Image and Principle — Reading Notes on The True Heart-Method of the Yi (Part 4)

By the Daoist Ma Yi · Commentary by Chen Tuan · Annotations by Hu Yixuan

In the previous three articles, we discussed the foundation of Gua Pulse, the six children's pulse, and the source pulse of Qian-Kun. Now we address a fundamental question: How can hexagram lines possibly "encompass the ten thousand phenomena"?

I. Image and Principle Are Not Two Separate Things

Commonly, people tend to see "image" (象) and "principle" (理) as two distinct things — the image being the pattern of the hexagram lines, the principle being the underlying truth behind it. As if the image were the skin and the principle the bone — one must cut through the image to see the principle.

The stance of the Zheng Yi Xin Fa is different. The image is the visible manifestation of Qi; the principle is the law of Qi's movement. Image and principle are not two things but two sides of the same Qi — the image is Qi's visible face, the principle is Qi's explicable face.

Take the Kan trigram as an example: the image is one Yang submerged between two Yin; the principle is Yang Qi condensing at the pivot of the Yin body. These are not two separate matters — the fact that "Yang Qi condenses at the pivot of the Yin body" appears in the hexagram lines as the image of one Yang trapped between two Yin, and appears in understanding as the principle of Yang submerged in Yin. They are two aspects of one and the same thing.

There is no principle without image, and no image without principle.

II. "Encompassing" Is Not Listing — It Is Isomorphic Containment

"Encompassing the ten thousand phenomena" does not mean the hexagram lines are like an encyclopedia listing every thing one by one. If that were the case, how could sixty-four hexagrams possibly exhaust the myriad things?

The secret of encompassing lies in isomorphism.

One hexagram, one Qi-pulse structure — all things can land within it. The hexagram lines are the mold; everything in heaven and earth whose shape matches the mold can be received.
— Chen Tuan, Commentary on Zheng Yi Xin Fa

The Qi-pulse structure of Kan is "Yang submerged within Yin" — anything in heaven and earth that shares this structure is a landing place of Kan: in heaven, the moon (earth's Yang Qi condensed into lunar radiance); in the body, the kidneys (the body's primordial Qi hidden at the kidney root); in the family, the middle son; in the state, administration; in time, the winter solstice.

The moon rises over the sea,
Bringing distant hearts together at this moment.
— Zhang Jiuling, Gazing at the Moon

It is not that Kan "represents" the moon — it is that the moon's Qi-pulse structure happens to be isomorphic with Kan's configuration. Encompassing the ten thousand phenomena means容纳 them through isomorphism.

III. Observing the Pulse Is Not Inference — Direct Intuition of Qi's Trace

"Observe the Gua Pulse, and the principle becomes self-evident" — the word "self-evident" (昭然) is crucial. Self-evident means clarity comes of itself, not through inference.

Observing the Gua Pulse is not a process of logical deduction that arrives at a conclusion — it is not "because Kan has one Yang between two Yin, therefore Yang Qi is trapped in Yin, therefore the moon is earth's Qi." Such a chain of reasoning is too long, and every step could go wrong.

True pulse observation means facing the hexagram lines directly, intuitively perceiving the movement of Qi, and the principle naturally presents itself. When you see Kan ☵ — that one Yang between two Yin — what you directly feel is: Yang Qi is trapped, condensed in the middle, unable to get out. This feeling is the principle — it requires no deduction, it is simply there.

Attain utmost emptiness,
Guard steadfast stillness.
The ten thousand things arise together —
I thereby observe their return.
— Laozi, Dao De Jing

IV. "Must Know Where They Land" — The Master Method

Fuxi's Yi Dao encompasses the ten thousand phenomena.
One must know where they land — only then is there practical use.
— Ma Yi, Zheng Yi Xin Fa

Knowing where things land means finding the actual landing place of the Qi in the hexagram lines within the myriad things. Without knowing where they land — "encompassing the ten thousand phenomena" is empty talk, "observing the Gua Pulse" has no starting point, and "the principle becomes self-evident" never happens.

Scholars interpret the text according to the words, not knowing where things land — how could they obtain practical use?
— Chen Tuan, Commentary on Zheng Yi Xin Fa

V. The Complete Epistemological Chain

Encompass phenomena → Know where they land → Observe pulse → Principle self-evident
        ①                    ②                   ③              ④

Among these four steps, "knowing where things land" is the pivot. Without it, ① is mere theory, ③ is mere appreciation, and ④ is mere wish. With it, the entire chain comes alive — the Qi in the hexagram lines genuinely connects with heaven, earth, and the ten thousand things.

VI. The Direction Cannot Be Reversed

If one interprets it by analyzing social conventions, then the names and meanings are incorrect.
— Hu Yixuan, Commentary on Zheng Yi Xin Fa

The correct direction: start from the natural principle of Gua Pulse, and derive its correspondence in society, human relations, and governance. The wrong direction: first have a social concept, then search for justification in the hexagram lines — that is forced附会.

What accords with nature is correct; what forces human artifice is false.
— Zheng Yi Xin Fa

How can the channel be so clear?
Because fresh water flows from the source.
— Zhu Xi, Reflections on Reading

Know where things land — only then is there practical use. This is the ultimate message of the book.

Originally published in Chinese on WeChat Official Account "谛观" (Di Guan).
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