Text Of Confucianism Part 02

This is a summary of the provided Jain text, which is actually The Sacred Books of China: The Texts of Confucianism, Part II (The Yi King), translated by James Legge and published by Oxford at the Clarendon Press in 1882.

The document provided contains the Preface, Introduction, and the beginning of the Text and Appendices of James Legge's translation of the I Ching (or Yi King), also known as the Book of Changes.

Here's a summary of the key points covered in the provided text:

Preface:

• James Legge discusses his initial struggles and later breakthroughs in translating the I Ching. He highlights the significant time gap between the composition of the core Text (attributed to King Wen and the Duke of Kau) and the Appendixes (attributed to Confucius).
• He emphasizes the importance of studying the Text separately from the Appendixes to understand its original meaning.
• Legge details the challenges of translating the I Ching's peculiar style, which often appears obscure and intended for divination. He explains his approach as aiming for intelligible rendering of ideas rather than literal translation, believing Chinese characters are symbols of ideas, not direct representations of words.
• He mentions the intended but ultimately omitted translations of Sung dynasty writers due to space constraints, noting that their philosophy drew more from the Appendixes than the original Text, leaning towards Taoism.
• Legge reviews previous Western translations by P. Regis and Canon McClatchie, offering critiques of their methods and conclusions.
• He addresses the controversy surrounding his translation of "Ti" and "Shang Ti" as "God" and "Supreme God," defending his choice based on historical usage and the concept it conveys.
• He acknowledges the valuable contributions of native scholars and the imperial Khang-hsî edition of the I Ching, which greatly aided his work.

Introduction:

• Chapter I: The Yi King from the Twelfth Century B.C. to the Commencement of the Christian Era:

  • Confucius is reported to have expressed a desire to study the Yi King extensively, indicating its importance and complexity.
  • The current Yi King is composed of the Text (attributed to King Wen and the Duke of Kau) and the Appendixes (attributed to Confucius and his followers).
  • The Yi King survived the book burnings of the Qin dynasty because it was considered a work of divination.
  • Legge traces the origins of the Text back to King Wen (circa 1143 B.C.) and his son, the Duke of Kau (shortly after King Wen's death). He notes that the Text predates Confucius by several centuries.
  • He refutes the notion that the Yi King is the most ancient Chinese classic, placing it after the Shu King and Shih King in terms of age.
  • Legge stresses the significant chronological and conceptual difference between the Text and the Appendixes, arguing they cannot be considered a homogeneous whole.

• Chapter II: The Subject-Matter of the Text. The Lineal Figures and the Explanation of Them:

  • The Text of the Yi King consists of sixty-four short, symbolic essays based on lineal figures (hexagrams), each composed of six lines (whole or divided).
  • Legge discusses the various accounts of the origin of the trigrams (the building blocks of hexagrams), attributing the eight trigrams to Fu-hsi, and the multiplication to sixty-four hexagrams to King Wen.
  • He explains the symbolic meaning assigned to the lines (Yin/Yang, strong/weak) and their correlative positions, as well as the philosophical concepts derived from them.
  • Legge provides an example of the seventh hexagram, "Sze" (Hosts), to illustrate how King Wen interpreted the hexagram as a whole and how the Duke of Kau analyzed each line, offering moral and practical advice for military conduct.
  • He concludes that the Yi King, while offering practical wisdom, was not intended as a deep philosophical treatise but as guidance for life, often presented in an enigmatic style suited for divination.

• Chapter III: The Appendixes:

  • Legge describes the ten Appendixes (or "Ten Wings") that accompany the Text, outlining their subjects and authorship.
  • He argues that the internal evidence, particularly the frequent use of "The Master said" in the Third and Fourth Appendixes (Great Treatise), suggests they were not solely authored by Confucius and likely compiled after his death. He also notes that some material in the Fourth Appendix predates Confucius.
  • This leads him to question the Confucian authorship of the other Appendixes, suggesting that tradition might be the main basis for such attribution.
  • He briefly summarizes the content of each Appendix, noting technical terms and philosophical concepts introduced, such as the distinction between kwei and shăn, and the concepts of Yin and Yang.

The Text and Appendixes (Partial): The provided text then begins to present the actual translation of the I Ching, starting with:

• Hexagram I: Khien (represented by six undivided lines, symbolizing Heaven, strength, originating power). Legge provides King Wen's overall explanation and the Duke of Kau's line-by-line commentary, using the symbolism of the dragon.
• Hexagram II: Khwăn (represented by six divided lines, symbolizing Earth, receptivity, gentleness). Again, King Wen's overall explanation and the Duke of Kau's line-by-line commentary are provided, using the symbolism of the mare.
• Hexagram III: Kun (symbolizing difficulty).
• Hexagram IV: Măng (symbolizing youth and ignorance).
• Hexagram V: Hsü (symbolizing waiting).
• Hexagram VI: Sung (symbolizing contention).
• Hexagram VII: Sze (symbolizing hosts or armies).
• Hexagram VIII: Pî (symbolizing clinging or union).
• Hexagram IX: Hsiao Khû (symbolizing small restraint).
• Hexagram X: Lî (symbolizing treading on the tiger's tail, representing hazardous progress).
• Hexagram XI: Thái (symbolizing peace and progress).
• Hexagram XII: Phî (symbolizing obstruction).
• Hexagram XIII: Thung Zăn (symbolizing union of men).
• Hexagram XIV: Tâ Yô (symbolizing great possessions or abundance).
• Hexagram XV: Khien (symbolizing humility).
• Hexagram XVI: Yü (symbolizing enthusiasm or joy).
• Hexagram XVII: Sui (symbolizing following).
• Hexagram XVIII: Kû (symbolizing what is bad or corrupting, requiring attention).
• Hexagram XIX: Lin (symbolizing approach).
• Hexagram XX: Kwân (symbolizing contemplation or viewing).
• Hexagram XXI: Shih Ho (symbolizing biting through or joint action).
• Hexagram XXII: Pî (symbolizing adorning or beauty).
• Hexagram XXIII: Po (symbolizing decay or overthrow).
• Hexagram XXIV: Fû (symbolizing return or the new moon).
• Hexagram XXV: Wû Wáng (symbolizing innocence or the unexpected).
• Hexagram XXVI: Tâ Khô (symbolizing great accumulation).
• Hexagram XXVII: Î (symbolizing nourishing).
• Hexagram XXVIII: Tâ Kwo (symbolizing great excess or a damaged beam).
• Hexagram XXIX: Khân (symbolizing the abyss or danger).
• Hexagram XXX: Lî (symbolizing clinging or adherence, also brightness).

The provided text is a foundational English translation of the I Ching, focusing on its structure, attributed authorship, and initial interpretations of key hexagrams and their lines. It highlights the historical layers of the text and the challenges faced by translators and interpreters.