Nature of Early Interpretations

This article explores the character of the earliest interpretations of the Zhouyi. We will discuss how the focus was primarily on obtaining practical, oracular guidance for specific situations, rather than the more abstract philosophical and cosmological interpretations that developed in later eras.

An Oracle for Action

In its earliest form as the Zhouyi, the I Ching was fundamentally a tool for divination, and its interpretations were geared towards providing practical guidance for immediate concerns. The hexagram and line statements, while often cryptic, were understood as direct responses from the spiritual realm to specific queries.

Key characteristics of these early interpretations include:

• Focus on Auspiciousness/Inauspiciousness: Many of the statements offer a judgment on whether a course of action would be "auspicious" (吉, ji), "inauspicious" (凶, xiong), lead to "remorse" (悔, hui), "blame" (咎, jiu), or be "without blame" (無咎, wu jiu). This helped the querent assess risks and potential rewards.
• Concrete Imagery: The language of the Zhouyi is rich with imagery drawn from daily life, nature, social interactions, and warfare of the Zhou period. For example, references to hunting, crossing rivers, dealing with superiors or inferiors, and military maneuvers were meant to resonate with the lived experiences of the people using the oracle. Interpretation involved connecting this concrete imagery to the querent's specific situation.
• Action-Oriented Advice: The texts often imply or directly suggest certain actions to take or avoid. The goal was to help the individual or the state navigate challenges effectively and align with the prevailing cosmic currents for a favorable outcome.
• Limited Philosophical Abstraction: While the Zhouyi inherently contains profound symbolic depth that later philosophers would extensively explore, the primary concern for its early users was not abstract cosmological speculation or moral philosophy in the way it developed later. The focus was on the "here and now" and its immediate implications. The question was less "What is the ultimate nature of reality?" and more "What should I do about this problem I'm facing?"

The Role of the Diviner

The diviner played a crucial role in interpreting the Zhouyi's messages. It wasn't simply a matter of looking up a text. The diviner needed to:

• Understand the symbolic language of the hexagrams.
• Consider the specific context of the question.
• Synthesize the meaning of the hexagram statement and any relevant line statements (especially changing lines).
• Use their experience and intuition to provide a coherent and actionable interpretation.

While the Zhouyi formed the textual basis, the interpretation was a dynamic process. It was this practical, oracular function that defined the Zhouyi in its early stages, laying the groundwork for the rich philosophical and wisdom traditions that would later grow around it.