孔子與周易
☰☵☶☳☴☲☷☱
孔子對《易經》的貢獻不可忽視。道家將《易經》列為“三玄之冠”，儒家將其列為“五經之首”的重要經典之一，《易經》因孔子而得到了今日的地位。
孔子晚年對《周易》表現出了濃厚的興趣，詳細研讀了《彖》、《繫辭》、《象》、《說卦》和《文言》等篇章。他經常運用《易經》進行占卜，而一次他占得了卦象為“火山旅”，於是向學生商瞿請教。商瞿認為孔子具有聖人的智慧，但缺乏權威和地位。孔子聽後感慨萬分，認為這是天意的安排。
孔子晚年將大部分精力投入到《周易》的研究中，頻繁閱讀導致編聯竹簡破裂多次。他的研究不僅僅停留在占卜功能上，還融入了自己對宇宙和社會倫理的理解，用以解讀《周易》。孔子為此撰寫了十篇文章，即《彖》上下、《象》上下、《文言》、《繫辭》上下、《序卦》、《說卦》和《雜卦》，合稱為《易傳》。這使得《周易》一書分為《經》和《傳》兩部分，《經》包括卦畫、卦名、卦辭和爻辭，《傳》則是對《經》的解釋。孔子的努力使《周易》成為了中國儒家學派的首部經典。
然而，在宋代，歐陽修質疑孔子撰寫《易傳》的著作權，對《繫辭》、《文言》、《說卦》等篇章的文字提出了質疑。數百年來，對孔子著作權的質疑逐漸擴大，甚至有人質疑整個《易傳》都非孔子所作。然而，1973年馬王堆漢墓出土的帛書卻證實了孔子與《易傳》的密切關係。這些帛書記載了孔子及其弟子關於《易經》的言論，證明了孔子對《易經》有著不可分割的貢獻。
孔子對《周易》最大的貢獻在於弱化了卜筮的功能，使其成為一門關於德行和義理的學問廣泛流傳。在周代，《周易》主要用於占卜吉凶，重點是數術。然而，孔子的研究使《易經》融入了他對宇宙和人生的理解，以及對社會政治的觀點。他的貢獻使得《周易》從原本枯燥、神秘的圖符中獲得了生命力。到了漢代，儒生士子推崇並廣泛引用《易傳》的內容，將《周易》定位為一門“潔靜精微”、精確而深奧的學問，更名為《易經》，成為五經之首。
《周易》像一座城市，有些人從東門出去，有些人從西門出去，形成了不同的分支；有些人討論倫理道德，深入實踐，有些人探討天道哲學，更加抽象。此外，還有一些人將《周易》與兵法、醫學、音樂等學問相結合，形成了不同的研究流派。不同的學者和流派提出了各自的理解和註解，使《周易》成為了一個充滿爭議和多元解釋的經典之作。無論是儒家還是道家，對於《易經》的重視和研究都凸顯了其在中國古代思想文化中的重要地位。至今，《易經》仍然被廣泛研究和傳播，被認為是人類智慧的瑰寶之一。
Confucius made significant contributions to the "Book of Changes" or "Yi Jing." Regarded as the "Crown of the Three Mysteries" by Taoism and the foremost of the "Five Classics" by Confucianism, the "Yi Jing" owes its current status to Confucius.
In his later years, Confucius developed a strong interest in the "Book of Changes" and extensively studied chapters such as "Tuan," "Xici," "Xiang," "Shuo Gua," and "Wen Yan." He frequently employed the "Yi Jing" for divination purposes. On one occasion, when he received the hexagram "Fire over Mountain," he consulted his student Shang Qu for interpretation. Shang Qu acknowledged Confucius's wisdom but pointed out his lack of authority and status. Deeply moved, Confucius considered it to be a heavenly arrangement.
Devoting a significant portion of his energy to studying the "Book of Changes," Confucius's extensive reading resulted in the repeated cracking of his bamboo slips. His study of the "Yi Jing" went beyond its divination function, incorporating his understanding of the universe, social ethics, and interpretation of the text. In response, Confucius wrote ten articles known as the "Ten Wings" or "Yi Zhuan," including "Tuan" (Appended Judgments), "Xiang" (Images), "Wen Yan" (Words and Images), "Xi Ci" (Appended Statements), "Xu Gua" (Sequence of Hexagrams), "Shuo Gua" (Explaining the Hexagrams), and "Za Gua" (Miscellaneous Hexagrams). These writings formed the "Zhou Yi" into two parts, the "Classic" (Jing) comprising the hexagram figures, names, judgments, and line explanations, and the "Explanations" (Zhuan) providing interpretations of the Classic. Confucius's efforts established the "Book of Changes" as the first classic of the Confucian school.
However, during the Song Dynasty, Ouyang Xiu questioned the authorship of Confucius in writing the "Ten Wings." He criticized the complexity and inconsistencies within chapters such as "Xi Ci," "Wen Yan," and "Shuo Gua," suggesting they were not Confucius's works. This led to centuries of doubts and even questioning the entirety of the "Ten Wings" as Confucius's creation. Nonetheless, in 1973, bamboo slips discovered in the Han Dynasty tomb at Mawangdui provided evidence of Confucius's close association with the "Book of Changes." These slips recorded the thoughts and statements of Confucius and his disciples on the "Yi Jing," confirming his indispensable contribution.
Confucius's greatest contribution to the "Book of Changes" lies in diminishing the emphasis on divination and elevating it to a wide-ranging study of virtue and principles. In the Zhou Dynasty, the "Book of Changes" was primarily used for divining fortunes, focusing on numerical techniques. However, Confucius's research integrated his understanding of the universe, human life, and societal ethics, bringing vitality to the otherwise dry and mystical symbols. During the Han Dynasty, Confucian scholars embraced and extensively referenced the content of the "Ten Wings," elevating the "Book of Changes" to a "pure, subtle, precise, and profound" discipline. It was renamed as the "Book of Changes" (Yi Jing) and became the foremost among the Five Classics.
However, the Confucian and Taoist perspectives on the "Book of Changes" are not entirely aligned. During the pre-Qin era, Confucius sought counsel from Laozi and held him in high regard. Both Confucianism and Taoism consider the "Book of Changes" as a "sacred book" and an important source for their philosophical schools. The difference lies in their respective emphases.
In summary, the "Book of Changes" is like a city, with some departing through the eastern gate and others through the western gate, forming different branches. Some delve into ethical and moral discussions, grounded in practicality, while others explore the philosophical aspects of cosmic principles, becoming more abstract. Additionally, some scholars combine the "Book of Changes" with military strategy, medicine, music, and other fields, resulting in diverse research traditions. Different scholars and schools have proposed their own interpretations and commentaries, making the "Book of Changes" a work of enduring controversy and multiple perspectives. Both Confucianism and Taoism's profound appreciation and study of the "Book of Changes" highlight its significant position in ancient Chinese thought and culture. Even today, the "Book of Changes" continues to be extensively studied and cherished as one of the treasures of human wisdom.