MadePossible Posted 5 hours ago The decision of Hexagram 1: 元亨利贞 (yuán hēng lì zhēn). This is a highly mysterious phrase, appearing often throughout the Yijing. 元 (yuán) - the early meaning was that of a head. 亨 (hēng) - prosperity, success? 利 (lì) - Shaughnessy tells us it originally represented a sharp knife harvesting grain. Later it took on the meaning of 'sharp' as in 'intelligent'. 贞 (zhēn) - loyalty? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taomeow Posted 4 hours ago I think it's one of the least mysterious statements in the I Ching. A favorable beginning (yuan), penetrating progress (heng), beneficial appropriateness (li), and steadfast correctness (zhen) -- throughout the I Ching Yuanheng Lizhen stands for the "green light" in response to your divination. A "yes," rather than what the outcome of other inquiries may be -- "maybe," "possible but not likely," "don't go there," "a hard no." 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
forestofclarity Posted 3 hours ago Here's an interesting article below with a variety of interpretations depending on how you break it up. There are moral, philosophical, divinatory, etc. meanings. In the Taoist I Ching (a commentary by Liu Yiming, trans Cleary)), it is said to be a complete cycle of creation, like the four seasons or the four parts of internal cultivation. https://www.arcjournals.org/pdfs/ijhsse/v9-i11/1.pdf 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
