Wen Zhe San Ji (Selected Works of Zhou Zhenfu)

Author: Zhou Zhenfu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1998-10-01
Features:
Fragment: Zhu Junsheng explained the Three Yij from the Rites of Zhou, starting with the Taibu (Grand Diviner) and the Three Yij. The Three Yij refer to the Xia Yij, which begins with the Gèn trigram (Mountain), hence called Lianshan (Connected Mountain); the Shang Yij, which begins with the Kūn trigram (Earth), as Earth contains and nurtures all things, hence called Guizang (Hidden Mountain); and the Zhou Yij, which begins with the Qián trigram (Heaven), as all three hexagrams of Qián are all yang lines, covering all six hexagrams with yang, hence called "Zhouyang" (Zhou Heaven). To call it "Zhou Yì" is incorrect. According to Zhu Junsheng, the pronunciation of "Yì" in the Three Yij should be "xí," which refers to the yí (male shaman), who was in charge of tortoise divination. Following Zhu Junsheng's explanation, "Yì" should be replaced with "xí," referring to the male shaman. According to the Shuowen Jiezi (Explaining Characters), "xí" means "one who fasts and serves the gods," and in males, it is called xí, while in females, it is called wū (female shaman). Thus, xí refers to the male shaman. The Grand Diviner (Taibu), who was in charge of tortoise divination, was not under the authority of the male shaman. Zhu Junsheng's theory is also unreliable.
A modern scholar, Wu Ruyin, in his Commentary on the Yì, stated: "Yì refers to the name of divination. In the Rites of Sacrifice, it is said, 'Yì holds a tortoise and faces south, while the (emperor) unrolls his robe and faces north.' Thus, Yì is the name of divination, and it was used to name the official post. In the Records of the Grand Vizier of Daxian, it is said, 'The (emperor) opened the book and Yì.' This means the book was opened for divination. Again, in the edict of Emperor Wu of Han regarding Luntai, it is said, 'Yì, and the hexagram obtained was Daguo (Great Crossing).' Yì means to divinate." Scholars explain Yì as simple divination (jian yi), unchanging divination (bu yi), and changing divination (bian yi), but none of these interpretations are correct."
Shang Binghe, in his Xiang Zhou Shangshi Xue (Shang's Commentary on the Yì), cited Wu Ruyin's explanation and added: "I argue that in the Rites of Zhou, it is said, 'One who can contemplate should not change.' Here, Yì is also used for divination. Simple divination, unchanging divination, and changing divination are all applications of the Yì, but the original meaning of the character Yì is divination." According to Wu Ruyin, Yì originally referred to tortoise divination, and thus the diviner was called Yì, as mentioned in the Rites of Sacrifice. Later, the use of shi (divining stalks) to predict fortune and misfortune replaced tortoise divination, and thus divination with shi was called Yì. The Yì in the Records of the Grand Vizier of Daxian and the Rites of Zhou refers to divination with shi. However, tortoise divination does not seem to be called Yì, and this theory remains questionable.
For example, in the Rites of Zhou, Spring (Chunguan), Grand Diviner (Dabu): "The Grand Diviner is in charge of the Three Auspicious Methods (San Zhao)." This refers to observing the patterns on the tortoise shell during divination, which is tortoise divination, called "Three Auspicious Methods," not "Three Yì." However, it is said that he "is in charge of the Three Yì Methods," only then is it called "Three Yì." Thus, the Grand Diviner is in charge of both tortoise divination and shi divination. At that time, tortoise divination was highly valued, so he was called the "Grand Diviner," not the "Grand Diviner of Tortoise." But since he frequently used divination, he was also called "Yì," referring to his mastery of the "Three Yì."
If the "Three Yì" existed first, then the official in charge of the "Three Yì" was called "Yì," then what is the significance of naming the "Three Yì"?