Throughout the history of I Ching scholarship, two major interpretive approaches have emerged: the Yili School and the Xiangshu School. The Yili (義理) School, often translated as the "Meaning and Principle" or "Moral and Philosophical" School, focuses on uncovering the profound ethical, social, and metaphysical wisdom contained within the I Ching's hexagrams and texts.
This article will delve into the core tenets and methodologies of the Yili School, examining how its proponents sought to understand the I Ching as a guide to virtuous conduct, self-cultivation, and the underlying principles (Li) that govern human existence and the cosmos, often de-emphasizing the more numerological or overtly divinatory aspects.
The Cosmic Dance: Core Cosmological Concepts in the I Ching
Detailing the fundamental cosmological concepts embedded within the I Ching, such as Yin-Yang, the Five Elements/Phases (Wu Xing), and the ever-present principle of Change.
Image and Number: The Xiangshu School of I Ching Interpretation
Investigating the Xiangshu (象數) School, or Image/Number School, of I Ching interpretation, which focuses on the cosmological, numerological, and symbolic systems within the text.