Section I

1-3. When there were heaven and earth, then afterwards all things were produced. What fills up the space between heaven and earth are those all things. Hence Khien and Khwan are followed by Kun. Kun denotes filling up.

3-6. Kun is descriptive of things on their first production. When so produced, they are sure to be in an undeveloped condition. Hence Kun is followed by Mang. Mang is descriptive of what is undeveloped, the young of creatures and things. These in that state require to be nourished. Hence Mang is followed by Hsu. Hsu is descriptive of the way in which meat and drink come to be supplied. Over meat and drink there are sure to be contentions. Hence Hsu is followed by Sung.

6-8. Sung is sure to cause the rising up of the multitudes; and hence it is followed by Sze. Sze has the signification of multitudes, and between multitudes there must be some bond of union. Hence it is followed by Pi, which denotes being attached to.

8-11. Multitudes in union must be subjected to some restraint. Hence Pi is followed by Hsiao Khu. When things are subjected to restraint, there come to be rites of ceremony, and hence Hsiao Khu is followed by Lu. The treading on what is proper leads to Thai, which issues in a state of freedom and repose, and hence Lu is followed by Thai.

11-16. Thai denotes things having free course. They cannot have that for ever, and hence it is followed by Phi, denoting being shut up and restricted. Things cannot for ever be shut up, and hence Phi is followed by Thung Zan. To him who cultivates union with men, things must come to belong, and hence Thung Zan is followed by Ta Yu. Those who have what is great should not allow in themselves the feeling of being full, and hence Ta Yu is followed by Khien. When great possessions are associated with humility, there is sure to be pleasure and satisfaction; and hence Khien is followed by Yu.

16-19. Where such complacency is awakened, he who causes it is sure to have followers. They who follow another are sure to have services to perform, and hence Sui is followed by Ku. Ku means the performance of services. He who performs such services may afterwards become great, and hence Ku is followed by Lin. Lin means great.

19-23. What is great draws forth contemplation, and hence Lin is followed by Kwan. He who attracts contemplation will then bring about the union of others with himself, and hence Kwan is followed by Shih Ho. Shih Ho means union. But things should not be united in a reckless or irregular way, and hence Shih Ho is followed by Pi. Pi denotes adorning. When ornamentation has been carried to the utmost, its progress comes to an end; and hence Pi is followed by Po. Po denotes decay and overthrow.

23-26. Things cannot be done away for ever. When decadence and overthrow have completed their work at one end, redintegration commences at the other; and hence Po is followed by Fu. When the return thus indicated has taken place, we have not any rash disorder, and Fu is followed by Wu Wang. Given the freedom from disorder and insincerity which this name denotes, there may be the accumulation of virtue, and Wu Wang is followed by Ta Khu.

26-30. Such accumulation having taken place, there will follow the nourishment of it; and hence Ta Khu is followed by I. I denotes nourishing. Without nourishment there could be no movement, and hence I is followed by Ta Kwo. Things cannot for ever be in a state of extraordinary progress; and hence Ta Kwo is followed by Khan. Khan denotes falling into peril. When one falls into peril, he is sure to attach himself to some person or thing; and hence Khan is followed by Li. Li denotes being attached, or adhering, to.

Section II

31, 32. Heaven and earth existing, all material things then got their existence. All material things having existence, afterwards there came male and female. From the existence of male and female there came afterwards husband and wife. From husband and wife there came father and son. From father and son there came ruler and minister. From ruler and minister there came high and low. When the distinction of high and low had existence, afterwards came the arrangements of propriety and righteousness.

The rule for the relation of husband and wife is that it should be long-enduring. Hence Hsien is followed by Hang. Hang denotes long enduring.

32-37. Things cannot long abide in the same place; and hence Hang is followed by Thun. Thun denotes withdrawing. Things cannot be for ever withdrawn; and hence Thun is succeeded by Ta Kwang. Things cannot remain for ever simply in the state of vigour; and hence Ta Kwang is succeeded by Zin. Zin denotes advancing. But advancing is sure to lead to being wounded; and hence Zin is succeeded by Ming I. I denotes being wounded. He who is wounded abroad will return to his home; and hence Ming I is followed by Kia Zan.

37-40. When the right administration of the family is at an end, misunderstanding and division will ensue; and hence Kia Zan is followed by Khwei. Khwei denotes misunderstanding and division; and such a state is sure to give rise to difficulties and complications. Khwei therefore is followed by Kien. Kien denotes difficulties; but things cannot remain for ever in such a state. Kien therefore is followed by Kieh, which denotes relaxation and ease.

40-44. In a state of relaxation and ease there are sure to be losses; and hence Kieh is followed by Sun. But when Sun, or diminution, is going on without end, increase is sure to come. Sun therefore is followed by Yi. When increase goes on without end, there is sure to come a dispersing of it, and hence Yi is followed by Kwai. Kwai denotes dispersion. But dispersion must be succeeded by a meeting again. Hence Kwai is followed by Kau, which denotes such meeting.

44-48. When things meet together, a collection is then formed. Hence Kau is followed by Zhui, which name denotes being collected. When good men are collected and mount to the highest places, there results what we call an upward advance; and hence Zhui is followed by Shang. When such advance continues without stopping, there is sure to come distress; and hence Shang is followed by Khwan. When distress is felt in the height that has been gained, there is sure to be a return to the ground beneath; and hence Khwan is followed by Zing.

48, 49. What happens under Zing requires to be changed, and hence it is followed by Ko, denoting change.

49-55. For changing the substance of things there is nothing equal to the caldron; and hence Ko is followed by Ting. For presiding over that and all other vessels, no one is equal to the eldest son, and hence Ting is followed by Zhen. Zhen conveys the idea of putting in motion. But things cannot be kept in motion for ever. The motion is stopped; and hence Zhen is followed by Kan, which gives the idea of arresting or stopping. Things cannot be kept for ever in a state of repression, and hence Kan is followed by Kien, which gives the idea of gradually advancing. With advance there must be a certain point that is arrived at, and hence Kien is succeeded by Kwei Mei. When things thus find the proper point to which to come, they are sure to become great. Hence Kwei Mei is succeeded by Fang, which conveys the idea of being great.

55-57. He whose greatness reaches the utmost possibility, is sure to lose his dwelling; and hence Fang is succeeded by Lu, denoting travellers or strangers. We have in it the idea of strangers who have no place to receive them, and hence Lu is followed by Sun, which gives the idea of penetrating and entering.

57-59. One enters on the pursuit of his object, and afterwards has pleasure in it; hence Sun is followed by Tui. Tui denotes pleasure and satisfaction. This pleasure and satisfaction begins afterwards to be dissipated, and hence Tui is followed by Hwan, which denotes separation and division.

59-62. A state of division cannot continue for ever, and therefore Hwan is followed by Zieh. Zieh, or the system of regulation, having been established, men believe in it, and hence it is followed by Kung Fu. When men have the belief which Kung Fu implies, they are sure to carry it into practice; and hence it is succeeded by Hsiao Kwo.

62-64. He that surpasses others is sure to remedy evils that exist, and therefore Hsiao Kwo is succeeded by Ki Zi. But the succession of events cannot come to an end, and therefore Ki Zi is succeeded by Wei Zi, with which the hexagrams come to a close.