Classic of Changes
十翼 Shí yì
序卦傳 Sequence of the Hexagrams · Xù guà zhuàn
有天地，然後萬物生焉。盈天地之間者，唯萬物，故受之以屯；屯者盈也，屯者物之始生也。物生必蒙，故受之以蒙；蒙者蒙也，物之穉也。物穉不可不養也，故受之以需；需者飲食之道也。飲食必有訟，故受之以訟。訟必有眾起，故受之以師；師者眾也。眾必有所比，故受之以比；比者比也。比必有所畜，故受之以小畜。物畜然後有禮，故受之以履。履而泰，然後安，故受之以泰；泰者通也。物不可以終通，故受之以否。物不可以終否，故受之以同人。與人同者，物必歸焉，故受之以大有。有大者不可以盈，故受之以謙。有大而能謙，必豫，故受之以豫。豫必有隨，故受之以隨。以喜隨人者，必有事，故受之以蠱；蠱者事也。有事而後可大，故受之以臨；臨者大也。物大然後可以觀，故受之以觀。可觀而後有所合，故受之以噬嗑；嗑者合也。物不可以苟合而已，故受之以賁；賁者飾也。致飾然後亨，則盡矣，故受之以剝；剝者剝也。物不可以終盡，剝窮上反下，故受之以復。復則不妄矣，故受之以无妄。有无妄然後可畜，故受之以大畜。物畜然後可養，故受之以頤；頤者養也。不養則不可動，故受之以大過。物不可以終過，故受之以坎；坎者陷也。陷必有所麗，故受之以離；離者麗也。
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 Khwăn) are followed by Kun!. Kun denotes filling up.
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 Măng. Măng is descriptive of what is undeveloped,—the young of creatures and things. These in that state require to be nourished. Hence Măng is followed by Hsü. Hsü 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 Hsü is followed by Sung.
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 Pî, which denotes being attached to.
(Multitudes in) union must be subjected to some restraint. Hence Pî is followed by Hsiâo Khû. When things are subjected to restraint, there come to be rites of ceremony, and hence Hsiâo Khû is followed by Lî. The treading (on what is proper) leads to Thâi, which issues in a state of freedom and repose, and hence Lî is followed by Thâi.
Thâi denotes things having free course. They cannot have that for ever, and hence it is followed by Phî (denoting being shut up and restricted). Things cannot for ever be shut up, and hence Phî is followed by Thung Ȝăn. To him who cultivates union with men, things must come to belong, and hence Thung Ȝăn is followed by Tâ Yû. Those who have what is great should not allow in themselves the feeling of being full, and hence Tâ Yû 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 Yü.
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 Kû. Kû means (the performance of) services. He who performs such services may afterwards become great, and hence Kû is followed by Lin. Lin means great.
What is great draws forth contemplation, and hence Lin is followed by Kwân. He who attracts contemplation will then bring about the union of others with himself, and hence Kwân 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 Pî. Pî denotes adorning. When ornamentation has been carried to the utmost, its progress comes to an end; and hence Pî is followed by Po. Po denotes decay and overthrow.
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 Fû. When the return (thus indicated) has taken place, we have not any rash disorder, and Fû is followed by Wû Wang. Given the freedom from disorder and insincerity (which this name denotes), there may be the accumulation (of virtue), and Wû Wang is followed by Tâ Khû.
Such accumulation having taken place, there will follow the nourishment of it; and hence Tâ Khû is followed by Î. Î denotes nourishing. Without nourishment there could be no movement, and hence Î is followed by Tâ Kwo. Things cannot for ever be in a state of extraordinary (progress); and hence Tâ Kwo is followed by Khân. Khân denotes falling into peril. When one falls into peril, he is sure to attach himself to some person or thing; and hence Khân is followed by Lî. Lî denotes being attached, or adhering, to.
有天地然後有萬物，有萬物然後有男女，有男女然後有夫婦，有夫婦然後有父子，有父子然後有君臣，有君臣然後有上下，有上下然後禮義有所錯。夫婦之道，不可以不久也，故受之以恆；恆者久也。物不可以久居其所，故受之以遯；遯者退也。物不可以終遯，故受之以大壯。物不可以終壯，故受之以晉；晉者進也。進必有所傷，故受之以明夷；夷者傷也。傷於外者，必反於家，故受之以家人。家道窮必乖，故受之以睽；睽者乖也。乖必有難，故受之以蹇；蹇者難也。物不可以終難，故受之以解；解者緩也。緩必有所失，故受之以損。損而不已，必益，故受之以益。益而不已，必決，故受之以夬；夬者決也。決必有遇，故受之以姤；姤者遇也。物相遇而後聚，故受之以萃；萃者聚也。聚而上者，謂之升，故受之以升。升而不已，必困，故受之以困。困乎上者，必反下，故受之以井。井道不可不革，故受之以革。革物者莫若鼎，故受之以鼎。主器者莫若長子，故受之以震；震者動也。物不可以終動，止之，故受之以艮；艮者止也。物不可以終止，故受之以漸；漸者進也。進必有所歸，故受之以歸妹。得其所歸者必大，故受之以豐；豐者大也。窮大者必失其居，故受之以旅。旅而無所容，故受之以巽；巽者入也。入而後說之，故受之以兌；兌者說也。說而後散之，故受之以渙；渙者離也。物不可以終離，故受之以節。節而信之，故受之以中孚。有其信者，必行之，故受之以小過。有過物者，必濟，故受之以既濟。物不可窮也，故受之以未濟；終焉。
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 Hăng. Hăng denotes long enduring.
Things cannot long abide in the same place; and hence Hăng is followed by Thun. Thun denotes withdrawing. Things cannot be for ever withdrawn; and hence Thun is succeeded by Tâ Kwang. Things cannot remain for ever (simply) in the state of vigour; and hence Tâ Kwang is succeeded by Ȝin. Ȝin denotes advancing. (But) advancing is sure to lead to being wounded; and hence Ȝin is succeeded by Ming Î. Î denotes being wounded. He who is wounded abroad will return to his home; and hence Ming Î is followed by Kiâ Zăn.
When the right administration of the family is at an end, misunderstanding and division will ensue; and hence Kiâ Zăn 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.
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 Yî. When increase goes on without end, there is sure to come a dispersing of it, and hence Yî is followed by Kwâi. Kwâi denotes dispersion. Butdispersion must be succeeded by a meeting (again). Hence Kwâi is followed by Kâu, which denotes such meeting.
When things meet together, a collection is then formed. Hence Kâu is followed by Ȝhui, 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 Shui is followed by Shăng. When such advance continues without stopping, there is sure to come distress; and hence Shăng is followed by Khwăn. When distress is felt in the height (that has been gained), there is sure to be a return to the ground beneath; and hence Khwăn is followed by Ȝing.
What happens under Ȝing requires to be changed, and hence it is followed by Ko (denoting change).
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 Kăn. Kăn conveys the idea of putting in motion. But things cannot be kept in motion for ever. The motion is stopped; and hence Kăn is followed by Kăn, which gives the idea of arresting or stopping. Things cannot be kept for ever in a state of repression, and hence Kăn 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 Fäng, which conveys the idea of being great.
He whose greatness reaches the utmost possibility, is sure to lose his dwelling; and hence Făng is succeeded by Lü (denoting travellers or strangers). We have in it the idea of strangers who have no place to receive them, and hence Lü is followed by Sûn, which gives the idea of (penetrating and) entering.
One enters (on the pursuit of his object), and afterwards has pleasure in it; hence Sûn 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.
A state of division cannot continue for ever, and therefore Hwan is followed by Ȝieh. Ȝieh (or the system of regulations) having been established, men believe in it, and hence it is followed by Kung Fû. When men have the belief which Kung Fû implies, they are sure to carry it into practice; and hence it is succeeded by Hsiâo Kwo.
He that surpasses others is sure to remedy (evils that exist), and therefore Hsiâo Kwo is succeeded by Kî Ȝî. But the succession of events cannot come to an end, and therefore Kî Ȝî is succeeded by Wei Ȝî, with which (the hexagrams) come to a close.