A few of the wisest sentences in the Book of Changes contain philosophy:
1. One yin and one yang are called Tao.
See "Book of Changes·Xici" for the language. The Book of Changes believes that things are composed of two aspects, yin and yang, two forces, which are opposite and complementary, moving towards each other and cannot be ignored, constituting the nature of things and the laws of their movement. Regardless of nature or human affairs, the performance is better than the Tao. The Book of Changes is the source of Chinese philosophy, the source of Chinese people's cultural psychology, and the behavioral guide for Chinese people to settle down and live their lives.
2. The movement of heaven makes a gentleman constantly strive for self-improvement;
This is the most famous aphorism about the philosophy of life in the Book of Changes. Self-improvement will lead to self-reliance, inferiority will lead to self-defeat, and tolerance of others will lead to a bright future. The Book of Changes tells us that we must be strict with ourselves, strive for self-improvement, and be kind and kind to others. Tolerance is a human virtue.
3. Life is called easy.
New things are produced all the time, which is called "daily innovation is called virtue, and life and death is called Yi". The so-called "daily innovation" and "life and development" mean constant change and renewal. "Life is called Yi" means that the essence of "Yi" is to reveal the principle of "great change" and "endless life". This sentence is often used together with "The great virtue of heaven and earth is called Sheng", which mainly means that all things in heaven and earth are in motion and development all the time. In terms of human affairs, life represents hope. The ancients said, "If you keep the green hills, you won't have to worry about running out of firewood."
4. If it is easy to be poor, it will change, if it is easy to change, it will be general, and if it is general, it will last.
The Book of Changes emphasizes flexibility. The Book of Changes believes that when things develop to the extreme, they must change. Only when changes occur can the development of things be unblocked and things can continue to develop. It shows that when facing a situation where development cannot be achieved, the status quo must be changed and reforms and revolutions must be carried out. In the philosophy of life, the Book of Changes tells us that there is no perfect path for everyone. Only by weighing the pros and cons and knowing how to adapt can we achieve long-term development. That’s why Mr. Nan Huaijin said that no matter how poor you are, you are just begging for food. If you don’t die, you will eventually get ahead!
5. Daily innovation is called virtue.
New things are added and changed every day, which is called daily innovation. "It is new every day, it is new every day," is a famous saying engraved on the bathtub of King Tang of Shang Dynasty. It tells us that if we wash away the dirt all over our body today, we will have to wash away the dirt every day in the future. As the day goes on, stick to it every day. Extended to the philosophy of life, each of us must baptize our own spirit and morality, and every day is a new beginning. Ancient Greek philosophers said that the sun is new every day. Interesting Chinese culture theory, give your spirit a bath every day!
6. Walking on frost and ice.
When you set foot on the autumn frost, you should think that the cold ice is bound to come. A wise man can know the autumn from one leaf, but a fool chooses only one leaf to blind his eyes. The Book of Changes tells us that we should carefully perceive the development and changes of things and take precautions to prevent problems before they occur.
7. There will be no return without peace or failure.
There are flat roads and steep cliffs in the world. Where there is progress, there will be reciprocation. In terms of philosophy of life, the Book of Changes tells us that everything in the world is not smooth sailing. When you climb a cliff, there may be a flat plain ahead of you. When you are proud of the spring breeze and your horse is hoofed, you may be unlucky to drink cold water and stuff your teeth. As the saying goes, "A blessing in disguise is a blessing in disguise."
8. There is no fault in walking in the middle.
Zhonghang means Zhongzheng, walking the middle path. No blame means no disaster. The Book of Changes tells us that we must act upright and sit upright in everything, and do not go to extremes or go under, so that there will be no disasters in life. This is similar to Confucius's "going too far is not enough" and Zhu Xi's "impartiality".