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I-Ching - Hu-V The Origin of The Sequence of The Hexagrams
I-Ching - Hu-V The Origin of The Sequence of The Hexagrams
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http://www.i-ching.hu/chp00/chp5/origin.htm
The same the difference of 10 refers to the pairs of group D, and there is an exception here too. The
regular pairs are: 15-16, 25-26, 45-46, the exception is the pair 9-10.
There is also a difference of 10 in group E between the following pairs: 27-28 and 37-38, as well as 39-40
and 49-50.
The hexagrams of group F2 and the doubled trigrams of group G (except for the pair 29-30) are in the sixth
decimal range (51-60).
Apparently the relation among the ordinal numbers in a group is always somehow connected with the number 10,
hence it is called 'decimal rule'. This is the third rule interconnecting the canonical sequence with the structure of
the Yi-globe.
The decimal rule:
The hexagrams of the first decimal group (no. 1 to no. 10) belong together on the Yi-globe, constituting
there the A element.
The hexagrams of the sixth decimal group (no. 51 to no. 60) also belong together, and constitute the G and
the F2 elements.
In the range of no. 11 to no. 50, the hexagrams differing from each other by 10 or 20 in the ordinals belong
to four groups on the Yi-globe, i.e. to the B, C, D, and E groups.
Exceptions: the hexagrams enumerated above.
Thus a 5x7 matrix has been produced; consisting of 7 columns with 5 hexagram pairs per column (the last three
cells of the 7 th columns are empty). Each cell contains the ordinal numbers and the abbreviated names of the two
hexagrams, and marked with the color of the corresponding element in the Yi-globe. In this arrangement the
decimal rule clearly presents itself. The adjacent (or near) pairs belong together in a way which resembles the
essential elements of the Yi-globe: the identical colors are grouped per column (in columns 1, 6 and 7) and per
row (in the rows of columns 2-5). Thus the regions corresponding to the individual groups can be determined in the
matrix:
Group A: column 1
Group B: row 1 (elements 2-5)
Group C: row 2 (elements 2-5)
Group D: row 3 (elements 2-5)
Group E: rows 4 and 5 (elements 3-5)
Group F1 is totally dispersed; no matching can be revealed here.>
Groups F2 and G: in columns 6 and 7 together
Within the figure thick lines separate the regions corresponding to the individual groups.
The Yi-matrix
Based on the analysis of the canonical matrix, it appears that some time in the past an arrangement, similar to the
one demonstrated in figure 47, had to exist. In this hypothetical arrangement the hexagrams were grouped in
accordance with their positions in the Yi-globe. In the course of time, however, the place of some hexagrams has
changed maybe accidentally, maybe as a result of a new conception and the canonical matrix took shape.
Thereafter, the extension of this has yielded the recently known sequence.
This ancient arrangement can be achieved by the restoration of the canonical matrix; whereby the hexagrams
which are in the 'proper' places that is in the cells assigned for the corresponding group remain there, while
the 'strange' ones are transposed to their appropriate cells. In this new matrix, the hexagrams will be arranged in
strict accordance with the elements of the Yi-globe. In reality, this had to be the original, correct form of the
canonical matrix. After the Yi-globe, this is called Yi-matrix.
xxx xxx xxx
It can be stated that the Yi-matrix represents the essential connection the missing link between the Yi-globe
and the present sequence of the hexagrams. On the one part it contains the basic elements of the Yi-globe in a
recognizable, systematic form; on the other part it exactly follows each rule of the canonical sequence (the pairs
and the decimal groups).
the first hexagram pair in the Yi-matrix moved to the place of the second one, the second pair took the place of the
third one and so on, and finally the sixth pair returned to the first place. That is to say actually only one series of
movements occurred instead of six different changes. The arrows show the course of movements as well as the
cells where the hexagrams moved to.
b.) The movement of the pair Gentle-Joyous
The hexagram pair Gentle-Joyous moved downwards by two places in the sixth column. As a result, the pairs
below it: Development-Marrying Maiden and Abundance-Wanderer moved upwards by one place each.
c.) The movement of the pair Abysmal-Clinging
The hexagram pair Abysmal-Clinging being at the top of the last column exchanged place with the pair Inner
Truth-Preponderance of the Small at the bottom of the third column.
It can be seen that the displacements in the Yi-matrix are limited to these three cases (a, b and c), and resulted in
the canonical matrix. This matrix formed the basis for the canonical sequence, and the present numbering of the
hexagrams.
Here a possibility presents itself, that any of the changes listed above could occur later, within the linear sequence
itself. This is referred to by lama Govindas saying: 'By revealing the structure of the Book of Transformation, we
found by chance certain irregularities without even looking for them, though I darkly remembered Richard
Wilhelms words that in the dim past some of the unbound pages of the book had been misplaced accidentally.'
[Govinda: 169.] The opinion of lama Govinda, in a certain extent, confirms the theory that some of the hexagrams
are not at their correct place at present.
The Yi-matrix
3.) In the Yi-matrix the hexagrams were represented in pairs, and reproduced on real, material carriers (bamboo
strips, wooden plates etc.). Here the associated structural elements of the Yi-globe were still arranged in perfectly
identifiable form, in rows and columns. Here the material representation and the physical separation of the
hexagram pairs invited the danger of their misplacement.
4.) The canonical matrix, the direct predecessor of the 'traditional' sequence known of our time, has been
developed from the Yi-matrix, by means of the displacement of the hexagrams. Fortunately, there occurred only
three changes influencing eleven matrix positions altogether. As far as its structure is concerned, it is identical
with the Yi-matrix, and the elements of the Yi-globe are recognizable within it despite the changes.
5.) The linear sequence has been developed by means of the disintegration (the extension of the columns) of the
canonical matrix.
6.) Thus the original three-dimensional structure degenerated to a one-dimensional one, to the so-called King
Wen's sequence, where the spatial connections among the hexagrams reveal themselves only in traces, in a
hardly recognizable manner.
Consequently, based on the studies, it is highly probable that:
(11) The sequence of the hexagrams known in our days and considered as traditional is derived from the
Yi-globe. This sequence is the one-dimensional, distorted variant of the Yi-globe; however, it embraces its
elements in a latent form.
Microcosm
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