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To: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.divination,alt.magick
From: xiwangmu 
Subject: Change Classic History: Hex Names (was Re: Ruling lines ...)
Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2002 21:11:00 GMT

50021020 vii

syho :
>>> ...all hexagrams consist of lines, broken or unbroken, 

indeed, within the Change Classic tradition. there are
things *called* hexagrams (some with 6 sides!) that do
not contain any broken lines at all (two triangles
interlaced, unicursal hexagram, etc.).

>>> how did ancient people name hexagrams, by what? 

further, what known ways are there *to* name them? or number them?
binary is obvious, trigrammatical another, structural form a third,
historical importance, ideographical resemblance, position with
respect to other hexagrams in some structure (e.g. Fu Xi Square,
Yao's Circle or Square, etc.). some are primary perhaps?

Wilhelm via Baynes indicates a diversity of previous names:

	...it is now widely maintained that the older layers of
	[the I Ching], as we know it them today, assumed their
	present form in the century before Confucius, and that
	in them earlier versions of the text have been added to
	or even changed. Attempts have been made to reconstruct
	what might have been the original versions, which would
	be characterized by a pristine beauty of structure and
	euphony, in line with or superior to other texts of
	early Chou times. They would furthermore be characterized
	by a much more exclusive use of imagery as a means of
	expression and would be innocent of expository statements
	such as we find in the texts today. Attempts to
	differentiate an (earlier) layer of images from a (later)
	layer of concepts cannot, however, be called successful,
	and it now appears that the intimate interplay between
	image and concept was one of the original features of
	the text. The range of fields from which these images
	were taken must have been practically unlimited. Some of
	them came without doubt from the then current mythology,
	others from the then existing poetry (at times passages
	are taken over literally into the Book), others from
	religious and social institutions; still others seem to
	reflect the recognition of the archetypal configuration
	of specific moments in history.
	--------------------------------------------------------
	 The I Ching or Book of Changes, 
	  Wilhelm-Baynes tr., Bollingen Third Ed., 1990; 
	  pp. xiv-xv.
	========================================================

>>> by images? by which images?  

is there some history of the alterations of the Change Classic?
perhaps a website which details the variations in original and
subsequent versions as discovered by text archaeologists? brief
comments like those above by Wilhelm-Baynes are common enough,
but where is the English version of the exegesis??
 
>>> governing/ruling line(s) give us hints.

here's what I collected so far on ruling lines....

	Determining Ruling Lines 

	when there are no moving lines and you want
	elaboration on Main Text and Commentary for
	Primary HEXAGRAM, discovering Ruling Lines can 
	be helpful in providing emphasis; quotes from
	sources appear below:
	 
		Distinction is made between two kinds of rulers,
		constituting and governing. The constituting ruler
		of the hexagram is that line which gives the
		Hexagram its characteristic meaning, regardless of
		whether or not the line indicates nobility and
		goodness of character....
	
		Governing rulers are always of good character and
		become rulers by virtue of their position and
		the meaning of the time. Usually they are in the
		fifth place....
	 
	 	When the constituting ruler is at the same time
		the governing ruler, the line is certain to be
		good and to be in the place appropriate to the
		time. When it is not the governing ruler as well,
		it is a sure sign that its character and place do
		not accord with the demands of the time.
	 
		The ruler of the hexagram can always be determined
		from the Commentary on the Decision. When the
		constituting ruler and the governing ruler are
		identical, the hexagram has one ruler; otherwise
		it has two. Often there are two lines constituting
		the meaning of the hexagram...; these are both 
		rulers because they are pushing back the four
		strong lines. If the hexagram is produced by the
		interaction of the images of the primary trigrams,
		the two lines respectively characterizing the
		trigrams are rulers. [Wilhelm 01]
	 		

		In the I Ching, if one solid line is combined
		with two yielding lines in a primary [trigram],
		the solid line is the principle [ruling] line.
		If there is one yielding line with two solid
		lines, then the yielding line is the principle
		[ruling] line. (Huang)
	 	
		
		...If a trigram or hexagram has a single Yin
	 	or Yang line, then that single line determines
	 	the nature and position of the governing ruler
	 	of the trigram or hexagram [a single Yang implies
	 	a son, a single Yin a daughter line].
	 	
	 	The normal position for a ruler is line 5. However,
	 	if there is only one Yang line or one Yin line in
	 	a hexagram it usually is the ruler (as in trigrams).
	 	The principle is that one and only one can rule many.
	 	In some cases a trigram having a minority of Yang or
	 	Yin lines is used to determine the ruler and in such
	 	cases where the upper and lower trigrams are equal,
	 	as in Hexagram 51 [binary trigram value 1-1] 
	 	
	              		____    ____
	              		____    ____
	              		____________    
	              		____    ____
	              		____    ____
	              		____________

		the ruler is the single line in the upper trigram
		in this case the Yang line in the fourth place).
		It is to be noted that there is only one case in
		all the sixty-four hexagrams where a line is the
		third position is assigned a ruler, and that is
		Hexagram 15, Modesty [4-0]
		
	              		____    ____
	              		____    ____
	              		____    ____
	              		____________
	              		____    ____
	              		____    ____

		The third position is generally considered an
		unstable, transient, wavering, and hence
		unfavourable. It is the third line which when
		moving in a rising and declining cycle, is
		about to enter the upper trigram and as such
		the first consideration given is that it is a
		source of trouble until it proves itself to be
		favourable, as in Hexagram 15 [4-0], where it
		exemplifies modesty. (Sherrill/Chu)
		
		
		Every hexagram has at least one ruling line.
		This is its focal point, so to speak, indicating
		the general trend, or more often, the solution
		to the problem. These important lines ...
		
		The reason why certain lines are rulers when they
		are not in the fifth or second places is generally
		not easy to understand, yet there are a few
		hexagrams where this is quite obvious, one of the
		clearest examples being hexagram 24 [1-0] Return 
		(the Turning Point)
	              		____    ____
	              		____    ____
	              		____    ____
	              		____    ____
	              		____    ____
	              		____________  <-- ruling line
		
		This contains only one yang line, which is at the
		bottom and is the ruler. The hexagram represents
		the return of the sun in early springtime after the
		darkness of winter, symbolizing a return to
		virtuous ways after a time of wrong-doing. Small
		wonder that the yang line is the ruler in this case.
		
		Comparing hexagram 1 the Creative with hexagram 2
		the Receptive one sees that in the Creative, which
		is composed entirely of yang lines representing
		strength and power, the ruler is the fifth line,
		where the governing ruler is in its rightful place.
		On the other hand in the Receptive which is composed
		entirely of yin line, representing weakness, the
		governing ruler occupies the second line, the rightful
		place for the official under the ruler, or of sons
		or women. (Hook)
		----------------------------------------------------
		(originally Appendix B to the Change Oracle I made:
	        http://www.luckymojo.com/avidyana/huntun/i.changeoracle.html )

comments on these expressions?
are these solely modern or solely traditional interpretations?

mu