Question about canons (Upper/Lower)

[lloyd]

I have a question about the sequence of hexagrams throughout the book; dividing it into canons (upper/lower). I know there are no authentic texts on this. Wilhelm made little of the sequence and Huang mentions the canons, but only points out yin/yang configurations
In short. Throughout I Ching hexagrams are paired. This sequence evolves into the Upper Canon (Tao of heaven) up to hexagram 30. The second sequence of 34 hexagrams (31-64) is called the Lower Canon (Tao of humanity).
The pairs of transformed hexagrams (1/2, 11/12, 29/30, (..) en 63/64) are seen to be the markers of a next division into four canons.

This coincides with explanations that the first eight hexagrams can be seen to show the beginning of a growth sequence.
1 Initiating – conception, idea, inspiration
2 Completion – fulfillment, creation, materialization
3 Interaction – birth, appearance, giving life
4 What is born – initial innocence, coming into being
5 Accumulation – waiting for nourishment
6 Contention - disagreement over resources
7 The masses - contention leads to accepting ranks
8 Union - bonds of unity, a country or family.

I would like to learn more about this, as I like the I Ching as a kind of long poem, which I try to understand.
thanxlloyd

 

[Sparhawk]

Hi Lloyd,

Check this thread, specially the first two posts where LiSe posted a link to Steve Marshall's site and then my link to the article. If you keep reading further down, you'll also come to FKegan's opinions... Your pick...

 

[fkegan]

King Wen Sequence and I Ching structure...

Hi Lloyd,

There is a vast literature about the King Wen Sequence as an 8x8 checkerboard of hexagram pairs. Unfortunately, the actual I Ching is divided into parts after hexagram 30. The hex pairs are indeed like a rhyme scheme; however, few folks view poetry as being organized with its meaning controlled by the rhyme scheme.

Starting with the actual I Ching division, there are 3 sets of TEN in the first part, these are about the Water Cycle that develops from the interaction of Sunshine hex 1 and the Planet Earth with its elevations hex 2. However, in the structure of the sequence, hex 1 stands alone as symbol of the entire set of 10 while hex 2 (background structure) is paired with hex 3 as the active agent starting the rain.

The second set of 10, starting with hex 11 is all about human activity working with fertile soil (sunshine within the earth). The third set, starting with hex 21 is about Divine principles applied to social order or Justice, Karma and Consequences.

I have a long essay on my website, under the Flux Tome (I Ching) title that continues this view. The fundamental issue is whether the King Wen Sequence is a novel insight into using the hexagram patterns to express meaning or is it simply an alternative use of lines, trigrams and hexagram patterns from earlier tradition given a new numbering system for no apparent reason and to be studied only for its obvious line patterns and hexagram pairs.

It has been quite amazing to me how difficult it is for most folks to look beyond what has been established traditionally. History of technology indicates that major insights and breakthroughs develop and then only those with living contact with the discoverer understand it well. Their work then becomes seen as only religious with the technique only ritual for several millennia until folks are able to see it as simply an innovation suitable for everyday use.

Frank

 

[Sparhawk]

Hi Lloyd,

You asked about the traditional division between Lower and Upper Canon -- a long lived mystery -- and that's what the article tackles, offering a logical explanation to the division based on old Chinese diagrams found in the Zhouyi Tushi Dadian (Encylopedia of Zhouyi Diagrams). One of the things someone will immediately notice, when the article is actually read, is that no 8x8 matrix is mentioned anywhere.

 

[lloyd]

Hi Luis and Frank
Thank you for the references, which will take me some time to figure out, together with reactions I had through the forum of Harmen Mesker and other sources. The idea is that the topic goes into a brief paragraph of a book I am writing. I will send you the para when (and if) it is done.
llovelloyd

 

[Sparhawk]

Ah, I forgot you are Dutch. Cool. I wish I could participate in Harmen's forum (enough of a mess already in my head with the languages that reside there... ). You are in good company there.

Curious, what's the book about, other than Yijing, or is it purely Yijing related?

 

[lloyd]

Yes, Harmen is a very helpful scholar, can't help but love the guy for all he did for me.
My book on I Ching is an introduction for those who know as yet nothing about it, written with the idea of: what is not simple (language) cannot be Tao (one tries ...).