Letter of recommendation: The Book of Changes and Life

This book was written by Fu Peirong, a researcher of China Studies, and adapted from his TV lecture. He hopes that through this book, people who have never been exposed to the Book of Changes can also have an interest in reading. Realize crossing the threshold and entering the Yijing world. Since ancient times, doctors have never been separated. Because my major is Chinese medicine, I bought a lot of books about the Book of Changes when I was reading extensively at 10, and I also drew sixty-four hexagrams carefully for a period of time. But the understanding at that time only stayed on "good luck, bad luck and regret". From these four words, we can see that only a quarter of everything in life is good, regret and frugality are bad, and evil is extremely bad. Isn't it more painful to study the Book of Changes in this way? There is also a folk saying that "people who are good at barter are unlucky." It can be seen that most people who have learned Yi in history will not live long. If a person can even predict his own grave, what is the meaning of this life? At that time, under such distractions, I quickly put such books aside and didn't care. Until recently, when I was sorting out the bookcase, I found this book, reopened it, and read it in one go. I actually feel completely different. Although it is just a family statement, it also answers some of my previous questions. Details are as follows:

? Everything in the universe is always changing, full of infinite vitality and vitality. As human beings, how to arrange their short and precious lives reasonably. The answer given by teacher Fu is: cultivate self-cultivation, enhance ability and enlighten wisdom. In other words, we should strive to improve our moral values all our lives, take doing good as the main axis, and cooperate with the goals of seeking truth and aesthetics to make life perfect. As long as this is done, the initiative in life will be in your own hands, and life will be rich and meaningful.

? Some people think that divination is superstition. Teacher Fu has his own understanding of this: he believes that the basic principle of divination is to learn from the past lessons, so that people can avoid blind spots and stick to it. When you have seriously thought about it, when people's wisdom is exhausted, that is, when reason can't be solved, you turn to super-rationality, not irrationality. The Book of Changes is just right and can play a wonderful role in super-rationality. Mainly because most people think in a causal way, and the Book of Changes is a simultaneous thinking mode, and divination can obtain all-round information. Therefore, if you can learn the meaning of the Book of Changes and use it for divination at the same time, it will be more complete. Here, Mr. Fu also mentioned that Xunzi said: those who are good and easy will not take it. Because these people understand that "Xiu De is within themselves", they might as well do good deeds in Xiu De instead of asking ghosts and gods. Moreover, in practice, divination is easy and difficult to interpret. You need to combine your own life experience and have a deep learning foundation to do well. We should also follow three principles: insincerity, injustice and doubt.

? Confucius didn't learn the Book of Changes until he was fifty years old. "Add me a few years, and I can learn the Book of Changes at the age of 50. It's no big deal." . Professor Ceng Shiqiang began to study the Book of Changes after returning from the United States at the age of 39, when the world was facing great challenges. Teacher Fu learned from Confucius and began to learn the Book of Changes at the age of 50. When is the right time to study? Different people have different opinions, but it is true that the Book of Changes belongs to the philosophical category. Without certain life experience, certain twists and turns and difficulties, it is really not easy to understand its profound meaning. For example, what I read and understood ten years ago is far from reaching the depth and breadth now.

? Teacher Fu gave two examples. One is Zhou Wenwang, who was imprisoned by Shang Zhouwang for seven years. During these seven years, he wrote hexagrams for sixty-four hexagrams, and each hexagram wrote six hexagrams. Total * * * three hundred and eighty-four sentences. Another Japanese scholar made a thorough study of the Book of Changes during his seven years in prison. After he got out of prison, he wrote a very good divination book. Therefore, Teacher Fu said that seven years is the time standard for learning the Book of Changes well. Before reading Li Xiaolai's books, he always emphasized that seven years is a lifetime. I wonder if great minds think alike.

? Teacher Fu learned three things from studying the Book of Changes: if you don't learn, you won't; Not if you learn it; If you learn it, you will benefit for life. These three experiences can actually be used as a guide to learning the Book of Changes. Especially after learning, lifelong enjoyment is quite tempting. It is said that when a person is over 50 years old, many parents are old and there are few teachers left, but after learning the Book of Changes, they can "be self-taught without a teacher, just like their parents." Only in this way can people take the initiative in life and avoid misfortune. But not if you don't study. Even if you don't study specially, you can know a little about some knowledge. But if you don't study specially, the Book of Changes may be like reading a gobbledygook, and you have no idea what it says. Therefore, we should put the determination to study in the first place. With a desire and a goal, it can be achieved.

? Since learning the Book of Changes is doomed to be a protracted war from the beginning, patience is the greatest blessing of learning the Book of Changes. Teacher Fu said that it takes at least an hour or two to figure out the most basic gossip. Then to the sixty-four hexagrams, each hexagram has six hexagrams, the understanding of hexagrams, and the understanding of hexagrams. After understanding the meaning, it is necessary to predict, interpret and guide the application. Each link needs to spend corresponding time and energy to arrive.

? Teacher Fu said that he began to learn the Book of Changes, starting with eight diagrams and then reaching sixty-four hexagrams. Zhu recited the whole overture of Li Sao according to the new method. After memorizing, I have to do a test, that is, I can draw hexagrams without making mistakes. Then I began to read hexagrams and words. In this process, I should have full associative power, which is also the ability of analogy learning. Knowing the basic hexagrams of each hexagram and the actual situation symbolized by this hexagram can be gradually applied to work and life.

? After learning, any knowledge still needs to be used, otherwise it will only be knowledge, and it will not become ability. To learn the Book of Changes, we must first apply righteousness to our work and life. For individuals, it is to teach by example. If you learn that "Heaven is powerful, and a gentleman strives for self-improvement", you must learn to strive for self-improvement. The most important thing is to improve your virtue every day. In daily words and deeds, ask yourself whether you are more friendly, honest and modest. If so, you can really apply what you have learned.

? There is no standard for the direction of life, and the road that suits others may not be suitable for you. Therefore, after learning the Book of Changes, when should we restrain ourselves, keep a low profile and benefit others at the expense of others? When can I fully develop my career and make contributions? When, what is practical and how to do it can be guided by the Book of Changes to determine the direction of this life. After all, all life states are gradually shifting from external circumstances to internal cultivation, returning to the heart and returning to one's own life.

? Teacher Fu believes that personal settlement is reflected in two aspects, on the one hand, Lotte know life. Heaven is a variety of established conditions that cannot be changed. If you understand this basic law and master the truth of life, you can realize the Tao from endurance-acceptance-enjoyment. On the other hand, it is the specific situation. Life will always face some important choices, and these choices have advantages and disadvantages, so people who face choices will be confused. When something is important, there is no way to find the answer immediately by reason. At this time, the divination of the Book of Changes can be activated, which can help solve the current predicament. This is not superstition, but there are completely unknowable aspects in people's lives.

? This recommendation does not involve specific hexagrams, because it is really not clear in a few words. In this book, Mr. Fu illustrates the explanation and application of several important divinatory words with examples, which can be enjoyed slowly after reading this book. The greatest significance of this book for me is to systematically answer my own puzzling questions in the past 10 years, which has strengthened my confidence in further studying the Book of Changes. I believe that readers who are destined to read this book will also have a sense of relief, and it is not completely impossible to learn the Book of Changes.