The Xiangshu (Image/Number) Lens - Deciphering Cosmic Patterns and Symbolic Structures

The Xiangshu Pai (象數派), or the School of Image and Number, offers a distinct and powerful interpretive lens for engaging with the I Ching. Contrasting with the Yili school’s primary focus on the figurative meaning of texts, Xiangshu emphasizes the rationality of hexagram structure and seeks objective methods for interpretation based on images (xiang 象), numbers (shu 數), trigram and hexagram configurations, cyclical patterns, and cosmological correspondences. While sometimes translated simply as “numerology,” this term is often considered misleading and incomplete, as Xiangshu encompasses a far richer and more complex approach to deciphering the I Ching’s wisdom.

Core Tenets of the Xiangshu Lens: Beyond Surface Appearances

At its best, the Xiangshu tradition uses:

• Image as Metaphor and Extended Analogy: It explores and extrapolates ideas, moving between different realms and frames of perception. Images are not static but are part of larger patterns and matrices that organize relationships between parts of whole systems.

• Number in Multiple Capacities:

  • Ordinal: For sequencing ideas or stages.
  • Cardinal: For dividing a set into parts or for scaling.
  • Hierarchical: For understanding set theory and orders of magnitude within cosmic structures.

• Elaboration on Obscured Structures: The I Ching, as it has come down to us, often lacks explicit instructions or introductions, and many of its original structural elements appear to have been deliberately obscured or omitted. Xiangshu interpretive systems, developed over centuries, elaborated on how hexagrams change and relate through various operational rules, including derivation, combination, sequence, cycle, substitution, transposition, permutation, and interpolation.

Influential Figures: Masters of Image and Number

The Xiangshu tradition flourished particularly during the Han Dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE), which saw the first documented major wave of I Ching scholarship.

Han Dynasty Scholars: Figures like Ma Rong, Zheng Xuan, Xun Shuang, Lu Ji, and especially Yu Fan (虞翻, AD 164-233), fully developed exegetical techniques rooted in Xiangshu tenets. Yu Fan was an extraordinarily inventive scholar who significantly increased the interpretive possibilities of I Ching symbolism. He is noted for his partial understanding of “lateral hexagram linkages” (pangtong 旁通), a concept later more fully developed by Chiao Hsun.

Shao Yong (邵雍, AD 1011-1077): This brilliant Song Dynasty scholar is renowned for the “Fu Xi Arrangement of the Sixty-Four Hexagrams,” also known as the “Former Heaven” (Xiantian 先天) sequence. Shao Yong created a comprehensive correlative system by assigning numerical values to hexagrams and correlating them with images (identified with trigrams) to explain all phenomena in the world—all qualities, processes, things, conditions, and relationships. His influential diagrams were later adopted and adapted by Zhu Xi.

Defining “Images” (xiang 象): More Than Meets the Eye

In the Xiangshu tradition, xiang encompasses far more than just literal visual representations:

• Broad Scope: The term referred not only to things that could be seen (like mountains, water, sun, moon) but also to ideas that could be grasped, processes that could be discerned, positions, situations, and relationships that could be defined.

• Words Capturing Images: Words were understood to “capture” or express images, just as images expressed ideas or “concepts.” This principle applied not only to hexagrams and trigrams but also to individual lines and numbers. The Xici Zhuan (Great Commentary) famously states, “The Changes are images” (Yi zhe xiang ye 易者象也), and describes how the ancient sages set out hexagrams, observed images, and then attached statements (ci 辭) to clarify auspiciousness and inauspiciousness. For Warring States commentators, this made it clear that images in pictures led to the text.

• Pictographic Origins Thesis: Recent scholarship, supported by newly discovered texts like the Shifa (Method of Milfoil Divination), argues that a high percentage of images in the Changes developed through a simple and direct pictographic method. This involved matching the graphic shapes of individual numbers (derived from divination stalks) and the overall shapes of numbers in three-line combinations (trigrams) to the shapes of real objects and early logographs. Image recognition was thus based purely on visual association.

• Proliferation of Images: Diviners could perceive numerous pictographic images in single numbers and sequences, suggesting a deep repository of subjective and innovative images could be observed in number combinations at the multi-line, trigram, and hexagram levels. This means trigram and hexagram diagrams were not pictorially meaningless; numbers produced images, and these images, in turn, produced the words and judgments that formed the early layers of the I Ching text.

• Multi-Level Observation: Images were observed at the individual line level, the trigram level (sometimes referred to as “half images”), the hexagram level, and at places in between. They could be observed right-side up, upside down (fuxiang 覆象), and from other angles.

• Structured “Image Programs”: Multiple images could be observed in a single number or picture, and a single image could be observed in different pictures. This process of image recognition proliferated in variant combinations. Images are not random lists of words; they are often presented within structured and highly interpretive systems that form “image programs” for each of the Eight Trigrams. Images in these programs have a defined architecture and are not devoid of relationships and mutual interaction.

• Enigmatic Nature: The subjective nature and specific divinatory context from which image associations were originally observed contribute to why images in the Zhouyi and related manuals are often considered enigmatic. The core text comes without explicit notes or rules, and later commentaries attempt to make sense of it with various interpretive systems, no single one of which can adequately explain everything.

Specific Xiangshu Techniques: Unlocking Deeper Structures

Han Dynasty scholars, in particular, vastly increased the interpretive possibilities of I Ching symbolism by introducing sophisticated analytical concepts:

• “Interlaced Trigrams” (hugua 互卦 or huti 互體): Commonly known in English as “nuclear trigrams” (Wilhelm’s translation). These are derived from the central lines of a hexagram (lines 2, 3, 4 form the lower nuclear trigram; lines 3, 4, 5 form the upper) and are thought to reveal hidden potentials, the core of a matter, or a future tendency. This became a standard feature of I Ching exegesis.

• “Ascent and Descent” (shenjiang 升降): Also referred to as “rising and falling lines” (Sheng Jian Yao), this technique, developed in the Han era, analyzes the dynamic movement or potential shift of lines within the hexagram structure.

• “Lateral Hexagram Linkages” (pangtong 旁通 or Pang Tong Gua): This involves looking at hexagrams in units of two, where the yin and yang lines of one hexagram are paired as opposites to the lines of another (e.g., Hexagram 1 Qian ☰☰ is the pangtong of Hexagram 2 Kun ☷☷). Yu Fan gained a partial understanding of this concept.

These techniques, along with refined trigram symbolism (ba gua 八卦), analysis of line position (yao wei 爻位), and line virtue (yao de 爻德), gave the basic hexagram structure a “virtually infinite malleability” by which scholars could reconcile every aspect of the I Ching with a systematically integrated view of the world.

How to Use the Xiangshu Lens: A Practical Guide

Applying the Xiangshu lens involves a multifaceted analysis:

• Analysis of Trigrams: This became a prominent feature of Changes exegesis early on. The Da Xiang (Overall Image) commentary, for example, often interprets a hexagram as the product of the interactive relationship between its two constituent trigrams. While the early existence of trigrams alongside hexagrams is debated by modern scholars (due to lack of explicit textual evidence from the earliest layers), the consistent applicability of the Da Xiang and the statistical frequency of Chinese reiterative words in the duplicated trigram hexagrams (Chong Gua 重卦) suggest the presence of some kind of elementary trigram thinking in the development of the hexagrams, or their co-evolution. The function of trigrams as an interpretive method certainly grew, leading to their codification in the Shuogua Zhuan (Discussion of the Trigrams).

• Numerical Symbolism: The numerology of the I Ching was derived from the binary structure of lines (Yin as divisible/even, Yang as indivisible/odd), the process of yarrow stalk divination, and the mathematical possibilities inherent in line, trigram, and hexagram combinations. This encouraged scholars to correlate these elements with other cosmic forces and configurations, including yin (even numbers) and yang (odd numbers), the Five Phases/Agents (wuxing 五行), the Ten Heavenly Stems, the Twelve Earthly Branches, the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions (asterisms), and so forth.

• The Yellow River Chart (Hetu 河圖) and Luo River Writing (Luoshu 洛書): These ancient diagrams became foundational for mathematical learning and philosophical/religious speculation. The Hetu correlates numbers (odd/yang, even/yin) with the five directions and the wuxing mutual production sequence. The Luoshu is a “magic square” linked to the mutual conquest sequence of the wuxing. Lai Zhide (Ming Dynasty) viewed wuxing operations in the Hetu as a function of ascending odd and even digits.

• Observing Visual Patterns: As discussed under “Images,” relating hexagram structures to visual forms was fundamental. For example, the association between the Kan trigram (☵) and water likely came from its picture resembling the archaic graph for “water.” The association between the Gen trigram (☶) and mountain probably derived from the repeated “six” numbers (representing Yin lines) in its structure, resembling connected mountains.

• Character Analysis (huiyi 會意): An interpretive technique used by Han Dynasty scholars and continued by figures like Sima Guang. It involved dividing written Chinese characters into their constituent elements and relating them to discern meaning. For example, the character for “correct” (zheng 正) was analyzed as “stop” (止) and “one” (一), interpreted as “stopping at one place.” This sort of analysis was also famously used by Figurists (Jesuit missionaries in China) to find biblical messages in Chinese characters.

• Broad Knowledge Base: The I Ching is said to encompass a wide range of knowledge, drawing upon its arguments and principles in fields like astronomy, geography, music, military methods, numerical calculations, and alchemy. A Xiangshu approach often integrates these diverse areas.

Zhu Xi’s “Originalist” (Benyi 本義) Approach: A Related Perspective

While Zhu Xi (朱熹, AD 1130-1200) was a great synthesizer who utilized Xiangshu elements (like Shao Yong’s diagrams), his Benyi (“Original Meaning”) approach to the I Ching offers a distinct emphasis:

• He held that the sixty-four hexagrams constituted the “original version” (guben 古本) of the I Ching, structuring his commentary, Zhouyi benyi (周易本義), into “the classic” (the hexagrams) and “the commentarial materials” (the Ten Wings), explicitly indicating the Wings were supplementary. This was revolutionary at a time when Wang Bi’s Yili style was dominant.

• For Zhu Xi, hexagram images symbolize the interaction and intermixing of yin and yang, drawing attention to the complex alignment of forces in the natural and human worlds. He believed the hexagrams belonged to everyone interested in finding meaning in life, regardless of social station.

• He emphasized two goals: understanding the visual images of the hexagrams and using divination as a tool for embracing change, even compiling detailed rituals for yarrow stalk divination. For him, divination was an enriching experience of encountering the unknown, becoming aware of opportunities for improvement.

• The Benyi approach considered each hexagram on its own independent merits, contrasting with approaches that sought systematic connections or patterns between all hexagrams.

• Zhu Xi viewed hexagrams as signs in a process of mind-training. He sought to work back past the linguistic text to the pre-linguistic expression in the bare hexagrams, and from there to the underlying order of things (li 理). He believed the legendary Fuxi created the raw hexagrams from a direct discernment of world patterns (xiang, fa, wen), while Confucius, restricted to words, merely appended verbalizations for those needing reading aids. Hexagrams, for Zhu Xi, were signs of, but did not themselves grant, direct access to the pre-linguistic patterning of Heaven-and-Earth that was the fruition of his mind-training.

Examples of Insightful Applications of the Xiangshu Lens

The Xiangshu lens, through its emphasis on images, structures, and correspondences, can offer unique insights into:

Over-arching Aspects of Human Nature: Concepts like ‘Resilience’, ‘Stimulation’, and ‘Understanding’ can be explored through the symbolic interactions within hexagrams.

Psychological Dynamics: Professor Shen Hongxun, for example, cited the Kan hexagram (坎, #29) (duplicated Kan trigrams) as a prime example of the I Ching’s psychological orientation. The duplicated trigrams are symbols for anxiety (you 憂) and “heartsickness” (xinbing 心病). Traditional commentators like Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi identified Kan as reflecting both the problems and the potential powers of the mind. Cheng Yi argued that with sincere intention, the heart/mind can overcome dangers. Shen also used the Xian hexagram (咸, #31, “Reciprocity/Influence”) to demonstrate psychological orientation, analyzing its symbolism, line relationships, and trigram symbolism to link it with Western Stimulus-Response theory and a combined psychology of consciousness/unconsciousness.

Self-Awareness and Introspection: The I Ching has long had an explicit psychological dimension, serving as a means of achieving self-understanding. It has been called a book that teaches introspection and a “mirror of men’s minds.”

Jungian Parallels: Carl Jung found the I Ching embodied his ideas of archetypes and synchronicity, using it to gain insight into his “unexpressed state of doubt.” The Great Commentary’s statements about the Yi cleansing hearts/minds and sharing anxieties resonate with Jungian efforts to explore the psyche. The I Ching’s symbolism can be seen as a natural tool for therapeutic ends.

Spiritual States (Buddhist Example): Ouyi Zhixu, a Buddhist master, analyzed hexagrams in terms of states of meditation (dhyana) and wisdom (prajna), expanding their symbolic repertoire.

Meditative and Moral Cultivation (Neo-Confucian Example): Neo-Confucians like Zhang Zai saw the Gen hexagram (艮, #52, “Restraint/Mountain”) as capturing the essence of the Changes due to its emphasis on timing, movement, stillness, and moral cultivation. Yang Jian drew on Gen to argue for a Chan (Zen)-like meditative practice focused on being present without being carried away by sensory input.

Additional Nuances in Xiangshu Thought

Beyond images (xiang), the Xici commentary mentions other sign-systems like fa (法 - model/standard) and wen (文 - patterns) as ways the sages understood the world. Wen refers both to patterns in nature (like markings on birds) and writings. While situated in both nature and culture, wen is considered less useful than hexagrams for conjoining these worlds because it is not subject to systematization. Reading wen is likened to reading cracks in turtle plastrons, not like reading the systematic Book of Changes.

A significant aspect of the I Ching’s interpretive difficulty lies not in the ordinariness or extraordinariness of the things mentioned in its text, but in the apparent lack of “syntax” connecting them to each other or to the advice and predictions offered. The connections must be supplied by the reader, often through Xiangshu principles.

Figurist Interpretations: A unique application of Xiangshu’s symbolic correlation was seen in the work of Figurist Jesuit missionaries in China (e.g., Joachim Bouvet) and later writers (e.g., Ong Hean-Tatt). They used character dissection (huiyi) and symbolic association to link I Ching concepts and structures to biblical narratives, figures, and the Kabbalah, seeking a hidden divine message and an “original meaning” aligned with Christian theology. Examples include equating the Qian trigram’s three solid lines with the Trinity.

Aleister Crowley: The occultist also applied a Kabbalistic interpretation to the I Ching, sometimes dispensing with the conventional attributes of the trigrams and even the associated hexagram texts in his highly idiosyncratic approach.

The Xiangshu lens, with its intricate focus on images, numbers, and structural relationships, offers a path to understanding the I Ching as a dynamic map of cosmic processes and a tool for profound insight into the interconnectedness of all things. It demands careful study and an appreciation for symbolic language, but rewards the practitioner with a deeply nuanced understanding of the Book of Changes.

Next, we will move into Part 3: Psychological Lenses, starting with “Article 4: The Jungian Lens - Archetypes, Synchronicity, and the Individuation Journey.”