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Chapter 2 of 35
周易参同契
Once heaven and earth establish their respective positions, Yi (the fundamental law of cosmic transformation) operates within them without cease 🍃. The so-called "heaven and earth" are the concrete manifestations of Qian (pure yang, symbolizing heaven) and Kun (pure yin, symbolizing earth); "establishing positions" means arranging the complementary positions of yin and yang. The specific operation of "Yi," however, rests upon the two hexagrams Kan (☵, water, concealing true yang within) and Li (☲, fire, concealing true yin within)—these are the functional manifestations of the two great bodies, Qian and Kun.
These two functions, Kan and Li, have no fixed positions within the sixty-four hexagrams. Instead, they circulate freely through the six empty positions: coming and going without fixed abode, rising and falling without constant pattern, deeply hidden and obscurely concealed—transformation occurs precisely within this emptiness 🌊. It encompasses all phenomena and serves as the guiding principle and core of the Dao (the fundamental law underlying all things). This precisely embodies the principle of "governing the manifest through the unmanifest"—just as a vessel is useful precisely because of its hollowness. From this, one can infer the pattern of waxing and waning of yin and yang, until the functions of Kan and Li themselves recede into formlessness.
These words are not arbitrary fabrications, nor are these judgments born from nothing. Rather, they draw upon verification, observe actual effects, calibrate measurements within the realm of the divine, elaborate through discourse, condense into written form, and employ fundamental principles as evidence ⛰. The Kan hexagram receives the Wu earth, representing the essence of the moon; the Li hexagram receives the Ji earth, representing the radiance of the sun. The alternation of sun and moon is the true meaning of the character "Yi"—the hard and soft correspond and complement each other in perfect balance. Earth (one of the Five Phases, dwelling in the center, serving the functions of harmony and support) is in a state of vigor throughout all four seasons, threading through all things and sustaining the entirety. The four colors—azure (east, wood), vermilion (south, fire), black (north, water), and white (west, metal)—each occupy their direction, yet all receive governance from the Central Palace (the central earth position, where Wu and Ji reside)—this is precisely the harmonizing effect of the Wu and Ji earth in the center 🌱.
The core of this passage reveals a threefold structure: Qian and Kun establish positions, Kan and Li perform their functions, and the Central Palace exercises sovereign command. Qian and Kun constitute the substance—the framework of "established positions"; Kan and Li constitute the function—the dynamic operation of "Yi" within that framework; the central Wu and Ji earth serve as the pivot that governs the four directions and harmonizes the four symbols. From this, Daoist alchemical philosophy draws a profound insight: true transformation does not reside in tangible, position-bound entities, but in the functions that are formless, positionless, and circulate through the six empty positions. "Governing the manifest through the unmanifest; the vessel is useful through its emptiness" is the eye of this entire chapter—what is useful is precisely the "empty," the "unmanifest," that formless and trace-less yet all-bearing body of virtuality.
The statement "Two functions have no fixed positions, circulating through the six empty places" offers tremendous insight for modern people trapped in "fixed identities." We habitually nail ourselves to labels—job titles, roles, resumes, social expectations—as if life were a matter of filling every "position." But the wisdom of Kan and Li tells us: true vitality lies in the fluidity that refuses to be confined to a single form. Just as water has no fixed shape yet adapts to any container, so too should one maintain a supple "awaiting-the-position" elasticity in career, relationships, and self-understanding, never locked into a single identity.
"Governing the manifest through the unmanifest; the vessel is useful through its emptiness" directly addresses the predicament of modern life. We ceaselessly fill time, space, and information, yet forget that "emptiness" is the true source of value: schedules need blank space to breathe, rooms need open space to be livable, and minds need margin to create. "Governing the manifest through the unmanifest" is not passive emptiness, but rather the advanced art of governance that steers the concrete through the subtle and simplicity through complexity—a spiritual minimalism.
The statement "Therefore, withdrawing from the waxing and waning, Kan and Li vanish" contains a subtle paradox: the most active functions are precisely the most invisible. Kan and Li circulate through the six empty positions with infinite transformation, yet when you attempt to "seize" them, they "vanish"—receding from sight. This implies a deeper ontology: true "function" is not an objectifiable entity but rather a relational, processual existence. This calls to mind the concept of "force" in modern physics—you never see the force itself, only the motion it causes. Similarly, the Dao itself is invisible; it can only be "inferred" through the transformation of all things. This mode of thinking—"revealing substance through function"—is a profound reminder from Daoist philosophy about the nature of human cognition: what we see is always phenomena, and the "function" and "substance" behind phenomena must be perceived with an empty and still mind, not grasped with a clinging one.
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This content is based on classical Daoist texts and is provided solely for traditional cultural study and personal life reflection. It does not constitute religious, medical, or investment advice.