Philosophy and Wisdom of the I Ching: Choosing Auspiciousness and Avoiding Misfortune - A Practical Guide for Immediate Reference

Author: Zheng Yuansen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The Book of Changes (Zhou Yi) is a gem in China's scientific treasury, a must-read for emperors throughout history, and a treasure for governing states and building nations. In our Chinese cultural tradition, the Book of Changes is renowned as the "supreme classic" and the "source of the Dao." Many scholars even argue that the academic value of the Book of Changes is immeasurable. In human history, no other work has maintained such strong appeal and continued to radiate a remarkable brilliance across three millennia, leaving countless experts and scholars in awe. This book, through numerous life-related examples and concise key points, explains in a vivid and concrete manner how to cultivate oneself, navigate social interactions, master the art of relationships, successfully start and develop a career, avoid detours, overcome setbacks, and enhance personal charm, all based on the original meaning of the 64 hexagrams in the Book of Changes.
[Meaning of the Hexagram Statement]
Small Accumulation (Xiao Xu) implies the idea of accumulating small amounts. The hexagram statement uses the imagery of "dense clouds without rain, coming from my western suburbs" to illustrate the principle of accumulation.
[Philosophy and Wisdom of the Book of Changes]
Accumulate strength and choose the right path in life.
The Small Accumulation hexagram consists of five yang lines and one yin line, implying the deep meaning of yielding in the right position, accumulating yin to nurture yang, and accumulating small to achieve great. However, accumulating yin to nurture yang must be done within certain limits. Thus, although "dense clouds" arise in the western suburbs, they do not yet bring heavy rain. This is known as "accumulating without restraint." The Image Commentary states: "Small accumulation, the nobleman uses this to refine his literary and moral virtues and wait for the right time."
One day, a Zen master, to enlighten his disciples, gave one of his students a stone and told him to go to the vegetable market and try to sell it. The stone was very large and beautiful. But the master said, "Don't sell it yet, just try to get an idea of how much it might fetch. Observe carefully, ask many people, and then tell me how much it could sell for in the vegetable market." The student went. In the vegetable market, many people looked at the stone and thought, "It would make a great small decorative piece, or our children could play with it, or we could use it as a scale for weighing vegetables." They offered a few small coins. The student returned and said, "It can at most fetch a few coins." The master said, "Now go to the gold market and ask people there. But don't sell it, just ask for the price."
Returning from the gold market, the disciple was pleased and said, "Those people are amazing. They were willing to pay 1,000 yuan." The master said, "Now go to the jeweler's, but don't sell it." The student went to the jeweler's. He couldn't believe it when they offered 50,000 yuan and kept raising the price—offering 100,000 yuan. But the student said, "I don't plan to sell it." They said, "We'll give you 200,000, 300,000, or whatever you want, as long as you sell it!" The student said, "I can't sell it, I'm just asking for the price." He couldn't believe it: "Those people are crazy!" He felt that the price in the vegetable market was already good enough.
When he returned, the master took back the stone and said, "We don't plan to sell it either. But now you understand: it depends on whether you have the understanding of jade and stone. If you live in the vegetable market, then you only have the understanding of that market, and you will never recognize a higher value."
Do you know your own value? Don't look for your value in the vegetable market. To "get a good price," you must make others see you as a gem.
One of the most popular myths in the UK is that we can get everything we desire in our hearts. If your desire is strong enough, you can become a millionaire, start a company, or even become the prime minister. The media, politicians, and doctors use various tricks to manipulate us into accepting this illusion, because it confirms their advertising claims—that you can become the person you want to be, if you only want to.