and earth. Must one not, then, be cautious?

The great sage advised that in our dealings with people and/or nations by way of speech, writing and/or action, the Junzi have to be sincere, reliable, and cautious. Since their words and actions can move (gan dong) heaven and earth. If their sincere words and deeds can begin to move heaven and earth, do they not have the same effect with pigs and fishes?

Just like the current handling of the two ‘nuclear’ nations by world leaders and the UN Security Council, if they do not put in more sincerity that can even influence pigs and fishes, they may realize too late what they should have done to avoid an omen or heaven’s secret given by the Yi.

Go on to greater heights

The Master said,

‘To live in obscurity, and yet practise wonders, in order to be mentioned with honour in future ages:- this is what I do not do.

The good man (Junzi) tries to proceed according to the right path (Way), but when he has gone halfway, he abandons it: - I am not able so to stop.

The superior man (Junzi) accords with the course of the Mean. Though he may be all unknown, unregarded by the world, he feels no regret: - It is only the sage who is able for this.
[Chapter 11 – Doctrine of the Mean – Legge]

It is characteristic of the most entire sincerity to be able to foreknow. When a nation or family is about to flourish, there are sure to be happy omens; and when it is about to perish, there are sure to be unlucky omens.

Such events are seen in the milfoil and tortoise, and affect the movements of the four limbs. When calamity or happiness is about to come, the good shall certainly be foreknown by him, and the evil also.

Therefore the individual possessed of the most complete sincerity is like a spirit (shen).
[Chapter 24]

Past eminent Confucian scholars have had discussed this chapter 24 in detail according to Legge but he penned this in a footnote:

“The whole chapter is eminently absurd, and gives a character of ridiculousness to all the magniloquent teaching about ‘entire sincerity’. The foreknowledge attributed to the Sage, - the mate of Heaven, - is only a guessing by means of augury, sorcery, and other follies.”

By rubbishing the chapter, renowned sinologist James Legge showed his religious bias and ignorance of Yi divination. His unfounded opinion probably misled a few generations of Yi aficionados in the West to believe that the future cannot be foreseen with the Book of Changes.

Perhaps Legge had never heard of Guan Lo of late Han or those Yi students who can divine like a spirit.

Over the years, regular readers have probably seen plenty of happy and unlucky omens, and heaven’s secrets in this blog. So much so that one fellow Yi aficionado even complimented me being akin to Shen Suan Liu Bowan, the adviser to a Ming emperor.

Do you really think I have been guessing, using sorcery or other follies, all this time?

When one can divine like a spirit, what next?

In the Great Treatise, the wise tell Yi aficionados to assist the gods!

For that you may need to raise your spiritual level and know what gods (include Daoist deities, heavenly immortals and Buddhas) actually do on earth.

The Way which the superior man pursues, reaches wide and far, and yet is secret.
[Chapter 12]

Cheerio!

Yi divining with the ShenXian

This entry is written especially for Yi fellows who believe in the existence of Daoist deities and immortals (ShenXian), particularly those readers from Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan where Daoist temples are easily accessible. Yi diviners who keep an open mind and those who like to improve upon their already good divination skills but do not have such readily access to the ShenXian in their respective countries can take note of this entry for their future reference.

No, I am not trying to convert any Yi fellows to Daoism nor am I asking them to pray to the ShenXian for blessings or help. I am just sharing my experience on a way to further improve upon our Yi divination and interpretation skills. What best than to test our self acquired divination skills with divinities – with or without their knowledge and/or approval. After all, according to the Doctrine of the Mean (Chung Yung), it is possible that a Yi diviner can divine like a Shen (spirit).

After I had returned from London, England for good, my mum surprised me with a divination slip (qian), obtained by way of shaking divination sticks (jiu qian) out of a bamboo or metal container, from a Guan Yin temple depicting my fortune for that year, 1980. She had been praying for her children and family and obtaining these divination slips for decades. The yearly predictions from this particular temple are known to be accurate and the cost for one divination was less than 20 US cents then.

For a few years after that I did not take too much notice of the predictions until I started to consult the Zhouyi for my annual hexagrams. One day, out of curiosity I compared my annual hexagram with the divination slip for the particular year from the Guan Yin temple. While what was foretold by the Guan Yin divination slip appeared simpler, the story of the ancient referred to in the slip almost matched with the Yi prognostication. (Take note that each divination slip contains a popular storyline reference to a particular 'ancient' to provide for a more accurate interpretation of the fortune reading.)

Over the next five years, the same matches occurred – which meant that the predictions from this particular Guan Yin temple were indeed accurate or that this student’s Yi divination and interpretation skills had improved. That was my first test.

The second test with predictions from divinities came during the 1993 Bull Run in the KLSE. In early 1993, the Yi had already indicated through various prognostications that the stock market was going to be very good. The Book of Changes would tell me through the hexagrams when to buy and when to sell stocks. My friends and ex-colleagues who consulted with Daoist deities and heavenly immortals to trade on the stock market would often share the predictions given by these ShenXian. Together with the Yi prognostications nothing could go wrong. We were all making good money from the stock market – until the music stopped in the first week of January 1994. My friends were still trading in the KLSE because the divinities never told them to get out of the market.

Perhaps they really thought that I was an easily scared ‘rabbit’ when I sold all my stocks by the third week of December 1993 and went to Australia to celebrate Christmas and New Year. I had indicated to them that the Yi had warned of impending falls and they should sell most of their stock investments by end December and hold cash. Instead they bought more after some initial profit taking because the stock market remained hot.

By early 1994 until the end of 1995, the predictions of the Daoist deities and heavenly immortals had become corrupted. That was the third test.

Over the years, there were more such tests which provided some of the reasons why I have diligently followed the Yi instead of the ShenXian. (Some of these later tests and comparisons had been blogged, years ago.)

It is fun to be able to divine with the Yi and compare notes with accurate predictions from the Daoist deities and heavenly immortals. Such predictions through divination slips or mediums can be obtained directly or indirectly (through a relative or close friend) from Daoist temples. The comparisons and tests can also provide Yi students with a deeper understanding of the Yi and raise our levels in interpretation of the prognostications.

Yi diviners do not have to believe me; you can try it out sometime given the opportunity. Hopefully it helps in your progress in Yi divinations until you can divine like a spirit. By then nothing on earth and in heaven remains hidden, since all you need is to consult the Yi.

Confucius on spiritual beings (Kuei Shen)

According to a very recent Yahoo.com article on the new ‘Poltergeist’ movie to be shown again in the United States, more than half of Americans believe in the existence of ghosts. And most people learned about ghosts in movies.

Spiritual beings (Kuei Shen) cannot be easily seen or heard unless they manifest. They seldom do because it would unnecessarily frighten people – family members, disciples, or the general public.

One often comes across discussions in the web which mentioned that the ancient Chinese sages seem not to know or discuss much about spiritual beings. Perhaps influenced by an obscure late Han dynasty philosopher, Wang Ch'ung, some of these modern thinkers or scholars tend to believe like him that there are no spiritual beings in Heaven or on Earth. Some even go to the extent to point out that only the religious believe in the existence of ghosts (Kuei) and divinities (Shen) which then inadvertently spawn endless debate(s) extant in the West of what is considered Daoist philosophy and religion.

There is never any point in discussing with those who think they know more than the ancients, the Zhen Ren, the Daoist immortals, and Buddhas put together about Kuei Shen and about Dao. Otherwise they may brand you religious, dogmatic, rude, or Confucian.

A number of modern Yi scholars tend to pick and choose what they want to learn from the ten wings of the Zhouyi – often ignoring the thoughts of sages and the wise therein about Kuei Shen – while claiming that the ten wings which include the Great Image were written by Confucians, yet somehow they conclude that none were written by Confucius. Since they verily believe that there was no evidence Confucius ever read the Zhouyi – ignoring historical facts that the great sage discussed a hexagram and wished for more years to read the Zhouyi, as recorded in the Analects? And that Sima Qian recorded down for posterity in his Records of the Historian (Shiji) that Confucius loved the Yi. Perhaps they also conveniently ignore the fact that the Doctrine of the Mean informs Yi aficionados how to obtain omens using the tortoise and the milfoil (yarrow stalks).

Meanwhile for the earnest and sincere Daoists and Yi aficionados, let us read what Confucius has to say about spiritual beings (Kuei Shen):

The Master said,
‘How abundantly do spiritual beings display the powers that belong to them! We look for them, but do not see them; we listen to, but do not hear them; yet they enter into all things, and there is nothing without them. They cause all the people in the kingdom to fast and purify themselves, and array themselves in their richest dresses, in order to attend at their sacrifices.

Then, like overflowing water, they seem to be over the heads, and on the right and left of their worshippers.

It is said in the Book of Poetry, “The approaches of the spirits, you cannot surmise; - and can you treat them with indifference?”

‘Such is the manifestness of what is minute! Such is the impossibility of repressing the outgoings of sincerity!’

[Chung Yung – Doctrine of the Mean 16 .1 to .5]

Like Confucius and the ancients before him, does this not mean that modern people can still believe in the existence of Kuei Shen (dark and light spirits in the ten wings, or ghosts and divinities in the minds of the multitude) without being overly superstitious, religious, rude, or Confucian?

Measure of time and space

Over the past few millennia, millions of people have tried to learn how to predict future events and their fate. Of the numerous prediction and divination systems made available today for enthusiasts, students, and masters, perhaps the most accurate and comprehensive divination system ever devised is the Book of Changes.

While other prediction and divination systems can be limited by time or space, by the use of this Oracle, no events on earth and in heaven can remain hidden for long. Not only can the Yi be used to predict fate – a number of fortune telling and astrology systems can also do that accurately – the Book of Changes, unlike those systems, also teaches Yi aficionados and/or their clients how to master their fate by overcoming time and space.

Therefore in the Great Treatise, it is said:

In it are included the forms and the scope of everything in the heavens and on earth, so that nothing escapes it. In it all things everywhere are completed, so that none is missing. Therefore by means of it we can penetrate the tao of day and night, and so understand it. Therefore the spirit is bound to no one place, nor the Book of Changes to any one form.

“We are shown here how the individual can attain mastery over fate by means of the Book of Changes. The Book can enable us to penetrate and understand the movements of the light and the dark, of life and death, of gods and demons. This knowledge makes possible mastery over fate, because fate can be shaped if its laws are known. The reason why we can oppose fate is that reality is always conditioned, and these conditions of time and space limit and determine it. The spirit, however, is not bound by these determinants and can bring them about as its own purposes require.”
[Commentary - W/B]

While many may tend to dismiss that the Zhouyi (the Zhou Book of Changes) can enable us to penetrate and understand the movements of the light and the dark, of life and death, of gods and demons, regular readers of my various entries on related Yi divinations may believe it can be or has been done.

The Chinese believe that when the spirit manifests many wonderful things can happen, one of which is Wu Wei. Chen Tuan in his manual on physiognomy (Xiang), the Mirror of Auras, mentioned that those whose spirit has manifested cannot be read.

In the Doctrine of the Mean (Chung Yung), it is said:

It is characteristic of the most entire sincerity to be able to foreknow. When a nation or family is about to flourish, there are sure to be happy omens; and when it is about to perish, there are sure to be unlucky omens. Such events are seen in the milfoil and tortoise… . When calamity or happiness is about to come, the good shall certainly be foreknown by him, and the evil also. Therefore the individual possessed of the most complete sincerity is like a spirit.
[Legge]

Yi aficionados are fortunate to have an affinity with the Zhouyi and yet often do not fully appreciate the great wisdoms and the most accurate and profound divination system contained therein. The Great Image contains much wisdom, yet it is often ignored by students. There is no need to learn derivative systems to augment oracle interpretations and their timing. The hexagrams and/or the eight trigrams can be used to determine the time and space. Why look elsewhere?

If Yi aficionados really want to learn how to overcome time and space and to master their own fate, perhaps a good start would be to drop all prejudices which may hinder their learning or studies. To become sincere and a Junzi, we have a need to study the ancients and to cultivate.

Only with the cultivation of a Junzi, do we have a chance to manifest the spirit. With the manifestation of the spirit and when the Yi speaks, we will be able to foreknow all things on earth and/or in heaven; and thereby the means to overcome time and space.

Surely, Yi aficionados would love to be able to do just that. Who wouldn’t?

Cheerio!

Revelation of the Mysterious Female

They say a picture paints a thousand words. However if viewers or admirers do not understand the meanings behind the picture, it may look strange, religious, or inexplicable. Adepts down the ages are supposed to know yet many do not.

The meaning is even difficult for top class scholars to understand, yet those of the third class make misleading statements on femininity or laugh at the picture. The in betweens – the middle class scholars - not making anything out of it may keep the picture hidden.
(Refer to TTC 41)

“This picture will be found in the original edition of the Leng Yen Ching (Shurangama Sutra). But the ignorant monks who did not recognize the hidden meaning and knew nothing about the embryo of the Tao have for this reason made the mistake of leaving this picture out. I only found out through the explanations of the adepts that the Julai (Tathagata) knows real work on the embryo of the Tao.”
[Hui Ming Ching – W/B]

In case, neidan practitioners, Daoist and Buddhist scholars still do not understand the meaning behind the picture, let us see what Laozi and later adepts have to say:

Being and non -being produce each other.
[TTC 2]

The Valley Spirit die not, likewise the Mysterious Female. The door of the mysterious female is the root of Heaven and Earth.
[TTC 6]

When the heaven gate (Tai Chi) opens and closes, can you act like the (receptive and mysterious) female?
[TTC 10]

When one begins to apply this magic it is as if, in the middle of being, there were non-being.
[Secret of the Golden Flower]

Ten months the embryo is under fire.
[Hui Ming Ching]

The Zhouyi, Buddhist sutras, Daoist classics and texts, cannot be wholly understood with just the intellect. It requires penetrating clarity obtained through years of studies, related cultivation and practice. Such cultivation and practice have existed before the establishment of religion(s), is it not?
(Think Yi divinations, cultivation of virtues, and neidan meditation)

Neidan adepts having gone beyond the practice of Xinzhai, Wu Wei, and who are nearing or have reached the Center – the root of Heaven and Earth - will be able to relate their experience of the Mysterious Female. Not otherwise.

Only those who do not know, will speak or try to teach how to reach this phenomenon. The adepts who have experienced the phenomena of both the valley spirit and the mysterious female remain hidden, since they know they have yet to acquire the lucidity of a sage.

In case, one is blamed for revealing too much, one would say that nothing much has been revealed, what with the balance of the thousand words!

The truth has been lying around for the past few thousand years for earnest and sincere students to investigate. Only upon thorough investigation and cultivation can a sincere student be the right person.
(Think of the Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean)

Therefore if anyone comes by without fully investigating things and ask for further clarification on the Mysterious Female, this student’s answer would be: ‘How would I know?’

Doing what is right

Many scholars and students of Tao tend to think that dual cultivation extends to what is good and what is evil without tempering their intellectual knowledge with what the three great sages – Laozi, Confucius and Buddha – actually said. Just because good and evil exist since time immemorial does not mean it is human nature to cultivate both. It is nonsensical. Yet Daoist scholars and students often do not have the lucidity to overcome their misunderstanding or misperception of what is considered dual cultivation and/or cultivation. Perhaps their reflections on ancient thoughts do not go deep enough.

I take two passages from the Doctrine of the Mean (Zhong Yong) to elucidate why humans need to cultivate good instead of evil since the West do not readily accept the various warnings given by Daoist heavenly immortals on the subject of demons (Mo) - the opposite of Tao:

There is a way to the attainment of sincerity in one’s self; - if a man do not understand what is good, he will not attain sincerity in himself.

Sincerity is the way of Heaven. The attainment of sincerity is the way of man. He who possesses sincerity, is he who, without an effort, hits what is right, and apprehends, without the exercise of thought; - he is the sage who naturally and easily embodies the right way. He who attains to sincerity, is he who chooses what is good, and firmly holds it fast.

The current political situation in the US provides a valid example of the contrasts in both paragraphs. The executive branch never really reflected on what is good and therefore the insincerity shown in so many occasions and events since 2003. While the current Congress understands what sincerity really is and is merely doing what is just and right. This allows truth to prevail and prevents more transgressions through checks and balances as the legislative branch for the people of US.

If you happen to be reading, Mr. US President, just go with the flow. While the timing on Yi prognostications given to Professor Sam Crane has been out – was it because Sam like Richard Wilhelm is not yet ready for readings on timing, one does not really know – each oracle has unfolded or is unfolding for the whole world to witness. Using key words taken from this blog like sincerity; unfolding, good and bad months; in your recent speeches and the minor operation done to your head just before the end of last Chinese New Year (probably an ingenious attempt to avoid ‘Bloody tears flow’) cannot possibly deflect the Yi prognostications.

The horse and wagon is already coming apart. It may be too late. It is high time to change your Yi advisers, if any. Changing someone’s fate is the most difficult thing to do, especially if the advisers had previously ignored the various accurate Yi oracles given to Sam and reinterpreted in this blog since 2005. In case, you do not quite understand it, Mr. President, the Yi talks about fate, not luck or Fengshui. But one still wishes you at this late hour, Good Luck! All the best!

If people especially rulers still do not understand why humans need to cultivate good to overcome evil as advocated by all major religions, what more can one say? Some people may deem such cultivation as religious or philosophical; and to conveniently do away with it, will be of their own choosing. How many in the world can really realize the cause and effect of their own right or wrong actions?

If readers think that what one wrote in this entry is only meant for the Confucians, they need to look deeper into the Tao Te Ching (Laozi) and the Dhammapada (Buddha).

It is said that Fengshui may bluff you for ten to eight years, however if lucky, Allan would be able to hoodwink readers only for a few minutes! Next!