文言
Wenyan
Qian
The Wenyan says: "Yuan is the head of goodness. Heng is the meeting of excellence. Li is the harmony of fittingness. Zhen is the trunk of affairs."
The Junzi embodies benevolence enough to grow others, uses excellent meetings enough to accord with ritual, benefits things enough to harmonize fittingness, and remains steadfast enough to manage affairs.
What is meant by this? The Master said: "The dragon is one who possesses virtue but remains hidden. He does not change for the world, he does not achieve fame; he withdraws from the world without distress and remains unseen. Being thus without distress, if there is joy he acts; if there is worry he declines. Firmly he cannot be pulled out—this is the hidden dragon."
The second nine says: "Dragon appearing in the field; it is beneficial to see the great man."
What is meant by this? The Master said: "The dragon is one whose virtue is centered and correct. His ordinary words are trustworthy, his ordinary actions cautious. He keeps evil at bay to preserve sincerity; he is good to the world without boasting of virtue, broad in influence and transforming. The Yi says: 'Dragon appearing in the field; it is beneficial to see the great man.' The ruler is virtue."
The third nine says: "The Junzi is active all day and vigilant at night; as if in danger, yet there is no blame."
What is meant by this? The Master said: "The Junzi advances his virtue and cultivates his work with loyalty and trust. To advance virtue, he refines his speech to establish sincerity. To dwell in his work, when the incipient arrives, he meets it—thus he can be with the subtle; when the end comes, he finishes it—thus he can preserve fittingness. Therefore, dwelling in the high position he is not proud; being in the low position he is not worried. Thus, active and active, he follows the time and remains vigilant; though in danger, there is no blame."
What is meant by this? The Master said: "Up and down are not constant, yet this is not for the sake of evil. Advance and retreat have no constancy, yet this is not leaving the group. The Junzi wishes to reach the advancement of virtue and cultivation of work. It is a matter of timing; therefore there is no blame."
The fifth nine says: "Flying dragon in heaven; it is beneficial to see the great man."
What is meant by this? The Master said: "Like sounds respond to each other, like breaths seek each other. Water flows toward the wet, fire seeks the dry, clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger. When the sage arises, the myriad things become visible. Those rooted in Heaven are close to the above; those rooted in Earth are close to the below. Thus each follows its own kind."
What is meant by this? The Master said: "Noble but without position, high but without people. The virtuous person is in a low position and has no support; therefore he moves and there is regret."
In Qian, Yuan is the beginning and that which flourishes; Li and Zhen are nature and emotion. Qian can at the start be beautiful and beneficial; it benefits the world without speaking of what is benefited—how great indeed! Great indeed, Qian! Strong, healthy, centered, and correct; pure and refined essence. The six lines radiate and shine, communicating feelings on all sides. Riding the six dragons according to time, one governs heaven. Clouds move and rain falls; the world is made level. The Junzi makes the completion of virtue his daily practice; this is a conduct that can be seen.
"Hidden," as a word, means concealed and not yet seen, acting but not yet completed; therefore the Junzi does not employ it.
The Junzi learns to gather, asks to distinguish, is broad in his dwelling, and uses benevolence to act. The Yi says: "Dragon appearing in the field; it is beneficial to see the great man," for the ruler is virtue.
The third nine is double-strong but not centered; above he is not in heaven, below he is not in the field, therefore he is active all day. Following his time and remaining vigilant, though in danger there is no blame.
The fourth nine is double-strong but not centered; above he is not in heaven, below he is not in the field, in the middle he is not with people, therefore he "perhaps" leaps. This "perhaps" is doubt; therefore there is no blame.
As for the great man, he aligns his virtue with Heaven and Earth, aligns his brightness with the sun and moon, aligns his order with the four seasons, and aligns his auspiciousness and misfortune with the spirits. He comes before heaven yet heaven does not oppose him; he comes after heaven and serves the heavenly time. If heaven does not oppose him, how much more so for humans?! How much more so for the spirits?!
"Arrogant," as a word, means knowing how to advance but not how to retreat, knowing how to persist but not how to perish, knowing how to gain but not how to lose—could this be anyone but the sage?
Kun
The Wenyan says: "Kun is utmost yielding yet moves; firmness is utmost stillness and its virtue is square. Later it obtains a master and possesses; it constantly contains the myriad things and transforms light."
A household that accumulates goodness must have surplus blessings. A household that accumulates non-goodness must have surplus calamity.
A minister kills his ruler, a son kills his father—this is not the result of a single morning or evening; that from which it came was gradual, resulting from failing to discern early enough.
The Yi says: "Treading on frost, hard ice arrives." This speaks of "accordance."
Straightness is its correctness. Squareness is its fittingness. The Junzi uses respect to make the inside straight and fittingness to make the outside square. When respect and fittingness are established, virtue is not alone. "Straight, square, and great; without practice there is nothing that is not beneficial." Then he does not doubt that which he practices.
Yin, though it has beauty, contains it in following royal affairs; it does not dare to achieve completion. This is the way of the earth, the way of the wife, the way of the minister. The way of the earth achieves nothing, yet generationally it brings an end.
Heaven and Earth transform, and vegetation becomes lush. Heaven and Earth close, and the virtuous person hides. The Yi says: "Tying the bag, no blame, no praise." This speaks of "caution."
The Junzi is centered in the yellow to communicate principle, occupies the correct position to dwell in the body; beauty is within it. Then it flows to the four limbs and manifests in affairs—this is the height of beauty.
Yin, when doubting Yang, must fight, because it feels a grievance in the absence of Yang; therefore it is called "dragon." It has not yet left its own kind, therefore it is called "blood."