What are the roots of Chinese civilization?
Article introduction: Confucius told us that Fuxi is our ancient ancestor. He has been worshiped for a long time. People all over the world love him. He is our earliest leader. Confucius said that when Fu Xi created Yi, he looked up at the sky, observed celestial phenomena, and understood the laws of the universe; he looked down at the earth and thought about the reasons for the formation of geographical mountains and rivers. He also observed the patterns on birds and animals, studied the biological characteristics of different regions, and understood everything. The mystery of the movement of all things established the great Book of Changes that has been passed down to this day. Text/Fu Xiyi Chief Scientist Tianyuan
01
Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism
Speaking of traditional culture, we will naturally think of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Release three families. The cultures of these three families are full of wisdom and are the shining pearls of the wisdom of the Chinese nation. Among the three schools, Taoism originated from Taoism, which began with Laozi; the founder of Confucianism was Confucius; Buddhism originated in ancient India and was introduced to China in the late Warring States Period. People followed the local customs and became part of the Chinese civilization, forming a culture that is not completely different from India. Same Buddhism. Therefore, we have great respect for them.
But looking back on history, we find that Laozi was born in about 580 BC; Confucius was born in 551 BC; Prince Siddhartha was born in about 565 BC; Sakyamuni was a Buddhist The honorific title given to him by his disciples means the saint of the Sakyamuni tribe. From this point of view, the founders of these three companies were about 2,500 years ago, and the most commonly used phrase in our civilization is "Chinese civilization lasted for five thousand years." This shows that a culture with a history of more than 2,500 years cannot be the source of our 5,000-year-old civilization.
So, in the era of Laozi and Confucius, what kind of cultural traditions did people inherit? What is the Chinese culture where Buddhism comes to the country and follows the customs? What exactly created Chinese civilization?
In fact, there has long been a conclusion about this issue in history. It was Fuxi who started the Chinese civilization. At least six or seven thousand years ago, it laid the foundation of Chinese civilization and is the root of our civilization. That’s why Yi Cai is revered as the head of all sutras and the source of the Great Way. It has been with us from the day it emerged until today. A culture as vibrant as Yi's is unique in the entire human civilization. Therefore, Fuxi, who created Yi, is revered as the ancestor of humanities.
The "Tao Te Ching" actually talks about Tao issues, and the root of Tao is Yin and Yang, that is, the so-called "one Yin and one Yang is called Tao", and the idea of Yin and Yang began with Fuxi's hexagrams. It was created in Yi Hua Kai Tian, and the hexagrams defined yin and yang. Fuxi was the originator of the idea of "yin and yang". Fuxi's hexagrams marked the creation of Yi. In "Historical Records", Sima Qian said: "I heard from my ancestors that Fuxi was extremely pure and honest, and he created the Yi Bagua." What he is talking about is Fuxi's creation of the Yi.
For Confucianism, the status of Yi is supreme. Among the six Confucian classics: "Yi", "Poetry", "Book", "Li", "Music" and "Spring and Autumn", "Yi" ranks first. Bit. Therefore, Yi has been recognized throughout the ages as the source and core of Confucianism. It can be said that without Yi, the cornerstone of wisdom, Taoism and Confucianism would have become mansions built on the beach and pavilions floating in the air. Confucius, who has always been a teacher to all generations, said, "If I were fifty years old and could learn the Yi, I would not make any big mistakes." Therefore, Wei compiled the Three Masterpieces. Wei Bian Sanjue said that Confucius studied Yi Xue very hard and used up all the books. It expresses Confucius' extreme admiration for Yi.
So what about Buddhism? As we all know, it has developed very well in China. It not only inherited the tradition of Buddhism, but also developed Zen Buddhism, while Buddhism is already a non-mainstream religion in India. Just like a seed, it is difficult to survive in one piece of soil, but it takes root, blooms and flourishes in another piece of land. It shows that good seeds need the nourishment of a broad land. It shows that Chinese civilization has great influence on the development and even survival of Buddhism. has a unique meaning.
In the "Book of Changes", Confucius has a special record about Fuxi's creation of the Yi: "In ancient times, Bao Xi was the king of the world. When he looked up, he observed the phenomena in the sky, and when he looked down, he observed the laws on the earth. , observing the appropriateness of the text of birds and beasts and the place, taking in bodies from near and objects from far away, so I began to make Bagua to understand the virtues of gods and imitate the emotions of all things."
Confucius told us that Fuxi is our ancient ancestor. He has been worshiped for a long time. People all over the world love him. He is our earliest leader.
Confucius said that when Fu Xi created Yi, he looked up at the sky, observed celestial phenomena, and understood the laws of the universe; he looked down at the earth and thought about the reasons for the formation of geographical mountains and rivers. He also observed the patterns on birds and animals, studied the biological characteristics of different regions, and understood everything. The mystery of the movement of all things established the great Book of Changes that has been passed down to this day. Confucius praised this wisdom for "connecting with the virtues of the gods and imitating the emotions of all things." This means that the wisdom of Yi can acquire the abilities only the gods have, and by mastering it, one can understand the changes in the operation of all things.
02
The founding of Fuxi Yi
Fuxi Chuangyi is a symbol, marking the birth of great wisdom and the birth of a civilization.
We see Confucius today as a saint and a teacher for all generations, but through Confucius’ records, we know that in the eyes of Confucius, the greatest ancestor was Fuxi, and Fuxi was the sage in Confucius’s mind. Therefore, the important Confucian classic "Zuo Zhuan" calls Fuxi "Taihao Fuxi". In the history of Chinese civilization, outstanding figures are regarded as saints such as Confucius, sub-sages such as Mencius, sages such as the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, and even gods such as Laozi. They are revered as Taishang Laojun by Taoism, but the only one who is revered as the ancestor of humanities and is known as the The sun and the moon shine together, only Fuxi. "Founder of Humanities" and "Taihao" are Fuxi's unique and supreme titles. In the long history of Chinese civilization, they have never been before or since.
In the word "Taihao", "Tai" means the sun and Taiyin. The sun is the sun in the sky, and Taiyin is the name used by the ancients to praise the moon. "Hao" refers to the sky, and also refers to the brilliance of the sun and the moon. The word "Taihao" is to praise Fuxi for being as radiant as the sun, as bright as the moon, shining on all things in the world, and to praise Fuxi for his wisdom, which is like a guiding light in the dark night.
What exactly is the Yi created by Fu Xi?
The culture today called Yi created by Fuxi is actually equivalent to the unified field theory studied by Einstein. Yi is a simulation system that simulates the operating laws of all things in nature, similar to a set of mathematics. Model.
I give a definition of Yi according to the way I define the research object today: "Yi" was invented by Fuxi. It is an overall symbol system based on yin and yang and represented by a square and circle structure. The simulation system that describes the operating laws of all things in nature, and the cosmology and methodology established by connecting with the natural way of thinking, are unique to the Chinese civilization and are a knowledge system that understands the operating laws of nature and society. The basic model of this square and circle structure is called "Fuxi Xiantian Sixty-Four Hexagrams Square and Circle Diagram". To put it bluntly, Yi's definition points directly to this "Picture of Squares and Circles".
Where did the picture we see today come from? It was made public to the intellectual class during the Northern Song Dynasty by Shao Yong and Shao Kangjie, one of the Five Sons of the Northern Song Dynasty.
Zhu Xi, a master of Neo-Confucianism in the Southern Song Dynasty and the master of Neo-Confucianism in the Song and Ming Dynasties, said that this picture "was passed down from the Xiyi, and was passed down from the Xiyi. "Yes." The Xiyi mentioned by Zhu Xi refers to the famous Taoist Chen Tuan who lived between the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period and the early Song Dynasty, also known as the ancestor Chen Tuan in folklore. So where did Chen Tuan learn it? According to Zhu Xi, he learned it from practicing Taoists, hermits and some outsiders. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a famous Taoist named Wei Boyang. He wrote a book about alchemy called "Zhou Yi Shen Tong Qi". Zhu Xi said that the theoretical basis of this book was "Fuxi Xiantian Sixty-Four Hexagrams Square Circle Diagram". From this sentence, we can know that Zhu Xi believed that the "Fuxi Xiantian Sixty-Four Hexagrams Square Circle Diagram" had been secretly circulated among high-level Taoists during the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Zhu Zhen, another Neo-Confucian master and Jinshi in the Song Dynasty, once said more clearly: "Chen Tuan passed on Zhongfang with innate pictures, Fang passed it on to Mu Xiu, Xiu passed on Li Zhicai, and his talent was passed on to Shao Yong." Figures such as Zhong Fang, Mu Xiu, and Li Zhicai were all first-class scholars at that time. It can be seen that this picture has been secretly passed down long before Shao Yong. But Shao Yong was the first scholar to make this picture public. This kind of ambition was rare among Chinese literati.
03
The Evolution of Yi
"Fuxi Xiantian Sixty-Four Hexagrams Square Circle Diagram" is composed of sixty-four hexagrams. The sixty-four hexagrams are in the classics There are clear records in it.
The Confucian classic "Zhou Rites" is said to have been written by Zhou Gongdan, the son of King Wen of Zhou and the younger brother of King Wu of Zhou, who lived about 3,000 years ago. This book records that "the method of the Three Yis of Taibu Zhang, the first is called Lianshan, the second is called Guizang, and the third is called Zhouyi. Its sutras and hexagrams are all eight, and they are all sixty-four." This sentence is incredible! This sentence outlines the history of the development of the Yi Jing for at least 5,000 years after Fuxi created the Yi. That is to say, after Fuxi created the Yi, the "Lianshan Yi", "Gui Zang Yi" and "Zhou Yi" appeared one after another, and these three Yi were still known and used by people at the same time in the early years of the Western Zhou Dynasty, that is, more than 3,000 years ago. These three Yis are based on the basic principles of Fuxi Yis and are composed of sixty-four hexagrams. Taibu is an official name, roughly equivalent to today's deputy prime minister, and was the chief scientist in the Western Zhou Dynasty. He must master the knowledge of Yi, grasp the rise and fall of nature, society, and the ruling class aristocracy in a timely manner, and follow the methods provided by the Three Yis to deal with the changes in nature and society, and consolidate the rule of the royal power.
The arrangement of the sixty-four hexagrams is not random, but arranged according to specific rules. There is no text in this picture at the earliest, and it is a symbol system before the emergence of hieroglyphics.
We often hear words like Yi and Yi Jing. In fact, Yi and Yi Jing are not the same thing. What is Yi? "Yi" was invented by Fuxi. It is based on the logic of yin and yang and simulates the cosmology and methodology of the operating laws of nature. It is a knowledge system for understanding the operating laws of nature and society. The basic model is "Fuxi's Xiantian Sixty-Four Hexagrams Square Circle Diagram".
"Jing" is a work that correctly explains wisdom, such as the "Tao Te Ching", "Buddhist Scripture", "Bible", etc., and the "Book of Changes" is a work that explains the wisdom of the Yi, that is, a review of the Yi Explanation text. "Book of Changes" is composed of four parts. The first is the symbols of the sixty-four hexagrams; the second is the names of the sixty-four symbols are the names of the hexagrams, such as Qian, Kun, Xun, etc. are all the names of the hexagrams; the third is the "hexagram words" , written by ancient saints to explain the meaning of the hexagram; the fourth is "Yao Ci", the Yao is the most basic symbol that makes up the hexagram, and the Yao Ci records all the events experienced by the ancient saints, the most common of which are from the mid-Xia Dynasty, Shang Dynasty The experiences of the two princes of the tribe, Wang Hai and Wang Heng.
So, there are differences between Yi and Yi Jing.
So what is the core idea of Yi? The core idea of Yi is nature, which is the greatest among all things, and all wisdom comes from nature. Therefore, Yi provides the wisdom of harmony between man and nature, man and society. Fu Xiyi is closely related to each of us and provides us with a valuable guide to life.
The Yi created by Fu Xi contains six indivisible knowledge:
1. Prediction, using the "Fangyuan Diagram" and the original text of the Yi Jing
2 , Calendar, including phenological calendar and astronomical calendar
3, Geography, evolved into Feng Shui after the Western Jin Dynasty
4, Human body medicine, formed traditional Chinese medicine
5, Religion, the ancestral temple system and the etiquette of respecting heaven and ancestors
6, magic, methods and technical means to solve problems
In history, "Fuxi Xiantian Sixty-Four Hexagrams Square Circle Diagram" once There have been many names, such as:
1. It was called "Miyi" in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms and the Northern Song Dynasty
2. It was called "Thangka" in the Tang Dynasty
3. I created the Tai Chi diagram, a thumbnail of the square and circle diagram, and began to have the Tai Chi diagram.
4. The picture headed by Qian Gua in "Xici" is Yi, and the picture headed by Kun Gua is Jian.
5. The pictures headed by Kun Gua are called "Gui Zang", "Kun Qian" and "Great Wilderness Sutra"
6. The pictures headed by Gen Gua are called "Lianshan" ", "The Classic of Mountains and Seas"
7. It was called "Zhong" in the late Shang Dynasty.
8. It was called "Tu" in the middle of Xia Dynasty and was preserved by the He tribe.
In Before the Warring States Period when a hundred schools of thought contended, China had only one culture, which was the knowledge of Yi, the knowledge of Zhong, and the knowledge of diagrams. Chinese civilization originated from the wordless heavenly book. This heavenly book is the "Fuxi Xiantian Sixty-Four Hexagrams Square Circle Diagram", which is the Tai Chi Diagram, which is the Zhong, which is the Diagram, which is Yi. No matter how the name changes, it is the Yin and Yang invented and created by Fuxi. Knowledge.
It is also the only knowledge that has existed in mankind since the beginning of civilization and has continued to this day. It is still full of vitality and countless Chinese people are still diligently pursuing that knowledge.
Today we are gathered together again because of Fuxi and because of the unique belief in Chinese culture, continuing to inherit the continuation of Chinese national culture and Fuxi’s spirit. Using the ideas of the Book of Changes created by Fuxi to understand Fuxi’s spirit is an endless spirit of innovation. No matter the dynasties change or how long the history is, under the guidance of Fuxi’s Yi culture, our nation formed by culture as a bond will continue. Continue the essence of Chinese national culture.